While Ben engaged Lytton in the throne room, the rear palace plaza was smoking. Scratchmen Apoo stood his ground as he spun his tonfas with a wild, toothy grin. Alvida, Mikita, and Zala looked at him.
"He has a trick up his sleeve," Zala remarked.
"He is not a one trick pony," Mikita added as she clenched her fist. Her white Gauntlets glistened.
"It does not matter," Alvida said. "We will make him pay for hurting us," Alvida added as she held Serphina.
Apoo narrowed his eyes. "I was not expecting to see you all here," Apoo said. "Why don't we join forces?" Apoo asked.
"Never," Mikita stated.
"I figured," Apoo responded. "Then I will take you all out," he said. "Rhythm Smash," he added as he swung his tonfas in a rapid, alternating pattern. Each strike hit the air with a hollow thud that echoed like a bass drum.
Apoo came towards Alvida. "Slipstream Dash," Alvida said as she slipped forward towards Apoo. She accelerated to high speeds and slid smoothly across the marble floor. She swung her massive mace. "Kanabo Swing," Alvida said as she they both clashed.
The tonfas and mace created a small shockwave which sent derby flying back. Alvida and Apoo looked at each other. Apoo then moved his leg and tried to kick Alvida. However Alvida jumped back.
Apoo came forward. He crossed his tonfas. "Cymbal Crash," he said as he slammed forward.
"Kanabo Breaker," Alvida said as she focused her strength into a precise strike as she gripped Seraphina and swung her mace. The tonfas and the mace clashed again. There was a high-pitched sonic boom which sent vibration across both their bodies.
"Featherfall," Mikita said as she decreased her weight and floated in the air gently. Then she instantly spiked her mass. "Devastating Meteor Strike," she said as she plummeted like a vengeful star. Her Sea Prism Gauntlets gleamed. She came down on top of Alvida and Apoo.
"Shave," Alvida said as she vanished in a blur and reappeared a few feet behind.
"What," Apoo said. He thought she had just disappeared. He looked up and saw Mikita coming down. "Percussion Swing," Apoo said as he swung his tonfas upward and clashed with Mikita. The impact created a shockwave. Apoo was forced to one knee. He gritted his teeth as he tried to hold her.
"You're a heavy one, aren't you?" Apoo wheezed as he gathered his strength. "Discordant Swing," Apoo said as he swung in an erratic, jerky motion and pushed Mikita back.
Mikita landed on the ground and smiled.
Apoo panted as he looked at Mikita.
"Don't forget about me," Zala hissed. "Spike-Spike Doping," Zala said Zala turned her fingers on both hands into spikes before stabbing herself in the shoulders. This caused her arms to enlarge and become extremely muscular. She lunged forward and her fingers extended into gleaming lances. "Stinger Dual Lance," she said.
"Syncopated Strike," Apoo said as he swung his tonfas with a sudden burst of speed.
They both clashed and the attacks stopped each other. Apoo skidded back from the force.
Apoo looked at her. He lunged forward. "Cymbal Smash," Apoo said as he swung his tonfas both sides at once Zala.
"Paper Art," Zala said as she relaxed her body and twisted it. She flowed like a sheet of paper caught in a breeze and dodged the attack.
"Storm Leg," Mikita said as she kicked at high speed and strength which launched a sharp compressed blade of wind. The blade of wind traveled through the air and hit Apoo in the chest.
Apoo got hit and was sent backwards. There was blood coming from his wound. It dripped on the floor. "You," Apoo said as he looked at Mikita.
Zala leapt high. Her legs merging into a single massive spike. "Stinger Raptor Spiral," Zala said as she rotated at high velocity and became a drilling missile. She came down and drilled into Apoo's chest. The impact unleashed a violent shockwave and cratered the ground. It hurled Apoo backward through a stone wall.
Apoo crashed into a wall and spat blood. "You three are ganging up on me," Apoo said as he got up.
"Slip Punch," Alvida said as she punched the air with a sudden, slippery force. The air propelled towards Apoo and he hit him in the chest. The force was like a bullet and Apoo felt his bone break. He spat blood once again.
Apoo thought he had to get away. He lunged forward. His long arms snapped out like whips. "Rhythm Smash," he said as he swung his tonfas.
"Slip Shield," Alvida said as she created a shimmering, frictionless layer. When Apoo's next strike landed, the tonfa slipped harmlessly off the side.
Alvida pivoted on her heel. "Kanabo Reaper," Alvida said as she swung the kanabo in a wide arc and struck Apoo on the side of his chest.
Apoo got hit and spat blood. The spikes hit him and left an imprint on his chest. He felt his strength go away for a second as he stumbled back. He felt weak. He thought again. He looked at the weapon in her hand.
Mikita jumped in the air. "Devastating Gravity Storm," she said as she instantly increased her weight to several tons and plummeted. Her Sea Prism Gauntlets slammed into Apoo's chest as the stone beneath him shattered into fine dust.
Apoo gasped as the Sea Prism contact forced the air from his lungs and nullified his defenses as he was forced to hit the ground hard with his back crashing first. The moment his back hit the ground, the ground cracked and splintered. He could feel his rib breaking.
"My turn," Zala said. Mikita jumped back.
Zala rolled into a tight ball. "Stinger Hedgehog," she said as she tore across the plaza. She went forward and ran over his body. The spikes pierced his body.
Apoo got hit with the spikes and was flattened. Apoo got hit as the spikes pierced his skin and blood came out of it.
"Syncopated Strike," Apoo said as he swung his tonfas and hit Zala in her ball form.
Zala was knocked to the side and stopped moving. "Ouch," she said as she got up and smiled. She sprang back up, her hands merging into a single, massive lance. "Stinger Lance," she said as she thrusted her hand forward.
Apoo spat blood. His face was bleeding. He could feel his bones were broken. He was bleeding from multiple holes. He saw Zala coming. "Cymbal Crash," he said as he raised his tonfas and clashed with Zala`s spear. It created a shockwave as Apoo tried to hold her back. He could feel his hand shaking as his legs wobbled.
"Slipstream Cannon," Alvida said as she spun her body at high speed and created a vortex of air that she compressed and fired like a powerful projectile. It travelled through the air and hit Apoo in the stomach.
Apoo got hit in the stomach and spat blood. He felt his bone shatter as he was sent tumbling backwards. He bounced up and down towards Mikita.
"Devastating Swift Comet Jab!" Mikita hissed as she saw Apoo tumbling towards her. She made her arms weightless and released a flurry of rapid punches. She hit Apoo on the back rapidly. The sea spikes on the Gauntlets pierced his skin as she punched him rapidly. She drew blood from each strike and then punched him so hard that he went flying forward and crashed into a wall.
Apoo hit the wall hard and came down on his feet. He could feel multiple bones broken. His back was bleeding. He was a bloody mess. "I will not lose here," Apoo said. He stood up. His legs were shaking. He began to spin his tonfas with a speed that made them look like solid discs of metal. "Finale Blow, Encore," he said as the air around him roared. A massive, circular shockwave was forming around the tonfas.
"Kanabo Maelstrom," Alvida roared as her muscles tensed to their absolute limit. She gripped her mace with both hands and twisted her body into a violent spin that generated a spiraling vortex of air. As her kanabo connected with the leading edge of Apoo's sonic wave, the spiraling energy amplified the strike, and created a massive counter-shockwave. The air howled as the two forces clashed.
"He still has this much power," Mikita remarked.
"But Alvida is stronger," Zala said as she smiled.
Alvida used her strength and pushed through. She swung her mace and hit his neck.
Apoo got hit in the neck and was thrown off his feet. He spat blood as he dropped to the ground. He felt like he lost his strength again and collapsed to the ground. There was blood pouring out of his body like a fountain.
"Finally," Mikita said.
Apoo got up again. He was covered in blood and looked at them. "You all," Apoo said. "I will be the one to take everything," he added. "I will not lose here," he said.
At that moment, Ben came flying forward. His body began to convulse, his muscles rippling and expanding. His skin darkened and turned into a reddish black. Two massive horns erupted from his forehead, curving upward. His eyes blazed with an intense red. His pupils turned into slits like those of a predatory beast. Ben transformed into his beast form.
"Rakshaa Bull Charge," Ben said as he put his head down. His horns started to glow. He charged forward and rammed into Apoo`s torso. He pushed forward and threw Apoo back.
Apoo got hit and was launched backwards. He crashed out of the window and went flying out high into the air. Apoo crash landed in the water near a ship.
"There he goes," Zala remarked as she saw Apoo flying. There was a trail of blood.
"Ben, we had it," Mikita said as she crossed her arms.
Ben transformed back into his human form. "I know but I also wanted to get a piece of him," Ben remarked. He thought he might have over done it.
"My love," Alvida said as she smiled at him. "You got a big piece of him," she said.
"I guess I did," Ben responded.
Mikita walked over and picked the Life Gem. "Well at least we got this back," Mikita said.
"That was the important bit for now," Ben said. He thought Apoo probably is not dead after all that. He was a tough rat.