Illusions

Story
Kai, Ian and Sakura make it to the clock room, the hands aligned at VI and XII.

Ian: Who moved these? (Kai runs across, not slowing down. Ian and Sakura follow.)

They go through the door, and enter a room which was moving, simulating a heartbeat, expanding and contrasting. A faint heartbeat sound is in beat with the movement.

Sakura: Whoa. This room is weird. (Kai looks at the adjacent wall, with a mural of an octopus on a metal door, tentacles extending out all over the wall.) Get me out of here! (She runs towards the door.)

Kai: Sakura! Wait!

The eyes on the Octopus mural glow, and a laser is fired, hitting the ground before Sakura, sending her flying back. She hits the ground, when Diagon comes out of the mural, his tentacles coming out of the wall. He is still attached to the door and wall.

Diagon: Those who enter shall never leave. That is the order.

Kai: I am a Hunter of Artemis! Lady Artemis ordered me to come here, and wants my safe passage!

Diagon: The order breaks for no one. You all shall die.

Diagon extends tentacles forward, and Kai fires arrows at them. However, the tentacles phase through the arrows, and slam into the ground, breaking it and causing a dust cloud.

Kai: It can’t be hurt by average weapons!

Ian: Sakura!

Ian extends his chain into the dust cloud. Sakura has stood up, when a tentacle comes at her. She jumps and dodges, kicking at it. Her foot goes through it, surprising her.

Sakura: No way. Eep! (Ian’s chain wraps around her, and pulls her back, just as a tentacle slams into the spot where Sakura was standing. Sakura lands right next to Ian.) Thanks.

Ian: No problem.

Kai: Regular attacks won’t hurt it.

Sakura: Then let’s give some irregular attacks. Malem!

Her red materia glows, as Malem appears in front of her and Ian. A tentacle comes out of the dust cloud, and Malem catches it, struggling. It then pulls on it, severing the tentacle. The intact part retracts back into the dust cloud.

Kai: Perhaps that is our only option. Goat Foo!

Her red materia glows, as Goat Foo appears.

Goat Foo: Baaaaahhhhhhhh! (It slams its hooves together, releasing a mana shockwave, which clears the dust cloud, and hits Diagon, who moans in pain. Malem fires a mana blast as well, hitting Diagon hard, distorting him.)

Sakura: Yeah! Now charge!

Malem and Goat Foo charge forward. Diagon extends his tentacles, catching Malem but missing Goat Foo. Malem is lifted into the air, as Goat Foo dodges tentacles. Goat Foo goes to strike Diagon with a mana hoof, but Diagon fires an eye laser, hitting Goat Foo hard, him bouncing off the floor. He turns into red light, returning to the materia.

Kai: His attack must’ve protected him from being completely destroyed.

The tentacles go to slam Malem into the ground.

Ian: I’ve got this. Swampfire!

Red materia on the handle of Ian’s blade glows, as Swampfire appears. It throws seeds to the ground, which grow into plants, cushioning Malem’s impact. The plants then wrap around the tentacles, as Swampfire lights them on fire, the flames traveling up and burning the tentacles. The plants are burned through, as Malem has a controlled fall, landing on its feet.

Swampfire runs forward, and releases a large cloud of methane. It shoots fire, lighting the airborne methane aflame, causing a massive explosion. A laser blast comes out of the smoke, knocking everyone down.

Kai: This isn’t working. Any minute now, John’s going to solve the puzzle, and we’ll be crushed inside the temple. Please, Lady Artemis. (She closes her eyes) Help us. Give us the power to defeat this foe.

A faint light shines out of her quiver, and Kai draws an arrow. It was pure silver, radiating a powerful light. Kai nocks it and fires, hitting Diagon right between the eyes. He howls in pain, as he sinks back into the mural on the wall, gone. Sakura recalls Malem, while Ian recalls Swampfire.

Sakura: Nice shot.

Kai: Thanks. (The temple starts to shake, as the room starts to shrink.) We need to leave. NOW! End Scene

Kai, Ian and Sakura make it out of the temple, as it shrinks, a large crater forming in the spot. They watch it shrink all the way down, until there was a piece of black materia at the bottom.

Ian: Incredible. It’s like it was never there.

Sakura: What do you think happened to John?

Kai: He said he’ll be fine, so he will be. (Kai slides down the crater, making it to the bottom. She looks back up.) You guys coming down?! (There’s no response, and she can’t see the others.) Guys?

Lucci: I’m afraid they can’t hear you. (Kai turns, nocking an arrow at Lucci, who walks forward casually.) Amazing, isn’t it? With that one materia, one could destroy the planet.

Kai: Who are you?

Lucci: The nightmare from John’s sleep. The beast that stalks him wherever he goes. The sly cat who gets his ways.

Kai: You were Eunice’s lover. You told her to die!

Lucci: For love. A stupid sentiment, I know, but one of the most powerful ones as well. She saw me the man of her dreams, coming out of the Shadows for her. (Kai fires, Lucci swinging his materialized masamure, blocking it.) Well, it seems that is the end of our conversation.

Lucci appears in front of Kai, swinging his sword. Kai blocks it with her bow, struggling to hold even. Lucci was holding the sword with only one hand, and punches Kai in the stomach with his other. She releases a gasp, as she backs away, the impact spot bleeding.

Kai: How? (She falls over, sitting.)

Lucci: Weak. Just like the rest of your people. (Lucci picks up the black materia.) It’s time. (He holds the materia up, it releasing a black light. Gravattack appears, his eyes and Omnitrix symbol glowing black.) Now, use your powers. Bring a planet sized space object to hit and destroy the storm.

Gravattack raises his arms, his hands glowing with a blue aura. The area shakes, as a gravity disturbance is visible in the air. Then, Gravattack is hit by a bioelectric blast, stopping it. It starts swatting in front of it, Nanomech firing more bioelectric blasts as he goes.

Nanomech: Haha! Like you could get away with that.

Lucci: John. I didn’t know that form was available to you.

Nanomech turns into Xylofreeze, his eyes glowing. Gravattack begins to float, when Gravattack’s hands glow, causing Xylofreeze to float and spin out of control. He glows with a green aura, and straightens himself out. Gravattack tries to raise its hands, but Xylofreeze stops it. Gravattack’s hands glow brighter, and Xylofreeze is slammed into the ground, dropping Gravattack. Xylofreeze stands up, hitting the Omnitrix.

Ultimate Xylofreeze: Ultimate Xylofreeze!

Ultimate Xylofreeze opens his third eye, Gravattack staring right at it. Gravattack’s body then starts to break apart, and it starts to freak out. It tries to run, but its legs break, causing it to fall, rolling right to Ultimate Xylofreeze’s feet.

Ultimate Xylofreeze: Omnitrix. Capture mode. (The Omnitrix fires a yellow beam of light, capturing Gravattack. Lucci swings his sword, striking Ultimate Xylofreeze hard, knocking him down.) That all you got?

Lucci: Your third eye won’t work on me. I’m immune to dreams.

Ultimate Xylofreeze: Whatever.

Ultimate Xylofreeze turns into Shocksquatch, shooting lightning at Lucci. Lucci slices through it with his sword, appearing in front of Shocksquatch. Shocksquatch’s body sparks, the lightning being caught on the sword, forcing Lucci back. Shocksquatch hits the Omnitrix. Ultimate Shocksquatch throws a giant lightning fist, enveloping Lucci. Lucci slices his way out, unharmed.

Ultimate Shocksquatch: No way! You should be fried!

Lucci: Tough.

Ultimate Shocksquatch turns into Light Cream, and hops into the air. Lucci jumps after him, swinging his sword. Light Cream stomps the air, a shockwave knocking Lucci back. Light Cream flies at Lucci, kicking at him. Lucci blocks it with his sword, and Light Cream jumps off. He lands, turning into Wildmutt. Wildmutt sniffs the air, Lucci’s scent body being bigger and more muscular.

Wildmutt: (Roars)

Lucci dashes forward, slashing at Wildmutt. Wildmutt jumps, dodging and landing back. He shifts to Eye Guy.

Eye Guy: So that’s it. I see everything clearly now.

Lucci: Oh, really? And what do you see? (Eye Guy grabs the air, drawing Rustic.)

Eye Guy: How you’re not real.

Eye Guy fires lasers from the eyes on his chest, Lucci dodging each one. He swings his sword, and Eye Guy parries, shooting a fire blast from an eye on his other hand. Lucci flies back, appearing behind Eye Guy. Lasers shoot off, freezing Lucci. Eye Guy then transforms.

Alien X: Alien X! End Scene

John is floating in the galaxy of Alien X, when Bellicus and Serena appear.

Serena: Oh, John! It’s been a while.

Bellicus: Oh, great. Now what do you want?

John: Lucci isn’t really Lucci. He’s just an illusion, a dream. I want to remove whatever cloaking he has.

Bellicus: Agh! It’s always something stupid with you. Either world saving or something so small it doesn’t change a thing. Fine. Only because I can’t stand talking to you.

Alien X releases a pulse wave, hitting Lucci. A magenta colored aura becomes visible, then flows off as if a liquid. Rath was standing in the spot Lucci was, wielding the masamure. Alien X reverts.

John: So, that explains how Rath appeared. He was disguised as Lucci the whole time.

Rath: Roar! (Rath charges forward, swinging the masamure. John parries the blow with Rustic, and slams the Omnitrix into Rath’s Omnitrix symbol. Rath glows, and is sucked into the Omnitrix.)

John: And that’s all, folks. (John puts Rustic away, and runs over to Kai, using mana to heal her. She wakes up.)

Kai: Ugh. What happened?

John: Good morning to you too.

Kai: John. You’re alive.

John: You still doubt me?

Kai: (Chuckles) Never again.

John: Let’s go get the others.

Characters

 * John Spacewalker
 * Kai
 * Ian
 * Sakura

Villains

 * Rob Lucci (eliminated)
 * Diagon

Summoned by Sakura

 * Malem

Summoned by Kai

 * Goat Foo

Summoned by Ian

 * Swampfire

Summoned by Lucci

 * Gravattack (first re-appearance)
 * Rath

Used by John

 * Nanomech
 * Xylofreeze (first re-appearance)
 * Ultimate Xylofreeze (first re-appearance)
 * Shocksquatch
 * Ultimate Shocksquatch
 * Light Cream (first re-appearance)
 * Wildmutt
 * Eye Guy (first re-appearance)
 * Alien X

Aliens Re-unlocked

 * Gravattack
 * Rath

Trivia

 * The black materia is revealed to be Gravattack.
 * It's revealed that Lucci was Rath the whole time, having been "cloaked" to take Lucci's form.
 * This is the first time Ian uses a summon.
 * John survived being crushed by turning into Nanomech, shrinking to microscopic size to be inside the materia. When activated, he was freed.