Lethe

[Tetra]

Stupid, stupid, he'd been too reckless, spent too much energy too soon- Koa's head pounded and his vision flickered, darkness pulsing around the edges. Even the Reviver Seed's only did so much. Evolution, endless training. Sparring, seeking knowledge. It had to be enough, he had to be enoughit's not. What more was there? A strange sound rang in his ears, and he hastily downed a drink.

K̷͕͘ȍ̸̹a̶̻̽m̷͙̕ȧ̷̰r̸̗̔ü̸̪ ̸̩̾Ş̷̍​

Strength returned to his trembling limbs but the noise didn't fade, and he realized it wasn't a sound. Not one in his ears at least. It was if it were in his soul. A force, like gravity pulling the wrong way. Calling to him. His vision pulsed with a heartbeat as Powehi became more. The call rang louder and something else flared in his minds eye Red. Ink-shadow. A spectre.

Focus. The team needs you. Koa steeled himself. Fuel your fists.

Anubis radiant flames blazed against the dark as Koa rose once more. Decisive, determined and precise, layering his strikes and driving into the weak points, falling back on all his time training back home and here.

And still, he heard that call...​

 

[canisaries]

When the effect faded, his body had changed. Swept-back aura sensors, a lithe black tail, a cape of grey fur, a mask of skull-grey patterns around his eyes. A variant Mega-Lucario, an ancient form sacred to a civilisation long-extinct.

"Oh shit," said Andre. "He's... doing something."

"We can see that," said Ben.

It was like one of those Mystery Dungeon tricks of the eye, when an impossible space gave way to mundane reality, an illusion breaking. There had been one avatar of Dark Matter standing there just now, but now there were three. They stepped apart from each other in loose unison, identical in appearance.

Oh, I see... Unfortunately this may be unavoidable. But listen... I sense that the damage will be worst near Powehi, and may be weaker the further away one gets. Please, heroic spirits, do your best to mitigate this attack.

"Things just keep getting better and better," Andre said sarcastically. I guess I can still fire some Bullet Seeds from afar.

He galloped away and began firing seeds at one of the false-Powehis. Ben, however, had nothing he could do from a distance, so the ursa simply fell back and crouched down low to better weather whatever was coming.

In between his volleys, Andre could notice the other Wayfarers around them seeming so... confident in their actions. So determined. Why didn't he have that drive? Why was he always lagging behind? Didn't he think this was important?

I need to push myself harder, he thought. I don't even know what to do, but... there's got to be something. Something to make me not be such dead weight...

 

[Butterfree]

Dave hadn't been banking on these creepy-ass visions. Jean shivered as Ting-Lu went down, sickening images of human sacrifice rushing through their minds.

"Jean? You with me?"

She nodded, silent, but didn't look him in the eye.

"If you want to go home, maybe Powehi will--"

"No!" she said. "No, I can't... I can't go home." She shook her head. "Last time I went home, Will never came back."

Fuck. If that didn't tear his absolute fucking heart out. "Jean, that wasn't your fault, all right. You never could've--"

"But now I can," she said, quiet. "I'm a Pokémon now. So I can help."

She got back up to her feet, standing proud with her tails streaming behind her. "Let's... let's torch him. We can do it together."

There was a weird lump in Dave's throat. "Okay. Yeah, you know what, let's fucking torch him."

He put a paw on her shoulder and took a deep breath, and with it, Radiance and Shadow coalesced into a blazing inferno.

Spoiler: Dave turn 4

Dave (252 STM, 25 TMP, +0 SPD, +5 ACC, 0 SHD, 24 RAD)
- Hone Claws (-18 STM, +2 TMP)
- **Act:** Focus (Awaken) (+5 TMP, -30 SHD, -30 RAD)
- Dash to Arid Saltbed (-2 TMP)
- AGILE Flare Blitz @ Powehi (-42 STM, +8 TMP)
- CRITICAL Flare Blitz @ Powehi (ACTIVATE: effect, Hex Adept) (-28 STM, -20 TMP, +8 TMP)
- Activate ability (Pickpocket) @ Powehi's Atk
- Shining Selflessness @ Isidora (-40 STM, +2 TMP, +32 RAD)
- Walk to Lightless Plains
Net change: -128 STM, -5 TMP, +30 SHD, +28 RAD
Net totals: 124 STM (202 after regen), 20 TMP, 30 SHD, 52 RAD

Spoiler: Jean turn 4

Jean (Aux)
- Rogue @ Powehi

 

[Namohysip]

"Mhynt? This one looks...!"

"This will hurt. But at least we can gain some distance...!" She jumped away, but not before tossing a few enervating shots Powehi's way.

"You want corruption... Then take it! All my grief, all the strife... this conflict is just one fool of a saint, or a fool of a mortal trying to usurp one... A world of wretches crawling for scraps of power, to the point where its very embodiment of negativity winds up being the reliable one!"

She threw a few more blows as Zena followed up.

"It's awfully familiar," the Milotic hissed. "Let us show you... the frustration we feel... and harness it as a fine dagger of defiance!"

Spoiler: Mhynt Turn 4

Mhynt (247 STM, 24 TMP, +0 SPD, +2 ACC, 8 SHD, 14 RAD)
- Shining Partners (ACTIVATE: effect) (-40 STM, -10 TMP, +2 TMP, +28 RAD) [Fire Field!]
- **Act:** SHADOW Focus (+5 TMP)
- SHADOW Toxic @ Powehi (-20 STM, -2 TMP, +2 TMP, +14 SHD) [Owen echoes!]
- STRONG Screech @ Powehi (-22.5 STM, +4 TMP) [Owen echoes!]
- Walk to Lightless Plains [Owen follows]
Net change: -83 STM, +1 TMP, +14 SHD, +28 RAD
Net totals: 164 STM (232 after regen), 25 TMP, 22 SHD, 42 RAD

Spoiler: Zena Aux 4

Zena (Aux)
- Caster @ Powehi [Radiant!]