So many things were going on at once, Lich's head was spinning. As his wits could finally gather, he was standing in the Gantrithor II, itself on a wing and a prayer. Lights flashed around the Carrier, and voices in the Protoss tongue kept babbling information that sailed completely over his head. Ark, too, was having a hard time keeping up with all that went on around him. However, it was the Koopat B'krakt'gotopekt Tograk'lok Agent Telg B'ralku, or as known by his Tullabanarigan slave name, Tob, who was the only one with some idea out of the three of them.
The Protoss City had gone up in smoke. The Gantrithor II had been struck with some heavy ammunition, and was now being eaten away at by some orb-like energy projectiles. The source of the attack: Havering's mega-warship, the Genesis.
"Well, there's a parallel to the Mana Fortress, Ark," Lich murmured as the three of them looked out a window.
Suddenly, blue hands appeared around his waist, and Dragon was tightly pressing herself against his body.
"I'm scared, Lich…" she sniffed.
"We all are, love, we all are," he sighed, reaching out and clutching her.
The two of them turned to each other and started passionately kissing desperately, believing that it could be their last.
"Well, nothing's going to be done unless you two stop sniveling, stop the romance-in-the-middle-of-strife scene, and we get on there and blow it up!" Tob shouted.
"Yes, Dy," Ark agreed. "We're going. You can come if you want, or you can continue snogging to your graves."
Lich let go of Dragon, turned and looked at his little brother, frowning.
"You were always the brave one, weren't you?" he sighed, then his voice filled with painful anger, and his tongue slipped into Pandoran. "Will your bravery tear us apart again, except for real? 'No, Lich, I can help myself, I don't need yours.' Do you know how many sleepless nights I've had with those words going through my head, in the dark?"
"Then you can come and die with me," Ark replied in a chilling tone.
Lich's body remained tense, only interrupting his stance to wipe away a tear.
"Besides, we need to get over onto it, and I doubt that Tob would like to be in my mouth."
Tob nodded, then seemed to have a flashback, his eyes widening sinisterly.
"And where is my information on the Pandoran Army?" he asked in Koopan, sneering.
Lich looked very uncomfortable, but suddenly went from angry tension to anxious tension as a pistol, accompanied by a scream from Dragon, was thrust into the side of his skull.
"I asked," he whispered in a menacing tone that would put many movie villains' to shame, "where is my information on the Pandoran Army?"
A lump the size of Gold City was growing in Lich's throat. He looked longingly at his brother for help, but he was rigid in shock.
"I…never had any information, Tob…" Lich gulped for air, struggling to pronounce the guttural words.
"You realise that I don't appreciate my aerochelokoopatox being extracted from me, and having my body coated in Yoshi saliva, don't you?"
Lich gulped and nodded.
"Then I won't kill you if you agree to come. Does that suit you, Yoshi?"
He uttered a nearly inaudible "Yes".
As Tob took his gun away, the entire aura of the location appeared to have sighed in relief, then remembered the pressing issue at hand.
"Let's go," the Koopa muttered, waving his pistol in front of him as he led the way.

They were standing within a doorway to the hull, staring down at the Genesis. One of its spires crashed onto its back, and as the sonic boom spread their way, Lich and Tob realised their fateful culprit.
"Vector," muttered Lich.
"Lex," whispered Tob.
Ark and Dragon looked out into the gloom of the battle, and cringed as an orb hit only a few metres above them.
"Why are we waiting?" Ark urged.
"Shush! I'm trying to work out the pattern!" Tob shouted, his eyes still fixed at the barrage of orbs.
His claws appeared to be tapping on the side of his shell, and within twenty seconds, Tob yelled a Koopan cry of victory, before turning to the others.
"There is a moment every thirty seconds where the weapons must recharge," he stated, then everyone instinctively crouched momentarily as an explosion rocked the ship. "It only lasts for a second or two, so you have to be quick. Okay, you two," he pointed at Ark and Lich, "use that Dragonite."
"Nessie?!" Lich cried. "I've flown through some wild stuff before, but never with anyone behind me, and certainly not in a battle situation."
"There's a first time for everything," Tob shrugged.
Lich looked at the Koopa.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Get him out!"
Lich still looked at Tob, fear of the impending in his eyes, as he reached down and pressed the button on the orange Pokéball.
There was a flash of light, and the form of Nessie took shape between them.
"Yes?" he asked, digitised words broadcast from Lich's PLT.
"This is the most dangerous flight we've got to take, Nessie," Lich said, scratching his leg absent-mindedly.
"Serious? This isn't a storm or anything?"
"Look behind you," Lich said, pointing.
The Dragonite turned his head, then threw his weight around in shock to view the barrage. His tail tripped up Ark, leaving him sprawled across the floor and cursing to Salamando.
"What can I say, then?" he muttered.
"What's worse is that you have to take both me and Ark over there."
"Ark?! Not…"
Lich then realised that in all this time, the last time Nessie had been with him was when he was bringing Markior back to sanity, high above the planet.
"Nessie, this is Ark, Ark…oh."
He looked at the floor and saw his brother rise to his feet.
"Be more careful next time, huh?" he snarled.
Nessie offered his paw, and Ark shook it, albeit begrudgingly.
"How are you getting across, Tob?" Lich asked.
"On Dragon."
"Oh…no…"
"Do you know how many times I have been left out of the fun?" she said, arm at her hip. "Just because I'm female and the last…" she seemed to remember something. "Never mind. I'm coming, like it or not."
"We going now?" Tob asked.
Lich sighed and nodded, patting Nessie's side.

Lich climbed onto Nessie's back, and Ark followed suit.
"You have to put your arms around my waist, otherwise you'll fall off, Ark."
Ark's arms straddled across his torso, and Lich realised that his brother, too, was scared. His arms quivered, and pressure on his back told him his head was resting there. Lich patted his brothers arms, then held Nessie's antennae like reins, staring towards the Genesis.
Tob had clambered onto Dragon's shoulders, and was concentrating on the pattern.
"On three. One…"
Lich uttered a prayer to the Elementals in his mind.
Oh, Eight, help me, your servant…Undine, Gnome…Sylphid, may the wind keep us safe…Salamando, keep them from hitting us…
"Two…"
Lumina…help us to see…Luna, your strength, Dryad…and Shade, can't forget, take us straight to Paradise…
"Three!"
A voice responded in Lich's mind, Go, I am here.
Lich pulled the antennae as if he was in a trance, and soon the wind was in his face woke him up. Ark's scream filled his eardrums, but he did not hear as Mana Spirit guided him across the void between the Gantrithor II and the Genesis. Lights flashed before his eyes, but he did not recognise them. He did not realise the motions his arms were making as they dodged the energy beams. Everything seemed as if it was nothing more than a hallucination, a vision that could never hurt him.
A spark welled inside him, the same spark that shrugs off all comfort when a task unwanted is to be done…but Mana Spirit calmed him. The trance lifted when Lich realised they had landed on a walkway above the hull of the ship, and a group of people were waiting for them.
"Nice flight, Lich!" Multex called.
Reality rushed back to Lich's head in a wave, and he looked behind him at the Carrier. He smirked with amusement at his achievement, before he tried to dismount from Nessie. He was hindered by his brother's tight grip, and noticed he was squeezing the air from his lungs.
"Let go, Ark," he gasped. "We're there."
His brother obediently let go, and both dismounted. Suddenly, Ark slumped against him, head on his shoulder, and crying. Lich embraced him, and patted his back.
"I thought we were going to die so many times," he sobbed.
"You were brave, Ark," Lich comforted.
"Ah, Lich!" cried a voice. He knew that voice…the last time he heard it, it was interrogating him.
"Sixtyfourhundred," Lich muttered, aghast. He let go of Ark, and turned to face the God of Warriors.
"Well, thought I'd join in," he said, shrugging.
"No hard feelings against me?" Lich asked, nervously.
Sixtyfourhundred was taken aback. "I don't know what you're talking about, Lich."
"Then it was fake…all of it was fake…an illusion…ah ha!"
Lich smiled and gave a small leap of joy.
"What are you talking about?"
"You and a whole heap of Yoshies put me to trial for destroying and stealing from the Sanctuary. But that never happened…"
"Nothing happened…or at least, not in the time I've been here."
Suddenly, Ark was on a knee at the Warrior God's feet.
"This is my brother, Ark. He's going to have to get used to all the Gods' presences."
"You…found him! Hey, come on, get up, I only get those whom I've defeated to do that."
Sixtyfourhundred offered his hand. Ark looked at it, worried that he would be affected by some holy power, but risked it and shook.
"Welcome aboard, you four."
Lich looked around and saw Tob and Dragon standing nearby. Lich hugged the Darikuri, and started to kiss her, leaving the Koopa rolling his eyes skywards.