The Moon

[unrepentantAuthor]

With Sombra returned to her – and the powerful urge to spill her guts to everyone around her just seething in her chest – Brisa went to work. Most shadows weren't so hard to dust. She had her full powers back, her energy was synergising with that of Starr and Astrid – wind and weather but you love them so fuckin' much it's gonna knock you flat – and the team was back to supporting her. She laid one out flat and then another, like clockwork.

Then there was Shadow. Dave's doppelganger.

Shadow was whimpering, quivering, leaking light and darkness as if melting alive, looking like the most wretched creature beneath the stars. Perhaps he felt that way. Dave's inner self, uninhibited . . . was a suffering, fearful, miserable creature. Brisa padded close to him, fleet of paw on the lunar surface, trailing Blacklight, filled with it. All intent and all emotion crackled at the surface. Tears crackled at her eyes, and Shadow saw that with a pathetic look of remorse. Lightning crackled at her zeraora's fists, and he saw that too, shaking pitiably.

"It's okay," she told him. "We do this, and we're that much closer t'finishin' the fight. It ain't yer fault it's gotta be like this."

"I'm sorry," replied Shadow.

"I know," said Brisa. The Blacklight pushed everything to the surface, relentless. "Just remember, I love you."

She didn't wait for the reply.

She made it quick.

 

[Namohysip]

Kindle's Soothe III reduce Astrid's corruption!
Celeste's Blink hastened Starr!
Seyka's Blink hastened Brisa!
Ashwood's Ward III protected Icetales!

Saltriv rallied Brisa, Koa, Icetales, and Astrid! Their pure words reached them!
Icetales' Brilliant Inspirit boosted Starr, Brisa, and Astrid!
Icetales' Teatime let Starr power up!
Icetales' Diamond Dust Aurora Veil healed and protected the team!
Brisa's Brilliant Paragon pushed Starr to her limits and protected her!
Cabot's Eternal Spirit is burning! He carried the entire party to the next zone and protected them from damage, despite the Gravity!
Nip's Revitalizing Moonlight healed Cabot, Koa, and Brisa!
Nip's After You let Astrid combo off!
Koa's Eternal Spirit is burning! His Conduit was empowered!
Koa's Conduit let Starr take on Owen's corruption!

Dave's triple Scary Face dealt -0 Speed to Soda! Soda dodged it all!
Icetales' Void Wraith dealt 300 Freeze to Soda!
Cabot's strikes took out Kane's and Shadow's barriers!
Brisa's Titanic Bolt Strike destroyed Shadow and Kane's barriers, and then dealt 2111 damage to Winter!
Brisa's next Bolt Strike attacked three foes!
Mellow: 703
Kane: 1315
Shadow: 3182
Brisa's Void Arcstrike became Fusion Arcflare and struck the Unown and Soda!
Unown: 940
Soda: 1363
Starr's Shining Renegade dealt 295 damage to the Unown!
Starr's Blue Flare dealt 2607 damage to the Unown!
Starr's Power Trip dealt a Super Effective 2368 damage to the Unown!
Starr's Brilliant Flarestrike became Fusion Arcflare and dealt 3373 damage to the Unown!
Starr's Eternal Spirit is burning! Her Z-Burst won't hold her back!
Starr's Z-burst dealt 3573 damage to the Unown!
Astrid was inspired by Starr and Brisa!
Astrid's Null Sweeper Flail struck the Unown and Soda!
Unown: 2112
Soda: 3355
Astrid's Null Sweeper Ice Burn struck the Unown and Soda!
Unown: 1217
Soda: 2227

"GAH! Why, you--will you just DIE?!"

The air shifted and churned, dust from far away suddenly appearing right next to the team. As Cabot led the charge to pursue Ionys even now, it looked like even knocking him out wouldn't be enough to stop him. Something kept pushing him to keep fighting...

"Get over here! Don't think you can run from your own Shadows!"

Shadow, Shadow Mellow, Winter, and Kane's Last Words activated!

Ionys twisted the dimensions! Shadow, Shadow Mellow, Winter, and Kane appeared in BL!

Shadow used Hexternalize Void Desperation on Starr, but it was blocked!
Kane used Inferno on Astrid, but it was blocked!
Winter prepared Grass Pledge!
Shadow Mellow used Fire Pledge on Brisa, but she dodged it! They didn't have enough HP for Fire Field!

The Unown were stunned!

But then, they faded, reclaimed by their proper hosts once more. And now... Soda's illusion had flickered and disappeared. The strikes landed true, and while Dave, after what he'd done to the Shadows, was on Soda's mind enough to dodge what he had coming next... it wasn't enough to dodge Owen's directions. Their attacks struck Soda and dispelled the illusion enough that, for a flickering moment, they saw him.

And how much he changed...

Lunatic Ionys was revealed!

Ionys intensified the moon's acceleration! Gravity became even stronger, and movement costs 3 actions total!
Ionys used Judgement ~ Ground!
Astrid: Dodged!
Brisa: Blocked!
Cabot: Dodged!
Dave: Blocked!
Icetales: Dodged!
Conduit: 182
Koa: A grazing 126!
Nip: Dodged!
Owen: 0
Saltriv: Blocked!
Starr: Blocked!

"Don't think you've won just yet! I know your game! Even if you kill me, I won't die! KEEP IT COMING! I'M EVEN MORE THAN A GOD! FALL! FALL! AHAHAHAHA!"

An oppressive aura washed over the team. Fatigue gripped several of them instantly...

Ionys used Blacklight Famine on everyone striking three times, aiming at their Magic, then Attack, then Speed!
Astrid's Ward protected her!
Brisa blocked them all!
Cabot dodged the first and resisted the second partially, but lost Speed!
Dave's Ward protected him!
Icetales' Ward protected him!
Nip dodged the first two, and is immune to losing Speed!
Saltriv lost some Speed!
Starr's Ward protected her!

The odd sphere Ionys is holding pulsed with life!
It looks like... Adne?!

Sphere of Adne used Hydro Pump on Starr, Astrid, and Icetales!
Starr: 138
Astrid: Endure!
Icetales: 46

Sphere of Adne pumped energy into Ionys! Ionys gained +2 Valor!
Ionys gained another +1 Action!

Sphere of Adne used Blinding Ion on Starr, Brisa, and Dave!
Starr: 259
Dave: 368
Brisa: Blocked!

Lunatic Ionys: 23,055
Unown: 33,515
Adne?: 10,000

Owen's Insight: I can barely move! If we can get him weaker, maybe the moon will slow down! Or maybe, if we stun him...

 

[Dragonfree]

What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck.

"Soda -- Ionys -- that's not fucking Adne, you lunatic." He dragged himself in Soda's direction. What was the point, what was the fucking point, why would he remember a single fucking thing?

(apparently he remembered enough to be making a copy of her in the first place)

"Remember the real Adne? Always sticking up for what she believed in? Bad with money, made annoying noises sometimes?" The increased gravity was flattening him against the ground, making it almost impossible to move. "Somehow I doubt she'd want you creating creepy fucking effigies of her, Jesus Christ. Or destroying the world, suspect that one'd also make her pretty unhappy."

 

[Ambyssin]

“No reasoning!” Bahamut practically sang, still lying on his back.

 

[Dragonfree]

"Fuck you."

 

[IFBench]

Lightning struck, as Brisa charged Saltriv's Shadow. With a yelp, they were knocked on their side, landing in a small crater.

There. It was over. Their Shadow, their Winter they had to endure, was gone. Already, they were beginning to feel their powers retu—

"NO! RUN! RUN AWAY!" Winter screamed. Shadowy tendrils erupted from around them, trying to smack away anything they could reach. Saltriv, Burhalla, and even Brisa were unable to escape the Panic of Winter's attack. Winter could barely be seen through the sheer amount of attacks. "PLEASE! YOU'LL JUST HURT YOURSELVES! PLEASE JUST RUN AWAY! I DON'T WANT OUR FRIENDS TO DIE!"

"PLEASE!" the Chikorita pleaded.

Then, the barrage stopped. A torn leaf fluttered to the ground, severed from Winter in their onslaught.

"Please...save everyone." the Shadow said, their eyes on the verge of closing, their body barely hanging together.

"I...I will," Saltriv said, their voice wavering, but their intent true. A small smile appeared on their Winter's face, before they dissipated, and their remains reunited with Saltriv.

Thank you.

Their Winter was finally over, but they'd honor its memory, and save everyone they cou—no, everyone.

Even as they entered their Spring, their Winter was still with them in spirit.

 

[Fusion]

"Fuck you."

"Oooooo, damn!" Drake whooped.

Meanwhile, Vix was still keeping herself out of Kane's reach. He lashed at her like a thoughtless animal, a creature of instinct and rage. Even when the rest of Spectrum attacked him, he kept trying to kill her. It could have been Soda's doing, and he somehow hated Vix with such a passion and that transferred to Kane, it could have been Kane's blind rage, only retaliating to hits as he tried to tear Vix to pieces.

Whatever the reason was, it didn't look like Vix cared about it too much. Or maybe she cared about it immensely. Her silence and composure didn't really give anything away, and her face was still not on her.

Even after Brisa's overwhelming Bolt Strike knocked Kane down, something that made Vix turn away, the shadow Scrafty stood right back up. Tired, panting, hardly keeping his shape, and even his glare was... tired and fading. "...Screw you..." he spat. "A man gives you his dyin' wish and you ain't even got the balls to oblige? Pathe--"

"You fought terribly," Vix interrupted, floating over to Kane. The Shadow stood in place, as if his dissipating form cared about that. "If it was me, I would have bulked myself and my team so we didn't get curb stomped five minutes into the fight. And, since you're connected to someone pouring out corruption, who knows how many bombs you could have thrown?" Vix's tone and faceless stare were both disappointed. Kane gritted his teeth, but stayed silent.

"You said you weren't going to hold anything back, and yet you didn't transform until Soda forced you too. And that was only one of the transformations," Vix went on. "And you called that fighting? Wailing your arms around like that? You telegraphed each attack so hard a toddler could read them."

Kane sucked his teeth, his glare moving to the side. "This lil lecture of yours got an endin'?"

Vix nodded, as Drake joined her side. "You're trying too hard, Kane. All of us are. You're trying to make yourself look important in all of this, and myself and Drake by comparison."

"..." Kane stared, his glare softening slightly.

"I know you were still awake inside Drake, and I know you were trying to give us a morale boost or whatever..." Vix went on, then shook her head. "We didn't need it. I, didn't need it. I appreciate the sentiment, but I don't need you to fake being a threat to make me feel better."

Silence, aside from the battle raging all around them, then, Kane let out a fierce growl. "A FAKE threat?! ME?! The last member of the Drake family?! I should've blasted you to pieces the second I laid my eyes on you!" Vix sighed, and Drake rubbed his arm, gritting his teeth.

The Scrafty threw his arm forwards, sending a blast of fire at Vix... but he missed. By a long shot. The blast looked like it was going to hit Astrid instead. It could have done some real damage! But... it did nothing. It fizzled out before it even reached her. Hell, it barely even got past Vix. "God...dammit, Vix," Kane muttered. "Can't even let me leave a partin' gift or nothin'? What, you think you're too good for any of that?"

"No," Vix said, flatly, as she floated off. "Not at all." It looked like Nip was starting to fall back, and with Kane defeated, Vix and Drake could assist the team proper this time in Nip's place.

Drake gave Kane one last look, almost of pity, sort of with regret, mostly remorse. "Sorry, man..." He took the shadow back into himself and jogged back to Vix's side. They didn't say anything to each other, but got to work all the same.

 

[Flyg0n]

This was it.Soda,fur half white, Unown swirling all around him, gravity pressing in on all sides. Yet fear felt far from Koa's mind. He was flanked by heroes, by his friends. His mentor, his best friend, his team, his allies. Together, they were unstoppable, and he was part of that. Something thrummed deep inside him, something familiar.

Koa latched onto that power, that same sensation he'd felt in that dark room, facing him that thing. Holding Echo close, and finally accepting the truth.

I don't have to be perfect.

The transformation came easily as ever, his limbs growing, energy coursing through him, an overpowering urge to fight to overcome, to test himself against all odds. To meet his enemy head on, without fear, without doubt. Desire burned in his throat and spilled from his jaws in a loud, defiant howl.

"AI YAH!"

Lunging forward, he rose up, a sphere of light gathering in his paw. "This ends now Soda!"



The energy crackled, intensifying and growing. Power coursed through his limbs, his strength burning within him, the memory of his fight to free Echo surging forth.

"I've been waiting for this a long, long time."

With a loud cry, he launched two blazing Focus Blasts straight at Soda.

Landing on all fours, he spoke, his voice reverbating with power. He didn't care if Soda understand, if he heard him. Blacklight energy seeped into his words, empowering them. Even if their meaning was lost, they would drain the deranged Zoroark, slow him down and allow his team to strike. "You're nothing but a false god. And you will fall."

 

[Negrek]

"You worthless piece of shit," Nate snarled, kicking the shadow mudkip hard enough to unstick it from its puddle of tears. "So fucking weak. What are you gonna do? Lie there and fucking cry about it? Shut! Up!" He punctuated each word with a blow, and the shadow cringed and wailed all the while.

"Stop, stop!" was all it would say. It tried to spit water at Nate, but couldn't even manage a proper attack. "Stop it! Leave me alone!"

"You leave me alone!" Nate growled back. "You're always the one fucking with me! If you knew what was good for you you woulda fucked off!" He punched the mudkip once, twice, knocking shadows free in spiraling gouts.

The mudkip tried to curl in on itself, but it could barely move. "I don't want to fight," it whimpered.

"Too fucking bad!" Nate kicked it again. He wasn't even using attacks, merely tearing pieces off the shadow mudkip whatever way he could.

"Marshtomp! Marshtomp, stop!" Rocky tried to pull Nate away from the shadow mudkip. "You knocked him out. It's over! You can get your powers back now."

"Fuck that," Nate spat, trying to pull free of his familiar's hold. "It's still fucking crying. Jesus. It ain't done yet!"

"Yes, it is," Rocky insisted. "He isn't getting back up. Now you can take him back."

"I ain't fucking taking him back," Nate said with disgust. "I don't want that in me."

"Wh-what?" Rocky said. "No. Just do like other people did, umm, I think you can just stick your arm in and kind of... absorb him."

Nate snorted and turned away. "Piss off. I ain't doing none of that."

Rocky stared at him. "But your powers! You can't get them back unless you--"

"Oh, piss off. When do I even use my fucking shadows anyhow? I don't need that shit. Even if that really is where it comes from." He gave the mudkip a look of disgust.

"But he's part of you," Rocky insisted. "You can't leave him. It won't make any difference, anyway."

"It ain't got nothing to do with me," Nate said. "Whatever kind of bullshit comes out of being literally made out of shadows plus whatever that fucking machine did. I'm through with it. Come on. We got a psychotic zoroark to fight. You know, the thing we actually came here for, not this bullshit shadow distraction?" He turned and started to follow the rest of the team towards where Soda was supposed to be.

"You can't," Rocky insisted, but he could tell this was going nowhere. He gave Nate a hopeless, exasperate glance, then ran to pick up the mudkip. It struggled weakly, trying to get away, but Rocky tucked it tight under one arm, and it soon gave up, too exhausted to move. Tears continued to roll slowly from its eyes, pattering into the dust at Rocky's feet.

"It'll be okay," Rocky told the shadow as he hurried after Nate. "He's just--you know how he is. He's you, or, umm, something. So you know that he just needs some time, or, well, I'm sure he--" Rocky couldn't think of anything to say that felt like it was true. "It'll be okay," he muttered at last.

 

[Namohysip]

Cuicatl's Boon V boosted Koa's striking power!
Miles' Shield V protected Starr!
Shiron's Blink hastened Astrid!
Team Spectrum's Support fighters gave the party a SUPPORT BURST!

Nip tapped out! Vix joined the party!
Saltriv called out to Adne, Koa, and Astrid! Their pure words reached them all!
Saltriv's Void Acceptance reduced the corruption around Astrid, Starr, and Cabot!
Dave copied Brisa’s Attack and Speed!
Dave's Brilliant Determination protected himself and Brisa, and boosted their hexing!
Vix's Eternal Spirit is burning! Vix covered themself, Starr, Brisa, and Koa in Radiant Wax, buffing their defences!
Vix's Umbral Ire hyped up Starr, Brisa, and Koa, strengthening their attacks!
Icetales summoned his Blacklight Quasar for the team!
Astrid's Teatime let Astrid regain stamina!
Icetales' Brilliant Inspirit boosted the striking power of Brisa, Starr, Cabot, and Koa!
Owen's Brilliant Aether placed Protect barriers on Koa, Cabot, and Starr!
Koa cried thunder to Vix! His pure words reached them!
Koa's Conduit let Astrid take on Koa's corruption!

Cabot's Shining Rockfall dealt 955 damage to Ionys!
Cabot's Void Meteor dealt a CRITICAL 6871 damage to Ionys!
Cabot's Holy Lance dealt 728 damage to the Unown!
Brisa's Cat o' Nine Tails Bolt Strikes struck the Unown and Ionys for partially CRITICAL damage!
Unown: 3003
Ionys: 4412
Starr's Shining Renegade dealt 295 damage to the Unown!
Starr's Blue Flare struck the Unown for 3927 damage, and Ionys dodged it!
Starr's Power Trip was dodged by Ionys, and struck the Unown for 4569 damage!
Koa's double Echoing Focus Blasts dealt 5604 damage to Ionys! Ionys' Resistance went down!
Koa's Echoing Thundercall lowered Ionys' Speed by 1!
Astrid was inspired by Brisa, Koa and Starr!
Astrid's Null Sweeper Flail struck the Unown and Ionys!
Unown: 3684
Ionys: 4214
Astrid's Null Sweeper Freeze Shock struck the Unown and Ionys! Ionys was stunned!
Unown: 2909
Ionys: 3281
Astrid's Double Sweeper Stored Power struck the Unown for 20946 damage! The Unown were defeated!

Ionys was stunned, losing his bonus actions this turn!
Ionys was Paralyzed, losing an additional action!

"Ghk--" Ionys fell forward abruptly, seemingly losing consciousness. The sphere that had been cradled in his arms remained floating despite his fall, and the Empoleon inside stirred...

And stirred...

Astrid's stray attacks struck the sphere Ionys left behind!
Astrid's Stored Powers dealt 3076 damage to the sphere! It's immune to critical hits!
Astrid's Eternal Spirit is burning! Astrid's Sweeper Blacklight Meltdown struck the sphere for 224 damage!

Its face twisted and bent, cracking in places like it was never a face to begin with. It swirled and split five ways--

"That's the parasite! But this one's... s-strong!" Owen shouted.

Its head extended out of the blinding sphere and jabbed Ionys in the back. It pumped, a single heart beat, and the light returned to Ionys' body. He rose, looking stunned, but then cradled the Empoleon once again, completely unaware.

"Like I SAID..." Ionys said. "I am... IMMORTAL! ABOVE THE GODS! Aha... AHA! AHAHAHAHAHA! DIE, DIE! EVERYTHING WILL DIE, AND BE REBORN!"

Gravity snapped to normal! Everyone gained the Levitate ability!

The sphere of Adne filled Ionys with life, fully restoring his HP!

Ionys used Extreme Speed on Starr (3), Astrid (1), Brisa (2), Icetales(2), and Dave (1)!
Starr: Miles took two hits, left behind a Protect, which also blocked a hit!
Astrid: Ouch!
Brisa: Blocked!
Icetales: A partially grazing 116!
Dave: Blocked!

Ionys disappeared for zone T! He's panicking and focusing to prepare Lunatic Cannon! It'll launch next turn if not stunned!
Ionys gained another action!

The strange sphere used Flash Cannon on Icetales, Dave, and Cabot!
Icetales: 89
Dave: Blocked!
Cabot: Blocked!

The strange sphere pulsed grotesquely! It fired into the ground!
Beneath Brisa, Dave, and Saltriv was a horrible miasma!
Their spirits were torn in half! Shadows emerged! Their Corruption and Unleashed attributes were dispelled, all Blacklight moves sealed!

The sphere disappeared and snapped toward Ionys again!

Ionys: 30,000
Not Adne: 7,634

Owen's Insight: If we stun Ionys, we can get to that Parasite immediately! But why is it exposed? What is it doing?

The Unown are drifting listlessly...

"He's so far gone," Cal whimpered. "Can we even save him?"

"It's that orb," Owen said. "It's the thing corrupting him! If we can just get that thing away, maybe at a moment of weakness, we..."

 

[Ambyssin]

"Doesn't it concern anyone how much more... exposed that thing is compared to the other parasites we've dealt with?" Bahamut frowned. "It's almost like it's baiting you into attacking it. I wonder if stunning Soda again could let us separate the two and see what happens?" He tapped his chin with his tail. "Maybe one or two of us could drag it through a portal back down to Cibus? The further the distance the better."

Though Bahamut kept his gaze fixed on the various unown. He was still projecting a calm aura. Thinking of simple memories from home. Greenery and forests growing under sheets of rain. Natural creation. Not Soda's... whatever this was.

 

[IFBench]

There was so much happening. Soda was being a complete lunatic, there was that sphere that contained the parasite disguised as an Empoleon, their Winter was back, it was almost enough to make them panic—

But no. They had to stay focused.

They looked up, at all the Unown drifting around. They had completely stopped attacking Team Spectrum.

Maybe...they could get them on their side.

Saltriv took a deep breath, then called out to them.

"Hey! Come on and help us defeat the big bad guy! Help us save the world!"

 

[Namohysip]

Saltriv called out to Starr, Koa, and Cabot! Their pure words reached them all!
Saltriv called out to the listless Unown!
Starr’s Void Catharsis healed Starr and Brisa, reduced their corruption, and granted them +1 action!
Koa called out to Kate!
Icetales' Brilliant Inspirit boosted the striking power of Kate, Starr, and Brisa!
Vix’s Brilliant Justice drained Shadows from Cabot!
Vix switched with Cabot!
Vix called out to Kate, Cabot, and a Substitute!

Dave’s double Crunches were dodged completely by Ionys!
Astrid’s Sweeper Blacklight Z-Burst struck at Shadow, Sombra, and Winter!
Shadow: 1946
Sombra: 2271
Winter: 1096

All activated their Last Words!

Cabot’s Holy Lance dealt 270 damage to Adne!
Kate’s Six-Side Glacial Lance Barrage Dealt 322 Damage to Adne!

The three Shadows tried to attack Astrid, instead exhausting all of her Protects!

"You heard 'em," Green said to Blue, who winced.

"You better rescue me," Blue said. "I'm not gonna lose myself to some damn parasite."

"These guys got it covered. We're gonna watch what happens."

Yellow hesitated, but he knew this was part of the plan. Some small part of him had faith in the rest of the team--particularly the way Green spoke of Team Spectrum. Maybe they could do it. Just maybe...

"Good luck," Blue muttered, and then he snapped his fingers. In a puff of mist, he disappeared. In seconds, Ionys' movements faltered and stop, all that speed behind his attacks--and the moon itself--slowing its descent even further. Cibus was uncomfortably large from their perspective, and it looked like storms were beginning to form in its atmosphere, even from where they stood. But it was alive.

"Ngaaaah! What... did you do?! What are these... was this your plan?! To... to mess with my head... with these LIES?! A-are they lies...? No... NO! I won't... JUST DIE ALREADY!"

Ionys was stunned and lost all of his bonus actions!
Ionys' Lunatic Cannon was interrupted!

Ionys used Judgement - Fire!
Brisa: Blocked!
Cabot: Dodged!
Dave: 222
Icetales: A grazing 29!
Kate: A grazing 112!
Conduit: Blocked!
Koa: Blocked!
Saltriv: 170
Starr: Blocked!
Vix: Wax!

Ionys used Night Daze on Starr, Cabot, and Brisa!
Starr: Blocked!
Cabot: A grazing 276
Brisa: Blocked!

Ionys used Blacklight Plague, applying Poison, then Confusion, and then Paralysis!
Brisa resisted all three status effects!
Dave's Ward shook off the Poison!
Icetales' Ward protected him!
Starr's Ward protected her!
Vix resisted all three status effects!
The rest were fully affected!

The False Adne used Blacklight Ion on Starr, Cabot, and Kate!
Starr: 731
Cabot: 435
Kate: 471, KO!

The False Adne powered Ionys up! He gained another +2 Valor and +1 Action!

The False Adne used Shadow Hydro Pump on Cabot, the Conduit, and Koa!
Cabot: 391, Second Chance!
Conduit: 732
Koa: A grazing 128!

Kate revived!

The False Adne and Ionys took some damage from Sandstorm...
Dave's Hex Counter lowered Ionys' Attack and Magic!

"What the hell--" Yellow blinked. "That was more effective than I thought. Did you feel that?"

"We're his last piece of sanity," Green muttered. "Blue's in there somewhere, now, and it put a seed of doubt in all he's doing. Fuck, what if this does work?!"

"Don't get ahead of yourselves," Diyem said, fending off stray attacks to keep the Substitutes safe. His shadowy form was too massive to get past. "We need you in case we have to stall him again."

"Fuck that! We have a plan! New plan!" Green looked to Yellow, who nodded. "But we need them to stun Ionys and Adne at the same time. If they do..." He nodded. "This is desperate, but we'll see. Tell them, why don't ya?"

"Nnngh..."

Diyem raised his head and sent a message to Team Spectrum.

Two Substitutes remain. They are saying that if you can stun Soda and that thing controlling him at the same time, the remaining Substitute can take him out of the fight. We can separate them, and I will rush in.

Special Condition Early, step 1: Stun Ionys and Adne at the same time!

Owen's Insight: Ionys won't attack if we save him... but we still have to look out for that sphere! It's doing something to the Unown! They aren't listening to us!

Ionys: 29,928, stun at 0 or Substitute

False Adne: 7,111, stun at 5,000

 

[Fusion]

The fight raged on; Drake's shouts and calls towards the team, the hiss and roar of attacks flying left and right, the dull hum of corruption Vix stored overhead... Vix had more than enough evidence to prove that sound did in fact travel in a vacuum, and it was probably louder than if it was under normal atmospheric circumstances.

But, honestly, the things that rang the loudest in Vix's head...

"Ngaaaah! What... did you do?! What are these... was this your plan?! To... to mess with my head... with these LIES?! A-are they lies...? No... NO! I won't... JUST DIE ALREADY!"

Don't listen to him, tune out his pain. We have to keep going...

We're doing this to save him, even if he doesn't want you. Even if it hurts him. Even if it hurts you...

Even if he doesn't care, we need to save him...

Vix was stiff for a moment, frozen in place until, ironically, Soda's Burning Judgement hit her and melted some of her wax. A part of her wanted to glare at Drake for forcing one of the substitutes to do this, but luckily, that part of her was locked in her bag still.

The team was building up towards something big... something painful, and Vix had to help them. She had to. There wasn't a "no" in this, anyone could see that. With Drake's slight assistance, Vix and the Shade empowered their usual targets; Owen, Brisa, and Starr. They could.... no, they would beat Soda with their next assault. They would save him, and this would all be over.

Don't listen to it... Don't listen to him...

He'll be fine, he's strong enough to live something like this...

He has to... He has to...

 

[Chibi Pika]

She'd felt it, just the same as the others. Felt that cold, burning hand plunging into her chest, ripping part of herself out, leaving a horrible emptiness in its wake. Then the hazy, shadowy figures scattered across the lunar surface, staring them down. So this was the best the wannabe god could come up with? Themselves. As if the team hadn't already been dealing with that half the time.

And yet, despite it all, she felt her confidence waver, just a little, when she laid eyes on the shadow. Herself. Her old life. The person she used to be. The person she wasn't anymore. Right?

"Let me guess. Just gonna beat the shit out of me and get back to what you were doing, that it?" Astrid said coldly.

"That's the idea," Starr replied dryly, letting her belt flare up. She couldn't reach her Blacklight. Didn't need it, though. Not for this.

Amusement. "Always going straight for violence. That's the only way you know how to deal with things, isn't it?"

"Don't even fucking try to twist this back on me," Starr snapped. "I'm not falling for that bullshit anymore." The two of them were circling each other now and she wasn't sure how it had happened. The others might as well not have existed.

"Do you really think it's that easy? If you just try hard enough, you can forget who you were?"

"Why wouldn't I want to forget you?" Starr spat.

Astrid's eyes lit up with fury and without warning, she lunged, claws blazing with dark flame--

 

[Dragonfree]

Two Substitutes remain. They are saying that if you can stun Soda and that thing controlling him at the same time, the remaining Substitute can take him out of the fight. We can separate them, and I will rush in.

Dave’s heart hammered in his chest as he stared back towards Diyem. He was recovering his memories, and they could save him. Get the thing away from him and get him out of here and then deal with the rest, whatever that might be.

And to do that Yellow had to dissolve into dust. Just like Blue had.

It was okay, it was fine, if they were saving Soda Prime he’d have all of Yellow’s memories anyway and it was literally what they were fucking for, it was obviously better than letting Blue just be gone forever and the others’d just fucking fade away anyway without him, it wasn’t even a goddamn choice—

He still hesitated.

“Yellow?” he yelled, eyes wide. “We can’t do both at once! If you think this can save him, go for it!”

He didn’t look to see how Yellow responded. Just lunged for the glowing, squirming thing in Ionys’s arms.

 

[Namohysip]

And just then, without delay, as if they already knew it was going to happen, Diyem glanced left and right, and then realized that one of the Sodas next to him had disappeared. Or had he been there to begin with?

Claws touched his shoulder. "Hey." There was so much gravity to that one word. It was Yellow. An air of finality carried with that one word, and then the next. What he truly meant, perhaps only Dave knew, just as Dave would be the only one to hear. "Thanks."

And suddenly, the presence vanished, and Ionys gasped in surprise, stumbling forward and clutching his head. Countless broken sentences followed, names, grunts, curses. "Dave, the fuck're you..." he started, but then growled.

And then came Team Spectrum's coordinated onslaught.

Saltriv's pure words rallied Starr, Owen and Astrid!
Saltriv's Shining Sunbeams soothed Starr, Owen, and Kate!
Saltriv's Brilliant Autumn soothed and protected Starr, Kate, and Icetales!
Icetales' Teatime energized Starr!
Icetales' Brilliant Inspirit empowered Brisa, Starr, Kate, and Owen!
Brisa's Brilliant Paragon protected Dave!
Bahamut's Void Phantasm purged Owen's Shadows!
Bahamut's Brilliant Beacon purged Vix's Radiance!
Bahamut's Revitalizing Morning Sun healed Dave, Starr, and Astrid!
Owen chauffeured Astrid!
Dave called Yellow Soda to perform Substitute Shock!
Dave Mimicked Icetales' Teatime and used it to energize Astrid!
Vix's Radiant Wax protected and buffed Owen!
Vix's Umbral Ire empowered Owen, Starr, and Brisa!
Vix called out to Starr, Astrid, and Owen!
Vix's Justice drained Saltriv's Radiance!

Icetales' Void Wraith dealt 450 Freeze to Soda!
Icetales' Eternal Spirit is burning! His Eterna Quasar Blacklight Z-Burst dealt 204 damage to Adne!
Brisa's Void Arcstrike became Fusion Arcflare and dealt 150 damage to Adne!
Brisa's Overcharge Z-Burst dealt 173 damage to Adne!
Starr's Flare Blitz dealt 152 damage to Adne!
Starr's Leech Life dealt 79 damage to Adne!
Starr's Power Trip dealt 229 damage to Adne!
Starr's Brilliant Flarestrike became Fusion Arcflare and dealt 251 damage to Adne!
Astrid's Flail dealt 183 damage to Adne!
Kate's Barrage of Glacial Lances dealt 400 damage to Adne!
Dave's Crunch dealt 22 damage and 0 Defense to Adne!
Dave's Hex Counter dealt -0 Attack and Magic to Adne!

The ball of light cracked.

"H-hey! We did something!" Owen shouted. "The light isn't stable anymore!"

The ball wobbled in the air, like it had actually been knocked off its balance. For something so tiny and weak, this thing was really able to hold a punch. And every strike they landed on it felt dense, like it was nearly immovable. Getting too close--particularly Dave, who had gone right up to it, face to face, he had a faint sense of a pull from it. Not because it was drawing him in, not that it was alluring--but a literal pull, a pull of gravity. This thing was dense like a neutron star!

Dave also had the privilege of seeing, up close, the creature's face split open from within again. It had only been camouflaged as an Empoleon... But its voice echoed from within the orb.

"Io҉nys͜..̵.̧ wh͟e͢re a҉re ͜y̕o̡u?"

But Ionys had disappeared, and there was a struggle far in the back. Diyem was wrestling someone down, his arms twisted into shadowy tendrils that were inescapable once he properly got a hold of them. Green, meanwhile, stood back, glancing at the fight, at that golden light that everyone was attacking.

"I... I know you aren't real," Green said, pointing. "The real Adne is back home... dead. She's dead, and I was okay with that! I remember, you demon! YOU WON'T CONTROL ME ANYMORE!"

Green held up his claws, getting ready to dispel himself with a held breath. But before he could even try, the ground shook.

"̸Įo͜n͏ys̡..́. ̶Ion̨y̷ş..͞. ͢W̷hat ab̧ou̵t ̵our̡ ̴wor̶ld͜?"͢

"Stop the mind games, I'm not falling for it!" Soda spat.

Silence. The team readied another volley, but she wasn't attacking back.

"̷T͞he͠n..̀.͠ i̷t ̷sh̵ould all ǵo.̷ Al̕l̕ ͠o͢f̷ ̨it...͠ All ̀of̀ ̶i͟t..͘.̛ ҉a͜l̴l of ̕it ͢al̶l̨ ͢of it ̕a̷l͏l ̨of it ̨A͚̽̌́L̫̱͕͌̓Ḽ̶̘̺ͨͭͫ̅̊̚ͅ ̡̹͕̼̤͙̙̗̄ͥ̂ͬͪ͒O̷͉̺̙̖̦͖̊́̃̓ͩͯ̂F̦ ̠͎͖͊̈ͨ͑̓͛̌I̗ͪT͆̏͆͗́̒̚ ͮ͂ͩ̎͟A̲̥̰ͯ̄̂ͅL̙͓̱͖͙̥͐͗L̩̲̳̙̦̜ͩͪͯͨ ̧͚̲̺ͧͥͫͤ̍Ö̸̆̄F̵̼͈͕̗̫̀̃ͅ ̣I͇̐̄̔͑̀T̹̼ͮͯ͜!̛̬̬̲̩̤ͧ̑͋"̻͓͓̠͉ͧ̑̿͟

The False Adne used Blacklight Meltdown!

Astrid: KO! Blaze of Glory!
Bahamut: 99
Brisa: 227
Dave: 439
Icetales: 126
Kate: 259
Owen: 56
Saltriv: 199
Starr: 352
Vix: 192

False Adne was reduced to 1 HP!

Owen winced, glancing worriedly at the tree, but it was still holding up. Good. A barrier of energy seemed to be keeping it safe, and he glanced thankfully toward Icetales for the Quasar. But then, he shouted, "That was all of her energy! Let's fi--"

The moon's shaking wasn't stopping. Swirls of dust and massive mounds of moonrocks spiraled around in front of them. Eternal Blacklight energy coursed around it, and the Unown clung to its side like armor, even though they seemed too weak to act on their own. Its body was stuck in the moon itself, shifting the terrain as it wished, as two amorphous tendrils rose on either side, lashing out. Up close, each tendril was in the shape of muted faces of anguish, each one screaming silently at their foes. For every face that appeared, it was replaced by a new one. Some of these faces, they recognized. Some of the faces were Team Spectrum's own, in their most painful moments.

It wore on its body, memories. Memories of others that it had acquired.

The Eternal Blacklight has been unleashed! It's a Titanic foe!

The Eternal Blacklight used Blacklight Ion, but Bahamut's Eternal Spirit blocked the attack!
Bahamut healed for 201 HP and 100 stamina!

The Eternal Blacklight is preparing Eternal Blacklight Cataclysm!

The tendrils are smaller, but still have Shield Breaker!

The left tendril used a bashing attack on Bahamut, Starr, and Kate! It had a dizzying, 300 Defenses-lowering effect!
Bahamut: 64
Starr: Blocked!
Kate: Blocked!

The right tendril used a sweeping attack on Bahamut, Starr, and Brisa! It had a stumbling, 300 Speed-lowering effect!
Bahamut: 68
Starr: A grazing 102!
Brisa: Blocked!

The Eternal Blacklight's head lunged for a biting attack against Bahamut, Kate, and Icetales! It had an intimidating, 300 Offenses-lowering effect!
Bahamut: 93
Kate: Dodged!
Icetales: Blocked!

The Eternal Blacklight is controlling the moon! Its influence grows!

Eternal Blacklight: 50,000. The Eternal Blacklight has +60% damage resistance!

Left Tendril: 20,000
Right Tendril: 20,000
Head: 30,000

Owen's Insight: It's not as sturdy! If we can beat the outer body, it should expose the core!

Soda has been secured. Do not hold back! Diyem sounded strained--but for now, Ionys was no longer a problem.

"Hey, fuckface!" Green shouted, pointing at the leviathan. "This is for all the hell you put us through! C'mon, Team Spectrum! You got me secured, NOW TAKE IT DOWN!"

Special Condition achieved!

 

[Fusion]

Soda was... he was alright. There weren't anymore screams. Thank gods there weren't more screams... They were that much closer to finishing this.

But everything else got so much worse right after. The moon shook, the air burned with blacklight, the fake Adne's voice was like nails on a chalkboard. As Vix collected more of everyone's corruption, she floated over to Drake for a sit rep on what was going on, nudging his side.

Drake just stood there, staring at the Eternal Blacklight like he had seen a demon of some sort. Honestly, that felt like an insult to demons; even the most frightening of those would be easier on the eyes than this. Swirling within it's distorted, twisted mass of faces he saw his own, or rather, Kane's face. Tears pouring down his cheek, his body cracked and leaking darkness.

Not too far from Kane's distorted face was Vix's... and Drake didn't even need to guess when that happened. It was burned in his mind; forced to see Vix pulled away into Joule's blacklight, and being entirely unable to save her...

"...What the hell," Drake hissed, his body boiling. He wanted to lash out, to tear it apart for bringing all that pain up again. But before he could get anyway, Vix grabbed him by the arm and held him tight.

"I know what you're feeling... but we need to keep it together, for just a bit longer. Focus all that anger, and not get lost to it again..." Vix said, wincing slightly. The bombs of corruption above her were full, and she was already feeling it start to take a toll on her. "...What are we dealing with? All I'm sensing is a big... thing of Blacklight."

Drake paused for a moment, then focused on their target and huffed. "You hit the nail on the head. It's massive and got a head and two arms, looks like the others are already takin' out the arms."

Vix patted Drake on the back, a jagged grin on her face. "Then we get to focus our anger sooner than I thought! Help me throw this right at the head, and put all that anger into it."

With a sinister grin, Drake nodded. He and Vix put an arm around the other, and held their free arm above their heads. The wax around them melted away, leaving an aggressive dark glow around the two, and the Blacklight Bombs pulse with that same glow. Drake sharpened his glare at the Blacklight monster before them, his body boiling further.

"You wanna try saying the cool final thing?" Vix muttered. "I think you earned it this time."

Drake didn't even hesitate, throwing his arm down, and basically forcing Vix to do the same. As the two Blacklight Bombs, powered by his rage, sailed towards the Eternal Blacklight, Drake let out a fierce, powerful roar: "FUCK YOU!!!"

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Two amorphous tendrils rose on either side, lashing out. Up close, each tendril was in the shape of muted faces of anguish, each one screaming silently at their foes. For every face that appeared, it was replaced by a new one. Some of these faces, they recognized. Some of the faces were Team Spectrum's own, in their most painful moments.

It wore on its body, memories. Memories of others that it had acquired.

Brisa swallowed down bile. So, this was the entity, the scourge of Cibus? A mindless malevolence born of suffering. She looked it over, luxray vision giving her a front row view to memories of despair. Every one of her friends, in sorrow, in dread, in anguish. Drowning in it. All of them, held there as if the suffering in their hearts had been given life. In a way, perhaps it had? The team had so much darkness, so much misery.

You're no exception, Brisa Escarpa.

It was hard to look, but in doing so, she saw her own face, captured in different forms. Her own heart, captured in different agonies.

Spoiler: Memories

fight me fight me fucking kick my teeth in get your claws in me put me to the fire hurt me hurt me hurt me

I'm just a violent fuckin' animal and that's why I've always been alone!

"You don't forgive me! I'll prove it."

You might have to kill him, t'save him killin' yer allies. You can die, though. At least then you won't have to fuckin' suffer no more. You're gonna have to fuckin' hurt him. That's what you're good fer. That's what you do. That's yer duty. You don't get to be happy.

It never matters how tired you are. How much it hurts. You'll jus' keep goin' 'til there's nothin' left to do or you die.

"Goddamnit, I said I'd die before anyone thanked me, an' here I fuckin' am. I died savin' someone else's life, 'cause I always put others before myself, and you're still fuckin' afraid of me. I can't offer more than this! Workin' hard and helpin' others is all I am. I've done everythin' I can, I swear to fuckin' sky and stars, I don't know what I could've done better! Goddamnit, goddamnit, I'm never gonna make you proud of me, am I, pa?"

"If'n we can't be loved or it's unhealthy somehow, is it possible to just . . . stop carin'? Harden our heart an' live without seekin' affection returned."

"Losin' love an' loved ones is a cruel agony. It's gonna happen again, no matter what. Been thinkin' that maybe Bahamut was right, after all. No attachments; less sufferin'."

"Can't help yourself, can you? Running yourself ragged because you want people to like you, but they never will."

Gods, this poor thing. The sorry fucker sounded like she was drowning in misery. Someone had to reach her, give her a way out, for the love of the world, please. Please. Please, someone comfort her.

Brisa's chest ached. Her throat clenched up, and words abandoned her. There was no pulse of Blacklight, no plasma burn running through her fur, to keep the fury lit. She just felt tired.

She dug her claws into the floor. She could still fight. She could still prove her strength. She could still show she wasn't a liability.

Don't cry, please, no, no, don't fucking cry.

A luxray in the guise of a zeraora looked up at a monument to pain, and felt the sharpness of it pierce between her ribs. She tried to think of it as an opponent in combat, a tactical problem. Her drumming heart insisted otherwise. She swallowed hard. This was going to take courage.

"Let's dust this motherfucker," she growled.

Brisa dragged Shadows from inside herself, her fur crackling with the kind of electrostatic discharge that stopped hearts. For a second, looking up at all the darkness she'd ever lived through, it stopped her own.

 

[Flyg0n]

Cold chills rippled across Koa's body as their true foe revealed itself. A sprawling, writhing mass of pure blacklight, nothing but anguish and and pain, pure destructive intent.

And within those tendrils, he saw it. The team, his friends, their warped faces wailing and crying out, all their worst moments of pain on display - Brisa, Icetales, Starr, Saltriv and all the rest of the team there. Despite his efforts not to, he saw... himself. Not a human boy, not a trainer, but a mishappen Manectric, spiked hair, burning eyes, full of so much anger. So much pain. His eyes.

And he could hear it, howling out. Crying out, like a myriad of overlapping voices; screaming at him, throwing barbed taunts.

He snarled at the apparition of himself and opened his jaws, ready to speak, but his apparition spoke first, parroting his words from only minutes ago.

"Would you shut up!"

Koa bristled. Frustration, disgust, and rage burned in the pit of his stomach. I spoke again, its cries beginning to blur together into an incomprehensible mess.

"I'll show you who I am!"

I wasn't perfect!"

"I'm a monster!"
"I wanted to hurt you, I liked hurting you. It felt good.""I like hurting people. I like seeing them weak! I like it and I'm tired of trying to pretend to be good when I'm not!""I need to be better.""I'm not getting better. ... I keep screwing things up.

A haze burned around Koa, corrution crackling through his body. He was so sick of this all- how many times did the world, did people, did his friends have to suffer-

He gathered all his strength, and that of his team, for one final strike. His next words tumbled out, before he could give them a second thought, directed at his apparition.

"I hate you!"