Chapter 14: Bright Lights
"Didn't expect this, did you, Sonia? Your own husband- the very catalyst for Earth's destruction!" Grey proclaimed. "This is Megaman's Dark EM Form!"
Harp Note could only stare at the transformed Megaman, who was simply standing motionless. From a distance, he barely looked alive.
"Seeing that I control all darkness, I could order him to kill you…"
Harp Note's eyes widened.
"But I've decided to let his own darkness control himself for awhile, don't you think so?" Grey grinned.
"Geo would never do that!"
"Ah, why don't you see for yourself?" Grey said as he snapped his fingers.
As if on cue, Megaman immediately lifted his head, narrowing his eyes onto Harp Note.
"G-Geo…?" Harp Note said, slowly reaching towards him.
Megaman instantly whacked her hand away, glaring at her with more intent. He ignited his clenched fists in deep purple flames.
Lyra said, "Geo, don't do this-"
The harp was cut off by Megaman's fist in Harp Note's face. Harp Note, overwhelmed by the punch, was flung backwards.
"Argh…" Harp Note groaned, watching Megaman approach her.
"Holy crap! He's fast!" Lyra exclaimed.
"Geo, it's me! Sonia!" Harp Note cried.
As if he hadn't heard her, Megaman continued to lash out at her, with more intent and rage.
"Your cries go unheard, Mrs. Stelar," Grey said. "There's no point; he's completely lost his will to live."
"No…I don't believe you!"
"Sonia, we have to fight back!" Lyra exclaimed. "There's no way we could survive like this!"
"F-Fight back?" Harp Note stammered. "There's no way I could do that!"
Grey sighed as he said, "If that's the case, then you will die…die from the one you love most!"
Harp Note stared into Megaman's lifeless eyes. Instead of finding the chestnut brown eyes she's grown accustomed to, she found hollow yellow irises. He seems so…dead…
"Sonia," Lyra said. "We have to fight NOW!"
Harp Note shook her head. "No…I can't…!"
Grey laughed heartlessly. "This is beautiful! Absolutely hilarious! You do realize he's going to kill you otherwise, right Sonia?"
Harp Note gritted her teeth. Tears welled up her eyes.
"Sonia…" Lyra murmured. "Knowing Geo, he'd want you to do the same thing. We've got no other option."
"You…you're right, Lyra," Harp Note said, turning to the Megaman. "Geo, I'm so sorry."
"SHOCK NOTE!"
The pink clad musician charged up as much energy as she could in her guitar, unleashing endless waves of EM energy.
The attacks struck Megaman, causing him to howl in pain. The large assault was so big that smoke began to form around them.
Harp Note coughed, still wiping the tears off her eyes. "Damn it…Geo! Are you oka-"
She was cut of to a cold feeling around her neck. Before she could wonder what it was, she was immediately raised off the ground. As the smoke cleared, Harp Note saw Megaman before her, gripping onto her neck.
"Geo…let me go!" Harp Note screamed, wriggling to break free.
Megaman didn't reply. Harp Note's attack caused Megaman's clear black visor to crack. He was slightly cut and the rest of his armour was dented as well. Growling with pure resentment, he squeezed Harp Note's neck even harder.
"Geo…please! You have to wake up!" Harp Note exclaimed.
Harp Note began to feel tension in her lungs, as if they were collapse.
"Sonia!" Lyra exclaimed.
Harp Note tried to gasp, but couldn't. Knowing that she will die, a small tear rolled down her cheek…
And that's when the miracle happened.
That tear- that single tear- began to glow. As it ascended in the air, it began to glow in vibrate colours, cutting through the thick darkness surrounding all of them. Megaman loosened his grip on Harp Note's neck, but not too much that she could slip away. He stared at the floating drop of salty water.
"Sonia, what did you just do?" Lyra asked.
"I-I don't know…?" Harp Note said.
The small tear shot down to Megaman's star emblem on his chest. Megaman's eyes bulged out, and just like that, he released Harp Note.
Megaman fell down to his knees as the tear soaked into his body. He gripped onto his head aching head, screaming in anguish. His body flashed bright green with each heart pulse he had.
"W-What is going on? That tear…it's filled with radiant energy!" Grey growled. "Megaman, kill her!"
Megaman's head shot up. He tried to lunge at Harp Note, but tripped and fell again. The colours overwhelmed him, causing to howl even louder.
"Geo!" Harp Note cried.
Large flames of rebelling darkness and fighting light surrounded Megaman's body. He had just reached his limit, as with one final scream, he released a huge wave of EM energy, scattering everywhere.
"W-What happened?"
Sonia looked at her surroundings. Instead of being trapped in a world of pitch black shadows, she was a blank white space. She was not in the Realm of Darkness, which was certain.
If Sonia wasn't in the Realm of Darkness, then where was she?
"Time outside here has stopped."
Sonia spun around to see Geo from a distance, standing with his back turned to her.
"That energy I released; it held too much frequency that time itself has frozen."
"Geo! Where are we?" Sonia cried. She ran up to him, but came to sudden halt as she took a closer look at him.
Geo turned around to face Sonia. He was in his human form, but his eyes were still hollow irises without pupils, and his hair was still white.
"We're in, well, me," Geo spoke in monotone. "You're in my heart."
Sonia's eyes widened. "This…is your heart?"
Geo nodded. "Yes. It used to be full of life. This heart once held love and compassion for all my family and friends. But now…it's an empty, lifeless void.
"The darkness has truly taken me over. It's won."
"No, Geo!" Sonia exclaimed. "It's not too late! You can still fight back! You have to!"
Geo shook his head slowly. "No…it is impossible…"
Sonia gritted her teeth and slapped him.
Hard.
Geo's head barely moved, as if he didn't feel anything at all.
"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU, GEO?"
Geo merely blinked.
Sonia fumed. "Look, I don't know what's going on, so you have to tell me! Please, I'm trying to help you!"
"B-But, there is absolutely nothing-"
"Don't give me that 'there's nothing you can do to save me' crap!"
Geo pursed his lips. "I-I just…"
Sonia's expression softened.
"The darkness…it scares me. It scares the fucking hell out of me. It takes my mind and soul and chews it apart. When I even think about it, it hurts. It really hurts. When it possesses me…I-I can't feel. I can't feel anything…
"And you…I promised you. I promised you that I wouldn't let you get hurt for the rest of your life. I promised you that I would protect you until the ends of the earth…and I-I…"
"And you can still keep that promise," Sonia said. She took Geo's face in her hands gently and kissed him.
Geo's eyes widened.
"Geo, it's not too late. Please listen to me when I say that. You can still overcome this. And if you're scared, well," Sonia took Geo's hand and smiled. "Know that I'm with you. I am, and will always be. You told me that you would never leave my side. Just know that it works both ways. "
Geo remained silent for a moment. "N-No," he said. "I can't…I can't…"
"You can," Sonia said, pulling him in for a hug. "You can."
Geo stared at her. He couldn't comprehend the words that were just said to him. Somehow, just somehow, he felt something. Something…warm. Something…comforting. It was something that, in a way, took all the pain he felt in the past days and made slowly wither away.
Geo hugged back. "Why do you bother to help me, Sonia? Why don't you just leave me to rot?"
Sonia smiled. "I love you, Geo. You know that very well, so like hell I'll ever leave you.
The light enveloped Megaman, blinding everyone else. His body gleamed with a huge range of pulsating colours, from bright red to green. His visor turned vivid blue, revealing his brown eyes, gleaming with confidence and determination. His lifeless, white hair turned back to the brown hair it was before.
"NO! THIS ISN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!" Grey exclaimed angrily. "THE DARKNESS…LET IT EMPOWER YOU AGAIN! DON'T LET THIS…THIS LIGHT WIN!"
"Kid, I have to say, I'm lovin' this!" Omega-Xis said.
Megaman glared at Grey. "Grey," he said, transforming his left arm into his Mega Buster. "It's the end of the line for you."
With that, Megaman blasted away. The shots whizzed through the air, all hitting Grey.
"Your attacks, they've improved along with your new form!"
Megaman smirked as he stopped firing. "Well, no shit, Sherlock!"
Megaman dismissed his Mega Buster, replacing it with a large sword, which was also gleaming with vivid, vibrant colours. He lunged at Grey.
"You're finished!" Megaman cried.
"I don't think so! DARKNESS INCARNATE!" Just like before, Grey charged up huge amounts of Dark EM Energy and struck Megaman in the chest.
"Argh! Not again!" Omega-Xis exclaimed.
Grey laughed triumphantly. "Did you honestly think that you would win? The Darkness is the most powerful force in the universe! It cannot be stopped!"
Megaman grinned confidently. "Keep believing that, Grey. Then you'll be in the exact same position I was in."
"W-What…?"
Megaman struck back, lashing his sword at him. Grey quickly jumped back, evading his blows.
"Impossible! How did you negate the Darkness Incarnate?" Grey snarled.
"Simple; I've overcome the darkness inside of me," Megaman said. "From here on out, I'm done begging on my hands and knees to my darkness! My fears, anger, and hate! All of it!"
"B-Bullshit! That's all bullshit!" Grey shouted. "You won't stop Earth from its devastation! You won't!"
"If you're so confident about that, then come on!" Omega-Xis retorted. "Show us what you got!"
"I will!" A sword with a dark aura materialized in the air, slipping smoothly into Grey's grip. Smirking evilly, he charged at Megaman, his sword ready to strike.
Megaman parried his attacks with ease. Grey scowled in frustration.
"SwordFighterX!" Megaman activated his Battle Card, slashing his blade at Grey multiple times. Grey was so overwhelmed that he was pushed back.
Harp Note, who was watching all this, smiled. "Go get him, Geo!"
"Kid, let's end this! Right here, right now!" Omega-Xis said.
Megaman nodded. Mustering all his remaining strength, Megaman charged up all the radiant electromagnetic energy he could.
"No…this isn't happening!" Grey said.
Megaman unleashed his blazing fury of bright colours, directing them all at Grey. This caused a humongous explosion. The deafening sound of the impact made Megaman and Harp Note's ears ring. After the smoke cleared up, no body was there to be seen.
"You did it!" Harp Note exclaimed happily. She ran up to Megaman to embrace him, but before she could touch him, he fell face-flat on the ground. "Geo!"
"Y-Yeah…I did," Megaman said, smiling weakly. The battle has worn him up so much he had to force out of the EM Wave Change, reverting back to his human form.
"Thanks…to you…" With that, Geo's eyes slowly closed.
"GEO!" Harp Note cried. "PLEASE DON'T DIE ON ME!"
"Sonia! Check his pulse!" Lyra said. Harp Note nodded as she done so. After a few seconds, Harp Note's face turned pale.
"It's still there, but barely! We have to hurry back to Earth!"
Suddenly, the atmosphere around them began to shake.
"What's going on?" Harp Note gasped.
"It looks like the Realm of Darkness is collapsing! Let's get outta here!" Lyra cried.
Geo's eyes slowly opened. His vision was blurry, and it took a couple of blinks to clear his sight up. He found himself in a bed in what looked like a hospital room. He tried to get up, but the sharp pain in his stomach stopped him from doing so. He groaned as he slumped back on the bed.
"Kid, you awake?"
Geo turned to his right to see Omega-Xis. He nodded. "Yeah, Mega. You, uh, okay?"
"A few scratches here and there, but nothing that can take me out!" Omega-Xis said.
"Um, what happened back there?" Geo said.
Omega-Xis shrugged. "After our little brawl with Grey, we were so tired that we fainted. At least that's what Lyra told me.
Geo eyes widened. "Wait…SONIA! IS SHE OKAY? IS SHE SAFE?" He tried to get up, but the pain in his chest stopped him yet again.
"Relax, Geo. She's right to your left," Omega-Xis chuckled.
Geo quickly turned to see Sonia, sleeping in a chair.
"She and I were watching over you for the past three days, making sure you were okay."
"Sonia…" Geo mumbled. "Wait, 'three days'? I was out for that long?"
Omega-Xis nodded.
Suddenly, the curtain opened, revealing a young nurse.
"Mr. Stelar! I'm glad to see that you're awake!" the nurse said, smiling widely. "You're in the WAZA hospital, just so you know! Would you like some water?" The nurse held him a paper cup filled with water.
"Yes, please!" Geo, to no surprise, was extremely thirsty. He took the paper cup the nurse offered him and drank it thirstily. As he finished his last gulp, the sharp pain in his chest came again. "Ah! W-What…?"
"I'd be careful, if I were you," the nurse said. "From you fight in the Dark Hole, you've gotten two broken ribs."
Geo groaned. Great…two broken ribs. Well, it could be worse, I guess.
"Oh by the way, Mr. Stelar," the nurse began. "You have some guests. Would you like to see them?"
Geo nodded. As if it was on cue, Tia and Jack in the room. Jack had his arm in a cast and was walking in crutches. He was clearly still recovering from his injuries.
"Geo! You okay, man?" Jack exclaimed worriedly.
Geo smiled. "Yeah, I'm good," he said. "What about you?"
"Don't worry about me! I'm fine!"
"I'll give you all some private time," the nurse said as she left to attend another patient.
Tia gave Geo a small hug. "Geo…you gave us such a big worry back there!"
"Yeah, sorry about that," Geo said. "I tend to do that sometimes."
"It's a real bad habit, if you ask me."
Everyone turned to see Sonia, who was wide-awake from all the commotion.
"Sonia…I…you're okay!" Geo said happily.
Sonia smiled. "You're not gonna lose me yet, Geo," she said as she lightly kissed him on the cheek.
Geo grinned in content. Everything is finally coming back together…Finally-
"Wait!" Geo cried. "What happened to Ace? Is he okay?"
Tia lowered her head gravely. "H-He…he's in critical condition at the moment."
"W-What…?"
"It's a miracle that he got out at all," Jack said. "Yeti Blizzard has done worse to him than me. I-I'd rather not go through the injuries he has."
"He's fine, though," Lyra said. "He's being patched up at the moment. He should be out in a month or two."
Geo pursed his lips. Damn it…! It's completely my fault, isn't it? I left the guy all by himself against Yeti Blizzard…
"It's not your fault," Sonia said, as if she read his mind. "If it's anyone's fault, it's mine. You left him to save me, after all."
"It doesn't really matter much now, does it?" Omega-Xis said. "I mean, the fight's over and everyone's still alive. To me, the future seems pretty bright."
"You know what? You're right, Mega," Geo said. "You couldn't be any more right."
Finally, everything will be okay. Nothing could go wrong. Absolutely nothing.
Or can it?
Author's Note: Special thanks to all those who have reviewed! You've really given me motivation to keep on writing.
As you can see, this is the last chapter. I had originally planned that this chapter would have been split into 2-3 chapters, but because I had just gotten off school, I decided to finish this story off. I'm planning to work on other stories throughout the summer.
Also, I'd like to give a special thanks to AureolusShadow for beta-reading this story. I had some grammar, spelling, and sentence structure mistakes, and he pointed them out and fixed them.
Will there be a sequel? I don't know. I have some ideas, but that's up to you guys. Do you want a sequel? Keep in mind that I have many other story ideas in my head, and I do plan on executing them. Therefore, if there will be a sequel, it will not be out for a long time.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading this just as much as I enjoyed writing this!
Remember to leave a review on this story! It will greatly help me in writing my future stories!