Chapter 46: Running Amonk

Monasteries were not something Yuna was innately familiar with. Her only frame of reference for comparison’s sake was Aeon temples. Brick and cement buildings that gave way to colorful interiors decorated with warm art pieces celebrating Bahamut and the other Sages.

… Boy would the dedicated service attendees hate to hear about what I’ve learned.

The drakloak shook the sour thoughts from her head, focusing instead on the approaching monastery. Even with no exposure to such places, Yuna was confident Shaftra Monastery wasn’t so much built as a place of worship, but rather repurposed from something else.

Large, gray-blue metal spires jutted out of the ground. Huge, gear-shaped machines sat atop the spires, coated in thick layers of rust. Their colors muted from ages of exposure to dust and other elements.

Like some of the rundown buildings she met Archie and Maxie in, the spires had colored blankets and tapestry nailed to their exteriors. Rope crisscrossed the spires, with diamond and crescent-patterned cloth flapping in the dusty wind. Beneath them sat shacks made of stone and wood. Yuna quirked a brow, wondering why anyone would use such sad little huts when there was a massive building right behind them.

“You call this a monastery?” Nikki scoffed from Noctum’s back. “Where are all the monks sitting cross-legged and going ‘ooooooohm’ or whatever?” She cupped a hand over her eyes and scanned the mountaintop.

“Mind your manners,” Maxie scolded, pressing his goggles firmly to his face. “It’s mid-morning, so acolytes are probably doing some exercises out back with Brother Kora.”

Noctum smiled. “Organized exercises, huh? That sounds like fun.”

“It ain’t about fun, scamp!” Archie brandished one of his jagged seamitars and waved it in Noctum’s direction. “It’s about discipline. Of mind and body and stuff.”

“Right. Sorry.” Noctum rubbed the back and laughed nervously. “I guess we should fly around back, then?”

“Yeah!” Leo was already running through the air ahead of the group. “I think Mr. Alder’s there, too!”

“Hang on, Leo!” Yuna picked up the pace, ducking underneath one of the ropes. “Don’t wander too far ahead. We’re guests, remember?”

The cosmic arceus stopped in place, his glow dimming slightly and tail drooping. “Sorry, Mom.” He brushed his hooves together sheepishly.

Yuna guiltily winced. Even with no mouth, Leo had a deceptively good apologetic face.

The group weaved through the ropes — Yuna had no idea if they were for decoration or hanging laundry and wasn’t inclined to ask — and flew past the last of the metal spires. They didn’t have to look hard to find the monks, because they were on a raised bedrock crop fifty meters behind the last spire.

“Wow!” Noctum’s tail flame brightened. “Look at all those dragons and lizards! Hakamo-o, kommo-o, goodra, helioptile, shelgon, druddigon.” He flapped his wings excitedly. “I think there are a few lucario and mienshao, too.”

“Hey, watch the merchandise, dumbass!” Nikki grabbed the back of her leather jacket and hiked it up, eyeing Noctum’s tail flame.

“Relax, Nikki.” Yuna waved the toxtricity off. “He’s just excited. It’s been… a while since we’ve been in a place with so many other reptiles.”

“Uh, hello?” Nikki pointed at her head. “What am I, a pretty face?”

Valkyrie snorted and rolled her eyes. “What’s up with those green lizards in the middle down there? They look like they have wheels jutting out of their necks.”

“Those are cyclizar,” Maxie said, tone suggesting disbelief at Valkyrie not knowing that. “That part on their neck is a dewlap.”

“Do lap? I hardly know lap!” Nikki sniggered when Yuna and Noctum gave her confused looks.

“Feh. The cyclizar ain’t nearly as impressive as Brother Kora,” Archie scoffed. The dark samurott pointed to the end of the bedrock. Someone vaguely similar to the cyclizar stood on top of a boulder with his right leg raised and both arms balanced steadily out to the side. This one’s scales were mostly red, with a white belly and a head brimming with white and purple feathers that even put Alder’s puffy crest to shame. The braviary stood off to the side, looking out over the mesa.

“Hiiiiii Mr. Alder!” Leo shouted, his wheel glowing brightly.

Several of the dragons stumbled out of their poses, a few crashing into each other. Some of them looked up and pointed at Rayquaza with bewildered expressions. Yuna facepalmed. Guess I need to teach him how to greet individuals in a crowd.

Alder looked over his shoulder. His pink forehead feathers stood on end. “Leo! And Yuna, too! You both made it!” The braviary floated into the air and flew toward the group. “And you brought company, I see.” He looked around. “Splendid! Oh, if I had known you were coming this soon, I would’ve readied something for you. I’m sure the trip left you famished.”

“We ate before we came.” Noctum bobbed his head.

“Yeah. This lug makes decent scrambled eggs,” Nikki added, noogieing Noctum’s head over the black charizard’s protests.

“Mayhap we can talk on the ground?” Rayquaza pointed to his passengers. “Methinks this lot is getting antsy. Also, mine strength is weaning. A result of the princess summoning me for quite some time?”

Yuna looked down at her Soul Dew to find it much dimmer than usual. So, there is a limit on this thing. Good to know.

The group landed. The rows of monks broke away, giving them ample space. While Yuna recalled Rayquaza to let him rest, Nikki hopped off Noctum and idly kicked up some dirt. “Tch. It’d be nicer to be on land again if it wasn’t some dusty old plateau.”

“It’s a mesa,” Noctum reminded her.

A vein bulged out of the toxtricity’s head. “Whatever!”

Amidst all the commotion, Kora had glided — his coiled feathers apparently unfurled into wings — to the group. His wings folded back up and he dropped onto his tail while sitting cross-legged several centimeters off the ground. How Kora was balancing on that thin tail was beyond Yuna. Was that the kind of discipline Archie referred to?

“Welcome, travelers. I am Koraidon.” He clasped his red hands together and slowly bowed. “I oversee the monks of this humble monastery.” Koraidon locked eyes with Yuna. “Brother Alder told me about his chance meeting with you and your son.”

Yuna was ready to correct Koraidon, but seeing Leo hopping around the braviary and some of the other monks gave her pause. “Err, right.” She cleared her throat. “Leo, let’s not get into other’s personal space without their permission.”

“Okie dokie!” The cosmic arceus trotted over and sat obediently in front of Yuna. He looked at Koraidon, starcloud tail swishing against the dirt. “I like your feathers. They’re pretty.”

“Thank you, little one.” Koraidon smiled politely. Yuna swore his dewlap got a bit bigger, though it could’ve been her imagination. “How about the four of us adjourn somewhere private so we can talk about this in more detail?”

Yuna glanced at Noctum, frowning. “Do we have to?”

“Oh?” Koraidon looked between Noctum and Yuna. “Not at all, miss. I was merely worried about… overwhelming your friends.”

“Yeah, I’m not interested in this ‘dimensionality’ crap.” Valkyrie rested her arms behind her head, yawning. “Like I said, it was stupid to drag me here.” She arched her back slightly. “Maybe I’ll soak up a few rays or something. Sun’s much dimmer here than Etherium, but the big moons are good enough. In a creepy way, I suppose.”

Noctum huffed scarlet fire. “Would it kill you to decline politely? This concerns us, too.”

Valkyrie narrowed her eyes. “Your precious princess wants you to go with. So, go with.” She lowered her right arm to wave him off dismissively. “Even if it’ll soar right over your head, at least you can pretend you’re being useful.”

Yuna’s chest tightened. Noctum told her about his altercation with Valkyrie, but Yuna figured the garchomp was above taking petty verbal potshots. “Noctum,” the drakloak whispered. “It’s okay. You can come with—”

The black charizard stepped defiantly toward her. The glow in his Malice Crystal made Yuna uneasy. “Did I wound your pride that much you feel the need to resort to putdowns like some hatchling?” he growled.

“Please.” Valkyrie lowered her stance. “So, you sucker punched me. Big deal. If it wasn’t for that dumb gem in your gut, you’d never get the drop on me.”

“That’s enough.”

Koraidon coiled his tail and sprang in between the two of them. He held up both his hands. “This sort of tension… is counter to our peaceful way of life.”

“Don’t blame me.” Valkyrie raised her arms innocently. “He started it.”

Leo scooted over beside Yuna. “Chompy’s being a meanie,” he whispered.

The drakloak tried hard not to giggle at that.

“Archie, Maxie.” Koraidon beckoned them forward. His dewlap and feathers shimmered with a strange blue energy. Then, to Yuna’s utter shock, a rift opened behind Koraidon. It bathed the nearby monks in soft blue, compared to the sinister purple glows Yuna was used to seeing from these rifts.

“Lemme guess: you want ’em to settle their differences like ‘mons?” An eager grin spread across Archie’s face. The samurott slapped a flipper when Koraidon nodded. “Now we’re talking!”

“Settle… what?” Yuna hovered forward worriedly.

“He means having ’em go at it until they’ve beaten the anger out of each other!” Archie’s eyes lit up.

Noctum’s tail flame shrank. “E… excuse me?”

“Aww, shit! Round two?” Nikki jogged toward Maxie, rubbing her hands together. “Lemme cop a ticket, dude!”

“Now, hold on a second,” Noctum started, only for Maxie to shove him toward the rift. “Battling won’t solve anyt—”

He and the ghostly typhlosion disappeared in a blue flash.

“… eh, sure.” Vakyrie stomped toward the rift. “I’ll bite. Idiot won’t know what hit him.”

“Wait!” Yuna darted toward Valkyrie. “This isn’t necessary! We’re supposed to be a team!”

Valkyrie hopped into the rift beside Archie, completely ignoring the drakloak. Her tail and shoulders sagged. “Seriously?” Yuna groaned and turned to Koraidon. “Why’d you do that?”

“I’ve seen this situation many times.” Koraidon casually approached Yuna. “It may seem counterintuitive, but it will be better for them in the long run.”

Yuna bit her lip.

I sure hope so…

This was beyond stupid. The sort of desperate stunt Noctum would’ve resorted to back when he was homeless. Why did he have to open his big mouth? The charizard had no desire to fight Valkyrie, especially if she was pissed.

Despite his protests, however, Maxie kept shoving Noctum until he stood opposite Valkyrie on a spacious dirt battlefield.

“I don’t suppose you guys keep any soda around here?” Nikki asked a poncho-wearing kommo-o, who looked at a sliggoo in confusion. “Guess not.” The toxtricity sighed and sat on a wooden stump.

“All right!” Archie shouted from the sidelines, rubbing his flippers together. “Rules are simple. Fight until one of ya bites it!”

“WHAT?!” Noctum’s tail flame grew in alarm.

Maxie cleared his throat. “The big oaf means until someone faints.” He nudged his goggles. “And no foul play, like attempts to maim or break limbs. This should still be a clean battle.”

Archie’s stance slouched. “G’arr, where’s the fun in that?” He earned a cold look from Maxie. “Cripes. Ya sure ya ain’t supposed to be a sneasel or something?”

“Fine by me.” Valkyrie tilted her neck left, then right. Noctum heard the cricks and flinched.

The black charizard tapped his claws together. “Um, do I really need to—”

“Three, two, one… go!” Archie shouted far too quickly for Noctum’s liking. Valkyrie wasted no time in shooting a Dragon Pulse at Noctum while moving to close the distance.

“Yipe!” Noctum flew up, watching the blue-purple beam streak past him. “Valkyrie, please! I don’t want to fight!”

“Too late.” The garchomp stomped the ground. Rock spires shot toward Noctum. He flew even higher, squeaking when Valkyrie blasted straight through them with another Dragon Pulse. Noctum couldn’t dodge all the rocky spikes filling the air. A Flamethrower burnt through some, but a few pelted his wings and knees. He hissed from the stinging pain.

“Where’s that ferocity from earlier, huh?” Valkyrie had a large rock slab under each arm. “Guess you can talk a big game if you feel like it, but when push comes to shove, you’re as pampered as the princess!”

She hurled the rock in her right arm at Noctum. He had enough time to fly right, but found the second rock heading right for him! The charizard’s claws lengthened. Metal coated them while he thrust his arms forward. His Metal Claws split the rock in half. Each half landed with a heavy thud, one even rolling a bit before dropping on its side. The monks offered some oohs and ahhs.

Noctum flew higher, biting his lip. His heart ached more than his body. Valkyrie fought beside him. Even with a bit of an attitude, she knew he was good for something. Why was she belittling him so much?

“Look alive, Charizard!”

Archie’s call snapped Noctum’s gaze down to the ground, where more Stone Edge spires sat… with Valkyrie leaping up them, Dragon Claws at the ready!

Noctum desperately shot a small stream of dragonfire. Too slow! He tried a Dragon Pulse, but Valkyrie spread her arms out and glided right over it. Noctum had no choice but to raise his Metal Claws to meet Valkyrie’s Dragon Claws in midair.

The garchomp’s attack won out, with Noctum tumbling back through the air. He managed to spread his wings out and catch himself before he hit the ground. However, a sudden malaise washed over his body. His breath hitched in his throat. The charizard looked down to see purple splotches on his black scales.

Poison? Ho—

His eyes widened. This wasn’t the first time Noctum had seen this. The snorlax!

“You,” Noctum shakily pointed an arm at her, “laced your attack with poison? How? Why?” An aching pain gripped his whole body.

Valkyrie bared her fangs. “Helps a non-poison assassin stay in the shadows.”

“Oh snap! Plot twist!” Nikki scooched forward on her tree stump. “Kick his ass, Chompy!”

A wince. Noctum staggered back. “Wha—”

“Did I stutter?” Blue-violet sparks danced around Valkyrie’s mouth. Noctum rolled right. A Dragon Pulse swept past him, kicking dust into the air.

“A… an assassin?! B-But that’s someone who—”

“Kills people. Yes. Very observant.”

Noctum spotted a growing silhouette in the dust. Rather than flying up to dodge Valkyrie, however, he flapped his wings in place. A deluge of Air Slash blades broke through the dust and forced Valkyrie back, arms held up to try and absorb some of the strikes.

The charizard tensed from the poison sinking deeper into his scales. “Why?”

“Because that’s what the Ryujin needed,” Valkyrie growled. She dropped to all fours. Stone Edge spires shot out of the ground. Noctum learned from last time, however, and stayed low, flying clockwise only a few centimeters off the ground. He spat dragonfire at Valkyrie while he strafed the Stone Edge.

“You think your sob story was gonna tug at my heart strings? Fat chance!” Valkyrie swung her tail at the nearest Stone Edge spire. It toppled over into a makeshift barricade against Noctum’s dragonfire. “My parents sold me to the Medici to pay off their gambling debts!”

Noctum’s stomach churned. Was it the poison or what Valkyrie told her? He knew she’d try to do something with the rock spires, so he dove down to one of the still-standing slabs and drilled into it with Metal Claws.

“The Medici turned me into a common burglar until— gah!“

The broken boulder tumbled down toward the garchomp. Noctum remained atop the broken rock, rubbing his chest as if he could will the poison away. Even though the broken slab struck Valkyrie, Noctum was too tired to seize on the opening.

“Call it off!” the charizard begged, waving his hands around.

“Fat chance!” Archie wore an eager grin. “It’s getting good!”

“Like hell you’re doing that!”

The downed boulder split apart and all the rocky debris rumbled. Noctum glided off his perch before the Stone Edge remnants crumbled into dirt clumps. Valkyrie stared him down, wiping spittle from her mouth.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Noctum said, cringing from the poison sapping more of his strength.

“It’s not about hurting. It’s about finishing what you start,” Valkyrie growled. She lowered her arms to her sides. “You tried to tug at their heartstrings by selling yourself as a sickly runt. Well, it beats getting dragged off to Citadark!”

Noctum’s tail flame flickered. He recognized that name. Radiance’s prison was there, right? “Wait, but that doesn’t make any sense.”

The charizard ducked, yelping. A Dragon Pulse streaked by his right shoulder.

“I was property to the Medici. A few of them turned me over to save their own hides!” Valkyrie snarled. She readied Dragon Claws and charged Noctum down. Still on his rump, the charizard flapped his wings. Air Slash crescents haphazardly littered Valkyrie’s path. She stopped her charge to unleash a flurry of her own slashes on the wind blades.

“You know what happens to reptiles who end up on Citadark?” the garchomp shouted amidst the fervent slashing. “Tesla experiments on them!”

Noctum put more distance between himself and Valkyrie. The poison was really taking its toll, however. His legs shook. The charizard could maybe last a couple of more minutes, but one strike from Valkyrie would knock him out for sure.

… Wait, who was Tesla?

Never mind. He had to keep Valkyrie talking. “Experiments?”

The garchomp stared him down. “Things like poisoning a gabite to see if she can lace her own attacks with toxins.”

She opened her maw wide. Purple-tinged saliva dripped onto the dirt, sizzling and bubbling at Valkyrie’s feet.

Noctum’s eyes darted about. “O-Oh.” He folded his wings. “I… I had no idea.”

“How the hell did you escape then?” Nikki shouted.

Valkyrie spat some more toxins to her right and wiped her mouth. “I reached a point where I knew I could evolve. Then I bided my time until Tesla took me down to his lab for one of his experiments, triggered the evolution, and overpowered him and his dumb machines.

“I thought I could swim back to Venish, but the sea was too harsh.” Valkyrie’s face scrunched up. “I’d have drowned out there if a Ryujin-controlled ship hadn’t picked me up. The sailors smuggled me back into Radiance.”

Nikki was off her stump, standing beside Archie and Maxie. “Lemme guess. They said you owed some kinda life debt, so they put you to work for them?”

Valkyrie didn’t respond. Instead, another Dragon Pulse charged in her mouth.

A lightbulb went off in Noctum’s head just as the garchomp fired the blue-violet beam. He only had the strength to dive to the ground to avoid it.

“That’s why I won’t let this glorified maid tell me off,” Valkyrie said, stomping toward Noctum, ready to claim her victory.

“I get it,” he said between wheezes, struggling to prop himself up. Noctum’s gaze fell toward the dirt as he hesitated whether to say anything further. “You’re jealous, aren’t you?”

Valkyrie’s approach hesitated for only a moment, but it was long enough for Noctum to tell he was right. And even though his better judgement knew that was the wrong thing to say, he didn’t care. Noctum wasn’t sure if it was the Malice Crystal or the poison or some sort of deeply rooted dragon instinct bubbling to the surface, but he defiantly got to his feet.

“You hurl… all these insults… toward me.” The charizard’s arms swayed from side to side. The poison wasn’t hurting Noctum anymore. In fact, his arms grew a bit thicker. His claws longer and sharper. “But you don’t… think I’m pampered. You just… want what… I have.”

Were those blue embers in the corners of his eyes? Noctum wasn’t sure. He was poisoned, right? Why did he feel so… invigorated?

Blue spilt over the creamy parts of his belly. With a stronger flap of his wings than he’d experienced before, Noctum closed the distance with Valkyrie in an instant. And his claws were so big! They weren’t Metal Claws, they were Dragon Claws!

Yes, Noctum felt it in his blood. Under his scales.

Dragon dragon dragon dragon dragon dragon—

“Well you can’t have it!“

Valkyrie was too stunned to react. Noctum’s Dragon Claws slammed her flanks. The garchomp violently lurched to her left, then crumpled over. Noctum landed next to Valkyrie. That hit was good. Satisfying, even. He wanted more. Noctum needed more. He was going to beat her! He was going to show her up! One more strike! One more blow and—

Something warm struck Noctum between his shoulder blades. The charizard whirled around and found Maxie firmly pressing his goggles to his face.

“This battle is over.”

Over? But Noctum was about to win! Besides, he hadn’t felt this good in ages! “Back off,” Noctum growled, more blue flames painting the edges of his vision. “You said we fight until someone faints.”

Sighing, Maxie shook his head. His purple flame collar pulsated and, next thing Noctum knew, eerie shadowfire orbs surrounded him. Noctum was about to ready his Dragon Claws when the shadowfire closed in. A brief, fiery pain, then the charizard was out cold.

“Nngh. What… happened?”

Floaters clouded Noctum’s vision. His head throbbed. He instinctively massaged his forehead between his horns. It took a bit of time before Noctum managed to sit up. Maxie knelt next to him, his stoic expression showing the slightest bit of disapproval.

But why? Noctum only did what they wanted. They told him to fight. And he was tired of Valkyrie belittling him, so he fought back. Why had this typhlosion attacked him? And with a ghost attack, of all things? Could typhlosion even use ghost-type moves?

“You’ll be fine.” Maxie stood up, nudging his goggles. “You’re lucky I intervened when I did, though. A few more seconds and you would’ve lost control of your mega evolution. We don’t need a berserk charizard around here.”

Noctum blinked. “Mega… evolution?” He’d never heard of it.

“You couldn’t tell?” Nikki said, walking up to Maxie with her hands in her jacket pockets. “Your shoulders grew these big spikes and your wings got all segmented. And you had blue fire streaming out the sides of your mouth. Ptoo! Ptoo!” She held her hands up by her lips and wiggled her fingers. “It was freaky shit, dude!”

So, the charizard had transformed? “Wait… I used trance?”

“Sure as hell looked like it,” Nikki said. “Though I thought tranced charizard were supposed to have their wings and horns turn into pure fire.”

Maxie loudly cleared his throat. “If you two are finished, might I continue?”

Nikki rolled her eyes while Noctum looked down guiltily.

“I imagine we’re discussing the same thing. Different worlds refer to mega evolution using different terms.” Maxie slowly paced back and forth. “It’s nothing more than a temporary transformation that powers up pokémon who are capable of it.”

“Capable of it?” Nikki crossed her arms. “So, what, not everyone can do it?”

Maxie nodded, clearly irritated Nikki cut in again.

“That’s a raw ass deal,” Nikki snorted.

“Yes, well, the issue is that these transformations are difficult to control.” Maxie pivoted slightly to show the gemstone in his goggles. “Typically pokémon rely on bonds with humans holding these key stones to stabilize the transformation and stop them from going berserk. But clearly that’s not an option here.”

“Why don’t we just use yours, then?” Nikki asked.

“Do I look human to you?” Maxie narrowed his eyes at the toxtricity.

“No, you look like an egghead,” Nikki responded, smirking. “What’s so special about humans, anyway? They’re, like, squishy people who can’t do shit on their own, ain’t they?”

“Humans have certain other characteristics,” Maxie countered, his purple flames rippling to emphasize his growing irritation. “It’s believed they help strengthen pokémon at rates far faster than we can achieve on their own.”

“Feh.” Nikki waved the typhlosion off. “What’s the point of all this, huh? You saying Zardy can’t fight or something because he’ll go berserk?”

Noctum looked down at the Malice Crystal in his stomach. It was responsible for this. Trance came from Dynaforce, but Dynaforce was simply Malice, right? The charizard was right to fear it, then. What was he supposed to do? What if Noctum started going berserk without battling?

“Only one thing we can do about this.”

Archie’s voice drew Noctum’s attention behind him. The samurott had gotten Valkyrie back on her feet, but she was clearly shaken. Noctum couldn’t peg what the look in her eye was. Defeat, maybe? At least she didn’t seem as resentful as before.

Too bad Noctum couldn’t tell if that was a good thing or not.

Maxie frowned. “Please tell me you’re not suggesting—”

“Oh, I am.” Archie grinned eagerly. He unsheathed a seamitar, turned around, and pointed it due north. “We gotta take ’em to Mt. Osohi!”

“Excuse me?” Noctum wasn’t sure he could take that name seriously.

Archie laughed. “The key to you scamps mastering your transformations lies on Mt. Osohi!”

“Wait… scamps? Like plural?” Nikki pointed to Noctum. “He’s the one that couldn’t keep it in his nonexistent pants.”

“The key stone doesn’t lie!” Archie thumped his golden anchor with his seamitar. “You three all have that power bubbling up inside of you.” He hopped forward, nodding at a couple of kommo-o monks. They clasped their hands together and a blue rift appeared in front of Archie.

“Get moving, scamps! The only way we’ll get things under control is to have you three pass the Gauntlet of Peril and/or Doom!”

Noctum stared at the open rift, blinking slowly. He rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn’t seeing things.

“You cannot be serious,” Valkyrie growled.

“I’m serious as the salt in the ocean!” Archie laughed again.

Nikki approached the rift, shoulders sagging.

“Man, I hate and/or doom.”

OSL: Shaftra Mesa, Planet Chakran (Dimension POV-2020)
We established a dimensional outpost for POV-2020 within a temperate mesa on this previously uninhabited planet after tracing a Category A space-time anomaly to this universe. Overseer Zygarde Tromeer and interns Necrozma Shane and Solgaleo Nebulon oversaw supply transportation and construction of our facilities. Resources included copies of the Dimensional Archive and Dimensional Map.

Fifty Overworld cycles after its establishment, a necrozma arrived on the planet and made contact with the outpost’s inhabitants. Initial reports indicated it as the source of the space-time anomaly, however its aura was described as “irregular” and “difficult” to accurately assess. Our analyzers could not definitively match it to the space-time anomaly. Furthermore, the necrozma claimed that an eternatus was going around absorbing life-bearing planets.

Subject remained at the outpost for ten Overworld cycles. We attempted to rehabilitate it through various means. Eventually our monitors detected a distant energy signature that matched the space-time anomaly. Subject insisted we provide all available resources to combat it. After thorough discussion, we deemed the operation too high risk to omniversal stability and ordered a covert evacuation of the outpost. The subject attempted to interfere with the evacuation. Numerous pieces of equipment were left behind, but the outpost head is confident the subject will not be able to use them on its own.

Regrettably, a follow up inventory check further revealed one copy of the Dimensional Archive and Dimensional Map unaccounted for. Despite the risk of that information falling into unauthorized hands, POV-2020 was isolated per standard protocol to ensure the anomaly would remain contained in that dimension.