(November 8th)
The resistance force has been training for the past 3 days in preparation for their next mission. Team Infinity has been using Couriway town as a supply base for their aerial warship as well as their troops. Jarod and Wikstrom have developed a two prong assault to not only take back the small town, but to break the back of their enemy's might. All the members: minus Diantha, are gathered in the Anistar gym to be briefed on the operation.
"Couriway town is our next stepping stone towards reclaiming the Kalos region. However, their aerial command ship: The Phantasm, is a major threat to our advance." Jarod explains as a blueprint of the craft is displayed on the screen. "I have already caught a glimpse of it's firepower when it used its main weapon to destroy the prism tower at the start of this war. The cannon appears to use a charging mechanism to condense energy that is generated from the ships power core and then launch it at supersonic speed. However, we now have an window of opportunity to take that beast out." Jarod states.
"Indeed. Thanks to Olympia and her abilities, we have deduced that the Phantasm is set to stop at Couriway town to replenish supplies and pick up reinforcements. Our plan calls for us to move in to the town from the north in two groups. One will create a distraction by attacking their supply storage in the nearby Terminus Cave which should draw attention away from the second team. The second team will be tasked with infiltrating the Phantasm and disabling it permanently using their pokemon." Wikstrom adds on.
"The distraction team will consist of Wikstrom, Malva, Siebold,and Drasna. The infiltration unit will consist of myself, Cynthia, and Steven. Is that clear." Jarod declares.
"No doubt they may have some of their higher rank officers on sight with such a crucial part of their force being exposed." Drasna quips.
"We'd best keep our wits about in order to succeed." Siebold chimes in.
"Must you always be so poetic?" Malva retorts with a deadpan expression which simply results in a light chuckle from the others.
"One last thing. Due to the circumstances of the Anistar takeover mission: Diantha will not be taking part in this offensive which means we are going in with one less member." Jarod concludes.
"We'll have to be more cautious, but if we work together well enough then this mission should go flawlessly." Wikstrom states alongside him. With that final statement, the team heads out and towards the south. Moving as quietly as possible , they arrive at the northern entrance to Couriway and split into their respective teams. Drasna and Wikstrom immediately challenge two grunts near the entrance of Terminus Cave and are met with a durant and a heatmor. Drasna sends her noivern out alongside Wikstrom's Aegislash.
"Durant, chop that bat with crunch!" Grunt 1 sneers and the steel ant charges towards noivern only to be met with a flamethrower to the face which is an instant knockout.
"Charging headlong into battle without reading your opponent's strategy is a setup for defeat." The dragon tamer states. Wikstrom's Aegislash uses king's shield to deflect an incoming fire lash from the anteater before switching into it's blade forme and one-shotting it with a retaliatory shadow claw. Both grunts swiftly retreat, leaving their injured pokemon behind just as the defenders back in Anistar did.
"Spineless cowards, they retreat and leave their partners to suffer." Wikstrom states with venom in his tone as he revives the unresponsive pokemon. The two look around in confusion before thanking the two elite 4 members and scurrying off. Siebold and Malva finish beating two more grunts with a charizard and torkoal before uniting and moving into the cavern.
"Malva here. We're moving into the Terminus Cave. How are you three making out?"
"Clearing out the nest." Jarod replies as his greninja disables an enemy metagross with a dark pulse. Cynthia's milotic follows the frog ninja in with a hydro pump into a charging excadrill which throws the mole pokemon through a wall and puts it out of commission.
"Useless ground type!" One grunt curses.
"This battle is only just beginning!" The other scoffs before retreating.
"That's another one down!" Cynthia calls out as Steven requests back up."
"I'm facing a group of five grunts and they have got me pinned down. Could one of you please assist?" The hoenn champion calls out.
"Copy that, Me and Spectra are on the way." The Kalos champion replies as his giratina materializes next to him.
"Spectra, we've gotta assist Steven."
"Let's move!" The renegade dragon growls in response as the two take off towards the waterfall. Steven is facing down two camerupt, a tyranitar, gengar, and hydreigon. His skarmory lay unconscious against a rocky wall with its left wing bent, whilst his aggron struggles to stay on its feet. The gengar charges a focus blast whilst smirking devilishly but doesn't get a chance to strike as Spectra phases in and slams it down with a shadow force attack. The paper thin defenses of the ghost pokemon are no match for the antimatter legend and it goes down.
"You alright?" Jarod shouts as he lands next to the hoenn champ.
"They almost had me there, Skarmory is down and Aggron is barely holding up. They really do not want us to get close to the Phantasm." Steven replies before calling back his aggron for his armaldo.
"Steven, you take the two camerupt, I will handle the two psuedo legendaries." Jarod declares as Spectra turns to face the dark hydra and dinosaur and immediately launches a will o wisp and scores a direct hit on the tyranitar, crippling it's physical attack strength. However, this move puts her in the firing line of the hydreigon which retaliates with a dark pulse. Spectra twists her serpentine frame and manages to avoid it.
"That was too close for comfort!"
"That's right, dodge and run ya oversized wyrm!" The grunt controlling the hydreigon sneers. Meanwhile, Steven's armaldo initiates an opening attack on the first camerupt with a stone edge but misses. The two camel pokemon become angered as their volcanic humps begin to bulge as they prepare to unleash one of the most powerful fire moves.
"Heads up, they're about to erupt!" Steven calls out as streams of magma and flaming rock jet into the air before raining down across the battlefield and the town below. Thankfully, there are no civilians in the vicinity but numerous buildings are set ablaze or destroyed by the falling rocks. The pokemon center collapses as a particularly large flaming stone smashes through the roof. Inside the Terminus Cave, the distraction team can feel the ground quaking from the powerful attack.
"What's going on out there?" Wikstrom radios in.
"We just had two camerupt utilize eruption on us. These guys are hellbent on destroying everything!" Jarod replies back in fury. Spectra continues her assault, tearing into the hydreigon with a dragon claw that hurls the beast into water fall and takes it out of the engagement.
"The hydreigon is no longer a threat...urrrgh!" Spectra calls out before being hit from below by a stone edge which cuts into the softer scales of her belly.
"Not so tough eh!" The other grunt jaunts before having tyranitar close in with an ice punch to take the renegade down but is cut off by an aqua jet into x-scissor combo from armaldo which topples the behemoth onto it's back. The rock type manages to stand back up, but the burn damage from Spectra's will o wisp saps the last of it's energy and renders it unconscious.
"Damn it, you gotta be kidding me!" The grunt snarls.
"Just remember the contingency plan, we have this battle won." The other grunt replies as the two call back their pokemon and retreat. Spectra growls out in pain as she hits the ground, bleeding from the lacerations from the earlier stone edge.
"Spectra?!" Jarod calls out in worry as he runs over to her. He can see three large gashes along four smaller ones which are oozing blood on her underside.
"Jarod, catch!" Steven calls as he tosses a full restore to the Kalos champion. Jarod swiftly lines it up and sprays the potion across the wounded renegade dragon's belly. She hisses as an intense, albeit brief stinging sensation emanates from the impact area. The bleeding stops almost instantly as the wounds slowly shrink and close up. She lets out a breath of relief as the burning subsides.
"Thank you...Jarod." Spectra pants out.
"Can you still fight?"
"Of course. It will take more than some sharpened stones to keep me down!" The renegade declares before levitating back up. Steven finishes recalling his battered skarmory when his attention is drawn to the west. A formation of six Charizard and six talonflame are closing in.
"Our order is simple. Leave them nothing!" One officer declares.
"Burn the place to ashes!" A grunt yells as his Charizard launches a fire blast from long range. The white hot projectile screams through the air and hits the wooden bridge at the southern exit of Couriway, incinerating it.
"All team members come to my assistance immediately! They've sent a team of fire types to immolate the town!" Jarod calls out over the radio before deploying Ryu and Oblivion to intercept them. In the Terminus Cave, the distraction team are running into a sticky situation of their own as an officer commanding a horde of strong rock types stand in their way including two rhyperior,three gigalith and a reuniclus providing support with reflect and light screen.
"Our attacks aren't able to penetrate their defensive screens." Wikstrom states.
"As long as that reuniclus is hanging around, we can't touch them." Drasna adds in. " We have to focus it down first.
"Consider it done, Houndoom, unleash your fury and mega evolve!" The former team plasma admin calls out as her mega ring lights up. The dark type firehound is engulfed in a cocoon of energy as it transforms. Its horns growing straight up from the sides of its head whilst developing a slight curve. A chestplate with two curved spikes jutting outward covers the front of the houndoom's body and runs around to its back. The tail grows longer with the arrowhead tip becoming forked. The beast lets out a prideful howl as it takes to the field.
"Hah, you think a mega evolution is gonna be enough, give me a break!" The officer commanding the horde chortles. "Time to shatter your resolve: stone edge onslaught!" The officer bellows as all 5 rock type stomp the ground in unison, generating a massive surge of jagged stones that hurtle towards the group.
"Aegislash, utilize king's shield immediately!" Wikstrom calls out as the royal sword pokemon levitates in front of Malva's houndoom whilst swiftly tucking its arms in and generating a barrier of spectral energy that deflects the sharpened projectiles all around. Some impact the ground and create a dust cloud around the opposing team.
"Malva, nows your chance!" Siebold shouts. Realizing what the water trainer means: Malva has her houndoom maneuver around the enemy's flank and puts the hellhound in perfect striking position behind reuniclus.
"Reuniclus, behind you!" The enemy officer shouts.
"You're not escaping this time: Houndoom, strike that blob down with dark pulse!" Malva commands as the hound looses a stream of dark energy from its maw. The multiplying pokemon drops its screens and tries to dodge but is too slow. The beam strikes it in the back and catapults it into the wall of the cave and takes it down.
"That should neutralize their support. Siebold it's your time." Malva calls out.
"With pleasure, Blastoise take to the field!" The water type elitist bellows as the shellfish pokemon hits the field. A band containing the blastoisinite adorns its head.
"Hmph, a water type may be strong but it won't make a difference. Now my rhyperior, close in with a twin thunderpunch!" The officer bellows as the two drill pokemon lumber forward, their fists crackling with electricity.
"Quite a predictable maneuver: Blastoise, utilize iron defense." Siebold yells as the turtle withdraws into its shell whilst hardening it's body and turning a steel silver color. The two rhyperior make contact but despite the type advantage, their moves barely faze the shellfish pokemon as it stands back up.
" A water type specialist always has a counter for his weaknesses. Now it is time for you to experience the wrath of the storm: Blastoise, mega evolve!" Siebold retorts as the same cocoon of light envelops Blastoise whilst his mega ring emanates streams of light. Within seconds, the light fades to reveal the evolved the blastoise. Its shell has become much larger and now houses a single massive cannon similar to a battleship's main gun. Two smaller shells cover its forearms, each containing a smaller cannon within. The shellfish pokemon immediately stares down the large rock types.
"Time to clean house, Blastoise: unleash a hydro pump barrage!" Siebold bellows as the huge cannon on its back bulges and looses a massive stream of water followed by the two forearm cannons. The Blastoise rotates like a turret and hits every one of the opposing pokemon. Despite their powerful physical defenses, the rock type hoard stands no chance against the elemental onslaught and are all knocked out in one blast.
"You can't be serious!" The officer exclaims before taking off.
"That should be the last of them." Wikstrom states as Jarod's voice crackles over the radio.
"All allies come to my assistance! Couriway is burning!"Jarod yells as he and Steven struggle against the growing inferno whilst dodging attacks from the two fire type squadrons.
"Everyone, move to cover our leader:Siebold, bring the rest of your team out and use them to beat to the flames back. Drasna, provide aerial cover with your dragon's. Wikstrom bellows. Drasna deploys her dragalge in the river to provide fire fighting support whilst launching hydro pumps into the air at the fire types above. Her noivern is able to go toe to toe with the hostile attackers, and swiftly sends two of the six talonflame and one of the charizards spiraling to the ground, the grunts on their backs parachuting to safety and fleeing the combat area.
"These guys are hellbent on crushing us physically, mentally and emotionally with all this destruction!" The dragon tamer exclaims as a second charizard crashes into the river and dies near her dragalge.
"I know, even their own pokemon are paying the price and for what, some delusional ideology! It makes me sick to my stomach!" Jarod shouts as Oblivion swoops in and blasts another talonflame with oblivion wing, turning the firebird and the grunt aboard its back to stone. The two hit the ground and turn to dust.
"Even as the deity of death, I cannot help but feel horrid for the lives taken in this war..." The yveltal grumbles. Upon witnessing the demise of a fourth talonflame, the squad leader calls off the attack.
"We've held them up long enough, all survivors regroup and retreat to Lumiose!" The man bellows and the remaining fire types turn tail and flee to the west. Jarod and his team meet in front of the wrecked pokemon center.
"Damn those monsters!" The Kalos champ snarls in anger as he surveys the damage. Most of the buildings have sustained heavy fire damage with a few having collapsed. The pokemon center, while still standing, is blackened with a chunk of its roof caved in and its windows shattered. The bridge leading south is gone, cutting off land access to the route ahead.
"It will be quite some time before things are up and running again." Wikstrom sighs.
"I agree, this is quite the setback." Steven nods in agreement.
"Thankfully, we managed to commandeer a hearty amount of supplies." Drasna quips as her druddigon and noivern arrive with a crate of supplies such as hyper potions, full restores and so on. Wikstrom's scizor follows behind with another.
"Excellent, we will be able to keep our pokemon in good health for longer in this conflict. However, this battle isnt over: we must take out the Phantasm!" Jarod bellows as the combined team push towards the command ship. Aboard the craft, a pair of grunts are finishing up securing a strange object in the cargo hold when they see the group charging up the stairs towards them.
"Guys, we've got trouble, the resistance is closing in on us!" One of them radios in.
"Dont worry, I've got em. The leader doesn't have his little monkey to protect him this time , hah!". Another grunt replies, this one being the same one responsible for Flare's death back at the Frost Cavern. He primes his weapon and aims it at Jarod and pulls the trigger. An electrified dart flies swiftly towards the group from the landing pad above them, but it misses the champion and strikes Drasna.
"Aaaaargh!" The dragon tamer cries out in agony before fainting from the shock and collapsing but Wikstrom catches her.
"Oh no, Drasna!" Malva shouts
"Drasna, talk to us." Wikstrom pleads. Jarod looks up and locks eyes with the offender and snarls as he realizes that it is the same grunt that took his partner from him. His aura flares around him as he jumps onto the platform with a hateful gaze in his eyes.
"Damn, I missed you again!" The grunt sneers before smirking. "You seem to enjoy using others to shield yourself." He quips before feeling a hand clench around his neck and his feet lift off the ground.
"You are nothing but a coward. Stalking about in the shadows and picking off your enemies without any sense of remorse." Jarod growls in a calm yet menacing tone with his eyes flickering between hazel and purple as he struggles to keep his anger in control.
"Heh...heheh... you really think that you... and your little team can win this battle...hagh... you all are fools.." The grunt chokes out. "Once ...once Lucius completes his...preparations...this world...will...bow... before...gaargh." Jarod cuts him off by tossing him across the landing pad and against a metal pylon, knocking him out.
"Preparations? what could that madman be conspiring now?" Jarod mutters in his head before a loud mechanical roar is heard. The Phantasm's engines begin to spool up. Jarod quickly retreats down the stairs to avoid being blown off the pad by the jet blast. The command ship rises straight up into the air and rotates in the direction of Lumiose before accelerating away.
"No, it's taking off!" Siebold calls out.
"We can't stop it!" Malva says in despair.
"Those cowards are gonna get away, damn it! Wikstrom growls before he spots Jarod jumping onto Spectra's back.
"No...they won't." The champion counters as he calls out Fantasia, Oblivion, and Sky Queen.
"Are you all ready for an intercept?"
"Certainly, anyone who defiles my skies shall be punished!" Sky Queen replies.
"Wherever you go, I shall follow." Fantasia adds in.
"There is no time to lose!" Spectra growls as all 4 take off in the direction of the enemy warship.
"Jarod, come back it's too risky!" Wikstrom calls out but to no avail as the formation is well out of earshot. Aboard the Phantasm all is normal as the pilot sends a transmission to Lucius from his position in the cockpit.
"Commander Lucius, we have secured the cargo and are en route to Lumiose now."
"Excellent, and the resistance force?"
"They took back the town and managed to raid our supply cache within the Terminus Cave, but the hellbringer team left the place a scorched and charred mess."
"Hmm, the loss of one of our supply bases may be slightly troublesome. However, I do believe that the damage inflicted shall keep them occupied whilst we prepare our next strike." Lucius replies, his elbows propped upon his desk with his hands crossed.
"Our guards managed to disable one of their members. I believe the dragon tamer of the group was rendered unresponsive by a stun dart."
"Not bad...Nevertheless, you had best not fail in getting that cargo to me...or it will be your head." Lucius says grimly before ending the call and slamming his fist on the desk in anger. Meanwhile, the four legendaries close in from above and behind the Phantasm. One of the blueprints secured at the Frost Cavern revealed a critical flaw in it's radar system. If something were to approach from its six o clock position from either above or below a fourty five degree angle: the system would not be able to accurately detect or identify them. Fantasia and Sky Queen swoop low to position themselves in the lower blind spot while Oblivion and Spectra stay above.
"Remember, this thing has some formidible armament. There are two charged elemental cannons atop the main wings. Its main energy cannon is located on the underside at the center of the ship's fuselage and is protected by a form of shielding. There are numerous AA guns running along the sides of the ship and along the undersides of its wings. We will first disable those defenses, then cripple the engines before destroying the main cannon. Is everyone on the same page?" Jarod bellows to his pokemon.
"Understood." Fantasia calls out
"Indeed we are!" The others reply as they loom closer to the Phantasm. Spectra charges a shadow ball in her mouth and holds it whilst waiting for the signal to attack. Meanwhile, the Phantasm's crew are baffled by their radar display. Two white dots are showing behind them but they cannot figure out what they are.
"Captain, two unidentified bogeys on our six." The ship's radar officer calls out.
"Hmm, who could this be?" The captain ponders. Jarod counts down from five and then clenches his fist, giving Spectra the clearance to strike. The orb of spectral energy streaks through the air and nails an AA gun close to the rear.
The Dead Sea from Ace Combat 6 Fires of Liberation begins to play
"Urrgh... someone report!" The Phantasm's captain shouts.
"We're under attack, there's a giratina and some huge black and red bird striking from above us!" A crew member yells.
"Activate all defenses now! Swat those pests from the sky!" The captain bellows as his soldiers go to battle stations. The two elemental cannons begin swiveling around, firing charged blasts of ice and fire at Spectra and Oblivion. However, the slow charge time allows them to dodge with ease.
"Talk about lousy aim." Spectra growls, before nearly taking a salvo head on.
"Don't underestimate these guys, I have a feeling they're only just beginning." Jarod says as he enters his level one state, gaining the purple aura and enhanced speed and strength. Fantasia and Sky Queen begin their own assault on the underside of the ship with the psychic legend ravaging three of the six AA guns on the left side with a psystrike.
"We've lost half of the port side weapons already!" A gunner yells in panic.
"Remain calm, it will take more than this to bring the Phantasm down." The captain retorts.
"Increasing elemental discharge rate by twenty percent." One of the gunners declares as he adjusts dials at his station. The two elemental cannons begin firing faster and a blast of ice energy nicks Sky Queen on the tail which slows her mobility.
"Blast! Jarod look out, those cannons are launching attacks much quicker than before." The sky dragon calls out.
"Fall back a bit, reduce their accuracy." Jarod replies and she falls back to a safe distance and launches a dragon pulse from a distance which blows four of the AA guns on the right side to pieces.
"Damn it! They got our starboard side weapons too!" Another gunner cries out.
"Enough fooling around! Blast that serpent out of the sky immediately!" The captain yells and the officer manning the elemental turrets aims both of them at the rayquaza. Their barrels crackle and hum with fire and ice energy as they charge. Sky Queen takes a hit from the three remaining guns on the port side and is stunned for a few seconds.
"Sky Queen!" Spectra shouts but is too far away to assist.
"Charge is at 100 percent sir!"
"FIRE!" The captain bellows as two projectiles blast away at incredible speed towards the sky empress. She is unable to move quick enough as her fins have been damaged.
"(This looks like the end.)" Sky Queen says grimly and braces for impact...but the hit never comes and is replaced by a pained scream.
"AAAAARGH!" Fantasia gasps out as she takes both attacks almost simultaneously: having teleported in front of Sky Queen at the last second to protect her.
"No!"
"Fantasia, hang in there!" Oblivion calls out but it's no use. Fantasia crumples over and plummets from the sky trailing smoke before disappearing below the clouds.
"Fantasiaaaa!" Jarod exclaims in horror
"Direct hit on the mewtwo, thats one down sir." The officer shouts.
"Excellent, but don't let up on the other three!" The captain replies as the Phantasm's remaining guns continue firing a seemingly relentless barrage at the legends.
"We can't get closer with all those projectiles: we'll be torn apart." Oblivion states.
"Dammit, they're gonna escape at this rate." Jarod growls. Suddenly, a beam of blue energy surrounded by blades of wind strikes the left side of the Phantasm and wipes out the three remaining AA guns and dents a portion of the fuselage.
"This seems to be a rather tumultuous situation." A voice calls out. The source being a large draconic creature with two huge wings that end in finger like appendages. Its body is primarily white with deep red scales on its back and its stomach being a lighter red. Two spikes adorn the tip of its tail and two more scales surround its eyes.
"Sea Queen, what an unexpected surprise!" Jarod says.
"Indeed it is. Lady Arceus sent me to assist you, young Jarod." The diving pokemon replies as she swoops past and turns around to join the formation.
"You've gotta be joking me, where did that lugia come from!" A crew member calls out.
"All port side AA guns have been destroyed and we've sustained hull damage on the lower left side!"
"Blast, these damned fools just won't quit!" The captain yells and puts the Phantasm into a left turn in order to bring its remaining guns to bear on the new threat. Sea Queen gracefully avoids their barrage and freezes the remaining turrets with ice beam, rendering them useless.
"That should render their lower half vulnerable." Sea Queen bellows.
"Alright everyone, focus on their elemental cannons and engines. Sea Queen and Sky Queen, go after the elemental charge cannons and destroy them!" Spectra and Oblivion, aim for the engine exhaust vents.That should slow this thing down." Jarod commands. Immediately, Sea Queen uses her psychic abilities to freeze one of the turrets as it is about to fire and rotates it until the barrel is aimed at the other cannon. The turret fires a flaming projectile straight at the other gun and destroys it.
"What the hell!" The gunner exclaims as the controls for the ice turret short out and go offline. "How did that happen?!"
"You imbecile, did you forget that lugia is a psychic type!" The captain bellows angrily as the situation continues to get worse for them. Oblivion sends a dark pulse into the port side engine and trashes the exhaust system.
"Reduce thrust output by thirty percent on the port side."
"We're taking severe damage. Hull integrity down to sixty percent!"
"Damn them all...we just might have to..." The captain mutters before turning to the controls. Meanwhile, the starboard sude engine takes a combined shadow ball and oblivion wing which punches a hole right through it as flames begin to spew from the opening.
"The starboard side engine has been completely destroyed!"
"We've got smoke filling the cargo bay!"
"They're gonna kill us!"
"We still have one weapon remaining...if we can use it against them." The captain states.
"I can't, the shockwave will tear the Phantasm apart." The operator retorts before getting shoved aside.
"What are you doing, no!"
"SILENCE, do you think we should just sit here and be annihilated?! We just need to aim the energy cannon at the resistance leader!" The captain bellows before yanking the controls all the way to the left. Outside, Jarod and the legends can barely fathom what they're seeing as the huge aerial warship rolls completely over on its back with it's underside facing the sky.
"What the HELL?!" Jarod gasps
"These guys have completely lost their minds." Sea Queen says as the cannon begins to glow.
"They're planning to fire their main weapon. they plan to fire it like that?" Oblivion ponders.
"EVERYONE DIVE NOW!" Jarod yells as all the legends dive down and barely avoid a huge energy wave as the cannon fires.
"That attack nearly obliterated us!" Spectra bellows in disbelief.
"Looks as though it has an alternate firing mode." Jarod remarks. "Everyone, hit that cannon with every ounce of power you have until it blows. If you see it begin to glow, dive like hell!"
"Oblivion wing!"
"Shadow ball!"
"Aeroblast!" The legends bellow in unison as their combined strikes score three direct hits but this only damages the energy cannon slightly as another attack is charged.
"Look out!" Jarod shouts as another shockwave rips across the sky. Aboard the damaged warship, the crew begins to worry as the ships sensors start going off.
"Hull integrity at thirty five percent and decreasing: captain,stop and flip us back over!"
"Just one more shot is all we need!" The desperate commander yells as he begins charging the cannon to maximum power.
"This abomination just wont die!" Jarod bellows in frustration as Sky Queen looks at the Phantasm with apprehension before nodding.
"Sky Queen, do you have an idea?"
"Yes...but it's rather risky." The black dragon replies before shooting straight up into the air as her body becomes surrounded by a yellow aura.
"Sky Queen, what are you thinking?! You'll be destroyed!" Jarod cries out in terror.
"Don't fear for my own wellbeing, just get some distance from that thing!" Sky Queen replies before diving down at full speed with the aura surrounding her taking on the appearance of an arrow.
"Charge at ninety five percent. Wait...what the hell is that rayquaza doing!" An officer yells.
"C'moooooon!" The captain shouts in panic as he slams the fire button but it is too late. Sky Queen smashes into the center of the cannon at full speed and punches right through the titanium armor. The ship's power core is split in two as the sky empress pierces through the other side and exits underneath the Phantasm: leaving a gaping, flaming hole behind. However, she does not make it completely unscathed as her body crackles with yellow sparks and her breathing ragged.
"Urrrrrgh...that will leave a mark..." Sky Queen pants.
"Sky Queen, are you alright?!" Jarod calls out as the others gather around her.
"...I...I'm fine...your concern is...nnngh..." The sky empress chokes out before fainting but Jarod swiftly calls her back into a luxury ball.
"Dammit...why would you risk your life like that..." Jarod mutters worriedly before Oblivion snaps him out of his trance.
"Jarod, we had better distance ourselves quickly, that ship is gonna blow!" The yveltal calls as they all retreat to safety. Aboard the dying Phantasm: fires rip through the interior and explosions rock the warship, punching holes in the battered fuselage. The hole in the center crackles with blue sparks as the shattered power core overloads.
"The main cannon and power core have been decimated!"
"Evacuate, hurry!" Another crew member yells before a torrent of fire tears through the cockpit and devours them all. In his dying moments, the captain gets out one last message over the comms.
"Lucius... we leave everything in your hands...gahhhhh!" He chokes out before being incinerated. The ruined warship shudders as flames spew from multiple holes and openings. Finally, a massive blue orb of sparks forms in the center of the vessel for a few seconds before detonating in a colossal blast of blue light and flame which atomizes the entire ship. The shockwave is so powerful, that the resistance team can feel it from Couriway town. Jarod and his pokemon struggle to stay aloft as the blast wave rushes overhead at sonic speeds.
"EVERYONE HANG ON!"
"It's like a bomb going off!" Oblivion shouts.
"I'll protect us!" Sea Queen yells as she throws up a safeguard to dissipate the shockwave. However, Spectra takes the brunt of the impact and starts tumbling out of control.
"Mayday!" She roars, unable to twist herself around as the shockwave had fractured some of the bone segments in her serpentine body: causing damage to some of the muscles within.
"Spectra, no!" Jarod calls out before Oblivion swoops past him and streaks down toward her. The death legend makes a hard stop underneath where she is falling and manages to catch the wounded renegade.
"I've caught her!" Oblivion calls from below before noticing that Spectra is not moving. "Spectra...Spectra say something...Jarod we need to get her back to base, shes barely breathing!"
"Oblivion, you go on ahead. We still have to find Fantasia." Jarod calls back as Oblivion nods and speeds towards Couriway. Meanwhile, a few miles back. Fantasia is seen dragging herself out of a river after falling from the sky. Her lower left leg is broken and her body is riddled with burns and lacerations. The psychic legend can barely stay on her feet.
"Urrrrrf...where am ...I?" She says to herself, before slipping on the muddy banks of the river. Her eyes begin to flutter shut.
"Jarod...help...me..." She whispers before passing out as footsteps approach her.
"Mistress Natasha, isn't that the mewtwo that has allied itself with the resistance?" A large purple scorpion asks in a deep tone.
"It appears to be, drapion." Natasha replies.
"Excellent, now is our chance to strike a crippling blow to our enemy." Drapion replies as his claws begin to glow with a black aura.
"Drapion, what did I tell you. Can't you see that she's completely unresponsive."
"Think of the praise you'll recieve from the commander."
"I thought I made it clear: Attacking an enemy that cannot retaliate or defend is nothing short of cold blooded murder. The lieutenant scolds before kneeling down by the fallen legend. After a quick glancing over: Natasha pulls a burn heal from her belt and carefully sprays it across the body of the mewtwo. Fantasia, despite being unconscious: shivers in pain from the spray. Natasha then gently wraps bandaging around the wound on the mewtwo's left arm before applying a max potion to some of the lacerations on her stomach and neck.
"...You'll be alright now." Natasha mutters to herself as voices are heard close by.
"My lady, we had best retreat. Our enemy is close." Drapion say in concern.
"I agree." Natasha replies and the two disappear, but not before she takes one final look at Fantasia.
"What did I just do...? She says before exiting the area. Meanwhile, Jarod and Sea Queen scour the area in search of their fallen friend.
"Fantasia, where are you?" Sea Queen calls out.
"Call out to us if you can hear us." Jarod says before looking towards the river where he spots her limp body. "Oh hell no!" He and Sea Queen move to her side immediately. Jarod pulls the burned and battered legendary into his lap and shakes her.
"Fantasia...Fantasia can you hear me?" Jarod says softly as he gently shakes her, but gets no response at first.
"Fantasia, please open your eyes." Sea Queen pleads but to no avail.
"Fantasia...no..." Jarod whispers as his eyes begin to tear up in despair: fearing that he had just lost another partner. However, the feeling of dread is quickly dissipated when she lets out a weak cry of his name and begins to stir.
"...J...Jarod...you're here..." Fantasia says hoarsely as he embraces her.
"Oh Fantasia...I thought I had lost you...thank arceus I was wrong." Jarod whispers as he notices the bandaging around her arm and across her stomach. "Who patched you up?"
"I...I honestly dont..know..." She weakly replies as Jarod scoops her up.
"Let's get you back to Couriway." Jarod says as he boards his lugia and the trio head for their new base with the sun setting behind them. Meanwhile, Oblivion has already made it to Couriway and is observing Spectra as she is being treated by Steven, Cynthia and Luna. Diantha is seen conversing with Drasna, who had regained consciousness after being stunned by an electric dart.
"Glad to see you back on your feet Diantha." The dragon tamer states.
"I'm just glad that you're alive my dear friend." The former champion replies.
"He's back. Jarod has returned." Steven calls from the main lobby. The team head outside to meet him as Sea Queen lands and lets him off with Fantasia resting on his back.
"Jarod, what happened up there?" Wikstrom questions.
"The Phantasm...is no more. Sky Queen used some sort of move to pierce through the ship's power core: which caused a massive explosion that reduced the craft to nothing but atoms. Unfortunately, her, Fantasia and Spectra were all injured during the attack. Jarod explains.
"Thank goodness you all made it back alive." Diantha calls out as she walks towards him.
"My lady, you're awake!" Jarod exclaims cheerfully.
"Indeed and I feel much stronger than before." She replies before giving him a quick peck on the cheek. Luna floats close behind.
"Luna, I owe you one for this. Thank you for healing Diantha."
"As I said before, I am glad to be of assistance my friend." The lunar pokemon replies.
"Anyways, with the loss of the Phantasm. Team Infinity has been dealt a massive blow. However, this victory has come at a great cost with three of my heavy hitters rendered unable to fight for some time. Unfortunately, we cannot wait for too long, so our next mission will take place in four days. I will explain further details tomorrow morning. Jarod bellows before heading to his room with Diantha and settling down. Within moments, exhaustion from the day's endeavors leaves him out cold in seconds. Diantha simply snuggles up against him and joins him in the dream world. In one of the healing rooms, Spectra lay on her side with bandaging wrapped around her mid section. Due to her internal injuries. she cannot switch forms and can barely move while her bones heal. Oblivion silently observes her as she sleeps, the only sound audible being her steady breathing.
"Hmmmm...why can I not take my gaze off of her.." The death legend contemplates to himself. He had begun to feel different about the female renegade ever since Flare's funeral when he saw her actually cry for the first time. Knowing that that the shadow dragon had spent most of her life in solitude and isolation without any form of bond or companionship made losng a close friend that much harder for her.
"To see her like this...It causes me great suffering... I only wish to see her happy..." He mutters as a strange feeling wells up inside of him. His focus is shifted when he hears the renegade let out a low growl as her eyes flutter open.
"...Mrrrgh...Oblivion...what is going on...?" Spectra rumbles as she slowly comes around. The destruction deity makes eye contact with her and moves closer.
"Spectra...how are you feeling...?"
"Rather groggy but I'm fine otherwise...urgh." Spectra replies but a shot of pain causes her to wince as she tries to lift herself up.
"It would be best if you remain grounded for now. That shockwave damaged some of the muscles in your body that allow you to twist and coil around." Oblivion explains.
"I see...I presume that I'll be out of the next operation then?" Spectra questions in return.
"Unfortunately so." Oblivion answers back.
"...Hmph..." Spectra lets out a huff and lies back down. However, a somber expression takes over the dragonness' face which Oblivion notices immediately.
"Spectra...I can sense that something else is causing you distress. I'm all ears if you desire to speak your mind."
"What do you mean...I'm perfectly fine..." The renegade replies in a subtly shaky voice. Her mind flashing to her injured legendary brethren and the death of Flare with sorrow clawing at her heart. Her bright blue eyes begin to glisten. Oblivion gently slips his wings around the upper half of her body as she struggles to avoid his gaze.
"Spectra...emotions are part of what make us all alive. Don't inflict more suffering upon yourself by bottling them within. Release your pain..I'm right here." Oblivion says gently. Spectra makes eyes contact with his icy blue hues. His gaze radiates a sense of empathy and compassion that she had not felt before. Her restraints crumble as the shadow dragoness begins to weep openly in the embrace of the death legendary.
"...I couldn't...protect..them..." She chokes out softly."Why..does my heart...hurt so badly?"
"After being alone for so many years, the Isolation has taken its toll on you." Oblivion replies.
"...I don't understand..why does Flare's departure still hurt me deeply? Am I just meant to feel forever alone?" Spectra moans woefully as tears stream down her silver scales.
"You had never known companionship until you met Jarod and Flare. Losing her has left you feeling lost as she was one of your few closest friends. However, you are never alone. You have Jarod, myself, and all the other pokemon and humans on this team." Oblivion states. "I would glad to be the one...to ensure that.." He adds nervously. Spectra notices his sudden change in demeanor through her pain.
Fall Night Theme from Harvest Moon Animal Parade begins to play
"Oblivion...what do mean by that?" She states perplexed. Oblivion has his eyes locked firmly on hers. His heart beginning to quicken. Spectra can't help but stare back at him. Oblivion takes a heavy breath before speaking.
"Spectra...What I mean is that I want to be the one that is always there for you. The one that can be your strength when you are weak. The one to stand by you..." Spectra feels her own heart rate increase at Oblivion's words. Now their faces are nearly touching with Oblivions pointed muzzle inches from Spectra's
"Oblivion, are you saying what I..." Spectra begins to ask but Oblivion closes the gap with a kiss. Intially stunned, She slowly melds into it with the scales adorning her head moving aside to expose her own maw as she returns his affectionate move. A sensation of warmth resonating deep within the both of them as they separate.
"Spectra...I truly believe that love is what I now feel for you. I will always be by your side and that shall be a promise that I will uphold to the end. Oblivion declares. Spectra begins to cry once more, but with tears of completeness and joy at finally having found someone who truly cares. Her exhaustion quickly catches up with her as she lays back down.
"Thank...you...Oblivion...I..love...you..." She whispers softly before drifting off. Oblivion gently lay beside her with one of his wings draped over her like a blanket and his head nuzzled against hers.
"Dream beautifully...my precious renegade." He rumbles softly before slumber takes him away aswell.