F-8. Ari and the Black Forest

Team Cheren, somewhere in Paradox Space

"Say that again!" Cheren yelled in surprise at his communicator. "Anthony defeated Yellow Diamond?!"

"TH4T'S CORR3CT." Terezi hissed. "JUST 4S MY PROPH3CY H4S FOR3S33N!"

"THAT WASN'T IN YOUR CRAPPY PROPHECY!" Karkat argued.

"There's Still Work That They Need To Do On Ore." Kanaya followed. "We'll Go There And Take Them To H.Q. So They Can Rest."

"Hey, was anyone too badly hurt during the fight?" Cheren asked.

"I Think Everyone Is Okay. Don't Worry, We'll Get Them Back Safe And Sound. Ending Transmission."

"I wouldn't think too much on Danny, Cheren." Vriska told him, flying alongside the R.O.A.D.S.T.A.R.. "I know it's tragic, 8ut when compared to the f8 of the universe, it's just… pretty small."

"Sigh… I know it is. But if Sugar and the others were just going to sacrifice him and escape… why did they even use Danny as a hostage to begin with? I know it's not like us to betray our friends, but it seems too basic of a plan."

"May8e you're right. Lord English's All-Seeing Eyes can predict any possi8le future, so he pro8a8ly saw his plan working either way. He could've just done it for fun's sake."

"If he sees everything, how do we know we're even doing the right thing?" Maddy questioned.

"Well… it could 8e 8ecause of that trick your 8rother pulled. Our future selves told us the Seventh Light was you, Maddy, so the fact that we know it's Zach now, yet we don't in the future, is a 8igger mind-***k than even I could do. That might have messed with Lord English's mind, too."

"When I fought King Andrew," said Cheren, "his Octogan acted up whenever Zach did something silly. It was like he was eye poison. Like a TV."

"And today's weather is…" Zach's mouth was a TV, displaying the Paradox Space Forecast. "NO ONE CAN TELL WEATHER IN THIS CRAZY DIMENSION! Our jobs are meaningless!!" The weatherman started tearing up the station.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA…!" The friends laughed.

"AAA8HH!" The laughter was cut when Vriska was struck by lightning.

"You should watch where you're going, children!" Ganondorf sported his wicked grin, floating in place with his cape waving at his back. "Laughter is the gateway to distraction."

Cheren went God Tier and shot out to attack him, countered by Ganon's swift movements. "I was HOPING you'd join the party!"

"Still playing with children's toys, are we? Even when you have the power of a god, you still hopelessly believe you belong with their kind. With mortals."

Vriska tossed a Psycho Sphere to blow Ganon away. "We're God Tiers, true, 8ut as you clearly saw, you can't kill us."

"But isn't that a delicious feeling, Cheren? Immortality? Eternal life? You sought it, and you found it. That which is usually a crime forbidden by the gods and nature. How can you know fear, know hesitation, when you cannot die? Even when your mother slayed me, I was not afraid, because I had already been slain and revived COUNTLESS times! HEH heh heh… I laughed so hard when Bill informed me Grim was reviving your friends ALL THIS TIME. HAH HAH HAH HAH-!"

Cheren zipped up and SLICED across his belly, pushing Ganon further away. "Laughter is the gateway to distraction, Dumb-Dumb!"

"Don't you see, boy? I wanted to slaughter Danny to see how it would affect you. The result, it seems, is minimal. He was a useless mortal, and you think of him as such."

"SHUT UP!" Cheren attacked with Soul Surge for two successful blows, only for Ganon to retaliate with a sonic wave. "All my operatives are important to me! It doesn't matter if they're powerful, have destinies, or not, because I want to create a universe where EVERYONE can live peacefully! I sacrificed my life as a normal kid for the sake of protecting the lives of normal kids everywhere. If I could've chosen the normal, unexciting life, I would have. But I happily gave that up to put monsters like you in their place!"

"Such insolence! In 100 years, you will forget the bonds you shared with your friends! You will no longer view each other as equals. You will forget EVER being mortal!"

"At least I'll acknowledge the fact I was BORN mortal! Unlike you! Been so hyped on demon juice all your life, you forgot you ever lived in the Mortal World."

"I was King in my homeland. Revered since the moment of birth."

"He was the only man in a tribe of women." Panini reminded the others. "Which, thinking about it, is pretty sad on our part."

"Regardless, I was already above the commonplace mortal. I only needed time before I truly evolved."

"Ganon, if you're here to settle the score with me, let's get it over with!" Cheren insisted. "You ain't gonna win me over with your cliché demon bull crap."

"Not yet, boy. There is one more thing I desire first. I know the one called Majora originated from this dimension. In our universe, he was known as the most powerful Demon Saint. I wish to absorb his power as well."

"You'll never find him, Ganon! He's somewhere you would NEVER think to look!" Actually, I have no idea if Zanifr even followed us out here. I think we would've heard by now.

"I have ways of making you talk! BLAH!" Ganon's tongue whipped out and stuck into Cheren's ear, the sensation rendering him helpless.

"Ah'm really sick of this job." The tip of the tongue was Hannibal Roy Bean, crawling in the ear like a worm. "Ah don't mind crawling up kids' brains, but this is Ganon's tongue. And Ah can taste everything. Ewww…"

"AAAH!" Another force struck Ganon, breaking the connection. The one responsible was a figure in glowing white clothes, ragged blowing cape, a mummy mask concealing his head, and a familiar sword with looped blades.

"Huh?! Who are you?" gasped Cheren.

"Did you find your Firstborn?"

"Uh… no?"

"Find her first. Ganon's too powerful as he is. I'll distract him."

"You still didn't tell me who you are!"

"Quit wasting time and get going! We'll meet again."

"Gnn… Vriska, guys, let's retreat." Cheren flew back into the R.O.A.D.S.T.A.R. and drove them away.

"How DARE you interfere with us!" Ganon scowled. "Just what sort of being are you?!"

"Search your feelings, old man. You'll know who I am."

"This is Cheren to any available operatives." he spoke into the transmitter. "Ganon is looking for Majora. If any of you find Majora in this world, capture and protect him."

Sector IC

"Copied that, Cheren." George responded. "We'll keep an eye out. …Well, Miyuki, you dated him once." He smiled wryly. "You have any idea where Majora could be hiding?"

"…" Miyuki showed concern, putting a hand to her heart. "Zanifr… please stay safe."

With Team Vweeb

Team Vweeb had been exploring on Nebula's Shooting Star. They were kept updated on the progress of other operatives. "HA HA! Way to go, Anthony!" Vweeb jabbed his fists. "I didn't doubt him for a second! He learned from me when it comes to dealing with giant women." ;)

"But it sounded like Thanos took Yellow Diamond's power." Arianna reminded. "I'm not sure we can call it a victory."

"One more Darkness down, right?" Tron asked. "We can at least add that to the book. Anyway… where should we stop next?"

"Whatever planet looks good." Makava replied. "Still… doesn't it seem a bit weird? We've explored areas on two planets… but it feels like time barely moves an inch."

"What do you mean by that?" Vweeb asked. "If time were frozen, we wouldn't have been going anywhere."

"I know… Sigh, I don't know what I'm thinking." Makava chuckled. "Hey, there's a planet." She pointed at one that was green around the sides, but seemed to have a black center. "I say we check it out." She steered the ship towards.

They soon learned it was a forest planet, and the utter blackness was miles of dead trees. "This forest… something has happened to it." Arianna said.

"In this universe, are you sure it isn't natural?" Vweeb remarked.

"Please, let's land." At Ari's request, the craft landed on an open spot. Arianna climbed out first with Vweeb on her shoulder. The Harnitan wore a green top that showed her belly and made a triangle shape, along with a yellow sarong and green sandals. Arianna put a hand to a dead tree. "…This tree is in despair. A wave of darkness swept across this land. It was terrible."

("Viewers, Arianna used the Sun Chi Lantern to borrow Gonshiri's Life Chi." Vweeb whispered. "That's why she's talking to a tree. It took her a while to befriend Shiri before it happened.")

"The tree says… the ones responsible are further ahead. I think we should look into this."

"I'll stay here and guard the ship." Tron said. "Keep an eye out for cards. 'Cause it's not like I could!" (Play "First Steps Into Sunken Glades" from Ori and the Blind Forest!)

Stage F-5: The Planet Tree

Mission: Explore the dead forest.

Leaves crumbled into dust under their feet as the aliens progressed. They came to a cliff overlooking a chasm of giant, black branches. Arianna saw a giant dried leaf beneath her, so she picked it up and imbued it with Life Chi. She and Makava gripped ends of the leaf and used it to parachute across and past the branches. They briefly slowed down to dodge a falling branch before setting foot on a ledge. Dark Sunfloras grew from the ground and spat bullet seeds, poisoning Arianna with darkness when she was hit. Makava nimbly dodged their attacks and cut the evil flowers.

"Makava, don't!" Ari cried. "Those Pokémon aren't evil! They're being poisoned by this darkness…"

"You didn't stop me from attacking the other Pokémon we've encountered!" Makava yelled as she resumed attacking.

"I know! It's just…"

"Focus, Ari!" Vweeb dropped to the ground and shot off a dark flame on her leg. "We're in the middle of war, we don't have time to be getting sympathetic for enemies!"

"But… Sigh…" Arianna simply waited for Makava to KO the remaining enemies. Past this field was a giant patch of spiked darkness that looked like a puff-fish with fungus. A stairway of large, dead flowers led up to a platform, and Arianna could stretch vines from her flower pot, link with the flowers, and channel the Life Chi into them. The flowers bore a glowing blue color and held up as the kids leapt across. From the platform, they had view of a tall, decayed tree, weak enough for Makava to throw a sword and cut.

The tree toppled in their direction and made a bridge from their platform. To get out of the spike garden, they had to bounce up three mushrooms that would close upon touch. They saw a purple light shining from around some trees up ahead. They followed the light and came to an open area with falling black leaves. A black-haired, teenage boy in black clothes with a white toga was standing in the middle. "Sigh… I guess even this place was doomed to perish." He turned to face his guests. "Your presence does not do it justice."

Ari gasped. "It's one of the Darknesses! Zeref the Black Cloud!"

"HE must be the one who did this!" Makava drew her swords.

"If you know me… you must know there is no point in using violence." Zeref spoke drearily. "This forest was such a beautiful place… I fell in love with it at first sight. Of course… that love became its demise. And I was not the only one… She loved it, too."

Zeref stepped aside. Beyond him was a hill, where there floated a kid-size being in black garb, bare feet, and withered fairy wings. Arianna gasped and ran up to the fairy, feeling a strong sense of familiarity. "It can't be! Is it really you?"

"…" She turned to her Guardian. There was no doubt it was Celebi in her 2nd Age form. Her face was human, but it was dull and dark. "Ari…anna…"

"Celebi…" Arianna leaked tears, distraught by what the spirit had become. "This…This can't be true. How did you even escape the Egg Chamber? I thought only I could free you."

"Bill sent me to this world and ordered me to release Celebi." Zeref explained. "With my Death Magic, I opened her egg. Celebi absorbed the magic and obtained my curse. Her love for nature itself is slowly killing this tree."

"This… tree?"

"It may seem like a normal planet, but it is in fact an enormous tree, spherically shaped, and growing from a giant seed. Bill said it was called the Planet Tree. It is said that the tree is so lush that planets grow from it. From space, you must have seen how much death Celebi has brought to this tree, because of her love. So now, she is trying to repress that love."

"No! Celebi, please tell me he's lying!"

"He's not lying, Ari… I should have learned a long time ago… my love for nature was my greatest weakness. I was too peaceful… I was too weak. I fell into enemy hands too easily. Loving things… is pointless… because everything is bound to wither away in the end. Love is pain, Arianna. I watched so many things die, already. It's better to just forget your love."

"You can't truly believe that! I know you don't!"

"Arianna… if I were lying… if I still loved you… you would lay dead on this ground right now."

"Her pain is no different than mine." Zeref walked up and grabbed Celebi's hand. "The only solace she will find is with one who shares her curse. I am doing you a favor in keeping her from you. Of course, Bill has ordered us to kill you, anyway." He Apparated with Celebi.

Large acorns dropped from above and sprouted squirrel tails and legs. Arianna attacked them with brambles and Makava with swords, but the Heartless were swiftly moving. One managed to sink its teeth in Kava's leg, only for Vweeb to shoot it back, then leap to grab its tail, whirl it around, and hurl the giant squirrel away with super strength. "So, Celebi's Egg Chamber was here." Arianna figured. "But how could Zeref have opened it without me?"

"Let's look for it and maybe we'll find something!" Vweeb hopped excitedly. "Huh? Wait, I hear a muffled sound." He looked behind his left, leaping the fallen leaves to the spot it came from. The girls jogged over as Ari brushed the leaves aside. There was a Catch Card of a purple-haired girl named Laki.

"Siiiiigh, finally! My lungs were tired of making out with stiff flora!"

"I beg your pardon?" Ari cocked a brow.

"I was breathing dead leaves and it sucked."

"Oh… One would think you could just say that." Arianna slipped the card in her sarong. Beyond the hill where Celebi was, they looked over a deep chasm of deadly brambles. Arianna revived another leaf, so they could float down and maneuver around brambles. A wall of thorns blocked the path, so Arianna willed them to move with her bending. They set foot on a wood platform, but they were still in the bramble thicket. The girls swung vines hanging from the spiked ceiling. Some vines had poisonous growths, so Makava cut those ones while Arianna regrew them.

After the vines, they landed before a hill going up, with one on their right going down. They were going to head up, but a swarm of Shadow Heartless began to skitter down—they all looked like a smoggy cloud with a bunch of little eyes. The kids bolted down the right hill, which became wider as brambles collapsed and obstructed their path. They swung another vine path that had multiple forks, but since Vweeb wasn't swinging, he looked ahead and yelled either left or right. The final vine led straight up, but when it ended, they jumped to a next-door one, followed by a third one—the fourth one had a poison growth, Makava cut it, Ari regrew it, and they kept climbing.

At the top of this shaft, the Harnitan made the brambles collapse down with her bending, preventing the Heartless from pursuing. They exited the bramble thicket, finding a large cave where Zeref and Celebi were waiting. "You again?!" Vweeb yelled, charging his ray gun. "What are you still DOING HERE?!" He blasts a Powuh Shot through Zeref's brain.

The wound repaired itself. Zeref's dull expression went unchanged. "Long have I sought a way to die. Nothing in my world could grant my wish. I hoped that Lord English would kill me… but he chose me specifically because I can't die. He had an important task for me."

"And what is that important task?" Ari asked.

"Hm hm hm… A task that I quite enjoy." Zeref grabbed Celebi and Apparated again.

The ceiling crashed open, and a Dark Mega Noctowl flew in. It had shining red eyes, diamond marks on its belly instead of triangles, and the edge of its feathers were silver. The owl flew swiftly around the cave and launched its bladed feathers, Makava deflecting them with her swords, but she was knocked down by the owl's Tackle attack. Arianna tried to whip it down with brambles from her pot, but the owl still evaded and swooped down. This time, Vweeb jumped on the avian and punched it down with super strength, doing Ground Pounds to keep it down until it fainted.

Ari spotted an unbudded flower up near the ceiling. She chose to bring life to it, and the flower spat out a Catch Card. This one depicted Cosmo, a green-haired plant girl with unbudded roses in her hair. "Are you okay? We're here to rescue you." Ari said.

"You didn't need to do that." Cosmo shook.

"No, it was my pleasure!" Ari smiled. "Although, it may be just me, but you sound just like me."

"That's odd, I was thinking the same thing. Your hair is lovely by the way."

"Oh, it's nothing compared to yours! Forgive me for the discomfort, but please, wait in here a while." She slipped Cosmo in her sarong.

"It's a small multiverse after all." Vweeb says. Upon exiting the cave, they appeared to be outside again, but they knew they were closer to the tree's roots. They began to slide down a big, slippery branch, Makava going first and slicing interfering small branches. They leapt to a left branch before this one ended, and this time Makava had to swat away Dark Venomoths. Arianna spotted some vines to the left and leapt to swing them, snatching a floating Catch Card before swinging the vines back to the slide.

"Thank you for saving me!" The person inside was a yellow girl named Lisa. "You know, it's funny, one minute I'm spreading 'Save the forest' flyers, no one was listening, and suddenly I'm in-"

"Please, I would love to hear the rest, but we're busy." Ari put her away. The slide would run off into a dark abyss, but the Harnitan extended a thick, large vine with her bending, connecting it to another slide. It ended shortly, forcing them to make a great leap to a stairway of mushroom springs. They landed on a large branch and were attacked by Dark Beedrill that Makava proceeded to attack.

"I don't think Pokémon would live in this universe naturally." Vweeb assumed. "Zeref and the Darknesses must have brought them here."

"But why? To be poisoned by this darkness?" Arianna wondered. "And I have to wonder how The Thirteen got this far, considering we haven't arrived so long ago."

"Maybe that's another part of the time theory." Makava wondered. "Uh-oh! Watch out!" The foothold was about to snap off its perch, so the kids leapt across two giant leaves, which would also decay had they not hurried. They stopped on a big flower platform, but a Mega Vileplume ambushed them – it had leaves growing from its center and mushrooms on its hands and feet.

The foothold was going to collapse, but Arianna used a constant surge of Life Chi to keep it steady, leaving her friends to fight the Pokémon. Makava held her breath from its Stun Spore, spinning forward to strike the Plant-type, and Vweeb ran around to shoot it from all sides. "Cough, cough!" Makava was poisoned by the dark spores, too weak to move. Vileplume charged a Dark Beam (equivalent to Solar Beam), but instead of attack Makava, the Pokémon redirected and blasted Arianna.

"YOU JERK!" Vweeb used a Powuh Shot to blast the creature away. "Arianna, Makava! Ugh, I have to do everything for you two." Vweeb shrunk the girls and used his Kateeny strength to lift them and jump across another set of mushrooms.

"Huff… Vweeb… thank you…" Arianna gasped.

"You can resize us…" Makava breathed. "We're all right."

"If you say so." Vweeb biggified them. He rode on Ari's shoulder as they proceeded, but the Harnitan felt weakness in her knees. "Um… you sure you okay?"

"I'll make it… Vweeb… I'm not the weak little girl I was before."

She only slowed the further she walked. She watched as leaves turned to dust in the wind. The dust flew into a whirlwind, from which Zeref appeared once again. "I never understood why most people kept walking. Lives are bound to end. No matter what path you take, no matter what you do, you're bound to die. All things… were bound to fade. And my sin was trying to prevent such a fate. So, I ask… won't it be better to accept your fate than continue to suffer?"

Arianna limped around the mage. "My friends and I… need to save the universe. I will suffer all that I need to… to do so."

"You will have to kill me if you hope to accomplish your goal. How do you plan to-"

Makava sliced his head off. "We'll find a way. Arianna, I'll help you walk." She put her friend's arm around her head and kept walking. Zeref's head reattached itself. He turned to watch them.

They expected to find nothing but more death and darkness… but within the dark, a ray of golden light shone onto a green egg. The three smiled, feeling a lovely warmth. Makava walked Arianna to the egg, and the Harnitan touched it. When the egg opened, Celebi was not inside, but rather an orb of light. The orb flew around the three, ridding the darkness weakening them.

"Arianna… I'm so happy you made it."

She gasped. "Celebi… is it really you?"

"Yes, it's me! When that boy infected my body with Death Chi, my Life Chi was left behind. And because of the darkness in this tree… I don't think I'm strong enough to take my body back. Arianna… take me to the tree's seed. The seed must be brimming with life force. If I can harness that life force, I'll be able to reclaim my body."

"Okay, Celebi! I will!" Arianna hugged the orb gleefully. "…Hold on! I just thought of something! If Celebi's powers are enhanced in her 2nd Age form… maybe her Life Chi can revive not just flora, but fauna as well! We can bring back any fallen friends like Danny!"

"That's not a bad idea!" Vweeb agreed. "But couldn't one of the timebenders get the job done a bit quicker?"

"Arianna, I know it's sad, but… we cannot bring life back from death. It's not what the Balance dictates."

"Celebi, there IS no Balance, anymore! Lord English destroyed our universe, and even THIS universe seems to have a few screws loose, pardon my language! The Balance didn't stop Grim from secretly aiding us, so why shouldn't we do the same?"

"Arianna, I wish I could make you understand. It isn't that simple."

"But WHY isn't it simple? If you mastered the powers of Life and Death Chi, no one would have to die."

"Yes… you're right. No one would die. Not even Zeref… or Lord English."

"Actually, not dying sounds pretty good right now." Vweeb said in a panic. "'CAUSE WE GOT COMPANY!!" (End song.)

Saucers that looked like giant gems swarmed over the forest and began decimating everything. "Wasn't Zeref doing enough damage to this place?!" Makava shouted. "Where did THESE things come from?!"

"Guys, it's Tron!" Their communicators rang. "The ship's tracking your location, the autopilot is looking for you! We gotta get off this planet!"

"Do you know where these things came from?!" Makava asked through the explosions.

"The trolls said they came from Emera! They've been ordered to secure the Planet Seed!"

"No! We have to go down and protect the seed!" Arianna yelled. "It's the only thing that can save Celebi! Tron, call Nebula for support!"

"I'm on it! I'd sure like to know what sicko's behind this!"

Planet Emera

The statues and images of the Diamonds everywhere on Emera were transformed into the likeness of their new supreme ruler. At the very highest point on the top of Emera, everyone would look up and see the symbol of their new rule: the Infinity Gauntlet, worn by the Almighty Thanos. "THIS UNIVERSE WILL BOW BEFORE ITS NEW RULER! Thanos is the ultimate overlord, the God of Infinity! This planet of endless energy will be my throne FOR ETERNITY!"

"HOLY F*** IN A DUCK BARREL." Karkat swore as they watched the events. "Attention Kids Next Door, we have a big F**KIN' PROBLEM: Thanos is going BATSHIT CRAZY with power, and it's only a matter of time before Emera explodes under his ego."

"What's the plan then?! How do we beat him?!" Cheren responded.

"3V3RYON3 MUST ST4Y ON TH31R M1SS1ONS!" Terezi hissed. "The Moon Firstborn is needed to stabilize Emera's energy! The Moonberry scent is fuming in my nostrils! But until then, we need The Keeper! The Keeper can seal Emera's Heart and stop it from exploding!"

"Sector KB, relaying message to you."

"Message RELAYED, Cherry Boyeh!" Bon Clay Jr. cheered. "Hear that fellas, we're goin' on a little detour! Buckle up, we gotta git this cowgirl to Emera PRONTO!"

"Dang finally!" Kimaya sighed. "Anything to get off this Party Train!"

Bore Space

"Nnnnn…ergh… huh?" Nolan York awoke in the Sandmobile.

"Mr. York, thank goodness!" Carol sighed. "Sector JP arrived just in time. The ship was being burned in spirit flames, but they sucked them in a T.H.E.R.M.O.S.."

"If it weren't for my Ghost Sense, I never would've found you in this place." Karin mentioned, floating close to her sector's ship in her Halfa form.

"Sigh…?!" Nolan scratched his head—he looked at his hand. "M-My hand! I thought it was cut!"

"The second Aizen vamoosed, your hand turned back." Yuki said. "I think it was another trick. I don't see the point, he could've killed us easily if he wanted to. …Er, not that I prefer to think about that!"

"Aizen took Dillon away!" Carol yelled. "We've tracked his communicator, we can go after him!"

"Come to think of it, wasn't Sector RZ supposed to arrive?" Yuki recalled.

"We saw them on the way over." Karin replied. "They encountered one of the other Darknesses, Madara. I don't think him and Aizen being in the same place was just coincidence. It was like they were setting a trap."

"Hm… Trap or not… I ain't leaving my son behind." Nolan stated. "Vanellope, lead the way."

"Roger that, Daddy-O!"

Near the beginning; with Sector SA

"I'm not entirely certain, but this looks like the place we first came to in this world." Goombella observed. "The landmarks look the same."

"You really think we'll find something here, Nagisa?" Morgiana asked.

"I'm positive!" the leader replied. "They teach us in school that if you can't find something, retrace your steps and start again. Plus, in videogames, they always hide something behind the start. …And lo, I see something!"

They were flying toward a small space station protected by a bubble-shaped force-field, save for a hangar. Nagisa steered the ship to enter the hangar, where it seemed that another ship was parked. It bore the Team Rocket "R" insignia. The three operatives trekked through a corridor and found a room labeled God Production. There was loud noise coming from the room. A Rhyperior was trying to drill through a force-field protecting shelves of eggs.

"Stop, Rhyperior." Giovanni ordered. "Even if it could be penetrated, you risk damaging the eggs with that much power."

"Giovanni-!" Nagisa stepped in—a long sword made him step back.

"Well… looks like we have guests." said a man with long silver hair, black clothes, and one dark angel wing.

"Meddlesome fools." Giovanni glanced back. "I suggest you leave if you don't want your heads cut off."

"You're not one of the Darknesses." Nagisa said. "Who are you?"

"His name is Sephiroth." Goombella scanned him with an eyepiece. "Known as the One-Winged Angel—WOW, his stats are high! Power Level is 10,121!"

"A talking mushroom?" Sephiroth inquired. "And I thought I'd seen it all."

"Bill Cipher appointed him as my bodyguard." Giovanni said. "However, I would rather you not start a conflict here. This chamber… This is where those trolls conceived the Eleven Firstborn. To think the most powerful beings in the universe were produced like a factory!" He snickered. "And there is an entire shipment of them! If these Firstborn were finished developing, they could overwhelm the universe MORE than Arceus did!"

"Would they… even be more powerful than Lord English?" Nagisa wondered.

"That must be why he's here." Morgiana glared. "Nagisa, we have to stop him."

"Sephiroth, just get rid of them!" Giovanni ordered.

The man slashed his sword down, but Nagisa vanished in a blink while Morgiana stomped the sword down and kicked Sephiroth in the chest, pushing him against the wall.

Nagisa reappeared behind Giovanni and put a knife to his neck. "You shouldn't underestimate me! I didn't waste three years dodging Morg's kicks! I'm a Rokushiki master!"

"Rokushiki? The martial art only known to CP10?"

"The very same!"

"RHYPERIOR!" The Pokémon growled at the boy assaulting his master.

"Don't get too close or I'll cut him!" Nagisa threatened, turning to Sephiroth and his teammates.

"Hm hm hm. A rubber knife? Is this a joke?" Sephiroth chuckled.

"What?! Rubber?" Giovanni glanced down.

"Fine, you asked for it!" Nagisa cut Giovanni's neck—pink substance spilled and the man fell dead. Sephiroth slashed at Nagisa- "Paper Art!" the boy dodged with the lightness of paper, then Morgiana stomped the angel in the face. "Let's go, team!" They bolted through the passage, but Sephiroth warped and blocked their way to the ship.

"Perhaps I should quit being lenient with you kids. I'll end this quickly." He performed a movement with his hands. "Descend Heartless-"

"Huuuum huuum huuum hum hum huuuum…" A golden light shone from the ceiling.

"Nnnn! What…" Sephiroth choked in the light. "NNNFF!" Three white Crosses stabbed him. The light was coming from Chelan, the trolls' angel friend.

"An angel?" Goombella analyzed her. "Her name is Chelan and she's a musicbender."

"Is she a friend?" Nagisa asked.

"♪♪♪" Chelan hummed notes and pointed at the ship.

"She must want us to leave." Morg translated.

"Thank you, Chelan!" Nagisa nodded, the trio boarding their S.C.A.M.P.E.R. III and escaping the base.

"Do you think she'll be fine on her own?" Goombella asked. "And I know you didn't really kill Giovanni. If those eggs are really Firstborn eggs, we shouldn't leave him."

"I didn't want to, but that Sephiroth guy is a little dangerous. Let's tell the others what we found and come back with help."