The Passage of Gem Ch.12

This music plays: m.youtube.com/watch?v=fZaZC2t6…

Jake's whole body is surrounded in cybernetic armor as he transforms into his ultimate state. Everyone was shocked by this except for Morgan.

Vice:   Well.....that's interesting....but it won't save you here....kill him!

The transformation was complete when his sword evolved into a powerful fighting blade. As hundreds of goons attacked him, Jake kills them all in one swipe.

Jake:   Is that all?

Vice:   Scanning......hmmmm.....that's some armor....but let's see it handle this!

Many goons fly into the air and charge a reactor blast from their chests.

Vice:   On my command.....FIRE!!!!!

Firing all at once, a huge blast of energy launched straight at Jake, emotionless to the outcome. Everyone started to panic, except once again Morgan.

Morgan:   Calm down! He knows what he's doing!

Jake takes out his sword and points it at the blast, which instantly disappears into the blade.

Vice:   What!?! This is highly illogical!

Jake:   Let's see you handle this....YAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!

He fires the blast back at Vice, killing half of the robot army in the process. With all his power, Vice leaps into the air to avoid the blast, but the explosion impacted him into the ground, straight in front of Jake.

Jake:   I thought you were better than this Vice. How did Metal convince you to become a cyborg?

Vice gets up and takes out his sword.

Vice:   None of your concern rebel scum! You may have disgraced my army, but this fight is far from finished!

Jake:   We'll see.....

Vice charges at Jake with sword held high, only to have his left arm cut off in one chop from Jake's sword. Blood and artificial blood poured out the arm as Vice falls to the ground in pain. He tries to get up, only to have his other arm chopped off as well.

Vice:   Aghhhhhh! You damn meat sack! Who do you think you are!?!

Jake responds by cutting Vice's chest open.

Vice:   AGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Jake:   The winner....

Vice:   .........

Jake:   ..........

Vice:   So.....you've won....go on....finish me.....right here...right now....DO IT!!!!!

Jake instead puts his sword back in the holster and grabs Vice by the neck.

Jake:   Tell Metal that I'm coming for him!

With all his strength, Jake hurls Vice several miles away from him. Seeing this happen, the goons decide to retreat.

Jake:   That was actually pretty fun.

Morgan:   Jake!

Morgan walks up to Jake and shake his hand.

Jake:   It's good to see you Morgan.

Morgan:   It's been so long...I was starting to worry.....

Jake:   Yeah....after I left the rebels, I traveled around the world, enhancing my skills....guess I came back just in time.

Morgan:    Yeah.....

Jake:   Where's Flare? I need to tell him something...

Morgan:   He went out with Jack on a search for past warriors. If you hadn't shown up....we'd probably be finished....

Jake:   I can tell they'll be back. We need to be prepared for their next attack.

Morgan:   Right....I'll call for reinforcements from the north. Hopefully we'll have enough time for their arrival.

Meanwhile, Gem continues his struggles to escape the prism that surrounded him. His Mother, Lilly, and ninja, Chronicle, didn't know what else to do.

Lilly:   Gem.....you need to listen....

Gem:   There's nothing you need to say! I already know things are gonna get worse! You still have no right bringing me here!

Lilly:   You have no idea what's coming! The presence I felt could be the end of us all! Greater than Metal Sonic, greater than anything you'd ever faced!

Gem:   ........

Chronicle:   Just hear us out Gem...that's all we're asking....

Gem:   Ok....fine....but after that...take me back!

Lilly:   Ok......your father.....he's fought things beyond this world many times....but this.....it's the thing he actually fears most....

Gem:   What?

Lilly:   A being.....a monster....with a power similar to the curse that consumed his very being....

Gem:   DemonHog.....

Lilly:   Yes.....when I first sensed it.....I could have sworn it was Emerald.......but....the energy became bitter.....filled with suffering and misery......similar to DemonHog...

Gem:   A similar being perhaps?

Lilly:   Except it's even stronger than ever.......stronger than myself.....

Gem:   So what does this have to do with me?

Lilly:   You have a gift.....a power.....similar to Emerald....the only thing that can beat this dark entity is an even stronger entity....

Gem:   What!?! You've gotta be kidding me!?! I'm not nearly as powerful as dad was....hell, even Uncle Flare is stronger than me.....

Lilly:   It isn't true.....you do have the power....it's just trapped inside your being....in order to unleash it....you must channel all your anger into your darker being within....only then can you stop this creature....

Gem:   Darker being....like a DemonHog spirit?

Lilly:   It was passed down to you by your father.....

Gem:   Why should I believe this? Believe you out of all people? You abandoned me! Left me with dad with his condition! You never cared for him or me! Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you for this!

Lilly:   ............

Chronicle:   Lilly?

Lilly:   ...........

(Flashback)

Emerald:   You really have to do this?

Lilly:   I have to.....there's no way out of it....

Emerald:   What about Gem?

Lilly stares at Gem, sleeping in his bed. She pets his head and gives him a kiss.

Lilly:   When he grows up....he'll understand it was for the best.....

Emerald:   Well......as much as I don't like it.....I understand......you'd do the same for me.....

Lilly walks outside and prepares to teleport to her world.

Lilly:   Take care of him.....please....

Emerald:   I will......

(Flashback ends)

Chronicle:   Lilly?

Lilly:   I admit it......I gave your father a hard time.....he did the same with me.....as the years went by....I slowly forgot what I ever saw in him.....but I always cared for him.....no matter what he did.....he always was there for me......and I the same......I couldn't lose that.......leaving to fight in my world was the only thing that could preserve my happiness....

Gem:   ..........

Lilly:   I may not show it....but it brings good feelings to my heart seeing you here.....alive....a warrior.....a protector....

Gem:   I'm no protector.....if anything....I'm no different from the DemonHog.....

Lilly:   You were angry.....that's all it was.....and you had a right to be......but now....it's time to use it for a better cause....to avenge your father and save this doomed planet...

Back in the absconded Station Square, Flare and Jack approach an old building with a guard on patrol.

Flare:   This is Strife's old safe house....he never leaves this place..

Jack:   Judging by the guard....he might still be here...

They walk up to the house, shocking the guard.

Guard:   Halt! Don't come any closer or I'll shoot!

Flare:   My name is Commander Flare the Hedgehog of the Mobian Resistance unit....we're here to see Strife.

Guard:   Strife? Never heard of him! Get the hell outta here or else!

Jack:   We didn't come here to fight....we just wanna talk to Strife.

Guard:   I told you there isn't no one here by that name!

Opening the door above to the balcony of the safe house, a purple hedgehog walks out with a bottle if whiskey in his hand.

Strife:   Magnus...what the hell is.....Flare?

Flare:   Strife?

Magnus takes off his guard mask and stares angrily at Strife.

Magnus:   Dammit Strife! You blew our cover!

Strife:   What cover!?! We're completely exposed! Just shut up for a few minutes!

Magnus:   AGHHH! Fine!

He walks back in pissed while Strife jumps down from the balcony to see Flare.

Strife:   Damn....what happened to your hand....and your eye?

Flare:   It's a long....long story....but more importantly....what's up with you? You look like.....

Strife:   Shit?

Flare:   I was gonna say tanned but yeah....that too.....

Strife:   Everything went berserk these past months.....it ain't easy to fight an army of robots when you're a squad of three guys.....not to mention two of them are complete idiots....

Flare:   You could've gone to the rebels....we would've allowed you to join....

Strife:   I'm not the best with working with a bunch of groups....plus I kinda hated your guts after the syndicate broke up....

Flare:   Oh....well....that's a good point there....

Strife:   But besides all that crap...it really is good to see you.

Flare:   Same.....

Jack:   We better get inside before goons show up.

Strife:   Don't bother....this place is pretty much abandoned....technology was cut off, making this a dead grid zone....nothing for Metal here....

Flare:   Cool.....

Volten:   Hey Strife!

Strife:   What?

An explosion from inside causes all the windows to shatter.

Volten:   Never mind I got it....

Flare:   What the f@$&$ was that!?!

Strife:   Volten is in charge of weapons development.....caused three fires in the last month....again....idiots....

Flare:   Well......let's get down to the reason I'm here.....you're gonna need to here this....

As Flare explained the situation to Strife, Metal Sonic receives some troubling news from Cyber Vice.

Vice:   Please forgive me master.....I just wasn't expecting....

Metal Sonic:   No more excuses Vice...you've failed me for the last time.

Metal points his finger at Vice and shoots a small beam of energy straight through the cyborg's head, killing him instantly.

Metal Sonic:   Zon!

Quadral Zon appeared before Meal, still recovering from the stab wound caused by Vice. Once he saw Vice on the floor, he already knew what had to be done.

Quadral Zon:   Shall I throw him in the incinerator sir?

Metal Sonic:   You shall....and when you're done, bring me Cyber Stalker.....I shall not lose another battle to those meat sack rebels....it's time for destruction to occur.....

Quadral Zon:   What do you have planned sir?

Metal Sonic:   You'll see....