Chapter 81; the three maps part 2; change
Sonic 999 was looking into Sonic 912's eyes who couldn't move from the shock of the situation.
"We are not Tails' bodyguards. I'm not going to sugarcoat anything because time is of the essence. There is a multiverse and you and I are variants of the same being".
"Same goes for me and your former friend" Tails 616 said.
"And for me and you" Knuckles 541 said to Knuckles 912.
"Wha..? N-no! This is a trick. Yes. Yes a trick. You can't possibly expect us to believe this joke right? You rich people not only step on us but also underestimate our intelligence. That's how low you can fall" Sonic 912 said trying to not lose his mind.
"We are telling the truth" Tails 616 tried to reason with him "There is a war going on. A Sonic variant has amassed and army and his target is complete subjugation of the multiverse".
"Not giving up huh? How about I beat the truth out of you then?!" Knuckles 912 said in anger only to find his path blocked by Knuckles 541.
"Let's see you try".
Knuckles 912 gulped and took a step back.
"I thought so" Knuckles 541 said.
"Sonic" Tails 912 said "don't you remember that discovery about strange tachyon-like particles earlier this year?"
"Yes I do but don't try to change the subject!"
"Sonic that is proof there is a multiverse. Just not what the scientific theory describes".
"I don't care about your imaginary multiverse! Neither about that war! My only desire is making you and those rich bastards you have come to accept and defend pay!"
"This is beyond your social problem! Please just let go of your ego for a moment and listen to us" Sonic 999 pleaded with his variant.
"Social problem?!" Blaze 912 screamed "these are our lives you're talking about!"
"You tell them girl!" Amy 912 agreed "you rich idiots think we are dirt you can step on without any consequences!"
"Boss let me have a crack at that duplicate of yours!" Shadow 912 asked Sonic 912.
"Sonic! If we do not help these guys the Sonic waging the war will eventually arrive here" Tails 912 explained.
"Let him come. We will join him and make the rich pay together! Oh wait he won't come because he is not real!"
"Damn I was right" Sonic 999 said "you are so full of anger you are willing to join a maniac who will enslave you the moment he is done with you".
"Won't give up on your tall tale will you?"
"Fine you leave me no choice than to play the proof card" Sonic 999 said having a surefire way to prove to the 912 team the existence of the multiverse.
In dimension 673 Shadow and Sonia started explaining to the 673 singed one team their purpose.
"We have come on a mission from the rebellion. We have a way to bring the warlord's reign to an end".
"Impossible" Tails 673 said "that guy is invincible. He can't be beat. His army is too great. We fought him together and we were defeated".
"What could possibly be in this dimension that could help you win?" Amy 673 asked them.
"And why should we even give it to you if it does exist? Where was the rebellion when our dimension was conquered? We live like trash because no one fought when needed. Now it's too late" Wave said grudgingly.
Sonia sighed.
"I understand how you all feel. The same thing happened to my dimension. And worse. The warlord slaughtered every single one of my dimension's residents".
Amy 673 and Wave 673 were horrified and Amy even teared up when she heard that.
"But that is in the past. Your people are still alive. And we can help. But we will need your help in return".
"Hmm.." Sonic 673 looked thoughtful "ok… and what is it that you seek?"
"We don't know. All we know is that it must be something closely tied to the singed ones. The rebellion has been following a list this past few months and found bits and pieces in other dimensions. All of them in one way or another tied to the singed ones. There must be something you have come across during your life as the warriors of the lunar dragon you never found use for" Sonia said.
Sonic 673 made a disregarding face but then his eyes widened as if he remembered something.
"Yes… yes… I found something".
"You did?" Jet 673 asked him.
"Yeah. When we travelled to Egypt. Remember when we entered the great pyramid of Giza to ask help from the Ennead?"
"The Ennead? As in Ennead the council of the Egyptian gods?" Shadow asked him surprised.
"Yeah. There are gods in this dimension. All the pantheons of all of humanity's history are real. But after the modernization of the world and humanity forsaking the gods, they abandoned it. One of our enemies tried to steal the power of Amon Ra by stealing and using the winged dragon of Ra card from me to seal the god's power in it. I had to borrow osiris' power by sealing it temporarily into Slifer the sky dragon card and Knuckles here borrowed the power of Horus sealing it into Obelisk the tormentor card. Together we battled the man possessing Ra and defeated him freeing Amon Ra. Before the gods sent us our way they bestowed upon me in secret a weird piece of paper and said that one day the lost two would return and atop the pyramids would unlock the secret to infinite power. I never found out what it meant or what the other two were".
"How come you never told us that? That could have been the key to save our dimension from being conquered!"
"I was sworn to secrecy by Amon Ra. Also even if I wasn't what are the other two? Other pieces of paper?"
"They must be. And they also must be what we need. Wherever they are. " Shadow said.
"It's not that simple Shadow. Didn't you hear what they said? Whatever the three combined papers do we need to do it on top of the pyramids in this dimension. Which means we first need to free this dimension then bring Sonic here so he can temporarily lock it so that no one interferes, do what we have to do and after all that unlock the dimension return to the base and re lock it so these guys will be safe" Sonia explained.
"Lock the dimension?" Sonic 673 asked confused.
"Yeah. Sonic 999, the strongest Sonic in the multiverse has the ability to block access to dimensions. He can form a sort of protective barrier around them so that if one tries to cross to it through a portal they can't".
"Wicked" Sonic 673 said with hope restored in his voice "if we could find a way to send his soldiers away from the dimension then I propose we do that and I will trust you with the paper I found".
"We don't have a problem with that. But first we will need to explain the situation to 999 as he is in another dimension seeking another clue with 2 of our comrades".
"I propose something" Shadow said "I will stay here for the time being as a show of trust. Sonia go to 912, find 999 and bring him here after he finds the clue there. We will need to discuss the situation together".
"You sure?"
"Yeah".
"Do you all have any problem with that?" she asked the 673 singed ones.
"Not at all. As long as you don't draw the attention of the enemy. Remember. Our people are our priority".
"I won't" she said as she left the building and entered the sewer again to open a portal away from anyone's sight.
In 912 Sonic 999 asked Sonic 912 a very specific question.
"Do you have a scar on your back just under the right quill?"
Sonic 912's eyes bulged in shock.
"How do you know that? No one knows this not even Amy and she is my girlfriend!"
"You really have one?" she asked him in surprise.
Sonic 912 lifted his shirt and the scar could clearly be seen right where Sonic 999 said it would be. Amy 912 looked at him.
"How?"
Sonic 999 turned his back and also revealed an exact same scar at the exact same place.
"All Sonic variants have this scar. I discovered it while staying with the rebellion. We had it since birth. I don't know why or how. But this proves I am a variant of you" he said referring to Sonic 912.
"So…. This is true? There is a multiverse?"
"Yes Sonic" Tails 912 said "and a maniac variant of you and Sonic here is out to conquer it all. There is a way he can succeed. We need to help these guys stop him".
"Why should we stop him?" he said realizing something "when we can use him to make the rich bastards pay?"
"Hmph. Even now that you believe us you're still fixated on revenge! This will destroy you!"
"I missed the part where that's my problem. Only once those rich bastards pay will I finally find peace".
At that moment a portal opened behind them. Sonic 999, Tails 616 and Knuckles 541 looked in question while the 912 singed one team backed off except Tails.
"What is this sorcery?!" Knuckles 912 said in horror.
Sonia walked through the portal and came across the complicated situation.
"Sonia?" Sonic 999 asked her in surprise "what are you doing here? Where's Shadow?"
"He stayed in 673. We need you to get there and help free it"
"Who is she? What was that gateway? What is going on?" Sonic 912 asked in utter confusion.
"I am Sonia the hedgehog, variant of the being Sonic the hedgehog from dimension 749" she said calmly despite wondering what was going on.
"Woah! So you are a female Sonic?!" Knuckles 912 said in shock.
"There really is a multiverse!" Blaze 912 said in awe.
"I came here to find you Sonic" Sonia said to Sonic 999 "there is a riddle to be solved in 673. We will need to free it before we can".
"Got my hands tied here. These guys won't give us what we're looking for".
"You want it? Come and get it then!" Sonic 912 said activating his duel disc "cause I'm not handing it over. I don't care about your war. I have my own war to fight!"
"You leave me no choice" Sonic 999 said about to activate his duel disc but Knuckles 541 stopped him.
"Let me do this" he said calmly.
Sonic 999 was hesitant as he still wasn't 100% trusting of Knuckles 541 but eventually nodded and stepped back.
"Ok then big guy! Let's do this!"
"DUEL!"
"I'll start!" Knuckles 541 said.
"Not so fast big guy! I activate the effect of dimension shifter!"
"What is that?" Tails 616 said confused.
"The card Sonic hopes to use to dismantle society" Tails 912 said in disgust "he is still using that deck".
"That deck?" Sonic 999 asked confused as well.
"You'll see. All I can say is now that shifter is activated your friend is in a lot of trouble".
Sonic 999 and Tails 616 looked at each other worried.
"Now that dimension shifter has been activated for 2 turns any card sent to the graveyard is banished instead! Whatever plan you had is now over the graveyard is way too important a resource to not have" Sonic 912 said sinisterly.
To everyone's surprise though Knuckles 541 smiled.
"Is that all? You might as well have gone minus one on your own".
"What?!" Sonic 912 said in horror fearing the possibility Knuckles 541 had a deck that at worst wasn't affected and at best could benefit from dimension shifter's effect.
"I activate the spell card reinforcement of the army to add a warrior of level 4 or less from my deck to my hand. I select battlin boxer burning knuckle!"
"Woah Knuckles uses battling boxers?" Tails 616 said in surprise.
"Fits him" Sonic said grimly remembering their fight.
"Now I summon burning knuckle. When he's summoned I can summon a battlin boxer monster from my deck. Enter the ring battlin boxer rock muscle. When rock muscle is summoned I can search a battling boxer card from my deck and add it to my hand. I select battlin boxer headgeared. Now I overlay my burning knuckle and rock muscle! I xyz summon battlin boxer lead yoke!"
"Nice deck" Sonic 999 said still not realizing what Knuckles was going for "was in its prime when I was 20 years younger".
"Maybe in your dimension my friend but battlin boxers are a fan favorite in my dimension. I activate the continuous spell battlin boxer's fiery spirit. This card has two effects. The first is that my battling boxer xyz monsters cannot be targeted by card effects as long as there is a battlin boxer material attached to them. The other effect is that when there is only one battlin boxer xyz monster on my field it gains the ability to do piercing damage!"
"Wicked. Lead yoke is already hard to kill not being targeted makes it even stronger" Tails 616 said in awe.
"I set 2 cards and end my turn. Your move" Knuckles 541 said.
"Fine! You think that oversized hunchback scares me? I'll bring it down!"
"He's not a hunchback. What you is the locks of the beams that are tied on him".
"Whatever. I draw. I summon forth flowandereeze and robina! I use its effect. I can now add a level 4 or lower flowandereeze from my deck to my hand. I select flowandereeze and eglen".
"That annoying deck" Tails 912 said in disgust.
"What's so bad about a couple of birds?" Tails 616 asked him.
"You have never seen flowandereeze before?" Knuckles 912 said with a sinister smirk "the traitor was right then. Your friend will have a very hard time".
Tails 912 looked at Knuckles with an angry and hurt expression then returned to the duel.
"Now that my robina has successfully added eglen it can also grand me an additional normal summon. I summon forth eglen. He does exactly what robina does but better. Because instead of adding a level 4 or lower he adds a level 4 or higher. I add flowandereeze and empen to my hand. And I get another normal summon".
"All this from one card" Tails 912 said in disgust.
"Empen like all flowandereeze cards grants me another normal summon but first I get to add a flowandereeze spell or trap from my deck to my hand. Also because a winged beast was normal summoned I can add one of my banished eglen or robina back to my hand depending on which of the two's effect I choose to activate. I choose robina".
"He is back to where he started only with a huge monster with an annoying effect and a powerful trap which he is about to add".
"He is right. The card I select is flowandereeze and the dreaming town. Now empen attack lead yoke!"
Empen attacked lead yoke but it survived. (Knuckles 541 LP 7500)
"What? How is that possible? I know lead yoke can survive battle per its effect but my empen stops all attack position special summoned monsters from activating their effects!"
"Too bad buddy. But my yoke's effect isn't activating. It just occurs. He detaches a material and protects himself. I detach rock muscle and he is banished. However detaching allowed lead yoke to grow 800 attack points stronger".
"Damnit. Fine then. I set a card and end my turn".
"I draw then".
"At this moment I activate my trap card. flowandereeze and the dreaming town. I can immediately normal summon a flowandereeze from my hand. I summon robina and you know what happens next. Robina adds flowandereeze and stri, also my banished eglen's effect adds him to my hand, I summon eglen, eglen activates adding raiza the mega monarch from my deck to my hand and I can immediately normal summon it by tributing robina and eglen. Now his effect activates targeting your continuous spell and one of your set cards and returns them one to your hand the other to the top of your deck. Also robina's effect to add herself to my hand activates so you can't respond to raiza!"
"How are robina and eglen banished? Dimension shifter's effect is no more!" Tails 616 said confused.
"All the low level flownadereeze monsters banish themselves upon leaving the field" Kncukles 912 explained.
"So this deck recycles itself so easily AND locks the opponent out with a discount version of inspector boarder? Your Tails is right this really is disgusting" Sonia commented.
"Noone asked you variant!"
"Don't talk to my friends like that. And I have bad news for you bro. The set card you are targeting is forbidden chalice. It empowers your raiza by 400 points but negates its effects!"
"Oh no! But still. The real reason I used dreaming town was so it could go to the graveyard. When it's in there I can banish it and flip all your monsters except for links face down!"
"What?!" Sonia said in horror.
"Inspector boarder discount and book of eclipse without the drawback? What is this deck?!" Sonic 999 said in shock.
"The deck I will free our brothers and sisters from poverty and teach those rich morons humiliation with" Sonic 912 said in pride.
However at the next moment the trap card that had appeared on the field again was dragged down by a dark haired man wearing a lot of skulls on his outfit, and negated.
"What happened? Why did my dreaming town fizzle?!"
"Because I used the effect of skull meister" Knuckles 541 said smiling mischievously "he negates any effect activating in the graveyard. If you want to go through me you will have to try harder".
"Damn you!"
"And since it's still my turn I can summon battling boxer headgeared. Headgeared can send a battlin boxer to my graveyard from my deck. I send battlin boxer inspiring coach. Next I will activate the spell battlin boxer mega punch. By tributing one battlin boxer monster I control like my headgeared I can target one battlin boxer xyz monster I control and deal half its attack points as damage to you! I select of course my lead yoke!"
"Aaah!" (Sonic 912 LP 6500)
"Lead yoke cannot attack since I used the mega punch spell. I set a card and end my turn".
"Is that all you're gonna do?! Just stand behind your monster and not fight?! You're just like those rich idiots I will soon make pay! Underestimating me by not attacking!"
"No one is underestimating you" Knuckles said calmly "I simply couldn't attack cause of the circumstances".
"Then I will start my revenge with you! I draw. I summon forth robina! With robina I add eglen to my hand, then summon it. eglen adds a second empen to my hand and by tributing eglen and robina I summon it. robina returns to my hand because I summoned empen also empen adds a second dreaming town to my hand. Battle! Empen number 1! Attack lead yoke!"
"Pointless. Lead yoke is stronger.
"Maybe. But with the effect of empen this will change. When he battles, I can banish 1 card from my hand like this copy of dimension shifter and halve your monster's attack!"
"What?!"
"So long loser!"
"AAAh!" (Knuckles 541 LP 6300)
"Now your monster is out of overlay units. It can no longer save itself! Raiza! End lead yoke!"
"No you don't! I have too much riding in this duel to lose!"
"Please! What could you possibly have to lose? I am the one who has everything to lose here!"
"What I have to lose is my life and the lives of my new friends! The warlord is a monster who kept me locked up for months and used me to execute anyone he disliked! But now I am free and have once again something to protect! The rebellion's goal is my goal! The lives of everyone who opposes the warlord are riding in this very duel! And I will protect all those lives with my own if I have to!" Knuckles 541 declared.
Sonic 999 felt inspired by Knuckles 541. Despite facing such a powerful and annoying deck he stood strong. For the first time Sonic felt grateful this Knuckles was an ally.
"I use the effect of battlin boxer inspiring coach in my graveyard. Since I only control 1 battlin boxer xyz monster, by banishing it, I can select 2 battlin boxers from the graveyard and attach them onto that monster as materials! Headgeared, burning knuckle empower my monster!"
"No!" Sonic 912 said as the attack landed but lead yoke having xyz materials once again protected itself a second time rising its attack to 3100. (Knuckles 541 LP 5800)
"Like cockroaches you just won't die. Same as the rich bastards. No matter! Empen number 2 attack lead yoke! I banish stri from my hand to halve its attack again!"
"AAAhh!" (Knuckles 541 LP 4650) Lead yoke detatched its final material.
"I end my turn with a face down".
"Perfect. Now I can end you".
"What?!"
"You caused your own defeat. You carelessly played your cards trying to get rid of lead yoke. Same thing you are planning to do. It's as your Tails said. Conflict will only bring catastrophe. And more importantly self-catastrophe. The more you seek revenge the more you will lose".
"Don't speak like you know me!"
"Then I'll let my cards do the talking! I draw! Now that it's my turn again lead yoke gains back the half attach he lost twice due to your empens. He lost first 1500 when he was at 3000 attack and then 1550 when he was at 3100. 4 materials have been detatched so he has gained a total of 3200 attack. Adding all that to his 2200 attack power he stands at a grand total of 8450 attack points!"
"WHAT?!"
"Impossible!" Shadow 912 said in shock.
"Oh but it's very possible!" Knuckles 541 said "you got so lost in your rage that you empowered my monster to the point it will one shot you! This is exactly what will happen if you try to execute your plan! Your plan to fight your own friend, your former leader who only wants to make peace and unite society and make the world a better place! Tell me! Is it worth it now that you see where your will lead you?"
"I… this… I only…"
"Spare it! I'll show you where it will end. I activate my final set card! Book of moon! I set your raiza the mega monarch face down!"
"No…." Sonic 912 said realizing it was over.
"Your raiza only 1000 defense. And since I have the fiery spirit active lead yoke pierces through defense! Lead yoke! Attack the set raiza! Fiery punch!"
"I activate dreaming town!"
"I activate red reboot from my hand. As per its effect I have to pay half my life points" (Knuckles 541 LP 2325) to negate your trap, re-set it and turn off all your traps for the turn!"
Lead yoke destroyed Raiza depleting all of Sonic 912's life points who knelt in defeat.
"Sonic!" Amy 912 yelled as she approached him. Once she got close she saw there were tears streaming down his face.
"After everything we went through…. After all the mistreatment, all the insults, all the suffering…. We were the ones in the wrong? How can this be?!" he said in utter defeat and sadness.
Tails 912 finally realizing how much Sonic 912 was really hurting inside approached him.
"Sonic.. you weren't the one in the wrong. This whole dimension is. It's a cruel world we live in. And I'm sorry. I never meant to abandon any of you. I just.. I just wanted to have peace. We have suffered by the rich for all our lives… but violence will only create more violence. I became the duel king and one of them in an attempt to end the violence. I haven't forgiven them either… yet… but I want to be a bigger man. Bigger than someone fixated on revenge. Please. I'll understand if you don't want to but please join me. You too guys" he said referring to the rest of the 912 singed one team "in order to change the world we need to be the change we want to see. It's not easy. But together we will change things I'm sure".
None of them said anything. Sonic 999, Tails 616, Knuckles 541 and Sonia observed silently.
"I'll understand if you don't want to help. But at least let's make peace. That's all I want" Tails 912 plead with them one more time.
Sonic 912 then looked at him.
"Tails… I don't know if what you wish to achieve can be done… but this Knuckles I just fought is right. My plan really is self-destructive. And I share the will for no one else to get hurt without there being a reason. I don't know if I'll be able to ever fully accept the rich as equals after all the mistreatment… but I'm willing to try if things will get better for everyone else sharing our struggle".
Tails 912 smiled genuinely. He hugged Sonic 912 who hugged him back. The rest of the singed one team stood still for a moment and then rushed in to join the hug finally united again. Sonic 999 observed this smiling. He put his hand on Knuckles 541's shoulder.
"Good duel big guy. We're lucky to have you".
"Thanks" he said smiling "and thanks for finally accepting me".
Sonic smiled and fist-bumped Knuckles 541. After that he got the attention of the 912 team.
"Sorry to interrupt… but since Knuckles here won… could we have the map Tails 912 said you found?"
"Map?" Sonia said in surprise.
"Oh right. It's in my house. Well since we are a team again why don't you go to Tails' house and we will join you soon? After all we have a society changing plan to work on right buddy?" he said.
"You bet".
"Alright. We'll be expecting you".
Tails 912 took the rebel crew to his house. After a while the 912 team joined them. After a lot of catching up and a duel between Sonic 912 and Sonic 999 which 999 won this time against Sonic 912's real deck, adventurer link dragon ruler, Sonic 912 showed them the map.
"We don't know what it shows. It seems to be depicting something like a mountainous place. I theorized while studying it that's it's a part of another map."
"Maybe it is" Sonia said "in 673 we met the singed one team there and they have another piece of paper. They said that when they got it they were informed that one day the lost two would return. The rebellion has a map, and now this map. I think their paper is a third map".
"And you think they are part of a puzzle?" Blaze 912 asked her.
"Maybe. But to truly find out we need to take this map to 673".
"You can take it. If it's as we learnt when we go it, the key to saving all of reality you will need it".
"Ok" Sonic 999 said "thank you for trusting me with it. When we leave I will lock the dimension so it will not be invaded by the warlord".
"Thank you. And thank you for opening my eyes. I promise never to resort to violence again if I can avoid it" Sonic 912 promised.
"Well we better get going. Shadow is waiting" Sonia said.
"Alright here goes" Sonic 999 said as he and the rebel crew activated their wristwatches creating the portal. They walked in as they waved back at the 912 singed one team".
"Good luck on your quest" Tails 912 said as the portal closed.
Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Sonia turned around to find themselves in Sonic 673's shop. They waited for about 10 minutes wondering where Shadow and the 673 squad was. Eventually they heard screams of excitement coming from outside. Confused they ran out and saw people ecstatic running around. In utter confusion they walked through the crowd asking what had happened and one bystander who was calm enough to talk said only one phrase.
"We're free!" he said and then joined the frenzy.
The rebel crew looked at each other in utter confusion. Following the frenzied crowd they arrived at a square where to their surprise the 673 singed one team was with Shadow on their shoulders as they hailed him as a hero. Shadow saw his comrades and asked the 673 team to let him down so he could approach them.
"What happened here?" Sonic 999 asked him in surprise.
"Well you took too long so I freed the dimension with the help of our new comrades. With a little help from our allies back home of course" he said right as Silver joined them.
"Shadow informed us about the situation so I led a team with him to free the dimension. It was so easy. All I had to do was hack into their coms, send a message saying to report to the warlord in dimension 312 where we launched a fake assault and once everyone was off we locked the dimension down".
"But how? And how were we able to pass through then?"
"It seems you could say you arrived at just the nick of time. I locked the dimension merely 5 minutes ago".
"Damn. We arrived about 15 minutes ago. It seems we arrived right when you won the battle with whoever remained here" Tails 616 commented
"Did you take prisoners?" Sonia asked Shadow.
"Yes. They will be tried as war criminals by the citizens of this dimension. But for now we have the mission to go through with. Did you get the clue from the other dimension?"
"Yeah. It's a map. Wait a minute!" Sonic said in realization I forgot to lock their dimension. Give me a moment" he said harnessing his powers and closing his eyes. Once he opened them he smiled.
"The deed is done. So what now?"
"Now" Sonic 673 said appearing next to Shadow "we solve the ancient mystery the Ennead is hiding".
"The Ennead?" Sonic 999 said in surprise.
"We'll explain. The journey to Giza will be long and we have a lot of catching up to do" Shadow said as they all followed Sonic 673.
