Before the person arrived, the voice came first. Shaina's voice echoed from afar before she came to an abrupt halt in front of Arceus.
"Shaina? What's got you in such a rush? This isn't like you."
Seeing Shaina slightly flustered was highly unusual for Arceus. Since leaving the lab years ago, he had never seen Shaina so anxious, as if she feared some unexpected occurrence.
"Apologies, Lord Arceus, I lost my composure, but this is something so rare, I never thought I'd have the chance to see it again."
Looking at the plant still intact before her, Shaina finally felt at ease. What she sought lay within.
"You're very interested in this plant, aren't you?"
Arceus and Darkrai had arrived earlier. Initially, Darkrai thought the aura here resembled that of the Realm of the Dead, but upon arrival, he realized he was mistaken.
This was not the entrance to the Netherworld but a stronghold for spirits. This peculiar plant captured souls with some unknown characteristic, incomplete souls at that.
Earlier, the plant's lament was due to the pain it felt when Darkrai attempted to find an entrance.
"Lord Arceus, this plant is called the Lily Carnation. Long ago, our people referred to it as the Mother Flower, symbolizing deep familial love and remembrance. It was our way of commemorating the past.
But later... when enemies invaded, our numbers dwindled, and this flower gradually vanished along the long journey. I never expected there would still be remaining seeds here."
In Arceus's presence, she didn't shy away from sharing her memories about the flower.
Emmalyn knew that talking about the Lunarians would be meaningless and only endanger herself, but Darkrai was present, so Shaina had no guard against him, a creation of Arceus.
"Isn't the main body of this plant a bit too large?"
Looking at the hundred-meter-long plant stalks, Arceus didn't quite understand how the ancient Lunarians cultivated such a flower. He had never paid attention to such matters.
"No, Lord Arceus, this is the result of erroneous cultivation. The Lily Carnation only grows like this when forbidden methods are involved. This is not its true usage; I just want to extract the seeds.
It's not really the true main body, just a misnomer people of the past used for convenience.
The Lily Carnation can be divided into two parts. Under flawed methods, the flower and consciousness will inhabit a human body, drawing nutrients through this physical component.
If it's destroyed, the flower won't die but will transfer to another part. However, the seeds inside would be destroyed.
Though the flower appears robust, the seeds are incredibly delicate. A single misstep could ruin them, and they require a special method for extraction, which is why I was a bit anxious. I beg your pardon."
"No worries, do what you need to do. Darkrai has already confirmed it."
"Then I shall..."
"Stay away from it!!"
Before Shaina could act, a roar came from behind her as the Baron of Ecstasy burst onto the scene, having crossed mountains just to arrive. Seeing their aim at the top part of the Lily Carnation, he let out an angry roar.
His bow fired multiple arrows, but they were all swallowed up by black holes that Darkrai conjured.
"Lord Arceus, let me handle this. I'll take care of everything."
With Arceus's permission, Shaina examined the gigantic stalks, igniting flames in her palm before thrusting them towards a particular spot. The burning flames began to consume the plant's body.
This method of fiery incineration was what she referred to as her special approach, not giving the Baron time to react. The small flower on his shoulder let out a shrill cry.
But it was futile, as several seeds had already appeared in Shaina's hand, and the seemingly massive, robust plant suddenly turned to ash.
Immediately, Shaina mimicked a gun with her hand and shot a fire line at the flower on the Baron's shoulder. After the outer body is destroyed, the flower becomes extremely fragile, comparable to a roadside wildflower, vulnerable to even an ordinary person's attack.
At that moment, members of the Red Arrow Pirates, who had been engaging with the Hundred Beasts, ceased their actions, turning into motionless plants.
As the remnants of the Lily Carnation fell from his shoulder, the Baron's emotions nearly collapsed.
"Lily!! Don't die on me! If you die...my companions...."
He tried to extinguish the flames, but it was hopeless; Shaina's fire mercilessly reduced it to ashes.
"Wake up. They died long ago. The Lily Carnation can't resurrect the dead; it's merely a projection with similar behavior patterns and memories, isn't it? Over the years, didn't you lure many to serve as its nourishment?"
Observing the surrounding shipwrecks and recalling the previous size of the plant, Shaina could roughly estimate how many had perished here.
"You fool...you have no idea what this is! After that storm...it was only with Lily and the others that survival was possible! It's the flower of death and rebirth; if not for you...they could have been revived!"
During the storm 16 years ago, the Baron's subordinates all perished. By chance, he discovered the Lily Carnation here, thus beginning his actions.
To sustain those people, he had to rely on others' lives, so the Baron continually lured people to the island to serve as flower nourishment.
"You pitiable fool... May you reunite with your companions over there."
With a swift movement, Shaina broke the Baron's neck with incredible speed, ending his life.
He was a fool for sacrificing others over delusions, and pitiable because of his deep concern and longing for his companions, who had been his only source of salvation after surviving the storm.
Yet still, Shaina ended him, as his method of feeding violated the Lunarians' tribe rules.
Picking up a seed, Shaina cut her fingertip, allowing blood to drip onto it. As the blood soaked in, a seed rapidly sprouted, but unlike the smile of the flower on the Baron's shoulder.
Once the seed evolved into a bud, two figures appeared behind the flower: white-haired, brown-skinned, with pure black wings, backed by roaring flames, embodying all Lunarian traits.
"Father, Mother, long time, no see...."
This was the correct usage method Shaina spoke of, using her blood to momentarily see her familial memories, even knowing it's an illusion, temporarily satisfying the longing in her heart.