Remi snickered and tapped on Azra's shield again, one claw going through it as though they were trying to peel the shell off of an egg. It wasn't going to come down straight away, but they didn't seem to care and jumped back off while doing a little flip in the air, still grinning as flippantly as ever. Zariel too was snickering with smoke coming out of her nostrils, and Azure held his claws up to tear at anything that moved. The only one not looking outright aggressive was Knox… but the mere fact that he would be shielding the rest of the emissaries spoke for itself.
"We've got some new faces to bash in, I see!" Remi laughed. "And what a mighty fine day it is for some more ass-kicking, too.~ Welcome to hell, lesser-species!"
"Oh, don't hog all the fun for yourself, you speedy fucker," Zariel snickered, embers glowing in her maw.
"Must we make a mess, comrades?" Azure protested, but only half seriously. "Void might not appreciate it."
Remi scoffed in amusement. "Azure, she won't care if we make a mess or not as long as we get rid of what's bothering her," they replied, voice getting a slight growl to it. "And I would know! I was her primary host before Salem was, after all!"
That much was clearly obvious judging from the identification on their arm, but evidently, the Pheromosa still couldn't resist throwing their (former) status around. Azure didn't say a word and Zariel merely chuckled, clearly not taking them too seriously.
Nonetheless, Adnea immediately got glowing eyes while staring straight into Remi's, but the Pheromosa still wasn't going to be dealt with so quickly. Just as fast, one of their sets of claws pried out one of Knox's bricks and stuck it in front of their face, making one little Stakataka eye the only thing that gazed back at them. The little part twitched slightly as if it was surprised, but of course, Knox himself didn't mind very much.
The faction emissaries studied the expeditioners like a finicky shopper would study a Kecleon's wares, and the expeditioners studied them too with highly alert countenances and focused eyes, just waiting for someone to make a move. Remi flicked the stolen brick out of their hand, and back into Knox's walls it went, but the Pheromosa still pointed one set of claws at Adnea with the beginnings of an Ice Beam tentatively held at the tip. Perhaps it was a bit harder to judge a Stakataka, but it certainly seemed as though every one of the emissaries was gloating from the way they carried themselves and grinned (at least, three of them with the necessary anatomy) while surrounding Shar and Adnea's bunch. The air was certainly tense, but for different reasons among each of the creatures there- calculating cockiness, impatient bloodlust, fear, uncertainty…
"Now, now, you tiny thing, the big bugs are here to play," Remi laughed, eyeing Adnea. "How about I see what comes out if I crush that giant brain of yours, hm~? Half of you lesser-species heard what I said, and it still stands- bonus points for cracking a skull! You'd better speak now if you'd rather get it over with, because one way or another, we're gonna fuck every single one of you up, and if you try to put up a fight, we'll take the liberty of doing as we please with you.~"
"You are sick!" Jingle hollered, looking disbelieving at the Pheromosa's antics.
Remi giggled. "No, the ones who are sick are the ones coming from a filthy, impure world like yours.~ Zariel and Azure here have Void's approval, so I don't have to worry about putting them in their places, but the rest of you, well…~" Their expression turned amusedly pitying. "You can't say the same.~"
It was Zariel's turn to laugh. "Remi, I wouldn't give two fucks if you called me sick, filthy, and impure. Matter of fact, I'd agree with you."
Azure rolled his eyes at the Charizard's antics, not protesting them but nonetheless clearly feeling a bit hapless at her wild tendencies. Knox didn't say a word, immoveable as always.
"… Is it safe to say you aren't open to talking this out?" Adnea flatly inquired, eyeing Remi.
Remi flippantly giggled some more. "Depends what you wanna talk about." They started to get a rather smug look. "If you wanna talk about how fucked you are and how surrendering now is clearly the better option, then yes, we can talk things over and I'll make your executions fast.~ If you wanna try doing what that smiley brat did and try to befriend me, talk me down from having my fun, get a little rapport going… then I'll kindly give you a heads-up that you're only making your situation way worse.~"
Adnea studied them some more, gaze piercing, while the rest of the expeditioners looked tense behind her. The Ice Beam still pointed at her, but she didn't seem too fazed, though the way Remi's claws twitched made it seem like the Pheromosa might let it go regardless.
The Orbeetle sighed. "… Remi- or One, as I suppose you had indicated you would prefer us intruding lesser-species to use- I know you don't like being questioned, but can I ask you something?"
Remi smirked even more at the Orbeetle parroting their impressions. Apparently whatever wrath would've been stirred by one of those 'lesser-species' addressing them the same way Void would was quieted by Adnea's borderline kissing-up capitulation. "I'll allow it," they said smugly.
Another sigh followed. "… If Arashi told you everything, then you know I'm the brains of the Coalition. I'm always scoping out danger, trying to gauge our situations, and find the path of least resistance that will accomplish our goals with the least amount of fallout possible. Your leader is smart too, much smarter than I would've expected, to be honest… and the further we go, the less things go according to my plans."
More smirking came after.
Zariel, though, started to laugh. "Oh, we've noticed!" she mocked.
"And I've noticed firsthand when Six-Seven tried to kill me," Azure amusedly corroborated.
Adnea didn't pay them any mind. Rather, a telepathic message graced the minds of her comrades while the faction emissaries were gloating. *I'm trying to buy us some time, and I might be able to get us an audience with Void after all… Dren, Rush, Rozen, as well as Ama and Xeno's group are heading our way to help us out. If I can pull this off, then I can get all of us in, either in parts or in one fell swoop.*
Her comrades were relieved to hear such, but they didn't dare show it.
"What I'm getting at is this," Adnea continued on verbally. "Void wants Astrid, we all know it. The more this continues on, the worse our odds get, the bigger of a hole we dig ourselves into… Just tell me point-blank. What is Void planning on doing with the rest of us? From the way you're talking, she's going to kill us all."
Even more smirking followed. Zariel tried to contain her wild laughter but wasn't doing a very good job, and a little snicker came from Azure too.
"I'm not sure what else you'd expect, to be honest," Remi amusedly scoffed. "You've done nothing but cause her trouble, get in her way, defy her at every turn, and harbor that fucking traitor Six-Seven that sets her off just by anyone mentioning his existence. She could forgive you for resisting her in most any other circumstance… but that last aspect is what pushes you into irredeemable territory. She doesn't care how it happens, she just wants the obstacles keeping her from Astrid out of the way… and that's where we come in.~"
Oddly enough, the icy attack faded from Remi's claws and they swaggered up closer to the Orbeetle, making the expeditioners behind her tense up ready to attack, but Adnea herself still was unmoving and unfazed. The researcher's calculating eyes stared straight into the madness displayed in Remi's, a sheer insanity that ran far too deep to be easily wiped from their mind even if she did go for a Hypnosis…
"So let me guess, tiny thing," Remi said, harsh and playful at the same time, "you don't like that. So just what're you insinuating, huh~?"
Adnea sighed again, still staring into Remi's eyes. "… I know this is fruitless. I know the only thing standing between us and Void wiping our base town off the face of our world is the fact that Astrid's in the crossfires. I know we're outmatched, One. Honestly… I think it's time to cut our losses."
She wasn't serious, but the words leaving her mouth were nonetheless enough to make her comrades look surprised. Shar's eye twitched a little, but she said nothing.
The Pheromosa snickered. "So you'd rather I just shove a claw through your eyes and get it over with? Or shoot an Ice Beam through your head? I haven't killed one of your kind, so by all means, give me some ideas if you have them.~"
"I can give you some ideas!" Zariel happily exclaimed.
"I'll ask you in a second, Zariel; I just wanna watch this tiny pest squirm," Remi quickly brushed her off.
Adnea's eyes narrowed some more. "… I don't think that's a good idea, One."
At that, Remi's eyes narrowed too, and the expeditioners behind Adnea tensed up even more when one of their claws pressed against the side of Adnea's head. Nonetheless, the Orbeetle wasn't moving, even as the purple and red shell on her head started to dent in a bit from Remi's force.
"… I don't recall asking for your opinion," the Pheromosa said, grinning but harsh. "But now that you've given it- completely unprompted, I should say, which is a stupid thing to do with me- go ahead and dig yourself deeper.~ The fuck do you think we should do, huh~?"
Adnea sighed again. "… Take us to Void. We'll give up; we can't win. Maybe I haven't scanned Astrid's mind as much as Necrozma has, but I know enough that I can probably talk her into standing down too. If I tell her that we have a zero-percent chance of winning, she'll listen."
Remi paused for a second, as did the other three emissaries. Zariel's eyes went wide in what looked like cocky glee, and Azure simply blinked. Even the eyes of Knox's that they could see blinked, though of course, the Stakataka couldn't show that much emotion regardless.
… However, the Pheromosa's claw left Adnea's head, while the one that the claw belonged to themself started cackling like a crazy creature (which they most certainly were, to be sure). They cackled so much that their whole body shook and they had to retreat backwards to lean against Knox for support, shaking and jittering in such a way that was unsettling to the expeditioners. Zariel started laughing too, embers escaping her maw as if she just couldn't help breathing fire even without a fight prompting such. Adnea studied them all, especially the howling Pheromosa, but the sheer madness coating their thoughts made it impossible to tell why they were laughing so hard.
Nonetheless, it became clear fairly quickly.
"Oh, you are hilarious, you little pest!" Remi exclaimed. "You really think you can do that?! That's why Void sent that smiley brat that Astrid calls a partner- she sure as hell would've listened to him of all creatures, and that didn't even work! You think she'll listen to you?!"
"The other expedition teams would," Adnea nonetheless kept on. "You might not know the real extent, One, but my team has a large amount of influence. It'd save Void trouble if I went on record saying it was a useless fight."
Remi seemed to perk up a bit, ceasing to laugh and instead looking intrigued. With crossed arms and a flippant smirk, they asked, "You think so, huh?"
"I do," Adnea easily replied. Non-verbally to her comrades, however, she said, *Don't take any of that seriously. We may have to say and do some things that aren't pleasant, and some of us may have to take the poison if they listen to me, but if we get close to Void… be ready.*
Her comrades couldn't verbally affirm anything, but they nonetheless heeded her words.
Remi, though, started studying the Orbeetle, then studied the rest of the expeditioners too. "Answer me this. You aren't all on the same team, right?"
"No," Adnea replied.
"I'm the captain of the Gnarly Brigade!" Shar piped up. "You already know how much I love hell-raising, One. I ain't gonna lie to ya… the amount of hell-raising y'all do up here on Ultra Space sounded tempting from the very start."
That much was true, but for completely different reasons. The raging Garchomp had already made her thoughts on the matter abundantly clear, and everyone knew she would definitely not be giving in to Void.
"Where my captain goes, I go," Azra corroborated, giving Shar a glance.
Chira piped up too. "And us three are from Team Sweetheart," she noted, glancing among her two comrades and feigning a wistful look. "You probably know we've tasted Void's enlightenment before… It was fun while it lasted."
Fun, but horrifying and something none of them ever wanted to repeat.
Remi chuckled. "Members from three teams… So even more lesser-species would listen to you since you're all fairly noteworthy groups, right?"
"That's correct," Adnea answered. "You're smart, One. You can see the potential."
Remi eased up, straightening themself out and… smiling, in a way that almost seemed warm and friendly. Almost… "Oh, I see it, alright," they acknowledged nonchalantly. "Three noteworthy teams, all telling the rest of their ilk that it's useless to oppose our new goddess… That's a pretty good idea, you tiny thing. That just might work pretty damn well, hehehe!"
A wave of relief washed over the expeditioners. It was happening- something was going right. Adnea had done it, they'd get an audience with Void, and the moment they did, surely they'd find a way to depose the tyrant that had forcefully stuck herself on the throne of the universe…
… Or at least, it seemed that way.
The Pheromosa, however, started smirking again and swaggered a few steps closer, playfully brushing one antenna aside and sticking their hands on their knees as if talking to group of rowdy children gathering up at their feet. "… But you know what might work even better~?"
The expeditioners tensed up again, Adnea included.
"If we killed those teams and showed their bodies to the rest of the lesser-species that are influenced by them!" Remi wildly exclaimed. "Then they'd know for damn sure that the odds are zero! We'll show them the mangled bodies of their idols and say that's what gonna happen to them if they don't accept their new goddess! Then that'd save Void the trouble of having to look at the intruders that harbored Six-Seven, too! Ohoho, I think she'd love that idea!"
More cackling followed from the Pheromosa, and Zariel joined in too.
"Oh, I love the way you think, you speedy fucker!" the Charizard exclaimed. "Fuck yes! Let's crush some fucking hopes and dreams! And bodies!"
"That is a highly effective choice," Azure corroborated. "Even if it is messy."
"WE EXPECTED NO LESS OF YOU, COMRADE," Knox piped up.
Adnea's face fell, and the rest of the expeditioners dropped the act and started getting less-than-amused looks.
"I'll rip your goddamned pretty face off if you try," Shar snarled.
"Our love lost to you once, but it won't happen again!" Jingle declared, Millicent nodding and making a fist in agreement on his back.
The Orbeetle, though, apparently had other ideas, floating up close to Remi's face and staring straight into their crazy eyes. "Oh, I have one last question I'd love for you to answer," she said harshly, her own eyes furrowed in wrath.
The Pheromosa seemed caught off guard by Adnea's sudden advance, for they paused in what looked like shock at anyone so openly defying them.
Adnea carried on before they had a chance to react. "Why are you so insufferable? Is it because you're too jealous of Salem to function, so everyone else has to be miserable like you? Are you that immature, One- no, Remi?"
Remi paused, looking even more shocked, and the other three emissaries paused as well. Azure's eyes practically bulged out of his skull, and Zariel's maw hung open at the sound of the words leaving Adnea's mouth. The Orbeetle's comrades tensed up again, but not in fear- rather, in sheer disbelief that the researcher would be so brazen and blunt to someone so terrifying.
"I have trouble reading a mind in a perpetual poison-induced frenzy like yours, but I think I know damn well what your problem is," Adnea hissed. "You've got a raging inferiority complex, and it is pathetic. You can't stand the fact that you've been replaced by someone more useful than you, and you're just too self-centered to realize that, as far as Void's goals go, maybe, just maybe, you should try getting along with that special lesser-species that does your former job better than you ever could. Not that any of us care, because if what Arashi told us is right, you getting along with Salem is a momentous task, so at least we don't have to worry about the two of you ever coordinating a harmonious working relationship that would get in OUR way. You hear that, Remi? For as much as you claim to love your goddess, you really aren't that great of a follower if you're fussing at the one she loves the most, now are you? What right do you have to say we're getting in her way when you, her former primary host, the one she loved first, have done the same thing?"
The Pheromosa's mouth hung open, their eyes going wider. Their comrades were stunned speechless at the verbal beat-down being delivered.
Adnea, though, didn't stop. "So let me guess, instead of accepting Salem as the ally she is, trying to work with her, and being happy that your goddess could reach new heights of power and influence, you felt threatened and insecure, so you've been an insufferable wretch ever since. You have to feel validated and worthy, you have to outdo Salem to prove yourself to your beloved goddess so that maybe, maybe, she'll put you back in your rightful place. Problem is, you can't even begin to touch Salem, but you sure as hell can touch everyone else, so that's why you have to put them in their place- because they all belong beneath you. You want so damned badly to be Void's rightful number one again that you overcompensate trying to take Salem's place, and let me tell you, Remi, it looks ridiculous."
Remi's eyes twitched, but whether it was in fury or despair was hard to tell.
"So here we are, the goddess' prophet looking like an utter tool and disgracing the one that gave them the title in the first place," the Orbeetle practically spat the words out. "You're the fastest Pheromosa, but you're not Salem. You love Void more than anyone else does, but you're not Salem. You're the scariest Beast alive short of your goddess herself, but you're not Salem. You're quite literally number one, but you're not Salem, and you will never be Salem. Here's the bottom line, Remi- that Delphox is better than you in every way and not a thing you do is ever going to change it."
At that, it appeared Remi finally hit a breaking point, for a horrific screech of rage as if someone had just killed their goddess in front of them escaped their mouth. One of Shar's claws shot out and yanked the Orbeetle back, and thankfully so, for had Adnea still been there one split-second longer, a lightning-fast Brick Breaking kick probably would've cleaved her head straight off of her body. Azra shielded them all with Protect, which the claws on Remi's hands nonetheless dug into with ferocity that made even Zariel and Azure look surprised. Nonetheless, the draconian figure and the armored bug snapped out of their shocked state and looked ready to throw down, especially the Charizard with the glinting Mega Stone. Knox crouched a bit, like a beast about to spring on some unfortunate prey, though he simply hulked over them silently.
"KEEP TALKING!" Remi thundered. "I FUCKING DARE YOU!"
"Adnea, what the fuck, matey!" Azra exclaimed.
"W-why?!" Chira cried. "Now they're crazy and angry!"
The Orbeetle still didn't seem too fazed. *Simple psychology,* she non-verbally replied. *Preying on their obvious insecurities is a low blow, but it works. Now they'll feel a burning need to overcompensate yet again, to prove themself and be perfect, which will overstimulate their mind past the point where it's most effective. In other words, they'll be more prone to mess up and make risky moves they otherwise wouldn't, which will also force their comrades to overcompensate for them as well. You'll thank me later.*
Azra's shield looked as though it might get shattered to pieces for the way Remi ripped and slashed at it. If they had ever seen pure murderous overdrive… it was in the Pheromosa's expression.
"… Matey, I trust ya, but I'm almost wonderin' if you're the crazy one here," Shar remarked.
None of the other expeditioners disagreed.
. . . . .
Lunala's company had some fairly strong reactions too.
"D-does she want to get killed?!" Raijin exclaimed, twitching in stupor. "Because that is how you get killed! No one talks to Remi like that unless you're stupid or you have a death wish!"
"D-does she know who she's dealing with?!" Arashi likewise cried out in stunned distress. "Oh, Arceus above, Adnea, don't let what happened to me happen to you…!"
The Greninja again looked like he might faint from sheer fright and went limp for a second, but the Xurkitree quickly caught him with one arm and kept him steady.
Astrid's beak hung open, little gasping sounds coming out but no words taking complete form. She shook her head, unsure whether to be impressed or horrified, and forced her beak shut again with wide eyes. "… That's one way to do things…"
Lunala too shook her head. "… She's not wrong, but of every method she could've picked, I'm a little surprised she chose that route," the goddess mused.
As much as she didn't want to admit it, Astrid agreed with the goddess.
"I trust Adnea too, but I'm… really worried," Raijin said softly, shrinking up a bit. "I guess Remi is better to piss off than Salem, but… still."
"Take it easy," Lunala chimed back in, patting her emissary on the head. "That goes for all of you. They aren't stranded with no help or no way to help themselves. They just have to hold out for a little while and things won't be as one-sided as they are now."
The Xurkitree immediately eased up at the goddess' words, and Arashi let out a heavy breath as though he'd been unable to breathe moments prior while getting less tense. Astrid didn't follow along as fast, borderline glaring at Lunala out of the corner of her eye, but she outwardly got ahold of herself so her comrades wouldn't suspect the myriad of negative emotions she harbored towards their ethereal company.
"Aha, you're right…" Arashi admitted, getting a little smile on his face (that Astrid figured was likely halfway forced).
Raijin wordlessly nodded.
"Besides, it's like Astrid said," Lunala gently kept on. "We've got our own things to worry about. If there's something up, I'll let you know."
Both the Greninja and the Xurkitree nodded again, but Astrid, however, simply gave the goddess a narrow-eyed glance without saying a word. She didn't particularly like the sound of the goddess saying her name out loud either, but she kept that to herself as well. The more time they spent together, the less and less the Decidueye liked the Light Trio, and the worse and worse she felt for the callous way she'd be leaving her comrades… but her teammates simply couldn't know that.
The jungle terrain had started to thin out just a bit, and it definitely showed that they were on the intersection between it and the desert from the way the soil underfoot occasionally had patches of sand mixed in along with a few little plant-looking rock fixtures. It was still necessary to brush aside a shrub every now and then, but the greenery wasn't nearly as dense as it had been when they were on the outer verge of the floating island. Those blinding rays still shone down like the sun, and it was easier to see them radiating outwards, along with the giant figures of the Celesteelas circling the tower overhead… Astrid still couldn't help but to feel apprehensive when she looked at it. It would be her last journey with her comrades, and easily the hardest mission they'd ever embark on…
"Hey, Lunala?" Arashi piped up, glancing to the goddess. "What do you make of all this? I mean, you're a guardian of Ultra Space, so you've gotta be upset."
Astrid and Raijin both perked up, the Decidueye more so than their comrade. Lunala had to be, surely, and Astrid almost wanted to feel sorry for her when she thought about how hard it must've been to watch an entire dimension crumbling… but she didn't think about it for long. She definitely would've been upset in Lunala's place, and she was upset herself, but not for the goddess' sake. She mourned for every life, whether Beast, human, or even Pokémon if there were any in Ultra Space, that had been snuffed out unjustly for no good reason, and she mourned for the few peaceful memories that her Xurkitree comrade had, since he definitely didn't deserve having his homeland turned into a warzone… but she struggled to mourn for the Light Trio's loss. She understood their need for outside help when backed into a corner by Void's horde, but she nonetheless resented them all for their dirty deception about what came after.
"… Oh, I am," Lunala gently affirmed. "Believe me, we had some crazy and despicable minds, both human and Beast, before Void took over, but now… I've only heard one creature's prayers for a while when I used to hear a lot." She patted Raijin on the head with one bony hand.
Her emissary tapped his fingers together. "And Necrozma- you included- would always answer me even if it took some time," Raijin mused softly.
The Greninja perked up too. "Really? I never thought about it that way, aha! So what's it like now? Is it quiet?"
"No, it's not quiet," Lunala answered. "I still hear things, but it's not prayers. It's taunts and threats that I try to tune out. You know, everyone has their different perceptions of everyone else, and that doesn't bother me, but… mockery and disdain and aggression making up the overwhelming majority would probably make most anyone uncomfortable, and I'm no exception. There might've been times when I got frustrated with our citizens, but now I'm just… sad for them. Sad that it's fallen this far, this hard, and this fast."
Arashi perked up even more. "Really?! Oh, sheesh, that must suck! Being a goddess must be hard!"
The goddess herself chuckled. "It's all part of the job, Arashi. Even if they all hate me, I- or rather, we as the Light Trio- have an obligation to protect them. I used to hear the prayers of our citizens that were scared, or hurt, or stranded in other worlds by a spontaneous wormhole, and I used to hear the prayers of the humans wishing for safety if they had to venture outside of their safe zones… I might never hear that last one again, but I'll still be here waiting for the day I start hearing the rest. If we quit when things get hard, then no one has these worlds' best interests at heart, and I'm not about to give up."
The Greninja chuckled too. "Sheesh, you must have a huge heart too," he said with a grin. "And a really cool job! I mean, hearing everyone's prayers makes it sound like you're an expeditioner, just with a giant mission field and a ton of responsibility, aha!"
"You're not wrong!" Lunala affirmed, giving him a smile.
Astrid got an almost amused look, eyeing her partner. "What, are you saying you're not satisfied being on the same team as your idols anymore? You wanna be a god now?"
"No way!" Arashi quickly replied, giving her an amused look too. "Astrid, if I've learned anything from being your partner, it's that I don't make calls nearly as well as you! If I were a god, I'd be the one in charge, right? I've given you info and showed you how things work on our world and all that, but at no point in any of our adventures have I ever been the one at the lead! You're the voice of reason, and I'm that voice you can't drown out telling you to hold your head up high and be happy and that everything is gonna be fine even if things are crazy right now! If anything, you'd be the goddess and I'd be your emissary, and I'm good with that! I'd still be going on all your crazy missions anyway!"
He laughed, sticking one arm around the Decidueye. She couldn't help but to grin too, and Raijin stifled a bit of electrical laughter while Lunala wore a haplessly amused look.
"Well, creatures like me need creatures like you," Astrid said softly.
"That's right," her partner affirmed pointedly but cheerfully. "Nobody's ever gonna break our synergy! Nobody!"
The Greninja giggled in glee, but Astrid couldn't help the wide-eyed, blank look that crossed her face. There was someone not even three meters away from them and two other someones fused together in the distance that could break their synergy, and break it they undoubtedly would. He sounded so happy, so cheerful, and she dreaded to think of how he'd sound after he inevitably figured out that their Team Starstorm synergy was a fleeting dream. Her Beast comrade wasn't as vocal, but she dreaded to think of what he'd do and say once he too figured out that they wouldn't be taking charge of their fates, they wouldn't be exploring the galactic reaches, they wouldn't be watching the storms together… As much as she wanted it to be a cruel joke, it wasn't, and the feeling made her sick.
However, that wasn't at the forefront of her mind for very long, since the bright rays from Megalo Tower… flickered. They flickered like a lantern being snuffed out then revived again, and when they did, all four of them stopped dead.
Astrid blinked in pure silence, hardly daring to even breathe, her gaze slowly drifting up to the source of the world's light. Arashi blinked too, getting a surprised look and glancing about as if to see if everyone else had seen the flicker as well, and Raijin was as still as a statue. Lunala, though, easily had the most concerned look of them all, for her eyes were wide and almost appearing to glitch, and her mouth hung open in shock.
"L-Lunala?!" Raijin exclaimed, soft but frightened.
"… I'm not going crazy, am I?" Arashi croaked. "You guys saw that too…?"
"No," the goddess breathed, clearly not in response to Arashi's question. "No! I thought I had us masked so well, I thought we were in the clear, I thought we'd still all get there and bust in together like we planned! How did they-!"
When the rays flickered again and went dark, three shouts of surprised reluctance escaped the goddess' company, and Raijin clutched at the two Pokémon with a fairly snug grip. Astrid didn't protest it and Arashi gave a little jolt, but merely because of the Xurkitree's currents touching him and not because he minded the gesture. Lunala made a little screeching sound, someplace between apprehension and frustration.
"Necrozmaaaa…!" Lunala borderline snarled.
The Starstorm trio all shared glances, pure hesitance on Astrid and Arashi's faces. They all gave a jolt of fright when the air in front of them cracked and opened, but just as quick, the golden frame of one of Lunala's wings whacked them all aside out of the way of the prismatic black claws that ripped through the air they'd occupied moments prior. Lunala herself wasn't entirely safe, and shortly she was pinned in the dirt with one of those sets of claws pressed down on her bony ribcage as if trying to break it.
"Augh!" the ethereal Beast cried, thudding against the ground.
For as quick as the attack happened, it felt much longer on account of how unreal everything seemed. Their surroundings ceased to be dark, instead illuminated by a large feline form glowing like the sun clad in prismatic black armor. One set of hulking, razor-sharp claws pushed down uncomfortably hard on Lunala's chest, and the other set that had moments prior been swiping at the Starstorm trio instead scratched into the side of her face. A low growl came from the feline's mouth, and the two prismatic arms on Necrozma's back were poised ready to rip into Lunala.
Necrozma didn't even say anything, only snarling as their extra set of gargantuan claws clutched down at the ethereal goddess, but they didn't tear into their target. They instead tore into the ground, Lunala phasing straight down through it.
"Oh, wow, they do not look happy," Arashi mused reluctantly.
"Arceus above…" Astrid croaked, eyes huge.
The absence of the goddess only appeared to set off the shining prismatic Beast even more, for they instantly turned their gaze on the Starstorm trio. A set of blue eyes shone through the prismatic helmet on the feline's head, but the blankness of them was only more unsettling- there was no way to grasp what kind of feeling Necrozma might've been showing in them, even if it was only blinding rage… It was like looking at a figure with no soul inside, even if they knew better.
Again Necrozma snarled, crouching down as if readying to spring and lurching a few steps closer. Astrid reached for an arrow and several shurikens formed in Arashi's hand, but Raijin darted in front of them both with sparks shooting up and down his form and one arm held in front of them as if somehow that would shield them.
"Necrozma, this is not you!" the Xurkitree hollered.
Another snarl followed, the claws on their back looking like they'd rip Raijin apart too. "I didn't come here to be told what I am and am not by the likes of you, Six-Seven," the fused one growled harshly. "What right do you have to say such a thing? Your use has dried up and you no longer serve a purpose."
The Xurkitree twitched and went still again in stunned silence, and Astrid and Arashi got shocked looks of their own too.
"That is a horrible thing to say!" the Greninja protested. "And what's with that 'Six-Seven' business, huh?! You were completely on board when we gave him his name!"
"That name is a sign of his treachery and I will not acknowledge such proud, flagrant rebellion," Necrozma snarled back, lurching towards them again.
The Starstorm trio all took a step back as Necrozma advanced closer, then gave yet another little jolt of fright at feeling something behind them. Thankfully, it was none other than Lunala, who phased up back out of the ground, eyes narrowed on the armored feline. A Wide Guard went up around them as those gargantuan, vicious claws threatened to mangle whoever they could touch, though her energy shield still found itself receiving a myriad of slash marks.
"And you, Lunala!" Necrozma shrieked in wrath. "We all knew we'd be seeing you again, and I've been waiting for the chance to rip into you!"
"HOW did you find us?!" Lunala shrieked. "You shouldn't be at full strength yet, and I was masking us!"
"Salem!" the fused god thundered back, giant claws still raking her shield. "She knew something was wrong from the way Forty-Twelve of Squad Glimmer was going berserk! She got Remi to accompany her, and what do we find but the remnants of an attack that clearly could only come from intruders! Word got back to me, and I started looking for you! But I didn't just find you, I found a whole entourage of off-world infidels! YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM ME, LUNALA!"
One last rake of their vicious claws shattered her shield like glass, making Raijin twitch in surprise and Astrid and Arashi's eyes go huge for the umpteenth time, but oddly enough, Necrozma jumped backwards away from them all.
"And neither can you, Astrid," the armored feline growled, staring straight at the Decidueye. "It was me that brought you here, and I'll be damned if I let that turn into a mistake. Do you understand what that means?! You're here for the purpose I designate! I will drag you back to Void's side, even if I have to rip dimensions apart and move heaven and earth to do it!"
… The feathered ghost might've been apprehensive at hearing the fused god say her name in such a harsh tone at first, but the more they went on, the more enraged she became. This was the same creature that told her to take charge of her fate, knowing full well she'd never truly be able to and that her time with her friends was just a fleeting wisp. She had gone along with their purpose and did indeed want to see it through, but in their poisoned state, after having the full picture given to her, and hearing those snarling, taunting declarations leaving their mouth that she could stay only if she sacrificed her free will… some very choice words erupted from her beak that she didn't bother to stop.
"GO FUCK YOURSELF, NECROZMA! FUCK OFF TO HELL WHERE YOU BELONG!"
Her comrades looked surprised again, that time at her. She nocked her arrow with a glowering expression and let it go, aiming to crack their prismatic 'helmet' and maybe put out an eye underneath it, but at the same time, Necrozma's form flared even brighter with a burst of light and outright incinerated the arrow. Every single one of them were shielding their eyes, for true to Necrozma's moniker, it was blinding. Solgaleo's body seemed to dissipate into a myriad of shining photons, and Necrozma's prismatic pieces all broke apart off of it and started rearranging.
"Yiah! What is that?!" Arashi exclaimed, sounding pained.
"Nothing good, I'll tell you that!" Raijin exclaimed.
"Fuck you, Necrozma…!" Astrid still breathed in anger.
Even brighter flared their light, to the point that the ones possessing visible eyes shut them tightly and still tried to shield their faces. A shout of discomfort left both Astrid and Arashi, but the Decidueye was still glaring even behind her closed hood and feather fingers.
"You all think you can stand up to ME?!" Necrozma hissed. "I am the strongest force in this world, this world that exists for Void! And I will NOT let you bunch of filthy traitors get in our way!"
It was still utterly blinding, but everyone figured that shielding their eyes forever wasn't going to work. Astrid let her hand fall from her face, and there was that same visage she'd seen before in memories and visions- that gleaming, golden dragon radiating pure energy. It was familiar, but she still couldn't quite believe her eyes that she was seeing it up close.
"Urgh…! Necrozma, forgive meee…!" Raijin hollered, a Signal Beam taking form between his hands.
Astrid didn't waste time either, and apparently Arashi caught on too, for the Xurkitree's attack was accompanied by a Spirit Shackle and a Dark Pulse.
Lunala, however, had other ideas. "No, don't-!" she cried, looking perturbed at the fact that her company had just launched attacks on their assailant.
They quickly figured out what Lunala meant when the air cracked and opened up in front of Necrozma… then cracked and opened up behind them all. A Signal Beam, Spirit Shackle, and Dark Pulse came shooting right back out at them, smashing into another Wide Guard. The Starstorm trio gave the wormhole a glance as if not quite believing what they'd just seen, then looked back to Necrozma, who appeared to be laughing at them.
"Struggle all you want," the gleaming dragon taunted. "You're all finished."
Astrid blinked, and she and her teammates were yet again exchanging glances.
"Please tell me you have ideas," Arashi said quickly, looking at Astrid.
The Decidueye blinked, looking to Raijin and Lunala. "… I hope you Beasts have ideas, because I sure don't," she practically vomited the words out.
"And I hope you do, Lunala, because this is something I don't think I could ever adequately prepare for," Raijin too said hurriedly.
Lunala looked unsure for a second, but her eyes quickly narrowed on the Blinding One. "That's a Dragon- and Psychic type, so everyone, stick to your super effective moves, and Raijin, hit as hard as you can. All three of you, listen to me, and Astrid, be careful. As for me… I'm your shield and our primary damaging unit. I might go dim all over again and I might die holding them off, but that's something I'll accept."
Her shield dropped, and Necrozma laughed some more, trillions of photons all condensing at the tip of one outstretched claw. Astrid had no idea if pulling off a win against such a creature was even possible, but they'd all be damned if they didn't try… and she herself was determined to give Necrozma the thrashing they deserved for putting her in such a predicament.
One way or another, someone was going to have a terrible time.
Author's note: Well, I may be the only one that is bothered by it, but this one took longer to get out than I was hoping for it to. Let's just say, having your car totaled in a 6-car pileup on the freeway, being in the wedding party of your 2 best friends marrying each other, and having a mentally unstable relative show up at your family's house after going off of their medications will put a damper on things.
On a different note, I was playing music while proofreading as I always do, and "Kingslayer" by Bring Me the Horizon and "Chaos Reigns" by The Browning are... surprisingly fitting for when Necrozma decides to ruin Team Starstorm's day. (Of course, if you do not have an affinity for the metalcore and electronicore genres, your mileage may vary.)
On a completely unrelated note, for you lovely people in the US, an early happy Thanksgiving to you all. May you not be stuck eating turkey sandwiches for the next 3 months (unless you enjoy that, but I digress).
