Abandoned Laboratory

[Negrek]

Nate wavered. Mewtwo inside, more Mewtwo outside. The stinging pulse of the radiant machine got worse the closer you got to it, but on the other hand, more Mewtwo on the outside. And one of them was fucking Giovanni.

He'd motioned for Rocky to follow him inside when something whizzed over his head, and Owen disappeared in a flash of red light. A pokéball? The charmeleon broke out a second later, but that fucker was actually chucking pokéballs around now? "New plan," he said to Rocky, turning away from the machine. "Grab as many of those things as you can." He bounded in Owen's direction, looking for where the spent pokéball had landed.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

The radiant tethers snapped back, and Brisa winced at the disconnect. As her light-drunk opponents raved about deception just as Rayquaza had, she clenched her paws and prepared to fight instead. One way or another, they'd get through these idiots and dismantle the goddamn bomb.

Then Karat of all people showed up, calling out about how he'd been wrong... What had she said to him to finally get through to him? Whatever, it was enough that only the fucking mewtwo stood between them and the machine. She wondered if she could reach them too, call out to them like she had with Darkwhite, ask them to resist Giovanni. But the cruel way they turned on their deceived allies told her that wouldn't be possible. It was time to use force.

"I'll hold this bastard down," she growled, her body lighting up as she summoned a crackling cage of lightning to contain the mewtwo, imagining as she did that it was that motherfucker outside she was putting the pain to. Fuck you. I'll wipe that smug fucking look off your face you heartless shitstain.

Brisa used Thunder Cage!

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr wanted nothing more than to head outside and tear Giovanni a new one. But they had to take down that goddamn radiant machine or they'd lose half the continent. Fucking coward wouldn't even fight the team head-on without a bunch of bullshit to split everyone's attention and keep them from all ganging up on him.

Starr used Radiant Adrenaline!

So she stayed by everyone's side, facing down that ominous sphere of blinding light, which gave off a totally different bad vibe than when they'd faced the shadow machine. Just one good hit on it would hopefully tear through those shields. Then the rest of the team could get at the inside, and then she could leave to face her father. But first, she had to flood her body with enough Radiance to have the power she needed.

Starr used Radiant Adrenaline!

"Bad news," a voice behind her said. Lexx, shielding his eyes with one hand, tablet in the other hand, scrolling through stats or whatever the hell he was tracking. "You use that one more time, you're not gonna be able to keep going."

Starr grit her teeth. "Not a fan of you measuring all that stuff about me."

"Just saying, you might wanna find some way to attack without hurting yourself all the time."

"I'm working on that!" she snarled. (She was not.)

The ambient Radience in the air burned. Each time she called on her own Radiance from within, she could feel it intensifying. Too much. It hurt. Her vision blurred. Somewhere in the back of her mind, alarm bells went off. There was a reason she'd held back. She'd seen what happened when the others got drunk on Radiance. She wouldn't let that happen. She needed to be in control at all times.

She couldn't lose herself. She wouldn't.

...

But why couldn't she?

Radiance was power. She was power. Pure power and blazing energy, the likes of which the rest of the team could hardly dream of. Why couldn't she do it? Pain? As if she couldn't handle that. As if she wasn't used to inflicting that. On others. On herself.

Pain kept her going. Reminded her she was alive. She deserved it, for the things she'd done. If she could use it, harness it, do something right for a change, why the hell shouldn't she? This was good. This was freeing.

...

No. This wasn't... wasn't right. This wasn't her. Or.. it was? But... the Radiance... it was...

Fuck. It was too much. Lexx was saying something but she couldn't hear him. The world dissolved into blazing light. Her flames had turned gold, melting into the blinding light all around her.

No. She couldn't... she...

"h-help..."

 

[Fusion]

There was a lot going on, almost too much to keep track of. Vix would have focused entirely on distracted Giovanni and the Deoxo, when another person joined them on the outside. The Torracat... Starr, right? Yeah, Starr. She was pushing herself to the brink, as so many of Team Spectrum did during these battles. It was a shame that Vix couldn't do much to help her, since she didn't have to time to think of something to say, or so she believed.

Instead, Vix created an odd, ghastly glow, creating a facade of Starr for herself, and a fake Vix for Starr. This world's Ally Switch was still a bit... unconventional in her eyes, but Vix hoped it would work. She was just joshing Giovanni, so he definitely had a reason for target her, but Vix felt Starr would have been his target over her normally, although she couldn't think of why.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

As the radiance in her body continued to rise and it, with the electricity surging through her, continued to burn, she glanced round at the team. At Starr. Starr was burning up with radiance like she'd never seen before. Everything she'd said to her friend until this point . . . hadn't been enough for her to keep her head with Giovanni right there in front of her.

"h-help..."

Starr needed her.

Brisa reached out with a single, slender rope of light and tethered herself to her friend. The connection would only last a moment, but it was a moment just long enough to be heard over the clamour of a feverish battle. To reach Starr. To offer help.

"Starr, I'm here! I know you're in pain, but please, don't hurt yerself like this! Let ME hold things down here! We need you out there, fightin' Giovanni—you wanted to kick that bastard's teeth in? Well now's the time!"

Brisa called out to Starr!

 

[windskull]

One miunte, Nip was on his feet, doing his best to dodge as he prepared for the next strike.

The next, a nasty blast of energy sent him flying back, and the world went dark.

He came around to the sensation of being nudged by a snout. Nip groaned and forced his eyes open, seeing not-Tempest trying to rouse him.

"Nip," the ninetales urged, nuding him again. "You must be strong. The team needs you now."

Blearily, Nip struggled to his feet, helped by Tempest. He wheezed, sucking in a sharp breath. "I can't take another hit like that," he argued. "What am I supposed to do about an enemy like that?"

"You must stay strong," Tempest urged. "I believe in you, and I'm so proud of you. But you have to be brave. Not just for your sake, but for everyone."

Nip took another deep breath as he looked at the rest of the team, and how they struggled. Many others were hurt, just like him. Maybe... maybe if he wasn't strong enough to face his foes head-on right now, he could at least do something to help."

His claws began to glow with energy as he steadied himself. A ball of light formed above him.

Nip used Assist. It turned into Morning Sun!

 

[Chibi Pika]

A golden thread shone through the overwhelming light, somehow even brighter. No, the rest of the light was fading. The room was coming back into focus. Starr could see chunks of concrete and busted lab equipment slowly coming into focus as the golden haze left. Her teammates were there. And...

"Starr, I'm here! I know you're in pain, but please, don't hurt yerself like this! Let ME hold things down here! We need you out there, fightin' Giovanni—you wanted to kick that bastard's teeth in? Well now's the time!"

Brisa was there.

And she suddenly felt so stupid. Her power wasn't the only power that mattered, not when there was a whole damn team fighting. What the hell was she even trying to accomplish?

“I’m just… tired of hurting people.”
“I don’t think hurting yourself is much better.”

Starr shook her head, bracing herself. She met eyes with Brisa and somehow, inexplicably, she relaxed for just a moment, in spite of the chaos raging all around them. She had to get outside, had to face him. And for the first time, it actually felt possible.

Starr pulled an Escape Orb from her bag and shattered it, reappearing outside the lab in an instant. She took a position alongside Shiron and Saltriv, both of them fending off the swarming horde of Shadow Deoxys that filled the air. And there he was. Giovanni. Floating just overhead, staring down at them with that cold, cruel grin. The psychic pressure around him was so intense it was hard to breathe. And with those damn shields in the way, Starr couldn't land a hit on him, not yet. No sense wasting her power, but she had to tear through the shields somehow. She reached for her bag and snatched up a spike, drew her arm back and--

There was a sudden thud next to her, and she jerked her head to see an Ultra Stone sitting on the ground next to a fallen shoulderbag.

<Don't waste resources,> Lexx's voice was saying in her head.

Starr blinked at the stone. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me," she deadpanned.

<What, you think I don't wanna get a hit on the old man too?> the lump replied. <Besides, you can't pretend like you never wanted to throw me.>

...She really, really couldn't.

Starr hurled the Ultra Stone at the barrier!

 

[Namohysip]

Shiron's Shadow Maelstroms knocked away a few of Giovanni's Protect barriers!
Giovanni didn't even flinch... "How dare you."
Shiron is Frightened of Giovanni!

Starr's Shining Renegade dealt 90 damage to the Radiant Machine!
Starr's Cheered Fire Pledge dealt 333 damage to the Radiant Machine shield!
Astrid's Iron Thorn dealt a CRITICAL 628 damage to the Radiant Machine shield! The shield broke!

Starr's Ultra Stone strike took out another Protect barrier from Giovanni!
Giovanni stared at Starr... and Starr stared back. Their eyes had an uncanny similarity.
Starr is immune to Giovanni's Fright!

Cynthian's Cheered Solar Beam dealt 494 damage! His other two dealt a total of 790 damage!
Cabot's Iron Tail dealt 578 and then 463 damage to the Radiant Machine!
Brisa's Thunder Cages dealt 124 damage to Blacklight Mewtwo and also Trapped him!
Brisa's Silver Spike dealt 183 damage to the Radiant Machine!

Blacklight Mewtwo flinched at the electric wires that surrounded him, but its expression did not change from its blank stare even as the electricity dug into his body. Instead, he floated forward, thought the cage that tried to immobilize him, and then disappeared in a flash of light.

"Brisa!" Owen shouted. "Look out!"

Owen stepped in the way and crossed his arms, Protecting her--but that didn't matter. Blacklight Mewtwo grabbed them both, touching the Protect barrier, and disappeared--to the outside. From there, Mewtwo blasted Owen point-blank--but it wasn't nearly enough. to break past him. Owen continued to Protect Brisa while she recovered and the rest of the fight played out around him.

But something was bothering him. He glanced inside. There was... something. Could the others feel it?

Blacklight Mewtwo used Teleport on himself, Owen, and Brisa to the Outside zone, breaking out of the Thunder Cage while taking 1250 damage!
Blacklight Mewtwo used Psychic on Starr, Shiron, Brisa!
Starr: Lauchs took the hit for 272 damage, leaving behind a Protect!
Brisa: Protected by Owen! Res+2
Shiron: Protected!
Blacklight Mewtwo used Laser Focus! His next hit will be Critical!

Team Drumstick is trying to keep it together...

Giovanni gestured for Deoxys to strike first.

Deoxys used Abyssal Resonance on the Outside team!
Brisa: Protected by Owen! +2 Res
Saltriv: Protected!
Shiron: A grazing 38!
Starr: Protected!
Vix: 95

Deoxys transformed into the Attack form! Deoxys is preparing Abyssal Sniper!

Giovanni used Torment on Starr, Brisa, and Saltriv!
Saltriv was Protected!
Starr shook it off!
Brisa became Tormented!

Giovanni used Blacklight Stare on Starr, Saltriv, and Vix!
Giovanni's Accuracy went up by 2!
Saltriv was Protected!
Starr was Paralyzed!
Vix shook it off!

Somehow, a lot of the team had ended up outside the lab. Right where Deoxys was preparing some kind of devastating attack. They had to pick. "Deoxys--that hit's gonna hurt way more than the last ones!" Owen shouted. "Do we stop him?! But--"

H... help... me...

That time, Owen was sure he felt it. And he even sensed where it came from. He gestured for Wishkeeper to fly back inside to make certain, but was immediately blown back by the Radiant Machine's strikes.

The Radiant Machine erupted with Blinding Mistblast! The Radiant Mist in the air surged! Shadowed Pokemon inside took catastrophic damage! Blacklight and uncorrupted Pokemon took heavy damage!
Its accuracy went up by 2!
The Radiant Machine was blasted open! It attacked wildly with Blinding Awakening!
Astrid: Dodged!
Cabot: Dodged!
Cynthian: Dodged!
Icetales: Dodged!
Nip: Partially hit! He gained 38 Radiance!

The Radiant Machine is charging again...

Wishkeeper shook it off, even as various Shadowy portions of his body were missing. He staggered forward and his eyes flashed gold. Somewhere, somewhere... Silently, Wishkeeper gasped and shouted the news back to Owen.

The Radiant Machine replenished its shield... but for a moment, Owen saw what was inside. A large, red core, cracked in parts, trembling, but the source of that voice...

Owen cried it as loudly as he possibly could: "DIYEM IS IN THE MACHINE!"

With Diyem found, Team Spectrum's Valor increased by 1, normalizing!

Inside:
Radiant Machine: 17368 + 1000

Team Drumstick: Unstable

Outside: Blacklight Mewtwo:
HP: 8,588

Giovanni:
HP: 15,000

Shattered Deoxys:
HP: 50,000

Inside the lab, Radiance continues to increase...

 

[Dragonfree]

Dave caught his breath, his fur crackling with Radiance, battle hormones surging in his veins, a giddy lightheadedness creeping at the edges of his brain. Mia was slicing away at the machine, and he felt... fine. She was fine. He could protect her if need be, but she could handle herself, fight with the best of them.

The Radiant Machine released a new burst of light, and his fur glowed and sparked with power. This dumb thing was only making them stronger. What a joke. This was easy. Why couldn't every fucking fight be like this, every day.

It occurred to him, dimly, somewhere, that this wasn't right, this was more Radiance corruption than he'd ever planned on. He should focus. Focus. Get rid of it. Be lucid, see things as they were.

He closed his eyes, tried to concentrate, but it was hard. The Radiance swirling in his brain was overpowering.

He probably could power through it, grit his teeth, dissipate the mental fog. But this was good. It was comfortable. It was hard to want it to go away, to go back to normal, to trying to get this with alcohol instead.

Just a while longer. Just this once. Just a few more minutes of feeling like everything wasn't shit.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Giovanni loomed over the half of Team Spectrum that was outside, daring them to stand against him. Anyone who tried to strike him recoiled in fear. And yet Starr stared back, defiant.

Starr is immune to Giovanni's Fright!

Even if he was from a completely different universe, he was still the exact same kind of scum Hell, he'd even managed to also be shitty enough to get his own kid from his own world turn on him. What a joke.

"You think you have control over everything? Good fucking luck holding onto that control when everyone on your side betrays you eventually," Starr snarled, her voice heating up. "I managed to stand against another you when I was human, so I'm sure as hell not gonna back down now."

Starr used Shining Renegade! Her Attack and Magic switched!

Starr's fur blazed with Radiance, but her mind was clear. That image of Brisa reaching out to her flashed in her mind, grounding her.

"Come on!" Starr barked, even as her teammates recoiled under Giovanni's piercing stare. "He thinks he's hot shit, but he can't beat all of us. I need the rest of you to back me up!"

Flames burst from the ground around her. She could feel it, this power, almost begging to mix with another. She'd felt the same kind of energy coming from Team Spice, what felt like ages ago. Time to use it.

Starr used Fire Pledge!

 

[Navar]

That Giovanni guy was way over his head. Attacking everyone, making that... weird machine. Shiron panted, having finished using his attacks on him. His mind focused on something else. Someone else. Starr.

"He thinks he's hot shit, but he can't beat all of us. I need the rest of you to back me up!"

She was right. Giovanni couldn't possibly defeat all of them working together... right?

I can do this. I can do this. I. Can. Do. This...!

He clenched his fist. He knew what that was. Shiron knew exactly what he needed to do. He focused his energy, a ring of water forming on his hand. That energy wrapped itself around his hand, and began to be drawn out to Starr's own. That type of combined attack...

Shiron used Water Pledge!

He did it. Releasing the water attack in sync with Starr's move. The energy immediately was drawn towards the Fire Pledge, as if it wanted to join with that attack.

 

[Fusion]

Vix messed up. Starr got hit with a nasty looking paralysis because of her. She was only trying to help, but ended up crippling one of the strongest members of the team.

"Vix, hold on."

Starr was hurt because of her, she forgot about Giovanni's threat already. Why? Why did she choose then to forget?

"Vix, seriously, take a second..!"

Starr would have been fine, why didn't Vix just... Not do anything? They all could have been fine!

"You're overthinking this!"

She couldn't even help the rest of the team anymore, could she? Ally Switch was useless now... The one move she had planned around...

"Why are you not listening to me?! Vix!" Puddle flowed out of Vix's bag and flowed around her in an attempt to shut her mind up. "If you get sidetracked because of one dumb mistake, more of us are going to get hurt. Starr is fine, see?"

Vix looked at the Torracat, almost shocked. She was... fine? She was fine. She was pushing through the paralysis, and still fighting. Starr was fine. Even with electricity practically flowing off her body. Starr was fine.

"We need to focus, and do what we can, alright? We can still win this!" Puddle blipped. "Uhg... I thought you were to supposed to be the overly-optimistic one..."

"I... I can't..." Vix muttered, shaking her head. "What am I supposed to do, just keep sitting here?"

"Yes. If I have to fight for you, then goddamnit, I guess I'm fighting."

Vix didn't object, although she had no idea how Puddle was going to do that. Until it started to move Vix's body on its own. It would have been fun, but...

Puddle didn't know what to do at first, but seeing Brisa being burned brought some form of an idea to mind. It cast a radiant veil of wax upon her, then lit it with a ghostly purple flame. It didn't say anything, but nodded to the feline and focused again on the horde and Giovanni. All they had to do, was calm down, stand there, and wait.

 

[IFBench]

So much was happening in so little time. Saltriv was on the verge of panicking, but they stayed strong, stayed focused, even as the terrifying Mew-thing and the horde of Deoxys ravaged their group.

Then the Torracat was outside, and everything changed.

She stood her ground against Giovanni, and called the others to action. To support her, as flames sprung to life, crackling and roaring and burning.

Shiron was the first to help, summoning rings of water, flowing, rippling, ebbing. The water was pulled towards the fire, mixing the attacks together.

And Saltriv decided that they would be the second.

Grass. The element of joy, of growth, of improvement, of life. An element that the Chikorita knew very well.

Leaves swirled around them, forming into pillars of plant life. Spinning, twisting, twirling, the columns of leaves were drawn towards the combined Water Pledge and Fire Pledge.

"Together!" Saltriv shouted, as a maelstorm of fire, water, and life was created by the three Pledges.

Saltriv used Grass Pledge!

 

[Adamhuarts]

The Radiant Machine's eruption sent a blast around them. Though Cynthian found himself getting blasted off again, he somehow landed back on his feet. He slouched forward and groaned till the pain subsided. At least he avoided having a second panic attack. His spirits were still high thanks to Icetales earlier.

Noises could be heard from the other battlefield, and Cynthian caught glimpses of Starr's fires. He smiled in admiration and turned his attention back to the battle he was already in.

Cynthian thought he'd imagined a voice in his head before the Machine's blast, but he quickly discovered it hadn't been in his head. Just before the machine replenished its shield, Cynthian saw a glimmer of the red core. Was that? No, it definitely was. It was an appearance that had been burned to his mind. The viscous purple shell was missing, but there was no way he could be mistaken about Dark Matter's appearance.

Many questions drifted in his mind. What was he doing in the machine? How did he get there? Wasn't he in Veritas, an entire universe out of reach?

Cynthian's heart wrenched. Above all else, what he saw wasn't the sadistic, cold and terrifying image he strongly associated with Dark Matter when he saw Diyem in that brief moment. What Cynthian saw was just another person in need of help.

"Guys, we have to save him!" Cynthian held his flowers together and unleashed another round of Solar Beams at the Machine's sturdy barrier. Thesstrikes were made even stronger thanks to Icetales' encouragement keeping Cynthian going! He watched the barrier ripple and flicker and frowned.

Cynthian quickly downed an oran and took a swig of his Elixir, determined to strike once more.

 

[Virgil134]

Cabot stood dumbfounded as he heard Owen cry out. Diyem... was inside the machine?! He supposed it made sense when he thought about it, between Diyem hearing Bone's name and being in pain from Radiance... But how did he get trapped in that, and-

Gah, it didn't matter! Every second Diyem was in that machine meant an extra second of pain for him. They finally found him, and they were not gonna fail him now.

Cabot rushed forward, his tail once again taking on a metallic sheen as he jumped up and slammed it against the Radiant Machine. He landed right next to it and called out to Diyem.

"Diyem, can you hear me? It's me, Cabot!"

The Cranidos struck the machine with his tail a second time.

"If there's anything you can do from inside of there, please try! You must fight this!"

He briefly looked off to the side and noticed Brisa had joined him, her teeth trailing shadows. The two exchanged brief looks and both nodded in understanding, before Cabot turned back to the Radiant Machine and hit it with another Iron Tail, speaking up even more determinedly.

"We're all here and ready to get you out, so don't give up! I'm sure as hell not gonna give up on my friend!"

Cabot called out to Diyem!

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa spat vicious recriminations at the mewtwo as she dived and rolled away from their attacks. Owen covered her as she made her way back inside to keep hammering at that fucking machine, where Diyem was waiting on their help, and Vix doused her in that stuff of hers to give her just a little more strength. Her friends knew where she was needed. She glanced back at Starr—burning brilliantly, giving confident orders to her comrades, unheeding of Giovanni's stare—and knew that she would be alright. I'll be back for you. I promise.

She darted back inside to see her allies, her friends, trying everything they could to dismantle that fucking prison. She would too. She ran forward, intent on hitting the machine with a shadow attack, and exchanged a glance with Cabot. Cabot believed in Diyem more than anyone. As Brisa closed the distance, she heard him calling out to Diyem...

Could he hear them from inside that thing?

...Could he hear their thoughts, if they tried?

Are you there, Diyem? It's Brisa. It's your friends.

If there's a way to help you, say so NOW. Now, Diyem!

Diyem had been struggling this whole time, fighting to keep their telepathic network going, despite the agony he must be in. Team Spectrum still had shadows on their side, didn't they? Maybe if she called up that power now, Diyem would feel her there, and hold on a little longer...

Diyem...

The shadows billowed up around her paws as she called on the feelings in the dark of her heart. She was a creature of violence. She was a predator... It was on her to use that to help the team, no matter how fucking much it hurt. She had a duty. She had a DUTY!

We're here for you! We'll SAVE you! Believe that! Fight back! We're coming for you!

Brisa's shadows grew! Brisa gained 20 shadow corruption!

She leaped at the machine with unremittent darkness coiled around her claws and teeth. She tore into it with a hateful fury that defied the goddamn burning light around her, seeping into her mind. She didn't need that wild high goddamn conviction! She owed this. She had an obligation. And she'd keep fucking tearing away until she met it.

Brisa used Shadow Maul! It's Ultra Effective!

 

[Namohysip]

Brisa's Shadow Maul dealt 455 damage to the Radiant Machine! Her Heavy Lump dealt 10 damage!
Cynthian's Cheered Solar Beam dealt 331 damage to the Radiant Machine, twice! Destroyed the shield!
Cynthian's third Solar Beam dealt 395 damage to the Radiant Machine!
Astrid's Silver Spike dealt 2555 damage to the Radiant Machine!
Astrid's Stored Power dealt 3105 damage to the Radiant Machine!
Cabot's Cheered Iron Tails dealt 1156 damage to the Radiant Machine!
Cabot's final Iron Tail dealt 463 damage to the Radiant Machine!
Starr, Shiron, and Saltriv's Triple Pledge dealt 737 damage to Giovanni!
The secondary effect dealt an extra 1397 damage to Giovanni, Blacklight Mewtwo, and Shattered Deoxys!

Astrid's Blinding Meltdown dealt 193 damage to the Machine!
Brisa: Dodged!
Icetales: Dodged!
Saltriv: 115

"Did she explode AGAIN!?" Owen cried, looking back before covering his eyes to block out the horrible brightness. "It isn't even a Shadow enemy this time!"

And yet, during all of the chaos outside, the fighting continued inside. So much of their efforts were focused on the machine. The Radiant prison that kept Diyem locked away for so long, his core looking horribly weak and frail. And yet, it seemed that the large, red sphere that made up his entire being was focused on them.

What... are you...

Team Spectrum could hear it. Diyem was conscious again... Meanwhile, the few who remained outside were under a horrible assault--Deoxys was fighting at full force, now, along with Blacklight Mewtwo. They were a lot smarter than their foes before... And the damage...

Shattered Deoxys used Abyssal Sniper on the Outside! It obliterated their Protects!
Shiron: 122
Starr: 1176, KO!
Vix: 207

Blacklight Mewtwo used Psychic on Shiron and Vix!
Shiron: 103
Vix: 87

"You overdid it with the fiery one," Giovanni remarked, frowning as Starr's body was sent careening off from the initial blasts. "...But this will do."

Giovanni tossed two Poke Balls at Shiron and Vix!
Shiron is wiggling to escape...
Vix was captured!

He's... capturing them...

Diyem didn't know how to react to it. He could see it, hazy. Feel their panic. The tides were in a constant ebb and flow. Would they make it through? Would Giovanni... take some of them away, if they weren't careful?

How... dare you...

And then, Giovanni and Blacklight Mewtwo disappeared--along with Giovanni. Where did--

Blacklight Mewtwo used Teleport on himself and Giovanni, entering the Inside area!
Blacklight Mewtwo used Abyssal Shatter on Icetales, and Saltriv, and Cynthian!
Icetales: 193
Salrtiv: 187
Cynthian: 321, KO!

Giovanni tossed three Poke Balls at Icetales, Saltriv, and Nip!
Icetales: Captured!
Saltriv: Escaping...
Nip: Escaping...

How... DARE you...!

The Radiant Machine used Blinding Mistblast on the Inside group again, dealing heavy or catastrophic damage to all non-Radiant fighters!
The Radiant Machine used Blinding Awakening on Icetales, Nip, and Cabot!
Icetales: Dodged!
Nip: Dodged!
Cabot: Dodged!

After everything I've done... all of my work... every SINGLE wrong that I tried to make right... and then you come here, to this world, and ruin it all... Stealing away Legends... Stealing away my fighters... my...

Giovanni was preparing another attack.

The Radiant Machine is charging again...
Shattered Deoxys is preparing another Abyssal Sniper...

The shield was starting to close up around him. Soon, Diyem wouldn't be able to see again. And yet... and yet...

No... no more... I refuse to watch... as you torment them. You will NOT take them away from me.

The shield... stopped forming. Shadows poured out from within...

Inside:
Radiant Machine:
9,694

Blacklight Mewtwo:
7,191

Giovanni:
12,866

Shattered Deoxys:
48,603

I have heard their thoughts. I have seen their struggles. Watching as their faith in someone they should not have believed in is tested. As they trust me for all little I'd done, and all evidence against me.

You... You toyed with them. You toyed with their trust. You're forcing them to fight against one another. All because of your pathetic quest for power. You'll take it all away...

I won't let you...

I REFUSE to let you... take away... my...!

Diyem broke out of the machine! The Shadows billowed out of the machine even more as a great tendril emerged, clutching onto the first thing it could find. Team Drumstick had collapsed somewhere, and the Shadows suddenly enveloped them. They dissolved, but so did the Radiance that had corroded their spirits. They were stable, but unconscious. To have held off on exploding for so long...

A great creature emerged from the machine, still operational, yet no longer holding its prisoner. In the center of the Charizard's chest was his core, that red sphere, cracked and glittering.

But his tail's black flame was a blazing inferno that scorched the Radiant metal behind him. "How DARE you steal from me... THE FEW WHO CAN CALL ME A FRIEND!"

Diyem formed something in his hands, some kind of club, or a great hammer with the shadowy weights formed at the end, dark energy concentrated at the very end.

Giovanni looked genuinely surprised this time. "What--"

And then Diyem pummeled him into the ground.

Diyem used Abyssal Onslaught against Giovanni, dealing 43, 86, 86, 426, and then 638 damage!

Giovanni: 11,587

The Radiant Machine lost its ability to create a shield!

Diyem stared fiercely at the others. "This isn't over yet. Gather yourselves and end him."

 

[Fusion]

Oh this was pain. This was pain pain. That actually hurt, even with Puddle around her.

Puddle... Oh no...

The ethereal creature creaked and choked, then oozed off of Vix's body, deathly silent. No snide remark. No clever quip. Nothing.

"Puddle..?"

No response.

"H-Hey... Puddle..?"

Silence.

"I-I'm sorry for making you fight for me, c'mon... Y-You can cut the silent treatment..."

...

"I-I can make it up to you, I promise..." Vix descended to the ground, trying to lift the puddle in her arms. It seeped back to the ground, no matter how hard she tried to hold it.

"Puddle, please..." she begged, purple tears streaming down her face. Why was this happening? Why did she let this happen? "Puddle d-don't leave me... Please... I-I'm sorry, Puddle..."

A sharp pain shot through Vix's body. Teardrops rippled on the still form of Vix's familiar. Remorseful sobs faded into the sounds of the battle around her. Vix's body began to fade into wax and melt, rolling off of the silent puddle beneath her. She did this. She caused this.

As Giovanni's pokeball hit her, ensaring her in a bright red light, Vix didn't even try to resist. With all that she had done, this was fitting. Trapped in a dark, cramped space. She probably did more good in here than she did the rest of this fight.

 

[Navar]

"H-Hey, Vix!"

He didn't have enough time to react, getting hit by that pokeball. He wiggled around inside, using all his might to escape. A sense of dread crawled around his back. If he got captured, he would turn against the team, he couldn't let that happen...

C-Come on...! You got this! Escape! Escape! Escape!

Shiron cried out in his thoughts, trying to muster all the energy he had to get out of that spot. His resolve proved to work and he managed to get out! But...

As Giovanni's pokeball hit her, ensaring her in a bright red light, Vix didn't even try to resist.

"H-Huh?! Vix! Keep yourself together! Don't let this beat you!"

He began to ran towards her, taking an elixir in the process. Now wanting to free his friend, Shiron ignored everything else, his focus was solely on her.

"I-I'm coming for you! I-If I'm free, I can free you too...!"

Shiron nearly tripped again, but he extended his arm, pressing the middle button of the pokeball. Hopefully, with this he could free her.

 

[Fusion]

"I-I'm coming for you! I-If I'm free, I can free you too...!"

Shiron nearly tripped again, but he extended his arm, pressing the middle button of the pokeball. Hopefully, with this he could free her.

The ball snapped open, releasing Vix right back to middle of that lifeless puddle. Her body was mostly wax, she didn't even bother to hold herself together.

"Why did you... do that?" she muttered, not looking at whoever took her out. "I shouldn't... be here. I never should have came here."

Starr got paralyzed because of her, Puddle was... gone, because of her, and someone else wasted their time on freeing her from that pokeball. What a sorry excuse for a hero.