"A Battle Arena? What's going on here?" Kendo asked.
"I know the future, present, past… everything there is to know. It can get pretty dull and boring when one is aware of everything that will ever happen. That's exactly the reason why I placed a single limit on my knowledge." Xiaomei said as they saw her in a spectator's box, and she was acting completely different, having lost all sense of composure and entering a state of pure arousal. "And that's the outcome of a battle! Win or lose, it's simply beyond delicious. The only things I don't know are the outcomes of battles. You all will fight my selected warriors. And if you win, I'll give you the info you seek."
"Wait, if you don't know the outcomes of battles, that means you don't know everything." ZS said.
"Not true. See, the future can branch off in different ways. There is also the fact that alternate futures exist as well." Xiaomei said. "I can see all of these."
"Yeah. We know a few cases that are proof of that." David said.
"Oh, I know all of them. A future where Black conquered all with the Enhanced. One where Lucius eliminated all living creatures. Even one where all became one with light. I have seen all these alternate futures, yet they will never come true in this current timeline. Keep in mind, there's a phrase I like to say. The future can always be changed." Xiaomei said.
"Okay, she really wants these fights to happen." Jexi said.
"So…who wants to go first?" Xiaomei asked.
"You kidding? I want in!" Shiki said jumping into the fray.
"So Shiki goes first. I kinda knew that. Our first challenger! Shiki! And his opponent…" Xiaomei said as jumping out was a metallic being. "From planet Zorg with the flesh made of steel, Metal Gaki!"
"Whoa, does that guy seriously have metal skin?!" Flamberge said.
"Yeah. All Zorgians have hard metal bodies." Jet said.
"Ready…go!" Xiaomei said before Shiki charged and landed a punch to Metal Gaki's stomach, sending him crumbling down.
"Magimech attack. Gravity Fist." Shiki said cooly.
"Wow…I had a feeling Shiki would win, but not with a single blow. Its official. He's the winner…of round 1." Xiaomei said.
"What? How many rounds are there?" Lucy asked.
"Until I feel satisfied." Xiaomei said.
"Well, nothing to it but to keep going." David said.
"Are there any other rules we need to know about?" Adora asked.
"I pick out who fights next, and you can use whatever weapons you want. Keep in mind, you can't kill your opponents. And these battles are all one on one. No helping your friends if they seem to be losing." Xiaomei said.
"Sounds fair. Let's continue on then." Hope said.
"Okay…fighting next…the rising B-Cuber Star…Rebecca!" Xiaomei said.
"What? Me?" Rebecca said. "Happy!" she said as Happy-2 transformed into his dual pistols mode.
"And her opponent will be this champion. Bon bon bon Yocchi!" Xiaomei said as a frail looking man walked out.
"Wait…Bonbonbon's Yocchi?!" Rebecca said. "He's a super famous B-cuber! What's he doing here?"
"Just making some extra spending money. And I know you too. You're on the rise! We should collab on this." Yocchi said.
"Ready….begin!" Xiaomei said as Yocchi started firing bullets from his boxing gloves.
"Missed me!" Rebecca said dodging. "Your accuracy's off, this is how you aim!" she fired her Happy Blasters right back at him.
"Activate protection matrix!" Yocchi said as a barrier went up to block the shots.
"That barrier blocks ether." Pino said.
"Also…these bullets…shoot slime!" Yocchi said as the bullets started firing slime that started to melt Rebecca's clothes.
"Oh, come on! He's really going for stripping her?!" Peni asked in disgust.
"He's no different from that frog on Guilst." Sanji said.
"What are you gonna do? Ether can't penetrate my…" Yocchi said before Rebecca went and took him out with a single kick.
"Winner is Rebecca." Xiaomei said. "(A shame though… I thought we'd get to finally see her Ether Gear manifest. I guess that's a little further down the line.)" she thought.
"What else you got for us, o wise Oracle of Time?" DW typed.
"Okay…fighting next is Weisz Steiner. The future professor. Facing him is the fleet-footed Highway Eyna!" Xiaomei said as Weisz was paired against a dog-like alien with long ears. "And…begin!" she said as the creature started running on the walls.
"Whoa…he's another Ether Gear user." Jet said. "Looks like his is just speed though."
"Don't judge a book by its cover. Superspeed does wonders in the field of battle. Believe me, I know." David said.
"Yeah…not gonna matter much. I have my weapon." Weisz said as he held up Pino.
"Please do not modify me, Weisz!" Pino said.
"He doesn't need to, Pino." Entrapta clued.
"Oh, I get it now." Pino said. "EMP!" she said as her EMP surrounded the arena, knocking the alien off the wall as Weisz repeatedly stomped on him.
"How dirty!" Xiaomei said.
"Very impressive." 2B said. "A small robot with a powerful EMP installed inside it."
"Winner is Weisz." Xiaomei said.
"This is going much easier than any of us have thought." Tsubaki said.
"Yeah, but I think the gloves are gonna come off starting now." DW typed.
"Hmm…let's see. There is a fight I really want to see…but…I think I'll introduce one of my warriors first." Xiaomei said. "We have a rock-hard knight and she's ready to tear apart the earth! From the Shadow Knights! She's nature unleashed! Baril!"
"What?!" Spade said as he looked to see a young girl wearing a winter parka that had pieces of armor on the upper portion.
"Well, I didn't expect to see you here on this planet." she said. "How long has it been, traitor?"
"Baril…even you didn't deserve this fate." Spade said as he stepped forward.
"Not so fast. I didn't say you'd be fighting her, Spade." Xiaomei said.
"You don't have to put the task of fighting your former comrades on your shoulders alone, buddy." Hope said. "We can help you."
"It was my fault they've ended up this way." Spade said.
"But that doesn't mean they really blame you. Whoever reanimated them must be warping their minds." Adora said.
"Tormal." Spade said. "I have noticed it from when Pedrol and Nitez were fought, they only regained their free will after they were felled. Alright…who will you have Baril face, Xiaomei?"
"Hmm…I was thinking…Asta." Xiaomei said as Asta took the stage.
"Oh yeah! Let's get this started." Asta said.
"I'm going to bury, drown, and blow you away, anti-magic knight!" Baril said, showing an insane grin as her eyes glowed bright gold.
"Ready…..FIGHT!" Xiaomei said as Asta drew his broadsword.
(Cue- Crystallized- Mana Khemia)
Baril waved her hands as she unleashed multiple waves of solid wind towards Asta before following up with a small tidal wave.
"Here we go!" Asta called out as he started to carve through the attacks as he made his way towards her before slamming his sword into her.
"You really think that anti magic of yours would work?" Baril asked before stomping her foot as a fist made of stone erupted underneath Asta and launched him into the air.
"Whoa, that's some strong and fast magic." Glimmer said.
"Baril is one of the most powerful and dangerous of the Shadow Knights. It is not magic she uses, but the very foundations of nature itself." Spade explained.
"Not good." Asta said as he entered his Black Form.
"What the heck? Don't get tossed around by her." Liebe said from his smaller devil form.
"Hey, she's a tough opponent." Asta said.
"You're in contract with a Devil?" Baril asked. "I'll see that the both of you are together on your trip to Gehenna." she said, summoning a cloud as she launched multiple lightning bolts down at Asta.
"Crap!" Asta said lifting his sword to block only to get shocked.
"We're in a bad matchup. She's manipulating nature without using magic." Liebe said.
"Yeah, I know. Well…guess we'll have to switch." Asta said putting the broadsword away before drawing the anti-magic katana.
"He switched to the Zangetsuto." Miriam said.
"Nothing you do will make a difference, against the all-powerful forces of nature itself!" Baril said, summoning snowdrops into her hands before holding them up to her mouth and blowing them towards Asta as it turned into a blizzard.
"That's cold…but…I can't let her overwhelm me!" Asta said before swinging the katana, clearing away the blizzard and knocking Baril back.
"What?! No one can dispel my blizzard that easily!" Baril said.
"Unfortunately for you, Asta's not just anybody." Fuyuhiko said.
"Don't make him out to be some sort of warrior! He's just a boy who can't use Magic!" Baril said as she struck with Lightning from above, and earth fists from below.
"That's where you're wrong." Asta said as he cut apart the fists and the lightning with that katana. "Because my magic…is never giving up!"
"You ridiculous imbecile!" Baril said summoning all her power and creating a maelstrom with every facet of nature combined. "I'll destroy this entire planet, if it means defeating you and destroying Spade! For the glory of Dark Templar Tormal!"
"Quit lying to yourself!" Asta said cutting through the maelstrom. "Spade…and all of the knights. They're your friends, aren't they? So why are you trying to destroy your friend? Cause some guy says so? Why don't you follow your own mind for once?"
Baril gasped. "My…own mind…."
"Spade, I think Asta might've gotten through to her." Makoto said.
"Spade…I know you have your way of doing things…but…have you ever thought…about saving them instead of killing them?" Jexi asked.
Spade just continued to watch as Asta flew in.
"I'll bring back…your sense!" Asta said. "Black…" he said as he dealt the winning strike as Baril fell unconscious. "Meteorite!"
Baril's hood fell off, revealing a mixture of blue, green, and yellow hair.
"Baril…" Spade said, running towards her and sitting her up as gold sparkles floated off her.
"What… what happened?" Baril asked. "Spade…what…where are we?"
"It is…a long story." Spade said.
"What?" Baril asked looking confused.
"Sorry…he's been through a lot. Apparently, a lot's been happening with the other knights." Asta said.
"I am sorry…Pedrol and Nitez succumbed to the worst of it." Spade said. "Their souls are currently being purified so they can reincarnate without any corruption."
"Oh…right." Baril said, pulling out a dark shard.
"Whatever this Tormal did to you, controlling you with that shard, Asta used his sword to cleave it from you." Hope said.
"Of course I did. You guys are friends. Spade, you shouldn't have to be forced to kill them. So…we'll all save them instead." Asta said.
"Thank you…Asta." Spade said, taking the dark shard as it connected to the other one he held.
"What an amazing battle. So yummy and wholesome. I honestly thought that things would end the same way as the other two battles I foresaw before." Xiaomei said. "You heroes really can change fate. Truth is, I saw Spade's future as well. Had he gone through with it all on his own, he would have been killed by the final boss."
"Bullet dodged, huh Spade?" DW asked.
"Yes." Spade said.
"Spade…it's vague but…I remember. She's here too." Baril said.
"There's another knight here?" Bow asked.
"Yes. My fiance." Spade said.
"Wait, what?!" Some of the group members exclaimed.
"When you say here, you mean in the Sakura Cosmos or this planet?" Jet asked.
"The former." Baril said. "Unfortunately, I don't know where exactly she is."
"Ah, that's okay." DW typed. "As it so happens, we're coincidentally on the one planet home to someone who can read the Multiverse like a script. Hey! How many fights left before you answer our questions?"
"They've been pretty good so far. So…I think one more before I answer your questions." Xiaomei said.
"Bring it on then. Who's going last?" Akane asked.
"For this final round, the challenger will be Homura!" Xiaomei said as Homura stepped up. "And her challenger is…" she said as entering the ring was a dark-skinned android with a soul blade.
"No…teacher?" Homura said.
"I already knew you'd be joining us today. So I had her called in just for you." Xiaomei said.
"Is that… really Valkyrie?" Kendo asked.
"No, I don't think so. Would it really be that easy if she just appeared right in front of us?" Catra asked.
"Catra's inquiry is valid." Pod 042 said. "It's likely an android. However, it is copying her data. Likely from a visit she made here once."
"So it's a Replica Valkyrie." Peni said.
"Long time no see, Homura. At least that's what I'd like to be saying." Valkyrie Replica said. "But unfortunately this is the first time we're meeting. But I do possess the original Valkyrie's data. I know everything there is to know about you."
"Your mere existence is unforgivable." Homura said, manifesting her own Soul Blade. "There's only one Valkyrie Yuna in the Sakura Cosmos. A copy insults her honor!" she declared, charging at her.
"FIGHT!" Xiaomei said.
"I've got data on all your moves." Valkyrie Replica said, parrying Homura's strikes. "And I know your weaknesses too." she then tripped up Homura at her imbalanced foot.
"She tripped her up?" Perfuma asked.
"Every time Homura ends her attack string, her footwork is always off balance." Peko pointed out. "You've noticed, right? Her left foot is always in a pivoting position."
"She's taking advantage of all of Homura's weakest points." Erza said.
Homura and the Replica Valkyrie continued to fight each other, but Valkyrie replica took advantage of Homura's pivoting again to knock her down, holding her at swordpoint.
"Have you really made so little progress on your form, Homura?" Valkyrie Replica asked before Homura kicked her in the face.
"You let your guard down, fake teacher!" Homura declared before being grabbed by her leg and thrown into the arena wall. Recovering, she dashed right back at the replica who met her in kind and hit her right in the chest, stunning her for a bit. "This replica not only looks like teacher, but she also has her moves. Could she be as strong as the original?"
"You're sharing what you're thinking out loud again. You haven't changed." Valkyrie said.
"(It's almost as if I'm facing the real teacher. This pressure, her voice, her appearance..)" Homura thought. "(Nevertheless, this impostor is not the real teacher.)"
Homura first met the real Valkyrie when she was just a child. It was on a certain planet during a time when someone at her age should never be alone. Valkyrie saved her from being captured by criminals. At that time, Homura was too timid and scared to say the things she wanted. Valkyrie though, told her to speak clearly, because words give people strength.
"My real teacher is stronger, cooler, and kinder!" Homura said, rushing in and attacking Valkyrie again. "I'll find her no matter what it takes because there's something I need to tell her!" she said clashing blades.
"A good rush, but you still can't beat me. How many times do I have to remind you bout your footwork?" Valkyrie reminded, tripping Homura up at her pivoting foot… or so it seemed.
"Nice try. But that won't work again!" Homura said as she dealt a finishing blow to the replica.
"The winner is Homura." Xiaomei said.
"You…did well." the replica said before it changed to a blank robot.
"What the? It's not a copy bot…it's a training droid." Jet said.
"That's correct. See, it's actually impossible to copy or recreate the four shining stars. This was the closest I could get." Xiaomei said.
"Well, you're certainly full of twists." Jin said. "We've played your games. Now, will you tell us what we need to know?"
"I shall." Xiaomei said as she snapped her fingers, bringing everyone back to the temple and restoring the chosen fighters clothes. Xiaomei herself was sitting on some sort of throne. "Valkyrie is in a place known as Sun Jewel, the Planet of Gemstones."
"Sun Jewel, so that's where we need to go." Ragna said.
"Not only will you find Valkyrie there, but his betrothed shall be there as well." Xiaomei said as she pointed to Spade. "Waiting to test his brother in her first trial." she added as she looked at Ace. "And the one you all seek will be there as well."
"Sunstar…the reason we came here…" Jet said.
"And the rest of my former comrades?" Spade asked.
"Sadly they're not in the Sakura Cosmos. But you should remember to take your friends' words to heart. The task to save your former comrades? It's not yours to take alone." Xiaomei said.
"And you don't have to resort to killing them. We can save them." Hope said. "We all know as well as you do that you've been hurting. You've regretted having to kill the last two."
"The corruption damaged their bodies greatly, but their souls were saved." Spade said. "Baril was lucky since the corruption didn't completely spread throughout her body. That's why I had to resort to that. It will take time, but their bodies will eventually be restored on Devaloka."
"Spade…the souls you released…didn't go there." Baril said.
"What are you talking about?" Spade said.
"It's something…new….he got. When our bodies die, our souls don't go to Devaloka…they get sucked back into him." Baril said with fear.
"So, this Tormal will just keep reanimating any Shadow Knight that gets killed?" Perfuma asked.
"It's a fate worse than death." Xiaomei said. "This is what I meant when I said Spade's death was on a possible future line. Because he destroyed the bodies of all the shadow knights, when he eventually faced Tormal…"
"Every single one of them would be right there with him, and he'd be overwhelmed." Hope said.
"I see." Spade said. "Now I understand clearly."
"Tormal's power is a curse he acquired from the Darkness Universe. It's called Soul Container. He can mark a certain number of souls and even create bodies for them. If they ever die, they just return right back to him and he can do it all over again." Xiaomei said.
"But Baril didn't because Asta broke the curse's control over her." Glimmer said.
"Partially. He severed the control but her soul is still marked by the curse. The only way to permanently free these knights…is to kill the one who owns the curse." Xiaomei said.
"That is why I must reclaim the lost half of my powers." Spade said, materializing the two joined crystals in his hand.
"I bet those shards that the other Shadow Knights have come together to make the source of that lost half. We just need to find them all." Makoto said.
"Yes, Nitez said so himself that the other Shadow Knights each possess one." Spade said.
"Then I guess we have the goal for you. Find the rest of the Shadow Knights, wherever they are, break their control and reclaim the shards of your lost power, and then find Tormal and put an end to his torment." Aqua said.
"Thank you for telling us everything we need to know, Xiaomei. We appreciate your help." Hope said.
"I should be the one thanking you. As a token of gratitude, I shall tell you one more thing. This power of mine…the power of omniclairvoyance…being able to see into all timelines and realities…was a gift I got when I met Mother." Xiaomei said.
"What?!" they all said.
"That's correct. Mother is indeed real." Xiaomei said.
"So she really is somewhere in the galaxy. Where is she?" Pinkie asked.
"I cannot say. In exchange for this ability, I cannot discuss her location, remember where it is or even try to use my power to find her." Xiaomei said.
"You lost your memory of it." Miriam said.
"I cannot say." Xiaomei said.
"Well, we know Mothers really out there now, that's good enough for us." DW typed.
"Let's get going then. We need to reunite with Valkyrie on Sun Jewel." Pit said.
"And we're gonna finally catch Sunstar there, too! Hope he's ready!" RD-2 said.
"Guess we've got a lot to do on that planet. So let's set off. To Sun Jewel!" Hope said as they left the Temple of Knowledge to venture off to Sun Jewel, leaving Xiaomei all by herself.
"Of course, what wait's on that planet is…" Xiaomei said before turning to the screen. "I will be resuming my storytelling duties."