Destiny Colosseum

[Chibi Pika]

Starr was barely standing. Wishkeeper loomed over her, surrounded by shields. He was near-impervious.

Nah. Not dealing with that.

Brisa had put herself out in the open taking down all those Protect shields Starr had put up for that exact purpose. Brisa--the one who'd wanted a showdown between the two of them in the first place. How appropriate.

"I'm not winning this, but I'm taking you down with me," Starr growled, the slightest trace of a smirk crossing her face.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa gasped for air, exhausted after keeping up a ferocious pace of attacks to get through so many shield barriers and wear down her opponents' evasiveness. It sure had been one of the toughest fights of her life—the sort of fight she'd never get back home. The sort she was born for. Fighting Starr? That was worth coming to Cibus for alone, worth everything else that had happened. Not a doubt.

"I'd expect no less!" she cried back. "Come 'n' take me, Starr!"

She charged towards her friend, knowing that the imminent clash would knock both of them out for sure.

She couldn't think of a better way for a fight to end.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Brisa was strong, her attacks hurt like hell, and they were hard to dodge. But Starr did have one advantage--she was faster. And she'd refused to let go of that advantage in the slightest throughout the entire fight. By the time sparks had lit up across Brisa's mane, Starr's flames had already blazed into full force, fed by the sunlight and the blazing aura keeping her going. Way the hell more power than she needed.

And as she struck Brisa with full force and felt the shock wave rebound onto herself, her last thought was how it was completely pointless and didn't really accomplish anything but damn if it wasn't satisfying.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Starr hit her with the force of a speeding train, and Brisa struck back with all she had. The two of them... They were just pure energy, their bodies just a convenient vehicle for their blazing power, meeting in a perfect elemental fury. They'd give the crowd something to remember, that much was certain.

As she passed out, and as they were each ferried off the field to thunderous applause, she smiled to herself hard enough to make her overtaxed jaw ache. Starr . . . was a combatant like no other. Her equal. A joy to fight . . . and a joy to fight beside. If only it could always be that way.

 

[Namohysip]

Incineroar finally uncovered his eyes from his arm, squinting. "They... knocked each other out! Their duel had ended in a draw!"

Owen stumbled over to Brisa checking if she was still conscious, but they'd both gone down with extremely relatable, satisfied smiles. Perhaps not on their faces, but in their hearts. He could tell...

Owen waved to Incineroar, nodding, and Incineroar announced the end of the fight to a roaring crowd. With Owen standing on the side, he and Brisa had been declared the victors, and he and Wishkeeper helped carry Brisa, Starr, and Nip off the field when the celebrations were complete.

This was it, the power of Team Spectrum. And with The Blacklight That Burns the Sky looming above them, something about that sphere of death seemed just a bit smaller...

<><><>​

 

[Namohysip]

"You really went to death and back again for this one, didn't you?" Pepper asked, standing just by the entrance to the Colosseum with Brisa on the other end of the wall. Cheers were still rumbling the air outside from the conclusion of the last battle.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa smiled drily. "Guess so. Thanks fer agreein' to the rematch, ma'am. It feels like it's been a lifetime since I last had a fight fer fun."

She cracked her neck. This was gonna be tough. She would be fighting Pepper at her best—a hero who took on a god, and won.

Brisa wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[Namohysip]

Pepper gave a toothy grin and thumped her tail against the wall. "Yep. Gonna really enjoy this. It's not really every day that I get to go all out. Think you're ready for that?" She smirked a little. "To be honest, I'm not really at my best without my team fighting with me... but maybe them being on the stands is enough. You know how it goes with all that."

Incineroar was announcing the next match.

"Heh... Looks like we're up."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Pepper's anticipation sent a shiver down Brisa's spine, and her mane rippled with sparks. She shrugged, grinned.

"I ain't sure I can beat you yet. But it'll happen someday. That's a promise."

Cheers went up as Incineroar finished.

"You're on."

 

[Namohysip]

Pepper thumped her tail one last time and crouched into something that was a little more primal, though the way she held the ground, it still showed that delicate side of her otherwise reptilian stance.

"And they're here once more, folks! Let's not wait any longer! Are both combatants ready?! Then... begin!"

"Good luck," Pepper said. "You're fighting an Omen Hero, after all!"

Blessed energy seemed to swirl around Pepper just then, and an aura of power flared above Pepper--she really was going all-out here, and it seemed to feed off of Brisa's, too.

Pepper used Divine Safeguard! Pepper's Evade went up by 2! Pepper gained 25% damage resistance and type effective resistance for one turn!

"Show me the best you've got!"

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa roared her assent, and dove forwards, the familiar radiant chains and shackles coming forth to clasp Pepper's limbs.

"I ain't gonna let ya get away from me that easily!" she cried.

Brisa used Radiant Arrest three times!

 

[Namohysip]

"Ghh...!" Pepper winced, the Arrests slamming into her almost instantly. She staggered back. "Should've seen that one coming," she said, and then thumped her tail a second time. "D-don't think I'm gonna let that stop me!"

She sounded a lot like her kids.

Powering through the paralysis, Pepper was able to at least kick off an attack. "Don't think you can slow me down forever!" she shouted, and then slammed her tail against Brisa for a feint. When she dodged, Pepper doubled up with a Water Pledge.

"Darn... I can't get my combination in," Pepper muttered, but she heard a cheer from Thyme and her kids off to the side.

"She might be nimble but don't let her gain momentum!" Thyme called. "You gotta finish this before she hits you back!"

Pepper's basic strike missed, but her Water Pledge dealt 79 damage!

"A surprising move from Pepper, a Water Pledge! Is she warming up for an onslaught, or grappling with Brisa to see what she can do?!"

"Not bad," Pepper called to Brisa. "You're sturdier than before!"

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Pepper seemed vulnerable—was this the moment to strike?

"I'm stronger than I've ever been," cried Brisa, voice crackling with light and power. "So I hit harder too!"

She yowled with exertion, and looked for a weak spot. She found one.

Brisa used Umbral Overcharged Facade! Brisa used Electric Facade two times!
The first hit was charged, super effective, and CRITICAL!

 

[Namohysip]

"Nice tr--"

Pepper had narrowly dodged the brunt of the first hit, but it still blasted past her defenses and dealt massive damage anyway. Electricity crackled over her scales. Searing electrical burn marks followed from the other two that hit her directly, one in the gut, and then one right in her jaw. She went flying backward and into the air, the crowd shouting in surprise.

Brisa's Overcharged Facade dealt a grazing CRITICAL 193 damage!
Her second and third dealt a total of 318 damage!

Pepper stumbled to her feet and saw Brisa coming for more. She leapt out of the way with a startled cry and let the wind circle around her. Her muscles got more limber and she hopped again, foot to foot.

Pepper used Agility!

"She got lucky!" Thyme said. "That was a lucky shot! You've got this, Pepper!"

"I can't hit her like this," Pepper breathed. "She's too fast!"

"Don't panic!" Thyme said. "All you need is one good hit! Don't use beam attacks, use some muscle!"

"Go Mom!"

"Brisa's gonna do another barrage, Mom!"

"Defend! Defend!"

Pepper huffed. That was true. She didn't think she had the power to take Brisa down in one hit. She felt that sturdiness and she knew what Brisa was capable of. She needed to buy some time...

Pepper used Work Up!
Pepper used Divine Safeguard!

Pepper:
489

"Can't hit past me now," Pepper said, breathing steadily. "Wh-what now?" All Brisa knew was attacking and disrupting. But now, she could defend against both. This would be easy...

It was clear that Pepper was going to attack with an all-out assault.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa hadn't learned nothing from her last fight. She hadn't learned nothing from sparring with Owen and Cabot and Starr. She hadn't learned nothing from her time in the Voidlands.

"What, d'you think I'm still th'same opponent ya fought last time?" she cried. "Bring it on!"

Brisa charged up as much energy as she could, ready to strike, signalling an incoming attack . . . and then threw up aura shields at the last second, parrying Pepper's blows.

Let's see just how tough you are, Omen Hero.

Brisa used Charge twice! Brisa used Protect, surrounding herself in two shield layers!

 

[Namohysip]

Pepper's first strike landed directly on Brisa's barrier--a jab, a simple parry, but her fist slammed against the cyan barrier. "What--?!"

The audience thought Brisa had been finished, but the barrier blocked it just in time. Pepper went for another basic strike, but then jumped back when the barrier shattered. "Hah!" she thumped her tail again. "Perfect! Now for my trump card!"

But when Pepper thumped her tail one more time--with elemental force behind it, this time--Brisa was simply too limber, a well-timed, airborne leap in the air completely nullified the Earthquake attack. "What?!" Pepper shouted, looking up. She tried to defend.

Pepper's two basic strikes destroyed the barrier!
Pepper's Earthquake missed!

"She's tired!" Thyme said. "She won't be able to attack again, she doesn't have the energy! Attack again!"

Pepper seemed less sure. Did Brisa have some way to get her last attacks in? She'd have to be careful... Brisa could over exert herself. If she did her attacks too strong too fast, she'd stumble, and Pepper could go for the final strike! That's what she had to do. Pressure her. Wear her down.

"Here I come!" Pepper shouted.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

This was her one opening. After this, it was Pepper's match. Brisa would just have to pull off the most deftly-executed attack possible.

You've got this.

Brisa feinted with a lunge with no energy behind it, making Pepper sidestep—then she gnashed at Pepper, created an opening, drew on her shadows, and struck again, hard.

Brisa used a basic attack! Pepper dodged it!
Brisa used Thunder Fang! The attack was charged, and super effective!
Brisa used Overcharged Facade! The attack was charged, super effective, and CRITICAL!

 

[Namohysip]

Pepper slashed through Brisa with another attack in an effort to match hers. They parried each other, electricity against water, and while Brisa had the elemental advantage, Pepper had the clear strength edge. But she was also clumsy, not used to fighting on her own after so long. And perhaps, most of all... Pepper had been caught off guard.

Brisa's Thunder Fang dealt 136 damage to Pepper!
Brisa's Overcharged Facade dealt a CRITICAL 390 damage to Pepper!

Pepper cried out and fell back, doing a flip in the air before landing flat on her back. Her tail twitched and her claws dug into the dirt as she tried to push herself up... but then, her body refused to listen, and she collapsed back in the dirt. Her energy on the screen above the arena depleted, and Incineroar declared, above the roaring crowd--

"And Dark Warrior Brisa is the winner! Pepper's DOWN!"

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa gasped for breath, knowing that after that attack, there was nothing left in her to keep up the fight if Pepper got to her feet. She waited for retaliation . . . and none came.

There was a thrum in the air, a crowd cheering. Cheering for her.

Brisa shook off the excess, supercharged electric energy biting at her body, and gingerly—but determinedly—walked to Pepper's side.

"Ma'am, that was, dare I say it, th'best battle I ever had in my life. Y'have my heartfelt thanks fer it. Y'were one hell of an opponent."

 

[Namohysip]

Pepper had managed to roll onto her belly to push herself into a better position. Then, rolling again, she managed to get to her feet while Surf and Turf stormed the arena, Thyme leisurely following behind them.

"Thanks," Pepper said with a sigh, though there was still that hint of disappointment that she'd lost, perhaps going over the mistakes that she had made during the fight. "Maybe if I was a Swampert, I'd've done better," she said with a laugh, standing up with the help of Thyme and Incineroar.

"Good fight, you two," Incineroar said with a firm nod, and Pepper nodded back.