Character: Jonathan Frey
Species: Heliolisk
Age: 49
Year of character creation: 2020
Story: The previous Captain of the Aerial Dragoon Unit. Jonathan stands at the top of the Dragoons in his use of pegasi wings and other energy-reliant gadgets. He personally bore witness to the creation of the Angels. Years later, his trick to replace Light with Galahad found support among two other Dragoons, Diondre and Jasmine.
"Good. Run along. And stay focused. One goal at a time. Get Mei."
"On it!"
Sky Shaymin Ariel reclined back in the hot water and waited. Flareon Light's fur didn't feel like its soft, usual self. Ariel found dry dirt on her paws after touching him. He didn't seem quite right.
But he made it. Once Mei was out of danger, Ariel could help get them all out of here. As sweet as all the Angels were on the inside, they were confused, hurt, and dangerous. Although her conversations with some of them poked a few holes, cold, hard fear resealed them. At this point, she could only help Light. A little trick she pulled distracted the horde of white Eevees in her room from attacking him. That was all she could slip past them. Their minds were too strong for other spells. Ariel could change their chi patterns to match for any emotion she wanted, but their focus overpowered their feelings. Rayquaza didn't talk often, but she sensed its surprise when she tried and failed to do more earlier.
A few minutes after Light left, the atmosphere changed. The Angels stiffened from ear to tail. They all turned to the hallway. Did they break out of her spell?
Heavy footsteps came. Ariel floated out of the hot tub, wrung herself out, and landed in front of the insane statue of herself in the middle of the room.
Dragonite Lancelot approached. Every story the Angels told about him made Ariel stand and walk in place. According to what else they told her, he hadn't been scheduled to arrive for another week at least. Why did he come here now?
Lancelot glanced around and sized up the room. The Angels stapled Ariel's face on anything they could, and that wasn't even part of the spell. They did it by themselves. She swallowed. He might not realize that.
"Chingyang," Lancelot bowed his head in her direction. "Very good to meet you."
"Lord Acuity." Ariel forced out the same mild tone he used. Despite all the stories the Angels told her about their broken bones and tired minds, she knew Lancelot would prefer to play politics whenever he could. He earned the WPO's favor in this fashion: a bloodless war.
"It would seem you've earned my children's admiration." Lancelot smiled the more he looked around. He settled on the statue. "That is very impressive craftsmanship."
"Yes. Your children are very talented."
"Quite so."
Lancelot tilted his chin up. With his arms crossed behind his back and his body frozen, Ariel couldn't read him at all.
"I have need of that Angel you rescued for me," Lancelot said. "But, as for the rest, I will give you one-hundred for free. In future sales, you may have certain priorities and discounts, if you so desire for more."
Ariel gawked. Lancelot continued with his passive smile. He thought she would agree to buy his own children. Was that how he saw Lao Shen?
"What?" Ariel breathed out. "Do you think-"
"I would carefully consider," Lancelot went on. "That Angel you saved for me cannot offer you anything these others can't. And I'm very open to price changes depending on their skillsets."
"What are you thinking?" Ariel said quietly, screaming it in her mind.
Lancelot's smile faded. "I understand. You're young, and, well, new to all this. Sit with me. I have a story."
Lancelot gestured to a table. The Angels cleared out like bugs with a rock pulled from over their heads. Ariel obeyed for now. His "story" would take valuable time for Light and the others to get themselves in better positions. He groaned as he sat down across from her. The metal table vibrated.
"Now, this all happened some sixteen, fifteen years ago," Lancelot started. "The Angel program had just given birth to Galahad," Lancelot shrugged his claws, "who, well, I know now was just a trick, not actually Angel Zero. I had some downtime while waiting for my project to mature, so I decided to create a new long-term project."
He left a pause for Ariel to speak.
"What for?" Ariel asked. She accidentally abandoned her formal tone.
Lancelot smiled without showing his teeth. "I wanted to create artificial Scions. Or, more specifically, artificially push the bond that makes someone a Scion. After all, if I could give birth to one, it made sense to keep making strides towards greater control. But Scions are rare and hard to study, especially due to specific traits in each one.
"Now, by this time, Marciel had already bonded to Zygarde. The end result didn't give me any new information. I needed the host species' genetic information. At the time, Reshiram was a rock." He waved his claws around. "My wife tried dozens of things. It didn't work out. Then, we located another, body and all, but strangely enough, that also didn't help. Around that time, my wife realized that we needed genetic information from both Scion and host. It's all very complicated. I won't pretend to understand it as deeply as she does, but she knew.
"While Scions don't follow a lot of physical rules, there still needs to be a change in their genetics. And I wanted a solution that didn't involve brute forcing the problem like I did with the Angels. So I did some digging, which involved a few… spies, I will admit. And as it turns out, your family has held latent genes for becoming Rayquaza's Scion for centuries."
Ariel listened.
Lancelot lifted his head further away from the table. "I was baffled," he said. "I didn't think genes for becoming a scion could be passed down like eye color. When I discovered this, I offered a parley with your parents."
"A parley?" Ariel asked quietly. "And what did you offer?"
Lancelot shrugged. "Power."
A fire lit in Ariel's chest.
"I told them the true nature of Scions, and asked them to bring me a genetic sample of Rayquaza," Lancelot said. "Then, I asked for one of them to become its Scion. As I had genetic information from them before their transformation, it would provide me with all the genetic information I needed. Rayquaza's power would work wonders for their might. And that's how your parents ended up going to Mount Ài. I hadn't realized Rayquaza had been in that… crazed state, like Reshiram. It resulted in a loss I didn't foresee."
Ariel's paws shook. They flinched and almost flung around his neck.
"But despite this," Lancelot said in a low voice, "I was able to get Rayquaza's genetic sample. And thanks to you and your sister's blood samples, along with a few years of hard work, I have the artificial Scion experiment underway today." He lowered his chin and stared up at her. "So you see, I owe your family a great debt. I imagine your parents' lives were irreplaceable in your life. I am willing to offer you every Angel… You name it. But I can't give you Angelo."
"You used my family as an experiment," Ariel stated.
"As I said before, your parents consented to this. Lao Shen's debts to Abuja for its raw materials were stacking high. At that time, your country was nothing more than a glorified arms dealer. Now your economy is as healthy as reasonably possible. And while I digress that you and your sister's efforts helped, my money started it all. I'm the only reason you're free of your parents' mistakes."
"Well, some of us actually get over our daddy issues."
Lancelot shot to his feet and threw the table off to the side.
"Excuse me? Excuuuse meeeee?"
Sky Shaymin Ariel groaned. Her head hurt. Her shoulders ached when she lifted her forearm to her face. She rolled herself to her stomach and cracked open her eyes.
A white Eevee looked at her from outside of her bedsheets. She backed away from Ariel and cleared her throat.
"Hi," she said, "um, I know you're recuperating, but, uh… One and Mei want to speak with you."
Ariel woke up. "Mei's awake?"
"Yes. They're, in, the uh, room where we had Ariel appreciation day," her voice quieted with every word.
Ariel heard it would take Mei a while to get reoriented after suspended animation. She wanted to make sure with her own eyes she was alright. Light had been sleeping for a while now, too.
"Thank you," Ariel said. "I'll be there in a moment."
The Angel walked out without another word. So far, all of them wore the same guilty face Light did at times. The ones who stayed turned on Lancelot through and through after they saw he was about to wring Ariel's neck out. Others left without a word. She didn't blame them, not even the ones who stood back while she fought a battle that was lost from the start with Lancelot. They were afraid.
And even if they stepped in, it might not have been enough. Ariel didn't know one person could have that much chi.
Ariel walked out into empty hallways. On her way, she only passed Pachirisu Susan. Markus hadn't been found. When the Angels did some digging, they discovered no trace of him in their records. They hadn't captured him along with the rest of the guild. No one knew where he was, not even his fiancée. Ariel passed her a low nod and kept on the path.
Over the last few days, the Angels dragged her around to every important room the airship had to offer. She understood all the signs, and the need for go-karts. It took her ten minutes to get there.
Her statue still stood in the center, same as yesterday. The Angels concentrated around the tables again, except for one, bent into random shapes and leaning against the wall in the corner. It only took Lancelot two light punches to bend solid steel into an origami mess. Ariel saved that thought for later. Her eyes settled on a source of relief: the rest of the Guild out of cages, surrounding her sister.
Shaymin Mei carried all the attention on her back. She passed it to Ariel with a sharp glare.
"Hey Mei," Ariel said. "How are you feeling?"
Mei sighed. "Like I've been beat in the head with a hammer." She turned towards Heliolisk Jonathan. "How did you escape Olympus feeling like this?"
"The Dragoon serum didn't let me feel all that," he said. "But it should wear off in a few hours."
Ariel crept closer to get a look at Mei's face. She seemed sleepy, otherwise normal. She counted up the Guild members and tried to remember if anyone turned up missing. To a bit of shame, she couldn't tell, other than Light. Come to think of it, she hadn't heard mention of his grandfather at all.
"Is everyone accounted for?" Ariel asked. "Other than Markus?"
"No," Mei answered. "We're missing Amadeus. Light is with Gareth right now."
"Amadeus Acuity is dead."
A Sylveon with pearly white eyes entered from the hallways. All of the Angels had the same fluffy fur, soft, rounded paws, and body proportions with their tails being a bit larger. But one look in her eyes, and Ariel could tell that Sylveon was a different person than the rest.
Ariel registered what she said.
"Excuse me!?" Leafeon Charlotte shouted.
"Amadeus Acuity is dead," she repeated. "I bore witness to it myself. I told Gareth first, and now I am telling all of you."
One glared down at anyone who stared at her. Her face remained stoic, but her body language screamed aggression. Her weight balanced forward as she took towards the center of the table. Everyone who seemed to doubt the news held different reactions. The faces of Angels who overheard turned blank. Charlotte's jaw dropped in horror. Mei looked ready to kill. The rest of the Guild held smaller reactions. None of them knew Amadeus too closely, Ariel included. The idea they could be next formed.
"We don't have time right now," One said in a low voice. "I have received word from my sister. Marciel will attack us on his own tomorrow. He intends to storm the ship and take Light himself."
"Does he really think he can just do that?" Mei asked.
One tilted her head towards Mei like a gear turning in a clock."Yes, he does. And he can. The full force of a Scion is not to be trifled with. But we will win by designating roles. Each of you, tell me what you have to contribute. Remember, this is a trained Scion with Sacred Treasure Gungnir. Don't overstate what you can accomplish without a pointless death."
Ariel noted she specified "pointless" death.
One's head swiveled to Galarain Ponyta Nadia. She flinched and glanced at Ariel. "Oh, uh, h-hello," Nadia sputtered out. "Against Marciel, uh, I can run pretty fast. So I can shoot some attacks from far away and maybe carry Light around or something?"
Nadia always won races between her, Ariel, and Robin. Ariel nodded her way to offer a confidence booster. It could count for something. One passed her stare down the circle, at Zangoose Fernand.
"I've been working on my claws extensively," Fernand said. "I would bet I could last a few hits against Gungnir, but I wouldn't want to fight it unless I'm in a group."
Fernand didn't talk much. Ariel didn't realize how confident he sounded.
"I can help up close too," Pyukumuku Kaleb said. "I mean, there's no way I won't eat a swing or two. And it'll hurt. But I can take it."
Krookodile Ibo sighed and rolled his shoulders. "I bet I could make his bones rattle," he said. "But landing a hit while he has Gungnir is a tall order. In a group, maybe something can happen at least."
One paused when the circle reached Manaphy Jewel. She blinked and opened her mouth for a moment before talking: "How old are you?"
"I turn twelve, like, super early next year," Jewel said.
One's eyebrows fell flat. "You are to remain in the safety of the Angels on board." She looked past Jewel towards Ribombee Xiang.
"Uh, hello," Xiang waved her arm stiffly. "I'm Xiang. I worked as a doctor in Nǚxìng. I treated Light and Ariel's injuries when they came across the Bloody Sacred Treasure. So, I, uh, technically have experience treating those kinds of wounds."
"As do the Angels," One replied. "Follow me after this meeting. I will take you to our doctors. They will show and explain to you our equipment present on this ship."
Dewgong Nathan filled the cold, quiet air. "Hey. My name's Nathan. I don't really have anything that can stand up to Gungnir, but I can fire quite a few attacks. If we're trying to whittle at his stamina, I'll help."
"I'll take the forefront in that group for close range combat," said Diancie Jasmine. "I want to face him in person."
"Same here," Heliolisk Jonathan huffed out. "There isn't any other way for me to contribute. Though I'd prefer to fight him in the air. I know for a fact I can land hits on him then. With backup from laser cannons, it'd be a considerable defense for any loner."
None of the Guild worked with pegasi wings yet. Finding more people other than Ariel and maybe Mei to help posed a problem.
Drizzile Kenta took a moment to form a reply: "To be honest, I don't think I can add much other than throwing stuff from a distance."
"I'm willing to try and fight in the hallways," Mienfoo Robin followed. "In that group, I mean."
"Alright. Charlotte?" One asked.
Leafeon Charlotte seemed as if she hardly heard a word of what they were talking about. "Yes?" she answered on reflex.
"How has the progress been on that glass project?"
"Glass… Oh. I was stalling it for a good while since I was captured, but it's possible."
"How soon can you have results?"
"A few hours. It would be close. I also need Light's help."
"Return to work on it immediately. Prioritize the designs I passed along. Next?"
"I can work as a blockage," Arcanine Zhen said. "I can hold my attacks for a long period of time, and launch them through the entire hallway. I can stall his approach as necessary."
Roserade Storm shifted his feet as he said, "I can join him on that front."
That left two people Ariel didn't recognize: a Charmander and a Sawsbuck. The rest of the Guild didn't pay them any mind. They must've been talking here for a while before she arrived.
"I'll join in the air," Charmander said. "I think I could keep up."
"Apologies in advance," Sawsbuck said, "but combat at this level is out of my depth. The best I can do is help carry the wounded and apply first-aid."
Sylveon One checked around the table in case she missed anyone. Her eyes drifted past Ariel, but she ignored her. Ariel couldn't read her face at all. Maybe she had a specific idea in mind?
"Nadia," said One, turning to her. "You will transport and protect any of the wounded to the hospital with Huruma. The rest of you, join into groups based on how you chose to contribute and let the Angels direct you to your places. They will make more enlightened strategic decisions based on Marciel's abilities, your own, and the layout of the ship. Ariel and Mei, stay and talk with me for a moment."
One didn't look at either of them as she said it. The Guild gathered themselves up and left the table empty. One pressed her lips together and waited for every last person to leave earshot.
"For now, Light is with Gareth in room 657," One said in a low voice. "He is not well. I have not told him Marciel is coming yet. Keep him focused on the project with Charlotte."
"What is Charlotte's project?" Ariel asked.
"Glass weaponry, like the ones Reshiram used. With enough focused energy in their creation, they could stand up to Sacred Treasures. I understand you've been Rayquaza' scion for some time?"
"Yes." Ariel side-eyed Mei. "We have."
"I commissioned a set of armor for you from our designers using that glass. You are the only Scion on this ship with the expertise necessary. In addition, Mei has a proposition for you to help even the odds."
Ariel didn't have any guess what "proposition" meant. If Mei had an offer to help even the odds, why would she turn it down? Mei inhaled as though she'd been preparing what to say.
"Ariel," Mei started. "You're a… young woman now."
Ariel didn't gain any more sense of where this was going. "Okay?" she said slowly.
"When we were young, neither of us were really able to handle Rayquaza's power on our own. Even being able to return to Land Forme indefinitely took a year of practice. We've both come a long way."
"Yeah. We have."
"But your lifestyle has left you more physically capable than me. A lot more responsibility is on you now. There's no reason for me to be using half of Rayquaza's strength anymore. An enemy Scion is coming for Light, and… Half of your potential isn't enough anymore."
Ariel's smile fell open. She turned her head to the side and whipped it back. "That's it? Trying to put all of it on me again because I'm so much more capable of it than you?"
"Ariel," Mei said sternly. "This isn't like that. From a strategic point of view, this is a pure improvement."
"Maybe it's an improvement for you, after you run off to a beach with a soda can in your paws and pretend to be a failure when you never tried in the first place."
"Don't you see the big picture?" Mei raised her voice. "Lancelot is afraid of you, Ariel! Other than Marciel, the Scions present on Olympus who would come after Light are weak against Rayquaza's power. When you are using it. He's running a test. If you stop Marciel today, there's no telling what we could accomplish."
"I don't need your chi to beat Marciel."
Mei's voice fell. "You can't stake Light's life on that claim."
A "claim", Mei called it. Ariel snorted. First Empress, now this. Mei loved to push all of the work on her. Nothing's changed.
"Ariel," Sylveon One said, "according to my sister, your presence has acted as a large deterrent over these past months. Whether or not this proposition goes through, defeating Marciel would force Lancelot to make more coordinated efforts and attacks. It would become easier for us to receive advanced warning. Despite the circumstances around Light, my siblings here today are throwing away their lives for you, Chingyang. Don't make a mistake now."
Mei flinched. Ariel did too. She heard Light's voice somewhere in that.
One stood up and left with Ribombee Xiang. Ariel kept her mouth shut. She didn't want to argue with Mei with this much at stake.
"I'm still in no shape to fight," Mei said. "And if I was, I wouldn't accomplish nearly as much with my chi compared to you. When Marciel comes, I'll be with Light in case you change your mind."
Mei always had a way of leaving a room that made Ariel feel guilty. Ariel didn't understand where the lump in her throat came from. Why'd she feel guilty for not having to do everything herself? Her forearm banged against the underside of the table as she stood up.
Ariel didn't know why Light was in room 657 till she saw it for herself. From the hallway, it appeared to have the same door as one of the Angels' rooms. It turned out to be a spa. Ariel grew up rich, but the multiple spas on board outdid any she'd seen. Her reflection frowned back at her in the silvery tiles on the floor. Piano music played from overhead speakers. Rows of cushions were set up in front of mirrors. They all had the same set of brushes, combs, and ointments. On one of them, Haxorus Gareth sat and randomly inspected them. As Ariel entered, he set down a comb, walked past her, and nodded as he stepped out of the room. She didn't hear his footsteps echo in the hall. He was waiting by the door.
Flareon Light's head reclined back over the edge of a brass bathtub. Droplets ran down his ears and across his face. The smell of honey smashed into Ariel's front. Her heart hammered. As always, she could never prepare herself for the sight of him.
"Hey Light," Ariel's voice cracked. It couldn't be helped. "How… are you feeling?"
Ariel didn't want to charge right in about Amadeus. It still didn't register in her own brain as real. She couldn't imagine how Light was feeling.
Light stirred. Ariel wouldn't have woken him up if she realized he'd been napping. He yawned before speaking, "Hi Airy."
"Hey. How are you feeling?" It worked better to ask outright than play guessing games at a time like this.
"I'm fine," Light answered. "Did, uh, she tell you?"
"Yeah."
Light's eyes drifted around. "Yah. I… I don't feel anything right now. I dunno what's wrong with me."
Her heart cracked a little. "Light, there's nothing wrong with you. That's not you not caring or the Acuitan blessing. Whatever you're feeling is for you. There's no wrong answer. I didn't really, uh," she cleared her throat. "I didn't really cry over my parents until a long time after," she forced out. "And even then, grief doesn't always go how it's represented in the movies."
Ariel cringed. When Light made eye contact, she could tell he saw something. He looked tired in every sense. Ariel didn't remember when she stopped feeling that way. How long did it take?
"Light," Ariel said, "I need your help with something." His ears rose. "Your aunt has been making some type of machine thingamabobber… Uh." Not very articulate. "She's trying to make glass weapons because Marciel is coming."
Light's eyes thinned like a panther's on a mouse. Ariel blinked. "Here?" Light asked.
"Yes, in a few hours. Charlotte won't be ready until it's almost time. If you help her, I'll be able to handle Sacred Treasure Gungnir and take care of him."
"Do you think you can beat him by yourself?"
Ariel fought Marciel during the ambush. Sacred Treasure Gungnir and a dozen other Dragoons hurt her chances then, but alone, the odds looked better.
"Absolutely," Ariel said. "Do you think you can focus on helping Charlotte for me?"
"Yah."
"Light?"
"Yah?"
"Are you thinking of trying to fight Marciel yourself?"
"No," Light answered firmly. "I trust you. Whatever you need, I'll do it."
Ariel's face twisted on itself. Light's eyes softened.
"What's wrong?" Light asked.
"Mei wants me to fight him alone," Ariel said. "Apparently, she's found some type of way to… give me her half of being a Scion." Ariel idly looked around the spa. "I swear, it's like she wants me to do everything. Lead the country, be the hero. I'm sick of this."
"She used to make comments about you being irresponsible," Light said. "In passing, and stuff. She doesn't anymore."
"Yeah, I think she gave up on the whole leading the country thing. But she's being so… different this time."
"Maybe she realized that you're just a natural when it comes to heroics when she didn't see real value in it before."
Ariel met Light's gaze again. "But how can she seriously try to put more weight on me in a time like this?"
"Maybe she just trusts you like I do."
"How… is that?"
"You're asking me to help you from the sidelines and let you handle Marciel because I can't," Light said. "How is what Mei wants to do that different?"
Ariel couldn't think of an objective counterpoint, other than that Light was her cute little bumpkin and Mei has tried this kind of crap before.
"I'll be fine without it," Ariel said.
In the silence that followed, the atmosphere warmed Ariel up. Wisps of steam swirled over Light's head. His fur transformed from ragged to pristine, and his scent, from jungle murk to warm sugar, good enough to eat.
But he needed his space, and his sleep. Ariel could take the time to catch up with Robin and Nadia.
"Go back to sleep," Ariel said. "You'll be fine, okay? I've got you."
Light smiled. It looked strained. "I know. But, u-uh," his voice cracked up, "you have to b-be there for family too. Especially when you know they'd be there for you."
"I hear you. I'll be thinking about it."
"Okay… Um, see you later."
"Later. Get some sleep."
Ariel nodded as she turned back around. At least Light had Gareth to talk to if he needed to, and he definitely would. Once she stomped on Marciel, she'd spend a lot more time with him to catch up on what happened. She didn't know what Light thought about any sort of afterlife, or about any Acuitan customs around it. A conversation with Gareth about it might help.
Haxorus Gareth rounded the corner when Ariel opened the door. She caught a glance at his face. He didn't pay her any attention. On second thought, she could look it up on the internet later.
"So."
"Gyah!"
Ariel hopped in place and stiffened. Prinplup Sheng stared at her with a lightweight scowl. Next to him, Snivy Shu doodled away on her notepad like always.
"You guys had a team meeting and didn't inviteme," Sheng said. "That Marciel dweeb got my crew in a real bind. I wouldn't mind having a crack at him myself. There's no way he can handle me and the boys."
"No," Ariel huffed out as a reaction. "This isn't a game."
"I stole one of your military ships and you think I play games?"
"It was an old…. Model." Ariel bit down her argument. She sounded prissy trying to play that one down. "We don't need help from criminals here."
"The president of the World Peace Association is coming here after he nearly got you strangled. I'mma keep it real chief, it's time to think survival instead of laws. Maybe even morals, if you have to."
Sheng locked onto her eyes and held her in place. At that moment, to Ariel, he looked thirty years older, more like a true pirate king than a lucky teenager.
"You gotta take this guy down and set an example. Establish some boundaries. Make him respect you. You might be thinking I was able to steal your ship because your sister cut backhard on military funding and the old girl wasn't protected well enough."
"Well, yes?" Ariel muttered.
"Wrong. I looked your guards and soldiers in the eye and could tell they were pushovers. I smelled an opportunity to make some good ol' fashioned fear and took it." Sheng glanced down and back up. Ariel didn't break away. "And since you're not a pushover, you have an opportunity."
"What do you want?"
Sheng's eyes lit up. "I want my shot at Marciel. Where can I get it?"
"A small team is going to try and take him down in the air with pegasi wings. If he gets on board, we have members ready to stall him from reaching Light. Charlotte is working on something to help us, but it will take time."
Sheng nodded. "Alright. Then I'll be here. But think about what I said. Even if we take him down today, we still gotta live through tomorrow."
Ariel hadn't thought about what waited for them after Marciel came. Where would they go from here? No matter where they hid Light, they would always find him eventually. Between the Acuitan blessing and being a Scion, a lot of second senses could pick up his trail.
What could they do in the end?
"I'll be around," Sheng said, turning away. "But think about my advice. I got a long list on my resume taking things people don't want me to take."
Ariel breathed in and held it. Haxorus Gareth had paused in the doorway. His gaze struck like an icicle on the head. She froze up.
"The first kill is always the hardest," Gareth grunted. "It only gets easier."
Ariel didn't appreciate that advice right now.
With the amount of time Ariel had, she caught up with Nadia and Robin and physically prepared. Marciel would strike around mid-morning. It gave them more time to react.
The ship gained altitude after they took it over. From the ground, Ariel imagined they looked like a cloud, if they were visible at all. Peering over the edge from the roof, most kinds of clouds floated below them now. The sunrise swept over the land long before it reached them. Ariel never went this high up on her own. If something happened to her while she was flying, the landing wouldn't be pleasant. That went doubly for everyone else with her.
Sylveon One, Charmander Herald, and Heliolisk Jonathan stood on the rounded roof of the ship, unbothered. Ariel supposed they were all used to it, but she wasn't. The constant force on her front made her feel like she was always falling. They couldn't even fly without pegasi wings as sturdy as sandpaper against Gungnir.
"You sense him yet, kid?" Jonathan asked her from a few feet away. He still needed to raise his voice to speak over the wind.
"No," Ariel said. She still only sensed the pleasant hum from her smoochy moo and raggedy tingle from Mei. No other Scions were around yet.
"Call out when you do. He moves fast."
"Right."
One and Herald didn't speak. They gazed around the sky with empty eyes.
"Guys?" Ariel asked. "If we beat Marciel, what do we do?"
Jonathan shifted his weight and turned back to her. "What'dya mean?" he asked.
"Are we going to kill him?"
Herald's eyes fluttered about. One swiveled around and walked closer. Ariel stepped back from her.
"Marciel is coming to kill him," One stated. "Sometimes, you have an opportunity to be bigger than your opponent. Other times you don't. If you did all that you can, you need to do what you must. If what my brother says about you is correct, you will know the answer to that question."
Ariel's eyes snapped up. Metal columns around them shifted. They all noticed at once.
A green light descended towards them. Sylveon One and Charmander Herald took off. Ariel flew close behind Jonathan. The green light slowed, darkened, and through it, Ariel saw Marciel Butterfree. His wings slowed to a near stop. A silver spear, Sacred Treasure Gungnir, stood firm in his grip. The hum of their groups' pegasi wings evened out as they surrounded him in the air.
Ariel didn't have anything to say to Marciel. She kept herself between him and the ship: between him and Light.
"Say," Jonathan bobbed his chin at Marciel. "Does your dad know you're out playing with his toys?"
Marciel glanced down at Ariel. She wouldn't put it past Gungnir to pierce straight through the hull to get inside. Marciel had to stay at a range.
A beat of Marciel's wings sent him flying up. He reeled Gungnir back and threw it. Ariel flung herself to the side. The heat of its chi singed her fur. It left a trail of spinning green scales on its way down.
Gungnir blew a crater straight through to the hallways. Bits of hot metal flew up and pelted Ariel from underneath. The screech stung her ears.
Heliolisk Jonathan circled above Marciel and fired his Grapplers at Marciel's back. Laser cannons fired. Ariel joined Charmander Herald and Sylveon One in a ranged barrage with air slashes.
Ariel stopped. She didn't hear the impact from her attacks. A growing cloud of green smoke and scales obscured the sunrise. Pressure built up in her chest. She had no clue what kind of attack he was building up.
"Pull back!" Ariel called.
Green, hexagonal scales rained down. Ariel covered her face with her forearms. Electric crackles broke out from their pegasi wings. Jonathan angled himself to fall back on the ship. Herald didn't expect it enough to cut off power to his boosters. He flailed around in the air and slammed against one of the torn-up laser cannons.
One didn't pull back far enough. The force of wind blew her away. Ariel rushed over the side of the ship.
Sylveon One's ribbons coiled around a misshapen spike of metal. The mangled remains of her pegasi wings dangled on her back.
"Stop him!" One screeched.
Ariel flew back. Heliolisk Jonathan had fired and locked his Grapplers on each of Butterfree Marciel's wings. Electricity snaked around the wires, but none of it pierced through the veil of scales to Marciel's body. They detached with a flap of Marciel's wings. Jonathan swung his arm and aimed the Grappler for his main body. Marciel shifted away from it to the side.
The Grappler hit a far wall. Jonathan reeled himself in, slammed into Marciel, and fell inside the ship. Ariel ran and jumped down after them.
A hideous alarm blared. Marciel took hold of Gungnir again. The spear forced Jonathan to keep his arms raised and dodge every quick jab Marciel pointed his way. If it were any normal spear, Jonathan would have grabbed it and countered with ease. Marciel knew. It let him put less physical and mental effort into his attacks.
Charmander Herald fell from the roof. Marciel noticed in time. Ariel gathered chi and aimed an Energy Ball for his center. Gungnir pierced through it. Herald's fists slammed down on Marciel's wings; a powerful flap sent him flying down the hallway.
Jonathan closed in with the opening. Marciel turned and jabbed with Gungnir. Jonathan's feet squeaked against the floor. He slid under the spear, shot his Grappler smack at Marciel's face, grabbed the electrified wire, and yanked.
"Kid!" Jonathan yelled.
Jonathan threw Marciel at her.
"Kid!"
Ariel jumped for him, too late. Marciel flapped his wings and righted himself in the air.
Heat flashed across Ariel's side. Her fist slammed into Marciel's stomach. He rolled off to the side and fluttered his wings as he landed. Ariel's feet banged against the floor.
"Not fast enough, Chingyang."
Ariel's body caved in to her right side. She staggered, smacked against the metal wall, and crumpled to the floor. Heat gathered. A shaky sigh leaked past her lips. Marciel turned and continued down the hall.
"Ariel?"
Jonathan ran and bent down in front of Ariel. He pulled her paw up from over her side. His blue eyes softened.
"It's not too bad," Jonathan claimed. "Breathe through it. C'mon. Can you stand?" He reached his arm around her back.
"No no-"
Ariel screamed; a hot needle drove into her side. Jonathan flinched back. His head whipped between her and Marciel's direction. Ariel tilted her head up to keep tears falling.
"I gotta go help slow him down," Jonathan said. "Nadia will be here soon, alright? Just stay put."
"Okay," Ariel breathed out. She nodded sporadically and pressed her lips together.
Jonathan's footsteps took off down the hall. The howl of scraping metal and flames echoed around Ariel. She dared to look down where Gungnir scraped her. The remaining fur in the area felt as stiff as tree branches. The wound itself didn't run deep. With the exception of some agility, Ariel could still fight. If no one beat Marciel before he reached Light, it was over.
A minute or two passed. Hoofsteps came. Galarian Ponyta Nadia showed up. Her eyes locked onto Ariel and held firm.
"I'm here!" Nadia shouted. "I- Oh! Okay, okay…"
Nadia stopped and looked Ariel over. She took her time to figure out a way to pick her up. Ariel screwed her mouth shut. It hurt to move, but she couldn't let this drag out. Every second from now was bought and paid for.
"I-it'll be fine!" Nadia grunted as she aligned Ariel on her back. "The Angels here know how to handle this!"
"Take me to Mei," Ariel groaned out. "I need herhelp…"
Nadia glared back at her. "Damn it Ariel, you need a doctor!"
"I need Mei!"
Ariel always needed Mei to do this. It took a spear to the gut to get over her pride and get to business. No more mistakes.
"Nadia," Ariel said, "please."
"Already on the way," Nadia sighed. "Whatever you ask, Ariel. Just, please, don't ask me to do something too crazy."
Ariel bit on her lower lip. The rumble from Nadia's running stung, but if she complained, Nadia might drag her to the doctors anyways.
Marciel moved a lot in a few minutes. Noises from the battle echoed everywhere. As they approached Light's room, Ariel could still hear the sounds in the distance. Mei's plan better not take too long.
Nadia drove her shoulder against a cast iron door, but it was locked. "Hey!" Nadia called. "It's me! Nadia! Open up!"
The door clicked. Nadia burst through.
A web of wires, thin and thick, covered the floor. Nadia trotted around in a messy spiral to avoid stepping on them. Tiny specks of smoke rose from some areas. When Ariel looked up, the room appeared like a silvery fog. Her head hurt.
"Ariel?" Mei shouted. "Nadia, why are you bringing her here? She needs a doctor!"
"Gareth Acuity has now engaged in combat!" an Angel's voice reported. "All other available teams have been sent directions to the next choke point!"
"Mei," Ariel groaned. "I need your help."
"And you're just realizing that now?"
Ariel pushed herself off Nadia's back. Though light-headed, her balance held up. Land Shaymin Mei glowered up at her chin. Once Nadia double checked Ariel's footing, she glanced around and hurried back outside.
"I just don't get why you won't help me by fighting," Ariel said quietly. "Why are you putting it all on me instead of actually helping me fight?"
Mei dodged her stare. "Ariel, you may not realize this, but you are beyond me. Maybe not in the roles I've tried to push you into the past, but when it comes to this, you are the expert between us. There comes a time when I can't keep up and all I can offer you is my support." Their eyes met. "This is that moment." Mei tilted her head away. "Look."
Ariel's vision cleared up more. Open space made up the majority of the room. Almost every wire surrounded a metallic chamber in the center. Past foggy glass, Flareon Light laid on his side. Every wire jabbed into him at different points. Sweat slicked down the fur on his forehead.
"We all have different talents and roles," said Mei. "Some of them aren't so pleasant to fill, or easy. I tried to run away from being Empress by pinning it on you. I won't do that anymore. So, I'll be Empress Chingyang if you promise to be the hero we all really need right now."
"Gareth Acuity has been wounded by Gungnir! One will be next to intercept!"
"Are we doing this or not?" Mei asked quickly.
"Yeah," Ariel decided. "What do we do for this?"
"It's already done."
Ariel leered. "What do you mean it's already done?"
"It was done the moment you agreed to it."
Ariel took count. She wasn't on the brink of losing consciousness anymore. Her wound hadn't changed, but the pain all but vanished. Did having more chi lessen the impact it had on the rest of her body? Mei didn't have the little tingle Ariel used to sense her anymore.
A headache struck and faded away within a few seconds. Every muscle fiber in her body felt bloated after. In Sky Forme, Rayquaza's chi always surged through her like a second set of blood vessels. It'd be difficult not to hurt herself with this.
"We need to take care of that wound," Mei insisted.
"It could be worse," Ariel said. She could keep her voice in a single tone now. "I can still fight."
"It will only take a minute. The armor's still being prepared in the next room." Mei turned. "Cinnamon! Over here!"
Ariel recognized that name.
As it turned out, far from all over the Angels had names of their own. Ariel offered a few of the nicknames she used for Light, maybe around a hundred. They seemed to like her suggestions a lot. Eevee Cinnamon's eyes appeared softer than other Angels. Ariel turned so she could see her side.
Cinnamon didn't flinch. She swiveled in place as she sized it up.
"Uh, hi," Cinnamon said. "So, I can, uh, help in the other room, if that's okay. The armor's almost ready in there too."
"Alright," Ariel smiled. "After you."
Ariel noticed unsteadiness on her feet making her way through all the cords and wires on her own feet. Cinnamon constantly glanced back at her. Ariel kept her smile up to reassure her.
They walked out to the next room over on the right. A horde of wires pierced through the wall from Light's room. Oddly enough, the wires ran into containers filled with powders and different colored fluids. A cauldron boiled underneath a wide open vent on the ceiling in the center. Drawings and mathematical papers, some darkened by spills, covered the same long tables Ariel saw in the cafeteria.
Eevees in lab coats and glasses turned towards Ariel. As they spaced apart, Ariel saw the end result of it all. She flinched. Her side hurt.
"The tools please!" Cinnamon called out. "Set her on a table."
Two Eevees on either side lifted Ariel up. They helped her walk and laid her on her back. Cinnamon brought her a small glass of clear liquid and held it up to her lips.
"Here, drink," Cinnamon said.
Ariel sipped.
Whatever it was sent her to an alternate universe. Ariel watched Cinnamon work with metal tools on her sides, with sparks and everything. If she didn't know any better, she'd think Cinnamon was fixing a carriage engine. After some time, Cinnamon held what might've been a different glass to her lips. Ariel sipped.
All feelings snapped back at once. Ariel craned her neck to look at her side. A metal sheet covered it like a bandage.
"Help her stand up," Cinnamon said quietly. "Bring that mirror over."
Ariel rolled over and took her time. Her paw clinked against the floor. She shook her head and turned it over. An Eevee pushed a large mirror on wheels in front of her.
"We tried to integrate Lao Shen's standards since we figured you might be used to it," a different Eevee explained, "but we primarily based it off of observations of your habits from your fight against Gareth in Abuja."
When Sky Shaymin Ariel heard the promise of armor that could stop a Sacred Treasure, she expected a giant bubble of thick metal. Instead, it hugged her form like a sleek shell. It'd been colored dark green, though still a little see-through. Stiffer glass covered her forearms, legs, back, and sides. With a closer look, she noticed small ridges on different layers. A helmet with a red feather arched down to cover her forehead.
Every breath warmed Ariel up. The armor itself reminded her of a hug.
"Light put about three times as much energy into it as we asked him to," another Angel said. "You should've seen it! Five minutes before you walked in, all of the wires were frying… We have to replace most of them, actually. Darn…"
"Then why isn't it frying me?" Ariel asked.
One of the Angels raised up a red, teardrop-shaped necklace. Ariel recognized it. She bought it as a fun little charm right before Mei summoned them. According to the guy she bought it from, it had her chi pattern in it.
"It's sort of, uh, synched up to you," Eevee explained. Ariel noticed a few of them wearing metallic gloves. "How does it feel?"
The support from Light and Mei together felt stronger than ever. Ariel didn't think she'd ever been stronger than she was right now, or ever had a more difficult job to do.
"Perfect," Ariel answered. "I'm ready. Where is he now?"
"By now, engaging Jasmine and the others in close quarters two floors up."
"On it."
"Don't!" Cinnamon yelped. "I mean, they're whittling away at his stamina right now, but there's no telling how fast he can move through when they're done. If you stay in Light's room, you can protect him directly."
"I can't risk him getting that close," Ariel said.
"We have a plan."
Ariel paused and stared. "Yeah?"
Cinnamon twiddled her paws. "Okay, so, you know those, like, trap doors you see in shows? Like, where the villain laughs and two panels flip down under the hero and they fall down?"
So sweet. "I know what a trap door is."
"Okay, right. Well, the room where we have Light used to be a sort of room where we used to drop biodegradables from the lab into the ocean. It was built into the ship, but the designs changed over time, and no one really remembers it."
"Marciel can fly. He won't just fall off the ship."
"Well, that's where you come in! You just have to tackle him down and force him off the ship. He won't know your armor resists Gungnir, and he'll be tired out from having to fight so much. So, even if you can't beat him, he'd have to enter the ship all over again while we're patching everyone up, and there's no way he could beat the entire Guild twice."
Even if she failed, it guaranteed more time. "Alright. Show me what to do."
Ariel didn't feel great waiting while the Guild fought without her, but they needed Marciel off the ship. Having Flareon Light and Shaymin Mei in the same room helped keep her head on straight, even if the former reminded her of a hibernating bear.
Marciel's advance slowed considerably. The lone white Eevee in the room reporting on the situation didn't speak as fast. After his final report, he waited beside Mei in front of Light's chamber. Ariel kept her eyes trained on the door.
A set of slow footsteps stopped outside the door. Silver metal burst through cast iron. Ariel remained still as Butterfree Marciel outside ripped it to shreds. He stepped over curled metal at the bottom and stepped inside.
The Guild hit him hard. Some of the scales on Marciel's wings were bruised and chipped. His stature leaned forward. He wouldn't have enough left to beat Ariel anymore.
Marciel pointed the tip of Gungnir her way, "You did something!" he accused. "I felt it! What did you do?"
Ariel couldn't ignore this opportunity to put down Marciel for good. One way or another, she had to end him.
The floor fell away. Marciel flapped his wings and hovered in place. Ariel flew at him. He held out Gungnir.
Ariel grabbed and pushed the spear away. Her paw curled around Marciel's neck. His wings failed to resist her pull down. He beat the spear against her forearm, and it didn't even tingle. Marciel's eyes trembled. He tried to pull her paw off, spike it with scales, and even kicked her.
"Not strong enough," Ariel snarked.
Ariel grabbed his wing with her other paw. The scales bent. Ariel threw Marciel down into the open sky. His center of balance waved left and right before collapsing. He continued to fall by himself. Ariel flew down after him.
A thick, long river cut through layers of green below. Marciel's wings left a sparkly trail behind him. It gave Ariel an idea on how to deal with him for good.
Marciel didn't regain control until individual trees were visible. When he saw Ariel still coming down for him, he continued to descend. He probably wanted to use the trees as cover to escape. It wouldn't happen.
Ariel followed Marciel's path. He winded around trees and started to follow the river. Earthy canyon walls rose up on either side. She stayed in a short range behind him to take him by surprise around a corner. He glanced back at her every few seconds. That timing helped.
A sharp right turn ahead came closer. Marciel took one last look before taking it. Ariel boosted forward.
Marciel dragged Gungnir along the side of the canyon. A cloud of falling rocks blocked Ariel's approach. She rounded around it and stayed close behind him. The green hue of Marciel's scales brightened with the time he bought. Ariel sensed him gathering chi. She wouldn't give him the time to surprise her.
Ariel burst forward. A crack in the air prompted Marciel to turn around. He raised Gungnir horizontally to defend himself. She grabbed near both ends and claimed control of it.
"I suppose…" Marciel grunted. "Selfishness runs in your blood, Chingyang."
Ariel adjusted and threw Marciel at the canyon wall. Rocks cascaded down on top of him. Through it all, he didn't use any of his chi. He was saving it up for something larger than what he used against the ship.
In fact, he might not have been saving it for an attack at all. As the rocks fell, the amount of chi kept growing. Ariel gathered some of her own to match, but her body couldn't quite hold as much.
The rocks flung away from Butterfree Marciel. The same scales from before fell like leaves and turned the riverbed green and brown with dirt. His wings took on a solid green color. They stretched out slowly and flapped once.
"I only ever had to go this far to face Lancelot," Marciel said. His voice sounded distorted. "And it still wasn't enough. You never had a chance, Chingyang."
Marciel jumped over Ariel's head. The chi he'd been gathering released as a laser. Heat tore through Ariel's body. She covered her face and flew hard against the pressure to stay airborne. Chi gathered in her right arm.
Marciel shouted. The pressure shoved Ariel back, but lightened up. The edges of her armor started to turn black. Heat leaked through to her fur. One last push.
Ariel broke through and grabbed Marciel. She threw him down at the trails of fire he carved on the river. Gungnir flew out of his grip and clattered to a jagged boulder jutting out of the riverbed below. Marciel landed on a flatter, higher slab of rock. Ariel landed in front of him as he swayed to his feet. The chi in his wings flickered.
Charred rocks continued to fall in the river. Without the armor and extra chi, Ariel's fur would've had the same dusty black coat. Walls collapsed in on themselves. Ariel waited half a minute before all of the splashing noises stopped.
"Now hold on…" Marciel groaned. "Just because you can defeat me doesn't mean this pipe dream of yours holds any weight."
"Keep telling yourself that," Ariel said.
Ariel knew what she needed to do to stop him for good.
"I didn't have a choice!" Marciel raised his voice. "The WPO. Lao Shen. Acuity. None of them hold a candle. I'm just doing what I can. The reality is we're powerless."
Ariel tilted her head. "Speak for your fucking self." She stepped forward.
"You think punishing me will change anyt-thing?" Marciel asked.
"I'm not punishing you," Ariel said. "I'm making an example out of you."
Marciel jumped away. Ariel reached, snagged his foot, slammed him to the ground and held him by his throat. If he needed technology to fly like other Dragoons, he could be repelled, but his wings resisted laser cannons and most other attacks.
One of them had to go.
"What are you doing?" Marciel screamed. "Stop!"
Ariel clamped her paw on Marciel's right wing. Chi siphoned into the scales to strengthen them, It would've been too much to push away before, but Ariel had more. She forced it back towards his center. The green coating on his wings flickered and faded.
"I have people to protect now," Ariel breathed out hard. "From you."
Marciel's eyes turned blank. Ariel pulled off of him and fell back. The larger half of his right wing dangled in her grip. Her heavy breaths pushed against the armor on her chest. No turning back. Marciel had to be stopped and she did it. He wouldn't be able to try and hurt her family or friends again. Her stomach lurched.
"She's back! Up there!"
Ariel landed back on the roof of the ship. Her paws clinked against the exterior with every step forward. Shaymin Mei, Heliolisk Jonathan, Haxorus Gareth, Sylveon One, and Mienfoo Robin had been waiting in a formation around the hole Gungnir carved, likely in case Marciel came back instead of her. Their formation broke up as they walked to meet her.
Ariel wiggled her back and let Gungnir smack the floor. Marciel's wing drifted down next to it.
"Got him," Ariel announced.
Ariel reached up and slid off her helmet. Taking Marciel's attack left it dented and crispy. She dropped it on the floor and toddled forward. Her fishtail braid unwound and whipped around behind her. Gareth and One's faces stilled; Jonathan's squirmed. Mei and Robin failed to hold their jaws shut.
"Hey, kid… You alright?" Jonathan asked.
"Fine."
Ariel turned. Marciel's wing picked up the wind and flew off. It swirled and flipped before taking off over the edge of the ship. She went back inside.