GeneX - Tails the Fox
Chapter 33 - Copter's Final Test
Boss 22 - Guard the Gargoyle

Note: Sonic the Hedgehog and related characters are (c) SEGA and 
Sonic Team. You knew that, right?

"What are you even doing here?!" Copter shouted, still confused by Guard's presence. "Zipp should be blowing holes in you by now, but he's not. Why!?" Vortex and Zipp were no longer paying attention, preoccupied with attempting to open the strange rubber door. Guard slowly approached Copter, and in the silence of the prison, Copter could hear a strange whirring sound coming from him. "You mean you don't know by now?" Guard said with fake surprise. "It just so happens that I, Guard the Gargoyle, am also Experiment 6!"

Copter was stunned. It was as though he had been hit by a ton of bricks. It was just not possible. How could his creator also create his arch enemy? It was unthinkable. Was it his creator's goal to destroy him? He almost wanted to cry, but he had no time for that. He had no time for anything. He slapped himself in the face in order to snap out of it. "That has to be a fantastic lie, and I'm surprised the others fell for it. You work for GUN, for that old sargent!" Copter pointed out. Zipp took his attention away from the door. "It's true, Copter! He is Experiment 6. After all, we both know Gargoyles don't really exist! I'm surprised you couldn't guess that he was one of us!" Zipp laughed at Copter's ignorence and resumed working on the door. Guard nodded in agreement. "Grrrrrr... You're a fool, Experiment 2! But you did knock me into a fall that would kill most. Grrrrr.... I have a score to settle with you!" Copter looked at him like he was crazy. "At least I learn. Remember, I did beat you once. I can easily do it again!"

Guard took off after Copter at top speed. As in their first fight, Copter flew over Guard and landed behind him. This time, however, Guard turned around quickly and swiped his scythe through the air in front of him, firing a blast of energy from the blade! The blast took Copter by surprise and knocked him on his back. Guard stood over him, grinning. "Grrrrr... I learn, too. I picked up some new tricks!" Guard's gloating had cost him time, however, and Copter had managed to muster up a Chaos Blast attack, knocking Guard away from him. Copter scrambled to his feet. "There's no way you'll stop me from completing my mission! Stay out of my way!" he shouted. Guard sent a few more blasts from his scythe at Copter, who dodged the first few but was knocked over by the last. It was apparent that the events of the day had begun to catch up with him, he was moving more slowly than he had been all day. Guard ran in his direction, firing more blasts at him along the way. Copter took to the air to escape and tried to get behind Guard, but the gargoyle flew up after him and tried to slash him with the scythe. He missed, and Copter used this opportunity to grab at the scythe. Guard pulled back and kicked Copter away, causing him to fall to the ground. Guard landed in front of him. "Grrrr... We're completing that mission for you! We don't need you!" he growled. Copter stood up, glaring at him. "If we have the same mission, then why do we fight? What's the matter with you!?" he shouted. Guard leaned against his scythe like a cane. "Grrrr... Let me think.... No, you'll just have to survive long enough to ask the master. Take this!" Guard twirled the scythe around, then slashed in Copter's direction. Several energy spikes were shot out in Copter's direction, but this time, Copter was expecting it. "Chaos Whirlwhind!" The gust created by his attack blew the energy spikes back at Guard, blasting him backwards. Guard, furious with this development, quickly took to the air and flew at Copter, who flew after him at the same time. Copter dodged Guard's scythe again and grabbed it, this time pulling it away from Guard. The gargoyle responded by flying around him and kicking him from the side, grabbing the scythe away as Copter was kicked away. The fox was not about to quit this time, though. As Guard began swinging his weapon at him, Copter flew at him, gracefully dodging the attacks. Upon reaching Guard, Copter twirled in the air in order to slam his foe with a powerful tail attack. The power of the tailband sent Guard soaring away, tumbling to the floor in a defeated heap. Copter dropped to the floor and stuck his tongue out at him. "Still can't hold a candle to me! Ha!"

"Bravo, bravo! Well done, Experiment 2!" Someone was clapping behind him. His voice was one that Copter knew very well. He slowly turned around, and found that Vortex and Zipp had opened the door. Standing in the doorway was a brown rat in a lab coat, with yellow eyes, and wearing purple and black shoes. "Ah, it's great to finally be free!" the rat said, in a sophisticated, almost noble sounding voice. He turned to Vortex and Zipp, who were standing to his right. "Thank you, four and five." Guard slowly rose to his feet and limped over to the rat, standing to his left. "Grrrrrr.... I left my post to witness your return, master!" he said. The rat raised an eyebrow. "Really? Your loyalty is almost moving, six." he turned to Copter. "I'm a bit surprised at you, two! I ordered you to release me, and here I find you fighting with six!" the rat said. Copter began to approach him. "I tried, but that green goon got in my way! He was trying to kill me!" The rat crossed his arms. "Now, why would they do that?" he said, apparently not believing Copter. Guard tugged on his lab coat. "Grr! I was supposed to fight Experiment 2!" he said, confused by the fact that the rat was feigning ignorence. The rat pushed him aside, sparks flying from his hand as he did. "Silence! Do not forget whom you are speaking to! I am your creator, Bucky the Rat!" Zipp flew behind Vortex and chuckled, quietly joking, "Lab rat..." Bucky shot Zipp a dirty look, and he silenced himself. As Bucky returned his attention to Copter, Vortex smacked Zipp on the head. "Sssshut up, Zipp!"

Copter looked thoughtful for a moment. "Hey, why was Guard guarding my cell if you wanted me to escape and free you?" he wondered. Bucky heaved a heavy sigh. "It was GUN's idea of 'containment.' Since Guard is more an android than a real living creature, GUN programmed him to guard you. Yet, he still remained loyal to me. Your little battle was a nice test..." A spark flew from the rat's hand as he pointed to the roof. Copter looked up to see someone fall in front of him! It was Tails, and it seemed apparent he wanted to fight! Bucky suddenly took on a panicked tone as he pointed at the young fox. "Look, two! Your original has come to prevent my escape! Destroy him, now!"

Copter looked at Tails, who appeared prepared to throw a punch at any moment. Something seemed fishy to Copter, and he was running out of time. "Enough! I don't have time for this! Master, help me first!" Copter shouted. "Stop Tails first!" Bucky demanded. Copter glared angrily at Bucky. "Excuse me, but did I not do what was asked of me?" Copter flung off his glove, revealing the timer on his wrist. "BUCKY!! Remove this bomb, now!!"

Vortex, Zipp, and Guard all jumped back in alarm. None of them had bombs attatched to them. This didn't make sense. Yet it was true, Bucky had threatened Copter with an explosive end if he would not release him. Copter growled in frustration. "You owe me now!!" he said, desperate. Bucky suddenly looked cold and vicious. "As I recall, I MADE you, you insolent, disloyal gnat!" Tails suddenly exploded in a shower of sparks, causing everyone but Bucky to jump in surprise. "Was he fake!?" Copter said, bewildered. "It wasss the masssster'ssss powerssss!" Vortex gasped. Bucky raised his hand, and sparks flew from it. "With my electric power, I can even create holograms! It was your final test of loyalty, and you, you miserable waste, have failed!!" he declared. Copter was terrified and stunned. "A-a test.... Wh-what?"

The timer on Copter's wrist bomb was very nearly at zero. Bucky laughed manically. "Guess what, 'Copter,' it is now about six P.M. So, you are FINISHED!!!" Cackling like a madman, Bucky pointed his fingers in Copter's direction, and lightning shot from his fingertips, shooting through the helpless fox's body. Copter let out a terrible scream as he fell to the ground, on the edge of death. "He's about to blow!" Bucky shouted. "Let's get out of here, my loyal friends!" The three experiments followed Bucky out of the prison, Guard sticking his tongue out at Copter on his way out. "I had such high hopes for him." Bucky muttered. "Aside from Experiment 3, he should have been the most powerful of all my experiments..."

Copter could not stand up. All he could do was struggle to move his arm so he could see how much time he had. Mere seconds. There was no hope left for him. This was it. "Doom...sayer.... was right...." he muttered. As the timer ticked off the last seconds, a single, final word hung on his breath. "Tails...."

Bucky watched the doorway from a safe distance. Once he heard the explosion, he turned to leave, followed by his experiments. "Such a waste..." he thought.

Copter lay in the prison, his body charred and burned by the explosion. Somehow, he was still in one piece. He was even still breathing. However, he had been mortally injured. He was at death's door, and although he was passed out and unable to see, a presence as grave as the Reaper himself was standing over him. It was the Doomsayer. "The time has not yet come. I grant you a divine rebirth. Experiment 2, awakon!!"

At the Doomsayer's words, a beam of light shone down on Copter, seemingly coming from nowhere. An icy mist filled the room, and Copter's body began to glow softly. The beam of light seemed to lift him into the air as the mist surrounded him and filled him with a new breath of life. Copter gasped his first new breath as his eyes opened. The beam of light gently dropped him on his feet, then faded. "....Impossible...." was all he could say. The Doomsayer nodded. "Improbable."

"Now, do you understand my power?" the Doomsayer said. Copter looked at his hands. His body was healed, the burns gone with the bomb. "I was... dead... wasn't I?" he murmured. The Doomsayer nodded again. "As I foretold." Copter glanced at the mysterious figure who had just gave him a new life. "You told me to beware my light counterpart. Funny, didn't know how literal you meant that." he chuckled. "You were not quite gone when I revived you." the Doomsayer admitted. Copter looked surprised. "Why did you bother to save me then? Your prophecy..." The Doomsayer raised his hand, calling for silence. "I have my reasons." he paused, then pointed at Copter's tail. "If you hadn't found that tailband, nothing could have saved you." Copter looked at the gold ring around his tail. He knew it would come in handy. "So, if I get the other tailband..." he started to say. "Yes, that is what you must do." the Doomsayer agreed. Copter looked out the door. "What about Bucky?" he wondered. The Doomsayer shook his head. "What, indeed. He created you, he destroyed you. You no longer owe him anything." Copter looked at the Doomsayer and laughed. "Then forget him! I'll just defeat Tails and take his tailband! Then, nothing can stop me!" he declared. The Doomsayer stepped backwards into Bucky's former cell. "Good luck to you, then. Not that it will save you in the end! Farewell!!" His trademark hailstorm even blew up there in space, and covered him up as he vanished.

Copter lingered a moment, relieved that he no longer had to worry over the time. As he turned to leave, he saw Shadow waiting in the doorway. "How long have you been waiting there?" Copter asked. "I just found my way here." Shadow said. "I just got lost in that space shuttle, you know. I know this colony like the back of my hand. Although, this prison is new. So, did you find what you were looking for?" Copter gave Shadow a thumbs up. "You expected less?" he said. Shadow chuckled in response. "Then what will you do now?" he wondered. Copter led Shadow out of the prison. "I am a clone." he said. "I was copied from Tails. I'll never be anything more than his shadow as long as he's around." There was a slight pause before Shadow asked his next question. "Do you plan to destroy him?" he asked. Copter shrugged. "I don't plan to. If he makes it necessary, then I shall. I won't let him get in my way."
"In the way of what?" Shadow questioned.
"Of me surpassing him, of course! Then, I'll get Sargent Gunner good!" Copter declared. Shadow smiled, as though this was the answer he wanted to hear. "I don't like the idea of mirroring Sonic by befriending a fox, but I do sympathize with you. I believe I'll join you for a while."
Copter grinned smugly. "Think you can keep up with me?" he said. Shadow returned his grin. "Think YOU can keep up with ME?" he replied. Copter winked at him. "Race ya!" The two science projects tore off through the space colony on their way back to the shuttle. With Copter's new life came a new alliance, and a new mission; To defeat Tails the Fox!

To be continued...