Chapter 10 - Facing the Darkness
The bar appeared to be empty, save for two individuals. One was the bartender, who was busy filling up a tall glass of beer. The other was a person who was slumped on the counter, and who was awaiting that glass...his third one that he ordered.
Anthony paid the bartender for the drink and let the amber liquid pass through his lips. As he finished his sip, he heard a familiar voice call from outside the bar.
"Anthony!"
Amy ran into the bar, despite the bartender's insistence that no kids were allowed, and ran up to Anthony. "Anthony...thank the Goddess I found you..."
Anthony did nothing but give Amy a quick glance and then turn back towards his drink. Amy saw a distressed look on his face, and then said, "Anthony...don't do this. You've done a lot for Arcadia, and..."
"...it's never enough, Amy," Anthony said. "Even when I try to relax, some new problem comes up...and more people get hurt as a result...either because of the enemy or because of me."
"It's not your fault, Anthony," Amy said, placing a paw on Anthony's hand. "That battle was unavoidable..."
"...and yet, I caused just as much destruction as they did when they almost hurt you, Ames," Anthony said, still looking deep into his drink. "If I can't help people without causing just as much destruction...I have no right helping at all. I've become just as bad as Robotnik..."
"No, you HAVEN'T!" Amy said.
"She's right..." a voice said from behind them. Amy and Anthony turned and saw Tyreke walking in.
"What are you doing here?" Amy said, with a bit of anger in her voice.
"I came to apologize to the Gamemaster," Tyreke said.
"Don't call me that, Tyreke..." Anthony said. "I don't deserve that title..."
"Bull..." Tyreke said, taking the other seat next to Anthony opposite where Amy seated herself. "You deserve it. I was wrong to come down on you like I did. I guess...seeing you react like you did was shocking to me." He then looked straight at Anthony and said, "Besides, if you want any more proof...think of all the good you've done, and what would have happened if you didn't help."
"Yeah..." Amy said, going along with what Tyreke was saying. "I mean...I'd probably be a robot working in one of Robotnik's factories if you hadn't saved me..." When she saw Anthony shudder a bit at that image, she squeezed Anthony's hand to comfort him and said, "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to..."
"It's alright, Ames..." Anthony said, and then turned towards Tyreke. "You're right, Tyreke...and I'm glad I was able to help with that. It's just..."
"...you've seen too much pain and it's finally got to you," Tyreke said. "Hey...I don't blame you. After all that's happened on Mobius, I've been worried sick concerning what would happen to Tay."
"So, why did you come down on him when he freaked out during the battle, Tyreke?" Amy asked, with another hint of anger in her voice.
"Look...I didn't mean that..." Tyreke said. "It's just that I didn't think it was like him to freak out like that..."
Anthony suddenly looked up as if he realized something. "Not like me..."
Amy looked at Anthony and asked, "What was that, Anthony?"
Anthony quickly threw out a handful of Mobiums to pay for his drinks and then said, "I need to get back to the hotel. There's something I need to do." As he got up, he soon stumbled a bit and needed to be caught by Amy and Tyreke.
"I don't think you're in any condition to go anywhere by yourself," Tyreke said.
"Yeah...I always was a lightweight, even in college..." Anthony said. "Tyreke, Amy...a Teleport if you would..."
Amy drew upon her Descendancy Powers and both her and Tyreke used Teleport to teleport them to the hotel.
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"Where did you find him?" Sally asked.
The entire group had gathered in the main room of the hotel as Tyreke and Amy helped Anthony to his room. Aura and Lisa were tending to their Chao while Tails and Kyle were busy playing their Gameboy Advances.
"He was getting drunk at a bar," Tyreke explained, as he walked back out. "I think Ames and I turned him around though..."
"...even though we told you NOT to interfere?" Rebecca said, looking at Tyreke.
"Hey...if I didn't try to make things right, I would've felt worse than I was already," Tyreke said.
"Besides..." Amy said as she walked out, "he was really helpful in calming Anthony down."
"How is Anthony doing?" Lazer asked.
"Resting right now," Amy said. "He says he needs to prepare himself for something."
"Did he say what?" Rebecca asked.
"No...he didn't," Amy said.
"Maybe he'll tell us when he's ready," Ryan said.
"In the meantime, let's get these Emeralds to safety downstairs," Knuckles said, holding one of the Emeralds.
"Aura, Lisa...you may want to bring your Chao down with us as well," Mina remarked.
"Alright," Aura said, picking up Ryndar.
The group all filed into the secret elevator, save for Tyreke, Amy, and Teila who decided to stay behind to watch Anthony. As soon as the elevator doors closed, Teila turned towards Tyreke and said, "I...guess I owe you an apology..."
"No, you don't, Tay..." Tyreke said. "I think I had it coming...considering what a pain in the neck I've been in the past. I may even have to apologize to that two-tailed friend of yours."
"Well, you had no right to be jealous, we were just friends," Teila said. "Even though he did have a small crush on me..."
Amy looked at Teila wide-eyed. "You KNEW?!?"
"It was obvious, Ames!" Teila said, giggling a little. "He didn't exactly hide that fact too well..."
Amy giggled as well, and then all three looked up when they saw Anthony enter the room. "Anthony, are you alright?" Amy asked.
"Yeah...and I'm going to need your help, Ames," Anthony said, and then turned towards Teila and Tyreke. "Guys...I'm going to need Amy's help in doing some psionic manipulation. Whatever you do...don't disturb us under any circumstances."
"Alright, Anthony," Tyreke said. "We'll tell the others if they come back up."
Anthony nodded in understanding and then he and Amy entered the bedroom.
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"Anthony, what's going on?" Amy asked as soon as they entered the bedroom.
"Amy...Tyreke told me something that made me realize something may be wrong with me," Anthony explained. "I need to enter Relm to see if I'm right."
"And...you want me to mind link and enter with you," Amy said.
"Yes, since I may need your help in there," Anthony said. He then laid back in the bed and Amy sat in a chair next to the bed and held on to Anthony's hand. "Are you ready, Ames?"
"Yes..." Amy said, grasping Anthony's hand tighter.
Anthony then began to concentrate, and closed his eyes as if he was going to sleep. Amy soon slumped down in her chair, still holding tightly onto Anthony's hand, and became unconscious as well.
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STAGE 14 - Relm
CHARACTERS: Amy/Anthony
MUSIC: "T.N.T. for the Brain" by Enigma
OBJECTIVE: ?????
Amy and Anthony looked at the surrealistic landscape of Relm, the world that existed inside the mind of Anthony. To Amy, it seemed a bit more peaceful since she had last visited...since her last visit involved helping Anthony fight the Dark Gamemaster persona within him.
"What are you looking for here?" Amy asked.
Anthony looked towards the horizon of the area, almost as if he sensed something in that direction. "There...it's over there..."
"What is?" Amy asked.
"You'll see when we get there, Ames," Anthony said. "Come on."
Amy and Anthony ran towards where Anthony sensed something. The trip was made easier by the use of Anthony's flying ability...an ability he had only in Relm.
Eventually, they reached an area where they saw a figure apparently waiting. Amy, at first, thought it was Jaben, Relm's caretaker. But when they got closer, she gasped as she recognized who it was.
"No...it can't be...the Dark Gamemaster?!?" Amy said.
The figure, now recognized as the Dark Gamemaster, essentially the representative of the dark portion of Anthony's personality, turned around and faced the two of them. Unlike before, however, he was not readying himself to fight.
"Ah...you've finally come," the Dark Gamemaster said.
"I figured I'd have to face you again..." Anthony said, forming a sword from pure thought.
"Anthony, I thought you already destroyed him," Amy said.
"Then how did Crazy Hand create a flesh and blood duplicate afterwards?" Anthony asked. "He was still inside me...influencing me in certain regards."
"...and so you've come to finish the job," the Dark Gamemaster said. "Then let us begin..." The Dark Gamemaster then created his own sword and readied himself to fight.
"Amy..." Anthony said, getting Amy's attention. "I'll need your help this time to fight him."
"What should I do?" Amy asked.
"Concentrate your willpower on fighting him," Anthony said. "You'll see what happens."
Amy did so, focusing her attention on the Dark Gamemaster. Suddenly, a pillar of light engulfed the two of them. Amy felt herself changing, and when she looked down at herself, she noticed something unreal...
"Anthony...I'm...in the Gamemaster's armor!" Amy said.
"Yes...and you probably won't see me for the time being," Anthony said, his voice seeming to come from inside her head. "We are fighting as one being right now...but you will only see yourself as yourself. Now...let's begin..."
"Yes..." Amy said, and then the fused heroes turned towards the Dark Gamemaster.
BOSS STAGE: DARK GAMEMASTER
CHARACTERS: Gamemaster Amy/Gamemaster Anthony
MUSIC: "Downfall" by Trust Co.
The Dark Gamemaster and the two heroes faced off and clashed swords. Amy and Anthony felt themselves fighting in tandem and easily parrying all of the Dark Gamemaster's blows. In fact, both the fused heroes and the Dark Gamemaster appeared to be evenly matched, so neither side appeared to be gaining ground. At least, until the fused heroes managed to catch the Dark Gamemaster by surprise and disarm him. They followed it up with a Force Blast which downed the Dark Gamemaster, reducing him to what looked like a dark pile on the ground.
Amy and Anthony became separate again and surveyed the situation. "Is he finished now?" Amy asked.
"He should be," Anthony said, and then turned towards Amy. "Amy...I'm going to check my psyche for a while to clean up any remaining damage. You'd better wake up and check to see how the others are doing."
"Alright," Amy said. "Just be careful..." She then faded from Relm as she woke up in real life.
As soon as she had left, the dark pile began to stir and it then reformed into the Dark Gamemaster. "Is she gone?" he asked.
"She's gone..." Anthony said. "I wish I could have told her the real reason I had to fight you again...but she wouldn't have understood. Did it work?"
"It did," Dark Gamemaster said. "Whatever was left of the evil in me is gone. Are you ready?"
"I am..." Anthony said. "It's strange. When I started my regimen of meditation to remove my anger...I had no idea I was removing my courage and willingness to fight as well."
"Well...they became me, as you can see," Dark Gamemaster said. "And, I'm ready to rejoin you."
Anthony nodded in understanding and said, "Then let's do this."
The Dark Gamemaster nodded as well, and then began to look as if he was turning into smoke. He then began to enter Anthony's body, and Anthony began to wince slightly as he felt the Dark Gamemaster enter him. Finally, after a while, only Anthony could be seen, and he said something to the emptiness surrounding him...
"We are now...one..." Anthony said, almost talking to no one. As soon as he regained his composure he noticed an orange quilled echidna in ancient garments staring at him.
"Tikal?!?" Anthony said, surprised at her being here. "What's wrong? Why are you here?"
"Hoping you would do what you did," Tikal explained, "and to warn you."
"Warn me? What about?" Anthony asked.
"The enemy you're facing...it isn't GUN," Tikal explained. "But what they plan to do is still very dangerous to this world."
"What do they plan to do?"
"I do not know..." Tikal said. "But...it involves the Emeralds...and Chaos believes it involves him as well..."
"Then, I'd better awake as well," Anthony said. Just as he was about to awaken, he noticed Tikal was staring again. "Alright...what is it, Tikal? I saw you staring at me earlier just as you are now..."
"I cannot tell you," Tikal said, "except for this: Do not give in to temptation, even if you can help."
"The HELL?!?" Anthony said. It was then that he saw Tikal fade away. "Wait! Tikal!" As soon as Tikal disappeared, he then said, "What the heck is going on here?"
The bar appeared to be empty, save for two individuals. One was the bartender, who was busy filling up a tall glass of beer. The other was a person who was slumped on the counter, and who was awaiting that glass...his third one that he ordered.
Anthony paid the bartender for the drink and let the amber liquid pass through his lips. As he finished his sip, he heard a familiar voice call from outside the bar.
"Anthony!"
Amy ran into the bar, despite the bartender's insistence that no kids were allowed, and ran up to Anthony. "Anthony...thank the Goddess I found you..."
Anthony did nothing but give Amy a quick glance and then turn back towards his drink. Amy saw a distressed look on his face, and then said, "Anthony...don't do this. You've done a lot for Arcadia, and..."
"...it's never enough, Amy," Anthony said. "Even when I try to relax, some new problem comes up...and more people get hurt as a result...either because of the enemy or because of me."
"It's not your fault, Anthony," Amy said, placing a paw on Anthony's hand. "That battle was unavoidable..."
"...and yet, I caused just as much destruction as they did when they almost hurt you, Ames," Anthony said, still looking deep into his drink. "If I can't help people without causing just as much destruction...I have no right helping at all. I've become just as bad as Robotnik..."
"No, you HAVEN'T!" Amy said.
"She's right..." a voice said from behind them. Amy and Anthony turned and saw Tyreke walking in.
"What are you doing here?" Amy said, with a bit of anger in her voice.
"I came to apologize to the Gamemaster," Tyreke said.
"Don't call me that, Tyreke..." Anthony said. "I don't deserve that title..."
"Bull..." Tyreke said, taking the other seat next to Anthony opposite where Amy seated herself. "You deserve it. I was wrong to come down on you like I did. I guess...seeing you react like you did was shocking to me." He then looked straight at Anthony and said, "Besides, if you want any more proof...think of all the good you've done, and what would have happened if you didn't help."
"Yeah..." Amy said, going along with what Tyreke was saying. "I mean...I'd probably be a robot working in one of Robotnik's factories if you hadn't saved me..." When she saw Anthony shudder a bit at that image, she squeezed Anthony's hand to comfort him and said, "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to..."
"It's alright, Ames..." Anthony said, and then turned towards Tyreke. "You're right, Tyreke...and I'm glad I was able to help with that. It's just..."
"...you've seen too much pain and it's finally got to you," Tyreke said. "Hey...I don't blame you. After all that's happened on Mobius, I've been worried sick concerning what would happen to Tay."
"So, why did you come down on him when he freaked out during the battle, Tyreke?" Amy asked, with another hint of anger in her voice.
"Look...I didn't mean that..." Tyreke said. "It's just that I didn't think it was like him to freak out like that..."
Anthony suddenly looked up as if he realized something. "Not like me..."
Amy looked at Anthony and asked, "What was that, Anthony?"
Anthony quickly threw out a handful of Mobiums to pay for his drinks and then said, "I need to get back to the hotel. There's something I need to do." As he got up, he soon stumbled a bit and needed to be caught by Amy and Tyreke.
"I don't think you're in any condition to go anywhere by yourself," Tyreke said.
"Yeah...I always was a lightweight, even in college..." Anthony said. "Tyreke, Amy...a Teleport if you would..."
Amy drew upon her Descendancy Powers and both her and Tyreke used Teleport to teleport them to the hotel.
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"Where did you find him?" Sally asked.
The entire group had gathered in the main room of the hotel as Tyreke and Amy helped Anthony to his room. Aura and Lisa were tending to their Chao while Tails and Kyle were busy playing their Gameboy Advances.
"He was getting drunk at a bar," Tyreke explained, as he walked back out. "I think Ames and I turned him around though..."
"...even though we told you NOT to interfere?" Rebecca said, looking at Tyreke.
"Hey...if I didn't try to make things right, I would've felt worse than I was already," Tyreke said.
"Besides..." Amy said as she walked out, "he was really helpful in calming Anthony down."
"How is Anthony doing?" Lazer asked.
"Resting right now," Amy said. "He says he needs to prepare himself for something."
"Did he say what?" Rebecca asked.
"No...he didn't," Amy said.
"Maybe he'll tell us when he's ready," Ryan said.
"In the meantime, let's get these Emeralds to safety downstairs," Knuckles said, holding one of the Emeralds.
"Aura, Lisa...you may want to bring your Chao down with us as well," Mina remarked.
"Alright," Aura said, picking up Ryndar.
The group all filed into the secret elevator, save for Tyreke, Amy, and Teila who decided to stay behind to watch Anthony. As soon as the elevator doors closed, Teila turned towards Tyreke and said, "I...guess I owe you an apology..."
"No, you don't, Tay..." Tyreke said. "I think I had it coming...considering what a pain in the neck I've been in the past. I may even have to apologize to that two-tailed friend of yours."
"Well, you had no right to be jealous, we were just friends," Teila said. "Even though he did have a small crush on me..."
Amy looked at Teila wide-eyed. "You KNEW?!?"
"It was obvious, Ames!" Teila said, giggling a little. "He didn't exactly hide that fact too well..."
Amy giggled as well, and then all three looked up when they saw Anthony enter the room. "Anthony, are you alright?" Amy asked.
"Yeah...and I'm going to need your help, Ames," Anthony said, and then turned towards Teila and Tyreke. "Guys...I'm going to need Amy's help in doing some psionic manipulation. Whatever you do...don't disturb us under any circumstances."
"Alright, Anthony," Tyreke said. "We'll tell the others if they come back up."
Anthony nodded in understanding and then he and Amy entered the bedroom.
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"Anthony, what's going on?" Amy asked as soon as they entered the bedroom.
"Amy...Tyreke told me something that made me realize something may be wrong with me," Anthony explained. "I need to enter Relm to see if I'm right."
"And...you want me to mind link and enter with you," Amy said.
"Yes, since I may need your help in there," Anthony said. He then laid back in the bed and Amy sat in a chair next to the bed and held on to Anthony's hand. "Are you ready, Ames?"
"Yes..." Amy said, grasping Anthony's hand tighter.
Anthony then began to concentrate, and closed his eyes as if he was going to sleep. Amy soon slumped down in her chair, still holding tightly onto Anthony's hand, and became unconscious as well.
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STAGE 14 - Relm
CHARACTERS: Amy/Anthony
MUSIC: "T.N.T. for the Brain" by Enigma
OBJECTIVE: ?????
Amy and Anthony looked at the surrealistic landscape of Relm, the world that existed inside the mind of Anthony. To Amy, it seemed a bit more peaceful since she had last visited...since her last visit involved helping Anthony fight the Dark Gamemaster persona within him.
"What are you looking for here?" Amy asked.
Anthony looked towards the horizon of the area, almost as if he sensed something in that direction. "There...it's over there..."
"What is?" Amy asked.
"You'll see when we get there, Ames," Anthony said. "Come on."
Amy and Anthony ran towards where Anthony sensed something. The trip was made easier by the use of Anthony's flying ability...an ability he had only in Relm.
Eventually, they reached an area where they saw a figure apparently waiting. Amy, at first, thought it was Jaben, Relm's caretaker. But when they got closer, she gasped as she recognized who it was.
"No...it can't be...the Dark Gamemaster?!?" Amy said.
The figure, now recognized as the Dark Gamemaster, essentially the representative of the dark portion of Anthony's personality, turned around and faced the two of them. Unlike before, however, he was not readying himself to fight.
"Ah...you've finally come," the Dark Gamemaster said.
"I figured I'd have to face you again..." Anthony said, forming a sword from pure thought.
"Anthony, I thought you already destroyed him," Amy said.
"Then how did Crazy Hand create a flesh and blood duplicate afterwards?" Anthony asked. "He was still inside me...influencing me in certain regards."
"...and so you've come to finish the job," the Dark Gamemaster said. "Then let us begin..." The Dark Gamemaster then created his own sword and readied himself to fight.
"Amy..." Anthony said, getting Amy's attention. "I'll need your help this time to fight him."
"What should I do?" Amy asked.
"Concentrate your willpower on fighting him," Anthony said. "You'll see what happens."
Amy did so, focusing her attention on the Dark Gamemaster. Suddenly, a pillar of light engulfed the two of them. Amy felt herself changing, and when she looked down at herself, she noticed something unreal...
"Anthony...I'm...in the Gamemaster's armor!" Amy said.
"Yes...and you probably won't see me for the time being," Anthony said, his voice seeming to come from inside her head. "We are fighting as one being right now...but you will only see yourself as yourself. Now...let's begin..."
"Yes..." Amy said, and then the fused heroes turned towards the Dark Gamemaster.
BOSS STAGE: DARK GAMEMASTER
CHARACTERS: Gamemaster Amy/Gamemaster Anthony
MUSIC: "Downfall" by Trust Co.
The Dark Gamemaster and the two heroes faced off and clashed swords. Amy and Anthony felt themselves fighting in tandem and easily parrying all of the Dark Gamemaster's blows. In fact, both the fused heroes and the Dark Gamemaster appeared to be evenly matched, so neither side appeared to be gaining ground. At least, until the fused heroes managed to catch the Dark Gamemaster by surprise and disarm him. They followed it up with a Force Blast which downed the Dark Gamemaster, reducing him to what looked like a dark pile on the ground.
Amy and Anthony became separate again and surveyed the situation. "Is he finished now?" Amy asked.
"He should be," Anthony said, and then turned towards Amy. "Amy...I'm going to check my psyche for a while to clean up any remaining damage. You'd better wake up and check to see how the others are doing."
"Alright," Amy said. "Just be careful..." She then faded from Relm as she woke up in real life.
As soon as she had left, the dark pile began to stir and it then reformed into the Dark Gamemaster. "Is she gone?" he asked.
"She's gone..." Anthony said. "I wish I could have told her the real reason I had to fight you again...but she wouldn't have understood. Did it work?"
"It did," Dark Gamemaster said. "Whatever was left of the evil in me is gone. Are you ready?"
"I am..." Anthony said. "It's strange. When I started my regimen of meditation to remove my anger...I had no idea I was removing my courage and willingness to fight as well."
"Well...they became me, as you can see," Dark Gamemaster said. "And, I'm ready to rejoin you."
Anthony nodded in understanding and said, "Then let's do this."
The Dark Gamemaster nodded as well, and then began to look as if he was turning into smoke. He then began to enter Anthony's body, and Anthony began to wince slightly as he felt the Dark Gamemaster enter him. Finally, after a while, only Anthony could be seen, and he said something to the emptiness surrounding him...
"We are now...one..." Anthony said, almost talking to no one. As soon as he regained his composure he noticed an orange quilled echidna in ancient garments staring at him.
"Tikal?!?" Anthony said, surprised at her being here. "What's wrong? Why are you here?"
"Hoping you would do what you did," Tikal explained, "and to warn you."
"Warn me? What about?" Anthony asked.
"The enemy you're facing...it isn't GUN," Tikal explained. "But what they plan to do is still very dangerous to this world."
"What do they plan to do?"
"I do not know..." Tikal said. "But...it involves the Emeralds...and Chaos believes it involves him as well..."
"Then, I'd better awake as well," Anthony said. Just as he was about to awaken, he noticed Tikal was staring again. "Alright...what is it, Tikal? I saw you staring at me earlier just as you are now..."
"I cannot tell you," Tikal said, "except for this: Do not give in to temptation, even if you can help."
"The HELL?!?" Anthony said. It was then that he saw Tikal fade away. "Wait! Tikal!" As soon as Tikal disappeared, he then said, "What the heck is going on here?"