[IC] SoA-Ep1: Passage

[Hiss13]

The Hypnosis failed…however, it did not matter. It seemed the Delphox had made an attempt to resist the hypnosis. But that attempt had caused its previous attack to die out. In other words, there was an opening to strike. If she could make a powerful strike, she could change the momentum of the battle in her favor and start to barrage the enemy.

She kept her fingers pointed at Delphox and made another command. "Psyshock." A psychic wave was let loose from Natsuki and quickly made its way to the red fox, threatening to do heavy physical damage.

[Chim]

“Isn't that thing a fire type like the rest of them?” Joey cursed when Ishmael's attack failed. It only seemed to anger the Gyarados even more as the Serpent countered the fire attack with another Aqua Tail, extinguishing most of the fire while only sustaining minimal damage.

And all Ismael did was glare at the Beast. Joey recognized the behavior. Ishmael had given in into his rage and refused to back down from this opponent. He didn't even react to the woman with the Electrode who interfered with his battle.

“Sorry, but Ismael has his eyes set on this thing and I won't change his mind. That Aqua Tail from earlier was a challenge. He even started Dragon Dancing without my command; that's how much he wants to take that Beast down. And once his temper takes over, he doesn't care who stands in his way,” Joey said to Nikita.

[Sutoratosu]

Yuuki

The blow struck solidly, sending the chandelure forward through the air before it could stop it's own momentum. Something akin to a cross of a cacophony of children's whispers and a chorus of a thousand women screaming in pain emanated from the burning wraith as it turned to face the Psychic Type that had exploited it's moment of confusion, a deep scowl on it's face. Again the fires of it's ethereal form became wild, violent, whipping in the hot winds circulating all throughout what had become the hellish battlefield of the deck. Unlike the last time though... the flames faded from a deep violet to a soulless, pitch black the moment the Chandelure faced Janah.

Again the fires coalesced before the spirit, darker than night and seeming to suck the very light out of the atmosphere... before they formed into a single, massive Kanji and launched themselves at the Gallade at full force (Shadow Ball+Fire Blast)...

Felix

A cross between the screech of an Eagle and the roar of a fire resonated throughout the area as the Hell Chicken emerged from it's hiding place directly behind the back of the machinist, feet outstretched and claws alit... as was it's entire body from the fury of the wall. The fire type hadn't hidden to try to surprise Pory... that much was clear.

It was gunning to take the life of the AI's handler instead.

What the bird did not account for however... was the fact that's it ninja tactics had left a small window opportunity for it's foeman to set a trap and lay in wait... and as a wave of pain passed through it's entire form the moment it drew close enough; Hit spot on by the Tri Attack prepared especially for it, with love, from Pory, the bird honestly regretted it's decision to not simply bypass stealth altogether and use it's speed to strike down the machinist earlier on...

Regardless of what the fire type regretted though, the past could not be changed. What was done was done, and as the Blaziken slowly rose to it's feet, glowering at the two, it could feel it's muscles growing stiffer and stiffer by the minute... paralysis.

It just stood there across the field of battle, glaring. The distance was to great for it to try physical attacks again, and it knew it would never be able to close it in time before being struck again... and the only attack it could use was liable to be cancelled out easily if the opponent had any intelligence, which, obvious to the bird now...

They did.

Lloyd

The attack from silver passed right by as the Volcorona took note and quiver danced out of it's path, though the plan half worked for Llyod's side... it seemed the bug was not adept at evasive maneuvers and attack simultaneously. Most of the sound waves stopped at the source before they ever reached the absol... but their creator was even faster and stronger now.

Without warning, the moth began flapping it's mammoth wings yet again. This time however, no sound began to resonate... instead it's form cloaked within the fires blazing all around them as it began to move erratically, sending burning scales and streaks of searing flames floating throughout the area in a suffocating, burning mass of embers that rode on the hot winds, descending towards Silver and her master at a frightening speed.

Yuzuki

The force slammed into the vixen and sent her flying backwards into the fires of the wall. She seemed more annoyed than in pain as she quickly got back to her feet though. This was obviously an opponent who was going to to try to play games, that much was clear in her mind as she began drawing up power...they thought they were so clever, didn't they?

Well...Two could tango to the same song.

Again she drew together her hands. Unlike the last time though, there was no period of waiting, and quick as lighting, the shadows had ceased their flickering and dancing amongst the flames and gathered within her palms, forming a sphere that glowed with an unnatural light. With a snarl, she sent the thing hurtling at Natsuki...

There was something off about the ball however. The moment it got close enough to the Gardevoir, it suddenly burst apart without warning with explosive force. Dark, dancing waves of hell fire and darkness spread out and cloaked the area in front of them, threatening to consume both the Fairy and her master...

The Beast

The beast took the electric blast to it's side with a roar that would've shaken the courage of even a dragon. Isamu's attack moments later only added further insult to the injury, though the Samurai Duck had come dangerously close to being fried by the shock by moving in so soon...only lucked had saved it's hide as it slammed into the beast with the power of the sky itself behind it.

The monster's eyes again gleamed their blood red... but there was no struggle this time, no war that seemed to go on in it's mind. Instead the creature lashed out wildly, uncoiling it's cannon like arms and beginning to to sweep the entire area before and around it's body with a combination of fire and super-heated steam... one would think the two combined would cancel the other out...

And they would be wrong. In fact, the twin attacks seemed to only compliment one another's power, growing in their heat and intensity. Regardless of what one thought however, the area had become an even greater danger zone... there was no rhyme or reason to what was targeted; anything that moved and posed an active threat seemed to be destined for destruction as far as the beast was concerned.

[Chevaleresse]

Yuuki simply nodded and the Gallade sunk into the floor once again, seemingly becoming a formless mass of shadows before coalescing behind the Chandelure and striking it with a quick jab. Meanwhile, the scholarly Trainer looked about in increasing desperation for an exit. They had to leave this ship somehow; with the amount of damage the flames would be causing to the vessel, it likely wouldn't remain afloat for long.

[Sutoratosu]

Yuuki

The chandelure was prepared this time, knowing what kind of games it's opponent was playing as it slid smoothly to the side before quickly boosting itself in the air, again hovering above the heads of it's foemen. The thing seemed to be badly injured... ironic given the fact that it was only now it was beginning to truly fight... but perhaps that had been the point all along.

The Galade may have been using Ghost type tricks, but unlike it's opponent, it was no ghost type, and the Soul Snatcher knew it. They thought the shadows were their allies...but they had merely adopted the shadows. He, on the otherhand, had born in them, born from them, molded by them. Just as all ghost types were. He had heard the shadows ever since he was a Litwick, heard their cries, their whispers... the whispers of the lost and the condemned. And he heard their whispers now, heard them telling him the location of his foe in the darkness, sneaking about with such audacity, thinking they would exploit such a resource without impunity. And if there was something he had learned during his time in the mortal realm, it had been to always trust the shadows...

For the shadows betrayed Janah now. Betrayed Janah because they belonged to his enemy and his enemies' own kind... not to the psychic race.

A foul, pale fog began to emanate from the ghost. It's eyes fixed menacingly on Yuuki and Janah, burning with some otherwordly light as it sized up the two souls waiting down below. The fog grew heavier and heavier by the second. If either the galade or his trainer took a whiff, they would've likely recognized a scent similar to gasoline...

This was the phantom's final gambit. It's last stand... it's murderous desperation.

The ghost hadn't been too considerate about it's earlier dodging though... it may have been too high up to reach using shadow play, but it had failed to account for the fact... that Janah could most likely still reach with a different attack...and a bit of a jump...

The fog was still relatively high in the air. There was still time before it would descend... still time before it would reach the barren floor, crawl like a demon, and touch the wall and kill everything caught within it... not much time, but still precious enough time. still precious time to save not only their own lives...

but perhaps even that of all those present as well.

[Chevaleresse]

"Janah, Knock Off, NOW!" Yuuki shouted the order with desperation as the Gallade rose from the shadows with his target out of reach. It was abundantly clear what was about to happen; either the Chandelure was KO'd and they escaped safely, or the entire boat quite literally exploded. The Gallade leapt through the air on well-developed legs, swinging an arm in a vicious uppercut.

[Sutoratosu]

Yuuki

((Gratuitous victory fanfare is very gratuitous))

The Fire type's eye's widened as it relaized it's mistake too late. Janah's blow sent it flying even higher into the air as the spectral being lost consciousness, the lethal vapor it was emanating only moments before seeming to be almost sentient as it followed it's source through the wide arc. It was hard to see through the smoke and fire, but if Yuuki listened close enough he might've heard a sudden crash and the pained rattle of a Camerupt off in the distance after the Chandelure disappeared from sight.

The fiery ring was still raging around the deck. Despite his earlier fears though, it appeared as though the oxygen levels had been virtually untouched... aside from the air being significantly higher in temperature. Whatever the fires were, they weren't normal...

The mysterious giant of a beast was continuing to rage in the distance, eye's still blazing as it rampaged and tried to destroy those standing around with an area attack of fire and steam...

And all the while, it seemed as though with every motion the beast made, every ounce of it's anger that rose... the walls of flame flickered and wavered...

[Hiss13]

There was little time to react. The attempt to create an opening for a barrage of attacks had failed. By the time Yuzuki had directed Natsuki's aim, hoping to start a Shadow Ball, but considering the current encroaching flames, that would likely not happen.

Shadow Ball would be consumed like last time by the Hell flames that continued to approach. In other words, they had to counter with an opposite force. "We'll cancel out the flames, Natsuki." She pointed at the center of the flame right at where the base of the flames would soon be. "Shoot two Moonblasts at that point, with a one second delay between them."

They were planning to use the Moonblasts to create a diffraction effect on the power of the attack much like light passing through a small slit in hopes of canceling out the flames and possibly have a wide Area of Effect. As Yuzuki had ordered, Natsuki shot two Moonblasts with a one-second delay at the indicated spot, leading the second to collide into the first as soon as the first hit the flames.

Edited August 20, 2015 by Hiss13

[Aurorix]

With the few seconds Lloyd had he came up with an idea that just might work. "Crescent Star at the incoming flames, focus on the flames heading towards you." Lloyd spoke quickly getting to Silver's side and crouching down as low as he could. They hadn't put much distance between them since the battle started so it was easy to get next to her before the flames arrived. With that the Dark-Type began sent 3 blades in a star formation at the incoming fire strikes (Psycho Cut) in an attempt to create a gap in the flames large enough to fit her and her master in. Since Lloyd was crouched down to her level and next to her it made it easier to focus in the smaller area. Plus, if they were lucky, the strike might hit the bug as the grouts of flame might have been able to conceal their attack long enough for the bug to be off guard though that was a low chance. While Luna was focused with that Lloyd kept a watchful eye on the fire moth and had a hand on Silver. He made sure if he saw the Bug move he'd tap on the absol as fast as he could so even if they couldn't see it she'd at least know it moved.

[Darvan Korematsu]

For a brief moment as the Blaziken attacked, Felix swore he saw the malice in the aven's fiery eyes as it pounced around the Porygon and aimed straight for the tinkerer. Felix's eyes widened as he felt his awareness heighten and time seemed to slow down, turning that couple of seconds into a minute. Luckily for him, his commands for Pory were not in vain as the Porygon-Z analyzed the brunt of the situation and fired off the three colored orbs at the flaming bird, and striking it mid-jump.

The ferocious aven fell to the floor with a pitiful flump as Felix stared at the thing, with tingles of electricity visibly shaking it's body. The Blaziken looked up at Felix, as the young man stared him down with a smug grin. Beneath the grin, he was really frightened by the unpredictability of all the Pokemon so far. He looked at Pory and back at the crippled fire bird. He could do it. He could easily end the poor thing's existence right there with another nice triple orb attack, but he shrugged it off.

He crouched down and leered at the Blaziken. He relished in the moment. "Now you know why one shouldn't fuck with me bird," he said in a voice just audible enough for the Blaziken to catch.

As much as he wanted to rub it in that asshole bird's face, some of the others seemed in more desperate situations, particularly the two handling that red quadripedal beat with the ring on it's back. It seemed pissed. A fiery temper to match it's equally hot flames.

"Pory, come on," he ushered to his Porygon-Z as the smoke rose and he dashed toward the beast with his trusty companion in short tow behind.

Edited August 28, 2015 by Darvan Korematsu

[Chim]

Ishmael didn't waste any time closing the distance between him and the Beast, not even aware of the damage it took going through the steam.

Joey didn't hesitate. “Keep that thing in place and use Crunch!”

The Gyarados obeyed as he tried to wrap his body around the Beast's leg, like a snake, and prepared to take a big bite out of it.

[Chevaleresse]

Seeing the others move towards the strange Pokemon that seemed to be responsible for the unnatural fires surrounding the boat, Yuuki took the opportunity to prepare for the unknown opponent. "Janah, use Swords Dance before you press forward to engage, and be on your guard." The Gallade gave his trainer a brief look - he wasn't expected to be at his finest at all times? - and then nodded before performing the ritualistic dance, raising his offensive potential even further.

[Felicity]

"As high as possible!" Nikki ordered, making sure to keep a distance from that steam. She was also wary of the camerupt but Aethor couldn't do too much more to it now that it had wised up to all the applications Nikki could think of for Foul Play. She only hoped one of the others could knock it out whilst Aethor rose higher into the sky. At a certain point though the rising heat from the steam caught up with Aethor and despite the chilly sea air surrounding him he found himself hard pressed to deal with the heat. Still, it was better than actually taking a hit from that monster. Aethor was fairly sure one solid hit from nigh anything was now liable to knock him out flat now...

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Isamu jumped back quickly removing itself from the fight for a moment. Many of the Pokemon were collapsing now and he knew he wouldn't have another chance. Having taken some damage from his charge from the heat and the recoil from his attack he knew he needed to dig in for a long fight. He took a deep breath and started to glow a soft blue. He focused and he felt a second wind come to him. ((Roost)). This might be his only chance at it so he took it... he waited for a second to reengage in the battle. He watched what was happening closely.

[Sutoratosu]

Pyromancer

"Tch...." Exon hissed. The wave that had been pounding through his skull only grew more excruciating as he stood outside the flames. A headache worse than anything he'd felt before... worse than any of the other times the thing had started to rebel against his control, like an ice pick slowly being driven through his eye, scrambling his very mind in preparation for a horribly outdated and misguided frontal lobotomy procedure. With every pulse of the resistance, he had to fight harder to stay lucid.

"Damn it..." He cursed, finally giving up on standing erect and falling to his knees. "This has to be them... it has to be something they're doing..." He lifted his gaze, as painful as the movement was, eyes fixing on the dying flames before him. There was only so much he could do. Maintaining the walls and keeping a leash on that living steam engine had been hard enough, but trying to do it now- keeping control while also sustaining a greater intensity for the barrier, while the animal was constantly thrashing and trying to break free of it's chains? "Damn it, Avelia, hurry up and finish whatever game your playing..."

The Battle for Supremacy

There was no roar from the beast this time as it again felt the sharp impact of pain. The fury was too complete now, too perfect- too all consuming- for anything to breach the haze of red cloaking it's mind, not even the throbbing pain beginning to blaze across it's mammoth body. Without a single noise, It turned it's blazing eyes down to the source as it coiled it's arms, finally putting the attack from earlier to rest as the deck around it hissed with water vapor and flame, so much that it clouded the killing field.

There was pure silence for a minute, the Myth's eyes transfixed on the seaserpent sinking it's fangs into it's leg. Then the beast opened it's own gaping maw, but rather than baring it's own fangs... it stayed it's head.

Stayed it's head as a small, bright sphere of gold slowly began to form, the very particles from the air itself electrifying as the ions gathered within it's mouth, power and hatred coalescing into something that soon rivaled even the sun itself in the bleak skies as it swelled in size and intensity. Then something changed in it's eyes... like concentration was being released. And the sphere began to elongate...at point blank range.

The beast was no longer playing. A ray of condensed power at such close range could only be meant as a lethal attack... and Ishmael wouldn't be the only victim of it, surely, for if it was fired, it surely would've been turned on all those others present as well afterwards.

Seconds were ticking away. Time passing by. Lives about to come to brutal and sudden ends... Lives that could still save themselves though. Lives that still had a chance to intervene with their own fate.

The sphere was growing ever more violent though... if anyone was going to live to see another day, they'd better get it in gear quickly...

Yuzuki

The idea had it's virtues... but it would've served better implemented sooner. The fires approaching attempted to swallow the spheres as they closed in, anticipating even more food from a foolish adversary... instead all it was served with was horrible indigestion as the entire construct collapsed in upon itself, the massive burst of power from the reaction scorching everything around it with light and darkness, both hell and sacred fire...

Everything, including the Delphox who had been fighting for so long to try to annihilate the young woman and her partner. But Natsuki was no where close to being safe from the implosion either. Precious seconds had been lost with the shadow ball, enough seconds to have left the Gardevoir within the splash range for the final big bang when the flames finally were vanquished.

Even now, the same raw power and force that had taken out the Delphox was hurtling for Natsuki, fast as a fright train, setting the very air itself on fire as the cloud of sparkling fire spread out from it's epicenter...there was no time to dodge... no time to attempt evasion. And the damage would likely not be light either.

Murderer Lloyd

The attack did as was needed. The storm of embers parted as the telekinetic blades sliced through, creating a space barely large enough for the two to survive with just a bit of charring. The Moth was not so lucky, unfortunately. With the brunt of it's mind being focused on controlling the inferno it was causing, there was no time for it to notice the barrage before the first one hit. The second made it through as well, but as weakened as it was with such poor physical defenses, it had wised up from the pain. It smoothly flew to the side as the third and final crescent kept soaring right on past it, into the skies and disappearing.

And it's eyes turned back to Llyod... it's whole body in panic as it looked not at him, but at something behind the killer and his accomplice. something that terrified the moth...

Even if he looked back, he wouldn't have been able to grasp what in the nine hells the demon wads scared of...the area was cold though. Too cold considering the heat and flames of the battle raging on... but that didn't matter. Right now he had opportunity and means... and he had motive. there it was, the Volcarona, hovering right there in front of him, too frightened to do much other than quiver...

One good shot... that was all it would take.

[Aurorix]

Seeing his opportunity to strike Lloyd knew what to do, "Silver, Reaper's Scythe now!" Lloyd spoke a little annoyed that his cloak was now a bit charred. Not that it mattered much seeing as it was already a black, it just ticked him off a bit. Sliver quickly acted without a moments hesitation, her head scythe gleamed with dark purple energy (Night Slash). She aimed to do a quick and powerful slash across the bug's chest, precisely and elegantly while it was distracted.

While Silver went to go deal with the enemy Lloyd looked back to see what that bug was so scared of in the first place, but he saw nothing. Only feeling that the temperature had suddenly dropped amiss all the flames. Before he decided to look into this further it'd be best to make sure this fire bug was put out. Best not to leave the enemy unattended to.

[Hiss13]

There was not time to wonder what happened on the other side of the flames. They were encroaching quickly and there was no time to dodge such a large explosion.

Yuzuki picked up four charred pieces of rubble from the ground. "Natsuki, destabilization shift." She said before tossing those four pieces over Natsuki such that they would be a couple of meters in front.

"Set." At the moment she said that, the Gardevoir fired four pink balls at the charred pieces in rapid succession. As soon as the attacks hit those pieces, they immediately detonated in a brilliant pink light.

There was no way to fully escape the damage. That was Yuzuki's assessment. So, the next best thing to do was to carve a weakening area at the explosion right in front them so that a detonation wall would form in front of them.

Edited September 3, 2015 by Hiss13

[Darvan Korematsu]

Unsure of how to assist in toppling the colossal beast, Felix moved closer to it with Pory by his side. He looked at the cracking deck, with the wood splintered in many places and the beast causing the ship to creak under him. He saw the scarecrow guy and his Absol making little effort in bringing down the beast and the young girl with her Gardevoir doing something strange with the loosened pieces of what he assumed was the deck of the boat.

Unable to formulate a plan at that moment, Felix merely repeated what he did with the Blaziken. He pointed at the beast as an indication to Pory. The pink and blue automaton beeped and whirled around in response, focusing on the beast, as a white, pale yellow, and red orb each materialized into a rotation, and starting spinng around the Porygon, slowly growing in size.

[Chim]

Joey cursed when he saw the Beast preparing for the next attack. “If that hits, it's over! Ishmael stop that thing's movement!”

The Serpent roared once more before tightening it's body around the Beast and moving in for a Crunch aimed at the lower half of the face.

“We stopped the movement for now! Can someone please do something about that attack? I don't feel like dying today!” Joey yelled at the other people present

[Sutoratosu]

To those who defy the Seven

"You really thought things would be better with them, didn't you?" Exon's gaze shot up, scanning the area around him as his hand moved for the knife stowed in his vest beneath the heavy cloak. There was no one there... no one but the trainers still fighting beyond the weakened flames and the beast that even now he could feel his control over slipping. But Exon knew the fact no one was there meant nothing...

"Where are you?" He managed through clenched teeth.

"Didn't you know I'd be here?" His special little visitor continued. "How long has it been boy, only a year? Two maybe? Why would you willingly allow them to send you here?"

"I don't question my orders, I just follow them..." He closed his eyes... and let go of the tether he held over the wall and the beast. He was only going to have one chance when he appeared... if he wasted it....

"You couldn't follow them when it came to your sister. Why are you doing what you're told and acting like a good little soldier now?" The voice was coming closer. He could sense him now... just a bit more... "We told you what needed to be done Exon. We gave you the chance to let someone else do it. But you took it... and you lied to us... you knew going into this mess what the consequences would be."

"She was my sister, you ass..." Exon snarled. "My sister... the only thing I had left... and you wanted me to just... destroy her like...like..."

"She was a traitor." The voice shot back. "We had proof. We had witnesses. We trusted you because you volunteered... and then you both disappeared. And this is where I find you? Fighting for them... fighting for the extreme. You were supposed to help us bring balance, Exon. You were supposed to stop the cycle... break the wheel. Not become a part of it."

Exon tightened his grip on the handle. Eyes flaring as he could feel the end edging closer "Just do it." All I need is one shot...

There was no response. only the feeling of the temperature dropping all around him, cold so penetrating that it felt like his outer gear might as well have been bare skin in the dead of winter. Cold so penetrating... it could only be manifested by death itself.

And there he was. In all his smug glory, right in front of him. Those pair of shades as cold and judging as ever as Khan glared down into his eyes, hands tucked into his pocket. He looked so casual... so non nonchalant... it only made Exon want to destroy him even more. Made him want to cut that smile right off of his face, and take those eyes while he was at it. Without a word he whirled the blade to the ready, metal glowing red hot in his hand as he lunged forwards and in an arc, sliced for the man's jugular... only to feel his face hit the rough deck as he hit thin air.

"Avelia is... already dead, by the way." The black trainer mocked from behind as Exon rose. "It looks as though that big sister of yours couldn't handle old captain over there.. then again, no one really can... not when he gets crazy."

He said nothing, only reached out with a single palm and with a surge of every ounce of will he could muster, sent a torrent of howling flame at the man. The fire licked and swirled in turbulence as the super-heated vortex ate the air, a blooming flower of death and rage that spiraled madly before it finally died. Only to reveal nothing in it's wake.

"Tell me... who's idea was it for you two to turn to the Brotherhood for help?" He was enjoying this far too much, the bastard. Exon cringed as he felt the hot breath on his ear... "I bet it was Avelia, wasn't it? She was always lacking on the loyalty front. And the information you both had could've gotten a high price, one way or another." Exon again gathered his will, gathered his anger, his fury, his hatred... only to feel all of it slip away as fast as lightning, two grey, mammoth hands slipped around his neck, the strain getting worse and worse by the moment as he felt both feet leave the deck and he kicked and struggled, howling what little ancient slurs and curses he knew at the smug man.

"Finish him." Khan ordered his Dusknoir, that same, infuriating grin still staring Exon right in the eyes. "This is the fate of all sons who defy the seven."

There was nodd from the ghost.

Then a scream. Then a crunch. Then a gurgle. Then a thump...

And then there was silence.

And then it was cold. All around the ship... the fires had died.

The walls of heat and light had fallen.

Llyod

The moth went tumbling like a stone as Silver sliced into it, crashing into the planks of the ruined deck and rolling like a rag doll before finally coming to a stop. It's frenzied dancing may have raised it's mental defenses and forces, but there had been no changing the fact it was still physically fragile. The fire type's wings draped lazily around as it lay on the charred wood, Eyes glaring dimly at the ones who had struck it down in cold blood. It could feel itself fading... could feel the cold beginning to settle in as the fires died and the wall fell...

Lovely, simply lovely... the walls were down. Then that could only mean... it would likely be joining master soon.

Yuzuki

The planned worked partially. The last minute detonations managed to create a decent enough filter for the more powerful wave of pressure and heat surging towards the two... but not large enough. Even dampened, the raw fury of the flames, both holy and unholy still managed to burn the Gardevoir to a degree as what was left after the last ditch effort to survive swelled forth before finally dying with the rest of it.

But nevertheless... Natsuki had managed to survive for now, just barely... thanks to her human's quick thinking. That burn wasn't going to feel pleasant by any stretch of the imagination though...

The fighting never ends, the enemies only change.

The force of Ishamael surging forward with his maw and sinking his massive fangs into the Beast's own lower jaw was enough to send the things head jarring to the side as the Gyarados let loose with it's fearsome crunch. In that one moment, that one lapse of concentration, The hyper beam was fired into the early morning sky- a ray of gold and fire piercing the heavens like an arrow as yet another roar came and the beast flailed about, trying to knock the Sea Snake loose. It's rampaged shook the very planks as it tossed it's head side to side, up and down, stomping and firing off a few stray gouts of fire from it's mouth, missing the water type every time...

And in it's rampaging... the Myth had been left wide open. A clever strike from above, a blast to it's side, perhaps even powerful blow to the legs... the opportunities flowed like quick silver as the fire type proceeded to absolutely loose itself. The chains of it's old master now gone from it's mind, and nothing but the raw pain and fury of it's body remaining... nothing but the raw feral mind of a beast that had been caged and abused.

It was time to end it.

The Docks

The Fire. It was gone now... those flames she had followed all the way here from route 6. And now they were gone... but there was only one man alive who could've managed to have held them for as long as they had... and to control a beast like the one on the deck all the while. Only one who had ever been talented enough, ever been trained enough...

The woman said nothing as she watched the ending stages of the battle, the wind barely staring her coat. She was too late here. There was no point in interfering at this point, no point in causing anymore destruction then there'd already been this morning. Even as the Volcanion rampaged like a child throwing a temper tantrum, she could tell it's fate was already sealed.

The only thing to wonder though... was just who were these powerful strangers she saw?

[Felicity]

Nikki continued to tr and wait for the damn gyarados to move, get away from the damn beast, whatever it was. Aethors thunder clearly had an effect on it but Nikki daren't repeat the move when her ally was weak to electricity and clinging to the bloody target.

Screw it, foul play would do the job all the same.

"Aethor, gravity cannonball, Foul play!" Nikki ordered. Once more Aethor flew high into the sky, intent on crashing into the beast with an imitation of its strength at Aethors back, shrouded in a darkness that almost resembled the beast itself, its silhouette.

[Hiss13]

After the explosion, the heat seemed to die down immensely. Yuzuki could have sworn that she heard a scream somewhere behind all of the flames but she had something else to focus on. Natsuki was injured. She had taken the brunt of the explosion and had even prevented Yuzuki from getting anything more than her clothes singed.

With flames having died down, she turned her attention to the direction of the four fighting the unknown beast who had already unleashed a Hyper Beam into the sky. From the looks of it, the beast was probably on its last ropes and the other four were given an opportunity to take control of the situation on the other end. Besides, Yuzuki did not want to push Natsuki any further.

"Natsuki, get some rest." She said to the injured Gardevoir as she returned it back to its Pokeball. With that, she moved in the direction of what she saw to be the captain standing over someone's body in the distance. In the first moment of emotion she had shown since getting on the boat, she put her palm on her forehead, making absolute certain not to knock the glasses and muttered, "Just what the hell is going on here?"

[Sutoratosu]

VC Gym

A knock at the door. Two. Then three. all in quick succession. The Leader of Vermillion put down the copy of the daily paper he'd been browsing most of the morning and glanced at the Ampharos gazing out of the Gothic window into the near barren early morning streets of the city far below. The creature only carried on with it's stone cold stare, the gleam of it's choker casting a rainbow light amidst the shadows of the office. The old soldier reclined back in his chair, running a hand through the graying field of faded, sandy blonde as he sighed. It was too damn early in the morning for little punks to come challenging...

"Come in, Amy," The door opened by a crack, just enough for a sliver of a young face and bright blue eyes to peek through. Surge only muttered under his breath. It had been three years now, the kid was gonna have to stop being so shy and timid at some point in her life... and it was better it happen sooner than later.

"Um... you have a call waiting from... him...again." Without another word, the slab clicked closed yet again. Surge cursed under his breath as the girl left, reaching a hand out for the Phone mounted on his desk, a scowl on his face as he picked up the receiver.

"What is it john? this shit is starting to get old. I'm the gym leader, you're the chief of police- I'm fine with stepping in if your men can't handle it, but damn it, it's not my job to come rescue you every time so much as a freaking Jay Walker shows up..." He paused as the voice on the other end shouted over the sound of sirens, the message barely audible. "Wait, wait, back up..." The old Soldier's eyes grew to dinner plates as he processed it all one more time, nostrils flaring as he moved the receiver away from his ear.

"... I'll be right there." he said, getting up and taking the coat off the back of his chair. "So, someone wants to go a rampage in my town? Wants to go burning my damn docks?" He stopped just infront of the door, throwing a sideways look at the Ampharos. "Tesla. We've got a situation." The Electric Ram stayed where it was, it's calm, steady gaze fixed on that one particular spot. and then without a sound turned on it's heels and followed it's master, leaving behind the scene it had been watching for so long...

left behind that crimson, pulsing glow in the distance that up until just moments ago had been bright and alive...

Yuzuki

"An attack." Khan said steadily, quick to hide his smirk as he turned to face the girl. He nudged the remains of the pyro-mancer with his shoe as if prodding a Cadaver with a scalpel. "And ill timed one, judging from the fact that only three members of their unit even made it to the boat. I'm guessing they stormed Tatsuya on the boarding ramp and ran into Jack when they tried forcing their way inside towards the Cockpit...I've no doubt that whatever their objectives here though, Killing everyone on board was definitely some part of the plan."

His ghost meanwhile eyed the girl like a lion stalking a lamb... massive maw of it's belly snapping shut and closed before he cast it a single, reprimanding glance. He looked back to Yuzuki after the reaper vanished indignantly.

"But regardless, looks like they failed here..." He pointed towards the fallen beast just on the other side of the deck. "Your friends over there certainly did a number on the thing."

His smooth demeanor fell apart the minute the monster began fading though.Slowly, shaking, he lowered the shades, revealing eyes like windows into the clear sky as he stood, mouth agape at the spectacle before him.

bit by bit...the being was vanishing. Flesh, Bone, and blood replaced with celestial light...

"Mother of God...how?"

Fall of a Titan

There were no words to describe the electric sensation in the air as that final, critical blow was struck. No words to describe the merged and strangely exquisite symphony that was the utter pain, the fury, and the terror of the Living Volcanoid's death keel. No words to describe the shadowed burst of darkness the radiated outward like a bomb as the Electrode collided dead on with the top of the Fire type's skull as it struggled to remove Ishmael...

There was only silence. Silence as the beast finally gave in. Finally gave up in it's fight to survive. There was nothing more suitable but silence. Deprived of voice, deprived of will, deprived of freedom... and now finally deprived of even an existence comparable to life as well. But he should've know this would be the outcome. He should've known he was already gone the minute he was overtaken, that he had been gone for a while... and it was just taking Yveltal a while to catch up.

The deck shook. The boards creaked. Dust and ash flew. The Titan lay still on his side. Body battered and broken. And as the trainers looked on, already the remains began to fade into a shimmering haze of crimson and teal as warmth and light flooded the area... Warmth that started to burn and light that began to blind...

And then it was gone. Light, Heat, all of it. Before them stood no body, no monster... just the Gyarados and the Electrode who had dealt the final blows... and beyond them countless sparkling lights illuminated in the winter sun as they lay on the deck. Jewels, Crystals... a cacophony of red and blue, crimson and teal. Each of them burning with a strange, inner fire...

They... had done it. They had truly done it...

just as to what it was, though...

Watcher

"Mother of god..." she muttered beneath her breath in the cold wind. "Just defeating it was... one thing, but... somehow, somehow... they've managed to bypass even that type of power. To be able to slay a Myth...to not just beat it into submission, but utterly destroy something so ancient...so primal..." She shook her head, fighting off the wave of thoughts cascading more and more with each second she watched. She had seen more than enough... seen far more than enough...

"So... that power isn't just another fable afterall." Like clockwork though, he was there with his response.

"You're just now realizing that, child? We never lied to you lot..." Before she could say anything, the tone of sirens began to pierce the air. Still far in the distance... but too close for comfort.

"Nevermind that," She muttered, heading for the boarding ramp, only to stop short as the she heard the pained groan of a man, lifting up her foot to find a mammoth, gloved hand beneath it...

"We've got bigger issues on hand now."

[Chevaleresse]

Yuuki's mouth actually hung open a bit, completely forgetting that it was entirely possible he was still in mortal peril. "What on earth was that?" he said out loud. The unknown Pokemon had obviously been an anomaly in and of itself, but that burst of radiance... it was unlike any phenomenon he had ever witnessed. It seemed to have left some sort of jewels behind. I suppose. . . we killed it, then. His awe at what he had just witnessed was blunted by the realization that he had just witnessed the death of a possibly unique existence. The scholar shook his head. It was a shame. He bent over to pick up one of the strange gems, intending to collect a few for observation.

[Sutoratosu]

Spoils of war ​(Yuuki)

The stones were beyond peculiar, once one actually touched them... beyond peculiar indeed. They seemed to almost be...alive, sentient nearly. The luminescent, vibrant power swirling just within their surface grew even brighter as the scholar handled their glossy bodies. The crimsons were hot to the touch... not searing, not burning, but beyond warm. And as if in divine juxtaposition, the Teals were cold... cold as the depths of the sea. But cold without the raw brutality and fury of winter. A type of cold... that if need be, could still abide life to enter it's domain. But truly, the most peculiar feature... was that each and all of them, no matter size... was shaped precisely as a teardrop.

In fact... if the young scholar had done his homework, listened to his parents and seen their research... he may even be able to identify them as they truly were... for the raw miracles of nature he was holding in his very hands... the very miracles people had been using and exploiting for so long... but even so... there was something... off about them...

For... even the clutches of death can yield the essence of life...