Oscar looked between the man and the open cigarette case, a feeling of panic building in his chest. His head was fogged by confusion, unable to compute what he was seeing. "I--what--how?" The man blinked, unfazed by Oscar's anxiety. "Would you make up your mind? My arm's getting tired." Oscar suddenly felt nauseous, and he would he would shove a shaking hand into his coat's inner pocket to pull out his own cigarette case. He raised it to compare with the stranger's and--they were indeed the same.

Oscar looked to the man with a mixed expression of fury and fear. "Who the fuck are you?" The man blinked again, gradually pulling the case away and plucking a lollipop from the assortment. The sucker he chose had a pink hue, which Oscar recognized to be strawberry--his favorite flavor. The man popped the lollipop in his mouth and swirled it around a bit before answering. "Well--considering our age difference--I'd say I'm you from the future. Or at least, a future."

Oscar's left eye twitched. The information he had just received nearly gave him an aneurysm. "That's--that's not possible." The old man laughed harshly, his lollipop nearly falling out of his mouth. He gestured to the hellish scene around them. "You can look at all of this and draw the line at meeting your future self?" The old man continued to fight chuckles as Oscar slowly realized how silly his discomfort seemed.

The proud man of science abruptly stood up, causing his supposedly older self to grow quiet. Oscar plucked the strawberry lollipop from his own case before shoving it back into his coat. As he rolled the sucker around in his mouth, Oscar would cross his arms and stare at the old man. The old man stared back, seemingly amused by Oscar's critical glare.

"Prove you're me." The old man took a moment to respond, "Beg your pardon?" Oscar gave a quick but confident nod, "Go on, lay down some Oscar facts. Prove that you're me." The old man shot Oscar a wiry smile, rubbing his chin as if deciding the best way to prove himself. Eventually he would click his tongue, "Romp with declan walsh lately?"

Oscar gasped loudly, his lollipop accidentally falling to the ground. Only two people knew about that, and this old fuck looked nothing like Walsh. Oscar clapped his hands over his mouth, his eyes squinting as he processed how the old man's claim was true. The old man chuckled again; he looked as if a prank he had set up went off perfectly.

Oscar lowered his hands, finally coming to terms with the fact that he was looking at what could be his older self. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

The future Oscar smirked, "I could ask you the same thing kid."

Oscar's face soured, "Bitch I'm thirty. And surely if you are me, which I will admit is more than likely, wouldn't you remember this?"

The older Oscar pointed toward Sootopolis while keeping his eyes on his younger self, "I do, but I was in there." Oscar followed his older self's pointing hand, and realized that he meant the tower. Oscar placed his hands on his hips, a little confused by these circumstances--or more confused I should say.

"Okay so--we're in there--but you don't remember Father Winter sending us out here?" The old man put his arm down and twisted his mouth. "Father what now?"

Oscar stared into space for a moment, the gears in his mind slowly putting everything together. Eventually he snapped his fingers and looked back to his older self. "You aren't future me, you're a me from a completely different timeline!" Oscar's confidence faded as he tried to organize his thoughts. "Or, I'm a you from a different timeline, because your past self is in the tower. So that makes this your timeline, in which you never met Father Winter at all. Fascinating..."

The older Oscar shook his head, "Alright now I'm getting confused. Let's just agree we're both not supposed to be here and move on."

Oscar nodded excitedly, "Yes, but we are here! So the question is, what are we doing here? Father Winter didn't give me a reason when he flung me through his magic worm hole so maybe I can just piggyback off of yours?"

His older self laughed and turned his head slightly to address Dialga. "Ya hear that? He's a tourist! Of all the nonsense--"

It was only now that Oscar remembered that his older self had brought fucking dialga with him, and the primal god of time was currently watching the duo patiently. Oscar pointed at the legendary behemoth and his older self fully looked back at it casually. "I'm uh--we're here to stop all of this from going haywire." His older self made a general gesture toward all of the horrors happening around them. "I know it's hard to believe, but this gets even more out of control and leaks into the other regions causing a multi-decade war against the zombified armies of--" The old man stopped himself, looking to Oscar mischievously. "Actually--I'll leave whose behind it to be a surprise."

Oscar scoffed, "What? No fair!" The old man's laughter only exasperated Oscar's annoyance. He hated it when he was teased with revelations only for that information to be kept from him. It played into his curiosity, and left him with a gnawing lack of fulfillment. Come to think of it, that was probably why his older self did just that--he knew it was the best way to mess with his younger self.

Oscar huffed loudly, "Well at least tell me what the fuck is up with Dialga! Are you its avatar or what?" The old man looked back at the dragon, once again acting annoyingly nonchalant about its presence. "Eh, we're buds and he owes me a favor. Plus he's just as invested as I am in getting this mess sorted out."

Oscar was silent for a moment, looking between Dialga, his older self, and the tower before shrugging. "Alright fine, so now what? How do we'sort this out'?"

Future Oscar stroked his beard as he thoughtfully looked toward the red hole in the sky. "Here's what's supposed to happen. The me in the tower is going to start charging the cannon within it to attack--the enemy. However, the enemy is ready and manages to destroy the tower before the cannon can fire. So--the best tactic would be to keep the enemy busy until the cannon is charged so we can kill it."

Oscar blinked, getting caught up on the fact that there was a cannon in the tower. His older self noticed that he was zoning out, and would snap his fingers to get Oscar's attention. "You still with me there?"

Oscar shook his head as he snapped out of his trance, "I um--yeah it's just--I can't believe we managed to build it. That--that really is the ultimate weapon..." His older self did not respond, instead just scratching the back of his head while trying not to look nervous. Or, maybe guilty? Oscar stared at Future Oscar, his eyes scrutinizing the old man's demeanor. "What? What's wrong?"

The old man stays quiet for a few seconds longer before clapping his hands together. "We've wasted enough time talking up here already. It would be really embarrassing if we had to go back in time because we missed our shot while yapping." Older Oscar approached Dialga, who lowered itself so that he could climb onto its back. Once securely mounted, Older Oscar would look to younger Oscar expectantly. "Well are you coming or what?"

Oscar paused, briefly taken aback. "So, I'm invited?"

Older Oscar rolled his eyes, "More like enlisted. You said you wanted to piggy back so get on up here before I change my mind!" Oscar gave his older self the same wiry smile he displayed earlier before running forward. Oscar climbed aboard Dialga, sitting himself behind his future counterpart. Dialga let out a deafening war cry as it stood to its full height and began galloping down the crater's side and toward the tower.

Wind tore through Oscar's hair as Dialga galloped down the side of the Sootopolis crater. In spite of the incline, the legendary beast's movements were graceful and effortless. It might as well have been galloping across an open field. It would have been an astonishing experience if Oscar were not terrified of falling off. He grabbed the back of his older self's coat to keep his balance, and the older Oscar would cackle at his younger self's apprehension.

The steep ride down the crater would luckily not last long, and Dialga would even out as it reached the flattened streets of the city. As the ride's angle became less stressful, Oscar eased up and regained his composure. It would not stop his Future self from teasing him though, "What's the matter kid?! This can't be worse than riding a Genesect!"

There he went calling him a kid again. Oscar's face twisted as he bit back a response, he refused to give his older self the satisfaction of a reaction. Instead he would change the subject, "So why did you guys appear on the crater?! Couldn't you have just gone right to the tower?" His older self did not respond right away, seemingly trying to find the best way to explain himself. "When you time travel, you appear in the exact location you left! Back in my time, you can't get to where the tower stood anymore! The crater's edge is the closest you can get!"

Oscar accepted this answer for a few seconds before bringing up another quandary. "What about the planet's rotation!?"

His older self reeled his neck back, visibly exhausted of answering so questions. "What are you talking about!?"

"The planet is constantly rotating, so the place you want to go in another time won't be there! Do you have to calculate where it would be or--" Oscar's future self interrupted him with a cranky groan. "Hey how about we not worry about the logistics and just have fun with it!? It'll be easier for all of us that way!" Oscar could not disagree--but his curiosity would eat him alive. He would just have to figure it out himself later on.

The trio rode without conflict for a solid few minutes, but it could not be perfect the whole way through. Rapid Megalopolans where chasing them all the while, desperately trying to take a bite out of Dialga. The mighty dragon was undaunted, crushing anything that dared try to stop its ceaseless charge. Even when the hoard grew into the thousands, Dialga would plow through with such ease that you would think that the Megalopolans were not there at all. Oscar looked upon what was once Sootopolis with a heavy anxiety. Something about seeing the ruins of buildings he recognized swarming with monstrous aliens made Oscar a little weak in the knees. He hoped that this was not a common future, and that Oscar would never have to see his own Sootopolis in this state.

In no time Dialga would reach the other side of the crater and begin galloping up the cliff face just as effortlessly as it had gone down it before. The hoard of megalopolans were left in the dust, frantically trying to climb the crater wall to no avail. Within moments Dialga would be atop the crater once more, this time looking out onto the massive tower just on the other side. Placed upon an enormous platform on the exposed ocean floor, the titanic tower was a masterful fusion or architecture and technology. Its sleek, metallic surface reflected the blackened environment that surrounded the structure--giving it the appearance of an obsidian monolith reaching for the clouds. The swirling red storm above the tower only strengthened the effect, giving the spire an aura of evil.

Oscar could not help himself, he pulled out his cellphone and snapped a quick picture. When he builds his own tower, he shall use this beautiful achievement as a reference. Oscar squirreled his cellphone away as his future self and Dialga looked back to him. "You ready for this? It's not going to be an easy fight." Oscar nodded confidentially. "Fuck yeah, I mean how bad could it--Oh fuck look out!"

Dialga looked back just in time to receive a Magnet Bomb to the face. The explosion caused the titan to shake, smoke barreling past its neck and into the faces of the two Oscars. The duo coughed harshly, sliding off of Dialga's back to escape the smokescreen. The fell to the ground, rolling slightly before frantically pushing themselves to their feet. At first Oscar was half-certain that Dialga's head had just ben blown to bits, but as the smoke cleared the god of time would barely retain a scratch. Oscar switched his attention to their assailants, which were currently flying toward them in a tight formation. As they came closer, Oscar's familiarity with their forms would cause a spike in his stress.

"Is that a squad of Genesect!?"

Indeed it was, a squad of five Genesect to be exact. Each bore a different color: blue, green, red, purple--and black. There was no mistaking it, Oscar's Genesect Prime was leading the pack into battle. The five cyborg warriors landed in front of Dialga with a heavy slam, cracking the ground beneath them. Now that they were up close, Oscar noticed something--off. The armor of these Genesect models were damaged, with pulsing red vein-like cracks spreading throughout their bodies. It was the same shade of red one could see emerging from a power spot, leading Oscar to a startling conclusion: Somehow, these Genesect were being empowered by Dynaenergy.

Dyna-Prime let out a distorted scream, which caused the other Genesect to begin charging their cannons. Oscar yelped, knowing what kind of damage that five Technoblasts could inflict. Dialga was unimpressed, roaring as it set up a Protective barrier around itself and the Oscars. The Genesects' Technoblasts ripped against the barrier, creating a vibration so powerful that the ground shook from within. Oscar shielded his eyes from the dazzling lights, while his older self just looked on. The barrier broke as the blasts died down, and the squad would waste no time following up to keep the pressure on. They charged forward, their claws glowing with extended Fell Stingers.

Future Oscar and Dialga had no intention of just tanking hits. "Dialga, divide and conquer." Dialga reared up onto its hind legs before slamming his forelegs into the ground. The earth split beneath it, sending smoking crags across the surface toward the Genesect squad (Earth Power). Three of them jumped to the left to avoid the attack, while the other two jumped to the right. They were successfully separated. Future Oscar looked to his present self, "I don't suppose you mind handling the two--

"On it!" Oscar ran off before his older counterpart could finish his request. The older Oscar chuckled as he watched his young self charge into battle, turning away to direct his attention toward his three opponents. Oscar pulled out a red pokeball and opened it to reveal his own Prime. Prime briefly took stock of the situation before resting its eyes upon its two opponents. Two of its fellow Genesect stood before them: one purple and one with the same black paint job that adorned its own armor--minus the cool flame decals. Oscar clapped his hands together, "Show these assholes why the original is the best!" Prime nodded, lowering its cannon to fire off a flurry of Magnet Bombs.

The purple Genesect charged forward, purposely taking on most of the bombs to protect its leader. The blast sent the purple Genesect flying, paving the way for Dyna-Prime to charge forward. It leapt into the air, raising a glowing leg as it fell toward Prime. Prime dove out of the way, narrowly avoiding its evil-clone's Dragon Hammer. Prime extended its claws into Fell Stingers, running forward to strike Dyna-Prime before it could recover. Dyna-Prime was quicker than anticipated though, and raised its own Fell Stingers to block the attack. The two exchanged attacks, their claws sparking with every ruthless strike. Dyna-Prime would end up winning the bout though, catching Prime off guard with an X Scissor.

Prime fell backward, somersaulting and jumping to its feet next to Oscar. It had an X shaped mark on its head, but it still seemed capable of fighting. Dyna-Prime had a higher physical strength than Prime, but Prime's Download would allow it to adjust its own power levels to match its opponent's. It charged forward, and the two would clash once more. This time, Prime's heavy strikes would catch Dyna-Prime off guard. It was so surprised, that it missed a block and received a slash to its head. Dyna-Prime staggered back, shaking with fury after being struck. Prime expected it to reengage, but instead its opponent would just stand there. Prime could not figure out why until it heard clanking footfalls coming up from behind.

The purple Genesect had reentered the fray, and was preparing to deliver a strike of its own to Prime's back. If only its approach had not been so noisy. Prime disappeared as the purple Genesect chopped downward, causing it to hit only air. Dyna-Prime ran forward, shocked at its counterpart's sudden departure. Oscar sneered, folding his arms as he watched Prime's trick unfold. Prime reappeared behind the purple Genesect, having slipped into its shadow with Shadow Sneak. By the time the two realized, Prime had fired off an Electro Web to net the both of them up.

The netted duo slid against the ground, struggling as their sticky prison delivered shock after shock. Meanwhile, Prime took advantage of their predicament by charging its cannon. By the time the trapped Genesect realized what was happening, it was already too late. Prime fired off its Technoblast, which tore right through the Genesect duo. As the blast died down, all that would be left of its opponents would be a smoldering heap of scrap.

Oscar ran up to Prime and happily slapped it on the shoulder, "Hey that's the second time you got to kill an evil version of you!" Genesect tilted its head, not really understanding the concept. Still, Oscar seemed happy so it raised its claws in celebration! The two ran back to rejoin Future Oscar and Dialga, who had just finished off their own opponents. Oscar looked over the slain trio, surprised to see a twisted pile of rusted bodies. That was the power of time dilation, he supposed.

Future Oscar turned to his younger self as he approached, "Ah! Hey Prime, long time no see." Prime did not know what this old man meant as it had never met him before, but nevertheless it would raise a claw in greeting. The older Oscar was about to say something else when a loud screech rang out from nearby. Everyone looked to find Dyna-Prime dragging its charred body over to the group. It had used its purple subordinate as a shield to avoid just enough damage to survive, and now sought to finish what it had started. Oscar scoffed as it lumbered forward. "Yo give it a rest, you're in no condition to fight! Just die like a good villain so we can return to the real plot."

The red veins that covered Dyna-Prime began to glow, with waves of heat slowly surging around its body. The other Genesect bodies began to rattle, and before the group could react they would rip themselves apart and fly over to Dyna-Prime. Various parts of its fallen comrades covered up Dyna-Prime's damaged areas, restoring it to a more healthy condition. Relatively speaking that is, as the parts it was recycling were either rusted or charred. Yet that shall not matter much, as Dyna-Prime would continue to surge with Dynaenergy. To the party's shock, it would begin tog row in size, and keep growing until it towered over even Dialga. Its body began to faintly glow red, and clouds would start forming around its cannon. Dyna-Prime had Dynamaxed.

Oscar began to shake as it looked up at the massive robot, struggling to get words out to his older compatriot. "So uh--Dialga can handle this right?" Both Oscar's looked to Dialga, who seemed a little nervous itself. Upon realizing that its human companions were staring at it though, the time god shaped up and roared with confidence. Giant or not, this Genesect would not defeat it in battle. One step forward from Dyna-Prime would prove how challenging this fight would be though, as it caused an earthquake that nearly shook the crater wall to its foundations. The party struggle desperately to keep their footing as the massive Genesect screeched with triumph.

It began to charge its massive cannon, a collection of energy that soon grew as bright as the sun. If it succeeded in releasing its attack, all of Sootopolis would be buried in rubble. Luckily it would be forced to pause and the sound of fabric tearing rang across the crater. Everyone looked upward, including Dyna-Prime, and watched as a new hole was formed in the sky. This one was much closer, and radiated a pinkish glow. After a few seconds, a massive Aura Sphere would fall out and slam into Dyna-Prime's head.

The impact caused it to buckle, and the energy gathered within its cannon would die down. A titanic form would fall from the hole, and as it got closer both Oscars would be lost for words. Palkia, the incarnation of the very cosmos, was about to pile-drive the Dynamaxed Genesect.

Dyna-Prime flashed as Palkia made contact, rapidly shrinking to its original size. It stumbled back and forth as recovered, being fully knocked down as Palkia slammed down behind it. It struggled as it tried to stand, but would not even make it half-way before Palkia would swipe through it with its claws. The dark swipe blew Dyna-Prime into pieces, sending every shattered limb and metal chunk into different portals to be forever lost within the dimensional void (Spacial Rend). Even as the dust settled, the two Oscars would be too astonished to speak. Their shock would evolve into confused bafflement as a figure with white hair slid off Palkia's left arm and to the ground.

He landed by slamming a metallic fist downward, like he was a fucking super hero or something. As he slowly rose his red eyes would lock onto the Oscars, scrutinizing them as if they were his next targets. At his full height he would adjust his black and red biker jacket before sliding his robotic arms into the pockets of his jeans.

"So uh, who the fuck are you two supposed to be?"

The two Oscars were too stunned to respond to the stranger's question. Well--the problem was that he was not a stranger at all. His hairstyle was different and he had robot arms but this Palkia riding scoundrel was yet another Oscar Clayton! Oscar (the first one), slowly raised his hands to his cheeks and roughly gave himself a double slap. This knocked him out of his daze, allowing him to at least formulate a response.

"Oof, okay. I was on board with time traveling grandpa here but this..." Oscar gestured broadly to the new Oscar and Palkia. "...this is a level of complexity I didn't consent to." Genesect seemed to be the only one there who was not experiencing some level of shock, as it would just wave to the new Oscar as if it had known him all its life.

New Oscar regarded Genesect with a look of disgust, which created a feeling of rage within Oscar that he had no experience in a very long time. No one rejects the love of Prime, not even--himself! "Alright shithead, enough with the silent cool guy act. Just tell us who you are so we can all move on." New Oscar's face hardened as he straightened his posture and leered toward the party. Oscar found the expressions of this newcomer to be insufferable; he held an air of superiority--as if he loathed being in the presence of these 'lesser' beings.

"I am known as Lord Oscar Clayton, the Paladin. I am a loyal servant of Emperor Remiel Calcifet of the Galarian Empire, sent on his behalf to eliminate a threat to the Multiverse." Lord Oscar gestured toward the red storm with his head. "Whatever that is has leaked into our sky, as well as the skies of multiple other worlds. It is my duty as the Avatar of the cosmos incarnate to eradicate anything that would upset the balance of the greater reality." Oscar scoffed, unimpressed with 'Lord Oscar's' authoritative demeanor. "Ooo look at the one man Shadow Triad over here. I feel so fuckin' unworthy. Poser."

Lord Oscar gave Oscar Prime an agitated glare, he was obviously not accustomed to such a discourteous interaction. "Hold your tongue before I rip it from your fucking mouth. The only reason you aren't dead already is because of my curiosity--but that curiosity is rapidly waning."

Oscar was ready to keep prodding the good Lord until he popped, but he was stopped by his older self finally taking the chance to speak. "Alright then, welcome to the team Lord Oscar. Having the aid of an Avatar will be a huge advantage." Both of the younger Oscar's huffed, the realization that they had bigger issues than their egos diffusing the building tension between them. Both Palkia and Dialga stepped forward, as if to solidify that the group must focus on the task at hand. They had yet to greet each other properly, but there was no need. Their bond could be felt across every universe and timeline, and perhaps it was that bond that would soften Lord Oscar's heart.

"I apologize for my--antagonistic introduction. I don't have a great track record with my alternate selves. And the threat we face--it's unlike anything I have ever seen before. It has taken a toll on my patience. I will gladly join forces if it means easing my burden." Oscar Prime nodded silently, feeling as though he had nothing to apologize for himself. His older counterpart disagreed, lightly elbowing him in the ribs to get him to talk.

"Ah! Alright fine uh, sorry for goading you on. Let's just fight the glowing thing in the sky so we can all go home." Oscar looked up to writhing red storm, rubbing his chin as he thought out loud. "How do we get up there anyway?"

Lord Oscar chuckled smugly, "Leave it to me." He raised one of his cybernetic hands, and the ground beneath the party would begin to rumble. Pink energy would surround them, digging into the cliff like the claws of a great beast. The entire chunk of the cliff they stood upon would begin rising into the air, propelled by Lord Oscar's spacial gift. Oscar refused to be impressed though, he could not bear to give his haughty alternate such satisfaction.

As the massive platform slowly ascended, the great tower would begin to glow. The technicolor beauty of its charging form would capture Oscar's attention, causing him to stare at the tower with reverence. "What--what's it doing?"

Future Oscar stepped forward, observing the phenomenon with a solemn expression. "The weapon is charging--we've acted just in the nick of time it would seem." He adjusted himself so that he would stand between his younger compatriots. "It will take time before the weapon is ready to fire. Until then, the enemy must be kept busy."

Lord Oscar raised an eyebrow. "We have two gods on our side, I doubt we will even need this so-called weapon." Future Oscar shook his head and looked down slightly, "This thing eats gods. The weapon is our best shot at killing it--you'll see." At this point Oscar Prime was getting a little annoyed at his older self's secrecy, and he would not be quiet about it. "Alright enough is enough old man. What exactly are we facing here?"

The older Oscar looked up, the great crimson storm growing nearer every second. A thunder clap would draw the gaze of the other Oscars as well, just in time to witness the reveal of their foe. Enormous red and black spikes would poke through the clouds, pushing through the storm as if it were hardly there. As the storm parted, the sky would darken further to highlight what seemed to be the glowing palm of a titanic hand. As the massive hand became clearer, Oscar Prime would gradually begin to recognize it. "Eternatus!"

His older self nodded. Oscar had always seen Eternatus as their world's greatest threat, and in this timeline he seemed to be right. Yet, something did not sit well with him. "But--I don't get it. What's the big deal?" Both alternate Oscars shot Oscar Prime confused looks, as if he had just ripped a massive fart during a funeral eulogy. Feeling a little 'on the spot', Oscar would try to explain himself. "I mean, Eternatus is a huge deal but like--if it was infecting multiple worlds at once wouldn't the Shadow Triad step in? They aren't here so it can't be that hard to take down, right?"

Lord Oscar made a groaning noise, trying to find the right words to respond. "You've mentioned this Triad earlier, who are you referring to exactly?" Oscar looked between his alternate selves with disbelief, "What, neither of you know who they are?" The other two Oscars just stared, waiting for an explanation. However, upon realizing that his other selves were truly ignorant about the Triad, Oscar would only respond with hysteric laughter. So this was what it was like to know something important that others did not. It was a beautiful feeling.

As his mad laughter died down, Oscar would wipe tears from his eyes and pump his fists into the sky. "My wish came true mother fuckers!"

His jubilation was short lived, as Eternatus would soon be upon them. Oscar dropped his arms as the great hand drew ever closer, and his older counterpart would approach to place a hand on one of his shoulders. "Ride that joy wave while you can kid. You're about to get the answers you want--and you aren't gonna like them."

As the hand loomed over their own rising platform, its massive shadow would completely engulf them. The sheer scale of Eternatus was awe inspiring, it looked like it could pick up the gigantic Kyurem back home and throw it like a baseball. How would they combat something this big? Oscar felt as though he should have been thinking of a strategy for their upcoming battle, but all attempts to think of anything other than how fucked he was were useless. He half expected the hand to just crush them in a single grasp, making all of their respective efforts pointless. Yet to his surprise, the hand would stop.

Lord Oscar would stop their own ascension, bringing everything to a disquieting stillness. Suddenly, strings of red light would begin flowing from Eternatus's 'fingertips'. The strings swirled through the air, slowly gathering toward the glowing center of the hand's palm. The strings would start pulling something out of the center, so small that it looked like a spec compared to the hand. The thing would abruptly drop down, and Oscar's eyes would follow it until the bizarre object clattered against the surface of their platform. The blackened mass lay in a heap about fifteen feet away from the party, incomprehensible even from up close. The strings would begin pulling at the mass, causing it to shift as it was lifted from the ground. Its limbs would roughly unfurl, creating a humanoid shape. It was then that it clicked in Oscar's head, this thing was a marionette.

The strange puppet floated a few feet off the ground as the strings tried to fix all of its broken joints. Its limbs made sickening cracking sounds with every adjustment, sounding far too visceral for Oscar's liking. As the marionette was straightened out, Oscar would begin to recognize smaller details about its appearance. It was wearing a suit, which draped loosely over its emaciated limbs. Whatever wood it was made of was truly unique, it was a pale grey color that seemed to shine slightly under the red glow of its puppeteer. As the neck of the marionette was snapped into place, Oscar could finally get a good look at its face and--

This was not a marionette. Deep down Oscar probably knew this, but the very idea made his stomach churn. This thing is--or was human. Its skeletal, sleeping face was too detailed to be carved from wood. It was soon undeniable that Oscar found himself shaking with fear. Suddenly all of the details Oscar noticed about its limbs and body became far more morbid, this poor creature had basically been mummified to be used as a plaything. A grotesque farce so that--what, Eternatus could taunt them before annihilating them? Yet greatest mistake here was thinking that the horror was over with, as the 'human's' eyes would suddenly snap open. They were red, a pure bloody red that made Oscar's own eyes twitch. The creature then opened its mouth, forcing it into a shape resembling a grin. Its teeth were all accounted for, but they were blackened by some sort of tar that began drooling from its mouth. The whole display was so terrible that Oscar could not hope to look away--and this is how he would begin to recognize the creature's face.

It was nearly corpse-like, but the finer details were unmistakable. He had memorized them from his time spent looking in the mirror every morning. Oscar was staring directly into his own face, and it would stare back at him as it spoke with his voice.

"On the behalf of my master, I bid you all welcome. To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?"

Oscar was speechless, his mind unable to grasp on any thought beyond the horror that floated before him. The longer he stared at the macabre puppet, the more sickly Oscar felt. He had always feared death, but he would rather die a thousand times than end up--like this. What drove this Oscar to accept such a terrible fate? Whatever he got from serving Eternatus--it could not possibly be worth this.

Lord Oscar was equally aghast, covering his mouth as he came to the same realization as Oscar Prime. Future Oscar, however, seemed more annoyed than shocked. He would step forward to address the puppet, unphased by its grotesque appearance. "We've come to kill you and your master. Simple as that."

The puppet tilted his head, pursing his cracked lips before letting out a discordant chuckle. "Is that so? How quaint, and here I thought you all were offering us tribute. Egg on my face I suppose. Permit me a moment to convince you of your folly." High above them, Eternatus would begin flicking its massive 'fingers'. The Oscar puppet would fall to the ground, his legs twisting in unnatural ways as he took wide clumsy steps toward the party.

Future Oscar backed away slightly, "Don't come any further you vermin." The puppet had his arms raised to his hips, "Vermin!? How rude. And ironic, considering that it is you filthy scoundrels that are the vermin. Imbeciles, morons, and fools. The lot of you!" The puppet made several jerking motions with his arms, as Eternatus struggled to have him fold them over his chest. Eventually it managed the manuver, though like everything the puppet did the gesture was far from natural.

"It intrigues us though that you are all variants of Oscar Clayton. I wonder what has drawn you all to this moment. Perhaps the universe wishes for us to dispose of you." Lord Oscar finally piped up, stepping alongside his older counterpart. "You speak as if you are not one of us! Don't you dare talk down to your own variants, you are far from superior."

The puppet twisted his face into something resembling a pout, performing mocking noises of discontent. "Oh poor thing, so unaware of how low he is. I had the name Oscar Clayton, that much is true. However, I've grown beyond that identity! As a pokemon evolves, I too have reached a higher form that is too sublime to be burdened by something as base as a name."

Oscar finally had enough of this joker. His horror had shifted into annoyance, as the more this creature talked the more it managed to piss Oscar off. Oscar stepped forward to stand with his variants, "Bitch, you're a downgrade if anything. One, you're ugly. Two, you have no control over your body. Three, you're playing man-servant to a bitch like Eternatus! There's no way you possibly come out on top here."

The puppet frowned, the first expression of his that seemed natural. "How dare you trivialize my commitment to my master. My master has granted me nothing but boons, asking only for my unending admiration." The puppet began to shake violently, his words turning into frenzied screams. "My master has granted me eternal life, so that I may witness their glorious conquest of all realities! My master has granted me unlimited power, so that I may fight alongside them in their countless struggles! I am proud to bear the weight of the duties entrusted to me by the one true god!"

Oscar sneered, satisfied that he could get a reaction out of this glorified mook. Yet the puppet's fury was only temporary, as he would soon churn his mouth into another grin. "Look at me, trying to enlighten neanderthals about things they could not possibly comprehend." Eternatus's fingers went slack, and so did the puppet's body as it once again fell to the ground. A loud buzzing was ringing through the air; the Oscars could not see it from their position but the weapon had charged a tremendous amount of power. The puppet laughed, "My master's meal is becoming ripe! It is time to end this caper so that they may dine properly!"

Oscar's eyebrows furrowed, and as the dots were rapidly connecting in his head he would slowly lose his composure. "Of course--fuck we're so stupid. Eternatus wants to consume the Infinity Energy from the weapon!" Lord Oscar gasped at this revelation, angrily turning his attention to the older Oscar. "You senile bastard, we're playing right into its hands!" Future Oscar shot Lord Oscar a drowsy look from his peripherals. "I think you mean hand."

Oscar Prime faced his future self as well, "This ain't the time for jokes. Please tell me there's more to this plan than feeding fuckin' Eternatus." Future Oscar sighed loudly, "You kids have no faith in me. Eternatus can only eat the energy if it destroys the weapon before it can fire. There's no way it will get that close in time. Not with us on the case." Lord Oscar scoffed, "I have no trust in that thing's ability to slay a monster this big. Whoever made this damn weapon is a fool. This thing is a fucking Eternatus lure, I wouldn't be surprised if this was not the first tower its eaten. It's probably been gorging itself on Infinity Energy for years!"

Oscar had not considered that, and Lord Oscar's theory made a disturbing amount of sense. Who knows how many Oscars have managed to create this weapon, leading this Eternatus to their world to absorb the Infinity Energy that the weapon generates. Would the same happen if Oscar built his own tower? Would he just be inviting in the very threat he wanted to defend his world against?

Despite Lord Oscar's pointed anger, Future Oscar remained calm and kept his eyes gazing forward. "I won't deny it. My past self made this tower, and we failed to fire it in time. Eternatus consumed the gathered Infinity Energy, and I doomed my own world to a fate worse than death. That's why--I'm the one has to make things right!"

A dark cackle would capture the attention of the younger Oscars, their heads turning toward the fallen puppet. Oscar immediately noticed that something had changed: while they were arguing the 'strings' of the puppet had been pumping Dyenergy into its mummified body. I should say formerly mummified, as the evil Oscar now seemed much more--alive. He slowly rose to his feet, his body pulsing as Dynenergy began flowing through his glowing veins. The treatment did not stop when he reached a physical state similar to the other Oscars, energy would continue to flow and his body would continue to morph.

Lord Oscar let out a low growl, "Weren't you watching him this whole time old man? Why didn't you prevent this?" Old Oscar shook his head, "Tried that in my time. Didn't work. Those energy currents are unbreakable. We just have to let it happen and do our best to fight back." The trio would watch helplessly as the evil Oscar's muscles grew staggering sizes. By the time the energy stopped flowing, the evil Oscar looked like a body builder. I'm not talking a casual lifter either, he was a god damn mass monster.

The now incredibly buff evil Oscar cackled heartily, grabbing his coat and shirt and ripping them away from his body. His exposed torso was covered in twisting red veins that pulsed with even the slightest movements. The evil Oscar lifted his arms, flexing them as hard as he could as the 'strings' disappeared. "Behold, the true perfection behind Eternatus's power!" His voice boomed across the platform, a far cry from his previous weaselly tone. As the evil Oscar flexed, Lord Oscar would look to his variants with a perplexed expression. "So is it just me, or did he suddenly become incredibly lame."

Upon the last syllable of his sentence, Lord Oscar would disappear. Oscar and his older self would grunt with shock as their eyes caught up to what happened. In the blink of an eye, the evil Oscar had charged at Palkia's Avatar and sucker punched him so hard that he flew off the platform. The former puppet's fist was still in the air, dripping with what was likely Lord Oscar's blood. The evil Oscar slowly turned his gaze toward the remaining Oscars--who were suddenly very aware how fucked they were.

Eternatus let out a roar from high above the platform, its 'fingers' charging. Palkia and Dialga looked to each other, the two gods nodding as they realized that it was time for them to step in. The gods launched off of the platform, forming enormous barriers as the titanic hand let loose a gleaming blast of Dynenergy (Dynamax Cannon). If not for the Protection of the gods of time and space, Eternatus's blast would have incinerated the entire platform. Oscar could feel the radiant attack's power even as the gods' barriers reflected it away, shaking the entire platform and causing him to fall to his knees. The older Oscar lost his balance as well, which gave their evil counterpart a great opportunity to strike him.

Eternatus's servant was unburdened by the strength of his master's attack, and he would effortlessly step over to grab the older Oscar and lift him into the air by his collar. The older Oscar struggled within his evil self's grip, who seemed more than happy to cackle at the old man's expense. Future Oscar sneered, "Laugh now, but I already killed you once you piece of shi-" The older Oscar could not finish his boast, as his evil variant tossed him with incredible force clear off of the platform.

Oscar watched with quacking eyes as his future self disappeared, and his heart would suddenly quicken as he slowly turned to look his evil variant in the eyes. The evil Oscar was facing him, his face twisted into a mad grin. He took a single step toward Oscar, and the hardened trainer nearly pissed himself. However, the evil Oscar would not make it another step before being halted by Genesect Prime.

The loyal cyborg flew in from the left, its claws extended to strike at its master's enemy. Oscar smiled, feeling a brief glimmer of hope before his evil self grabbed Genesect by the head and chucked him off the platform as well. As Oscar watched his favorite companion be effortlessly dispatched, something within him snapped.

His eyes twitched, staring off toward where Genesect was thrown as his evil self slowly approached. Oscar slowly looked toward the hulking bastard that had just soloed his entire party. Perhaps he should have been scared, but in that moment all he felt was pure rage. Oscar clenched his fists, shaking as he addressed his approaching enemy. "Alright you fucking asshole. If you think you're gonna get away with that, you're fuckin' delusional! Come and get some!" Oscar let out an uncharacteristic roar, charging toward his more imposing adversary without any fear. When he came near enough, he would swing a punch fueled by all of the hatred within his heart. His hatred for Eternatus, his hatred for his evil variant, and his hatred toward himself for causing this shit show. Never before had he ever threw a punch with such concentrated ferocity. His Urshifu would have been proud.

The blow landed directly into his opponent's chest, and his pecs would ripple from the collision. Oscar heaved heavily as his fist dug into his evil variant, his entire arm screaming with pain as it absorbed the impact. And yet--his enemy would not move. In fact he seemed hardly bothered, simply chuckling as he looked down upon Oscar. "My my, what a display." Both of his hands came upon Oscar, grabbing his head in a grip so tight that Oscar thought it was about to burst like a watermelon. The evil Oscar lifted his helpless victim up into the air, staring upon him with a gaze of manic glee. "You know, I think I'm going to take my time with you. The others were tiresome but you--something about you boils my blood."

Oscar struggled through the pain that roared through his head, mustering enough energy to let out a hoarse snark. "It's because I'm--the prettiest--right?" The grip around his head tightened, causing him to yell out in anguish. His evil self chortled at his expense. "You're a silly little goober with a loud mouth. No, it's because you shouldn't be here! The other two had gods backing them up, but you came up here with nothing but a living tin can! You're so out of your depth, yet you paraded yourself around like you belonged. You're useless! Less than trash!"

Oscar once again mustered all of his remaining consciousness to speak. "You're--wrong--I'm good--for one thing." His evil self raised an eyebrow and loosened his grip. "Is that so? Well share with the class, I'm all ears!" Oscar heaved as he pushed out just a few more choice words. "I'm a pretty good distraction."

His evil self realized instantly what Oscar meant, but evil then it was already too late. He swung his head around to look for whatever was approaching him, only to be flung aside by a giant rock. Oscar was dropped entirely, and he would find himself gasping for air as his delicate body fell to the ground. With his evil self out of the way, Oscar could clearly see what he had originally only caught a glimpse of from between the monster's fingers. Lord Oscar, propped up in the air by pink cosmic energy. Beside him he had a very confused Future Oscar and a dented Genesect, having evidentially saved them while flying back up to the platform.

Lord Oscar floated to his Prime variant's position, gently dropping his charges nearby. Old man Oscar landed on his posterior, and would scramble to his feet upon regaining agency. He ran to Oscar's side, helping him to sit up. "You alright kid?"

Oscar was still reeling from nearly having his head crushed within a version of his own hands, but overall he had felt worse. He dreamily nodded as he tried to shake away his daze, "Yeah, I'm good. Just got a headache." Genesect ran forward, dotting over its master even though it was heavily damaged itself. Oscar could not help but laugh at his robot's concern. "I should be worrying about you! I thought I lost you forever." Oscar looked up to try and address Lord Oscar, but the Paladin had already walked away.

This fight was not over, and he was the best equipped to put Eternatus's champion in his place.

The evil Oscar pushed himself off the ground, debris falling away from his chiseled form. He turned around, coming face to face with an approaching Lord Oscar. The villainous minion twitched as he glared at his assailant, his mouth struggling to maintain its twisted smile. "I have not been hit in a while. Kudos to your--"

The evil Oscar was slammed back into the ground, a pink aura holding him down like a massive boot. He struggled against the weight of the force, snarling like a feral animal trapped in a cage. Lord Oscar walked right up to the writhing creature, kneeling so that he could look into its bright red eyes. "I don't tend to use my gravity manipulation on others. It tends to feel unsportsmanlike. I'm afraid I must make an exception for you. We simply do not have time to entertain any more of your nonsense."

The ground beneath the evil Oscar began to crack as the pink force pushed him further downward. His muscles began to warp, as if they were being forcibly deflated by sheer pressure. The scoundrel began to scream, black blood spurting out of his squirming mouth. With what little strength he had left, the dark Avatar spat out venomous insults. "You wretched little cad! You will rue this day! When my master slaughters you all and revives me, we shall travel to your world and rip it apart!" The ground gave way as the gravity pushing the evil Oscar down intensified. Soon he would be pressed into a crevice created by his rapidly compressing body, barely able to finish his curse. "This is a hollow victory! Do you hear me worm!? This means nothing! Nothing!"

Lord Oscar cocked an eyebrow, "Hm, perhaps--but fuck is it satisfying." Suddenly the gravitational push would reach its maximum force, propelling the screeching Oscar clear through the platform. The pink energy would continue to push him downward, even as he began to free fall, gaining more and more momentum until the monster would end up colliding with the earth. It was a good thing that no one could witness the impact, as the results were absurdly messy.

Lord Oscar stood up, wiping his hands to symbolically dismiss what was a very obtrusive problem. "That takes care of that. Now if only I could do the same thing to the hand." He said to himself with a deep sigh. The paladin looked upward, watching with growing anxiety as Dialga and Palkia continued to clash with Eternatus. "I must have faith in my lord. If anyone can defeat this beast, it is him."

If only faith could actually provide additional power. In truth, Palkia was struggling against its massive opponent. Every attempt to use Spacial Rend to wound the titan was met with failure, as the immense creature would simply smash through it. Dialga was having no better luck, as every attempt to freeze the foe with its Roar of Time was expertly resisted. With their greatest powers proving ineffective, the divine duo decided to first wear down their foe with more precise attacks.

They danced through the sky, weaving between Eternatus's massive 'fingers' as it tried to rend them with Dragon Claw. When the opportunities presented themselves, the duo would strike at the beast's joints with smaller moves. Palkia would often swing its tail to slice against Eternatus's knuckles (Aqua Tail) and Dialga would slam its hefty body into anywhere it could guess to be a weak point in Eternatus's armor (Dragon Rush). They were making very slow progress that could be undone instantly should Eternatus strike them even once, yet the two gods continued to fight despite the mounting odds.

Yet as Eternatus's servant was dispatched, the eldritch dragon would fly into a ceaseless fury. It swiped at the two much quicker than before, causing an impact that sent the gods flying into the platform. Their heavy bodies nearly smashed through the floating rock, causing the Oscars and Genesect to lose their balance and fall. Old man Oscar managed to get to his feet first, and he would help up Oscar and Genesect Prime as Lord Oscar unsteadily ran to join them.

Palkia used its power over gravity to lift itself out of its impact crater, and it would be forced to do the same to Dialga as the time lord struggled to return to its feet. Eternatus lowered itself, each of its 'fingers' screaming as the palm charged up energy. Play time was over, it had to dispose of these pests quickly before this misadventure got out of hand.

Dialga and Palkia put themselves between the Oscars and Eternatus, bringing up Protective barriers in hopes that they could once again deflect the Dynamax Cannon. However this rendition of Eternatus's ultimate move seemed far stronger than the last, and with the gods now standing on the platform it would be unlikely that their human counterparts would survive the assault. Well, Lord Oscar would probably be fine but the other two were fucked.

Eternatus flexed its fingers, unleashing a blast of energy so powerful that it sucked in what little light remained in the sky. Or, that was what Oscar thought was happening. He stared at the blast as it was unleashed, fully expecting to be obliterated. What he did not notice was that a massive shadow was building in front of Palkia and Dialga, rising to meet the encroaching blast. As the attack made contact, the massive shadow seemed to consume the blast entirely. When Eternatus's energy died down, it would begin trembling with rage at this mysterious interference.

The shadow shrank to match the size of Dialga and Palkia, forming bright red eyes as it took on a solid form. The Oscars watched with astonishment as the shadow grew six massive legs and a pair of ragged bat wings, with golden spikes adorning its grey flesh. This legendary dragon may have had a different appearance than the last time Oscar had seen it, but there was no doubt in his mind about the identity of this newcomer. Giratina had joined the fray.

Something changed when the three cosmic deities stood side by side, as if their reunion and common goal filled them with untapped power. They already emanated strength naturally, but now their divine energy seemed tangible. It could not just be felt, but seen within their blooming auras and heard within their battle cries. The trio launched themselves at Eternatus, who dismissively attempted to swat them out of the sky.

The trio fired their most powerful attacks at the hand's swinging palm, and for once the impact would cause Eternatus to stagger. The raw forces of time, space, and antimatter caused a discharge so intense that Eternatus would reel backward and roar with pain. Long after the explosion dissipated, their primal forces could be felt within the air. It was amazing to behold, Oscar had seen nothing like it.

The trio's combined efforts managed to actually push Eternatus upward, finally giving the platform some much needed space. With this brief reprieve, Lord Oscar would let out a strained breath--which caused the platform to shiver. He quickly straightened up and raised his hands, and the platform responded by gradually falling still. It was impossible to not take notice of this peculiarity, and Oscar Prime would announce his concern.

"Are you alright? You seem like you're under a bit of uh--strain." Lord Oscar tried to maintain an air of dignity as he faced his variants, but it was clear that he was rapidly running out of steam. "Well if I am being honest, holding together this platform is starting to weight on me. It probably would not be so bad--if I had not used most of my strength flattening that lesser Oscar."

The older Oscar began to rub his beard. "So um, hypothetically, for how much longer could you keep this platform in the air?" Lord Oscar chuckled lightly and waved his hand in a dismissive manner. "Oh please, I could keep this thing up indefinitely!" The platform began to rumble again, and Lord Oscar would frantically attempt to rectify it by standing completely still. "Alright let's ballpark five minutes."

They might not have five minutes, as the fortune of the cosmic trio was starting to reverse. Eternatus, growing desperate to end this ridiculous battle, was making progressively aggressive maneuvers. It was throwing heavier punches, smashing the divinities around like excited June bugs on a brightened door step. Yet no matter how much punishment they took, the trio would jump right back into the fray to retaliate.

Nevertheless, their battle was getting closer to the platform once more. Oscar's legs began to shake as Eternatus came closer and closer, threatening to smash itself against the platform. He turned to his older self, "How much longer do we have to keep this up? When's this thing gonna fuckin' fire already?" His older self slid his hands into the pockets of his coat, much less concerned about dying than his younger companions. "It's hard to say, but you would know when it's about to fire. It will be super obvious."

An extraordinary light would shine from below the platform, followed by what could only be described as the world's loudest high note. The older Oscar chuckled, his glasses reflecting the intense glare that surrounded them. "Huh, yeah it's ready. Time to go!" He took off toward the edge of the platform, not hesitating for a moment to leap into the open air. The two other Oscars looked to each other, as if hoping the other would have a follow up plan. Since neither did, they would end up following the old man over the edge.

Genesect came up close behind, leaping away from the platform as it finally fell apart. As the view of the glowing barrel became clear, Eternatus began to panic. It would attempt to pull itself upward, only to be forced back down by the cosmic trio. The mighty claw would not get a second chance to flee, as the ultimate weapon would unleash its burden in a geyser of technicolor energy.

The beam ripped right through the center of Eternatus, the great hand screaming as it was overcharged with Infinity Energy. Currents of brilliant light surged through its body, ripping themselves out from the inside in a series of sparkling explosions. Multicolored lightning soared across the sky as Eternatus began to fall, the continuous beam splitting the leviathan in half. With every additional explosion Eternatus would lose more and more of its mass, and by the time it would crash into the ground little left of what was humanity's greatest threat.

Their gambit had worked, and the three Oscars would let out various cheers as they fell through the sky. Normally Oscar would be scared shitless of becoming a stain upon the earth, but he was far too busy basking in the glow of victory to worry about such far away concepts. However, those concepts were quickly becoming less far away, so it was time to shake a leg.

Possibly sensing that the time had come to stop free falling, Plakia and Dialga suddenly appeared alongside their charges. Palkia caught Lord Oscar within its massive arms before pushing itself backwards into a spacial rift. Dialga caught the future Oscar on his back, and opened its own rift through time to dive into. Both of Oscar's variants managed to slip him one last look of jubilation before the rifts would close abruptly, leaving the one true Oscar to fall alone.

Not completely alone though, as Genesect would soon float in next to its master. Oscar called out of the sound of rushing air, "Alright Prime, get us out of here!" Prime flexed for a moment, but seemed to be unable to transform into its hoverboard form. Its joints began to spark, making it abundantly clear that Prime was too damaged to fly. Oscar's joy disappeared, frantically pulling out Genesect's pokeball and withdrawing it.

"Fuuuck!" He cried out as he put Genesect safely within his inner coat pocket. "Fuck fuck fuck fuck!" The ground was coming in fast, and Oscar had reached a speed that could generously be called 'overkill velocity'. There was no time for his life to flash, no time for self reflection, just enough seconds to brace his hands over his face and scream.

Oscar would not end up kissing the ground today though. A vast black pit would open over where he was meant to crash, catching Oscar inches away from a messy death. Yet Oscar would continue to fall, this time within pitch black darkness. Oscar's mind went through a gauntlet of emotions: fear followed by confusion followed by curiosity and then looping back into more fear. He knew nothing about what was happening, only that the shadows that surrounding him were smothering him with their omnipresent oppression.

Then from below him, all was made clear. Two massive red circles appeared, followed by a thin red smile. Oscar was falling toward the regrettably familiar face of Giratina. Yet he did now draw closer, just an endless plummet toward the Renegade's visage. It would seem that Oscar had Giratina to thank for his rescue, though he was not sure if he was thankful or dismayed by its intervention.

Oscar tried to call out toward the bleak god, "I uh--don't know why you saved me but--thank you?" Giratina's face remained motionless, its eyes glaring into Oscar's soul. A cacophony of noise began to rise around Oscar, abstract at first but gradually they began to take on a recognizable form. It was the sound of countless voices: screaming and laughing, crying and arguing, moaning and muttering. The noise became so loud that Oscar thought his ears would pop. Yet through it all he could hear one word so clearly it was as if it were uttered within a silent room.

P R I C E

Oscar would then feel the worst pain he had ever suffered, starting from the top of his head and slowly resonating down the rest of his body. Half way down his face, Oscar would come to the horrible realization that he was being bisected down the middle. Split clean in half by unseen claws. Oscar could not tell if he was screaming, as he could hear nothing but the choir of agony that surrounded him. His torment seemed to last forever, crescendoing into a single instance of unimaginable terror.

Oscar woke up with a start, his eyes twitching across familiar surroundings. He was back in his office, just as he had left it before the arrival of Father Winter II. He threw his hand sup to his face, feeling around his head to make sure that he was still whole. Upon confirming that he was physically intact, Oscar would let out a deep sigh and recline in his desk chair. Thankfully it had just been a nightmare.

Had it--all been a nightmare?

Oscar straightened up as he felt his phone push against him in his pocket. That's right, he had proof of everything! He hurriedly pulled it out and opened his gallery, his eyes resting upon the blurred image of the Ultimate Weapon. Oscar slid his spare hand through his hair, everything he experienced happened. Well possibly everything, that bit at the end seemed--too surreal to be real. Oscar felt that he should have been thrilled about making it back in one piece--and yet...

He turned off his phone and placed it upon his desk. With a soft kick he would spin around to face his office window, just in time to catch the sunrise. Before this--experience--Oscar's goal had seemed so clear. To utilize Infinity Energy as a tool to fight back against Hoenn's threats, to create an unstoppable weapon. But now? In just a few hours his entire world view was sent into a spiral. His dream had turned out to be a danger to not only his world, but countless worlds across the multiverse. Did that mean he should give up on it? On everything he had been working toward?

Oscar's hands clenched into fists. He could not possibly give in now, not when he knew it was possible. He would learn from the mistakes of his variants, Oscar's weapon would be different--it had to be. He refused to be the cause of the apocalypse he sought to prevent. As Oscar's resolve solidified, he would feel a splitting pain flow through his head. It only faded when he relaxed himself, breathing steadily as he stared out the window.

He could give all of that a rest for now--at least until after the sunrise.