Chapter 6: Angel Makes Her Decision

The attack finally subsided, the light disappearing and sea becoming calm once more. A large cloud of smoke hung over the harbor. Big O was the first to emerge from the smoke, appearing victorious, as the charred remains of the Final Stage cannon fell off of him. Dorothy on the other hand had temporarily lost contact with Roger, and was trying to reestablish it while Beck kept an eye on the energy readings.

"Energy's going back down, looks like normal levels. Temperature's coming back down in the cockpit. The Big Guy should be alright. Nothing's appearing out of the ordinary."

"Roger, come in. Roger…"

"Do… Dor… Dorothy… I'm here. I'm alright. Phew, that did get warm."

Roger was covered in a sweat, breathing hard. Dorothy smiled with relief.

"Negotiations have… con…cluded…"

Dorothy suddenly felt weak, and Beck moved quickly catching her as she lost the feeling in her legs. Roger saw her fall on the video comm.

"Dorothy!"

"I got her, Crow Boy. Seems she just got a little excited."

Roger sighed with relief as Beck grabbed a chair from nearby and sat her on it.

"Probably should stay seated, Toots."

Dorothy nodded slowly. "Yes, you're right. Roger, are you alright? Roger… Roger?"

But Roger was not looking at her, he was looking straight ahead, his eyes wide with shock and fear. Dorothy scooted the chair closer to the console, adjusting the camera view and saw what he was staring at. A part of Big Gamma remained standing, its core now exposed, glowing.

"WHAT THE HELL CROW BOY! CAN YOU HIT ANYTHING WITH THAT ATTACK!"

Dorothy eyes were wide with shock. How? How did it survive? But they couldn't worry about that now. She frantically began typing once more. A double Thunder attack should be enough to finish it off.

But before she could send the command, a bright light shot forth into the sky from the remains of Big Gamma, straight into the clouds. The clouds began to swirl around the light, as the sky around the light began to grow menacingly darker. Lucy opened the hatch of the tank they were in, climbing out, looking frantic, followed by Angel, Dastun, and Norman.

"What is that?" yelled Dastun.

"It's a singularity!" Lucy yelled back, "The power inside Big Gamma, it's not contained! Its purpose is destruction through unification! Paradigm is done for!"

"What!"

"Ugh! Think of it as a giant vacuum! It will expand and basically absorb the city! The city will be destroyed!"

Angel's eyes filled with fear as she saw the mass of darkness began to grow wide. No…

***

Dorothy saw the immense power from her screen, hearing everything Lucy had said on the comm, until Roger spoke, shifting the view to him, only she couldn't see his face.

"Dorothy, are you alright?"

Dorothy studied him for a moment. His voice was calm and steady, which resulted in her heartbeat calming down.

"I… I am…" she said softly, confused at his question.

"Dorothy, I'm glad you came back. This was a lot of fun. This past year… I wish I had said something sooner. I've really enjoyed my time with you, Dorothy. I'm sorry for earlier."

Dorothy's eyes grew wide as it slowly dawned on her what Roger was doing.

"Do me a favor? Don't name our son after me…" he turned to look at the screen, a large smile across his face, "I don't want him to be embarrassed," He winked at her, still smiling, "Take care."

The video comm and the screens on the console shut off as Dorothy cried out, "ROGER, NO!"

"What the hell is going on, Toots?" said Beck, looking over the console.

Dorothy and Beck saw the control panel flashing FINAL ACT ENGAGED.

"What does that mean?"

Dorothy wiped her eyes. "It's Big O's self-destruction sequence," she said sadly.

"WHAT? NO! We have to stop it!"

Dorothy shook her head. "We can't. Only the pilot can voice activate it or deactivate it."

Beck glared at the console, furiously typing away now.

"What are you doing, Beck?"

"Trying to restore the comm… DAMNNIT, SMMMMIIIITH!"

Dorothy joined Beck, trying to help to restore the comm link to Roger, their combined efforts in vain. Dorothy sat back down feeling weak in the legs once again, while Beck frantically kept typing and yelling, with no success. She found tears in her eyes once more and closed them as she tried to find the one thing Norman always told her to have, and now, Roger.

"Please, anyone, anything, listening… bring them home. Bring them home safe and sound. I have faith in them, but I want them to come home. Please…" she prayed silently to herself.

*****

Roger straightened his hair, combing it back into his usual style and straightened his tie. He took a deep breath.

"Big O, this is not how I wanted to end things, but I'm sure you understand why I'm doing this. Thanks for always being there… my friend…"

Roger grabbed the joy cons and began walking forward towards the energy.

"BIG O! ACTIVATE FINAL ACT!"

****

Meanwhile, Norman and Dastun heard the exchange between Roger and Dorothy on their comm links. Dastun looked at Norman.

"I'm not losing my friend for a second time! You're his butler! DO SOMETHING!"

Norman hit the side of the tank in frustration, his voice shaking. "I can't…. as much as I want to. I can't. And knowing him, he'll have silence all comms to him. The Final Act, can only be engaged by the pilot's voice command. There's nothing we can do…"

Norman looked out at sea, looking at Big O.

"Master Roger, Big O… it has been a pleasure to serve the both of you…" and he bowed deeply in their direction before raising himself up, "We must evacuate, now! The blast will be big enough to reach here."

Angel too was looking in the direction of Big O, as he slowly marched to the remains of Big Gamma.

No, not again. This can't be happening! There has to be something… something we can do…

The wind whipped her hair around her as the swirling mass of clouds began to look more violent in their rotation. She turned around, seeing the sky darken even more as she eyed Grand Central Dome, looming large in the background. Then an idea dawned on her. She turned to Lucy.

"What if I took this energy with me?"

Lucy stared at her.

"Where?"

"To the plane where Big Venus exist? Where I go and talk to her?"

Lucy shook her head, trying to understand the gravity of what Angel was asking and intended on doing.

"You would have to summon her first… and that might reset the world in the process. But in order to do what you speak of, you would have to pilot her."

"If I were to do that, would I have control of the energy?"

"What?"

"Would I have control?"

"Maybe? I don't know… Do you understand that if you do this…you may not come back. Why? Why are you doing this?"

"Because, it's for the people I care about and it's my job for the city."

Angel's eyes met Dastun's and she saw the worry on his face.

"Angel, what are you doing?" he asked nervously.

"My job…"

She turned to walk away, but Dastun ran and grabbed her hand.

"No, I won't let you! You'll die!"

Angel turned around and gently put her hand on his face.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for pulling rank over you. I want you to know that I hate breaking our rule. I also want you to know, your kindness, your love, over these months has meant to so much to me. Thank you, Dan. I love you…"

She closed her eyes and kissed him passionately on the lips, holding it, while signaling to Lucy to come closer. Angel broke away, Dastun still holding her hand, not letting it go.

"Lucy, restrain Dan. Don't hurt him," she whispered and pulled her hand away as Lucy pinned Dastun to the wall.

"WHAT? NO! GET OFF OF ME! LEMME GO!"

"Don't make this any harder… than what it has to be," said Lucy, choking on her words, "I don't want… to do this either."

"THEN STOP HER!"

Lucy looked away, grimacing. "She found the answer… I may not like it, and neither may you… but unless you can think of something else, we'll all die… one or the masses? There's a chance the megadeus' power won't be enough to destroy it, and she has the ability… to make it all disappear…"

Dastun didn't reply. He was too busy trying to free himself. Angel climbed the railing of the sea wall, taking off Dastun's coat. Her scars began to glow. She steadied her breath and calmed her mind as she remembered the words of Big Venus and Dorothy.

"The door is unlocked. The key decides to open whenever needed."

"You have to be aware of what triggers it."

She focused on what she wanted to do, turning to look at Dastun for a brief moment, smiling, before turning back to the sea. It was her love for Dastun that now triggered her power, and she felt her heart grow. With a loud cry, she yelled, "BIG VENUS, I SUMMON YOU!"

The area around them began to shake, but Angel stood steady, and slowly, a familiar groaning sound emitted from the sea. From the depths of the sea floor, Big Venus rose, water cascading down her armor as she stood in between Big O and Big Gamma. But unlike the last reset where everything turned into a grid, the city, sky, and sea remained. Roger stopped Big O from moving, his eyes wide with fear.

"Big… Venus… what's she doing here?" Roger asked himself, as he felt his hands beginning to tremble.

At that very moment, Angel's scars emitted a bright light, forming into wings and she jumped, taking off to meet Big Venus as Dastun cried out, "ANNGEELLL!"

She soared high, enjoying the feeling of flying through the air before Big Venus opened the cockpit and she landed. Roger opened his cockpit and climbed out of the pilot seat, standing on the edge of his cockpit to look at her.

"ANGEL! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? STOP THIS! I CAN DO THIS! DON'T RESET THE WORLD, PLEASE!"

She looked over at him and smiled. "I WON'T! I KNOW YOU'LL DO RIGHT BY HER!"

Roger stared at her incredulously.

"I THINK I FIGURED IT OUT. I JUST… NEEDED SOMEONE ELSE TO SHOW IT TO ME. YOU AND DOROTHY… I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHAT BIG VENUS MEANT. ROGER, YOU'VE DONE ENOUGH. PLEASE CONSIDER THIS MY PAYMENT FOR YOUR SERVICES. PLEASE TELL DOROTHY, SHE'S BEEN A GREAT FRIEND. I'LL MISS HER. PLEASE TAKE CARE OF HER!"

Roger realized what Angel was going to do. He hopped back into the pilot seat.

"Big O, deactivate Final Act. We have to stop them!"

Big O powered down the Final Act and as Roger grabbed the joy cons, he maneuvered Big O to run the remaining distance between him and Big Venus.

"DON'T DO THIS! DOROTHY WILL BE UPSET, PLEASE! ANGEL! STOP!"

Angel looked away from Roger and Big O and raised her arm up. As she did, Big Venus also raised her arm, its Sudden Impact piston firing back.

"Goodbye," she whispered, and she closed her hand into a fist, and the Sudden Impact blast hit Big O as he approached in the last second, sending him flying in the air, before crashing down into the sea, knocking out Roger in the process.

Angel now turned to face the remains of Big Gamma and climbed into the pilot seat. CAST IN THE NAME OF GOD, YE NOT GUILTY scrolled across the center console as the joy con controls dropped.

"This will be the first and only time I will pilot you. Big Venus! It's Showtime! ACTION!"

Big Venus walked over to Big Gamma, the scars along her back glowing white before finally emitting wings of her own. She reached Big Gamma, and Angel maneuvered the joy cons back and brought them forward, both arms grabbing Big Gamma. The pistons on each arm drew back. She focused her thoughts and will on the outcome she wanted.

"I WON'T LET YOU HURT ANYONE ELSE, ANYMORE! YOU'RE COMING WITH ME!"

And Angel focused every thought, fiber, and will power of her body, imagining a city not a stage with roles assigned to everyone, but a free world in which everyone could continue their lives freely, happily, and in the sunlight. She thought of the flowers, trees, and all the animals lost coming back. And she thought of Roger and Dorothy… how their relationship was strong enough to weather anything, just like the relationship she had with Dastun. She found herself, smiling.

Slowly, the energy that was escaping the remains of Big Gamma began to reverse, as if Angel and Big Venus were absorbing it. The sea around her began to glow and so did the sky, but the grid-like structure never came. Instead, the bright light emitting from the sky and sea eventually became one. There was a bright flash, blinding everyone.

******

The next thing Angel knew, she was standing on the grid like floor she knew so well, in front of Big Venus. Angel gave a coy smile and took a step forward. Their shadows now became one. Angel spoke first.

"You and me, we need to talk."

Big Venus looked down at Angel.

You are happy and at peace. Though, you have regrets. I feel them.

"I am happy and I am at peace, even though I understand what's coming and sad about it."

The folly of man has been reversed.

"Yes, it has. But, I think there's something that belongs to you…"

Behind Angel appeared a dark swirling mass of energy.

"You told me a long time ago that we're at a point in time where things can begin, remain, or end. You told me that the purpose of our power was rebirth, chained by the desire to walk among the living and the desire to control apparently, and that only through sacrificing something greater than yourself, you could set this free, and free the world. HOW ABOUT I JUST GIVE BACK TO YOU WHAT'S YOURS ANYWAY?"

Angel moved the swirling mass to Big Venus and Big Venus caught it.

"I don't know why this came here in the first place and I don't care. It's obvious humanity can't be trusted with it, at least most of humanity anyhow. Here, take it back, but in exchange, you'll leave the timeline alone. You won't restore it to the before the resets, or the first or second. You're gonna leave it where it's at. Leave things the hell alone and let it pick up from its current point, letting everyone keep their memories from today. And, you're gonna leave my friends and the people of Paradigm City, the world, alone! The world won't be a stage anymore, the people not actors, it will be free and so will the people! AND, I WON'T LET YOU HURT ANYONE ELSE!"

Angel spread her arms up to her sides as a sudden rush of energy encompassed her, whirling her hair up all around her, her ethereal wings expanding outward.

Is that your answer?

"Yes, that's my answer. I understand now what you meant. My power, is not greater than the power Roger and Dorothy have. Their ability to talk their problems through and work together, plus their love for each other, that's why it's greater than ours."

You do understand, we will cease to exist as one?

"I'm well aware of that fact and I embrace it! If it means everyone will be alright in the end, I can live with my regrets."

She paused for a moment, looking off up to the side as a tear roll down her face, now speaking softly.

"The biggest of them all, not getting to spend more time with a man who showed me kindness, love, compassion, and treated me as his equal," She turned to look at Big Venus, "You better leave him alone and them alone. They're better than us together."

She smiled, as tears fell down her face, readying herself to accept her fate. However, a gentle hand grabbed her from her behind, and she turned around to see Gordon Rosewater standing behind her, smiling.

"All this drama about sacrifice, child, and yet, you have the answer, but won't use it on yourself," he said.

"Wha…? I don't understand…"

"There's was never a power inside of you dear. A memory, a part of Big Venus, the machine who simply wanted to watch humanity, and a part of your humanity inside Big Venus. The side effect of housing something so otherworldly was the energy associated with it. But you and I, pursued the end goal without thinking of the consequences. Unfortunately, after my terrible mistake forty years ago, I thought there was no hope. But, when I saw you, and I saw that you lived on, I realized I could hope again, and I knew you had the power to reverse everything I had done. I'm sorry I was not clear with you then. But now… why not simply ask for it back? After all, you found the wisest answer of all, better than I ever could."

"Is that… is that even a choice?"

Gordon nodded.

"Then, that's what I want. GIVE ME BACK WHAT'S RIGHTFULLY MINE!"

And Angel felt a surge of wind whip around her, as the scars on her back disappeared, her wings fading away. She turned to look at Gordon, Gordon still smiling.

"You go on and live a long happy life with those you love and care for. We'll take care of this for you."

"But where are you going?"

"Somewhere far away. But you must keep this experience alive in your heart and strive every day to do better than the previous generation, my granddaughter, and pass the lessons learned to the next generation."

Angel's eyes widened at his last words, but she closed her eyes, a smiling forming on her face. As she opened them, he saw the determination in them.

"I will. I always will. I love you, grandfather. Thank you and goodbye…"

And she turned her back on them walking away into a bright light.

*****************************************

Angel awoke, stirring. She became aware she was lying on the ground in someone's lap. Her eyes had a tough time focusing. She blinked a few times, then her vision focused. Dastun was holding her, unaware he was crying.

"What's going on?" she asked weakly.

"I don't know. You tell me. You just appeared out of nowhere and I caught you."

"Why are you crying?"

"Damnnit all, because you're okay. I dunno what happened. I don't care. I'm not questioning it anymore. All I know is, it's over. It's finally over."

Angel realized she was back by the sea wall again. Dastun slowly brought her to her feet. Lucy brought over the coat she had dropped earlier.

"I see you found the answer. Well done," she said, smiling, as she handed Dastun's coat to her. As Angel went to put it on, Dastun saw her back.

"Your scars… they're gone…"

Angel slowly walked over to the nearest carrier, trying to turn around and look at herself in one of the side mirrors. Sure enough, the scars which had plagued her back for so long, were gone.

"So, it's truly over…" she whispered, wiping her own tears away. She was completely human again.

They walked over to Norman, who was peering out over the sea, desperately looking for Big O.

"Any sign of the megadeus?" Dastun asked.

"No, not… OH THANK HEAVENS!"

There was loud splash, and Big O rose from the sea, water slowly falling down its armor. Michaelson opened the hatches from one of the tanks and climbed out, heading to Dastun with news.

"Sir, the opposition, they have surrendered. We've won, sir!"

Dastun broke into a rare smile. "Michaelson, you're my second in command. Take those captured as prisoner. We'll figure out what to do with them later. Right now, we need to focus on helping civilians and make sure the shelters are cleared for people to leave safely. Set up medical stations throughout the city. Anybody who is medical or medically trained, ask for their help. Get stations set up to provide food too. Go and take Webster's unit with you!"

"Yes sir!" and Michaelson began relaying orders to the units.

As Norman, Dastun, Angel, and Lucy looked onward, rays of light began to shine down from the clouds, the clouds themselves slowly disappearing.