Sand Continent ~ Isle of Light

[Namohysip]

The harsh sands and dry air of the sand continent did not mean it was completely devoid of life. To the northeast was a large island that was a third rocks, a third plains, and a third sand. Known as the Isle of Light, it was considered one of the brightest yet prettiest places of the Sand Continent, blessed both by the nearby ocean and rivers in addition to energizing heat. At least, that was how the locals called it. To most others, especially those acclimated to the biting chill of the Mystery Continent, the Isle of Light was like stepping into a furnace.

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Arceus was quickly available for the team to meet, and while he had slipped back into his casual, modernized, outdated vernacular, he was still as helpful as he could be. The fusion was still just that, but had stabilized mentally to the point where he could tap into Palkia's third to conjure a portal for a quick warp there. They had made a few brief stops along the way so the team could adjust to the massive temperature and altitude differences, but otherwise they had arrived swiftly to where Puff had specified.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Greeting them was a Luxray with a small frame and disarmingly kind eyes, despite the colors. "It's right that way," she added, motioning south and down the large hill they'd appeared on. To their right were jagged, hot mountains that bent in the heat's distortion, and to the left was a grassy field, but far below were the dunes. Luxray, apparently named Cream, didn't dare go any closer after what had happened.

Part of the dunes were shimmering, unlike the rest. It wasn't a mirage--that part had been completely melted into glass by some intense kinetic and thermal energy. One would usually expect that kind of devastation from massive explosions, and for it to happen spontaneously...

 

[IFBench]

Saltriv could barely contain their excitement. They had met Arceus! ARCEUS! How many others would ever get to do so?! A wide grin was plastered on their face as they walked, though they were rather worried about whatever had done that to the dunes. They didn't show that, though.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa arrived with Luz to investigate. For once, she was among the first of the posse to arrive at the scene of some incident.

"How d'you do, Ma'am?" she asked Cream, feeling a twinge in her chest at being in the presence of a female luxray for the first time in... a while. "We're Luxio Brisa and Zeraora Luz of Team Spectrum. Were you witness to anythin' that might've been connected to this phenomenon?"

Luz bowed, and surveyed the area with a paw shading her eyes. "Digits crossed this ain't the work of that mewtwo fella," she muttered.

 

[Namohysip]

"I--I think so," Cream replied. "You see, I was looking into some strange happenings in this area in particular, especially ever since the inhabitants became infected with Shades--though you all took care of most of those, right? Puff, this is Team Spectrum?"

"Some of them," Puff said, arms crossed. "What did you see here?"

Owen summoned Wishkeeper to float above him to take a closer look at the glassy dunes far ahead, but it was out of range. Sighing, he waited for Cream's explanation.

"There was a huge beam of energy coming from below. It looked like a Hyper Beam, but it practically cleaved the sky in two! I think people all the way on the mainland would have seen it. When I came to investigate, this is what I found..." Cream motioned to the dunes. "I don't know if anyone is there anymore. I don't... see anyone, but the impact area is huge."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa nodded, paying attention as much to the worry in Cream's voice as to the glassed dunes.

"Thank you, Ma'am."

"We should be considerin' an expedition down there," remarked Luz. "Who knows what we'll see up close?"

"We oughta tread carefully," said Brisa. "There's no tellin' how safe it'll be."

 

[Jedi Shulk]

“So we are checking out strange happenings and a big beam to find a lead on Mewtwo.”Fay spoke to Cream.

 

[Namohysip]

"Right..." Maple looked toward the others. "I shall watch from here. I'm not... at the proper strength for this."

"No need to worry!" Truffle said, spreading his wings. "I shall go on ahead! Soda! Perhaps you can accompany, and leave Flesh and Leg to take up the rear!"

"And drop the illusion?" Soda said.

"There are not many here. I imagine Flesh will be fine!"

"Alright, alright..."

Soda snapped his claws and the Guzzlord's form appeared in the place of the Snorlax.

"You guys cover us. And be careful!"

It seemed that Truffle and Soda were already flying ahead, and Puff was keeping up with them on his feet--he was remarkably nimble. The rest of Team Spectrum were left to keep up as they saw fit.

 

[Ambyssin]

"A giant Hyper Beam... from the ground?" One advantage to this more solid cat form was the return of his levitation. Bahamut was, indeed, just standing on air and looking out at the glass.

"Wonder if Fence-Gut knows any big god-types with Hyper Beam?" Esper said, resting on Bahamut's back.

Bahamut shook his head. "I can't fathom why. It's such an inefficient attack for battle."

"Looks cool. Sounds cool." Esper giggled into his nubby hands. "Isn't that why Ray-Ray knew it?"

"... let's not talk about that, please."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"Time for a jaunt across the dunes, I figure," remarked Luz, before setting off at a run. Brisa gave a polite nod to Cream before following.

 

[Namohysip]

Owen panted, still just a Charmander. Everyone else was evolving so why was it taking him so long to get that done?! It was being a late evolver all over again and he knew that wasn't even true! Must have been some kind of curse. Maybe he could spend some time later just training up.

They ran for a while until the shimmering dunes were more distinct, and Owen shouted, "Can we walk on those?!"

"Doubt it," Puff said back. "That glass will cut our feet easily. I don't know if--what."

Behind Puff, Owen was, from his perspective, floating in midair. Sure, it was actually Wishkeeper picking him up as a Shadow, but to a Cibus native, the Charmander was dangling by an invisible hold.

"Did Rasp come with you or something?" Puff asked, squinting for the telltale distortions of a Latias hiding in plain sight.

The ground shook. Owen saw the glass crack in a few places, even if most parts of it were already in shattered pieces. And far ahead, the sand stirred further, at least another few minutes of walking, and that was without the glass to worry about.

"Hope y'don't mind!" Puff said, hopping onto Bahamut's back.

An ethereal hiss rattled their heads. It was so loud that it sounded like their inner ears were boiling. And then, another explosion of sand and glass send shrapnel in all directions, a blast radius equal to a big league stadium's field.

Owen crossed his arms for a Protect and tried to block some shrapnel for the others when he saw it coming. What interested him more was the glimmering, emerald creature in the middle of the blast, rising from the sand. A lengthy serpent that swam in the air, glimmering with Radiant energy. The air itself bent to the creature's will, twisting and turning--approach was nearly impossible with the sand and glass in the air.

 

[Ambyssin]

Esper squinted. "Heey, this world's got its own Ray-Ray." He tapped Bahamut's armored head. "Small multiverse, huh?"

"He's not black," Bahamut muttered.

 

[windskull]

Nip sprang backwards, the fur along his spine bristling in alarm as shrapnel flew in their direction, only for it to bounce harmlessly off of Owen's shield.

"Remind me to never come here again," he grumbled, shaking hot sand out of his fur as he squinted at the serpent that appeared from the earth. "Is that who I think it is?"

 

[Namohysip]

"That's Rayquaza..." Owen looked back, worried. "Can we approach that right now? Are we... are we even able to stand up to that? We didn't get the full team! We can't--"

"Be careful," Puff said, looking toward the others. "Does he look corrupted?!"

"I don't see any Shadows," Owen reported, "but there's something odd about him. He's... glowing!"

"Oh, so you can see that too?" Puff said, motioning toward Ryaquaza. "Yeah, he's definitely glowing!"

Could they have gotten closer? Owen looked like he wasn't sure whether they should stand their ground, retreat, or press onward. He elected to watch for now, wishing he was bigger. He could protect more people if he was larger.

Rayquaza was getting brighter.

 

[windskull]

"That what I was afraid of," Nip hissed, narrowing his eyes.

He glanced backwards. "That looks like radiance to you guys, right? Anyone that's not dealt with this before should probably hang back. The rest of us.... Should we press onward? There's only a few of us here. If Rayquaza attacks we may not be prepared to fight."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Luz faced Brisa, but spoke loud enough for the group to hear. Her eyes burned with a fierce conviction.

"If we turn tail, whatever happens after is on us! We should at least try to reason with the fella!"

Brisa bit back a dismissal, and gave it a moment's thought.

"We might not have the whole team, but we're plenty strong. We have an opportunity to help out before this gets outta paw. Let's try to talk to them."

 

[Jedi Shulk]

"We might not have the whole team, but we're plenty strong. We have an opportunity to help out before this gets outta paw. Let's try to talk to them."

”Good idea.” Fay said to Brisa.

 

[Namohysip]

"Right." Owen seemed convinced that as long as they were careful, they could at least try to escape quickly if it went badly. They had badges, after all. If they had to, they could warp away--is what he told himself. But that took time. There was no telling if Rayquaza would be faster, and with Maple weakened and the Creation trio still at Destiny Tower...

Owen spoke for them. "Um, Rayquaza! Sir?"

His tiny voice was overwhelmed by the wind, so Puff, atop Bahamut, spoke up instead. "Rayquaza! Over here!" He conjured a fireball and kicked it high into the air, where it popped with a loud crackle.

That got his attention. Rayquaza turned, black-yellow eyes narrowed, as more Radiant energy danced around his scales. The emerald armor shined all on its own, like stained glass in a shimmering ocean.

Recognition flashed in his eyes. "Oh?" Rayquaza said, rising a little higher. "How convenient of you... to come right to me, invaders!"

Rayquaza did not wait. He opened his mouth, a bright, orange light forming within--another Hyper Beam aimed right for them.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"Think fast!" cried Luz, grabbing protect orbs and tossing them to party members, first from Brisa's satchel, then from others nearby.

Brisa grit her teeth and slammed her orb into activation, then leapt forward to take as much of the incoming attack as she could manage. They'd survived everything to date, they'd survive this.

She tried to shout above the wind, above her teammates, above her hammering heart.

"We're not here to fight you! Let's talk, damnit!"

 

[Namohysip]

All air and sound seemed to disappear from the atmosphere around the Isle of Light. The Hyper Beam's sheer luminosity made the sky look dark as night by comparison. Someone warm stood by Brisa's side, someone who had taken no Protect Orb, but instead crossed his arms and formed the strongest barrier he could to do the same. He did all he could to expand his range to the whole team, further reinforcing what he could protect.

Impact--sand coalesced into glass right before their eyes, and waves of heat washed over the Protect barriers in winding, energetic tendrils that snapped and fried the air. The blast made several barriers evaporate right near the end, and it felt like some of the damage had scorched their shoulders and chests, but they had survived. Puff winced, unable to see; he had seen the light through his eyelids.

By the time the team could see again, a Charmander was not standing next to them, but a Charmeleon, who briefly looked over his lengthened limbs and reddened scales. "Oh, cool," he mumbled, but then refocused on Rayquaza. "Did you hear us?!" he shouted, his voice noticeably deeper, yet still youthful. "We don't want to fight!"

"Your Shadow tongues may have fooled Arceus, but you will not trick me again, emissary of Darkness!"

 

[Ambyssin]

"Do you not hear the distortion in his voice? He's beyond the pale of reason." Still airborne, Bahamut took steps back. "I don't see any other recourse but to retreat at this point. We're not going to do anything to slow him down."