Destiny Colosseum

[Namohysip]

Brisa's Bolt Strike dealt a CRITICAL 2126 damage to Kyurem!
Astrid's Tail Slap struck Kyurem for 1097 damage, but individual hits weren't enough to Stagger her!
Starr's Blue Flare dealt 763 damage to Kyurem!

Kyurem didn't say anything at first; she seemed to be lost in thought. Her eyes were distant, even as they stared directly at Astrid as the snow drowned her out.

She was standing in the middle of the dark, frozen palace of the glacial wastelands of the Mist Continent. Isolated, lonely, and waiting for the end to come early. Weakened by its own aura, battling a strange Axew and Snivy who seemed to be less affected by it. Filled with a strange power that she still did not understand nor comprehend. And then being handily defeated as they walked past her, leaving her to wonder what sort of future she would need to endure...

"The future... shouldn't change... I am meant to defend it... meant to..."

Kyurem's eyes flashed. It was there, briefly--a flash of life and energy. A devastating wave of ice radiated out and away from her as huge chunks of crystalized ground and water slashed at her foes. To their fortune, however, they still had enough energy in them to dodge it handily.

That ultimately would not last.

Kyurem used Glaciate! Brisa dodged, but Starr took a grazing 47 damage for Astrid!

"Enough... enough, enough..." Kyurem hissed. "Please, just accept it... stop fighting... it's so... tiring..."

Visions of a future forced their way into the minds of the gals. It showed a barren Cibus with no life whatsoever in some far-flung time, but there was no telling when that was. The terrain was foreign to them, and what continent this was, or if it was just a landmass at all, was unknown. The sky had stars but no sun or moon or clouds. The rocks were a darkened and eroded, blackened color.

Kyurem's call lowered the team's Speed by 2!

The harsh air worsens... Evasion has been nullified!

Astrid: 1
Brisa: 1,009
Starr: 1,243

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Kyurem was losing her head to some Shadow bullshit... Maybe they could get through to her, somehow? Did she need saving from whatever darkness was inside her? Starr was struggling on, Astrid's voice was faint in the cold winds... Brisa could take more. Do more. Rally them to keep going.

"Astrid, don't flare out! Save yer energy, keep yer bright heart beatin' fast! We'll get through this, we'll get through to Kyurem!"

She groaned with effort as she summoned another simalcrum as a barrier against Kyurem's limb-freezing attacks. She couldn't get caught out by that, no matter how much she wanted to call out to Starr. And she had to keep attacking...

Keep pace. Keep steady. Keep going.

Keep it t'gether, ranger.

Brisa rallied Astrid! +4 Spd!
Brisa used Substitute!
Brisa used Titanic Bolt Strike! [+0, Stab, Guts, Terrain, HH, SE, Charge, 100 Para]
Δ Stats: -
Δ Stamina: -101
Δ Corruption: +30/+30
Δ HP: -25%
Δ Misc: +Sub

 

[Chibi Pika]

And then finally, a shift. Something pushed Kyurem enough to strike back. And somehow, inexplicably, the wave of ice that followed felt more alive than everything that came before. Like Astrid's ice, almost. It was different enough that Starr wasn't willing to let it go. Anything was better than that emptiness from before.

"We've gotta keep pushing her," Starr growled. "Don't let her get to you. Just keep moving."

Starr is guarding Astrid!
- Starr used Titanic Blue Flare! [SE, STAB, Sun, Friendship]
- Starr focused out of her Unleash
- Starr is winding up.

Δ Stats: -
Δ Stamina: -26
Δ Corruption: -20 shd
Δ Misc: Misty Terrain, Exit Unleash

 

[TheGOAT]

It had never been lost on Mawile that the world would end one day. She always had a cartoonish saying about that, didn’t she…? ‘Better study all we can before the end of time loses its patience’

Forget the imagery. Kyurem was very much capable of bringing them down to the icy depths with her, and to avoid that, they’d need to blow her up pretty quick. Focus on the fight. It was the same cadence she’d fallen into that had helped chip away at the titan’s defenses, again and again, ominously matched by the buffeting rhythm of the storm. Focus, pull, attack. Blast, blast, dodge. It was hard to tell where she was, and it was a miracle Kyurem herself was the only thing discernible among the storm. It almost felt insulting. It felt like it hardly mattered anyway.

And fuck, it was still getting colder. Her lungs scraped at the air and barely anything entered, it seemed. Her words had run dry, if she could even speak at all.

Blacklight Titan is revving up Starr and Brisa!

☢️ Astrid deeply Focused…
☢️ Astrid used Shining Inspiration on Brisa!
☢️ Astrid fired off a Null Pressurize Blizzard!

[165 BP | SE, STAB, Guts, Terrain, HH]​

☢️ Astrid is Winding Up!

Δ Stats: +2 Spe, +2 Acc
Δ Stamina: -58
Δ Corruption: +18 Rad, +30 Shd
Δ Misc: +1 action
Notes:

Astrid finally collapsed to her knees. “Nnhhh…”

Specks of sizzling Radiance flickered around her, starving and desperate. They gravitated towards Starr and Brisa’s repeated bursts and flickered yellow and red.

She could still help them, they could still help her. And if this little puddle of energy was really all she had left… she’d make it count no matter the cost.

 

[Namohysip]

Brisa's Bolt Strike dealt 1495 damage to Kyurem! Kyurem is paralyzed!
Starr's Blue Flare dealt 881 damage to Kyurem!
Astrid's Blizzard dealt 1399 damage to Kyurem!

Kyurem is Staggered!

Kyurem stumbled again, bringing her head down. "Why?" she asked. "Why do you keep fighting?" She staggered ahead again even as the cold started to eat away at her own vitality. Her guard was completely off; piercing cold that chilled even the spirit bit at them all. It was barely possible to breathe, and even when they did, it felt as if their energy wasn't coming back. Only barely enough air to keep standing and seeing.

Chunks of ice began to rain down, doing nothing to Kyurem, but it only added to further obscure the battlefield.

Kyurem used Hail! The hailstorm is overpowering... Even those with existing weather will take 300 damage!

The winds cool further... Everyone is permanently Staggered!

Astrid: 1
Brisa: 826, +183 Substitute
Starr: 1,243

Kyurem: 9,933

"I don't understand..." Kyurem's words echoed even amid the hail. The vision of the future was fading, and it now looked like the gals could see something else. Kyurem, in a cave, alone again. There was a Fraxure standing at the entrance, tilting his head. He said something that Kyurem didn't hear. A Servine peeked into the cave next, but then ducked away at an Ice Beam. The Fraxure took it, bit down on an Oran Berry, and then said something again. Kyurem hid deeper into the cave. The Fraxure followed her in. "Go away..." Amid the chaos, it was hard to tell if that was in the vision or in present day.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa struck again, roared with the power of the impact, and stepped back again to keep her head. These hallucinations – an effect of the cold? Perhaps. Or, she could really hear and see things Kyurem had experienced.... What did these visions mean? That last one... Surely Team Colada, trying to draw Kyurem back into the world, after the dreadful events of their Omen event. Was Kyurem so haunted by what she'd been through, that it did this to her...?

Brisa dispelled her Blacklight almost entirely, leaving only a shred of Radiance remaining. She clasped it tight in her paw to hold fast against the darkness, and looked up at Kyurem.

"We won't go away!" she cried. "We'll keep on fightin' no matter what, 'cause whether we win or lose, the battle stirs our blood, proves how much we care fer each other, gives us a chance to show who we are! If the outcome's the same either way, we get t'choose how we reach that fate!"

She clenched her fists tighter than ever and fixed her jaw in a cold grin. No matter how bad the storm got, they could still fucking win.

"An' if we're really doomed, I'd like t'see you fuckin' prove it."

Brisa used Titanic Bolt Strike! [+0, Stab, Guts, Terrain, HH, SE, Charge, 100 Para]
Brisa focused deeply...
Brisa called out to Kyurem!

Δ Stats: -
Δ Stamina: -49
Δ Corruption: -40/-40
Δ HP: -Burn
Δ Misc:

 

[TheGOAT]

Deep breaths. Deep breaths. Astrid was nearing her limit, but they were close. She had…! to keep…! punching through…!

“Brisaaa!” Could she hear her? “Staaarr!” She could barely see them and did not intend to lose them again. Her legs wouldn’t move fast enough to bridge the gap, but she caught enough of a glimpse of Brisa—just enough—to get what she needed. That was the only thing capable of keeping her warm now.

The delirium of her next approach was only possible because of Kyurem’s own immobility. She could barely stay upright, too focused on channeling the malevolent Radiance she had left, and ended up practically half-jogging, half-stumbling over.

“Shadows… are tiring. I get it,” she rasped. Vacant yellow eyes sought out Kyurem’s own. “Maybe… maybe you just need some Light… and Life… in your, uh, life. Hold still.”

The outline of her body began to blur with the background. She was sent to her knees before Kyurem, wincing at the sheer luminosity of light emitting from every orafice, every cell. Every unit of Radiance nearby, however small, was in tune with her mind, and although it was in no great amount yet, all of that Radiance honed in on one thing—the Shadows nestled in Kyurem’s heart.

“That’s how it works, right?”

Blacklight Titan is revving up Starr and Brisa!

☢️ Astrid blasted Kyurem with Radiance!

[40 BP | SE, STAB, Crit]​

☢️ Astrid used Shining Inspiration on Brisa!

Astrid’s Eternal Spirit is burning! She’s bursting at the seams with Radiance!
She performed an Inspired Pressurized Blinding Meltdown!

[300 BP | SE, STAB, Guts, Terrain, HH, Crit]​

Δ Stats:
Δ Stamina: -21
Δ Corruption: set to 30/30
Δ Misc:
Notes: need air cant breathe

 

[Chibi Pika]

The hail was relentless. Still, feeling anything at all was welcome compared to the numbness of before. And Starr could handle the pain.

All this talk about the future and for the longest time, she'd never thought she'd have a future.

"I'm not gonna stand here and act like I know the meaning of life or whatever the hell," Starr muttered, her breathing ragged, her muscles straining from the effort of maintaining that protective stance. "I just don't think shit's gotta be miserable just because nothing lasts forever."

Starr is guarding Astrid!
- Starr used Titanic Blue Flare! [SE, STAB, Sun, Friendship]
- Starr focused.
- Starr is winding up.

Δ Stats: -
Δ Stamina: -26
Δ Corruption: +10/10
Δ Misc: Misty Terrain

 

[Namohysip]

Kyurem remembered blasting Fraxure with ice. And every time she did, he'd only step closer, like some terrible monster, stoic, unmoving. Nothing she did mattered, as always... And then, she remembered how he held out a hand.

She didn't understand.

Brisa's Bolt Strike dealt a CRITICAL 1778 damage!
Starr's Blue Flare dealt 817 damage to Kyurem and Burned her!

She remembered walking out, lost, worried.

She remembered seeing Reshiram and Zekrom standing outside, talking to one another.

And then the sun... the sun was so warm.

Astrid's Radiant strike dealt a CRITICAL 95 damage!
Her Blinding Meltdown dealt a CRITICAL 3265 damage!

Brisa and Starr took 300 damage from the Hail!

Kyurem struggled to stump back, crouching. "No, I... stop... Why are you... doing all of this? Why press on for me... for anything..."

A dark aura pulsed out from her. Something about Astrid's attack destabilized her. It had arced through her body and pierced the storm, but whatever warmth from the outside sun had provided was brief at best.

Kyurem used Glaciate on everyone!
Starr took two hits, guarding Astrid, for a CRITICAL 290 damage!
Brisa's Substitute took a CRITICAL 123 damage!

Kyurem used Sheer Cold on Starr, dealing 487 damage!

Kyurem took 1875 damage from the Burn!
The cold worsened... Every turn, current stamina is cut in half!

"Hhhhh... cold..." Kyurem crouched. "So... cold. I... liked this... when I could... be cold..."

Something dark was on Kyurem's chest where Astrid had struck. It fell out, leaving a ripple in the snow and sand of the arena. Kyurem didn't seem to notice it at first, barely standing as it was. But to Team Spectrum, it would look familiar. Too familiar. But it also looked incredibly weak.

The Blacklight Remnant has appeared! Kyurem seems to be guarding it!

Astrid: 1
Brisa: 480
Starr: 166

Kyurem: 2,103
Remnant: 100

Kyurem stumbled forward, then back, and that's when it caught her attention. She looked at it dumbly, then reached out, pulling it up. It was heavy, weighty, and Kyurem tilted her head. "Why are you here...?" she murmured. "Hello..." She cradled it. It seemed to nestle back in response.

Breaking whatever rules Diyem had imposed upon himself, Astrid, Starr, and Brisa would hear his voice in their minds.

Kill it.

 

[Chibi Pika]

That thing crawling out of Kyurem's chest in the wake of Astrid's last strike. It wasn't hard to guess what that was. And the way Kyurem was standing over it, guarding it... it reminded Starr an awful lot of the way that Soda had cradled that thing that looked his partner, but wasn't.

Starr nodded to Brisa, and then turned to Astrid. "We'll knock her down--you finish it off."

Starr is guarding Astrid until the end.
- Starr used Titanic Blue Flare! [SE, STAB, Blaze, Sun, Friendship, Crit]

Δ Stamina: -15
Δ Corruption: +30/30

 

[TheGOAT]

“Oh, did, um… was that me?”

She could barely move at this point. There was only one technique she had left that didn’t require her to.

Was that thing an insect? Or just a glob of Blacklight… stuff? Kyurem was treating it like it was alive—

‘…Sure, I’ll, I’ll just… undo that.’

Blacklight Titan is revving up Starr and Brisa!

☢️ Astrid antifocused… [+10/+10]
☢️ Astrid antifocused… [+10/+10]
☢️ Astrid antifocused… [+10/+10]
☢️ Astrid antifocused… [+10/+10]
☢️ Astrid used Blacklight Z-Burst on the Blacklight Remnant!

[140 BP | UE, STAB, Crit]​

Δ Stats: +2 Valor
Δ Stamina: who knows
Δ Corruption: set to 30/30
Δ Misc:
Notes:

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa peered through the biting air at what looked like a goddamn fragment of the Blacklight. Well, that wouldn't fucking do, would it? All along, this was their real target. Time to do their job.

Brisa heaved a crippling haymaker at Kyurem, knowing it wouldn't be blocked. That was sure to do it, to leave the target exposed. Kyurem was on her last legs and not even trying to defend herself. She'd go down, and that's all Brisa had to do.

She had faith in Astrid to make the final strike.

Brisa unleashed her Tenacity!
Brisa used Titanic Bolt Strike! [Super Effective, Stab, Guts, Terrain, Friendship, Charge, Critical]

Δ Stats: -
Δ Stamina: -17
Δ Corruption: +30/+30
Δ HP: -0
Δ Misc: -

 

[Namohysip]

Brisa's Bolt Strike dealt 2096 damage to Kyurem!
Starr's Blue Flare dealt 2493 damage to Kyurem! Kyurem was KOed!
Astrid's Blacklight Z-Burst dealt 306 damage to the Blacklight Remnant! It's a KO!

The explosions pierced the icy barrier and a startling warmth reached the team instantly. The chilling cold, the whistling winds, all of it seemed to dissipate the moment Kyurem fell. And, just afterward, when Astrid struck the Blacklight Remnant, it let out a pained shriek before falling limply on the ground.

There was a snowmon in the edge of the arena. It shook and trembled and a red arm burst from one side. Then, muffled announcements.

"After a terrible struggle amid a raging storm, it appears that Team Spectrum has come on top again!" Incineroar announced, raising his free arm in the air. "A great congratulations to their handling of Arceus' Great Dragons!"

It's still alive, Diyem told them.

Kyurem looked dazed, on her side. The injury on her chest appeared to be superficial, despite that thing falling out from there. The Blacklight Remnant hissed weakly, trying to slither toward Kyurem. She reached out toward it and grasped it by the abdomen, if that's what it was, and lifted it up, squinting.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa panted for air that didn't scour her throat on its way down, and blinked at the light of the unshadowed world. She barely heard Sprout. With the storm over, her energy returned to her, little by little. She took one step forward, and then another, eyes fixed on the remnant. She raised an arm, and reached out to Kyurem, golden Whiplash tethers connecting her to the great dragon of emptiness.

Drop it.

Lip curling back, ragged breaths coming slow, she raised her other paw to catch the wretched thing in a Protect sphere.

 

[Namohysip]

Kyurem's eyes dimmed, but it was clear she heard Brisa. "Drop it?" she repeated, staring at the Blacklight Remnant. "Why?"

The crowd seemed too hyped to notice what was happening, or perhaps they didn't notice the tiny, possibly invisible thing that Kyurem was holding. Owen and Diyem were making their way into the arena next, along with Maple.

"Kyurem, that thing is of Blacklight origin, possibly a piece of it," Diyem stated firmly. "How long have you had that?"

"...A while..." Kyurem tilted her head, thoughtful. "Does it matter? I know... more than anyone... how to contain something within my empty, empty shell..."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"You needn't contain it, an' doin' so is goddamn harmful. Let go of it. Let us take care of the damned thing."

Brisa's chest heaved, desperate for more warmth. Behind her, Starr and Astrid were still recovering their senses. They'd run lower on steam than she had. A flicker of telepathy went out to Owen, calling on his presence. Partner, I could use you here.

 

[Namohysip]

Owen silently nodded and drifted closer, readying a Protect barrier to pass along, just in case.

"But I like it," Kyurem said lowly, but she seemed too weak to fight back. Perhaps if she'd won the fight, she would have had more say in the matter. "It understands me..."

"It is a demon that feeds off of negative emotions," Diyem said. "I would know."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"It manipulates its host," growled Brisa. "That distress, that despair y'talked about durin' our battle? We could hear the effects of that thing inside ya, distortin' yer mind. It's been makin' ya sick. Let it go, Kyurem. It's dangerous."

Brisa concentrated, hoping that through the Radiance that ran between them, Kyurem would feel Brisa's concern for her, and her fear of the effects the remnant would have on her.

 

[TheGOAT]

“It looks like it’s part of the Blacklight. And it’s not your friend, it just wants you to think it is.” Astrid frowned, thinking of Pine, and arbitrarily extended a paw in Kyurem’s direction. “There are real people who are already willing to understand you, y’know.”

The creature didn’t seem pleased with its cage. The similarity to the eterna parasites’ ravenous energy left Astrid scrunching up here nose in disgust. Did all the Essences(?) have corresponding parasites hellbent on assaulting anything alive?

“Is there any reason we wouldn’t want to study it? Do we need to kill it now?” Her frown deepened. “What if there’s more, somewhere?”

 

[Namohysip]

Kyurem still resisted, looking apprehensive. "It gave me the will to fight at all," she said. "I wouldn't have fought... if it didn't encourage me."

"Are you sure?" Owen pressed, waiting for an opening. "We won't... uh, we won't hurt it. We're just going to hang onto it for a while until we can take care of the main Blacklight. Okay?"

"Perhaps we can bring it to Chip for further study," said Diyem, nodding at Owen. "That will do for now. Kyurem... spend some time away from it for now."

Reshiram and Zekrom finally approached, the former asking, "Is something wrong?"