Remi still screeched and beat their claws against the shield, not quite cracking it but making it look as though it were close. Some of the expeditioners on the other side looked hesitant at the fact that Azra couldn't hold a Protect up forever and surely they would be vulnerable to the enraged Pheromosa's onslaught shortly, but Shar seemed to be working herself up into a rage almost as fierce. The Garchomp growled and her claws twitched- the beginnings of an Outrage.

"YOU THINK YOU'RE SO FUCKING CLEVER, DON'T YOU?!" Remi thundered, clawing and kicking at the thinning barrier. "SHE LOVED ME FIRST! KNOW YOUR FUCKING PLACE!"

"OH, I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THEM PUT IN THEIR PLACES," Knox nonchalantly mused with his huge voice.

"Let's not waste any fucking time!" Zariel cackled in bloodthirsty excitement.

"Let's not," Azure casually agreed, claws retracting back into their sheaths.

The Charizardite Y around Zariel's neck glowed, and one huge burst of energy later, her form was looking far more fierce with her ridged tail, elongated horns, and borderline tattered-looking wings. What looked like a miniature sun blazed into existence in the sky overhead, radiating down some almost uncomfortable heat that, despite the moist and heavy feeling of the air, was still easily felt. One of Azure's eyes twitched in what may have been discomfort at the dry change in atmosphere, but he didn't voice it if it was. Azra's Protect faded, and when it did, both Remi and the Golisopod instantly took the offensive.

Adnea quickly picked up on something as well. "MOVE, Millicent!" she hollered.

The Alcremie perked up and went to jump from Jingle's back, but they all quickly found out that, with the Orbeetle anticipating it or not, Azure's First Impression was just too fast. It occurred almost too fast to see, but the Golisopod rushed the little fairy and stuck one of his larger back arms against her back, then extended the claws. There was no blood, nor was there any breaking of bone, but that did not make the sight any less unpleasant- an Alcremie, fluffy body skewered on a huge set of claws through her chest and through the lower left side of her face, the bottom half of her left eye broken like a crushed berry with the armored bug's impaling appendage jutting out. What looked like the juice from a reddish berry dripped down from it, and from around the claw through her chest started to drip what looked like melting whipped cream. Her intact eye was huge with shock, and her mouth contorted in fear and pain with little gasping sounds coming out. Had she not tried to jump moments before, she likely would've had one claw through the center of her face instead of off to the side… which likely would've killed her instantly.

Chira noticed faster than anyone. "MILLICENT!" she shrieked.

Jingle caught wind of his comrade's grievous state quickly, and a look of pure horror crossed his face.

Remi, on the other hand, went straight for the expeditioners' lone source of protection and delivered a Brick Breaking kick to Azra's chest, putting cracks in his thick metal plates and making the his eyes go wide from the (doubly super effective) force. Nonetheless, the Aggron was still standing despite his discomfort, and the ground about Remi gave way to several large rock slabs erupting up from it. The Pheromosa gasped a bit in surprise and curled up as small as they would go, which likely saved them from getting hit directly by the Rock Tomb but nonetheless landed them holed off inside. It still didn't hold them for long, for a loud cracking sound followed as half of the slab prison shattered from Remi's kicks, but they still weren't safe- evidently Shar knew that such was likely and honed in on their location with claws slashing and mouth snarling. An Outraging Garchomp would've likely flustered anyone else, but the Pheromosa got a wild-looking grin and delivered a U-Turning kick to her chest too. Of course, Shar couldn't even be bothered to care about if it hurt or not, and instead ripped into Knox when he swapped places with his comrade. The Stakataka wasn't too bothered even if his clawed bricks did give little twitches, and instead he slammed one leg into the ground to set off an Earthquake that would've swallowed Azra up had the Aggron not Protected himself again.

Azra stared down what eyes of Knox's he could see. "From one defensive bastion to another, you two are gonna have to try harder."

Knox wasn't too fazed. "FROM ONE DEFENSIVE BASTION TO ANOTHER, THESE WALLS HAVE NEVER FALLEN."

Whether that was a challenge, gloating, or a simple statement of fact was impossible to tell.

Azure, though, retracted his candy-coated claws from within Millicent, Chira darting out to catch her in her scarves before she could hit the ground while Jingle breathed a Dragon Breath on the armored bug. The Golisopod held his hulking back arms up to shield himself, and the hard-as-diamond plates kept him largely unscathed.

"DO YOU EVEN HAVE A HEART?!" Jingle hollered, eyes flashing with rage.

"I do, as a matter of fact," Azure calmly replied.

Chira cradled the tiny cream fairy in her arms as best she could, which Millicent at least seemed to be relieved by even if she gasped in pain and couldn't quite make any particular facial expression. If anything, her comrades should've been glad she at least wasn't flesh and blood, for her wounds closed up just a bit on their own without the claws essentially holding them open, but there was still a hole in her eye and in her chest that someone easily could've poked a stick through. She was alive, but… those wounds still had to hurt.

"Millicent, stay with me!" Chira exclaimed, wrapping the Alcremie's chest tightly in one of her scarves.

Of course, a creature with a body made of cream squished a bit at being wrapped up, but Millicent didn't seem to mind it too much. The Alcremie appeared to be reaching for her injured eye, making some gurgling sounds that easily conveyed her pain, but her fingers started moving (in rather disjointed, jerky ways) to make a gesture telling Chira to wrap her head up too. The Cinccino obliged.

"Don't you give out on us, Millicent," Chira breathed, looking furious (but clearly not at her comrade). She carefully positioned the tiny fairy on her back, tied up with her scarves like an important package strapped down for easy moving, but nonetheless with pressure on her wounds. "You're one tough cookie! You put the 'sweet' in Team Sweetheart!"

In silent response, the Alcremie shakily started Decorating her comrade with cream swirls, and Chira grinned.

Zariel, on the other hand, was definitely grinning as she took to the air, cackling in malice as embers welled up in her throat. "I hope your loved ones all know where you are, because none of you are leaving alive and I will fucking co-sign your obituaries!"

"Scatter!" Adnea hollered, looking up to the Charizard.

A Flamethrower mostly tinted blue from its sheer heat spewed from Zariel's mouth, which even the faction emissaries had to be wary of- Knox took a few plodding steps backwards and Azure ducked behind the living rampart, while Remi darted out of its range. The expeditioners ducked behind Azra, who put up a shield… except for Shar, who took a running start before folding up her body and holding her fins out like wings to fly. Her typing, as well as her state of sheer rage, kept her from feeling the Flamethrower in the slightest, and Zariel had to flap her own wings to avoid getting her throat Crunched by the Garchomp's snapping jaws.

"Co-sign my obituary?! How about I turn you into a statistic?!" Shar screeched.

"Careful, comrade!" Azure hollered likewise, looking just a tad bit flustered at his draconian ally's antics.

"Hell, Zariel!" Remi echoed the sentiment. "Don't pull a Salem and torch everything! You have comrades here!"

"What, you can't be Salem so she can't use the same tactics, either?" Adnea flatly remarked.

The Pheromosa wasn't amused. "FUCK YOU!" they thundered, glaring at the smallest bug.

Yet again, Azra's shield was battered by a furious Pheromosa's flailing limbs. Chira, Jingle, and Adnea all turned their attention on them, the former two with a Swift and Flamethrower ready to go, and the latter staring straight into their eyes while her own glowed. The expeditioners didn't have their protection for much longer, and when it faded, Remi quickly kicked Jingle upside the head to U-Turn out of the way and switch places with Knox once more. The Pheromosa looked almost caught off-guard at being targeted for how much they wanted to rip into Adnea, but thankfully, Knox wasn't caught off guard in the slightest and took the attacks largely unfazed. A Wide Guard followed thereafter.

Adnea found Remi with her hypnotic gaze again as quick as she could, still trying to sway the stick-thin Beast's mind. "Stop it, Remi," she said harshly, still staring the Pheromosa down.

Remi stared straight back, expression absolutely livid. "Push your luck, you tiny bitch," they hissed, not budging from their warpath. "You won't like how it ends."

Evidently, even as difficult as the poisoned Team Sweetheart on Starry Peak had been, Remi was much closer to no return, for even with a glow in their eyes insinuating that Hypnsosis' effects would take hold, they still shot off an Ice Beam between Adnea's eyes that probably would've put her out of commission had Knox's shield not kept it contained.

*You can see it already,* the Orbeetle telepathically mused, cautiously eyeing the Pheromosa nonetheless. *They're focusing much more on offense than keeping themself reasonably safe. In the state we saw them in last time, they would've been laughing at our attacks. Dirty as it is, I'm hoping to push them to a breakdown.*

*I trust you, Adnea, but gods above, I'm worried,* Chira thought back.

*I'm noticing it from their expressions,* Azra mentally acknowledged.

When Knox's shields dropped, Azure aimed a Liquidation at Azra, but his water-coated hulking back arm was knocked off course by a stronger-than-usual Iron Tail courtesy of the Decorated Chira. A look of surprise crossed the Golisopod's face when, in the middle of Chira's flipping movement to strike him, he caught sight of the snarling expression of Millicent with only one eye peeking out from her comrade's scarves and her mouth practically forming curse words without actually saying any. A very aromatic Sweet Scent filled the air too, discombobulating him for just a second as Chira herself slipped through the grasp of his other claws.

"Oho, no you don't!" the Cinccino exclaimed.

"Another little brat that refuses to die," the armored bug mused apathetically.

Azra, though, chuckled. "Thanks, sweetheart!"

Remi, though, apparently could do without trying to maim Adnea for just a few seconds when the Orbeetle aimed a Psychic at them and Jingle too joined in with an Extrasensory. They still looked utterly furious, but instead darted out of the way and ducked behind the ever-impenetrable Knox, who raised one leg up before slamming it down again and causing an Earthquake. The ones on the ground were quickly finding new footing to avoid being swallowed by the fissures.

In the air, though, Shar had all but ripped Zariel's shield to bits before it faded, and her Outraging onslaught was still going even after. The Charizard, however, didn't seem to mind much at all and even appeared to be enjoying the sight of a foe trying so wildly to down her, chuckling maliciously while outmaneuvering every single one of Shar's hits.

"That's the spirit!" Zariel cackled, flapping her wings to avoid one of Shar's claws. "This is the kind of fight I love being in! Show me some rage!"

Shar clearly had plenty of that to go around, for she only roared a mighty roar as her claws swiped for the Charizard's belly. Zariel still went unscathed, smirking with bloodlust as a Dragon Breath welled up in her throat.

"Now let me make your existence past-tense!" the Charizard shrieked wildly as she fired her attack.

Even in her raging state, Shar could evidently tell when it was time to stop her warpath, for she quit swinging and instead fired off a Flamethrower in an attempt to ward off Zariel's attack. The Garchomp was strong, but in her Mega form, Zariel was evidently far stronger, for the Dragon Breath overpowered the flames fairly easily and made Shar have to drop down to avoid getting hit head-on. It was a narrow miss, but what wasn't a miss was the Air Slash that came after and sliced Shar's form enough to knock her out of flight.

"Gwargh!" the Garchomp hollered, plummeting to the ground while her assailant laughed.

"Captain!" Azra cried.

The Garchomp's form hit the ground with a thud… right in front of Knox. She was conscious and moving, but her post-Outrage confusion kept her from seeing just what an unfortunate position she was in. Knox's form tilted forward, like a much larger creature angling their head downwards at a smaller one by their feet (which, all things considered, wasn't entirely inaccurate), and Remi snickered, still ducked behind their partner but aiming an Ice Beam at the fallen dragon.

"Aaagh…" Shar groaned, eyes fluttering for a second.

"Captain! Move!" Azra hollered, trying to dart over to her as fast as a heavily armored creature could move.

Nonetheless, she at least seemed to take note that she was looking up at a horde of Stakataka eyes… Stakataka eyes that were glowing red. All at once, the bricks' cohesion seemed to fall apart, and she was trying her hardest to scramble to her feet so as not to get caught in a Rock Slide. Still, even as quick as she moved, gravity was quicker, and the expeditioners fully expected to see their gnarly dragon comrade with some hefty dents and gashes in her body. That wasn't even considering the Ice Beam that Remi let fly too, which she was doubly weak to…

At least, they would have been horrified, if the bricks of Knox's front and top half hadn't started glowing pinkish-purple instead courtesy of a certain Orbeetle who wore a look of straining concentration. Remi's Ice Beam would've connected with Shar too, but one of their hulking comrade's bricks froze directly in its path and cracked instead.

Instantly, the Pheromosa was back to looking full of wrath. "OH, YOU LITTLE BITCH!" they shrieked in fury.

"Tch…! Ah…!" Adnea hissed, sounding pained even if she had no injuries.

Her tiny form shivered just like another creature's body would if trying to move a boulder far too large for them. Knox's bricks shivered too, both the ones being telekinetically held in place, as well as the others of his body, as if trying to call them back.

Still, from the way they were held still, something else became apparent that likely wouldn't have been noticed if Knox had gotten off the Rock Slide with no obstacles and then quickly reformed his collective body like before. There were more bricks on the inside of his four-walled frame that seemed to be forming something of a lower compartment, whereas he had clearly been a huge, hollow box before. It was like looking at the basement of a walking house with one wall and part of the ceiling stripped away, if such a thing could even exist. The Orbeetle noticed it if no one else.

"Azra! I'm following your voice, because I can't make out jack shit!" Shar hollered, darting away… in a direction that was not in her teammate's direction, but nonetheless would suffice to get her out of Knox's path.

"This way, Captain!" the Aggron hollered back.

Even in her pitiful state, Millicent could still muster up some Aromatherapy, which snapped the Garchomp out of her confusion.

"UNHAND MY PARTS, YOU SHAMELESS KNAVE!" Knox boomed out, his pieces still shivering.

Adnea didn't look like she wanted to, instead staring all of the levitating bricks in their eyes with a glow in her own, but when an X-Scissor from Azure struck her, her intense concentration broke.

"Augh!" the Orbeetle cried, getting struck by his hulking claws.

Knox's pieces and the Orbeetle both went clattering to the ground, the latter with two deep gashes through the wings on her head. A Swift from Chira connected with the Golisopod but still were mostly brushed off as he used one back claw to shield his softer underside, and an Earth Power from Azra didn't quite strike the Stakataka's scattered pieces like he'd been hoping for when they all took a white glow. Azure held one claw in the air, likewise glowing white, and they quickly figured out that, while Void's bodyguard hadn't gotten off a Rock Slide like he'd wanted, Azure could easily pick up the pieces of the failed attack (and quite literally so) and pull it off himself. Several dozen Stakataka bricks went flying into the air, then rained down on the expeditioners.

"Oh, that's some great teamwork and I hate it!" Chira fussed, darting to scoop up Adnea before darting to Azra's side.

All of the other expeditioners followed suit, scrambling back to Azra's side as he yanked them in close to Protect them all. Another absurdly hot Flamethrower from Zariel and another Ice Beam from Remi rained down on them, the Charizard still laughing above and Remi looking even more annoyed than they had before.

When she was closer with everyone, it was much easier to see just how serious Zariel's attack on Shar had been. Her blue skin was dripping red in multiple places, and of those bloodied gashes, sections of pink were visible underneath that shifted just a bit every time the Garchomp moved, along with little sections of white in a few places… Shar herself was breathing heavily, which came as a surprise to every single one of them, but she was still studying their foes.

"Captain…" Azra breathed hesitantly, his eyes going slightly wide.

"Gods above, Shar!" Jingle likewise exclaimed.

The Garchomp shook her head. "Don't mind me, mateys," she brushed it off, albeit in a husky voice. "I didn't get covered in scars and have one eye clawed out just to get done in by a bunch of blowhards drunk on power and poison. I can take it."

Her comrades weren't sure what to make of her, but when everything went dark for a second, their only lights either Knox's glowing bits or the various natural light-producing features of Ultra Space, they all jumped.

"W-what?!" Chira exclaimed.

"NO…!" Adnea breathed, getting it together again after being dazed by the force to her head.

They jumped again when Zariel thudded down outside their shield in front of them all, blue flames welling up in her throat that illuminated the bloodlust in her expression as well as anything.

"Place your bets, who chars first?!" the Charizard laughed.

Their shield started to fade, and Shar quickly thrust herself in front of everyone else to give them time to scatter appropriately… but that quickly wasn't necessary either.

"Mine's on the little bug- GWARGH!" the Charizard started to say as she spit a Flamethrower, but was cut off.

Quickly, Zariel wasn't the only Mega form in the area, for the jaws of a Mega Salamence chomped down on her neck. Whatever flames she was hoping to spew were cut right off, and she struggled to get even a few embers or a puff of smoke out. Likewise, a Scrafty and an Audino dropped down into their midst too, evidently having jumped from their comrade's back.

"And mine's on you!" Dren growled, albeit sounding muffled with his jaws literally full of another creature's flesh. Maybe it was absurd to try burning a literal Fire-type, but he evidently didn't care judging by the flames in his own maw.

"Fuck yeah, baby!" Rush exclaimed with aggressive glee, eyes glinting with mischief.

"Oh, heavens, not a moment too soon, it looks like," Rozen said sheepishly, eyeing both the faction members and his fellow expeditioners. His eyes fell on Megalo Tower off in the distance with its light gone out. "Though that concerns me greatly…"

Something else concerned them all when yet another figure- or rather, multiple figures all piled onto a single very large one- dropped down in their midst yet again. A Ditto-eyed Metagross unfurled his legs and the ones riding on him leaped off, all of them glancing about to see what was occurring. Remi and Knox both blinked, and Azure did as well, everyone holding fairly still in surprise and caution…

… Except for the Charizard writhing on the ground with a Salamence's jaws around her throat, and that same Salamence who legitimately seemed intent on ripping her head off of her body. Dren growled as he tugged at her, and Zariel gurgled with smoke escaping her maw and a flustered expression on her face. She tried to flap her wings and beat her tail, but shortly she was balling up one clawed fist and delivering a Mega Punch to Dren's chest. That finally got him off of her, and she was scrambling back to her feet with furious flapping of her wings. Her throat had prominent bite marks that turned blue and purple around the edges, but she apparently was fine enough by the way she quickly regained her breath and started smirking again.

"Ohoho, I'm striking it rich today," the Charizard snickered slightly hoarsely, shaking her head a bit as if to shake off the nasty attack she'd just received.

Dren didn't say anything, only growled some more.

"My dears! Is anyone hurt?!" Ama cried, skittering to Shar and Adnea's group, then on noticing the group's injuries, "Oh! My lovelies! Ama is here for you!"

"How awful to see you all!" Riven crowed sarcastically, glancing between the faction members.

Lazuli tugged Cinder's makeshift sling off for ease of movement (relatively speaking, at least, since flying clearly wouldn't be easy with the shattered bones in his chest), and Xeno switched forms again with no one still clinging to his body. In moments, Remi was staring back at a Ditto-eyed clone of a certain Xurkitree with traitor tendencies, and their expression turned to one of pure exasperation.

However, rather than fly into a rage again, the Pheromosa… started chuckling nonchalantly with an almost amused expression, not even making a move. It was odd enough to catch everyone off-guard, and several of Knox's bricks flipped out to study them as if not believing their mannerisms.

"What's got you laughin', huh?!" Rush taunted, smashing his fists together and practically daring the Pheromosa to do something.

Remi chuckled some more, touching one set of claws to their temples for a second as if soothing a massive headache. "Oh, you lesser-species are good at something, I'll give you that…~" their voice trailed off amusedly. "I'll hand it to you all- I've never been more disgusted in my entire life.~ All of you filthy inferior life forms dirtying Void's holy ground, that tiny little thing thinking she has the right to mouth off to me, the fact that you disgusting creatures apparently keep multiplying when we beat the shit out of your own, and… whatever that is." They motioned at Xeno on their last three words, one eye twitching in distaste. "So I'll tell you straight-up. I hope that filthy traitor told you some stories, and I hope that filthy smiling brat that Astrid calls a partner told you how I taught him a lesson he will never forget last time he pushed his luck, because you all are next.~ Necrozma's off to rock Lunala and Six-Seven's entire fucking world, probably vaporize Arashi, and drag Astrid to our goddess kicking and screaming if they have to.~ And if you think for a second you're gonna bother our goddess, then all I'm gonna tell you is good fucking luck, because the worst thing you could've done for yourselves is to come here. She knew you'd try this ridiculous shit, and as a matter of fact, she's been looking forward to it." The utterly crazed look returned to their face. "So when we break every bone in your bodies, splatter you across the ground, and bathe in your blood, feel free to cry and scream! I'M GONNA ENJOY IT!"

The screech of rage and bloodthirsty bliss that followed definitely affirmed such. For better or for worse, the looming tower's darkness showed that there was absolutely no turning back… not that the emissaries would ever let them escape regardless. The healers were on high alert, and the rest of the expeditioners got ready for the fights of their lives, seeing as their lives very likely depended on it.

. . . . .

Several other someones off in the desert had a view of the tower's darkness clearer than anyone else did, and some of them weren't happy, even if their own ventures had been fairly uneventful. The looming tower was practically fully visible, save for the very base of it that was obscured by some of the plant-like rocks that sprouted up between it and the expeditioners… and some large, hulking figures could vaguely be made out standing against it, not to mention the ones circling overhead. The air was thick enough to feel almost identical to water, albeit without hindering their movement like walking in an actual sea would, and as they moved, it did indeed feel like something was brushing past them akin to parting fluid.

"Why is it dark?!" Yunael exclaimed, her wings fluttering in exasperation. "What did they do?!"

"Normally I wouldn't care about creeping around in the dark, but here?! Now?! C'mon!" Kuro protested, likewise looking flustered. "Karma! You're smart, tell us what happened!"

The Wobbuffet being questioned, on the other hand, was shaking her head haplessly. "Kuro, what do you think happened? This dimension's light source fled, and I'm sure we all know exactly who they just swooped in on."

Spirit looked concerned, turning to Delphi. "Can you confirm…?"

Delphi nodded, tugging at her cloak a bit. "I've seen that light going out multiple times, and the last time I looked, it was fairly near in the future. Yes, Lunala and Team Starstorm are staring down Necrozma right now- well, more like Lunala getting her ribcage crushed and melting into the ground in that special way that only a ghost can, and… Oh, heavens, Astrid just started cursing them out! I would say 'make love, not war,' but that is clearly out the window now if it wasn't already!"

Her comrades perked up, getting some uncertain or surprised looks from most of them while Joker simply blinked a few times wordlessly.

"Will they be okay?!" Spirit pressed, more concern in his countenance.

"I hope so," Delphi replied, not sounding too sure one way or another but still focused nonetheless. "There's multiple possibilities up in the air right now, and I can't see them all very clearly. Either way, that's not our concern right now."

Polly, though, expressed her thoughts differently, expression on her face as if she herself were cursing out Necrozma. "Are ya fucking kidding me?! I mean, I'm all for using gods' names in vain and spicing up your language, but that seems like a really stupid time to do it!" She looked to the Delphox though, studying her fairly intensely. "And the fuck do you mean it's 'not our concern?!' Our comrades might get vaporized! How is that something we should ignore?!"

"Because we can't change it, that's why," Delphi replied, pointedly but still amiably. "That's what has Astrid literally cursing out two gods in one- things she can't change because Necrozma is dead-set on getting in the way of her happiness as it is. We can't change what's going down with Necrozma, but we can change the fact that Megalo Tower is still surrounded by guards." The Delphox looked at all of them fairly intently. "And you know why that's so important? Because it doesn't matter if our other comrades take the faction emissaries out of the picture if no one can get into Megalo Tower to take out Void herself. Scaling the tower's outside isn't going to end well if we all get poisoned by the purple mist in the process, and warping up to the top of it isn't an option if the only creature we have to open wormholes is busy fending off this world's highest power from going on a rampage against us. In other words, the only viable path to Void depends on us."

The Chatot shut up, quickly nodding in agreement even if she did look a little flustered. The others didn't say a word in protest, instead simply eyeing the tower and the bright flashes of light off in the distance.

"… Provided we don't drown without actually drowning, that is!" Delphi kept on in exasperation, tugging at the cloak around her neck again as if getting suffocated. "Gods above, this air is awful! I'm almost envious of everyone else at this point!"

Joker eyed her as if wondering if she were actually drowning, but he stayed quiet.

"I'm not envious of them at all," Karma swiftly and flatly said to the contrary. "We've got much bigger problems than a strange atmosphere."

"Well, that's true, but still!" Delphi nonetheless protested. "Urgh! Ponds and lakes are looking really attractive in comparison to this!"

… Her comrades didn't really care much one way or another as they approached Void's stronghold.