Hey hey everyone! We're at chapter 8! We're almost at the climax of this book! I'm eager to share the epic details of the final battle! It's up to Tails, Blake, and Sun to execute the final phase of Merlin's plan which will be completed soon! After this chapter, the arrival of Mobius' greatest defenders will be a reality! Who are they? You'll have to wait until next Saturday! Either way, let's get this chapter rollin' along! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: All music, characters, etc belong to their respective creators!
(-Music: Will You Continue? [ Sonic Adventure ]-)
The scene opens to the eyelids of Miles "Tails" Prower, who groans as he opens his sapphire blue eyes as the view switches to his perspective. He sees that he is in a white void as the camera pans forward as he sees a glimpse of his reflection of his Mobian form. Then the camera turns to him in his Faunus form as he stands up.
"Where am I?" Tails asks while looking around. "Hello?! Anybody here?! HELLO!"
He sighs as Tails places his hand on through his hair wondering what to do in this situation but then his right fox ear twitched causing him to face a hooded figure approaching him. The Twin-Tailed Genius was about to get in a combative stance before seeing a brown fox tail behind him; which made him ease his guard and smile.
"Uncle Merlin! Are you here to tell us about the final phase of the plan?" He asked his uncle, who removed his hood. "Sonic and the others are in Mistral right now, waiting for you."
"Yes nephew. But I have sent someone in my place to tell them of their next move. You don't have much time before the aligned time arrives." Merlin said. "Are the preparations completed?"
"Sorta. We're dealing with interference from the White Fang and the people of Menagerie are afraid to join the fight for Mistral… is there something we can do about this Uncle Merlin?" Tails asked, yearning for answers on this issue.
Merlin closed his eyes for a few moments. "I wouldn't worry about the inhabitants of Menagerie nephew. It falls upon you and your allies that this plan must succeed. Do you have the Chaos Emeralds with you right now?"
"They're back on Patch in my lab."
"Good. Call them to you nephew once we depart from this space."
"Umm, how can I do that? Shadow and Knuckles, maybe Sonic can call them. I don't have a powerful enough connection to the emeralds."
"You can do so, nephew. Back when Dr. Eggman's creation A.D.A.M. infected your friend, Tommy. You fulfilled one of Mobius' prophecies. The Great Harmony. You have a powerful connection that is even close to the Guardian and Shadow's connection to the Chaos Force. You have to believe in yourself. Don't forget. The emeralds can turn one's thoughts into power and perform miracles. Your bodies are capable of using the emerald's full power. So put your worries and fears aside, nephew." The Neowalker closed his eyes as a transparent scene of Menagerie appeared. He sees Iila with her Scroll out. "The White Fang are preparing for their final pushback against you and your allies. Trust in your allies to handle the enemy. Your task is to complete the link between Remnant and Mobius."
Tails looked unsure as his gaze fell upon his reflection. Then he balled his hands to fists as he faced his uncle with a determined expression. "Okay Uncle Merlin. Tell me what I should do."
The transparent scene vanishes as Merlin nods. "Now Tails. Once you have called the Chaos Emeralds to you, head to the center of the city and say the inchant. After that, Shadow, the Guardian, and yourself shall perform Chaos Control. And your allies will handle the rest."
"Will do! I'll do my best Uncle Merlin!"
"See you soon, Tails."
His uncle fades away as a bright light shone in the white void.
(-Music Ends-)
(-Music: Trouble Outbreak [ Sen no Kiseki ]-)
The scene transitions to Menagerie, Blake Belladonna leans against the railing on the balcony of the Belladonna Family Home. She looks up into the night sky as a voice calls out for her from inside her home.
"Hey Blake! You ready to go?" The voice asked her.
"Be right there!" The Shadowcat said.
She feels a note taped to the wooden railing of the balcony. She grabs it and reads the message written down:
"B
Things going too far.
Not sure what to do.
Find a quiet spot,
I'll find you.
Come alone. Please.
-I"
Blake looks around a bit before hearing the sliding door open. She quickly places the note in her coat.
"We going recruiting or what? We've got the entire nocturnal section to hit up!" Sun Wukong said, feeling antsy to get started. "Your mom is going to get Tails from his nap."
She doesn't respond to his statement while having a concerned look on her face. Which the Monkey Faunus picked up on.
"You okay?" He asked her.
Blake nods. "Yeah, I'll meet you there. I need to take care of something first."
As the two walk away, there is a quiet sound of rustling in the trees behind her.
(-Music Ends-)
We now follow Blake who is facing a darkened alleyway as her amber eyes glowed slightly.
"Iila?" She called out.
"I'm here." Iila responded.
The Shadowcat draws Gambol Shroud. Ilia walks out from the shadows with her hands up and drops her black camouflage.
"Ilia, I know you're scared, but you don't have to be. My family and I, we can keep you safe."
"I'm sorry." She muttered.
"You can make it up to me by helping us stop Corsac and Fennec."
"No." Then Iila's tone turns hostile. "I'm sorry."
(-Music: Suitable Opponent [ Sonic Adventure 2 ]-)
Ilia's right hand curls up into a fist. Footsteps can be heard running on the rooftop next to them. Blake looks up and sees Yuma fly down and land on her back, forcing her to the ground. Blake drops Gambol Shroud which lands at Ilia's feet. Blake gasps, regaining her breath and struggles to get up as Yuma presses his foot against her back. He gets off her as two more Faunus join him as she gets back up on her feet.
"Wait-"
Suddenly, Blake gets wrapped in spider web silk. One of the Faunus grabs the silk strand holding her from the enemy's hand.
"I've got her." Said a young girl with gray-blue eyes and medium length gray-blue hair covering her right eye. She has pale skin and pronounced gray veins on her chest and arms. These lead to her gray hands, where her spinnerets are located. She wears a black and dark gray uniform with gold buttons and zipper like the rest of her enforcers, but unlike her male teammates, her front zipper is left open, revealing her upper chest. She is Trifa.
"Well done, Sister Trifa - and to you, Ilia." Yuma says with a dark smirk on his face as he tosses Lightning Lash to Iila.
"Ilia! What are you doing?!" The Shadowcat asks as she struggles against her bindings.
"I tried to warn you, Blake. I'm sorry." The Chameleon Faunus apologized ruefully as she approached her former friend.
Blake narrows her eyes. "Don't tell me you're sorry!"
"But I am. I am sorry it has to be this way, but you and your family are holding the Faunus back!" Iila retorted.
"Because we're trying to protect people?! In what world do you live in where attacking the innocent is the right thing to do?!"
"The same one as you! There's no such thing as innocent! There's no right thing to do! Only what's best for us! There's the humans that still hate the Faunus, and there's the others who stand by and let the hate happen! But you know what snuffs out hate? Fear. I don't like hurting people. But I'll tell you this…" She points her weapon at Blake. "...it's gotten us results."
Blake's bangs cover her eyes. "Yeah, look where it's gotten you…"
Ilia's eyes widen and she briefly ponders Blake's retort, but she just shrugs it off. "We all have to make sacrifices for the greater good, no matter how much it hurts."
"And you think killing me is really for the greater good?"
The Chameleon Faunus shook her head. "No, but getting rid of your family is."
The Shadowcat's eyes widened in horror. "You wouldn't! You can't! I won't let you!"
"I know. That's why you're being sent to Mistral. To Adam."
Blake's expression grows more afraid, almost on the verge of tears. Then she struggles more against her restraints. "Ilia, please! You don't have to do this. This isn't you!"
"Yes. It. Is! But I guess back then you were just too busy falling for Adam to notice." Iila muttered sourly, making her former friend furrow a brow. "I was always jealous of the way you looked at him… I wanted you to look at me that way… But we can't always get what we want! Yuma, with me. You two, get her to the docks."
"Keep calm Blake… don't lose control." Blake mentally told herself as she felt some of the Chaos Energy from within about to burst.
Ilia and Yuma leave while the other two Faunus prepare to bring Blake with them.
"Let's go, traitor." Trifa tugs on the silk holding Blake, but Blake remains stationary.
She snaps open her eyes. "Now!"
"Huh?!"
Suddenly, Sun jumps out of nowhere and knocks down the Faunus next to Trifa. Then, Trifa draws her knife and engages in a brief duel with Sun. He blocks her attacks with the staff form of Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang before disarming her. Blake, now free from her bonds, then grabs Trifa's shoulder and punches her square in the face, knocking her out.
"Thanks for the back up." She thanked Sun.
"Thanks for the invitation! You okay?" Sun asked her.
Blake picks up Gambol Shroud and places it on her back. "No. You heard Ilia, my family is in danger. Call the police and let's go!"
"Right!"
The two exit the alleyway and begin running toward the Belladonna's home. They both take their Scrolls out to call their respective contacts.
"Come on, mom, pick up!" The Shadowcat worriedly thought, hoping that her mother could pick up the phone.
Back at the Belladonna's home, a scroll is seen vibrating on the table with Blake's portrait and the text "BLAKE CALLING" on the screen. Gunfire can be heard. Suddenly, the table is knocked to its side as Kali and a Menagerie Guard take cover.
"Get down!" Shouted a Guard.
The guard gets up to fire back at two White Fang soldiers. He manages to shoot one of them down, but he gets shot down by the other. With the guard incapacitated, Kali takes his pistol and starts firing back.
"Get out of my house! Ghira!" She calls for her husband.
As she calls out to her husband, Kali is forced to take cover again from the gunfire. Meanwhile, Ghira and a couple of other Menagerie guards fend off some White Fang troops in the entry hall. One of them tries to kick Ghira, but he grabs his foot and slams him into the wall. Ghira dodges a sword slash from another White Fang trooper. A guard manages to knock out another trooper after a brief scuffle, and Ghira knocks out the troop that attacked him by punching him in the diaphragm and slamming his head into the ground.
"Go find my wife!" Ghira commanded.
Another White Fang troop approaches Ghira with his fist drawn back, but Ghira grabs his wrist and knife, hands him in the neck, and then tosses him aside. Another guard gets shot while protecting Ghira and goes limp. Ghira catches the guard's body and drops it to the ground, with Ghira wincing at his fallen comrade. He then growls as he turns his attention to the Albains, who have their weapons out.
"I believe it's time our dear chieftain stepped down, brother." Corsac said to his brother with a dark grin on his face.
"Yes brother, I'm afraid I'm inclined to agree." Fennec shared a similar grin like her brother.
Ghira lets his claws out and rips his coat off. He bares his fangs and makes a feral growl at the two brothers, before letting out a mighty roar.
(-Music Ends-)
(-Music: Gohan Angers 2 [ Dragon Ball Z ]-)
"I'm afraid that you'll be taking no more lives tonight! Never again!" A voice said to the two brothers behind them causing them to turn around to have shocked faces.
The three face the battle hardened Tails as he had orange electricity sparking around him. Then he narrowed his eyes as the scene fades to black with his sapphire eyes shimmering in the darkness as multi-colored sparks of electricity surge around them.
(-Music Ends-)
[ To be Continued… ]