After learning that Damian and his group did not bully Little Lugia or intend to abduct it, Lugia's mother adopts a very friendly attitude.
The Lugia clan is inherently gentle; as long as you don't touch their reverse scales, they're easy to get along with.
"That reminds me, Lugia's mother, what about the father of the Little White one?"
Damian, curious, asks Lugia's mother.
This has always been one of his more curious questions: where is Little White's Dad?
And "Little White" is a pretty approachable name; after all, Little Lugia's body color is white.
"Its father, well… "
Lugia's mother's eyes suddenly become complicated, even carrying an unspeakable sorrow.
"Its father has been surprised."
Lugia's mother sighs.
"Could you elaborate a bit more? If there's anything we can do to help, we'll lend a hand."
Damian politely asks, and gestures to Lugia's mother toward Kyogre, still hovering inertly above.
I'm the Trainer who caught Kyogre, you can tell me any difficulty you have.
The subtext is clear: of course we can help improve the Lugia clan's impression of us.
After all, there might be uses for Lugia down the line.
"…I don't know how to describe it."
Lugia's mother glances at Kyogre, hesitating, then speaks.
She is indeed troubled; perhaps Kyogre might really have a way?
"In the past, humans in this sea area fought over territory, and my husband grew furious, so he split the island into four to stop their fighting."
Lugia's mother's Telepathy is tender, yet it carries a broken feeling.
Damian nods; from this, it seems the male Lugia's strength must be very great to split the Whirl Islands in a single move. In Damian's view, the Lugia mother before him probably cannot manage that alone.
"Later, my husband entered the grand waterfall, but from that moment it began to change."
Lugia's mother's voice is low and sad.
"His body started to exude a Dark Aura, and his personality changed so drastically that even when I approached him, I would be expelled or attacked."
"???"
Damian looks at Lugia's mother in confusion.
Up above, Kyogre also seems surprised.
"Sorry to interrupt, but what exactly do you mean by a 'Dark Aura'?"
Lugia is a Legendary Pokémon of the Psychic and Flying types, its body color pure white, and that white represents its nature.
"I can't describe it exactly, but it's an evil aura that makes my skin creep," Lugia's mother shakes her head.
Damian frowns; the vagueness is giving him a headache.
"Humans, you haven't seen Yveltal, have you? Hoopa hasn't seen it either, right?"
Lugia's mother suddenly asks.
"No."
Damian raises an eyebrow; Lugia's mother is referring to Hoopa Unbound, no doubt.
It's worth noting that both of these Legendary Pokémon are Dark-type legends.
"One hundred years ago, my husband's dark aura was thicker and more fearsome than Yveltal, even comparable to Hoopa."
"And now..."
Lugia's mother's voice is heavy.
"In ten years, I wanted to visit it, but I dared not go near… it changed, it became, fearsome…"
She recalls the scene; she hadn't even come close to the grand waterfall's base, but the two crimson eyes glowing behind the waterfall and that aura filled her with fear.
"This is…"
Damian rests his chin, honestly: the information Lugia's mother revealed is a lot to take in.
Lugia, as the guardian of the seas, is gentle and selfless, yet the dark aura is heavier than the Wings of Death Yveltal or the Dark God Hoopa Unbound?
Is this plausible?
Lugia is Psychic and Flying, not Dark; unless…
Damian thinks of Shadow Mewtwo, and wonders if this could be Shadow Lugia?
"May I ask, before these changes occurred, did that Lugia encounter anything?"
Damian asks Lugia's mother, hesitating.
Shadow Lugia, like Shadow Mewtwo, is a Darkness Pokémon in the Pokémon World's darker branches.
In "Dark Whirlwind," Shadow Lugia is called the strongest Darkness Pokémon in history, an entity that cannot be cleansed.
But curiously, according to what Lugia's mother says, that "reversed" Lugia should have originally been normal; the change happened suddenly.
"I don't know."
Lugia's mother shakes her head again.
"That time my child was just born; I was taking care of it, and only later did I realize the change."
Lugia's mother mutters softly; she regrets not being able to stay with Lugia always.
"I see. Rest assured, if there's any way to restore it, we'll help you."
Damian comforts Lugia's mother; suddenly he isn't surprised by her protective attitude toward Little Lugia.
With its husband already deep in madness, and the Little Lugia's future at stake, Lugia's mother would likely crumble completely if anything happened to Little Lugia again.
"Thank you, but please be careful; its reason is almost entirely lost."
Lugia sighs.
"Is it still over by the grand waterfall?"
Lugia's mother nods.
"Yes. That's where its consciousness still remains; I helped place a seal there to prevent it from completely losing control."
"The seal is still intact, and it's been trying to control itself."
Lugia's mother's voice is full of complex sadness.
"Would you take us to see it?"
Damian considers, then decides to first go see the sealed Lugia.
"If we're trying to help it escape this condition, understanding its current state is necessary."
Damian speaks to Lugia's mother.
"…Okay."
Lugia's mother is glad that Lugia might recover.
And… it truly fears.
Afraid that Lugia might completely lose its reason and break the seal to rampage, destroying the world—that is something Lugia's mother cannot imagine.
"Very well."
Damian looks at Caitlin and the others.
"Caitlin, you and Little White stay here; I'll accompany Lugia's mother to see that Lugia."
Damian tells Caitlin.
That sealed Lugia's condition is unknown, but from Lugia's mother's words, it's probably very dangerous; to be safe, they'll go without Caitlin.
"Okay, be careful."
Caitlin nods.
Damian glances at Karen and the others; Karen shrugs; she would like to go too, but given Damian's behavior, it's unlikely he'll bring her along.
Besides, personal safety is more important.
"Kyogre." Kyogre leaps down, ready to dive.
Lugia's mother rises and soars into the sea, with Kyogre close behind.
As Kyogre and Lugia's mother disappear into the ocean depths, Caitlin's bright golden hair is ruffled by the sea breeze.
"Aren't you worried, kid?" Karen approaches Caitlin, curiosity heavy in her voice.
"Damian isn't going to come to harm," Caitlin replies calmly: "No one can hurt Damian in this world."
The psychic-tinted voice of a young woman brims with the trust of a boy at her side.
"Oh? That may not be so certain," Karen smiles faintly.
She didn't expect Damian to have caught the Legendary Kyogre, and yet, undeniably, Damian's strength is impressive.
But Karen still believes the Masked Man is stronger than Damian.
Still, if there's any one who might surpass the Masked Man in the future, it could be Damian.
Either way, joining Team Rocket seems an incredibly good choice for Karen!
With Damian in Team Rocket, and conflicts with the Pokémon League, things will be interesting.
As for now…
Karen's gaze lingers on the Little Lugia nibbling at an apple.
"I'm warning you, don't target Little White; neither Damian nor Lugia's mother will let you off easily."
Caitlin's calm voice carries warnings.
Compared to Zinnia, Caitlin doesn't trust Karen at all.
This Dark-type specialist woman has many tricks and a mysterious origin.
With such power, it's odd that she's been quiet until now.
Perhaps she's a lot more capable than she lets on, just like Zinnia…
"Ah, you're quite strict; don't worry, I don't intend to be constantly hunted by Lugia's mother," Karen smiles softly.
"But I do want one of its feathers, isn't that a fair request?" Karen raises a slender finger.
As for Lugia's mother's feathers, Karen doesn't dare push it—her first appearance was already intimidating.
But Little Lugia's feathers are fair game.
"You go ask directly." Caitlin shoots Karen a glance; you really want Lugia's feathers?
"Sure." Karen winks, slipping a few snacks from her bag to coax the child, especially a naive Little Lugia.
Meanwhile, Damian's side.
Kyogre's energy creates a barrier between Damian and the sea, so he doesn't have to worry about holding his breath.
Lugia's mother swims quickly, with Kyogre close behind.
The two Legendary Pokémon dive into the ocean depths, then re-emerge into a Seafloor Cavern.
Inside the cavern, they travel for a while, finally surfacing before a huge waterfall.
"This is it."
Lugia's mother telepaths at the right moment.
Damian stands on Kyogre's back, looking at the raging waterfall, about to speak, when a surge of darkness rises.
A thick black aura crawls from the waterfall's base, and two crimson orbs glow from behind the waterfall.
Cries cut through the air, a shrill screech that makes the eardrums ache, sending goosebumps along the spine.
An immense pressure spreads, the dark aura twisting and distorting as it spreads.
In a short moment the darkness covers most of the waterfall, and fearsome malice pours forth.
What is this thick malice?
Damian has some familiarity with malice, after all Shadow Mewtwo is a darkness Pokémon, and its malice is strong.
But this Lugia's malice is even more creepy and repulsive!
Cries again—another night-owl-like shriek—the space grows darker.
The oppressive force swallows the waterfall, and the terrifying malice continues to spread.
What kind of thick malice is this?
Damian isn't unfamiliar with malice; Shadow Mewtwo exudes a dense malicious aura, but not like this.
This Lugia's malice is so strong that it's creepy and nauseating!
Cries again—another night-owl screech; the space grows even darker.
"Damian! We need to leave quickly! This guy isn't right!"
Kyogre's Telepathy is grave, its eyes locked on the crimson blood-red eyes behind the waterfall.
This Lugia is incredibly strong!
Moreover, Kyogre senses that if they stay here, this unfamiliar aura will further provoke this Lugia.
It might even rush out from behind the waterfall.
~~~
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