Gene had stood on this charcoal ground countless times before. In the past, the red sky gave way to a swirling black cyclone on the horizon. Now, though, that cyclone was close enough for the mewtwo to see all the crystal shards and jet-black debris swirling around the red globe in the center of the storm.
"What is it this time?" Gene's yellow-tipped tail lazily drifted back and forth.
"I can practically taste your doubt."
Red and purple lights flashed within the cyclone. Its voice was like a fierce wind trying to blow Gene off his feet.
"You fear the husk's return. You fear you cannot change the light dragon's mind. Your anger rises from failing to solve this sooner."
"What are you, my therapist?" Snorting, Gene rolled his eyes. "Lemme guess. 'You should harness that fear and anger.'" He massaged his neck following his impersonation of the storm's guttural voice.
"Your refusal to embrace that pain will get you killed," the storm declared. "Get us killed."
"Can you even die?" Gene scoffed. The storm called itself a force, after all. And he was pretty sure a force wasn't something one could kill.
Red lightning crackled around the core. "Even if I survive, I will scatter to the winds without a form. Whatever pain and anguish you experience in your final moments will be wasted."
"Charming." Gene hovered into the air. "But I don't need your help. I have a team."
"You had a team for Herbrides," the storm reminded him. "They do not have faith in you. Not when you got the keldeo killed. And callously disregarded everything that followed."
Tail crinkling, Gene turned away from the storm. Thunder rumbled in the distance.
"Do you think I take pleasure in feeling your regret?"
Gene held two fingers a small distance apart. "A tiny bit."
"I cannot feel pleasure." More lightning crackled through the cyclone. "Your negativity only adds to the endless pain that defines me."
"Then what's with all the 'Turn that pain into power' garbage?" The mewtwo side-eyed the black cyclone.
"Turning pain on others is better than letting it sit and fester," the storm countered. "You have fought and destroyed for ages."
"For a good damn cause!" Gene growled.
More thunder rumbled in the distance. The storm's core glowed brighter.
"There's that familiar anger," it said.
Gene took a breath to steady himself. "Whatever. I don't need your power right now."
Purple bolts streamed toward the mewtwo from the cyclone, only to strike a blue barrier and vanish on the spot. Gene smirked, if for no other reason than to mask his relief. Things were still holding up.
"Nice try." He drifted further from the cyclone. "Like I said, I've got this."
More lightning peppered the blue barrier.
"You'll be back," the cyclone declared.
"Not today."
Gene saluted the storm, then watched it fade away with the rest of his mindspace.
"... Ty? Boss Kitty, you there?"
The shadowy mewtwo grabbed hold of the arm Nikki was waving in front of his face.
"What?" Gene squinted at the toxtricity. Nikki gestured with her other arm to the paved, empty streets of Jubilife City.
Well, empty save for the large black tornado carrying scores of Eternatus Troopers and debris from nearby buildings. The moment the tornado vanished, the Troopers went careening past all the buildings and toward the distant forest. Mega Rayquaza floated over to Yuna's side by the entrance to a large white building with big, colorful cameras painted on it.
"I can see my house from heeeeeeeeeeere!" one Bombardier declared.
The dragapult glanced up at Gene and Nikki.
"What now?" Yuna asked through the X-transceiver. She was a bit too far to shout at them.
Gene blinked several times. Right. The mission. They'd found Jubilife TV under heavy Eternatus Trooper patrol. A patrol that Rayquaza handily swept through. Still, it didn't take a powerful psychic to guess where in the city the Needle was.
"Well?" Nikki said.
"I need a sec." Gene held his right hand up as he concentrated. He was close enough to the building for his ESP to detect who was inside, so—
Okay, yeah. There was a rapidly growing aura.
"With me!" Gene punched a rift open beside Yuna, grabbed the dragapult, and pulled her through. Yelping, Yuna managed to recall Rayquaza into her griseous core.
Plumes of purple shadows erupted in the street, right by where Yuna was floating moments ago. The shadows gave way to a black horse with flowing purple hair. It paced in front of the Jubilife TV building with hooves that weren't even attached to its legs.
"It's him."
Vegna's voice was raspier than usual, but Gene could still hear it behind him.
"Guile Hideout?" Gene glanced over his shoulder to see the dusknoir nod at him. "Well, that's no ice horse. Guess this means the emperor's breaking off his deal with Demerzel?"
"That would be the logical conclusion." Vegna crossed his arms. "Still, this is not a trifling matter. His blade reflects attacks and that armor seems to absorb impact from strikes. My familiars forced him back last time by attacking Glastrier. We'll need a similar approach."
"Seriously?" Yuna's ectoplasm constricted. "They're innocent in this."
Gene held his hand up. "Princess, Vegna and I will try and distract him. Odds are he's the last line of defense, so if he's out here, you might be able to sneak in and get the Needle."
He looked at Nikki, expecting her to demand a role in this. Surprisingly, the toxtricity held her hands up. "I'm over here if you need me. Or if more bots show up."
The shadowy mewtwo nodded his approval, then took off with a burst of levitation. He only needed a couple of seconds to land opposite Guile Hideout and his steed.
"I think you've gotten a bit turned around, big fella." Gene casually rested his hands behind his head. "Jousting festival is over in Galar, not Sinnoh." He shifted a hand to tap his chin. "Or is it Kalos? Either way, a half a world over."
Guile Hideout drew his sword and leveled it at Gene. His steed neighed loudly, but he yanked the reins and silenced her. Something about her voice was... unnatural. She was one of Demerzel's partners, right? No way she could be feral. Had the emperor... done something to her?
"Meeeewtwwwoooo." Guile Hideout's distorted voice could only draw out Gene's species. He slashed the air. A black crescent shot toward Gene, which he easily Phantom Warped through.
"Not one for conversation, I take it." Gene smirked. "That's fine." He tapped his right temple. "We can skip straight to business. Though I wouldn't recommend it, seeing how many of your Lieutenants we've taken out lately."
Guile Hideout's black eyes flickered purple. His grip tightened on his sword.
Gene raised a brow. "Oh?"
"Weaaappooooon." Guile Hideout jerked his steed's reins. She reared up on her hind legs.
Next thing Gene knew, purple balls had surrounded him. Like some sort of spectral variant of his Psystrike. He had ample room to Phantom Warp away as the purple balls converged and exploded in a purple geyser.
"Don't thiiiink. Don't feeeeeel." Guile Hideout swiped his sword. More spectral crescents filled the air. Gene Phantom Warped past them, and slung a Shadow Ball toward the horse's chest. She leaped away with impressive speed despite her heavy-looking rider.
Gene remained tense. Any quips about Guile Hideout's attitude — or lack of it compared to other Paradigm lieutenants — died in his throat the moment the shadowy mewtwo heard those four words.
His chest tightened. Had that tin can really said that?
You're afraid.
"Weaaappooooon." Guile Hideout tugged the reins. More purple energy balls surrounded Gene. He Phantom Warped away from them slamming together, only for metal spikes to pepper his chest. A harsh, stinging pain spread over him. Gene pulled the spikes out of his chest. No blood, thankfully, but they hurt like a bitch for how tiny they were.
"Worthless."
Clumsy. Careless.
The horse was charging toward Gene. He slung two Shadow Balls at her, but she was able to leap over them. Gene Phantom Warped forward, avoiding the shadowy pillar that erupted when Guile Hideout and his steed landed where Gene had been floating.
"H-Hey!"
Gene spotted a familiar dragapult by the Jubilife TV vision. Purple shadows had walled the building off. Try as she might, Yuna couldn't get past it. Then ectoplasmic spears shot past Gene.
"Princess, watch out!" Gene cried.
Yuna spotted the arrows. Next thing Gene knew, she was several meters away, no rifts necessary. Since when could she teleport?
"Focus on yourself, dumbass!"
Griffon's harsh caws and a couple of loud clangs snapped Gene to attention. He saw Talonflame and the corviknight flanking Guile Hideout, keeping him and his steed occupied.
"Chiiirrrooooon. Meeeewtwwwoooo." Guile Hideout surrounded the birds with purple balls. They couldn't escape from the shadowy barrage. The explosion almost resembled a night sky, so Gene figured Astral Barrage was a good enough working name for that strange attack.
"Weaaappooooons." The knight raised his sword high and a dome of shadows raced out all around him.
"Shit!"
Gene raced away from the attack. The dome kept expanding outward for a full city block and wouldn't go away. Gene stared at the purple and black energy twisting through the dome.
Coward.
Not now.
You know exactly who this is. And that's why you're afraid. In the end, nothing's changed.
"Princess, what the hell's going on?" Gene hissed into his X-transceiver. Guile Hideout galloped through the inside of the dome toward him. Vegna and his birds were somewhere on the other side, but Gene didn't really care.
"Something was blocking me from phasing into the building," Yuna said. "And now this stupid dome is in the way!"
But the dome vanished into Guile Hideout's steed. Gene found himself staring down the barrel of what might as well have been a ghost-type Hyper Beam. The shadowy mewtwo tried flying over it, but the beam singed his feet and yellowing tail.
That's right. Run. It's all you're really good for.
Gene decided to give that asshole a taste of his own medicine, surrounding Guile Hideout with Psystrike orbs and slamming them forward. While some struck his steed, who neighed in pain, the rest were caught by Guile Hideout's blade as he spun around. They were flung at a charging Talonflame, sending him crashing to the ground with garbled shrieks.
"Damn it," Gene hissed in a whisper.
Idiot. You were warned about that. Kill the steed instead.
"Princess, we've got incoming Troopers!" Nikki exclaimed. "Gimme a hand here!"
A rush of air rippled Gene's tail. The dragapult heading away to fend off Eternatus Troopers, no doubt. Gene couldn't think about it further, because more purple ectoplasmic blobs filled the air. Guile Hideout sent the Astral Barrage racing all around him.
Gene maneuvered through them and tossed a tiny fireball at Guile Hideout's left knee. A strange purple ripple snuffed the flames out.
"Pathetic." Guile Hideout swiped at Gene with his sword while his steed sent a Shadow Ball in the other direction, probably to stop Vegna's advance. Gene Phantom Warped through the blade, then summoned his psychic spoon to slash the sword. Despite putting all his muscle into the swing, Guile Hideout held tough. A burst of wind forced Gene back.
Kill the steed.
She's innocent.
She's suffering. I feel her pain from every strike. Every time he tugs her reins. She wants to be put out of her misery.
A giant icy javelin soared through the air. Guile Hideout spun and slashed at it with his sword. Just as he split the icy javelin apart and sent its halves careening into opposite sidewalks, Gene slung a Shadow Ball at the steed's flank. Her legs buckled.
Snarling, Guile Hideout hefted up his blade. Black Lightning raced out in an arc in different directions. Gene easily Phantom Warped away. Opposite him, Vegna leaped from one building rooftop to another, riding a horse resembling an icier version of Guile Hideout's steed. Glastrier, if Gene recalled.
Now I get it. Pathetic bleeding heart.
Gene grimaced. Shut up!
Vegna's eye flashed white. From a couple of buildings ahead of Gene, Glastrier shot another ice javelin forward. Gene surrounded Guile Hideout and his steed with Psystrike orbs once again. He slammed them together. Like before, Guile Hideout succeeded in deflecting many of them. This time, though, that left him and his steed open to Glastrier's attack. The javelin shattered and froze both horse and rider to the concrete.
Gene heard explosions in the distance, along with the frantic shouts of Eternatus Troopers. Nikki and Yuna were holding up, then. Or got reinforcements.
What a pitiful deflection. You won't attack the steed for the same reason you won't simply kill the dusknoir. Too much fear. Too much weakness.
Bitch, I'm trying to help them.
Guile Hideout's frigid prison shattered. His steed wearily shook ice chunks from her mane.
A lie to mask your own doubts.
"Vegna!" Gene telepathically shouted. He flicked his right wrist and a pink glow surrounded the steed. Guile Hideout raised his sword at Gene. Black lightning crackled around it.
"We have to get the sword from this asshole and use it against him!"
Black bolts peppered the air. Gene released his psychic grip. But he couldn't Phantom Warp through all the lightning. Some of it peppered his right side, including his Malice Crystal. A jolt of pain ran from his shoulder down to his tail.
Deserved.
Back off! Gene mentally snarled. That stupid dark storm was only making things worse. He couldn't concentrate like this.
A torrent of ice and lightning drew Gene's attention below him. Zekrom's wispy form struck the steed with a blue lightning bolt, then another ice javelin from Glastrier froze her to the ground. The force from the blow knocked Guile Hideout back.
... Off his steed.
This was Gene's chance. The shadowy mewtwo surged toward the ground. Rather than using his attack, he simply slammed Guile Hideout from behind.
It won't work.
Snarling, Gene tugged on that negativity chomping at the back of his mind. Shadows pooled around his hands, giving him a surge of strength to wrench the blade free of Guile Hideout's hands.
"Oi, look alive, Boss Kitty!"
Gene reflexively jumped away from Guile Hideout. Griffon flew in front of them both, casting a Protect that warded off a Shadow Ball from the steed. She looked around in a panic while Vegna approached atop Glastrier.
"We got her! Just do the thing already!"
There were more explosions and screams in the distance. Gene tuned them out, gaze fixed on Guile Hideout.
Destroy him.
"Meeewtwooooo." Guile Hideout reached his right hand up toward Gene.
"Don't talk to me." Gene pointed the blade at Guile Hideout. "I know who you are. You're finished. Surrender your Paradigm power."
Coward. Finish him.
Gene heard neighing several meters ahead of him.
"Hurry up, Boss Kitty!" Griffon cawed.
"Useless weaaaaapoooon."
The noises. The shouting. Guile Hideout's taunt. All too much for Gene. The shadowy mewtwo's flicker of anger led him to tug on that dark power again. Shadows sheathed Guile Hideout's blade seconds before Gene plunged it into his armored chest.
Guile Hideout didn't scream. Or groan. Or even gasp. Cracks spiderwebbed through his silver armor, until the pieces fell away. For a few brief moments, Gene saw a human form burnt beyond all recognition. Much like what had happened to Seifer.
One thing was still intact, though. The faint outline of an R next to where Gene had plunged the blade in.
Blue light swallowed up the sword. It faded into a small card with a VIII on it. Then both the card and the body underneath it crumbled before Gene's eyes, leaving nothing but a pile of brown ash at his feet.
Interesting. No satisfaction. Only emptiness.
Gene stepped back from the ash. "Princess, Guile Hideout's down. Get back here and grab the Need—"
Blinding light caught the corner of Gene's eye. He turned left and saw rainbow lasers raining down on the a building several blocks away. Shattered glass and rubble spilled out onto the street.
Gene scarcely had time to acknowledge it, as a dragapult sped toward him, clutching a wide-eyed toxtricity.
"What the hell just happened?!" Gene stared at where the building used to be. There was a silhouette in the middle of all the dust in the air.
Your fear is rising. You already know what it is.
"It's here."
Vegna's voice trembled ever so slightly.
Nikki pulled herself free from Yuna and dropped to the ground. "Th-that's Necrozma, isn't it?" Her mohawk shrank. "I shouldn't be here. That thing will rip me to shreds!"
"Then go with Princess." Ectoplasm gathered around Gene's hands. He was doing his best not to think about the last encounter. "Necrozma blocks rifts, remember? The best thing to do is grab the Needle. Now."
The shadowy mewtwo didn't wait for a response. The longer he hesitated, the more likely Necrozma would do something to stop Yuna from getting the Needle. So, Gene flew toward the dust cloud. He slung two Shadow Balls into it.
A burst of pink energy snuffed out his strikes and the dust in the air. Necrozma's large, humanoid, crystal form stood atop the remains of the building its blast destroyed.
"Mewtwo." Necrozma raised two crystal tendrils and blasted scalding water at Gene. He Phantom Warped left and shot a Shadow Ball at Necrozma's right leg. A third crystal tendril batted the Shadow Ball aside, sending it across the street and crashing through the window of the presumably abandoned Pokémon Center.
Give into the fear and anger. Use my power.
Gene tossed two more Shadow Balls. Two Scalds destroyed them, then Gene found himself staring down an onslaught of Thousand Arrows. He was too close to a building on his left, so he rolled right through the air, rapidly firing smaller Shadow Balls. Necrozma tried to turn the Thousand Arrows, but couldn't. The Shadow Balls peppered Necrozma's left side, but it didn't seem to care.
"As weak as ever." Necrozma stomped the ground. Electric pillars sprang up all around him. Gene tried to weave his way through them, but then something sliced his left side. The shadowy mewtwo hit the pavement and tumbled to a stop. Nicks and scrapes peppered his dark gray skin.
"You're, nngh, wrong." Hissing in pain, Gene hopped back to his feet.
I can feel your fear rising every passing second.
"You're the weakling. Cutting out your soul... for more power."
Gene heard lightning buzzing before a Bolt Striking Zekrom charged past him. A startled Necrozma barely managed to fire a rainbow beam at Zekrom from point blank, blasting her back where she grazed a couple of buildings and flung rubble around the streets.
Figuring Necrozma was having too easy of a time deflecting things from afar, Gene rushed forward while its Prismatic Laser faded. Gene conjured his psychic spoon and slashed Necrozma's leg repeatedly.
"Pathetic!"
Emerald light filled the sky. Gene barely managed to Phantom Warp across the street from the ensuing Thousand Arrows hailstorm. A giant blue sphere rushed toward Necrozma. But Zekrom struck an invisible force which held her in place. Gene heard Vegna grunting in effort somewhere behind him.
He'd give Zekrom a hand, then. Gene slung a Shadow Ball at Necrozma's left side, then rushed in after it. Crystal tendrils appeared, but instead of deflecting the Shadow Ball away, they hit it back at Gene. He couldn't dip into a Phantom Warp fast enough. The Shadow Ball slammed into his chest and fell on his back, hissing.
Careless.
Gene sprang back to his feet, only to gasp as a wave of emerald hexagons raced toward him. He shot into the air. Emerald light singed his feet. The pain stung, but it could've been worse.
You're too afraid to fight at your best. Give me control.
Never. Gene fired two Shadow Balls at Necrozma while it was busy slicing through a Glacial Lance from Glastrier.
There was still a chance to save this. They were buying Yuna enough time. If pulling the Needle disoriented Necrozma as much as it did Vegna, then Gene could seize the opening and—
"Down!"
Vegna's cry startled Gene, who fell to the ground, sprawled out on his belly. Intense heat brushed his back from the Prismatic Laser he narrowly dodged.
Static buzzed around his nostrils. A heavy thud and snarls filled his ears. Gene pushed himself up and raced forward, psychic spoon in hand, rapidly approaching Necrozma. It was trading electrified punches with Zekrom.
Gene feinted left, then crossed back right and lunged for Necrozma. He thrust the psychic spoon toward Necrozma's left leg. A resounding clang rang out.
Roaring, Necrozma's tendrils lashed out all around it. But Gene anticipated and pressed himself up against Necrozma's leg. A psychic force tried to repel him, but he had to hold. Hold on. Hold on.
"Gnrk!"
A sudden jolt of black sparks drove Gene's spoon through Necrozma's crystal armor. The shadowy mewtwo's eyes widened. He hadn't—
It caught him so off guard he wasn't prepared for Necrozma's tendrils. He pulled his spoon out and parried one on his left. Then a second on his right.
But the third impaled Gene from behind. The pain didn't even set in until the crystal spear emerged from his stomach.
He barely noted his blood splatter on the ground by Necrozma's foot. Didn't hear whatever it was Necrozma said. Hardly noticed buildings sailing by him. Had Necrozma tossed him away?
The storm was saying something, but the ringing in Gene's ears was too loud.
Gene hit the concrete once. Twice. Necrozma must've tossed him so hard he was skipping along the ground.
Everything spun around him. Blood pooled in his throat.
Familiar memories flickered through his mind.
Bahamut stabbing Gene's right shoulder with the broken fragment from his face. Striking the island with a gigantic energy ball.
Necrozma pinning him to a piece of planetary rubble, readying to blast to wipe him out.
Gene tried to suck in breath, but all he could manage was a gurgle.
The blurry swirl of black concrete and gray sidewalk faded away. And something caustic grabbed hold of him.
The shadowy storm was raging now. Black and purple lightning scorched the grass, which was falling away chunk by chunk into an endless dark abyss.
"I warned you!" Its distorted voice was practically deafening. However, Gene lacked the strength to put his hands to his ears. "Your pathetic cowardice has ruined us!"
Gene fell to one knee. The pain was getting to him even here. Was he already dead? What was going to happen to him now?
"There's still a chance," the storm said. "Give me control. Before your spirit fades entirely and I break apart."
Indeed, the dark cyclone looked like it was collapsing in on itself. Tiny cracks punctured the storm's red eye.
"I ca... n't..." Gene grabbed his chest. Yeah, his soul was burning. And not in some romantic way. He hadn't felt pain like this in ages, even following Necrozma's last attack.
"Your fear and anguish are palpable!" the storm snarled. More lightning struck the ground. About half the grassy field had fallen into the abyss. "All you've done is run away from them! And look where it got you!"
"If I... give in... then I'm... no better." Gene squeezed his chest with his right hand. "I'm just... like Bahamut. Driven... by anger."
"So, better to roll over and die?"
Gene didn't respond. More lightning scorched the ground around him.
"Look at the dragapult. She refused to give in to Giratina and now she's stuck in limbo. Filled with fear and apprehension for what the future holds."
What good did bringing Yuna up do for Gene? He was going to—
Wait.
Yuna could do Gene good here. She didn't give in to Giratina. She found some sort of compromise. And maybe... maybe that was what Gene needed here.
The ground a few meters in front of him fell into the abyss. A maelstrom of purple, red, and black lay below Gene.
"You're right." Gene managed to raise his trembling arms like he was surrendering. "I've screwed the pooch big time."
"Then you'll give in?"
"No." The shadowy mewtwo smirked. "We'll just have to work together."
Purple lightning rained down around Gene, disappearing into the abyss with clumps of the ground. There was only a few meters of ground left around Gene.
"Wrong answer."
"Hardly." Gene pointed a shaky finger at the storm's broken core. "If I give up and let you take control, then I'm still running away from everything."
He looked down at the withered gray grass beneath his feet. "I'm done running."
"We cannot simply 'work together,'" the storm huffed. "You are one soul bonded to a force of negativity and emptiness."
"Of course you'd say that," Gene scoffed. "But we won't know without trying."
The storm shrank somewhat. More of the ground fell away. Only a couple of meters were left in front of Gene.
"This won't work. You'll just revert to what you were like under Team Rocket. Why do you think Nova was so worried about me?"
As far as Gene was concerned, there wasn't time to argue this point further. He was done talking. And Nova wasn't here anymore.
Survival was what mattered.
With a pained grunt, Gene leaped into the air. The ground he'd stood on crumbled away, leaving nothing but the gaping abyss beneath him.
"Fool! You'll be the end of both of us!"
The storm wouldn't dare strike Gene, however. Because it had to know that would truly be the end of them both.
No more running. They'd been separated for so long. But it was time for them to come together once again. For the mewtwo to accept the part of him Nova and Miraidon had split off.
He flew toward the eye of the storm. Purple light swallowed them both up before Gene reached the core.
Gene awoke with a sharp gasp and shot to his feet. He hadn't felt this energetic in weeks.
He ran a hand along his chest. No blood. Instead there was a red gem, just like the eye of that storm, with a black and red crystal lattice spreading out to his shoulders. His tail had taken on the same starcloud qualities as Cyril, Leo, and Widget's fur.
Down the street, both Necrozma and Vegna were disoriented. The dusknoir lay on his back in the street. He lacked any of his familiars and his right arm was dissolving away in streams of gold. Necrozma clutched its crystalline head. It had no eyes, but Gene was sure it was looking toward the Jubilife TV building. Had Yuna pulled the Needle?
Didn't matter. It was time to strike.
Within seconds, Gene was by Necrozma's side.
"Impos—"
Shadows swirled around Gene's hands. Black and purple spikes emerged from the sidewalk, slicing through Necrozma's crystalline legs. Necrozma's tendrils lashed out wildly in retaliation, trying to smack or stab Gene. He parried all of them aside with bursts of purple lightning. The electricity crawled up Necrozma's tendrils and shattered them. Crystal fragments dropped to the ground around them.
"Wh... how?"
Over Vegna's strained voice, Gene continued his assault on Necrozma. He grabbed the crystal titan's right arm and sent dark lightning coursing through it. Like the tendrils, the arm shattered and littered the ground with more crystal fragments.
Roaring, Necrozma fell over on its side.
"No! Noooo!" Necrozma desperately sent a Thousand Waves forward, but Gene Phantom Warped through the green hexagons and pummeled Necrozma's exposed chest with more shadow spikes.
"I won't— I can't lose!" Necrozma tried to conjure a Photon Geyser, but Gene kicked it off the sidewalk and into the street.
"I ne... ed pow... er..." The claws of Necrozma's remaining hand scraped the concrete as it tried to stand back up. "Mo... re... pow... er..."
Gene rushed back toward Vegna, who was down to just a head and half a torso.
"I'll do you one better, buddy." He didn't care how distorted his voice sounded. Gene only had one shot for this.
The mega mewtwo levitated Vegna into the air.
"What are... you doing?" Vegna wheezed. "Get rid... of us."
"I'm making my own path forward!"
Gene plunged a shadowy blade into the dusknoir. Something vaguely resembling a groan escaped his decomposing body. He stared in complete disbelief.
There was a tiny voice in the back of his head. Telling him to end it. To be rid of Bahamut forever. To think of what he did to Gene back on Cinnabar. And all the clashes they had since then.
"You're not... going anywhere!" Gene declared. "You're... sticking around... to fix what you helped break!"
Finally, after holding the shadowy blade in place for several seconds, Vegna's ectoplasmic body imploded into a tiny ball of golden light. Gene rushed toward Necrozma's prone form. He weaved past stray bolts of yellow lightning.
"No!" Necrozma flailed around on its back. "No, stop!"
"It's time for you... to pull yourself back together!"
Gene wasn't sure who or what would emerge from what he was about to do. But that wasn't stopping him. Sure, his newly reunited half believed this would end badly. Gene thought differently. After all, Bahamut had proven too damn stubborn.
And so, with a tomahawking swing of his right arm, Gene slammed the golden ball into Necrozma's torso. He jumped back seconds before a pillar of blue light swallowed up what was left of Necrozma.
~Il Paradigma, No. VIII: Guile Hideout, Justice~
The power of Justice was one the Emperor long kept sealed. What use was it when he restored order to the Qliphoth so succinctly? And kept it in order for so very long?
It was only in response to the resistance leader's increasing public presence that the Emperor sought to reanimate a long-lost figure from the rebel leader's past. He constructed enchanted armor, infused with Malice, to grant this figure a second chance at life.
~Il Paradigma, No. XVII: Vegna, the Star~
The lingering spirit severed from the mighty dragon of light. Too gripped by panic to slip into the Benefactor's embrace, he managed to cling to a fragment of the Universe's power that the dragon of light had previously stolen. With that power, he kept his spirit together using dark arts to manipulate the spirits of the dead.
Happy 2025, everyone! I realize that, with each year, this story fades more and more into the background on FFN. Nevertheless, I'm going to keep pushing forward. This should be a really fun year for the fic. I've got lots in store. Thank you for the support!