Chapter 57; final stand for the future part 3
Marianna saw Luke climbing down the ladder pursued by the agent. She immediately went to find Miles. He was about to break a window and enter when she found him.
"What are you doing here? I told you to cover the exit in case he escapes!"
"There are agents inside. We have to do this together."
"What? But I heard they were all killed by that guy."
"You heard wrong. It was a trap. They are trying to catch you this way."
"Sneaky bastards. Fine then come." He said breaking the window and entering slowly followed by Marianna.
At the same time Amy was about to make her big move.
"I activate harpie's feather duster. It destroys all your spells or traps!"
"I don't think so. My crescendo will negate this card."
"Indeed it will. But i was expecting it. I discard 2 cards to activate the spell magical stone excavation. I add my feather duster back and re use it!"
"I use the effect of card defender in my hand to protect my link spell from destruction!"
The two remaining phantom knights' fog blades were destroyed along with Armatos colosseum. At that moment they saw Tails and Knuckles looking for signs of blood or struggle in the alleyway they were in.
"What in the world?" Tails said confused "You weren't there a moment ago."
"I see" Sonic said "the armatos colosseum acted as a camouflage hologram too."
Well now it's gone. And I activate the spell card unexpected dai. I can special summon the chosen by the world chalice from my deck. Now 3 spell cards lie in my graveyard. making this the perfect moment to activate the spell card sky striker maneuver vectored blast. 2 cards from our decks are sent to the grave and because I have 3 spell cards in the graveyard I can activate the additional effect of vectored blast. Your two decurions, since they are in the extra monster zones. They are going back to the extra deck!"
"Way to go Amy!" Sonic said.
"And now I can finally move on with my move. I summon forth the agent of creation venus. Now I can pay any number of life points in intervals of 500 and summon from my deck that many mystical shine balls. I pay 1500" (Amy LP 6500) "And summon 3. Now appear heavenly circuit! I use my 1 shine ball! Link summon! Appear link one! Link spider! Now I use her effect. So another chosen by the world chalice appears in the monster zone she points to from my hand. Now watch as another miracle performs!"
Amy's mark unleashed a surge of blue light which manifested into a card.
"I tune my chosen by the world chalice with my mystical shine ball!"
"Impossible" Bruce said "none of them is a tuner".
"My beckoned by the world chalice is treated as a tuner for this very synchro summon! Appear! Ib the world chalice justiciar! Next her effect kicks in adding a world legacy card from my deck to my hand. I choose world legacy succession. Now appear again heavenly circuit! I set the link markers with my ib and my Link summon! Appear link 2 beat cop from the underworld. And there's ib's other effect. When she is sent to the graveyard I can special summon a world chalice monster from my deck! I pick lee the world chalice fairy! Now her effect kicks in adding world legacy world chalice to my hand. And there's more where that came from! Heavenly circuit appear! Mystical shine ball be gone! Link summon! Link 1 imduk the world chalice dragon. Now his effect kicks in allowing me an additional normal summon! I tribute summon by offering my beat cop, the world legacy world chalice. Now it and imduk will make way! Link summon! Link 2 world chalice bladesmaster auram. And my world legacy world chalice has its own trick. I can summon 2 world chalice monsters from my deck. I choose world chalice guardragon and beckoned by the world chalice! I use them to link summon again! Link 2 ib the world chalice priestess! Appear heavenly circuit! Link summon! With my auram and my imduk I summon world chalice warrior ningirsu! And he packs a punch! Because now I can draw one card from my deck for every one world chalice next to its links. I also use imduk's effect to special summon crowned by the world chalice! So I draw 2 cards. Perfect. Now I use ningirsu's effect I ditch crowned to send judgement arrows to the graveyard!"
"NO!"
Judgement arrows was destroyed and suddenly all the monsters on its link were smashed.
"What the..?" Amy said confused.
"When my link spell is destroyed all of the monsters on her link markers are also destroyed. However I won't allow this to happen. I discard another card called rescue squad. I can select to monsters that were destroyed this turn and summon them. I choose my 2 link 2s."
"It doesn't matter. I activate my own field spell. Kyoutu waterfront. And now appear one final time heavenly circuit! I use my 3 monsters! Link summon! Link 4! Saryuja skull dead! Now since 3 monsters were sent to the graveayrd my waterfront has 3 counters. So I can add a kaiju to my hand. I choose thunder king the lightningstike kaiju! And with my skull dread's effect it appears instantly! I see you depend heavily on cards in your hand. Future handtraps. Well no more. I'm shutting them down right now. Thunder king activate your effect! Thunder blackout! All 3 kaiju counters from my waterfront so your cards and card effects are shut down for good plus my thunder king can attack all 3 of your monsters at once!"
"OH NO!"
"And since thunder king was summoned to saryuja's link he gains 300 attack! Battle! Thunder king! Destroy all his monsters!"
Thunder king attacked all of the 3 links heavily damaging Bruce in the process both in game and literally. (Bruce LP 2800)
"Primary… target…"
"I'm sorry but it ends here! Saryuja! Finish this!"
"Primary…" (Bruce LP 0) he said collapsing.
Amy immediately approached the others and asked what was happening. Sonic quickly filled her up in the situation.
"Rouge asked us to leave?! No way we're going back for her! As you said! Whatever it takes we will win together".
"Yes. Whatever it takes."
"Let's go back inside. Wave take the others and go back to the plane."
"No way. I'm not leaving here without my daughter."
"Don't worry. I bumbed into her earlier. She is on our side. She will bring Miles to us. Go."
"Ok" she said after a bit of hesitation.
"Let's go!" Sonic said charging back inside the building with Amy by his side.
At the same time Rouge was about to experience the most grindy duel of her entire life.
"I activate the spell card raigeki! So all your monsters are instantly smashed!"
"Oh no!"
Now cyber dragons! Attack!"
"AAAAH!" (Rouge LP 900)
"IT's over foolish bat. You lose. I got an invincible army of dragons! Surrender now!"
"Never!"
"Fine then! I end my turn!"
"At that moment magnarokket dragon's effect activates summoning forth metalrokket from my deck!"
"I don't think so. Negate it cyber dragon infinity!"
"It all comes down to this draw. I have only 1 infinite impermanence and my white dragon wyverburster in my hand. I have to end it here now! Believe! And a miracle will happen!"
At that moment Sonic and Amy burst into the room as their marks started shining. They looked at Rouge whose hand started glowing as well.
"Shining draw!" she screamed as she drew her card. It was the one card she needed.
"I activate the field spell boot sector launch!"
"No you don't. I know what it does! Infinity negate it!"
"You fell for it! I activate infinite impermanence so your dragon loses its effect. How ironic that he will lose his effect by the card on which he is depicted."
"Grrr fine."
"My boot sector launch now can summon back as many rokkets from my graveyard as the difference between your monsters and mine. But I only need my magnarokker dragon! Now I banish my black dragon collarserpent to summon my white dragon wyverburster! And now behold my power!"
Rouge raised her hand and once again another blue light appeared from Sonic and Amy's marks manifesting into a card.
"I overlay my 2 level 4 dragons! When two soaring heroic roars merge into thunder the eternal door opens and shows its power! XYZ SUMMON! Manifest! Borreload Xcharge dragon!"
"A borreload xyz monster? Impossible! This doesn't exist!"
"You won't understand even if we told you! Now for its effect! I detatch my white dragon wyverburster who in turn adds a second black dragon collarserpent to my hand. Not that it can be summoned because of my xcharge's effect! One of your monsters, specifically that cyber dragon loses 600 attack points. Then I can resurrect one borrel monster! Return to me borrelsword dragon!"
"What?!"
"It's over! Borreload xcharge dragon attack and destroy cyber dragon sieger!"
"I use sieger's effect to double its attack!"
"I was expecting it honey. At this moment I use my borrelsword dragon's effect! Go zero bullet fire! Borreload xcharge dragon goes to defense mode. So he is safe and now my borrelsword can attack twice!"
"This can't be happening!"
"Attack cyber dragon infinity! Electric borrelsword slash! And at that moment he steals half the attack power of your dragon so 1250!"
"AAAAH!" ( mafia boss LP 2000)
"And now to end this! Take down cyber dragon! Electric borrelsword slash!"
"Noooooo!" (mafia boss LP 0)
"You did it Rouge!" Amy said in joy.
But the boss wouldn't just stand around.
"You won't use me as riderbait!" he said charging at the 3. At that moment Luke came charging through a window kicking the boss to the ground.
"Luke!" Sonic said in shock.
Luke found himself momentarily at the mercy of the boss since he had attacked him empty handed. But at that moment a shot was heard and a bullet pierced the boss's head throwing entrail all over the wall. All of them turned and saw Miles with a gun on his hand and Marianna behind him. Sonic knew it was their final chance.
"Now Marianna!"
At his words Marianna kicked Miles as hard as she could knocking him to the ground and causing him to drop his gun. Luke took a second to process the situation and immediately he jumped on Miles immobilizing him.
"Marianna you idiot! What are you doing?! You are betraying me after all we've done together?!"
Marianna's eyes filled with tears at those words.
"After all we've done?! You mean murdering people?! Are you proud of that?!"
"They were sick animals that needed to be put down!"
"Miles!" Sonic said silencing them all, while Luke was still holding Miles who was trying to break free.
"Son. You have to stop this. You're not the one to judge the criminals of the world."
"And if I am not the one then who is?! The justice in this world only sends them in jail. They spend so much on food for lives that aren't worth it! And those who get out only repeat their crimes. I.." Tears appeared in his eyes too "I can't… I can't allow people to go through this again!"
"Then why did you always claim that I had to do it as a king?"
Miles looked at his father confused. Sonic put his arm on Miles' forehead and closed his eyes.
"I see. It was all due to the hidden darkness in your heart. Your will to stand out. To be important. One way or another. If you couldn't beat me.. then you would become judgement for bad guys. But Miles… you don't have to be someone important to be important. Cause to us… me, your mother, your friends" he looked at Marianna "your girlfriend… you are irreplaceable."
Miles suddenly felt something crashing him. But it wasn't Luke who was still sitting on him. it was guilt. He had taken the lives of so many humans… not to punish them… but in a desperate effort to get out of his father's shadow.
"What have I done?!" he said in shock.
"You still have a chance to fix everything Miles. I saw the vision the lunar dragon showed you. You want to challenge me."
"So what do I do?"
"Come home. Stop this madness."
"Father… I'm sorry" he said breaking free of Luke's hold and hugging his father.
"It's over Miles. Let's go home."
"You're not going anywhere!" A voice was heard.
They all turned and saw Agent Hoffman targeting them with his silenced pistol.
"I was so sure. Miles the hedgehog was the rider. Put your hands up all of you. Now! You're under arrest for colliding with justice and you Miles the hedgehog for the murder of over 50 people".
"Agent. You can't do this. Please. Don't you see Miles didn't really want to do this?" Sonic said.
"I don't care. I said I would crack this case and I will."
"Fine then agent. Take me only" Sonic said walking over to him and holding his hands in front of him so Hoffman could handcuff him.
"Why should I catch you only?"
"If that's the way my son will be free thenso be it."
"Sonic no." Amy said sad.
"Why? Why are you trying to save your son's life? He is a murderous monster."
"Cause he is my son. And I will love him and protect him no matter what. You should understand this feeling agent. I know you have a son too."
Agent Hoffman lowered his gun. Sonic the hedgehog was right. He knew the feeling. It was a father to a father, wanting to protect what he loved.
"I understand but… I can't walk out of here empty handed. My higher ups will be here soon. And they will expect the rider caught."
"Then take me."
"I won't let you" Amy grabbed his hand.
"Ames it is the only way".
"Our daughters promised me that when this was over we would all go home. I'm not leaving without you."
"Mind if I interrupt?" another voice was heard. And that one was familiar to Sonic. He turned and saw the chief from the future walking inside the room.
"You!"
"Me."
'What do you want now?!"
"To declare my surrender. And my failure."
That wasn't what Sonic expected.
"What?"
"I failed to protect my future. The timeline was altered beyond repair. The future is no more."
"How do we know this isn't a trap?" Amy asked him.
The chief took a picture and gave it to them. For a moment it was the city of the future where Sonic arrived. And then it was deleted leaving behind only a forest.
"Man… I'm sorry."
"You did what you had to do. The time wave erased everything. But.. that's where I have hope".
"What do you mean?"
"This is how the area was before the city was built. In my opinion… time is indecisive as to how it unfolds".
"So you mean.. the way the future unfolds these following days weeks or months will determine what we see in this picture?"
"Yes. As for who will be arrested as the rider of justice… agent. I'm all yours." The chief said.
Sonic was left speechless from the chief's offer to be captured and tried as the rider of justice.
"Man are you sure about this?"
"I am. I am a man out of time now. I have nothing to live for. But I want to see what future you guys are going to create. The future is like a white painting right now. And you are the ones who will paint it."
"We will create the best of all futures, I promise. The time loop will end." Sonic said.
The chief nodded and then followed agent Hoffman out of the building. Sonic and the others left finally with Miles and Marianna and returned to the jet. One hour later they were flying for their home. Miles was sitting looking outside at the dark of the night. Marianna sat next to him and kissed him on the cheek.
"Marie.. I.. I'm sorry for dragging you into this story".
"It's ok. I'm just glad it's over".
"Now what?"
"Now.. you choose what you do."
"I want to follow the future the dragon showed me".
"Then you know what you must do in order to officially challenge your father".
"I know. But I'm not sure if I'll make it. It's gonna be a long and hard way to get to him".
She took his hand.
"I'll walk it with you. All the way".
"Thanks" He said kissing her.
Sonic looked at them from afar. He was finally relieved and happy. But also he felt a flame inside him. Miles' vision showed him a much more powerful version of himself. He decided to train day and night until the day to decide the future came. The day that he and Miles met on the battlefield.
