Phantom's Wrath Part 1

Story
John, Gwen and Chopper are waiting around the pool of the Lifestream, when Logan, Ian and Sakura arrive.

Chopper: Guys! (Chopper excitedly runs over, Sakura swooping him off his feet, hugging him.)

Sakura: Chopper! It’s so good to see you!

Logan: It’s only been a few hours.

Sakura: Do you know how many times we’ve almost died in those few hours?

Logan: There were four attempts on our life. But we almost died zero times.

Sakura: But what about the time?

Ian: You’re too tough for any of those incidents could take you out.

Sakura: (Blushing) True.

Kai, Kevin and Vector enter the room, Kevin and Vector practically crawling, and collapse at the edge of the pool. Kevin and Vector are panting heavily, as if they’d been fighting for hours.

John: What happened to you two?

Kevin: (Barely able to speak) She happened.

Sakura: What’s wrong, boys? Can’t keep up with a girl?

Vector: Not one that has the stamina of a goddess.

John: That’s what happens when you serve Artemis for a few hundred years.

The caves shakes violently, forcing everyone to the ground. The Lifestream pool glows, as John stands up.

John: Time for rest is over.

Vector: But we just got here!

John: And we’re almost out of time. If we let Phantom destroy the storm, he’ll use his powers afterwards to conquer and destroy everything. We can’t allow that to happen. (John jumps into the pool. Kai jumps in after without a word.)

Kevin: Of course she jumps next.

Sakura: Let’s go. (She grabs Ian’s hand.) Together. (Ian smiles at her. Chopper then jumps up and grabs on to both of them, the two laughing.)

Chopper: Onward! Into the hole! (Ian and Sakura jump, Chopper hanging on.)

Logan: Well. Might as well throw the dead bodies in. (Logan walks over dragging Vector by the arm.)

Vector: Hey, you can’t, whoa! (Logan swings Vector around, him falling into the pool.)

Logan: Next.

Kevin: Don’t you dare. (Logan grabs Kevin and chucks him into the pool.) Ahh!

Logan: You ready, Gwen?

Gwen: I’m, not sure. What will happen when this is all over?

Logan: Well, you younglings will live a long, healthy life, where you will grow old and die. You’ll probably be the starting of a new world age, as this one is over, Shinra lost. As for me, I plan to retire in some meadow village, and be proud of the fact I achieved my original task. Saving the planet. It went quite differently than I expected. But it will happen, I know.

Logan jumps into the pool. Gwen, still looking unsure, jumps in afterwards. End Scene

John is floating down a tunnel, glowing brightly of green mako. The Lifestream is surrounding the tunnel on all sides, John approaching a floating platform. He gently lands on it, Kai landing closely afterwards.

John: Oh, good. You guys jumped with me. (Kai smiles, nodding.)

Phantom: And yet, you are unable to prevent the demise of the world. (John and Kai turn, seeing Phantom, Feedback and Toepick standing in front of him.)

John: Phantom! (John fires a mana blast, which Feedback absorbs.)

Phantom: Why do you resist? We both have the same goal. To stop the storm, and to restore peace to the planet.

John: You want to destroy the world, and I want to save it. I will never side with you.

Phantom: Such a shame. Together, we could be invincible.

Kai fires an arrow at Phantom, and Toepick moves in front of him, raising his arm. The arrow bounces off its skin, it howling at the sky. Feedback fires an energy blast, as Kai and John dodge, John turning into Wildmutt. Wildmutt charges and pounces at Toepick, who catches him in the air. Toepick throws him down, as Feedback extends its antenna, plugging into the Omnitrix symbol. It sparks, as Wildmutt releases a painful howl. Feedback drains the energy, as Wildmutt reverts.

John: Ugh. (Phantom fires a magenta ray, imprisoning John inside it.) What the? (He bangs on the energy prison.) Let me out! (He tries to activate the Omnitrix, which doesn’t activate.)

Phantom: Relax, John. In here, no one can hear you scream.

Sakura, Ian and Chopper float down, landing on the platform. Toepick’s helmet hisses, as it begins to open.

John: (Inaudible) Look away! Look away!

Toepick’s helmet opens, as wails and screams of terror occur, along with other terrifying sounds. Kai, Sakura, Ian and Chopper see its face, and turn white as ghosts.

Sakura: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Ian: What on Gaia is that?!

Chopper: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! SO SCARY!

Kai raises her bow, her arm shaking violently from fear. She tries to nock an arrow, but her fingers can’t grip it, the arrow falling to the ground.

Vector: AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! (Vector crashes to the ground, landing flat on his stomach.) Ugh. That stupid Logan. (Stands up, dusting himself off.) The next time I get a hold of him, (He looks up, seeing Toepick’s face.) Holy crocodile! That’s hideous! I’m getting out of here!

Vector turns around, running away. He summons Astrodactyl, wrapping energy whips around Vector’s arms, lifting him up off the ground. Vector’s foot hits Chopper in the head, knocking him down, facing away from Toepick. Astrodactyl tries to fly up the tunnel, when an electric blast hits its jetpack, causing it to malfunction. It drops Vector, as Astrodactyl crashes into the Lifestream, exploding into red light as it does. Vector crashes to the ground again.

Chopper gets up, looking at Vector.

Chopper: I can’t fight it. At least, not with my eye’s open.

Chopper closes his eyes, sniffing the air. He turns into Walk Point, as he charges forward. Feedback fires an electric blast at him, Chopper dodging. Chopper shifts to Heavy Point, going to punch Toepick. Feedback catches it, draining the energy from Chopper, reverting him to Brain Point. Feedback blasts him with electricity, as Chopper goes flying back.

Kevin lands on the platform, metal layering active. He lands on his feet, his face still angry.

Kevin: Why I oughta. I’m not letting that old man back on my ship after what he, AAGH! (He looks at Toepick) What is that thing?! (His layering turns pure white.)

Chopper: Have to stop that. Guard Point!

Chopper shifts to Guard Point, growing into a giant fur ball, separating the two sides of the field. Kai, Ian, Sakura and Kevin’s color starts to return to normal.

Sakura: What is that thing?

Kai: A creature from the Underworld.

Chopper: Those two are too much for us to fight. John’s caught in some energy field, and we, agh! (He’s hit by an electric blast, Feedback firing the energy.) My fur can take the attack, but we need a distraction. Water Hazard!

Chopper’s materia glows, as Water Hazard lands in front of Feedback, lowering its visor. It fires a stream of water, knocking Feedback away. It charges Toepick, protected from its face. Water Hazard blasts Toepick with water, Toepick standing its ground.

Logan and Gwen float down, landing on top of Chopper.

Chopper: Guys! Close your eyes! Help John!

Gwen: Got it! (Gwen closes her eyes, and jumps down, joining Water Hazard, and fires mana disks at Feedback, which absorbs it.)

Logan: I can’t fight with my eyes closed! (He looks down, seeing a part of Toepick’s face. Logan looks away instantly, closing his eyes.) That image is never going to leave my head.

Water Hazard creates a water whip, wrapping around Feedback’s arm. Water Hazard pulls back on it, as Gwen charges, jumping over over Feedback. Feedback extends his antennas, plugging into Gwen, draining her energy. She falls to her knees.

Phantom: So close. (Gwen looks up, seeing Phantom there.) And yet, you worked so hard to get here. It’s too bad you chose the wrong side. (He bends down, touching Gwen’s face with his hand.) A pretty woman like would be, valuable to me. Why, I know exactly what I’d (Phantom’s head is hit from behind by a bat, it seemingly breaks away, fading away. Phantom’s body falls over, revealing Vector, sunglasses over his face.)

Gwen: Vector!

Vector: After fighting the Gorgon, we both know how to fight a vision enemy.

The energy prison is lowered, John freed.

John: Nice job, Vector. Though that isn’t Phantom.

Vector: Huh?

Phantom’s head regenerates, and a dream layer fades, revealing it was Royal NiGHTS.

Royal NiGHTS: (Projecting Phantom’s voice) Well done. Too bad you can’t stop me. (Royal NiGHTS fires a dream ray, which they dodge.)

Vector: I’ve got this. Gymosis!

Vector’s materia glows, Gymosis appearing. Royal NiGHTS fires a dream ray, which Gymosis absorbs. John activates and slaps down the Omnitrix.

Bloxx: Bloxx! Gwen, handle Toepick. (Bloxx stretches his fist, punching Royal NiGHTS, who’s body fades away from the attack. Royal NiGHTS reforms.)

Gwen fires mana blasts at Toepick, it taking them. Water Hazard creates water hands, extending them and grabbing Toepick. Toepick charges starts charging forward, pushing through the water.

Bloxx charges at Royal NiGHTS, who flies back, as Gymosis fires a dream ray at it. It’s hit, and knocked out of the sky, injured. It runs towards the Lifestream.

Bloxx: Not so fast! (Bloxx gives chase, when Feedback blasts him with an electric blast, shattering his body. Bloxx reforms and reverts, as Gymosis grabs Feedback, the two clashing with energy.)

John: Oh great. (Royal NiGHTS disappears into the Lifestream, in a dream aura, while John slaps down the Omnitrix.)

Wolf Bane: Wolf Bane!

Wolf Bane fires a sonic howl, both Feedback and Gymosis distorted. Gymosis is recalled to its materia, as Vector strikes Feedback with his bat, sending it crashing into the Lifestream, exploding into red light.

Vector: And I’m on a roll today!

Toepick punches Water Hazard, sending it back. Gwen tries to keep it back with mana, but it pushes through. Grey Matter appears on its helmet, crawling around.

Grey Matter: Now, where is the feature to close this thing? The frequency of the helmet seems to be thought controlled. And this thing doesn’t really think without Phantom’s influence. Hm, I’ve got it!

Grey Matter hits the Omnitrix, turning into Ultimate Grey Matter. He puts his hands on the helmet, the material of the cage being manipulated, forced closed.

Ultimate Grey Matter: It’s power is gone! Someone pound this thing!

Chopper shifts to Brain Point, as Sakura charges forward.

Sakura: RAGE!

Sakura gives off a burning red aura, screaming as she charges Toepick. Toepick starts running in fear, as Sakura punches Toepick, sending it flying. Ultimate Grey Matter jumps off, as Toepick slams into the Lifestream, exploding into red light. Ultimate Grey Matter reverts.

John: Nice shot.

Sakura: I’m going to have to wash my brain out with soap or something to get that image out of my head.

The ground cracks, and it shatters, everyone falling through.

Characters

 * John Spacewalker
 * Kai
 * Vector
 * Ian
 * Chopper
 * Gwen
 * Sakura
 * Logan
 * Kevin

Villains

 * Phantom (illusion, voice)

Summoned by Phantom

 * Feedback (first re-appearance) (destroyed)
 * Toepick (first re-appearance) (destroyed)
 * Royal NiGHTS (first re-appearance)

By John

 * Wildmutt
 * Bloxx
 * Wolf Bane
 * Grey Matter
 * Ultimate Grey Matter (first re-appearance)

Summoned by Vector

 * Astrodactyl (destroyed)
 * Gymosis

Summoned by Chopper

 * Water Hazard

Aliens Re-Unlocked

 * Astrodactyl
 * Feedback
 * Toepick

Trivia

 * This episode begins the "final boss battle" with Phantom. As in Final Fantasy VII, it is split into several parts, each being different.
 * This part of the battle resembles the battle with Jenova-SYNTHESIS, the first part of the four part battle.
 * With this episode, all aliens unlocked in the Omnitrix have made their re-appearance.
 * Ultimate Grey Matter is the last alien to be introduced in JSXFF.
 * This is, in writer's opinion, one of my greatest Toepick scenes, the battle against him lasting basically the whole episode.
 * It's revealed that Water Hazard is protected from Toepick's power if his visor is down. Sunglasses work the same way.