Episode 7: In the Name of Equality! (continued)

Battle 11, commence!

Allies: Anyone from Hiroyuki, Akari, Shiho, Masashi, Serika, Ayaka, Aoi, Kotone, Lemmy, Rio, Tomoko, Multi, Serio, Hero, Sandara

Enemy: Melficio Victorialuna (HP: 49,008), Hammer Arm (HP: 6,600), Sickle Arm (HP: 5,200)

Melficio Victorialuna's moves:

1. Banat ni Abat -- Physical damage vs. all opponents; only usable if the Sickle Arm is alive
2. Espada ni Faeldon -- Heavy physical damage vs. one opponent; only usable if the Hammer Arm is alive
3. Hello Garci, Goodbye Gloria! -- Non-elemental damage vs. all opponents
4. Kamandag ni Lizardo -- Give all bad status effects to one opponent
5. Tadyak ng Pagkakawatak-watak -- Physical damage vs. one opponent
6. Mabuhay ang Armadong Rebolusyon! -- Heavy darkness damage vs. all opponents

Starting line-up: Hiroyuki, Akari, Serika, Hero, Sandara, Shiho

Hiroyuki gets a turn. He chooses to attack Melficio Victorialuna. He deals 3103 damage to him. A critical hit!
Akari gets a turn. She chooses to cast Chemical Impact on all enemies. She deals 1507 damage each to them.
Melficio Victorialuna gets a turn. He chooses to use the Hammer Arm in order to cast Espada ni Faeldon on Serika. Serika takes 1337 damage. Serika is in critical condition.
Sandara gets a turn. She chooses to cast No Dong on the Hammer Arm. She deals 5433 damage to it, KOing it.
Hero gets a turn. He chooses to cast Disabling Slash on Melficio Victorialuna. He deals 1695 damage to him. But Melficio Victorialuna is not paralyzed!
Melficio Victorialuna gets a turn. He chooses to use the Sickle Arm in order to cast Banat ni Abat on all allies. All allies suffer an average of 246 damage. Serika is still in critical condition.
Akari gets a turn. She chooses to be replaced by Masashi using "Switch".
Masashi gets a turn. He chooses to use his Special Ability, Mirager, on the Sickle Arm. He deals 20 hits and a total of 970 damage to it.
Shiho gets a turn. She chooses to use her Special Ability, Flying Head Scissors, on the Sickle Arm. She deals 757 damage to it.
Melficio Victorialuna gets a turn. He chooses to cast Hello Garci, Goodbye Gloria! on all allies. All allies suffer an average of 318 damage. Serika is still in critical condition.
Hiroyuki gets a turn. He chooses to be replaced by Ayaka using "Switch".
Ayaka gets a turn. She chooses to use her Special Ability, Stun Palm of Doom, on the Sickle Arm. She deals 1080 damage plus instant death to it, KOing it.
Melficio Victorialuna: You may have destroyed the symbols of the masses' struggle, but that has only strengthened me! Now, prepare for your descent to the abyss, terrorists!
Sandara gets a turn. She chooses to be replaced by Aoi using "Switch".
Aoi gets a turn. She chooses to use her Special Ability, Aoi Special, on Melficio Victorialuna. She deals 5675 damage to him.
Melficio Victorialuna gets a turn. He chooses to cast Tadyak ng Pagkakawatak-watak on Aoi. Aoi takes 295 damage.
Masashi gets a turn. He chooses to be replaced by Kotone using "Switch".
Kotone gets a turn. She chooses to use her Special Ability, "I Hate You!", on Melficio Victorialuna. She deals 1060 damage to him.
Hero gets a turn. He chooses to be replaced by Lemmy.
Lemmy gets a turn. She chooses to use Pito-Pito Herbal Tea on all allies. All allies' HP's are restored to full.
Shiho gets a turn. She chooses to be replaced by Rio using "Switch".
Rio gets a turn. She chooses to use her Special Ability, Papergirl, on Melficio Victorialuna. She deals 950 damage to him.
Melficio Victorialuna gets a turn. He chooses to cast Kamandag ni Lizardo on Kotone. Kotone is now afflicted with all sorts of status ailments except instant death.
Kotone gets a turn. She chooses to be replaced by Tomoko using "Switch".
Tomoko gets a turn. She chooses to use her Special Ability, Respect the Iincho, on Melficio Victorialuna. She deals 1740 damage to him.
Melficio Victorialuna gets a turn. He chooses to cast Mabuhay ang Armadong Rebolusyon! on all allies. All allies suffer an average of 705 damage.
Aoi gets a turn. She chooses to be replaced by Multi using "Switch".
Multi gets a turn. She chooses to use her Special Ability, Wanzer Attack! (because Multi's current weapon is an arm cannon), on Melficio Victorialuna. She deals 5228 damage to him.
Rio gets a turn. She chooses to be replaced by Serio using "Switch".
Serio gets a turn. She chooses to use her Special Ability, Voltron Blazing Sword, on Melficio Victorialuna. She deals 2301 damage to him.
Melficio Victorialuna gets a turn. He chooses to cast Mabuhay ang Armadong Rebolusyon! on all allies. All allies suffer an average of 527 damage.
Lemmy gets a turn. She chooses to use her Special Ability, Great Balls of Fire, on Melficio Victorialuna. She deals 2331 damage to him.
Multi gets a turn. She chooses to cooperate with Serio for a Team-Up Attack called "Pride of Kurusugawa Electronics". They both deal 21008 damage to him.
Serika gets a turn. She chooses to use her Special Ability, Forbidden Chant, on Melficio Victorialuna. She deals 2545 damage to him, KOing him.
Melficio Victorialuna: Rrgh... This is not yet the end! The rune will still grant me power to rule the Philippines! Just you wait and see!

Battle 11 ended.

Mr. Victorialuna abruptly rises from his defeat, then raises both his arms towards the direction of the still-purple sky. He then chants the following.

"Kapangyarihan ng kadiliman, bigyan mo ako ng pagkakataon para supilin ang mga nagangahas na ipagkait ang kalayaan ng bansa! (Power of darkness, please give me the chance to exterminate those who dare steal the country's independence!) Dalihm hamil agela, malicia! Dalihm hamil agela, malicia! Ultimate Chicken Invader, integrate!"

A brief flash occurs, and from it Mr. Victorialuna transforms into a giant chicken with a demonic head and wielding an equally demonic spear.

"What the heck! How do we all fight this... thing?" Hiroyuki exclaims.

"How is it, terrorists? Surely with this form you all will not have a chance to live, because your foolish and pathetic bodies and souls will be brought to never-ending seas of hellfire by my new power!" Mr. Victorialuna declares.

He then easily blows away the unified force with just a swing of his spear. But, in the blink of an eye, John and Heart quickly save them from certain death with their combined powers of protection and healing.

Afterwards, Mr. Victorialuna does the unthinkable. What is it, you ask?

"In order to formally install the sovereign rule by the Filipinos and for the Filipinos, I hereby invoke the power to accelerate the date to one score after the fabled revolution. That is, February 24, 2006. Down with the Arrovo, ahem, Arroyo administration! Down with the Not-so-United Opposition! Down with the so-called Third Force! Only I can rule this country and lead to its everlasting progress under the banner of self-reliance!"

He then raises his spear, and chants yet another chant.

"Ngayon, bigyan mo ako ng kapagyarihang mamuno sa lupang pangako sa ilalim ng isang mapanghimagsik at mapagpalayang pamamalakad! (Now, give me the power to rule the promised land under a revolutionary and freedom-giving authority!) Gaukauwom kistelizael gumaraeth! Gaukauwom kistelizael gumaraeth! Transition Revolutionary Junta, install!"

In a matter of minutes, the space-time continuum is warped to accelerate to the said date; and afterwards, the still-brainwashed people all rise from their positions. They then face Mr. Victorialuna and chant heartlessly and constantly: "Mabuhay ang Pilipinas. Mabuhay si Victorialuna."

Will this be the end of the struggle against Mr. Victorialuna and the start of the Philippines becoming a failed state?

Meanwhile...

In a dark, empty space, the unified force, recovered but still unconscious, hears the voices of the King and Queen of Hearts.

"Not yet, Rizal. Sleep not in peace;
There are a thousand waters to be spanned;
There are a thousand mountains to be crossed;
There are a thousand crossed to be borne.
Our shoulders are not strong; our sinews are
Grown flaccid with dependence, smug with ease
Under another's wing.
Rest not in peace;
Not yet Rizal, not yet. The land had need
Of young blood and what younger than your own.
Forever spilled in the great name of freedom,
Forever oblate on the altar of the free?
Not yet alone, Rizal. O souls.
And spirits of the martyred brave, arise!
Arise and sour the land! Shed once again
Your willing lood! Infuse the vibrant red
Into our thin anemic veins; until
We pick up your Promethean tools and, strong,
Out of the depthless matrix of your faith
In us, and on the silent cliffs of freedom,
We carve for all time your marmoreal dream!
Until your people, seeing, are become
Like the molave, firm, resilient, staunch,
Rising on the hillside, unafraid,
Strong in his own fibre; yes, like the molave!"

---"Like the Molave" by R. Zulueta de Costa

At the end of the poem, the members of the unified force gradually rise from their unconsciousness.

The male members say, "John?"

The female members say, "Heart?"

"Yes. That's us," John and Heart assure.

"We both know, as well as all of you, that no matter what that darn Mr. Victorialuna says, he can be defeated. Ya wanna know why?" John explains.

"We still haven't told you all about him. It's a long story, so here it goes," Heart begins her exposition. "Melficio Victorialuna may look and act like a human, but in reality, he's an unknown being with fearsome magical power. In fact, he is the product of five hundred years' worth of negative energy borne by Filipinos and their former conquerors who ruled throughout those years. All the hatred, all the betrayal, all the selfishness, all the bloodlust, everything bad that has happened throughout the course of Philippine history -- has given form and substance to that hideous being."

The members of the unified force fall on their knees, learning that dreadful fact.

"Wait! Why are you all getting your hopes down?" John persuades. "HE CAN BE DEFEATED, REMEMBER?"

The members of the unified force then immediately rise from their kneeling.

"The key to defeating him lies on the people. People, no matter how diverse their backgrounds are, can still be united if they fully realize the wrongs that can be set aright, reduce their individual levels of boastfulness and self-righteousness, and progress themselves despite numerous obstacles. Remember the key phrase: 'POWER TO THE PEOPLE!' It is better to have a thinking crowd than to have a speaking authority," Heart continues.

"Now it's all clear," Hero and Sandara say.

"Let's get this over with. The Filipino people need not only us, but their true selves that long for national unity and common good," Hiroyuki and Akari follow.

With their weapons raised in the air, all of the members of the unified force shout in unison: "PARA SA 'YO ANG LABAN NA ITO! HINDI KAMI SUSUKO! ISISIGAW NATIN SA MUNDO! PARA SA 'YO, BAYAN KO! (This fight is for you! We won't surrender! We'll prove to the world! This is for you, my beloved land!)"

Undoubtedly, they all have a brand-new fighting spirit in them. John and Heart, satisfied by this, gleefully sends them back to the place of the final battle, Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, in a flash of pure light. And interestingly enough, they are each encased in protective bubbles while they float in mid-air, near that hideous figure who is about to start his junta.

Meanwhile, John and Heart conjure a massive spell that restores the hearts and minds of the people who flocked at EDSA from the malicious brainwashing. Afterwards, an invisible barrier is formed on top of those people.

"What the hell is this? You terrorist vermin are back? Not if my powers can snuff you all for good," Mr. Victorialuna arrogantly says before he swings his spear mightily.

Fortunately, the sharp wind generated by the spear neither fazes the unified force, thanks to the bubbles; nor the people, thanks to the barrier installed on them.

"GGGGGGRRRRRRR! Did not even make a scratch! Damn you all! Even the Filipino people who were once blessed and are now cursed! DAMN YOU ALL!" Mr. Victorialuna curses.

The members of the unified force respond to the evil chicken's bellyaching by their rightfully brave words and poses.

"You, King of Philippine Political Chaos, Lord of Filipino Moral Erosion, should be doomed to damnation. Serio, Model Number HMX-13, Maid Robot!"

"I am discontented. And I know that there are many out there who are more discontented than I am for the same reason. And that reason is simple. I am sick and tired of you claiming to speak for me and many Filipinos. I feel like screaming every time you mouth words about fighting for my freedom and my rights, when you obviously are just thinking about yours. You tell me that the essence of democracy is providing every citizen the right to speak his or her mind and make his or her own informed judgments, but you yourself do not respect my silence and the choices I and many others have made. Multi, Model Number HMX-12, Maid Robot!"

"In other words, your concept of democracy is limited to having your rights and your freedoms respected, at the expense of ours. Tomoko Hoshina, Class Representative!"

"I am utterly flabbergasted that you still do not get it: we already responded to your deeds, and our response has been very clear - we chose to condemn your actions against us Japanese not because we do not love our adopted country or our freedoms or our rights, but precisely because we love our adopted country even more. Because quite frankly, we are prepared to lose our freedoms and our rights just to move this country forward. You may counter with your ideological propaganda and give me all the dire warnings about the evils of martial law, authoritarian rule, suppression of freedom, etc., but quite frankly all we see is your pathetic efforts to defend your right to continue fulminating, filibustering, and sabotaging this country until you wrestle power for yourself. You tell me that you are simply protecting my freedoms and my rights, but who told you to do that? I assure you that when I feel that my rights and my freedoms are at a peril, I will stand up and fight for them myself. I have seen the Filipinos done that in the past, and I will do it personally when I SEE THE NEED FOR IT, not when you tell me to do it. Rio Hinayama, Newspaper Girl!"

"You tell us that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is not the right person to lead this country because she has done immoral acts. You also tell us that the United Opoosition is not fit to rule the country because you fear to lose your power to them. As someone who sees immorality being committed wantonly in many ways every day and by everyone (yes, especially you), I may have become jaded. I may have lowered my standards about what a leader should be. Guess what, Mr. Victorialuna, you lowered it yourself. You not only lowered it, but also lowered the standards of every political entity into the lowest level possible. You deserve to be called the greatest of fools. Lemmy Miyauchi, Yankee Archer!"

"But the simple truth that you try to obfuscate is this: you have not been able to offer me any viable alternative than yourself! You're only thinking of yourself, not the entire Philippines. It's the highest form of arrogance that leads to the deadly sin of pride. Kotone Himekawa, Purple-Haired Psychic!"

"From where I stand, countless people braved the elements to move this country forward while you have been so busy with one and only one thing: to make sure they do not succeed. So forgive me if I do not want to join you in your moral mockery contest. Forgive me if I have chosen to see things from another perspective. You say both the administration and the opposition, as well as the political third force, are the problem. I say, we are -- all of us -- is the problem; more to the point, I think you are a bigger problem than all of them. Taking all of them out may solve part of the problem, but that leaves us with a bigger problem: you. That is right, YOU! Aoi Matsubara, Extreme Fighter!"

"While I felt outraged that you discriminated against us for such an absurd reason as a ban on everything Japanese, I have tried many times to do the Christian and moral thing: forgive. Just as we all forgive all components of the Philippine political spectrum, we tried and are still trying to forgive you. But now that your true colors are exposed, you do not deserve to be forgiven, because you are not human! As often said, 'To err is human; to forgive divine.' Ayaka Kurusugawa, Karateka of Fabul!"

"You always discredit every other politician than yourself, and that is one of the many ways of showing the hypocrisy of telling me that you do everything for the sake of protecting the moral fiber of society. The real reason is because you smell blood and you want to go for the kill. Serika Kurusugawa, Mage of the Occult!"

"Well, I have news for you. I do not like Filipino politicians as a whole, on the basis of Stone Cold Steve Austin's 'DTA: Don't Trust Anybody'. But as much as I do not like them, I do not like you even more. I may not trust them, but you know what, I do not trust you even more. Masashi Sato, Speed Rogue!"

"You know why I do not trust you? Because all you do is whine and sabotage this country. You belittle every little progress we make, conveniently forgetting that it is not just Arroyo, or any other politician for that matter, who has been working so hard to achieve them. Every single day, we keep the faith burning in our hearts that this country will finally pull itself out of the mess and we work so hard to do that. Every little progress is the result of our collective effort, we who toil hard everyday in our jobs. Yet, you persist in one and only thing: making all Filipinos look bad in the eyes of the world and making sure that this country continues to suffer to prove your sorry point. In the process, you continue to destroy what we painstakingly try to build. So please do not be surprised that I do not share your cause. Do not be surprised that we have become contemptuous of your antics. You have moved heaven and earth to destroy our credibility, you have convened all kinds of political hullabaloo and all you have done is test our patience to the core. For all your efforts, you have only succeeded in dragging us further down. I say enough. Shiho Nagaoka, Pop Star Red Mage!"

"Don't get me wrong. I am not asking that we take immorality lying down, or that we let the President, or any other erring official, get away with anything illegal. But you have tried to prove your accusations all this time and you have not succeeded, so it is time to let things be. Besides, you are doing something immoral as well if not utterly unforgivable. Based from what I've read in Philippine mass media, the Magdalo soldiers are consorting with the communists -- the same people who have been trying to kill democracy for years. Cory Aquino has been consorting with Erap Estrada and the Marcoses. And the Arroyo administration still maintains a defensive stance on things that can potentially destroy it. I feel sorry for the Pearl of the Orient Seas. Akari Kamigishi, Cooking Cleric!"

"So please wake up and go back to the abyss that you came from. In the absence of true and genuine moral leadership, many Filipinos, as well as us foreign visitors, have decided to cast our lot with the President, even if we do not like her. One flawed leader is better than a thousand scheming power-hungry fools who can not even stand up for their convictions in the face of an impending arrest. And you're the embodiment of those fools. Hiroyuki Fujita, Slacker Swordsman!"

"Your coup attempts, manipulations of major players in current Philippine affairs, and other terrorizing destabilizations made only underscore what we think is true: you are a spineless and unreliable monster who only wants power but not the consequences and the sacrifices that go with the quest. Your one and only defense is to cry suppression when your ruse does not work. You are nothing but a BULLY who taunts and provokes, but cries oppression when taken to task for your cruelty. You call for the rule of law and respect for authority, but so brazenly display your defiance and disrespect for the same things you claim to be fighting for. Sandara Park, Korean Mystic!"

"I would have respected you if you took the consequences of your actions like real heroes: calmly and responsibly instead of kicking and screaming and making all kinds of lame excuses. You say you are willing to die for us, that you do all these things for the country and the Filipino, but you are not even willing to do so for us. Hero Angeles, Technological Swordsman!"

Even John and Heart give their words of just rage and pose with all their dignity.

"Come on, you really think we believe that you did not want to bring down the government and build your own when THAT IS THE ONE AND ONLY ONE THING THAT YOU HAVE BEEN DESPERATELY TRYING TO DO in the last many months? Heart Evangelista, Queen of Hearts!"

"We love this country and we want peace and progress. Many among us do not mind who sits at Malacanang because we will work hard and do our share to make things work. We, the people, will and can make it work, if only you get out of the way and let us do it. If you only do your jobs, the ones you are supposed to be doing, things would be a lot simpler and easier for all of us. John Pratts, King of Hearts!"

But the bravest, most dignified, and most patriotic, sentiment of all comes from none other than the entire citizenry of the Filipino nation, who hears the previous words of the unified force from all corners of the archipelago, and even the rest of the world. They now finally stand up and realize who the greatest threat to the Philippines is.

"The negative events in the timetable of our history only proved one thing. You are more dangerous and a serious threat to this country than all of us is, though we were the source of the negative energy that gave birth to you. We have seen and felt what you are capable of doing -- you are ready to burn this country and reduce everything to ashes just to prove your point. If there is something that we need protection from, IT IS PROTECTION FROM YOU!"

"Hahahahahahaha. So much for many, many minutes of empty promises against me," Mr. Victorialuna finally reacts to the lengthy yet collaborative statement. "I, Melficio Victorialuna, will take you all down!"

"Hiroyuki, Akari, Hero, Sandara!" Heart commands the aforementioned four. "We still have enough power to make your transformations last longer. Your friends will help us guard our beloved compatriots while you do battle against that evil chicken in your transformed selves."

"Here it goes, amigos!" John casts a spell on the four. "Nosi balasi nagwali eletherohikarianos! Light of Eternal Justice in Revelation, materialize!"

With John's spell, Hiroyuki transforms into the Protector Dragoon of Fire; Akari into the Protector Dragoon of Light; Hero into Mysterio; and Sandara into Sohee.

The four fly into the attack range of Mr. Victorialuna, while the rest of the unified force descends along with John and Heart to fortify the barrier that protects the people.

"Sa ngalan ng pambansang pagkakaisa para sa kabutihan ng lahat at tunay na kapayapaan! Sa ngalan ng pagkakapantay-pantay! (In the name of national unity for the sake of the common good and genuine peace! In the name of equality!)" the four bravely declare to the greatest threat to the Philippines.

This is it, folks; the REAL final battle.

(to be continued)