The Moon

[Namohysip]

There was no sound in space, normally. But here, it was as loud as ever, the wind from the atmosphere of Cibus rapidly pouring into the pocket of land that they had turned up. Gray dust filled the air that had newly filled the atmosphere, and a silver light enveloped every single one of Team Spectrum and the three Soda Substitutes, who immediately doubled back under Diyem's care.

They had landed on the face of the moon, where the Blacklight energy had been the strongest, but still a distance away from the very epicenter. But that had been enough. All around them, Unown swarmed in a rhythmic circle like bees. Far ahead, Cibus was getting closer and closer as the moon accelerated toward the planet. From so far away, it seemed so peaceful, despite the fact t hat, at that very moment, everyone was frantically preparing for what would have otherwise been an inevitable demise...

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"Well, well, look who's finally here!"

Not one second after they had set foot on the loose dust of the moon did a voice from everywhere address them. They could breathe and speak as normal, and it felt like a bit of Pop's Gravity was anchoring them to the ground. At least his influence did not stop on Cibus, and within Soda's domain--at least slightly.

"So glad you could make it. Well, not really, because I was hoping you wouldn't find a way here... ahh, well. That's how it goes, I guess."

"Soda! Stop this!" Owen shouted, and then glanced at Dave, who was near the back of the group as they rushed in. "Please! Don't you remember anything?!"

"Oh, I remember everything! I remember how much you guys got in the way of my plan to fuck over the gods that fucked me over! Cut! And! Dry! Ah... ahaha! But now you're here. HAH! But that's fine. I was gonna claim Cibus for that good, good planet power, but I think having you guys in me would taint the pure power. Separating you out... was just what I needed!"

"So you really were going to absorb every spirit of Cibus," Diyem hissed. "All for the power of a god?!"

"Oh, I'm already a god, dear dear Diyem," Soda replied, followed by another volley of mad giggles. The Unown were twisting themselves intoa twisted connect-the-dots form of Soda towering above them. The Unown Soda pointed at Team Spectrum. "But now, I need the power to DEFY gods. To USURP them. And this Eternal Blacklight... is just what I need. Now all that's left... is a world to call my own. A world to travel to other planes... and take over. A world where I can finally change everything..."

Diyem grunted. "There's no reasoning with him in this state. But we all knew that."

"Oh, definitely not. You're not going to convince me with words and good feelings. Won't matter anyway! Ha haaaa... ah, yeah. Yeah. Won't matter. I won't be absorbing you guys into my realm, though, oh, no. No, no. You guys?" He pointed at Team Spectrum. "I'm gonna make sure there's NOTHING left to TAKE!"

The Unown burst apart and swarmed all around them. They didn't look like they were very organized or strong yet, and it seemed like Soda was focused on something else if he wasn't showing himself directly. Was he still controlling the moon? Then perhaps there was still time to find him...

The moon tremored. A wave of Blacklight coursed through the ground, several feet tall, and a new energy radiated out from there. A pulse from the center followed, breaking past the passive barriers held up by Team Spectrum.

They would feel something tearing at them. From their very core, Soda had drawn something out like an iron heart with a magnet. Splitting them apart, drawing something and tearing it away--and then, suddenly, something was... missing. Gone. Something always there, never really noticed its presence in this innate sense, until it... was taken away.

And then, standing in front of them, looming, glaring, drifting forward like possessed dolls...

It's a prepared attack!
Soda used a barrage of Eternal Blacklight Possession on all of Team Spectrum!

Team Spectrum's Blacklight Boost Moves are sealed!
Team Spectrum's Unleash is sealed!
Team Spectrum's Blacklight techniques are sealed!

Wishkeeper, Sombra, Magnifiscent, Shadow, and all other Blacklight Halves appeared!
Wishkeeper's Shadow Perceive activated!
Shadow Astrid's Fate activated!
Sombra's Arcflash activated!
Shadow Cabot's Sight activated!
Shadow Cynthian's Snapdragon activated!
Magnificent's Ginger Boost activated!
Shadow Koa's Zoomies activated!
Shadow Mellow's Verdure activated!
Shadow Nip's Avilidy activated!
Shadow Saltriv's Searchlight activated!
Shadow Starr's Adrenaline activated!
Kane's Wax activated!

Owen couldn't use Perceive! There is no insight to be made!
Fight back and reclaim your abilities!

"W-Wishkeeper?" Owen asked, clutching at his chest as he tried, again and again, to Perceive around him--but it was like he had gone blind. Were his powers in Cibus truly entirely tied to his Blacklight power...?

"I... can't control... my body..." Wishkeeper tried to resist, but it was no use. He lunged at Owen, Shadowy claws nearly raking across his body. Owen dodged quickly, but it seemed like the rest of the team was dealing with much of the same.

Mad laughter echoed. The static of the Eternal Blacklight under them drowned out most sound. And then, Soda spoke:

"Your attention, please!"

The fighting briefly stopped; all of Team Spectrum's Blacklight halves, like puppets, jumped back and took on a formation that mirrored theirs. The amalgamation of Soda appeared from the Unown again, holding his arms out haughtily.

"As you can see, I am a very, very busy man. Worlds to destroy, realms to conquer. But I'll offer you all one last show to send you off into Lockout. We've got mmmmaybe an hour before we crash into the moon, after all! So, without any further waiting..."

The Unown scattered, dissolving his false form.

"Let's get to work!"

 

[Ambyssin]

Polaris scratched its forehead with a pom-pom. "Huh, would you look at that. All those walking shadows wound up being liabilities after all." It turned to Bahamut. "What do you think of--"

Bahamut over-dramatically yawned. A gesture he remembered from that damn cat body. He lay on his back and crossed both sets of wings over his torso. "Mmm. Good speech, bro. Totally. A-plus. Pat on the back. Stick it on the fridge and all that jazz. You have fun with your insanity, kiddo."

His eyes dimmed, but he had a blissful look about his face. Bahamut pictured a shoreline with the pushing and pulling of the water. Calm. Simple. Rhythmic. Relaxing.

"Umm, what are you doing?" Polaris squeaked.

"Not thinking," Bahamut replied, smiling.

 

[Cresselia92]

For the love of the great Jirachi. Soda had truly lost all his marbles, didn’t he? That fox even started laughing like a madmon, just like all those power drunk folks from past times.

Petram stepped forward and glared at the cosmic Zoroark. “Yeah, huh, guess what? Dunno how it is on your original world, but using the moon as a frigging projectile to destroy the world is against the law! So, if you don’t want some nice cuffs around your paws, you’d better stop this madness. I could even offer you cookies, if that entices you.”

Icetales frowned. “Thou art wasting thy words, Petram. Sir Soda isn’t—” The Ninetales’s words froze in his throat, as he suddenly felt himself like tearing apart. “Nggh!”

“Daddy?” Petram turned to the other fox and helped him stay in balance. “Hey! What’s up?”

Then, darkness enveloped Icetales, who shuddered and whimpered. Petram was used to those explosions of darkness from the other fox, but he could tell that something was different this time.

“Daddy?! What’s going on?” cried Petram, shaking his shivering father.

The only response he got was a strained yowl, and then the darkness lurched forward. There was a snap, the dark ties were suddenly cut off, and Icetales felt… light. So very light.

“B-by the stars,” wheezed the Ninetales, collapsing to the floor. “W-what in the world…?”

“Daddy! You… You don’t have a shadow anymore!”

Icetales blinked and looked downward. Sure enough, his body didn’t cast a shadow anymore. But if his shadow wasn’t there, then where…?

Both foxes got their answer when the detached shadow twisted its shape and rose from the ground, enveloped by a malignant red aura.

And there he stood, once more. Magnificent’s shadow, in the shape of a foxtaur. Both Petram and Icetales were less than amused.

“Ah s@#t, here we go again,” whispered Petram in annoyance, tail flicking and ears pinned. He glared at the shadow. “What kinda trick are you pulling now, Keo?” He flung his arms toward the cosmos. “Yet another test? More brain demons? Or you simply love that appearance?”

“Oh, nothing like that,” said the shadow, smirking, before motioning toward Soda’s original location. “I simply decided to join the winning side. Godhood is such an appealing offer.”

“Then you picked the wrong side, because we are gonna win!” Petram turned to Icetales. “Right, Daddy?”

“My, of course!” Icetales stood back up and took a battle stance. “I do not know what is going on right now, but whatever that is, if we must strike thee down, we shall!”

Magnificent laughed aloud. “Keh heh heh! I so want to see you try, foolish heroes!” The phantom scythe appeared in his arms, while a chilly energy surrounded the blade. “Prepare yourselves… to plunge in the deepest corner of Chaos!”

But then, a faint voice echoed in both Petram’s and Icetales’s minds.

It was Keo’Keo, barely fighting against both Soda’s influence and his daemonic lineage.

You must stop us. Do not hold anything back.

 

[Fusion]

Drake fell to his knees, his body distorting and bubbling slightly. He was starting to fall apart. "D-Damn... Can't have nothin' good for long, huh?" Vix, still faceless, offered to help him up. The Shade shook his head. "I still got it in me to help, don't worry about me just yet. We got more important company to kick to the curb."

"...What the hell is this universe's problem, huh? Ain't gonna let sleepin' dogs finally get some goddamn rest?" Kane barked. He wanted to glare back at Soda, but could only focus his fury at Vix and Drake, with an even fiercer glare than normal. He lunged forward, not of his own will, throwing a punch towards Vix. "My shit's over and done with already, just let me stay dead, dammit!"

Vix flinched, shakily standing before Kane. She looked more uncertain or nervous than before. This was already going sour; her powers were locked, Drake was falling, Kane was back and furious... and Soda...

Before she realized it, Drake shoved Vix out of the way, the both of them safely dodging Kane's strike. The Shade shot right back up to his feet, ignoring his body destabilizing as best he could.

"HEY!!!" Kane barked, his shadowy form flaring. Vix flinched again, slightly backing away. "Quit that cowardly bullshit, Vix! Hurry the hell up and put me down!"

"I-I..." Vix muttered, clenching her fists. Her flame, however, flickered and dimmed.

"We're gonna pull through this just like we did everythin' else, Vix." Drake's voice was... reassuring at the very least. "Kane's strong, but so are we, and we don't got a madmon leadin' us, so we got that on 'im too."

Kane threw another strike, which Drake helped Vix dodge once again. The Shadow was hardly in control of himself, but he was holding back as much as he possibly could from the look of it. "Don't you start havin' second thoughts just because you gotta face him after you're through with me! Us Drakes ain't shyin' away when it comes to tearin' the enemy to shreds! Even when we're fightin' ourselves! Even when we're fightin' our friends!" His glare sharpened, and a snarl burned right underneath it. "I know I didn't shrivel and die and leave behind a chicken shit husk like you, so fight me!"

"The only way to save Kane, and Soda, is to fight them with everything we've got," Drake spoke, again, reassuringly. He put on his flagship grin, and put his fist up to fight. "You know, I can only lead for so long. I'm pretty much a toddler still, you're the one with all the fire-power. Literally, in most cases." He nudged Vix with his elbow, and his grin shined even brighter somehow. "How about we give this has-been one final sendoff, huh? Think of it as sparrin', but we don't gotta hold anythin' back, yeah?"

Vix was silent for a moment, then she took a deep breath, and her fire crackled. It wasn't anything big, but it was enough for Kane to soften his glare ever so slightly. "...I've never tried to hold anything back. I never wanted to holding anything back. But that's all I've been doing, up until now. I can't... get as strong as everyone else, but I know at the very least--" Vix's flame sparked back to life, shining bright and powerful, and a jagged frown crackled along her glass, "--I have enough in me to beat you."

"Ha! Now you're talkin'!" Kane cackled, long shadowy wisps and strands lashing off his body. "I won't be holdin' shit back either, so BRING IT!!!"

 

[Ambyssin]

Bahamut yawned again. "Delightful." He golf clapped his lower wings. "Type that up and I'm sure you'll fine some anime studio willing to adapt it into an episode."

 

[Fusion]

"It's not my fault that campy dorkiness like this is fun," Drake huffed, grinning. "And I already tried, haven't heard anythin' back."

 

[IFBench]

Saltriv stared at the sight in front of them. A Chikorita surrounded in a shadowy aura, a desperate look on their face. Their leaf was torn in many places, barely hanging together against the rush of wind from the pouring atmosphere. The sight before them was the same one they had seen just outside Moonlit Forest. When they had brutally fought against themselves, and they had both lost.

Only this time, they were a Meganium now, and they weren't alone.

"Please! Stop!" the Chikorita pleaded, swinging their torn leaf towards Saltriv. "You heard what he said! He's going to Lockout all of you! You need to flee while you still can!"

"We can't! Cibus is at stake here!" Saltriv shouted back. "It's either we save everyone, or die trying!"

"But what about your friends? They'll die with you! You all need to get out of here! I don't want us to die! I don't want our friends to die!" Saltriv's Shadow screamed, before charging at their whole self. "Run away! Please!"

A volley of razor leaves were shot towards Saltriv, but they were burnt to a crisp in midair thanks to a vivid purple flame. Burhalla, the source of the Dragonbreath, glared at the Shadow.

"We're NOT running away!" he said, laying a hand on his best friend. "We're seeing this through to the end!"

Saltriv smiled at Burhalla. They had one thing now, that they didn't have in Moonlit Forest. Support.

And right now, that was what their teammates needed.

And so, Saltriv shouted, above the din of battle, to their friends and teammates.

"Brisa! Starr! Astrid! Keep on attacking! Never let up!"

"Vix! Koa! Dave! Keep the pressure on them! I'll support you!"

"Icetales! Cynthian! Bahamut! Stay strong! We've already made it this far!"

"Shiron! Dill! Stick close to me! I'll help you get through this!"

"WE CAN DO THIS!"

 

[Dragonfree]

Dave gritted his teeth at the Soda-shaped apparition. "Soda. Adne! Remember her?" Why would he? This was just random megalomaniacal villain #23557 for them to defeat. A parasite-hollowed thing that had once been a person. The name'd had power for Yellow, not for the fucking parasite.

Shadow was in front of him, paws drifting across the ground, like he was being held up by marionette strings, letting out a miserable anxious whine. "I don't want to attack any of you."

Dave sighed. Of course he didn't. "Well, here we fucking are anyway."

 

[TheGOAT]

Astrid's words faded into the wind, consumed by the freezing water that brushed at the shore. Soda stared, completely quiet, and the illusion must have been mirroring his expressions. Pensive, furrowed, perhaps even a hint of disgust.

"...Tch." Soda looked off. "I'm just here because it's better than where I was. I get assignments. I save worlds. And I do it all day by day. It's just another job. Just another game to play."

He turned his attention to the horizon, where the dark, blue, cold ocean met the sky. Lights flickered dimly on the water's surface.

"Why does anybody go out of their way in this line of work? Out of the goodness in their hearts...? I think they're doing it for some other reason. Maple's busy making up for the guilt of losing her old planet. Saving others to fill the void. Potluck's just following wherever Maple goes out of loyalty. Leg doesn't have anywhere else to go and isn't smart or confident enough to find somewhere else. The list goes on." Soda looked up. "And me... I'm just looking for a way to not get bored. That's all. I don't care. When we save this world, we'll move on, and after a year, it's like we weren't even there. And that's life."

This was not the same Soda she’d gotten a glimpse of back then. It was still him, but not at the whim of the Blacklight. This was what it was capable of destroying. This was what it was capable of bringing out of someone. Now, the world was going to end if they didn’t win.

The shadow apparition apart from her seemed to recognize this too. A Ninetales. It was her own Blacklight form, but the color was warped, dulled—only the eyes remained untampered with, but even those had gained an unfamiliar, unnerving glare. It was herself. And yet Astrid asked, “Who the hell are you?”

At first, no answer. It—she?—circled her slowly, and Astrid moved in tandem, heart thumping. More and more fighting was breaking out beside her already.

“I… I am the Blacklight inside of you. It… isn’t yours to keep. S-sorry about that.”

Astrid recoiled, ears perked forward as if she heard her wrong. “What? Wai…what does that—”

She stood dumb and flat-footed, unable to avoid the blizzard that closed in on her and defaulting to rapid-fire Protects.

Horror left her standing there longer still; her Blacklight moves were disabled. The mental links were gone, just like that.

“…Who are you?” Astrid repeated, fangs bared.

 

[Negrek]

Nate felt like he'd managed to sleep for a week, somehow, and then suddenly they were all crowded around in Destiny Tower, preparing to head up to the moon for real. What the fuck had happened? Apparently somebody else had figured out how they were going to actually fucking get there and not die, which, great, but how the fuck had he missed that? He hadn't been that tired.

There wasn't much time to feet under him, either. He went straight from Oh, so he's not even bothering with the fucking laser anymore, he's just going to fucking smash into us now? to Wait, if all you have to do to get the unown on your side is talk to them like they're five, why don't people fuck off to become gods all the time? to Hang on we aren't seriously all leaving Giovanni behind to just do whatever, are we? to Wait, Arceus is going to mind-control all the legends? Are we sure that's a good idea? in the span of about five minutes. Nate was still trying to figure out if he should volunteer himself or Rocky to stay behind and keep an eye on evil moon bat when somehow everybody was moving and they were on the moon for real and Soda was hamming it up like some kind of comic book villain and everything was going to shit.

What the fuck? Nate stared across at the shadows congealing in ranks before Soda... or whatever the fuck he was now, he certainly didn't seem all that much like his old self. Nate's heart pounded as he recognized the creatures taking shape out of the swirling Blacklight mist. Oh, fuck. Not again. Maybe he'd get lucky and he wouldn't be there.

But there was a shadow for everyone, wasn't there? Which meant there had to be...

"I don't want to fight! I don't want to fight!" the shadow mudkip bawled in a voice that was far too much like his own. Oily black tears oozed continuously from its eyes, and it shook, whether trying to resist the force driving it forward or simply out of fear, Nate couldn't tell.

God, this was embarrassing. Nate cringed and glanced around, hoping everyone else was too caught up in fighting their own shadows to pay any attention to that guy. At least he was small. They'd have to be looking hard.

"Leave me alone!" the shadow yelled. It stumbled forward a step as though pushed from behind, one paw sticking deep in the puddle of goo around it, then staggered into an unsteady run, viscous tears still dripping from its eyes.

Nate braced himself, a grim look on his face. "Well, can't pretend I ain't been looking for a chance to beat the shit out of this asshole," he growled, and ran forward to cut the mudkip off.

 

[Flyg0n]

It all seemed to happen both too fast and too slow all at once.

Then Koa faced him, himself.

Shadowy blue fur, dead, an emotionless gaze and a body writhing in red and black chains, snaking around his paws, his torso and around his muzzle. Was that how he looked?

Despite the chains seemingly sealing his jaws, the apparition spoke; his voice chilling and otherwordly. "Tell me Koa, why are we fighting him? We should join him. You know this. He was right, the world is flawed. We're flawed. But Soda will fix it all. You missed your chance last time, to do what you should have, to spare ourselves the pain."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Koa snarled. He tensed, doing his best to take up a battle stance, despite the emptiness that yawned inside him. He couldn't feel his powers, he couldn't feel... anything, Everything felt too light; too soft. They were gone, for now. Taken by himself, he guessed. "He's crazy, we have to stop him before he destroys everything!"

"Destroy everything? He's fixing everything!"

"If you believe that, you're stupid. He's out of his mind just look at him-"

"No, you look!" Blacks sparks surged through his fur and he charged, barreling into Koa and sending him tumbling back.

Koa flinched as he noted the stinging pain in his shoulder. He'd moved so quick he hadn't even seen the slash.

"We failed Koa. No matter how hard we tried to be perfect, to be better, we can't get there. But this is my chance to make a difference. To save him. Like we couldn't before."

The shadow surged forward again, landing another blow before Koa could rise.

"If we'd been better we could've stopped this. But this time I'm doing it right."

Koa trembled, trying to gather his wits. Now wasn't the time, he needed to remember his battle tactics, strategies, moves. But his shadows words felt like they were digging into him-

"Vix! Koa! Dave! Keep the pressure on them! I'll support you!"

Energy surged through Koa once more. His mind cleared and he lunged to his feet, nimbly dodging another strike from his shadow. Before he could retaliate, Echo's voice sounded in his head.

"Koa listen."

Koa's ears twitched.

"Please. Please help it hurts so much. I don't want to hurt someone else. I can't control this."

Koa said nothing, but he knew what he needed to do. There was only one way to end this.

 

[Cresselia92]

Magnificent seized his options, wondering what he could do to the fool. Slice him in half? Curse him with chaotic energy? Or some more psychological torture?

Then, he smirked. Perhaps a mixture of all of those options would have worked.

“I have decided thy fate! Prepare thyself to suffer my wrath, thou—” He froze in his rant, jawslacked and flabbergasted. Even Keo’Keo was puzzled. “Thou… What art thou doing?”

Ding ding. A silent sip, then a content hum. The half daemon, the son of wrath, the Starkiller was… drinking tea.

“Isn’t it obvious? I am merely enjoying some teatime with my comrades,” responded Icetales, candidly. For good measure, Petram brought out some cookies, and the Ninetales picked one of them.

“What… A tea party? Now?!”

“Yes. It is never a bad time for some tea.”

“Wh—Did thee lose what little semblance of sense thou had?”

“I know I cannot defeat thee,” Icetales sipped more of his tea, with total nonchalance. “So, I am not even trying.”

Magnificent stared blankly at Icetales, dumbfounded. He hissed angrily and raised his scythe, outraged by Icetales’ lack of reaction.

The half daemon just smiled.

“Then this shall end quick! Thou—”

Magnificent didn’t have the time to bring down his weapon that a wave of flames drowned his final words, incinerating him instantly. Icetales blinked with indifference, then finished his cup of tea.

“Woo ho ho! Now that’s what I call a roast!” quipped Petram, munching a cookie.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa was electrifying the ground before the shadows had even fully peeled away from the team, but her attention wasn't on the waves of energy underfoot, but on the Blacklight doppelganger in front of her. She steeled herself. She had a better relationship with her inner darkness and her bright intentions alike than most of the team. She'd be fine, wouldn't she?

"Stay with me," said Brisa to her Shadow. "I need you."

There was a silence around them, that signifying heavy sigh in dry air, and it muffled the sound of battle and battle-cries around them.

"I'm not the one y'should be sayin' that to," replied Sombra.

Brisa's heart lurched. "What the fuck are y'talkin' about? Cut it out."

Sombra padded toward her, and before Brisa's eyes, the radiant chains shackled to the shadow's limbs and neck began to oscillate viciously. Those blank golden eyes showed little expression, save for a hint of something sharp, hot, and bitter. And she rose up on her hind legs...

"'Stay with me'? 'I need you'? Goddamnit, Brisa... Yer life ain't better with a power like me. Yer life here is worth keepin' fer the LOVE you hardly knew before. You know this, you fuckin' KNOW THIS, so why don't you say those things to HER? To Starr. Hell, to any of the people you've loved here. Gods know you've loved them. Why won't you say it??"

Brisa bit her cheek and dug her claws in. She tried to spark off and ignite her plasma. Nothing. She tried to take zeraora form. She remained unchanged. Sombra, meanwhile, finished changing, standing before her with the form and energies of her zeraora self. Oh, oh fuck.

She was about to face off against a Blacklit demigod, and she had nothing to level the field.

...That ain't quite true, now, is it?​

"Luz?"

I've got yer back, partner.​

Brisa glanced around for a glimpse of her Void Eterna. Luz was in the scrum, lashing out with teeth and claws at as many shadows as she could, never drifting too far into the melée from her partner. She'd be near.

Sombra closed in. "We ain't the Wanderin' Light. If we go home, if we meet her, if we earn and take her mantle... We'll be alone fer th'rest of our life. We'll serve thanklessly like always. Will we be happy, then? WILL WE?? Is that what you REALLY WANT, BRISA?"

Brisa took a shuddering breath, and braced herself for a beating.

"It doesn't matter what I want," she said, quietly, to herself and to her shadow-self. "I'll do what's right."

Sombra made a sound that was partway a roar of anger and yet also a keen of sorrow. "Then you'll make us miserable forever," she snarled.

The obsidian zeraora ran towards Brisa, fists blazing. Brisa let lightning kiss her teeth, and accepted the pain she was about to feel.

 

[Namohysip]

Skara's Nullify protected Astrid!
Mithos' Ward III protected Starr!
Miles' Shield V protected Brisa!
Flame's Shield IV protected Koa!

Saltriv rallied Nip, Astrid, Starr, Cabot, and Brisa!
Dave's Eternal Spirit is burning! His Intimidate weakened all enemies!
Icetales held a tea party! His exceptional hospitality let Astrid & Brisa power up!
Owen rallied Starr, and his sunlight powered up her attacks!
Astrid copied Nip's Evasion!
Nip's Revitalizing Moonlight healed Cabot, Starr, and Brisa!
Nip copied Owen's Speed!

Dave's Crunch dealt 60 damage to Wishkeeper!
Dave's Crunch dealt 60 damage to Shadow Bahamut!
Dave's Crunch dealt 94 damage to his Shadow!
Brisa's Spreader Thunder Fangs attacked Sombra, Shadow, Kane, Bahamut, Mellow, and Winter! The shadows were paralysed! The shadows flinched!
Sombra: 237
Shadow: 491
Kane: 211
Shadow Bahamut: 202
Mellow: 107
Winter: 107

Starr's Sweeping Cat o' Nine Tails Flare Blitz strick Shadow Kate, Nip, Cynthian, Sombra, Astrid, Starr, Bahamut, Magnificent, and Wishkeeper!
Shadow Kate: 1323
Shadow Nip: 2241
Shadow Cynthian: 3167
Sombra: 1222
Shadow Astrid: 1725
Shadow Starr: 885
Shadow Bahamut: 1009
Magnificent: 1167
Wishkeeper: 747
Starr took extreme recoil!

Koa's double Pressurised Hyper Voice dealt a partially grazing 807 damage to Shadow Koa!
Koa's Aura Sphere dealt 261 damage to Kane!
Cabot's Iron Tail dealt 1401 damage to Shadow Cabot!
Cabot's Head Smash dealt 977 damage to Magnificent after Wishkeeper had been defeated!

Shadow, Shadow Mellow, Winter, and Kane withstood the barrage!

The rest's Last Words activated!

"Ahahahaha! Wow! Wow, wow, look at you! But guess what? I've still got a few strings attached for a last hurrah! don't think you can just blaze through this like all the other fights you've had, idiots!"

"N-ngh... I'm sorry," Wishkeeper pointed toward Kane, transferring energy to him before Owen pushed Wishkeeper to the ground, plunging his hand into his chest.

"Don't be," Owen hissed. "Come on. I'm not letting him control you--"

"N-nnngh! What are you--"

"Sorry! Come on! Fight it--!"

Wishkeeper pushed Owen away, but then his arms disintegrated, falling into Owen's shoulders. The rest of him followed and Owen focused, closing his eyes...

"...Soda's right there!" Owen shouted, pointing left; over his shoulder, Wishkeeper emerged, looking stunned and fatigued, but back in control of himself, as he mimicked the gesture.

"Aww, back with your powers already?! Alright, alright, hang on. I'll FIX that soon...! All right, boys! Fuck 'em up!"

They all Unleashed!

Shadow Nip used Triple Axel on Starr, breaking through two barriers and then dealing a grazing 16 damage!
Shadow Astrid used Voidbound Stored Power on Dave for18 damage!
Sombra and Shadow Starr used Overcharge Void Arcstrike on and Brilliant Flarestrike on Brisa, dealing a total of 1139 damage to Brisa's shield, and then destroying its Protect shield!
Wishkeeper gave himself a stored 120 power attack! Wishkeeper used Shining Bestow on Kane!
Shadow Cabot used Annihilation Head Smash on Starr for a CRITICAL 797 damage!
Shadow Cynthian used Hyacinth Leaf Storm on Dave for a CRITICAL 458 damage!
Shadow Kate used Glacial Lance on Brisa, but it was dodged!
Shadow Koa used Snarl on Cabot, Dave, and Koa!
Magnificent used Aurora Veil, reducing damage next turn!
Cabot: A grazing 15, Magic -1
Dave: 16, Magic-1
Koa: Flame blocked the hit for 17 damage, and took further damage from the Magic down!
Shadow Bahamut Shining Blades on Cabot, dealing 250 damage!
Kane used Inferno on Koa, striking Flame for 45 damage and then further damage to the shield, destroying it! Wishkeeper's follow-up attack destroyed part of the Protect barrier left behind!
Shadow used Shining Burden on Kane!
Winter prepared Grass Pledge!
Shadow Mellow used Fire Pledge on Nip, but it missed!

The Unown horde closed in and used Hidden Power - Ghost
Astrid - Blocked!
Brisa - 76
Cabot - 120
Dave - 0
Icetales - 41
Koa - Blocked!
Nip - 148
Owen - 18
Saltriv - 53
Starr - 123

Soda used Judgement on everyone!
Astrid: Blocked!
Brisa: 113
Cabot: 213
Dave: 159
Icetales: 78
Koa: 290
Nip: Dodged!
Owen: 57
Saltriv: 128
Starr: 400, KO!

The Fire Field dealt 185 damage to all non-Fire Team Spectrum fighters! Dave was KOed!

Divine light rained down on them all; several screams rang out. The onslaught was devastating--some of them were already down! What would they do now?

"K-keep going!" Owen shouted. "Soda's controlling them, a-and I think he's going to get faster the longer we leave him alone! He's... doing something else, too! Is he controlling the moon?!"

"Hah! Catch me if you can!"

"He went there!" Owen shouted. He was still invisible, but if they could just get one good hit...

"Hey, if he's getting too fast for you, don't forget the plan!" Green shouted. "We... if it's too much, we're... we're ready!"

Soda fled to BL!
The moon accelerated! The whole field gained Gravity! It'll cost an extra action to travel zones!

Dave and Starr revived!

Soda: 30,000. He's evasive!
Unown: 50,000

Shadow: 183, Protect+2
Shadow Mellow: 647
Winter: 1216
Kane: 551, Protect+2

Special Condition: Keep at least one of Yellow, Green, or Blue alive!
Use a Call action to utilize a Substitute to stun Soda, significantly reducing his actions for a turn!

 

[Fusion]

Kane was so busy being forced to fight Vix and Drake that he didn't see the onslaught coming for him until he felt it. Yet, he still stood. Riddled with electricity, nicely beaten up, but still standing. For fucks sake... "Come on! Is that all?! Are you lot even tryin'?!" he barked, flinching, before snapping back to Vix and Drake.

"Don't just stand there, help them!" Kane ordered, gnashing his teeth. "I-I ain't even close to done yet!"

"I am helping," Vix said. Even without a face, she looked smug somehow. "Keeping you distracted so everyone else can hit you. I said I have enough to take you down, I never said I'd do it myself." She tapped the side of her glass dome. "And us just being here's making you weak too." She had no idea if that was true.

"...Godd-- Hrrkgh!" A surge of power rose through Kane, causing his body to lash out. Black and white smoke made up his body, and he looked more like a forest fire than a Scrafty, and he received a powerful orb floated beside him. "D-Dammit, Wishkeeper..." Kane groaned, glaring to where the dragon was. It looked like he got back to Owen... Good...

Kane's body lurched forward, and despite him trying to fight it, a black and white Inferno shot from his mouth at Vix and Drake, with the bestowed orb along with it. They both dodged, but the blast kept going, hitting Koa instead.

"Oh shit..." Vix peeped.

"Yikes," Drake gulped.

"Stop jokin' around and f-fight me..!" Kane panted and snarled. "Or maybe I should just keep attackin' everyone else so you cowards can't run."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa could muster words from the heart in a fight under damn near any pressure, but with the crushing gravity, the chaotic battlefield, and the truth of Sombra's words piercing her heart? It left her breathless. This damn fight couldn't have higher stakes, and here she was trying to justify herself to her shadow. She oughta just knock Sombra down. She could. But...

"Just tell her! Tell her what she means t'you, goddamnit!"

"I'm lucky t'get time with her at all," yowled Brisa, angling for a good hit, reluctant to strike. "What d'you expect t'change, huh?"

There were golden tears on Sombra's cheeks, evaporating into light as they left her eyes. Nearby, Starr was facing off against her shadow. Golden flames billowed up around the dark copy of Brisa's lover, and up close to her, billowing stormclouds erupted around Sombra. The energies reacted, as they'd done countless times before when Starr and Brisa had used them together.

Brisa had never seen a Fusion Arcflare from the outside before. Cameras couldn't pick up the Blacklight; how could she have seen one? It was light and darkness; fire and lightning; love and striving; hope and yearning.

Beautiful, and painful.

"Just admit it. Say the goddamn words. Please."

Brisa drew a sharp, cold breath . . . and froze.

The Arcflare struck her harder than anything she'd ever felt, and yet it hardly seemed to touch her. Gods alive, by sky and stars, what a feeling it was to be hit by something that powerful. Even the Legendary protectors of Cibus couldn't match it. But she endured.

"I'm . . . sorry."

Sombra was on her knees, not spent, just overcome, her radiant chains binding her more than ever. Brisa stepped forward, and pulled her shadow close, claws sheathed.

"I'll tell her," said Brisa, voice thick.

Then she put her teeth to her shadow's neck, let lightning do the work, and claimed back her darkness.

Thank you.

 

[Negrek]

The battle dissolved into chaos the way it always did, shadows and pokémon mingling, unown swirling all between them, firing hidden power attacks in every direction. Somewhere in the back Soda was up to something, no doubt. Nate barely remembered he was there.

"Stop it!" the shadow mudkip yelled. "Leave me alone! I don't want to fight!" Nevertheless, it kept getting up, charging at Nate even though it never managed to reach him before he blasted it away again.

"Do you ever fucking shut up?" Nate growled. "Shut the fuck up! Stop crying!" Another hydro pump knocked the shadow mudkip aside. It bounced limply across the lunar surface, drifting weirdly in the low gravity.

The mudkip lay still a moment after coming to rest. Its tears slowly began to form another dark puddle around it. "Stop hurting me," it whimpered. Nate cringed.

"Shut up!" he said, and nailed it with another gout of water.

For a second it looked like the mudkip wouldn't get up. Shadows curled and peeled away from it in wisps. Still the mudkip's sniffling continued. Finally it got back to its feet, jerkily, as though it were being pulled by strings. It looked up at Nate with a miserable expression. "Leave me alone," it whispered, and tried to hit him with a hydro pump.

It wasn't much of a hydro pump. Hardly any of it actually reached Nate. But it was made out of the same blackish goo as the shadow's tears, and Nate's eyes widened as it splashed him. He slapped at the dark ooze dripping from his skin, then stared in horror at the ropy strands trailing from his fingers. He aimed a hydro pump down at himself, pouring on more and more water long after the last of the goo had been washed away. At last he turned his attention back to the shadow, a dark expression on his face.

"This is why no one likes you!" Nate snarled. His shadow was still lying on the ground, but twitching, as though trying to rise. Another puddle was spreading out around it. "You're fucking weak! Stop! Crying!" This time he was the one one to charge.

"Marshtomp," Rocky said sharply. He'd been watching Nate's back, driving off any unown that came close with his new fire. But now Nate was--where was he going? "Marshtomp!" Rocky yelled. Nate ignored him and kept running.

 

[Dragonfree]

Dave's head was quiet, for once. No buzz of Radiance, no Shadow coldness. Just him.

All of this was just wasting time. They needed to get to Soda, and now they were having to fight their way through everyone's puppeted doppelgangers first. Fucking pointless.

With Mia, he darted between Shadows, intimidating them out of attacking, striking with his teeth. And then he was back facing Shadow, the other Mightyena's form shivering, and all he could think of was that one fucking time in the Voidlands, the spectral Poochyena's glowing eyes staring pleadingly up at him.

"I'm scared," whispered Shadow. "It's going to hurt. Both of us."

Yeah. It would, wouldn't it.

"I just want to help Soda. He's still somewhere in there. We have to get to him and..."

Dave bared his teeth, braced for the pain, and attacked.

An onslaught of Shadow-infused leaves whirled him away from Shadow, then a barrage of other hits rained down on him from there. Soda's Judgment left him lying in the dirt, and then everything was on fire, literally on fire. He woke up with a divine energy that smelled like fresh towels surrounding him, as most of the team ran towards Cabot.

Shadow stood there, behind two golden barriers, shivering again, still on marionette strings. "Soda's... He's moving. You should go after him with everyone."

"That'd be great if you weren't still fucking here," Dave snarled. The fuck was he even supposed to do without...

"Go!" Shadow's voice was urgent, ears pressed flat against his head. "Just go. Soda's more important. Brisa'll take care of me. We can trust her."

For a moment he looked at his Shadow self, but then he sped off towards Cabot.

 

[Flyg0n]

"You're a monster- you're nothing but a failure- you're screwing everything up again we're just like him-"

Koa's shadow was screaming, roaring, howling at him, all kinds of barbed words, insults and jabs, each one feeling like it cut him.

"Would you shut up!" A howl of rage tore from his jaws, the sound waves ripping into his shadow, shattering the chains and slamming him into the ground.

Still, his shadow continued to speak, his voice slowly slipping into a nearly incoherent rant.
"Why are you hurting me us you know I'm right- why can't you listen to me. We can save him we can make up for everything Soda is just like him, just like-"

Another blast of sound tore into his shadow, silencing whatever word he spoke next.

The shadow fell limp, his form beginning to fade. Limp remains of red chains lingered, draped over his now almost transparent form. Only one remained intact, digging into the fur around his shadows jaw. His cold, tear stained gaze bore into Koa's.

You can't deny who you are.

And then he was gone.

The familiar weight of his power returned and Koa turned his attention back on the fight.

Meeting Echo's gaze, he ignored his familiars concerned look. "Not now. We have a battle to win."

A glint of determination blazed in Echo's yellow eyes and together, they leapt into battle.

 

[Cresselia92]

So, this was it. Not only did he have to endure a raging inferno, but that dinosaur had to smash through his inexistent body. Shatter him in wisps of dark matter.

Perhaps that was what he deserved. Kyukon. Tenth. He was going to be so much happier without his influence. Without his lineage weighing on his heart.

Evaporating in the Aether sounded liked such an appealing option… It would have been so easy to just drift away. To disappear, back in the bleakest corners of the universe.

Then, something reached out for him, its touch gentle. He felt a wave of comfort spreading on his essence, and then… he felt himself like being lead somewhere.

Back into…

Keo’Keo flinched and turned to see his host, holding a paw on his chest. Wisps of darkness funneled into the physical fox’s being, marring his pelt with raw chaotic energy.

“W-what art thou doing?” asked Keo’Keo, shocked. “This is thy chance! Thou can finally let go of me! Thou can be a… a real ‘mon! Without me infesting thy essence!”

Icetales chuckled softly. “How naive of thee, darkness mine. Thou werest always a part of me, and thou shall always be.” He sighed. “Even if I were to let thee go now, thou would always return. We are bound together, for better and for worse.”

“But… I hurt thee. I will always hurt thee. I will always turn back to be… him.” Fresh tears began pouring out of his glowing eyes. “Art thou not afraid of that?”

“Of course I am! But,” Icetales leaned down, “thou art me, and I am thee. I am afraid of my lineage, yes, but fleeing from that isn’t the solution. Rather… acceptance is the true way.” Then, the Ninetales wrapped his paws around his shadow in a tight embrace. “And I… accept thee. My darkness. Myself.”

Pulses of Radiance and Shadow erupted from Keo’Keo, enveloping the real fox in a vortex of contrasting energies. Fangs and claws sharpened, and the Ninetales sucked all light around him, before exploding in a burst of darkness and madness.

A black hole in front, and golden comets behind. From within his spirit, the darkness burned with energy, granting his powers to his host.

Thank thee… for accepting me.

The Cosmic Warlock grinned, before howling with all his might and cloaking the battlefield with auroras and an empowering light. Then, he crouched down and charged at the entity formerly known as Soda — striking him with the power of wintertime.