Lethe

[Jackie Cat]

Laura laughed madly, silently, her chest aching, as Betel transformed. Somepart of her had been waiting for this ever since the revelation that they were a real pokémon, and before that – since the moment they'd all arrived on Forlas. Their... little apotheosis. Relief and triumph filled her with something similar to adrenaline, and she pushed her miserable body forwards.

Dragging herself to the side of the sorriest-looking hepa of fur she ould find, she slung her satchel to the ground, and let its contents roll out. Hardly anything left, just a leaking elixir bottle and some berry pulp. She offered the bottle to Dave, putting her paw on his shoulder as if waking someone, or supporting herself, or both.

She felt like she was drunk, or up at 4 AM to catch a flight, or seeing the dawn after an all-nighter of mediocre studying, her energy drink-fuelled heart pummelling the barred prison of her ribcage. Some part of her was still calculating a win, running numbers on autopilot, but she was just watching. Detached; separate. Dissociating? Maybe she should care that she was dissociating.

But whatever happened... she'd done her part already, really. If she collapsed, if she barrelled over the precipice, Betel would catch her. That was what they'd secured for themselves with their achievement. Betel's self-actualisation. She could let loose and not care if she disintegrated from the effort.

"Everything I have left," she mumbled, through bruised lips. "Oblivion..."

She'd had her fair share of close encounters with oblivion. Crossing the street without looking both ways and leaving it up to fate. Cracking one too many pills out of their blister pack and changing her mind halfway through. Sleeping rough with not enough cover if it got cold and not caring if she woke up. It wasn't that she wanted it to go wrong; she just couldn't be conscious through the pain any longer.


No more. She wanted to see what happened next. She wanted to be there for it. To be part of it. To win.

"Let it fucking hurt, then!" she yowled, taking a step forward and rearing up as her Awakened self once more. "If that's what it takes to WIN!"

They would win. They were going to, for real. She actually did believe it.

Spoiler: turn

Laura (109 STM, 30 TMP, +4 SPD, +0 ACC, 40 SHD, 56 RAD)
- Walk to Arid Saltbed
- Interact @ Dave, elixir (-3 TMP)
- Activate ability (Moody) @ +2 Acc, -1 Mag
- **Act:** SHADOW Focus (Awaken) (+5 TMP)
- Activate ability (Undeterred)
- SHADOW Helping Hand @ allies (ACTIVATE: Support Feat) (-16 STM, -8 TMP, +2 TMP, +11 SHD)
- Shining Clarity (-40 STM, +2 TMP, +28 RAD)
- CRITICAL RADIANT Stored Power @ Powehi (ACTIVATE: Sure Hit) (-80 STM, -10 TMP, +2 TMP, +56 RAD) [320 Mag]
Net change: -102 STM, -12 TMP, +11 SHD, +74 RAD
Net totals: 7 STM (111 after regen), 18 TMP, 51 SHD, 130 RAD

Malachai (Aux)
- Caster @ Powehi [Radiant]

 

[Chibi Pika]

Everything felt lighter now. The oppressive weight pressing down, inward, from all sides, had lifted, and when Jade pulled herself to her feet, the bone-deep ache of the preceding battle was a distant echo. She'd feel it afterward for sure, but for now, she could put it off just a little longer. Long enough to lend Betel her power.

And so she reached for that awakened high once more, and felt the rush of the sea's raw power filling her aura, the untamed winds and waves at her paws. Jade inhaled deeply, practically tasting the salt on the breeze, and as she glanced up at Virga towering over her, she didn't feel small at all.

"Come on. One last attack, it's gotta be all of us."

"You have a lot of faith in that one," Virga observed, neutrally. The Corviknight's eyes flickered over to the Porygon—no longer a Porygon, but something new—the avian being glowing with a light that was practically divine. A fully-realized Voice of Life.

"I know you don't, but I need you with me on this one," Jade said, taking her place as the pair of them took to the air.

Virga was silent for a long moment, wingbeats carrying them higher. "Your faith will suffice for both of us."

The unspoken sentiment rang clear: I have faith in you.

She had a lot of faith in Virga, too. That wasn't something she would have thought of as true. Definitely wasn't something she would have said, even to herself. In fact, she would have denied it under any other circumstances. But it was sort of self-evident, wasn't it? The sheer number of times she'd thrown her life on Virga's wings without a second thought, same as she would have with Swift, or Firestorm. It didn't make any sense. It was maybe a bit insane, given where they'd left off back home. She couldn't feel any of the bitterness from that right now, though. Maybe that was Betel's influence, the weight of the Shadows unable to burden her mind. Maybe she'd feel it afterward, just like the pain and exhaustion that was waiting for her after all of this.

But for now, she could leap into the open air without worrying about the fall.

"I know you'll catch me!" Jade called out. Whether it was aimed at Betel or Virga didn't matter, the sentiment rang true for both,

Spoiler: Jade & Virga Turn 7

Jade (102 STM, 15 TMP, +1 SPD, +4 ACC, 20 SHD, 0 RAD)
- **Act:** Focus (Awaken) (+5 TMP, -30 SHD, -40 RAD)
- CRITICAL Shining Freefall @ Powehi (-40 STM, -15 TMP, +10 TMP, +32 RAD) [+Freefall]
- Activate ability (Magician) @ Powehi Res
- RADIANT Soul's Adversity (ACTIVATE: Shining Aura) (-30 STM, +3 TMP, +24 RAD)
- CRITICAL RADIANT Aeroblast @ Powehi (-28 STM, -10 TMP, +7 TMP, +22 RAD) [+50 BP]
Net change: -92 STM, +0 TMP, +10 SHD, +98 RAD
Net totals: 10 STM (73 after regen), 15 TMP, 30 SHD, 98 RAD

Virga (Aux)
- Brawler @ Powehi [RADIANT]

 

[Tetra]

[bark bark punch punch]

Spoiler: Koa & Anubis: Final Turn

Koa (98 STM, 21 TMP, +0 SPD, +1 ACC, 30 SHD, 0 RAD)
- **Act:** RADIANT Focus (Awaken) (+5 TMP)
- Activate ability (Galvanic Pulse)
- RADIANT Ganbatte Soul @ Powehi (-30 STM, +5 TMP, +27 RAD)
- STRONG CRITICAL Shining Blindside @ Powehi (-60 STM, -18 TMP, +7 TMP, +36 RAD)
- RADIANT Mach Punch @ Powehi (-6 STM, +3 TMP, +5 RAD)
Net change: -96 STM, +1 TMP, +0 SHD, +88 RAD
Net totals: 2 STM (78 after regen), 22 TMP, 30 SHD, 88 RAD
(TAKE COVER)

Anubis (Aux)
- Caster @ Powehi [Blacklight]

 

[Phoenixsong]

Probably Leaf should've still felt exhausted right now. Probably, she was vaguely aware, all this constant back and forth of radiance and shadow already had them all on the edge of falling apart, and asking for even more would be dangerous, deadly. Felt like something she ought to be arguing with her debating with herself about, weighing the risk, looking for any other way out contingencies that'd keep everyone the safest, probably.

She didn't, though. Didn't need to, for once; no argument there. Didn't really notice the tiredness much anymore, either. Watching Beetle fly—literally fly, on actual beautiful shining wings, like holy crap—made her feel just as floaty herself. And light wasn't the only thing radiating off them now, but confidence, a certainty that even an eternal optimist like Leaf hadn't thought she'd feel from them before. (Good. They deserved it.) So: it'd be fine. Beetle just knew, and therefore so did she. And that was all that mattered.

Thunder rolled and lightning flashed and the storm surged back in. Smoke swirled and the air shimmered with heat and the flames roared back to life. Leaf charged, a bolt of black and gold, a sparkling, crackling arrow shot straight at Powehi. Blue howled, grinning madly and burning so hot the edges of his fur had caught blue-white fire. One last strike, fueled by everything they had, and then...

He wanted proof that they could handle this? Cool. Old man better grab a front row seat, then. Betelgeuse's first act as a real Voice of Life was gonna be one hell of a light show.

Spoiler: Leaf Turn 7

Leaf (75 STM, 12 TMP, +1 SPD, +3 ACC, 40 SHD, 50 RAD)
- **Act:** Item (Elixir) (+80 STM) [Defiant + Loner active]
- **Act:** RADIANT Focus (Awaken) (+5 TMP)
- Umbral Vigilance @ Powehi (-40 STM, +2 TMP, +36 SHD) [Intel: the look on Powehi's face right before the Betelaser lights him up]
- AGILE CRITICAL Shining Stormlance @ Powehi (-60 STM, -10 TMP, +4 TMP, +36 RAD)
- CRITICAL Shining Stormlance @ Powehi (-40 STM, -10 TMP, +3 TMP, +36 RAD)
Net change: -52 STM, -6 TMP, +36 SHD, +62 RAD
Net totals: 23 STM (98 after regen), 6 TMP, 76 SHD, 112 RAD
(TAKE COVER)

Spoiler: Blue Turn 7 (Aux)

Blue (Aux)
- Caster @ Powehi [BLACKLIGHT]

 

[JFought]

(flavor tbd)

Spoiler: Isidora Turn 7

Isidora (1 STM, -1 TMP, +0 SPD, +3 ACC, 40 SHD, 30 RAD)
- **Act:** Item (Leppa Berry) (+40 STM)
- **Act:** RADIANT Focus (Awaken) (+5 TMP)
- Shining Ferocity @ Powehi (ACTIVATE: Sure Hit) (-40 STM, +6 TMP, +40 RAD)
Net change: +0 STM, +11 TMP, +0 SHD, +30 RAD
Net totals: 1 STM (76 after regen), 10 TMP, 40 SHD, 60 RAD
(TAKE COVER)

Spoiler: Phantom Turn 7

Phantom (Aux)
- RADIANT Assassin @ Powehi

 

[canisaries]

Once confident in his amount of Blacklight, Ben charged forth with a roar. He knew Close Combat would lower his defenses, but with so many other targets around him, perhaps it didn't matter. Perhaps it also didn't matter because he was invincible, no, not invincible but disposable -- well, whatever he was, it didn't matter. He went for the nearest Powehi, and whether that was the real deal or a clone didn't matter, either.

Andre shared his sentiment, though his move was a Zen Headbutt. He never liked using this move, still in some ways used to being a squishy human with a brain vulnerable to physical trauma, but if he was going to be the mythical thing known as a good person, he would have to suck it up.

 

[Butterfree]

Jean stared in wonder and awe as Betel turned into some kind of fucking Pory-angel. "Betel, you're so pretty!" she said.

Dave looked up as he felt a paw on his exhausted shoulder. It was Laura, the Persian offering him an Elixir, looking just as exhausted but still standing despite it. He laid a paw on hers for a brief moment. "Thanks, kid."

He wolfed down the medicine, savouring the energy trickling through him as Laura blazed into Blacklight.

"All right," he said. "Let's fucking do this."

Spoiler: Jean turn 7

Jean (Aux)
- Rogue @ Powehi-Aurora [-1 Def]

Spoiler: Dave turn 7

Dave (11 STM, 19 TMP, +0 SPD, +3 ACC, 30 SHD, 44 RAD)
- Interact @ Receive Elixir from Laura (-3 TMP)
- **Act:** Item (Elixir) (+80 STM)
- **Act:** Focus (Awaken) (+5 TMP, -30 SHD, -30 RAD)
- CRITICAL Umbral Recklessness @ Powehi-Aurora (ACTIVATE: effect, Hex Adept) (-40 STM, -16 TMP, +3 TMP, +32 SHD)
- STRONG CRITICAL RADIANT Relentless Soul @ Powehi-Aurora (ACTIVATE: Shining Aura) (-45 STM, -6 TMP, +5 TMP, +24 RAD)
Net change: -5 STM, -12 TMP, +22 SHD, +10 RAD
Net totals: 6 STM (84 after regen), 7 TMP, 52 SHD, 54 RAD
(TAKE COVER)

 

[Cresselia92]

Ah! So Betel really pulled off a miracle on themselves for once, and damn! Wasn’t that quite the sight!

However, Silver wasn’t exactly sure what he was looking at. Betel definitely wasn’t a Porygon-Z, or any other alternative prototype he had found in Team Rocket’s archives.

Betel looked quite ethereal, otherworldly, godly. Like some sorta hybrid between a Porygon and a golden Ho-Oh.

“Tch, show-off…” he muttered good-heartedly, starting to feel some of his breath and strength returning to him after the much needed respite.

Meanwhile, Lyra was completely enthralled by Betel’s new appearance, curiosity and admiration sparkling in her wide eyes. “Oh my gosh, Betey! You’re a… a…” Lyra drummed her chin thoughtfully, searching for the right words. “Well! You’re a really fabulous unit~!”

Heeding Betel’s encouragement, Silver reached out for the flame inside his spirit and fueled his body with empowering darkness and maddening light. Black smoke and vestigial wings erupted once more from his back, their golden and silver feathers shimmering under the light of his spectral sun, and he lowered himself on all four as the muscles of his limbs and his oversized mane grew heavier and sturdier. Lyra squealed in delight at his form, and he smirked back at her with renewed confidence.

“…Heh. What’s better than a god to help take down another god?”

Silver chuckled a series of guttural rumbles, proud of his newly acquired appearance. Not even in his wildest dreams he would have seen himself as a freaking Entei, of all creatures! The illusory sun in his smoky trail pulsed with Radiance, and from within it emerged the small fragment of Spectrum, ready to obey Silver’s command. “Let’s do it, Spectrum!”

The tiny Ho-Oh shrieked noiselessly and flew loops around Silver, and the young Entei felt the legendary fragment inside his soul resonate with the holy light. Blazing, golden flames raced across his leonine body, but he could tell that they were much weaker compared to earlier. He frowned, earning a confused glance from Lyra, and he quickly explained his concern.

“Still not enough. I lost too much energy. I need more power than this…”

Lyra tilted her head, deep in thought, before snapping her fingers. “I might be able to help, maybe?”

She pressed her palms together and rubbed them vigorously, unleashing golden sparkles from their rapid friction. Radiance flowed through her body, and a strangely overconfident grin stretched on her muzzle, matching the intensity of her glowing golden eyes.

“You need power to unleash your deepest flames, right? Well, you wouldn’t be the first Entei I had shared some of my energy with for that purpose, y’know?” She winked and raised an arm dramatically. “Lemme link with you and share some of my energy, Entei!”

The glowing hand moved in a very specific pattern, leaving behind a trail of golden stars held together by a mix of her Radiance, Swift and a tiny bit of Healing Wish.

South. North-west. East. South-west. North. And then, something pulsed from within Lyra’s heart and restored some of Silver’s strength, and a faraway roar echoed in both the teens’ ears.

Spoiler: The Involith of the Fire Guardian

At hearing the distant call from the phantom lion, Silver felt the irresistible urge of roaring back, a frightening roar that rended the heavens and made Lyra flinch in shock.

His mind buzzed and blurred as an immense amount of Radiance poured out of both teens’ cores and pure, unfiltered incandescent energy flowed through his ichor. Silver almost buckled under his own pressure — such an enormous amount of Radiance! That was the kind of power only meant to be wielded by a deity, and it broke and reconstructed his mortal body in a cycle of rising ashes and crumbling flesh.

Soul and heart burned bright, and he became a vague semblance of a physical body barely held together by his sheer determination and some little help from Spectrum. No longer was he a simple wolverine, or an intimidating lion, or even a mere human. No longer was he on fire. Now, he was actual, ravaging fire.

A midnight star in the shape of a legendary feline.

A soft voice barely reached his ears, Lyra’s words sounding strangely distant despite being at only a few steps from him — oh, she was talking? A concerned expression was plastered on her face. Was she worried about him?

Silver barked an unrestrained laugh, his smirk turning manic as he vaguely pondered the limitless potential of this glorious form, and he nodded eagerly at Lyra. “This is… yes… THIS is it!” he proclaimed, his smirk widening and exposing his full set of fangs. “I’ve been searching for this kinda power in years! And NOW!”

Silver stared intently at Powehi, barely registering the others unleashing a barrage of bright attacks. Golden flames danced around his body, and both his eyes and jaws filled by a blinding light.

“Now I can FINALLY use it! Shone it up your ass, ‘Boss’! I’ve got what you NEVER did!”

Another cry from Lyra touched his ears, and despite floating in a rampaging sea of excitement and recklessness, he still made sure to keep Lyra safe from his own fire by shielding her with a dome of flames. He gathered all his fire into his jaws, his red mane and rings alight with a red-hot aura.

One shot. He had only one shot. He sure as hell should make it count!

The illusory sun whistled loudly, its form growing more and more unstable as beams of light tore from within its core and through its surface, until it burst and melted into its owner’s body. His limbs and lower body turned smoky silver, while his chest and fangs glowed more and more brightly as a giant fireball appeared inside his maw.

There was a blinding flash, a streak of gold and silver sped forward like a bird-shaped torpedo, and a series of explosions followed shortly, with Silver and Powehi as the epicenters of the biggest and strongest blasts.

Then, everything collapsed. Exhaustion and uncontrolled energy ripped his entire being apart. Body, mind, even his own soul were charred by the most excruciating pain he had ever felt in his entire life! And yet, underneath the agony he was surely going to suffer and regret for his remaining days in Forlas (and he knew that Lyra was freaking out right now, for very good reasons), a small naughty thought gave him a shot of excitement and comfort.

In your fuckin’ face, Powehi!

​

Spoiler: Silver (Final Turn)

Silver (147 STM, 20 TMP, +1 SPD, +3 ACC, 30 SHD, 4 RAD)
- Interact @ Lyra (-3 TMP) [Sacrifice Lyra’s action and interact to use the Elixir!]
- **Act:** Focus (Awaken) (+5 TMP, -30 SHD, -30 RAD)
- AGILE Shining Resurgence (-60 STM, +2 TMP, +32 RAD)
- Shining Resurgence (-40 STM, +2 TMP, +32 RAD)
- RADIANT Hotheaded Soul @ Powehi (ACTIVATE: effect) (-30 STM, -5 TMP, +5 TMP, +24 RAD) [Burn, baby!]
- CRITICAL RADIANT Sacred Fire @ Powehi (ACTIVATE: effect, Hex Maniac) (-32 STM, -23 TMP, +5 TMP, +25 RAD) [Burn some more, baby!!]
Net change: -152 STM, -12 TMP, +0 SHD, +139 RAD
Net totals: -5 STM (73 after regen), 8 TMP, 30 SHD, 143 RAD
(TAKE COVER)

Spoiler: Lyra (Final Turn)

Lyra (Aux)
- Interact @ Silver [Share your energy to charge the Spirit Bomb, Lyra! (Aka, use an Elixir with style!)]