Chapter 55; final stand for the future part 1
Sonic and crew arrived at London's airport and headed as fast as they could to Silver and Blaze's house. Thankfully Silver had become a very high esteemed pro during the time between the god card and incident and today so he had a mansion. The singed ones and their children made themselves at home and the narrated to Silver and Blaze everything that had happened to them these past days as well as what they learned about the future.
"So what you are saying…" Silver said thinking it over "is that we're living in an infinite time loop?"
"Yes." Sonic said "I sent my consciousness to the spirit world and found out that the older versions of me and Amy were not from alternate dimensions but rather our future selves. After the death of Miles in the future they faked their deaths and went to live the rest of their days in the spirit world. I saw it through the power of the lunar dragon. When I touched the grave of my counterpart I saw my future."
"And then when you guys first went to the spirit world your old selves lied to you about being alternate dimension copies of you in order to not ruin the timeline." Blaze said concluding.
"But this doesn't make sense. If they wanted the timeline changed why didn't they tell you what to do?"
"Because this could end up the same way or way worse. The only way to change it was to find it out ourselves someway."
"And why did the lunar dragon allow this time loop to go on for so long?"
"My guess is the lunar dragon was waiting until the birth of the sky god dragon to change it. Maybe I'm wrong. But the point is we now know we live in a time loop. And we have to stop Miles in order to end it and free the world from it."
"So how do we do that?"
"First of all we have to tell Miles and Marianna about all this. That will sure have an effect on them. Or at least on Marianna. Furthermore we will have to do it undetected. Because the chief of police from the future may have now lost us but he may find us again. We have to be ready. Especially for that null nun card. It is way too overpowered. Let alone the fact that we have to also be undetected by Interpol. Thank god they have no obvious lead. They are just searching for the rider of justice."
"About that…." Luke started to say.
They all looked at him.
"Well… when I dueled agent Hoffman, in order to persuade him to duel me and let me go if I win I also bet to reveal Miles' identity if I lose."
"That's nothing special. He could be anyone."
"Let him finish Amy. Luke tell me you didn't do what I think you did." Sonic said frightened.
"I'm sorry uncle Sonic. I used borrelsword dragon to win".
"You did what?!" Amy said in shock.
"I'm sorry. I wanted to finish it fast and run."
"We're in more trouble than I thought" Tails said "the whole world knows that borrelsword dragon is a super powerful and rare card only elite duelists use. Actually… the ones who are known to use it most of the time…. Are the top 50 in the world ranking!"
"And most pros don't have kids" Knuckles recalled" So Interpol knowing probably that Luke is a young man due to the duel he had, they will realize who they are after eventually. Using borrelsword means Luke had access to it. And it means he is somehow close to one of the top 50 duelists. In other words… us!"
Silence spread in the room. Their cover was probably blown. All they could do was wait.
Meanwhile agent Hoffman was at his office thinking. The duelist who beat him in the sewers had borrelsword dragon.
"Could it be that I'm after someone far higher than I could have even anticipated?" he thought to himself looking through all the files of the top 50 duelists. Most of them were pretty young and didn't have children. The woman in number 26 had a child but it was still in primary school. So it couldn't have been her. However….. the legendary 9 had kids about 18 years old. And their decks were known. The one who got his attention was Luke Prowers. His deck was salamangreat. And he had access to his father's copy of borrelsword dragon. However it was only a suspicion.
"But if Luke Prowers knows who the rider of justice is… then who could it be?"
He looked at the files of Luke's friends. The rider of justice was a young male. And the only two people fitting in the description were Ruff the echidna and Miles the hedgehog.
"Who are you rider?" he kept asking himself.
Then he remembered something that had happened a while ago. Miles the hedgehog was kidnapped. And his abductors were found slaughtered. He claimed he slaughtered them to survive but… the bodies showed something else in his actions. Hatred. Lots of hatred.
"Could it be that Miles the hedgehog is the rider and is a vigilante?"
Suspicions and theories. That was all he had. He would require a lot more proof in order to be able to apprehend the rider. The best choice was to keep hunting him but secretly go after Luke and should he prove to be the one he dueled in the sewers, force him to confess who the rider of justice was. His assistant got in.
"Sir a body was found. It was the mafia's doing."
"And why are you telling me? This is the local police's case. We have a rider to catch."
"I know sir. But the higher ups prevented the police from apprehending their boss. They are trying to attract the rider of justice."
Hoffman looked up.
"Ok then. Let's go."
He wouldn't share his suspicions of course. If it really was Luke Prowers who beat him then it was personal. A case he would crack open himself.
At the same time Miles and Marianna were about to start moving in pursuit of new targets again when Miles received a call in Sonic's super phone. The caller wasn't registered. He picked up.
"Hello?"
"Miles? Can you hear me?"
It was Sonic's voice.
"Well, well. How are we father?"
"Miles listen. You have to stop killing. If you don't stop the only thing you'll achieve is getting caught and fried in the electric chair. Please son."
"I told you father. If you won't clean this world I will."
"Miles. What did the lunar dragon show you?"
Miles almost dropped the phone. Marianna saw him talking and took the phone from his hand putting it in speakerphone mode.
"Who is this?"
"Marianna is that you?" Wave's voice was heard.
"Mom?"
"Listen baby. You have to stop and come home. Sonic went to the future and saw that Miles will be killed for the murders he has and will commit. We have been living in a time bubble all this time. The only way to break free is only if you stop."
Marianna was ready to claim they would stop but Miles wasn't ready to give up.
"And what about the world? Let others suffer what I suffered? I'd rather change the future myself by eradicating crime for good!"
"Miles your future is set in stone if you keep this up!"
"Yeah whatever" he said ending the call. Then he proceeded to scream angry at Marianna.
"So that's how it is?! You abandon me the moment I need you the most?!"
"Miles don't you see? Our parents saying that and the dragon showing you the future can't be a coincidence! It is the way to break the time loop."
"They just know that I have been affected by the dragon and try to persuade us of something so crazy. I don't believe them. Now are you with me or against me?!" he said while his hand slowly moved towards his pocket where the gun was.
"I'm with you" she said calmly.
"Good. Now on with the quest. The mafia boss in Milan killed a gang member yesterday. I don't know the reason. But that's a good chance to make him pay and make the mafia disband."
"Ok then let's go." Marianna said.
However while they were riding towards Milan she claimed she was looking online for a map of Milan's buildings as to make an escape route should things go wrong. But what she really did was text her mother the word Milan.
Wave received it.
"The kids ae going to Milan. Marianna just texted me."
"Good" Sonic said "she has started to change her mind. Alright team let's go."
While flying towards Milan Knuckles informed Rouge to meet them there. Meanwhile they started to prepare Luke's deck once again to take on Miles this time.
"Alright Luke remember the Interpol will probably be on their guard. Do NOT use borrelsword dragon again unless there is absolutely no chance of winning without it. Maybe we haven't been discovered yet. But from now on we have to be ghosts to the rest of the world. Understand?"
"Yes uncle Sonic. I will win without borrelsword this time."
"Here take this." Sonic gave him a duo of cards.
Luke took them and looked in shock and awe.
"What the… isn't that….?!"
"It is. Use it against Miles, but only against him. I will authorize you and only you to use it."
"I won't fail you I promise."
"Good."
Soon enough they landed. Sonic and ganged met with Rouge who scolded her children for leaving like that despite being told to stay.
Later that day they noticed that close to the center of the city there was increased police patrols. They realized the mafia was somewhere in the area and that Miles would be there very soon. They split into 3 teams. Luke, accompanied by Sonic Evelyn Jet and Silver who joined them along with Blaze at their quest to stop Miles would climb on the rooftops and be on their guard for any sign of Miles should he come to kill the mafia boss. Amy along with Wave Aurora and t bone would look out for Miles on the streets. Finally Rouge Ruff Knuckles and Tails would take out the Interpol agents guarding the boss and keep him hostage and capture Miles should he actually reach him unnoticed. It was a foolproof plan. However little did they know that the place was gonna turn into a battlefield for their war with their enemies.
Shortly after arriving and each team took their positions while Tails' team would capture the mafia boss, things started going bad. Luke was watching with binoculars on the rooftops when suddenly a bright light blinded him. Immediately he signaled Sonic and the others to hide knowing it was Interpol back for their rematch. However only one man jumped from the helicopter that was shedding light on Luke. Afterwards it flew over searching the rooftops for the others. Luke saw in shock it was agent Hoffman who immediately fired a rope that grabbed his duel disc forcing it into activation.
"Well, well, well. Looks like I found you, Luke Prowers."
"Agent Hoffman! But how?!"
"You really believed I wouldn't make the connections? Your borrelsword dragon revealed everything. So tell me. Who is the rider of justice? Ruff the echidna? Or maybe… Miles the hedgehog?!"
Luke avoided answering but his face gave away the answer.
"I knew it. Miles the Hedgehog is the rider. Perfect. I will apprehend him personally. But first is you. You are under arrest for investigation hindering."
"Only if you can beat me first."
"Please kid. It won't be like that this time. You have nothing to offer in exchange for a chance to duel. I know who the rider is."
"Then why did you come down from the helicopter alone? And force my duel disc into activation?"
Now it was the agent's turn to stay silent.
"You wanna settle the score right?"
"Yes."
"Then bring it on!"
"DUEL!"
"I'll start. I set 2 face downs and end my turn."
"Is this all? It'll be easier than I thought. I draw. I summon salamangreat spinny."
"Exactly as I predicted."
"Huh?"
"I play the trap card metaverse. Now a field spell activates from my deck. And the one I choose is mystic mine!"
"Oh no!"
The field spell was activated casting a spell on Luke's monster.
"Now that you control a monster the mine has cursed you. You can no longer activate monster effects or declare any attacks".
"You call yourself a duelist?! Sonic the hedgehog himself condemned this card upon release. Anyone who uses it instantly becomes an outcast! And you still use it just to beat me?"
"Yes. I don't care if I become an outcast. I lost my pride in our last duel and I want it back!"
"Damn. I end my turn." Luke said. This was not what he had prepared for. The one deck he couldn't beat with his current version of salamangreats. He looked at his deck in despair praying he would draw the one card he had put in there at the last minute and hope it was enough.
Meanwhile on the streets Amy and the others had split. Amy saw the helicopter flying above the buildings and immediately informed them of Interpol's presence. Sonic revealed that Luke was dueling and that they had to find a way to get him out of there and flee as soon as possible. However at that moment a bullet landed on the communicator smashing it. Amy looked at the direction of the place where the bullet came from and saw a giant man heading towards her. He stood few steps away from her.
"Target acquired. Proceeding to beat and exterminate." He said activating a duel disc.
"What the… who are you? What are you talking about?"
"My name's Bruce. I'm a genetically constructed human body. Clone in simple terms. I came from the future."
"The future?!" Amy said shocked. Luke dueling was bad enough now they had to deal with robots from the future.
"Alright and what do you want from me."
"My orders are capture Amy Rose the Hedgehog and bring her back safe and sound."
"And by back you mean the chief of police right?"
"Correct."
"Won't happen big guy. You won't take me without a fight." She said activating her duel disc.
"Very well then. Duel mode engage".
"DUEL!"
"The first move is mine. I summon armatos legio gladius."
"Armatos legio?"
"Gladius' effect activates upon summon. I add the field spell armatos colosseum from my deck to my hand. And now I activate it."
The hologram enveloped Bruce and Amy sending them straight to the center of a colosseum.
"When the colosseum is activated I can add an armatos legio monster from my deck to my hand. I choose armatos legio speculata."
"This is bad. I don't know anything about his cards. The copy of ash blossom in my hand is useless until I can figure out where I should use it so that it will hurt the most" Amy thought as she looked on.
At the same time Rouge Tails Knuckles and Ruff had infiltrated the building where the mafia boss was kept. But what they witnessed when they reached the room he was in almost made ruff faint. The boss was free and had slashed the necks of all the agents that were guarding him. He looked at them.
"Give me a break. I'm too tired to kill you too."
"If you stay quiet and don't cause and problems anymore you will be handed to the authorities soon enough."
"I know you. You are the white duelist. Miles Prowers."
"My friends call me Tails."
"I see. You want to use me as bait."
"For what?"
"For the rider of justice. The king's son."
Everyone froze at those words.
"What did you just say?"
"I heard those agents saying something about suspecting the king's son as the rider. And now you want to make me riderbait. Ain't happening.
"Like you will walk away" Rouge said triggering her duel disc.
"Mom what are you doing?!"
"Don't worry honey. I've dealt with tougher guys. Stand back I'll take him down soon enough."
"Alright then foolish bat. I'll kill you first".
"DUEL!"
"My turn" Rouge said "From my hand I activate quick launch. So now I summon forth from my deck Anesthrokket dragon! Now appear circuit of might. Link summon! Link 1 Linkuriboh. Next from my hand I'll play the continuous spell card world legacy guardragon. It special summons a monster from my graveyard as long as it is a low level dragon like my anesthrokket dragon. Appear again circuit of might! Link summon! Appear Link 1 guardragon elpy. Next the effect of my spell activates. I can move elpy so that it and linkuriboh point to the same monster zone! And now elpy's effect is activated. I can summon forth from my deck a dragon to the zone it points to! I choose my red eyes darkness metal dragon!"
Red eyes appeared and roared summoning anesthrokket from the graveyard.
"Appear once again circuit of might. I link all 4 of my monsters together into my saryuja skull dread! And his effect activates! I draw 4 cards and put 3 back in my deck. Next up is graceful charity. I draw 3 and discard 2. Perfect. I banish anesthrokket dragon to summon white dragon wyverburster. Now appear once again circuit of might! Link summon! Link 1! Guardragon pisty!"
"How much more will you take?!"
"Don't rush me big guy. You'll lose so don't rush it. I use my pisty's effect. I revive my fallen red eyes. Also my wyverburster calls from my deck the mighty black dragon collarserpent to take its place once he is laid to rest. Next my dragon's effect is activated summoning the destrudo the lost dragon's frisson from my graveyard. Next I link my red eyes and destrudo together! This allows me to call forth the most powerful of the guardragons! Guardragon agarpain! And he is serious business. He summons a dragon from my extra deck!"
"Immediately from the extra deck?!"
"Exactly! So say hello to my one and only Red dragon archfiend abyss!"
"Way to go mom".
"And that was only the beginning! I link away all of my remaining dragons except for abyss! Circuit of might appear and link summon my borrelsword dragon!"
"That mighty card is the reason you were discovered and yet you continue to use it."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I have yet a couple of things to do. I activate the spell card magical alchemy. I can banish a spell card in my graveyard to search for a copy of it from my deck. I choose quick launch. And I activate it summoning autorokket dragon! Next I activate my destrudo's effect in my graveyard. Once per turn I pay half my life points" (Rouge LP 4000) "and revive it from my graveyard and then reducing it by my autorokket's level. Finally I banish my wyverburster to summon my collarserpent dragon. And now destrudo will give my collareserpent a tune up returning to my deck in the process. Heroic dragon! Fire by transforming your ferocious fangs into bullets! Synchro summon! Arise! Borreload savage dragon!"
"What is this thing?!"
"My newest monster! And now I use its effect! When it is summoned I get to pick a link monster in my graveyard and equip it to my dragon. He gains borrel counters equal to that link's link markers as well as half its attack! I choose saryuja. My dragon gains 4 borrel counters as well as 1400 attack for a grand total of 4400! And for my final move before the end phase I play the spell borrel shot! Since I control a borrel monster I draw the top card of my deck and if it's a rokket card you lose 3000 LP. If it is anything else I have to send 2 cards from my hand to the graveyard. I draw. And look at this it's my shellrokket dragon. So you lose 3000 life points!"
"Damn you" (boss LP 5000)
"I end my turn with this. And at the end phase since my autorokket was summoned by quick launch it is destroyed. Now its effect summons a new rokket from my deck like magnarokket dragon! Your move."
"Finally. Time to dismantle this board. I draw. Come forth cyber dragon!"
"What?!"
"Oh no!" Tails said "Cyber dragons can easily dismantle enemy boards. Rouge watch out!"
"I'm on it! Borrelsword dragon activate your effect and switch my maganrokket to defense mode! And at this moment my magnarokket's effect activates destroying itself and sending cyber dragon to the graveyard."
Magnarokket entered borrelsword's cartridge and was fired at cyber dragon slaying it.
"Perfect. Borrelsword's effect is gone. It's over you lose!"
"What?"
"You just have to wait and see. Hehehehe!"
Rouge turned to the others.
"Go! Find Sonic. Tell him to collect Amy and Luke and leave as soon as possible. If Miles' future is real then he won't be caught yet. Let's save ourselves first."
"Mom what about you?" Ruff said.
"I'll be ok Ruff. Just go."
Ruff looked at her and nodded positively. Then he along with Knuckles and Tails made a run for it.
At the same time Sonic was looking for Tails too. The situation had gotten way out of hand. Luke was dueling agent Hoffman but there was no guarantee that even if he won he would walk free. Amy was nowhere to be found and that shot that was heard the last time they talked made him panic. And now rouge was taking at the mafia boss to keep him from escaping. The best choice was to regroup and find a way to get their friends out of there as soon as possible. Looking for one last time at Luke's side who was still trying to break free from the mystic mine's curse, he sent his friends to look for Amy and he went on his own looking for Tails and his team. However while climbing down a ladder to the ground floor he felt his mark burning him and something came to his mind. A thought implanted there by the lunar dragon. A worrying one. Immediately he jumped to the ground floor which was not very far under and started running with the thought still echoing in his head.
"Don't run. Find the others. Regroup. Now's the time. The final battle has begun. All ends here."
