"'Cause I may be bad, but I'm perfectly good at it
Sex in the air, I don't care, I love the smell of it
Sticks and stones may break my bones
But chains and whips excite me,"
In the training room, Bailey was jamming to her playlist as she used Witch Time to slow down an attack from an Affinity. Getting some distance, the host of Bayonetta (2nd design) summoned Chernobog and slashed through the Third Sphere angel. Bailey smirked as she had taken down the last simulated angel.
At least she thought the Affinity was the last one.
Then there was a series of thuds behind her and she became face-to-face with a simulated Belief, Beloved and Urbane. "Bring on it boys!" she taunted as she summoned Love is Blue. The Belief attacked first, slamming its whip-like appendage at her. Gracefully dodging the attack, Bailey used Panther Within, scaling the appendage, and made her way to the angel's face. Morphing back to her human form, Bailey began to wail on the face with the dual flamethrowers, Undine.
The Belief roared in pain from the heat and the Beloved struck next, only to hit its fellow angel. Bailey flew away with Bat Within before reforming and pulling out Alruna. Using the whip, she secured a tight grasp on the ax of the Beloved. With a strong pull, Bailey yanked the ax away from its holder. Bailey then used Alruna for her Wicked Weaves attack.
"EX FA!" She cried and summoned Baal, who croaked at being summoning. While they were simulated angels, the Empress of the Fathoms still wrapped her tongue out and began to slam the Belief repeatedly before hurling it into the Beloved. The Belief was defeated and Baal retreated back to Inferno. Bailey's outfit began to reform and she narrowly avoided the Urbane's attempt to slam its ball and chain.
"Don't worry, I didn't forget about you~" Bailey purred before pulling out the chainsaws, Salamandra and met another attack in a weapon-lock against the Urbane. Grunting a bit, Bailey poured more of her strength into the weapon-lock before using Witch Time and getting some distance. Summoning Malphas' wings on her back, she took flight and fired her bow, Kafka, at the Urbane. Not doing too much damage, Bailey flew in with Undine again and roasted the Virtue angel with sheer flames. Using her Wicked Weaves again, she summoned Hydra, who snaked her way through the Urbane before ending its simulation.
Hydra retreated back to Inferno and Bailey was just left with Beloved, who had regained its ax and was charging towards the host of the Umbran Witch. "And last but certainly not least," Bailey chimed and used Heel Slide that pushed the Powers rank angel a minimum distance before Heel Stomp, summoning Madame Butterfly's foot and slammed the threat to the floor. Beloved attempted to rise and when it did, it didn't have time to react to what came next.
"IASTA SA PIADPH!" Beloved was met with Phantasmaranea spewing webs that covered it. The Twister of Flames began to summon its children which pounced and 'devoured' the simulated angel before retreating along with Phantasmaranea.
"Simulation ended."
The simulated background reverted to a blank background to where Bella had just finished her novel. "How was the book?" Bailey asked her best friend.
"A bit cliche, I will admit. Such a classic tale with the same twist," Bella responded, getting out of her seat. "So what to do now?"
"You do know the emo angel wants his book back right?" Bailey sarcastically responded. "Oh, bug off," Bella dismissed.
They left the training room and strutted through the HQ, trying to find David. However, their search came to a stop when they heard their spirits talking.
'What on earth?' Bayonetta (2nd design -who will be referred to as 2) felt a disturbance.
'You feel it too then,' Bayonetta (1st design -who will be referred to as 1) commented.
"Feel what exactly?" Bailey questioned. It was like her spirit to feel unease.
'The shift of light and darkness, little one,' Bayonetta 2 answers.
The two hosts looked at their shadows, which cast Madame Butterfly's appearance. While they couldn't see it, their Mistress of Atrocity felt the disturbance as well. "So, I'm going to go on a limb here," Bella stated, "that light and darkness are out of balance. And it's up to us to fix it."
'Pretty much,' Bayonetta 1 confirmed. "Well, how are we supposed to find the source of the uneasy balance?" Bella said.
"Perhaps we can ask the angels and goddess," Bailey noticed, pointing out the three Kid Icarus hosts taking off in the sky.
'Most likely, Palutena knows when the balance is out of order as well. So wherever she's going, we follow,' Bayonetta 2 said.
"Well then," Bella said, twirling Scarborough Fair around her fingers, "Let's follow shall we." The two Umbran witch hosts made it to the launchpad and took off with Crow Within to follow the angels and goddess. Hopefully, they could provide answers.
"Ugh," David groaned as he felt his black wings begin to cramp while they flew towards the Sky Ruins, "Never realized how far they are."
"Oh, come on David," Peter said as he flew without a single cramp, "Flying is good for you!"
"I prefer flying when I'm battling someone," the emo retorted, "Plus you have more experience than I."
Penelope just watched the two angelic hosts bickering, not interfering as it was not her main concern.
Her main concern was regarding Peter's attitude after their consecutive matches. Peter wasn't one to be in a flunk, he was more cheerful than that. The idea of Peter being dejected wasn't one she liked to see.
'Still pondering Peter's recent mood?' Palutena chimed in.
"Yeah," Penelope whispered, not wanting to have any eavesdropping.
'It will take time. Trust me. As Pit's caretaker, I know how the angel works,' the Goddess of Skyworld explained.
Penelope took her spirit's word for it. She was still new to the concept of having a spirit but she trusted Peter to tell her when something was up.
Soon they arrived at their destination: the Sky Ruins.
"Ugh, I do not miss this place," David stated as he had vague memories of his first appearance in this world and had to battle Dark Link, who was a member of Master Core's Neo Subspace Army.
"Oh relax, David!" Peter reassured, "The memories can't be that bad."
"Speak for yourself, you were lucky that I and Penelope showed up when we did."
The two hosts of angels merely bickered once again at each other. Penelope, on the other hand, was busy sensing something.
An ominous presence had been radiating since their arrival, not to mention why they are here now.
In his domain, the archangel trudged the body of his recent victim with his wings before dropping it.
The deranged angel shook off the blood of his prey and made his way to the mural of the supposed "true goddess" he worship. He kneeled at his praise and began to speak to the mural.
"Oh, great duality. Lend me your powers of holy gift me to cleanse this world and bring about your return on this realm. Let me be able to rid this world of evil and darkness. Let me be by your side and join your crusade." The archangel ended his 'conversation' before his wings flared up.
"Hmmm..." the archangel spoke, "I sense... the presence of light? And a hint of..." he snarled, "darkness..."
The archangel hated the taste of darkness in 'his' realm. The mere thought sickened him. He believe that light was meant to rule all, every source of darkness was wiped out and crushed behind the might of light. But his devotion to the goddess he served was a mix of that.
He believed that with his persuasion he could fully convert the goddess to his side. Pure light at his fingertips and a ruler who had the same idea as him.
But other inhabitants thought he was insane. Mad even. He scoffed at these claims. They could never understand what she was capable of. She was more than able to lead them to a path where light could remain supreme.
The citizens deemed it necessary for there to be a balance between good and evil. A claim the archangel found sickening. Balance, what an absurd idea. After the "true goddess" untimely demise, he vowed to set the record straight. Since he was alone for this cause, he put it upon himself to cleanse the world of darkness, lead it towards the true way of light. He soon found himself an outcast, devoted to a lost cause.
Through his alone time, he began to ponder what he would do to show his worth in case the duality would return. Since others thought he was mad, he was more than happy to erase any potential resistance. Hence his hunting spree. He had nearly killed about all of the inhabitants of his civilization, leaving it in the fabled Sky Ruins.
But back to the sense of a source of darkness. Above in the Sea of Clouds, a presence of darkness is not abnormal but is usually unwelcomed by the users of light.
So whoever this presence was...
they had to be dealt with.
"HHHEEELLLLLLOOOOOOOOOO?" Peter shouted, in hopes of finding anyone in the Sky Ruins. He repeated his call and searched around the rubble, in hopes of finding something.
"Yeah, yell loudly," David muttered, "This place isn't totally abandoned and/or giving off a horror vibe."
"In hindsight," Penelope chimed in, "Maybe there are survivors?"
The idea of survivors didn't seem possible. When she and David first arrived, the only people they encountered were Peter, Luke, and Dark Link (who was impersonating Luke). Plus, the landscape looked worn down and in shambles.
"Gah!" A cry from Peter brought his friends to their attention to the task at hand.
"What is it?" David said before he and Penelope recoiled at the sight.
What Peter found was a dead body. The body was a middle-aged man in a white toga, resembling something equivalent to Ancient Greek. He had a stab wound through his chest as blood had dried on the floor.
"That is... very disturbing," David commented while Peter gagged behind a fallen pillar. Penelope tried sensing any life force but the body was beyond life.
"I can't even feel any life. This must have been some time ago," the greenette pieced together.
From her position, Palutena observed the damage. 'That wound... it looks like something sharp pierced.'
"What kind of weapon could do this?" Penelope asked her spirit.
'I am not certain of the cause. But someone or something could be lurking around here still,' the Goddess of Skyworld said fearfully. Such a weapon or creature must be truly dangerous.
David shuttered at the body. While he was partial about tragedies, they were never this scary or graphic.
'Tch. Whatever happened here might still be around. Hopefully, we get out of here before it comes for us.' Dark Pit insisted. The gothic host just nodded and turned away from the decayed body.
A brief noise of something glistening caught the three Kid Icarus hosts and saw something coming from the sun. Not wanting to take a chance, Peter drew his Palutena Bow, David his Silver Bow, and Penelope her staff and shield.
"My, my," the approaching creature said, his six wings unfurling behind him. "This is... quite the turn of events. Never thought I would see the angels and goddess here."
"And just who are you?" Peter asked with a shaken tone. The six wings behind their assailant were the main problem, making the angelic host worry about his abilities again.
"Well, I am an archangel. One of the highest forms in this realm," the archangel said before his tone darkened, "But you may call me... Abaddon."
"So Abaddon, are you the cause of all this destruction?" Penelope asked, but the three hosts all the answers in their heads.
Abaddon merely shrugged his shoulders, "And what if I am?"
"Well, that would make you a genocidal maniac," David stated before the archangel shifted his attention towards the dark-winged host.
Abaddon's eyes flashed, taking sight of aura. Sensing his opponents, he saw Peter and Penelope radiating with a golden aura while David's aura was a brief light purple aura. The archangel glared at the purple aura, taking it was the darkness it was sensing from his domain.
"You are what I was sensing."
The three hosts gained puzzled expressions on their faces. "Um... what?" Peter inquired, wanting the threat to elaborate.
Abaddon's hands began to charge with photokinetic energy, powered by the rage manifesting from both his powers and hatred of darkness.
"You dare bring an agent of darkness to this holy domain."
"Agent of darkness?" David asked before he could almost his spirit rolled his eyes at the mention of darkness.
'I am a mirrored image of Pit from our universe. I was evil at first but I change my ways and became an officer of Virdi's Forces of Nature,' Dark Pit informed before growling, 'Unfortunately, not many citizens in Skyworld saw my change and labeled me as a minion of darkness.' David just nodded along with his spirit's backstory.
"You two are agents of light! How could you side with such a stain in this world?" Abaddon roared at Peter and Penelope.
Palutena spoke to her spirit in private, 'The balance of light and dark are a constant. If one were to overthrow the other, chaos would ensue.' Penelope repeated the same words to the archangel, but he made a dismissive expression.
"Ugh. Such a cliche fact. I have been told that too many times," Abaddon incredulously said, "Folly thinking and just beyond ridiculous. Light came first in the world, therefore we own this world."
"Own this world? You are just scared of balance," the greenette said.
Abaddon shook his head, "I am just cleansing this world of the scum that have no right here. You must realize that light is truly superior and I serve the one true belief."
Peter spoke up this time, "And to those who don't follow your belief?"
"An example lies behind you."
The three hosts gulped but didn't deter from the archangel's example.
"That doesn't matter! We will defeat you and correct the balance you destroyed!" Peter determinedly stated.
Abaddon shook his head again, "Since you agree with balance... Perish with your beliefs..."
The archangel fired two concentrated light blasts towards the three hosts.