The Dark Powerpuff Crusade Finale: The Black Void

[rcblazer]

The Powerpuff Girls, Steve, Hack, Timo, Stripes, Angel, Penny Less, and Blazer have all gathered at Mojo Jojo's laboratory. Mojo has just finished explaining to everyone about how the device works and the three yard rule.

"Now, unless there is something else any of you have left to say or do, I would suggest saying or doing it now, for once we are in the Black Void, there is no turning back until Jazenok Blackskull has fallen, so say or do it now before we begin, because you may not get another chance to say or do it once we are there!" Mojo says to the group. Imposter is standing at the ready at the machine, ready to throw the switch and send everyone except herself to the Black Void for the final battle...

[rulerofice]

Timo looked at Bubbles who was standing in front of him.

"Whatever happens, I hope I can protect you and your sisters through this." Timo thought. "It doesn't matter what happens to me, but I WILL fight for you to the end."

[blossomgb]

Steve quickly took another phial of Chemical X.
'We don't know what we'll find, so always stay in sight of another member of the team', Blossom told them. 'Bubbles, look after Timo. Buttercup, you stick to the gunner. Mojo, stick to Angel and Penny. I'll stick with Steve. Blazer, take your pick. Stripes, go with Bubbles and Timo.'
They all nodded. Steve spoke up. 'Can Imposter defend herself in our absence?'
'Yes.', She had another gun and the contents of Mojo's lab. 'I think so.'. She did however sound as though it was nice to be asked.
'Blackskull wanted Steve and me for interrogation. So we'll be bait', Blossom said.
'Hang on, who's having this'. Steve produced a funny device from one of his pockets. It showed the position of the members of the group. 'In case anyone gets captured. We've got another one here for us'.
'Will that work in the Black Void', Buttercup asked.
'I don't see why not. Anyway you take it', Blossom told her. Buttercup took it and waved it about, looking impressed.
Oh, and everyone.... Good luck!', Steve added.

Cheers,

Blossomgb

[Puff Hunter]

"If we only have two of those locators," Hack says, "we shouldn't split up any further than two teams. Mojo, you're covering our key assets, so you can pick which of the Girls you want to work with. Oh, and thanks again for letting me top off my ammo supply from your stash."

[rcblazer]

"Imposter, if you would do the honors." Mojo says to her. Imposter grins and throws the switch.

"Best of luck taking down Blackskull." Imposter says as things begin to darken all around the heroes and Mojo. "Have fun!"

Seconds later, everyone except Imposter find themselves standing on what appears to be a pale green plain overlooking an endless black sky. Penny stares out into the endless darkness, a look of fear on her face. "Is this the Black Void?" She asks, trembling.

Angel takes her hand and smiles. "Yes, I believe it is. Remember everyone, the Black Void is all consuming. In time, it would completely corrupt any of us, turning us into the shades and wraiths that haunt this plane of existence, but we have Penny with us, who carries inside her the Master's Light of Divinity! It will protect us from the shadows of this place, so we must all work to protect her at all costs. If we lose Penny, we're all done for!"

"Anybody have any idea which direction we're supposed to go?" Stripes asks, looking around at the featureless sky and complete lack of landmarks.

"Actually yes, I do!" Mojo shouts, removing a device that looks like a compass, but it does not have any directions written on it. "Interestingly enough, there exists a tower within this place known as the Spire of Blackskull, where the Voidbringer's throne is located! Being that it is possibly the only landmark within the entirety of the Black Void means that this device of my own design, which will point us in the direction of the spire, will lead us in the correct direction!"

Blackskull's voice suddenly echoes through the Black Void. "INSUFFERABLE WHELPS. YOU HAVE DEFEATED MY ARMY OF SHADOWS, CLOSED MY PORTALS, DESTROYED MY DARK POWERPUFF GIRLS, AND DRIVEN MY AVATAR INTO HIDING. NOW YOU COME TO CHALLENGE ME IN MY OWN REALM?"

Everyone sees things moving in the shadows around them, but are unable to see what they are.

Unknown attacks Steve
Attack: Lightning Bolt
Defense: Cloak of the Void

A greenish bolt of lightning fires from the shadows, striking Steve in the chest, sending jolts of electricity through him and sending jolts through his entire body every so often!

Steve Condition: Scratched - Shocked

"YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE THE BLACK VOID." Blackskull says, his voice echoing from everywhere at once. "IF MY AVATAR AND THE DARK POWERPUFF GIRLS ARE NOT HERE TO CRUSH YOU, THEN I WILL DO IT MYSELF!"

Unknown attacks Angel
Attack: Frozen Orb
Defense: Cloak of the Void

Angel attacks Unknown
Attack: Angel's Sword
Defense: Deflect

A ball of ice flies out of the shadows surrounding everyone headed right for Angel, but she draws her sword and slashes through the ball before slashing at the shadows where it came from. An inhuman roar of pain is heard and a bipedal alien beast collapses on the floor.

"Well, now we know what we're up against." Buttercup comments, looking at the monster.

Buttercup attacks Unknown
Attack: Laser Eyebeam
Defense: Deflect

Unknown attacks Buttercup
Attack: Lightning Bolt
Defense: Cloak of the Void

Buttercup aims and fires a laser from her eyes, the same inhuman roar of pain indicating she managed to hit something, when a green bolt of lightning fires from the shadows at her! "Not this time!" Buttercup says ready for the attack, swatting the bolt out of the air with her arm!

Unknown attacks Blossom
Attack: Claw
Defense: Cloak of the Void

Faster than anyone can respond, a red skinned creature appears from out of nowhere and slashes Blossom in the stomach with a clawed paw, then disappears! Blossom gasps in pain as she clutches her stomach, the claw marks quite deep as blood starts to drip onto the pale green floor below.

Blossom Condition: Bloody

"Oh no Blossom!" Stripes quickly runs to Blossom's side.

Stripes casts Restore Color

Unknown attacks Stripes
Attack: Claw
Defense: Cloak of the Void

"Hang on, you'll be okay." Stripes says as he prepares to cast a healing spell on Blossom, when the red monster from before reappears and hits Stripes from behind! Stripes cries out in pain as he falls into a fetal position, his vibrant colors starting to fade.

Stripes Condition: Defeated

"Curses! How are we supposed to fight something that can disappear at will?" Mojo shouts, aiming his Antidark X blaster around at the darkness, hesitant to start firing blindly.

"The creature appears just when it is about to strike." Blossom says, still in pain from the claw marks on her belly. "Everyone watch everyone else's back! When you see that flash of red skin, try to hit it!"

Unknown attacks Bubbles
Attack: Claw
Defense: Cloak of the Void

Blazer attacks Unknown
Attack: Blazing Kick
Defense: Block

The monster appears again, this time right in front of Bubbles as it raises its claw to attack! Bubbles screams in fright at the sudden appearance of the horrible creature, but an explosion rocks the side of the beast's head as Blazer slams his leg against the creature! The red skinned beast reels from the explosion and disappears into the shadows again.

Shadow Demon Condition: Unknown

"Thanks Blazer." Bubbles says, calming down from the sudden scare.

"Sure thing Bubbles. I just wish I knew if I even hurt the thing or not." Blazer comments. "Everyone stay alert! Maybe we can wear this thing down whatever it is."

[blossomgb]

'Oh God, what a lovely place', Steve remarks as he looks round. He switches on the light in his stick and looks at Blossom and Stripes. Blossom is still going, so she can wait. Stripes however looks in a bad way. Blossom looks at Stripes too. He is alive, but weak.
'Healing spells are fairly simple when you know how to do them', Angel said. She casts a similar spell as Stripes tried, and very quickly Stripes is back on his feet, although shaky.
'I think I'll be OK', Blossom told them, as she stands again.
Mojo looks at Buttercup as the creature reappears in front of him. He didn't get a chance to speak as she cleverly ducks out of the way and then Timo kicked it again. This time it turned to face him. Buttercup was fast and she hit it with a roundhouse kick. The monster fell.
'Quick everyone, Powerpuff Punch'.

The Girls, Steve, Timo and Blazer combine forces against the monster.
Attack : Powerpuff Punch.
Defence : None.

The creature roars in pain and moves away, while the others watch.

The blood on Blossom was more noticeable now.

'Let me took at that', Steve said to her.
Blossom gave in and allowed him to look. Stripes did another healing spell on her to close the wound.
'Thanks', she said to Stripes.
'No more acting the hero.', Steve tells her sternly. 'We won't be coming for a holiday here', he adds.

Cheers,

Blossomgb

[Puff Hunter]

"Stay alert," Hack says. "We haven't confirmed the kill yet. That thing could still be out there." He scans the area, gun at the ready, looking for any sign of the creature.

[rulerofice]

"Remind you of something, Timo?"

Timo froze up as he heard that.

"It's exactly like then, isn't it?" the voice said. "You remember it, don't you? Our final battle. That creature is using a skill similar to mine. You know what that means."

Timo looked at Blossom and the place where her wound was and then he looked at Hack, who was scanning the area.

Unknown attacks Hack
Attack: Claw
Defense: Cloak of the Void

Timo's red eye suddenly sees something moving. Timo gasps. "Gunner, get down!!"

Timo attacks Unknown
Attack: Spinning Ice Staff
Defense: None

Timo creates an ice staff right in front of Hack. As Hack sees this, he quickly ducks. Right then the creature jumps right over Hack and instead the creature jumps at the ice staff. The ice staff starts spinning rapidly like a sawblade, seemingly cutting the creature in half.

The creature disappears into the darkness, making no sound.

Unknown Condition: Destroyed (?)

The ice staff stops spinning and disappears. Timo is sweating.

"You're awake... but how?" Timo thought, but then touched his red eye. "You're seeing through my eye and I'm seeing the world like you are. Am I right?" Timo could swear he heard laughter.

The rest of the group had seen what had happened.

"Did we get it?" Buttercup asks.

[blossomgb]

'Normally I'd say yes, but I'm not sure here', Steve comments.
Blossom looked at him. 'Is that because there's no body?'.
'Yes, and the fact that he survived a Powerpuff Punch as well.', Bubbles states.
'Well whether we've got it or not, we ought to keep moving. Which way to go, Mojo.', Blossom asks Mojo. Mojo points and then they all move off in the direction he points, looking out as they go.
Steve asks Timo about the history of Dark Timo and the battle. '...and Bubbles, don't worry. Just watch him and the red eye', he adds.
Blossom and Steve stay close and both wonder if Dark Timo came from here some time in the past...

Cheers,

Blossomgb

[rulerofice]

"I don't know much about Dark Timo's history." Timo said. "I'm not even sure how he came to be. But he knows everything about me. All my moves, my history. It's actually like he came from inside me and was born from all my anger and hatred. All that is just speculation, though. He's the very opposite of me."

Timo paused. "As for the last battle we had..." he looked at Bubbles and then back at Steve. "... it was the most terrifying battle I ever had. Dark Timo challenged me to a battle or someone I cared about would die."

"You don't mean...?" Steve was saying.

"Yes, he held Bubbles prisoner, so I had no choice but to face him alone. By then he had gotten much stronger than I had. After I had barely managed to fight him, he showed me one of his new tricks. He created a large dark sphere, covering me and Bubbles in it. But it wasn't just an ordinary sphere. Dark Timo blended with it and made himself invisible. His voice echoed through the whole thing. That wasn't the worst part, though. The worst part was that he made mirror reflections of himself and challenged me to guess which one was the right one. If I'd choose wrong, Bubbles would have died instantly. Of course I hesitated and that came with a price. Dark Timo fired on me every 5 seconds, hitting me everytime because I didn't see him and each shot came from different angle and spot."

"... I never fired." Timo continued. "Not once. I couldn't. In the end, after so many shots from him, I was so beaten up I couldn't move. I couldn't even breath. When he saw that, he mocked me and finally showed me where he really was. He stood there, next to Bubbles, holding his sharp hand under her head. That was his idea of putting the last nail on my coffin: killing Bubbles right in front of me and then kill me. I did a risky move and threw my diamond at him. It hit him right between the eyes. I sealed him inside it. When I put my diamond back on me, I passed out. I was out for a week. The sealing had come with a price. I had lost most of my ice powers. That's what happened."

Timo looked at Bubbles, who had put her hands around herself, like she was shivering at the memory.

[blossomgb]

'And you've kept him under control ever since then', Steve surmised. 'And now he wants out again.'
Timo didn't speak.
'Don't worry either of you', Blossom said, looking at Bubbles. 'He won't win. We all will make sure of that.'
'Thanks', Bubbles said, holding Timo's hand.
'Destroying you will not destroy this as they are two different beings. He's your evil twin, if you like. I'm sure Bubbles will love you with or without your superpowers if your powers come from him and you lose them after this', Steve told him, his voice softening with the second part of this.
'For now, you are important in another way', Blossom added, her voice soft as well. 'You tell us how far this evil has got.'
Angel heard this and butted in. 'They are right. I'll look at you when this is over, but for now keep him under control. Tell us if ever you feel you can't.'
'I will. For Bubbles sake.', Timo replied.
'And your own', Bubbles added.

Cheers,

Blossomgb

[rcblazer]

Using his tracking device, Mojo continues to lead the group through the seemingly endless darkness of the Black Void. A few shades and ghosts fly past and some try to attack, but a few quick blasts of Mojo's Antidark X blaster and the Powerpuff Girls' lasers keep them at bay. Angel stays next to Penny, her sword at the ready to protect her from an attack from any direction, but at the same time keeping a caring eye on Timo.

"How much further 'till we reach this spire?" Buttercup asks Mojo, growing impatient and bored with the lesser denizens of the Black Void.

"It shouldn't be much further, seeing that we have been following the tracker in the correct direction the entire time, for should we have made a wrong turn the dial would have pointed us in another direction, which it has not, which means we must keep going." Mojo answers her.

As they continue on their way, a swarm of multicolored wisps appear and flutter about in the air around the group.

"Oh look, aren't they pretty?" Bubbles asks, confused as to why such a thing would exist within the Black Void.

"Stay on guard Bubbles." Blossom warns her. "Whatever they are, they are likely dangerous."

Almost as though they intended to prove Blossom correct, three of the wisps float close to the ground and transform into three different monsters! One of them turns into a red scorpion monster, another has turned into a green winged serpent creature, and the third one has changed into a blue alien squid creature!

Winged Serpent attacks Bubbles
Attack: Mind Scramble
Defense: Multiplicity

Giant Scorpion attacks Buttercup
Attack: Giant Pincer
Defense: Block

Alien Squid attacks Blossom
Attack: Negative Zone
Defense: Magic Shield

The green serpent makes a sound that resembles a witch's cackling as it splits into six versions of itself, surrounding Bubbles!

Bubbles attacks Winged Serpent
Attack: Laser Eyebeams
Defense: Block

Blazer attacks Winged Serpent
Attack: Haymaker
Defense: Duck

Blazer swings at the closest green demon to himself, but his fist passes harmlessly through! Bubbles takes aim at another and fires, but her eyebeams shoot right through that one as well! All of the winged serpents fire a green beam from their eyes at Bubbles' head, causing her to grab her head and scream; not in pain, but in terror!

"No! Not the Professor! Leave him alone!" Bubbles cries out, tears flowing from her eyes. "The Professor is in trouble! The Dark Powerpuff Girls are hurting him! Why can't I save him?"

"Bubbles, snap out of it!" Blossom says to Bubbles, trying to return her to her senses. "The Professor is safe at home; nobody is going to hurt him!"

Then Blossom disappears in a flash of blue light. The alien squid glows pink for a moment, then returns to its shimmering blue.

"Blossom!" Buttercup shouts, seeing her suddenly vanish, just as she is knocked to the ground by the huge pincer.

Buttercup Condition: Broke a Sweat

Blazer attacks Giant Scorpion
Attack: Haymaker
Defense: Block

The huge red monster tries to pin Buttercup under its pincer, but Blazer goes on the offensive, slamming his fist right between the beast's eyes! The monster staggers back, allowing Buttercup enough room to move away. Blazer smiles, then shakes his hand in pain. "That thing's got one tough hide!" He exclaims as the beast reorients itself in an attempt to try again.

Giant Scorpion Condition: Broke a Sweat

Blazer Condition: Fine

[blossomgb]

'Thought he would try a few illusions', Steve thought. When Blossom fell, he was holding her hand, not for any lovey dovey reason but because they were both expecting this. He kept hold of it as she fell and vanished. He could still feel it. 'She's still here, just invisible to us', he shouted.
Blossom's voice rang out. 'I'm still here. It's just some sort of spell'.
He shouted out to the monsters. 'I don't believe you and I don't believe this!'. He concentrated on the creatures and they began to fade from his view. 'You're not real', he yelled. Blossom's hand squeezed his.
'I am still here', she yelled. 'Concentrate on me'.
As the free members of the group did, she reappeared. Steve helped her up again. There were less flying serpents about and no alien squids. But the Scorpion stayed to receive Blazer's attack.
Steve and Blossom went to protect Penny and Angel as they were vital to the mission and it's end. They all stayed in physical contact to protect themselves from any more alien squids. Then Steve realized where he'd read about Alien Squids. It was a book he had read once - John Wyndham's 'The Kraken Wakes'. The memory of the book had been borrowed by something, or someone, and used against them. All the girls had seen Serpents in the past, and these looked like Asps, but what about the Scorpion?
'Put a bullet in it', Buttercup shouted to Hack.

Cheers,

Blossomgb

[Puff Hunter]

"Not a problem," Hack says. He points his gun at the creature and fires.

Hack attacks Giant Scorpion
Attack: Coil Gun (duranium bullet)
Defense: Duck

[rcblazer]

Hack aims and fires, the duranium round ricocheting off its hardened carapace and leaving part of it cracked open. A second shot from the Coil Gun brings the creature down. The body disappears back into the shadows in a wave of red sparks.

Giant Scorpion Condition: Destroyed

"It wasn't my fault Blossom!" Bubbles cries out, still crying and looking scared out of her wits. "I tried to save the Professor, but there were three of them and I was all alone! I'm sorry... stop yelling at me!"

Blossom kneels down next to Bubbles and hugs her. "Bubbles, calm down. What you're seeing isn't real."

Blossom looks up at the green winged serpent creatures flying around, cackling in a feminine voice. "Only one of those things is real, and its attacking Bubbles' mind. There's only four of them now though!

Buttercup grins, looking at Angel and Blazer. "We're with ya Blossom!"

Blossom attacks Winged Serpent
Attack: Ice Breath
Defense: Deflect

Buttercup attacks Winged Serpent
Attack: Roundhouse
Defense: Flip

Blazer attacks Winged Serpent
Attack: Blazing Kick
Defense: Duck

Angel attacks Winged Serpent
Attack: Angel's Sword
Defense: Deflect

Blossom, Buttercup, Blazer, and Angel each target a different serpent and attack it, but only Buttercup hits a real target, her foot carrying it toward the ground as she dives down, stomping on the beast's head and left wing as she lands! The beast shrieks in pain and bursts into green flames before disappearing.

Winged Serpent Condition: Destroyed

"Is this the best you can throw at us, Bonehead?" Buttercup taunts, shouting into the darkness. "Not so tough when you can't hide behind the Dark Puffs or Black, eh?"

"FOOLS." Blackskull's voice, loud and echoed as ever, but still calm and collected, sounds all around the group. "THE BLACK VOID IS MY WEAPON. IF THESE CREATURES CANNOT HARM YOU, THEN I SHALL CREATE SOME THAT CAN."

A battalion of soldiers armed with automatic rifles suddenly appears before the group. They are wearing standard military camouflage, but they have a blank slate where their faces should be. Despite having no facial features of any kind, the soldiers take aim with their rifles at the group.

"Uh oh, something tells me those guns don't use regular ammo." Angel comments, holding her sword in a defensive position as she falls back to shield Penny with her body.

"What do we do now?" Bubbles asks, looking around in a panic. "There's nowhere to run or anything to take cover behind!"

"We've got to take them out en masse, and quick!" Blazer shouts.

Blazer attacks Faceless Firing Squad
Attack: Blazing Fireball
Defense: Duck

Blazer kicks a fireball into the large crowd of riflemen, blasting through several of them, but the ones who aren't destroyed reposition and take aim! Blazer gawks at the guns aimed at him. "I guess it'll take more than that."

Faceless Firing Squad attacks Everyone
Attack: Automatic Rifle (Shadow Bullets)
Defense: Block

Stripes casts Color Binding

Just as the soldiers are about to fire, Stripes takes point and casts a spell, creating a shield of rainbow lights that stops the shadow bullets from mowing down the group! "This skull guy's not taking prisoners anymore! Better do something quick everyone; I don't know if I can hold this shield against another volley of those shots!"

Through the rainbow shield, the group can see the soldiers reloading as though they were armed with standard weapons.

"We're not going to get another opportunity to fight back, for if what the mouse says is true, they will reload and finish us off in moments!" Mojo exclaims, looking a bit panicked himself. "If anyone knows any attacks that can take them all out in one shot, now would be the time to use them!"