The illusion lifted and the Substitute was guarding Soda completely. And that was juuuust fine with Starr. Her claws lit up with flame and she rushed forward without a second thought.
Destiny Colosseum
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"Ugh... y-you think... that's all I got?!" Soda's voice echoed from all around, striking Dave several times, but the attacks were feeble. He was all out of sorts. Despite increasing his defenses, it seemed like Soda was having trouble keeping up with offenses.
Meanwhile, Flesh could tell that Soda was on his last legs, and he seemed nervous about being struck as well after seeing the sheer power behind their techniques. Perhaps in preparation for what was to come, Flesh began stress-eating the ground.
"Flesh, focus! Don't let their attacks scare you!" Soda said. "You... can finish 'em off... h-heh..."
unrepentantAuthor
A cat that writes stories.
Brisa yowled under her breath at the sheer disarray she had to somehow muddle through. All her tactical preparations were fucking moot in conditions like these. All her focus, all her inner fire, and the best she could hope for was that she wouldn't hit the foe so hard she careened into unconsciousness. Goddamn.
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Soda was tiring, panting. Dave struggled to steady himself and keep going, breathing raggedly. Battle hormones or no, chasing Soda down to beat the last of his strength out of him was never going to be Dave's idea of a delightful fucking time, least of all when he could barely think straight.
He gritted his teeth, Blacklight sizzling in his fur, cold intimdiation mutating into corrosive acidity that'd hopefully speed it all up. "Nearly... fucking done," he growled, charging.
He gritted his teeth, Blacklight sizzling in his fur, cold intimdiation mutating into corrosive acidity that'd hopefully speed it all up. "Nearly... fucking done," he growled, charging.
god dammit why the fuck was he still standing fuck
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"Aaaaagh, fuck," Soda finally grunted, rolling until he was on the far side of the arena, coughing a slurry of electrified blood. "Yep, that'll do me in..." He rolled to his side.
Flesh, meanwhile, stood in place, glancing once at Soda, then at Brisa, Starr, and Dave. He seemed to be trembling. The crowd roared, sensing that the battle was entering its next phase.
"Hold strong!" Soda called out to Flesh. "They'll tire themselves out... keep going! You can do it!"
Flesh was stunned, hesitating. He was looking at Starr, Brisa, and Dave like they were ten times his size, and it suddenly became apparent that despite Flesh's imposing stature, he was perhaps the most frightened one in the arena.
"Keep going!" Soda called again, propping himself against the wall as medics shuffled in to take a look at him. "Flesh... you're way stronger than I am when you need to be. Forget about me and take them down! I know you have it in you!"
"Give 'em hell!"
Flesh's body was giving off a slight glow. It looked like he was preparing something...
The big guy was scared. Why'd they even roped him into this.
Owen'd warned them Flesh couldn't be taken down the conventional way. He was preparing something Dave was going to bet they probably didn't want to be on the receiving end of. Was Soda ever going to talk to him again if he did what he suspected was the optimal move here? Well, he'd agreed to this, hadn't he. When in fucking Rome.
Dave snarled, charging toward Flesh, wispy Blacklight phantoms rising around him.
Owen'd warned them Flesh couldn't be taken down the conventional way. He was preparing something Dave was going to bet they probably didn't want to be on the receiving end of. Was Soda ever going to talk to him again if he did what he suspected was the optimal move here? Well, he'd agreed to this, hadn't he. When in fucking Rome.
Dave snarled, charging toward Flesh, wispy Blacklight phantoms rising around him.
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unrepentantAuthor
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She could hardly tell what was best, what was needed. A stray thought – try to stagger him, throw him off his game? Okay. More hits, don't go for the soft points. Her head hurt like hell, by wind and by weather. Goddamn...
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unrepentantAuthor
A cat that writes stories.
The big guy didn't even want to fight. Man... But he obviously had something coming for them, and they had to deal with him one way or another. But Starr could barely move, and it was taking every ounce of concentration to keep the shadows at bay. She had to rest. Just a little bit...
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Flesh stumbled backwards, but then looked ready to strike for something else. That glow was at its apex, now.
"All right, buddy!" Soda said. "They ignored you, so let loose!"
Flesh let out a loud groan in protest, looking worriedly at the crowd.
"They ain't cheering against you!" Soda encouraged. "They wanna see a spectacle! C'mon--" He coughed, then forced a smile as the medic irritably told him to hold still. "Show'm that you're more than a gentle giant. Get mean!"
"Aaaaaah!" Flesh replied, which somehow sounded like 'but I don't like being mean!'
"Aah, c'mon! Make 'em proud!"
They were out of tricks, after all, and Flesh had no way to outpace them even with the stars around their heads. This was the best time.
And so, without doing anything else, Flesh crouched down. The winds blew around him... and it looked like something terrible was coming.
With the illusion gone, Owen mouthed to Cal sitting next to him, 'That's gonna hurt.'
So that was Brisa's plan. And there wasn't any time to argue. It was now or never. And in spite of every inch of Starr wanting to argue that this was insane and not worth it... Brisa was confident that it would work. And she was trusting Starr to keep things from going south.
..Alright. Starr could do that for her.
So she landed the first strike on the big guy and then waited as Brisa unleashed a flurry of vicious strikes, until that moment when the shadows grew too overwhelming, and her eyes glowed bright with pain and anger and... something that might have been understanding.
And Starr knocked Brisa to the ground with a single burst of Radiance.
..Alright. Starr could do that for her.
So she landed the first strike on the big guy and then waited as Brisa unleashed a flurry of vicious strikes, until that moment when the shadows grew too overwhelming, and her eyes glowed bright with pain and anger and... something that might have been understanding.
And Starr knocked Brisa to the ground with a single burst of Radiance.
It was all going to come down to Starr. Dave struggled to get his head straight, Blacklight buzzing in his veins. "Evasive maneuvers!" he barked, Mia's new energy rippling towards Starr. Hopefully that was enough for her to survive. And then, what, they'd have won a fucking fight? Against Soda, practically a foot in the grave, and Flesh, terrified gentle demon? Great fucking job.
He could sense the Blacklight teetering on the edge, threatening to pull him under. He took a ragged breath, closing his eyes, wobbling on his feet. Another breath as the buzz in his head began to quiet just a little. Starr. Starr. Just help Starr survive and then this could end.
He summoned golden barriers and felt his Radiance overflowing, warming, threatening to burst out. For a moment he thought yeah, good, fine, but no, no, it'd hit Starr, it'd hit Starr--
He heaved himself around towards Flesh. Not that he was a more deserving target, really. Fuck. Fuck. He was out of time.
Blinding Radiance and Shadows shot in a deafening beam towards Flesh, leaving him swaying and delirious and somehow dumbly reinvigorated. What the fuck.
He could sense the Blacklight teetering on the edge, threatening to pull him under. He took a ragged breath, closing his eyes, wobbling on his feet. Another breath as the buzz in his head began to quiet just a little. Starr. Starr. Just help Starr survive and then this could end.
He summoned golden barriers and felt his Radiance overflowing, warming, threatening to burst out. For a moment he thought yeah, good, fine, but no, no, it'd hit Starr, it'd hit Starr--
He heaved himself around towards Flesh. Not that he was a more deserving target, really. Fuck. Fuck. He was out of time.
Blinding Radiance and Shadows shot in a deafening beam towards Flesh, leaving him swaying and delirious and somehow dumbly reinvigorated. What the fuck.
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unrepentantAuthor
A cat that writes stories.
Flesh, a guzzlord, was one of those ultradimensional beings that grew stronger with each felled opponent. Sprout and his display screens called it 'Beast Boost'. There was no chance Brisa could survive this onslaught. Starr, maybe. But if Brisa wasn't around for Flesh to get the boost...
The Shadows grew, and Brisa held no Radiance to balance them out. Her voice thrummed with darkness. She could feel the Shadow in her friends, in Soda, in some 'mon in the stands. She could feel Sombra's breath so close on her neck it might be her own breath so hot and so tired.
"I'm goin' no-limits," she snarled. "Watch my back."
Starr knew what to do. Perfectly in sync, even now, they'd carry out that plan. A Radiant titan too great to fell? Brisa had the power to meet that challenge. All she required was a swift, bright fist to knock her out before the Shadows consumed her.
The first attack hit like the cold front of a storm, the second like her skin on fire, and the third...
Yer goddamn battleheart just can't rest, can it, ranger? Have it yer way...
The third was like outpacing light itself, with all the blindness that implied. The Shadows spiked, the Colosseum became nothing but a battleground, Brisa became nothing but meat, bone and lightning, and—
Now, Starr, now, I can't hold on, do it now—
With one great flare of true brilliance, came peaceful oblivion.
The Shadows grew, and Brisa held no Radiance to balance them out. Her voice thrummed with darkness. She could feel the Shadow in her friends, in Soda, in some 'mon in the stands. She could feel Sombra's breath so close on her neck it might be her own breath so hot and so tired.
"I'm goin' no-limits," she snarled. "Watch my back."
Starr knew what to do. Perfectly in sync, even now, they'd carry out that plan. A Radiant titan too great to fell? Brisa had the power to meet that challenge. All she required was a swift, bright fist to knock her out before the Shadows consumed her.
The first attack hit like the cold front of a storm, the second like her skin on fire, and the third...
Yer goddamn battleheart just can't rest, can it, ranger? Have it yer way...
The third was like outpacing light itself, with all the blindness that implied. The Shadows spiked, the Colosseum became nothing but a battleground, Brisa became nothing but meat, bone and lightning, and—
Now, Starr, now, I can't hold on, do it now—
With one great flare of true brilliance, came peaceful oblivion.
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"NOW!" Soda called, glancing at the battle screens. "Gah! We're out of time! DO IT NOW!"
"AAAAAAH!"
It was a valiant war cry and Flesh finally discovered his fire. He stared down the two remaining opponents he had and swelled with all of the power he had absorbed. He was weak. Dave had frightened him off of his game. But he still had to give it his best...
A deluge of Radiant energy coated Team Spectrum's half of the arena, incinerating the top level of the ground in an instant, all coming from Flesh as his pent-up energy blasted out in all directions.
The air sizzled and crackled with Radiance. But the Radiance flowing through Starr's own body dulled the edge of the blasts. Each one rocked the stadium, sent shock waves up her limbs, and yet she held fast through one after the other. Until finally, it stopped. Slowly, Starr relaxed her arms from where they'd been crossed over her face. Her whole body was buzzing. But she was still standing, and what's more, she didn't feel like she was about to pass out for once.
Across from her, Flesh was well and truly exhausted. The timer rang out, sparing her from having to kick him while he was down.
Not bad, big guy.
Across from her, Flesh was well and truly exhausted. The timer rang out, sparing her from having to kick him while he was down.
Not bad, big guy.
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It was a clear win for Starr and her team, despite everything, but Flesh seemed lighter. And not just because of the massive output of energy he'd sent out, either. Soda hobbled his way to the exhausted behemoth and placed a hand on his side. "Y'did good, buddy," he said. "...Good fight, you guys," Soda muttered, waving dismissively. "I'm gonna sleep this off... before I get to the real fight."
Flesh, meanwhile, picked Soda up in his claws with remarkable tenderness. The Zoroark was too tired to walk further, so Flesh cradled him and walked the rest of the way...
Flesh, meanwhile, picked Soda up in his claws with remarkable tenderness. The Zoroark was too tired to walk further, so Flesh cradled him and walked the rest of the way...
<><><>
Epilogue ~ "The Final Radiant Fight?? Break a Leg, Heroes of Cibus!!"
unrepentantAuthor
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Brisa practically jogged onto the field, raising her zeraora-form's arms to the usual cheers. The tone was a little different now, so soon after the fight with the Blacklight Eternal. Post-combat exhaustion was endemic in Destiny Village, and people wanted something lower-key. Well, a casual fight against the junior members of God Squad, with Icetales as her partner, sounded just right for that.
"Howdy, you two!" called Brisa, genuine joy flooding her body along with the usual pre-combat plasma ignition. "Nice day fer it, don'tcha think?"
She flash-stepped half the length of the arena just to shake Truffle's wing and offer Leg a bow before returning to the starting boundary with Icetales. She gave him a friendly pat on the withers.
"We got this, fella. Just stick to the plan."
This oughta be a fun one.
"Howdy, you two!" called Brisa, genuine joy flooding her body along with the usual pre-combat plasma ignition. "Nice day fer it, don'tcha think?"
She flash-stepped half the length of the arena just to shake Truffle's wing and offer Leg a bow before returning to the starting boundary with Icetales. She gave him a friendly pat on the withers.
"We got this, fella. Just stick to the plan."
This oughta be a fun one.
Cresselia92
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It sure felt bizarre to be back to a battle scene, after getting the mind and body ravaged by what could be considered the god of a new world. And yet, having a casual duel, watched by a crowd of people, in a lively (and safe) environment… it was like a breath of much needed fresh air.
Icetales smiled at Brisa and reciprocated the encouragement with a nod. “Thou can bet that, Brisa. Let us do our upmost best!”
The Ninetales glanced at the two opponents and bowed with respect. “Are you two ready, sir and miss?” He smirked and his regular fox appearance evaporated, with his cosmic body taking its places. “Show us what you’ve got!”
Icetales smiled at Brisa and reciprocated the encouragement with a nod. “Thou can bet that, Brisa. Let us do our upmost best!”
The Ninetales glanced at the two opponents and bowed with respect. “Are you two ready, sir and miss?” He smirked and his regular fox appearance evaporated, with his cosmic body taking its places. “Show us what you’ve got!”
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"All right." Ionys held up his hands, sighing. His ghostly form was just slightly see-through, and Truffle watched him with concern. "Why'd you call me?"
"...You've... passed on, then."
"I mean. Sure. Not really has the same impact since I went and took on spiritual duties right away, but. I guess." Ionys leaned back, resting on an invisible, floating bed. "I'll still be around... taking care of Flesh, not like Maple's gonna just leave the guy... He'll probably be in Telum, y'know, helping with recreating everything, I guess. Or we'll... find some other way to get it working. We've got options." Ionys looked away, uncertain. He knew that a lot of that was still up in the air.
He'd made the decision in the heat of the moment because he had no other option, but he still didn't know, truly, how much of his old 'life' he could now keep, now that he was tied to Maple in spirit. He could only leave her, now, if she so willed it, or if her time as a Voice came to an end. Both of those seemed like far, far, far eras from now.
"I cannot help but feel it's my fault," Truffle admitted after a long silence. He sat against the mountain of plush toys that Leg had made, while the Mimikyu herself was sitting next to him, sewing her third doll of Soda. This one had a green bauble. She occasionally trembled.
"Oh, don't give me that," Ionys growled. "Listen, mister Protector. This was my fault. I made all those bad choices and I let the Blacklight take advantage of me. And even if it was some fuckin' mind-snap thing, it was still beyond you. Don't fuckin' blame yourself because you couldn't protect someone."
Ionys knew why Truffle was like this. But he wasn't going to bring it up; that would only make that reopened wound worse.
"...I suppose not," Truffle replied softly, and then looked at Leg. "I suppose... I've just been thinking about something."
Ionys narrowed his golden eyes. "Oh?"
In the arena, Truffle stood before them with a serious expression, nodding at them, "Very well, Team Spectrum!" he declared with his usual vigor, light in his eyes. Leg bobbed excitedly. "Today, we shall see who has become stronger... Two of you, the striker and the protector, or the two of us, with similar duties. We have trained and prepared a great deal for this battle... Do not think it will be easy!"
"Khhh... ready..."
Sprout raised his arms and called the match to a start. "And so, it begins!" he declared. "Get ready, everyone, for the battle of the swords and shields!"
Truffle stepped back and fired a preemptive arrow forward. Shortly after, Leg produced two dolls, just like she'd fought before. He made a ward--a strange ward that pulsed around them gently, but perpetually. It looked like their guards were higher than normal...
Something in the aura of the fight was different, and it became more obvious when Truffle made a steady glance downward. "This one..." Truffle murmured. "Perhaps this will put you at peace..."
"...You've... passed on, then."
"I mean. Sure. Not really has the same impact since I went and took on spiritual duties right away, but. I guess." Ionys leaned back, resting on an invisible, floating bed. "I'll still be around... taking care of Flesh, not like Maple's gonna just leave the guy... He'll probably be in Telum, y'know, helping with recreating everything, I guess. Or we'll... find some other way to get it working. We've got options." Ionys looked away, uncertain. He knew that a lot of that was still up in the air.
He'd made the decision in the heat of the moment because he had no other option, but he still didn't know, truly, how much of his old 'life' he could now keep, now that he was tied to Maple in spirit. He could only leave her, now, if she so willed it, or if her time as a Voice came to an end. Both of those seemed like far, far, far eras from now.
"I cannot help but feel it's my fault," Truffle admitted after a long silence. He sat against the mountain of plush toys that Leg had made, while the Mimikyu herself was sitting next to him, sewing her third doll of Soda. This one had a green bauble. She occasionally trembled.
"Oh, don't give me that," Ionys growled. "Listen, mister Protector. This was my fault. I made all those bad choices and I let the Blacklight take advantage of me. And even if it was some fuckin' mind-snap thing, it was still beyond you. Don't fuckin' blame yourself because you couldn't protect someone."
Ionys knew why Truffle was like this. But he wasn't going to bring it up; that would only make that reopened wound worse.
"...I suppose not," Truffle replied softly, and then looked at Leg. "I suppose... I've just been thinking about something."
Ionys narrowed his golden eyes. "Oh?"
<><><>
Ionys sat in the stands, floating next to Maple, who was watching with an expression just as solemn as his. There seemed to be more to this fight than a mere battle.
In the arena, Truffle stood before them with a serious expression, nodding at them, "Very well, Team Spectrum!" he declared with his usual vigor, light in his eyes. Leg bobbed excitedly. "Today, we shall see who has become stronger... Two of you, the striker and the protector, or the two of us, with similar duties. We have trained and prepared a great deal for this battle... Do not think it will be easy!"
"Khhh... ready..."
Sprout raised his arms and called the match to a start. "And so, it begins!" he declared. "Get ready, everyone, for the battle of the swords and shields!"
Truffle stepped back and fired a preemptive arrow forward. Shortly after, Leg produced two dolls, just like she'd fought before. He made a ward--a strange ward that pulsed around them gently, but perpetually. It looked like their guards were higher than normal...
Something in the aura of the fight was different, and it became more obvious when Truffle made a steady glance downward. "This one..." Truffle murmured. "Perhaps this will put you at peace..."
Cresselia92
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That brief flash of solemnity didn’t go unnoticed to Icetales, and idly wondered if the fight was more than a simple show for Truffle.
Whatever was the case, he was more than ready to flash his fangs and stride forward. Perhaps that battle could have brought some clarity and comfort. Who knew.
“Onward, Brisa! Showcase the swiftness of thy claws!” he yelled with enthusiasm, his tails wagging.
A thick mist crafted with pixie energy and umbral dusts cloaked the arena, and the fox darted through the nighty veil, matching his ally’s speed and keeping his guard high.
Whatever was the case, he was more than ready to flash his fangs and stride forward. Perhaps that battle could have brought some clarity and comfort. Who knew.
“Onward, Brisa! Showcase the swiftness of thy claws!” he yelled with enthusiasm, his tails wagging.
A thick mist crafted with pixie energy and umbral dusts cloaked the arena, and the fox darted through the nighty veil, matching his ally’s speed and keeping his guard high.
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