“Oh, yeah!” She slightly squeezes Faye as she quickly remembers Ron’s info. “One of my dad’s minions, Lori, tried to betray us long ago, rattling off some emotional, philosophical nonsense. I beat her senseless and had her sent back to our database in hopes of getting this out of her thinking. Well, she’s now our inside informant as we go to take out my dad. She and her beloved Turk are feigning allegiance to Epoch Blaze while they lay the groundwork for our impending invasion of the base. You see? As I look at my dad’s kingdom versus the struggles of the humans, I can only think of one person who betrayed the heroes while our numbers keep defecting by the day. Why is this? And it’s stuff like this that makes it easier to side with my lovable Ron.”
“Hey,” he scolds jokingly, “what did I say about that kind of talk?”
She laughs and mocks him.
“Alright then,” he says, “I guess we should just get this over with. I hate torturing you with making you think about this.” Placing his hand on Ata’s shoulder, Ron tells her, “Yeah, you could turn on us and end us all when we get there, but as I see what a great woman you’re becoming, thinking these things through, I trust you with my life. I’m going to be right there, fighting by your side, even if we have to take on your own father together.”
Patrick and Milleni echo this sentiment, with the latter adding, “You won’t have to make this decision alone, I promise.”
Ata’s comforting smile leaves her face as her eyes fixed firmly upon Milleni’s. With unshakable resolve, she asks, “What decision? I’ve just made my choice. Now, let’s go save the world.”
The group hugs, says a few final words and takes their leave to continue their journey. Ata finds she has a bit more difficulty walking away as that same eager child grabs her from behind. “Ey, you,” says Faye, “you’re gonna’ do great. Now, go be the hero there that you are to me here.”
Ata nods, returns the hug and walks away with her friends. As the groups are separated, this gives Duplica a chance to educate everyone on what’s about to happen. “I know it’s super obvious, but Ata’s about to give a big beatdown to her old man. There will be a great battle, with Ata making it clear she’s sticking with the good guys, no matter what. As the battle escalates, a great light appears, with a portal opening and a voice calling to Epoch Blaze. ‘My son, now the time has arrived for you to fulfill your destiny. Join us, and we shall pluck these weeds from my garden!’”
Kammy and Elf say it in unison, “Ultimax!”
“Ultimax.” Duplica confirms. “This transitions into the next era we visit. However, since we’ll be way too distracted with everything else going on, I’ll tell you the end of Storyboard XII history, as far as we are concerned. One by one, the villains will fall, with Epoch Blaze having a legendary fight with Ron. Suddenly, the last one to betray Epoch’s cause makes himself known. Kinjo, the murderer of Lady Vahnna’s mother and the most powerful creation of Epoch Blaze, turns on his master in the last moment, with the two machines destroying each other in the same blow. ‘How fitting,’ says Kinjo, ‘that your legacy of betrayal ends your life as you ended hers so long ago.’ Turning to Ron, the machine shouts, ‘Now, vanquish this fiend for the honor of Lady Never Miss! Let his judgment fall upon him!’ Ron finishes the deal by destroying both of them. I wonder if Kinjo felt like Richie in his noble sacrifice.”
The girls smile, and Gigi voices their agreed opinion on the matter. “Yeah! For Never Miss! Take that, Epoch Blaze!”
Inner Man Theatre 