Malantau Terminal One

[Inkedust]

Bellatrix found it mildly refreshing to be ignored by her foes. She eyed Eldes carefully, a pity that he had wasted his time and potential on this operation. If he hadn't had such the sporadic change of heart, Bellatrix was sure to have dealt with him indiscriminately otherwise.

With the ninetales handled, Nascour was the only threat that remained. In a surge of speed, Bellatrix ran back to the utility module and rammed into the vigoroth with her pommel to try and break the malamar's control further before dashing towards him through the biting frost with a quick strike of her blade.

Then, Bellatrix stood back and focused. Motes of light danced off the tips of her claws that coalesced into a radiant ball of energy. Her eyes flashed gold, mercilessly. Strike him down. Without thinking, she sent the concentrated blast Nascour's way and then vanished back into the halls of Terminal one, leaving the rest to the rest to the lycans.

Spoiler: Turn 4

Bellatrix (74 STM, 11 TMP, +1 SPD, +1 ACC, 20 SHD, 0 RAD)
- **Act:** Item (Leppa Berry) (+40 STM)
- Dash to Utility Module (-2 TMP)
- Extreme Speed @ Gorigan (-22 STM, +3 TMP)
- Dash to Observation Deck (-2 TMP)
- Extreme Speed @ Nascour (-33 STM, +3 TMP)
- **Act:** RADIANT Focus (+5 TMP)
- STRONG CRITICAL RADIANT Focus Blast @ Nascour (ACTIVATE: Sure Hit) (-42 STM, -18 TMP, +5 TMP, +28 RAD)
- Walk to Utility Module
Net change: -51 STM, -6 TMP, +0 SHD, +28 RAD
Net totals: 23 STM (74 after regen), 5 TMP, 20 SHD, 28 RAD

 

[Jackie Cat]

Less tactical than usual. Too chaotic. Combatants too independent. She should be somewhere she should coordinate. Somewhere she belonged. She was useless here—

Laura slapped herself in the face. None of that. It was the fucking dungeon, the Shadow corruption. The battle was going well, wasn't it? Time to finish this, and if she still felt like shit after the world was safe, she could mope then.

Attack, dodge, strafe, cover Archie and the wolves as they rushed to starboard, Interact hit the doors when she found the chance, keep Nascour penned in, fight, think, win.

She was standing in the Observation Deck, a hole in reality just-visible through the misted glass that comprised the wall to her right. Nascour was bearing down on her, on Isidora, on Eldes, his Shadow-empowered psionic might pressing down—

Isidora wasn't getting back up. Not knocked out, though... Something else was wrong. She was struggling...

But Laura bloody well knew when someone hadn't yet hit the wall. Isidora just needed her second wind...

"Isidora!" she shouted, clutching her own temple with one paw. "Get up, Isidora... Get up! You're not done! You can fuckin' beat him!"

Laura called out to Isidora!
Isidora received a Friendship Call! -20 Shd... +1 Rad!

 

[JFought]

Nascour's first attack came in quick to break Isidora's shield. She expected that, and had already positioned herself to avoid the-

Too late. His tentacle struck with the force of a King. Directly into the sneasel's gut so that its shattered body slid across the icy floor.

...The strength of her reviver lightly pulsed through her veins. A reviver seed she would have not wasted, had she not overestimated her own intelligence and skill. A rather predictable sequence of events if one had even a modicum of foresight. How dull.

Isidora struggled to get up. Dark thoughts threatened to overwhelm her, louder than she ever remembered them being. It was getting harder to think; was it like that before? All she could tell was that she was in no state to fight Alexander after this. She could not even hope to survive her current fight. She managed to get to a knee and felt... colder.

"Hey, Tempest, I got somethin' to help!" He shouted out, uncorking one of his brews as he did so. "Give 'em all ya got!"

"Isidora, my good friend, shall we show him what your best really is?"

Ghaspius' brew slid near her. They... Trying to think felt like trying to see through a fog. They believe in me...?

"Isidora!" she shouted, clutching her own temple with one paw. "Get up, Isidora... Get up! You're not done! You can fuckin' beat him!"

The cold began to fade. Isidora reached for the bottle and drank from it. Some of her lost strength returned to her, and with that, she managed to stand. She threw the bottle to the side, panting heavily. "Not done... I can..."

With a quick motion she drew radiance from her shoulder and reveled in the assurance and clarity it offered. She didn't need to beat him alone to win. Archie was helping the lycanroc twins, and soon they'd be here to assist. Isidora only needed to make sure Nascour was weak enough by then. She had the strength to do that much at least.

"My kind, huh...?" She noticed Bellatrix about to fire her Focus Blast, and so Isidora rushed forward to assault from the opposite direction.

"My kind says that you don't belong here!"

Spoiler: Turn 4

Isidora (128 STM, 18 TMP, +0 SPD, +2 ACC, 40 SHD, 19 RAD)
- Receive (Friendship Call) (-20 SHD, -10 RAD)
- AGILE Power-Up Punch @ Nascour (-21 STM, +5 TMP)
- Power-Up Punch @ Nascour (-14 STM, +5 TMP)
- CRITICAL Ice Shard @ Nascour (-5 STM, -20 TMP, +5 TMP)
- Ice Shard @ Nascour (-7.5 STM, +4 TMP)
- **Act:** RADIANT Focus (+5 TMP)
- CRITICAL RADIANT Triple Axel @ Nascour (ACTIVATE: Sure Hit) (-34 STM, -20 TMP, +5 TMP, +34 RAD)
- Walk to Utility Module
Net change: -82 STM, -11 TMP, +0 SHD, +34 RAD
Net totals: 46 STM (100 after regen), 7 TMP, 20 SHD, 43 RAD

 

[Jackie Cat]

Turn 4
Player Phase​

Bellatrix's Extreme Speed dealt 35 damage to Gorigan!
Bellatrix's Extreme Speed dealt 22 damage to Nascour!
Bellatrix's STRONG RADIANT Focus Blast dealt a CRITICAL 195 damage to Nascour! It's ultra effective!

Ghaspius gave Isidora his support! +1 Atk!
Gladion gave Isidora his support! +1 Atk!
Laura gave Isidora her support! -20 Shd! And somehow, +1 Rad!
Isidora... got the fuck back up!

Isidora's AGILE Power-Up Punch dealt 11 damage to Nascour!
Isidora's Power-Up Punch dealt 17 damage to Nascour!
Isidora's Ice Shard dealt a CRITICAL 38 damage to Nascour!
Isidora's Ice Shard dealt 18 damage to Nascour!
Isidora's RADIANT Triple Axel dealt a CRITICAL 35, 57, then 99 damage to Nascour! It's ultra effective!

Rallying against Nascour despite the psychic pressure emanating from him, strike after strike pierced his considerable defences. The light of super-energised aura – Radiance, the soul ablaze – seared the Malamar's body.

But he did not yet fall.

Laura tried to force a Radiant attack, and found herself fizzling out, overwhelmed. Howls, the backlash was gonna hurt...

Unless—

“Grab on, I’ll pull you over,” he said, reaching out a paw.

"Thanks, man."

Seth grabbed Archie's paw and dragged himself to somewhat-solid footing. Leona soon followed.

It was a clear shot to the Observation Deck – Archie felt it through the telepathic network, get over here, help—

Archie's Interact: Archie rescued Seth & Leona!
Archie called out to Seth!

“Seth.” He said. “Listen. Don’t do anything you’ll regret. When you get home, you need to be able to face your boys with your head held high.”

Seth flashed his teeth in a confident smirk. He did look a little like The Wolf, the demon on the wanted posters, but... different.

"You got it," he said, with an odd tone. "Believe me, I'll be doing just that. And I'm more than ready to go the fuck home."

 

[Jackie Cat]

Turn 4
Ally/Enemy Phase​

One of Nascour's skills was evidently maintaining incredible composure – even after taking serious hurt, he remained calm, collected, and aloof. He floated in the Observation Deck, tentacles lashing with whip-like speed and precision at his targets.

"Think I owe you a drubbing," quipped Seth, barrelling into the module.

"Come and try, then," crooned Nascour, his cruel beak smiling.

A limb whipped out, then another, beating Seth down under a torrent of Superpower blows. One arm raised, he fended them off with an impromptu shield, teeth clenched. Leona ducked under him to rush for Nascour, teeth nicking his flesh, some debuffing fettle triggering his Contrary powers again, then again...

"You are a poorer tactician than I expected," said Nascour, frowning. "My reflection in your world must have been somehow... infirm, to be so feeble as to lose to you."

Amber light formed a halo around Leona's mane as she cast Helping Hand.

"Now, Seth!"

Seth got to his feet, desert-gold light flickering at his eyes.

"That's the thing about you bastards," he growled. "You only understand power – right up until your own power gets you killed."

"'Killed'?" laughed Nascour. "I know you have killed before, and that it haunts you in your dreams. Does it bring you to despair, knowing that you're no better than I?"

Seth clenched his fist, and it caught alight with Radiance.

Seth learned Shining Retribution!

Radiant | Physical | Target | 60 BP

Must target the enemy with the most stat stages. Power increases by 10 for each stat stage the target has, and by 20 for each turn Seth was struck this battle. Costs less tempo to land a Critical Hit. May be a held action.

"Nah. I am better than you. I'm what you've got coming to you."

Seth stepped directly into Nascour's reach, then caught an incoming, downward blow with one fist. Pivoting, he at once pulled Nascour towards him and delivered a punishing strike with his other paw – an explosive uppercut, leaving a comet-trail of light.

Seth used STRONG Shining Retribution! Boosted by Leona, it dealt a CRITICAL 387 damage! It's ultra-effective!

Nascour shot back across the deck, impacting the wall behind him with a crashing peal of shattered glass. He clung on by the tips of his prehensile limbs, jagged edges pressing into his skin, the Shadow that filled his body now inexorably drawn towards the Fault itself. He looked back at the tear in reality, then back at Seth, his cruel eyes blazing.

"N-no! I will not perish. This cannot happen!"

Seth walked up to Nascour with a grim expression.

"You wanna take my hand, then? Beg for forgiveness, choose now to break good?"

He held out his paw.

With an agonised effort of willl, Nascour took it. And met Seth's eyes.

"I will not be humiliated," he hissed.

Nascour used Hypnosi—

Seth yanked on Nascour's limb and drove his forehead into the Malamar's face with a crack.

And let go.

---

Objective: rescue Seth & Leona.
Objective: get Ein to the Command Module, and protect him long enough to program a Return To Earth sequence.
Objective: neutralise all loyalist Cipher admins. (KOs, kills, and defections all count.) [4/4]
Objective: repel Alexander.
Objective: do not allow Seth or Leona to die.
Optional: let Seth deal with unfinished business.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

“And good riddance,” Gladion whispered, not quite looking to project enthusiasm about Nascour’s death but nonetheless knowing he’d worry less for Seth and his world with the his demise. If anyone he’d met in Forlas had it coming, it was definitely Nascour. (Or really it was Alexander, technically, but the Hydregion felt like a force of nature instead of a wicked mortal man like Nascour.)

It only felt right to give Seth a moment to process what he’d just done before saying anything. He’d let Archie break that ice, given the two were much closer friends. Or Leona, if she’d count as cutting off the moment despite the fact she’d actively helped him get the kill.

He averted his attention to Gorigan instead. Someone had to make sure the guy was of his right mind again. Laura’d probably do it if nobody else did, but he figured he’d save her having to. The Vigoroth looked reasonably alright, but it was hard to tell what normal was for him without knowing him sans mind control. “Got your head back on straight now, I hope? Feeling any lingering effects?”

Ardos wouldn’t be answering any questions anytime soon, but there was also Eldes. “And you? Figure I ought to check, but I’m pretty sure you’re free now. Hell of a memorable flamethrower… Sucks for me that you gotta return to earth now, honestly, woulda been nice to get to know you.”

 

[Weazel]

Once the Lycanrocs entered the fight, it wasn’t even a contest. Nascour was beaten into submission in a display of tight teamwork the likes of which the Malamar – clearly too used to lording over underlings to recognize the signs of working together with others – was unable to predict or adequately counter. And then the fight was over, Ardos unconscious, Eldes more or less surrendered, Gorigan not really much of a combatant to begin with, and Nascour captured.

Or was it? The Malamar wasn’t ready to quit, yanking Seth in for one last cheap shot. Archie grabbed one of the shells on his hips… And then Nascour was dead. Seth’s rocky mane smashed into the cephalopod’s skull, and then the man’s body was sent tumbling into the abyss. Archie’s muzzle drew into a tight frown. A shame it had to come to this, but…

“Some people just can’t be saved,” he sighed, more to himself than anyone else. Nascour had been given the chance to surrender, he could’ve kept on living. Instead, he chose to die, just like Koa’s father had.

The Dewott approached the Wolf carefully. What was the right thing to say? The fight wasn’t over, they still had to deal with Alexander, and Seth still had to deal with Cipher’s top leadership back on his home world. As bad as Nascour was, the idea of celebrating his death felt slimy. He sure as shit wasn’t going to talk about the Malamar like he should’ve been spared though, either. He stopped walking, and stood by the red Lycanroc’s side.

Archie knew that, as much as the Lycanroc liked to boast about being a badass, Seth wasn’t a killer by nature. He didn’t know what the man was feeling – Triumph? Relief? Closure? Numbness? Whatever it was, the Dewott was here to support him in it. He gazed silently out into the rift with the wolf; then he wrapped his arm around the Seth’s waist and pulled him into a side hug.

 

[Inkedust]

Bellatrix watched the final exchange between Seth and Nascour inattentively. It was what he deserved and, if she had either the time or the final say, she would have been more than happy to allow a few others to join him. Instead, rather than mingle with the others, Bellatrix went to investigate where Alexander had torn through the fabric of reality. She tried to see if he had left an entry-point to where the real fight between him and the Wayfarers were being held. There was still much to be done.

"It's far from over and there's no time to waste," she finally said after a moment, a Radiant twang infiltrating her voice. To the Cipher Admins, she said, "Let it be known that your entire operation, both here and on earth, has become a lost cause. You have wasted far too many resources, lost too many personnel – including Admins – and Cipher's remnants will be overpowered by Seth if you choose to struggle until its final breath." She flicked her head to where the lycanroc was standing and where the malamar wasn't to emphasize her point.

Her gaze was firm and her eyes glinted gold, as if she was daring them to challenge her on this. She turned back to where Alexander had fled. "If you even are able to make it back," she added. "Because if we ignore this, there won't be a Terminal One to send back. I'll leave the decision to you, but I will be going after Alexander to see this fight through to its end."

 

[Jackie Cat]

“Got your head back on straight now, I hope? Feeling any lingering effects?”

Gorigan rubbed his head as if he were nursing a migraine.

"I, uh, guess so. Pretty sure I just saw that Seth kid punch the Director straight into hell, so, I figure the fight's over. Which means... you guys kicked our asses on our home turf? Well, uh. Good for you lot! That takes balls, I gotta say."

The Vigoroth's energy was somewhat diminished. This was, perhaps, the most 'down' he could even be, even after witnessing a death...

Ardos wouldn’t be answering any questions anytime soon, but there was also Eldes. “And you? Figure I ought to check, but I’m pretty sure you’re free now. Hell of a memorable flamethrower… Sucks for me that you gotta return to earth now, honestly, woulda been nice to get to know you.”

Eldes nodded respectfully to Gladion.

"Young man, you showed me something I was too afraid to learn for myself. Thank you. My organisation is not as it should be – I am not even certain that it should exist at all – and I will have much work to do back in Orre to start putting things right."

The fox eyed his unconscious brother, and sighed.

"Ardos will not see this as I do, whatever I say to him. Nor will Father. The task will at least be easier without Director Nascour present..."

“Some people just can’t be saved."

He gazed silently out into the rift with the wolf; then he wrapped his arm around the Seth’s waist and pulled him into a side hug.

Seth didn't pull away. He just made a sort of strangled noise in his throat, and after a moment to adjust his headspace to it, he put a paw on Archie's shoulder. He was too macho for anything more than that, but it was something... And it likely meant a lot to the edgy Lycanroc.

"Yeah," he said, quietly.

Then he was silent for several breaths, as if he was trying to spot Nascour's distant body as it entered the Fault...

"Yeah. Can't say I didn't give him a chance."

Leona nodded. "I'm not gonna lose any sleep over it," she said, implicitly taking shared blame for what they'd just done. She sounded like she really wouldn't lose sleep – which got a faint chuckle out of Seth.

"C'mon. Let's get gone to the big fight," he said, snapping his digits.

Already, the glass wall of the deck was shifting, the blackness of the void seeming to form a pathway to another battlefield entirely... Powehi's way of granting the Wayfarers – and the wolves – passage.

"It's far from over and there's no time to waste," she finally said after a moment, a Radiant twang infiltrating her voice. To the Cipher Admins, she said, "Let it be known that your entire operation, both here and on earth, has become a lost cause. You have wasted far too many resources, lost too many personnel – including Admins – and Cipher's remnants will be overpowered by Seth if you choose to struggle until its final breath." She flicked her head to where the lycanroc was standing and where the malamar wasn't to emphasize her point.

Her gaze was firm and her eyes glinted gold, as if she was daring them to challenge her on this. She turned back to where Alexander had fled. "If you even are able to make it back," she added. "Because if we ignore this, there won't be a Terminal One to send back. I'll leave the decision to you, but I will be going after Alexander to see this fight through to its end."

Ein, head held high, made a begrudging growl of acknowledgement.

"I'm keeping my side of our arrangement," he muttered. "Go fight your battle. I'll wait."

Eldes sighed bowing his head. "I will remain here and ensure that our departure from this reality will go smoothly. We will take the Lycanroc boy with us, of course, along with any Syndicate personnel you are able to recover. We will trouble Forlas no longer."

Laura reached into her satchel for medical berries to chew on, as much for the distraction as for the physical healing properties. Exotic energies still flickered in her brain.

"I'll hold the fort," she said, with conviction. "Pretty sure Doctor Mapractice over there is being truthful with us, but there's diminishing returns on how many of us fight Alexander at once, and you won't have to worry about Ein making off while we're all gone."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Sage sat down next to Laura. "With you, I'll stay here too," Sage said, the Shadow-bass fading from their voice now that the Void Shadows had been stolen away from the terminal. Confronting Cipher and gaining closure on what had happened in Terminal Two had been their reason for coming, so they would stay to make sure that things resolved here as they were meant to.

Then, to Gladion: "I had control of the Shadows, I kept them away, you saw?" A brief flicker of gold flashed through their eyes as their tail wagged.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

"Young man, you showed me something I was too afraid to learn for myself. Thank you. My organisation is not as it should be – I am not even certain that it should exist at all – and I will have much work to do back in Orre to start putting things right."

The fox eyed his unconscious brother, and sighed.

"Ardos will not see this as I do, whatever I say to him. Nor will Father. The task will at least be easier without Director Nascour present..."

Oh, so Eldes was old enough to ‘young man’ him, apparently. It was hard to tell with Ninetales. Gladion wasn’t unaware that it was unusual for him to have gotten out as early as he had, but it was the kind of thing that was easy to forget with everything else he was keeping track of during an emotionally intense battle.

Made him feel suddenly less qualified to give advice or whatever, but he could still talk. “You’re welcome. Can’t promise it’ll be easy, of course, but it'll be worth it. And it sounds like you might be on the same side as Seth now, so you hopefully won’t have to go it completely alone.” (He couldn’t make any promises on Seth’s behalf, especially not knowing whether or not Eldes had been one of the people to hurt him, but it would be nice if the two could have each other’s backs.)

Then, to Gladion: "I had control of the Shadows, I kept them away, you saw?" A brief flicker of gold flashed through their eyes as their tail wagged.

Sage’s declaration made his eyes light up with pride. If he had a little sibling, this is what he reckoned it’d feel like. “You bet I did! That was great. We’re lucky to have you with us. You feeling good, now that all this is sorted out?”

He resisted the urge to stare daggers at Lovrina. To demand to know how she could’ve ever hurt someone as sweet and loving as this. But he didn’t want to ruin the moment, and if she had any sense she’d know better than to say anything unprompted. (Not that he fancied the odds of her having sense.) It wasn’t like he was likely to get an ounce of remorse out of her. He was pretty sure she’d sold her soul for Livecast subs years ago.

 

[Jackie Cat]

“You’re welcome. Can’t promise it’ll be easy, of course, but it'll be worth it. And it sounds like you might be on the same side as Seth now, so you hopefully won’t have to go it completely alone.”

Eldes watched as Seth and the rest walked on, into battle.

"I have appealed to him before," said the fox, quietly. "But only ever to join Cipher, out of respect and a desire to end the ever-escalating conflict. Of course he never entertained the notion for even a second. I failed to see that Cipher owned that conflict, and that I could always have decided to join him – though I would have had to sacrifice much more."

Eldes shook his head.

"No. No, not more. I was already sacrificing my peace of mind and moral rightness, to remain at Father's side as I thought was right. If Seth had joined us, he would have been making that same sacrifice writ large, and with nobody at his side at that. I can only hope that he would ever accept my aid and apology – perhaps there is a way. Perhaps if my hands stop shaking long enough... to contact Interpol and turn myself in."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Interpol? Given the scope the Cipher problem seemed to be reaching, it made perfect sense. Whatever Orrean law enforcement existed was not gonna be able to handle them. They were probably already compromised. Being an interdimensional threat definitely qualified them as an international threat. Still, it was curious to picture Eldes potentially interacting with someone he knew back home. Depending on how the timelines lined up, it might pull Nanu into Orre. Hell, Cipher might be bad enough to pull Nanu off his mysterious Alolan project even if that had started.

"Far as I know, Interpol’s not corrupt or anything. Would probably cut you a good deal for info, they’re at least supposed to be more concerned with dealing with international threats than meting out individual criminal justice, and they’re unlikely to want to turn you over to Orrean law enforcement. Obviously, there’s always the risk that there’s some substantial differences between our worlds but logically it just makes more sense to keep an asset like that cl—"

A look crossed Gladion’s face as his speech lilted. Like he’d caught himself off-guard. Like he’d just realized something. “—close at hand.”

That was missing link behind the things he didn’t understand about his escape, wasn’t it? It had to be. It was Nanu who Wicke’d called to get him off Poni. Interpol involvement would also explain how she managed to procure documents. That was one of their powers. And if he was sure that Interpol would take an interest in dimensional tampering— which felt true now…

Well. Then Gladion himself started to look like a “break glass in case of emergency” piece of evidence against his family. Especially if he had Hazel. It made too much sense. He’d figured the threat of mutually-assured annihilation which Hazel represented was what kept Aether from at least trying to headhunt him. Why should he be the only one who wanted the power to annihilate Aether, if it came to that?

“Oh. Oh. Yeah, I sure as hell bet you they’d wanna keep people like us close by. Pretty sure they’ve been keeping a line open with me, too.”

 

[Jackie Cat]

"Far as I know, Interpol’s not corrupt or anything. Would probably cut you a good deal for info, they’re at least supposed to be more concerned with dealing with international threats than meting out individual criminal justice, and they’re unlikely to want to turn you over to Orrean law enforcement. Obviously, there’s always the risk that there’s some substantial differences between our worlds but logically it just makes more sense to keep an asset like that cl— close at hand.”

“Oh. Oh. Yeah, I sure as hell bet you they’d wanna keep people like us close by. Pretty sure they’ve been keeping a line open with me, too.”

Eldes cocked his head slightly. The gesture looked somehow more human than vulpine.

"Is that so? I intend to contact them because there is hardly such a thing as Orrean law enforcement to begin with, and because Cipher's ambitions were transnational in nature. If I may ask, what makes you a person of interest to the international police, Gladion?"