Sonic GeneX - The Series: Chaos Tournament!
Episode 9 - The Dream Maze

Note: Sonic the Hedgehog and related characters are (c) SEGA and 
Sonic Team. You knew that, right?
GeneX and related fanchars are (c) 2BIT (TheGreatGator), the author.


Previously on Sonic GeneX...
I'm Omochao, and I'm here to bring you up to speed on the Tournament of Chaos, Sponsored by GUN! Designed by Illusi as a test of worthiness for the Chaos Relics, the first round of the tournament was a battle round, with 100 competitors duking it out to get to the second round! Some matches were funny, others pretty tense, and at the end, 50 competitors were left for round 2, a road race! Only 20 racers could move on to round 3, and the competition was fierce! In the end, Blaze won the race, with the other finalists including Shadow, Jet, Tails, Copter, Knuckles, Punchy, Zavok, Lucky, Tabitha, Metal Sonic, Shade, Felicia, Heather, Cream, Conan, Lospecter, Katie, Amy and Tommy!
I know this isn't Tournament news, but during the race, Sonic found his long-missing Uncle Chuck, who had been robotisized by Dr. Eggman! Now Sonic's gotta find a way to cure him! Good luck, Sonic!
Now, let's begin today's story!


The final round of the Tournament of Chaos would have none of the flash and glamour of the previous two rounds. Illusi saw to it that cameras were banned, and Gunner didn't argue with him. The twenty finalists gathered in the Forest of Dreams, with minimal friends along for moral support. When they were gathered together in front of the Dream Shrine, Illusi was ready to explain the final test to them. "Out of the twenty of you, just nine will leave in victory. Some will be gifted with dual relics such as the Gauntlets, Tailbands or Boots. Others will acquire powerful single objects such as the Cards, Crown or Key. You must prove yourselves to the relics... And you will do it within a maze I shall build within the Dream Shrine, using the power of my illusions." he announced. "Blah, blah, blah. Spiritual garbage. When do we go in so I can claim my treasure!?" Jet shouted impatiently. As Illusi continued to speak, Copter felt a metal claw tap his ankle. "...Not now, crab. I can't smash you here!" he growled. Cancer snickered from behind him. "You expect to be chosen by the relics with that anger? Well, perhaps if you eliminate the competition..." he whispered. Copter tried to kick him away, and then noticed everyone was moving. "Hey, what's up? I was distracted." he muttered. "Everyone's gettin' ready, skunky. Good luuuuck!" Lospecter taunted. Copter turned to Cancer, to find the crab hobbling away. "Ask yourself, Copter... Are you truly worthy? Can you stop the likes of these from claiming each relic first?" he said ominously as he crawled off. Copter growled at him. "I'll do what it takes..." he said, glancing at Tails as he was getting ready. "Not even you will stand in my way..." he grunted. He wasn't the only one plotting to do "whatever it took" either. By the edges of the woods, Lospecter met with Loskeletor. "Get ready to sneak on in. I'm not leaving without a goody bag..." Lospecter winked. "The Lost Ones are ready..." Loskeletor nodded. Zavok was accompanied by Zeena, who he brought as his guest. "The others are waiting nearby, right?" he asked. "Yeees, Lord Zavok. I checked myself five minutes ago!" Zeena said grouchily. Gunner had brought Guard as his "bodyguard" as well. As if. "You might have lost the race, but we'll win the war, Guard. Get ready. I'll sneak you in once the final round has begun. I expect you to recover as many Chaos Relics as possible." the colonel whispered. "Grrr... Understood..." Guard replied.


With the robotisized Uncle Chuck tied up and on a short leash, Sonic began his search for Dr. Eggman so that he could make him reverse what he'd done. With their parts in the tournament over, Silver, Omega and Mighty joined Sonic on his journey. Silver was helpful in keeping Chuck from escaping his restraints, since his robot form was quite prone to violence. Omega's connection to Eggman meant that he'd likely be able to help track him down, if he could focus on not trying to attack Chuck. Mighty had been taken in by Uncle Chuck during a time when he was down on his luck, and was still living with Sonic, so there was no way he'd sit this out. Unfortunately, Omega had great difficulty getting over the idea that Chuck was an Eggman robot he couldn't attack. "He's trying the break free from his restraints again... I advise elimination. Swift, immediate elimination to all Eggman robots!" he yelled, pointing his hand-turned-machine gun at Uncle Chuck as Sonic ran between them. "You seem to keep missin' the whole point here, Omega!" Sonic groaned as Silver held Chuck still with his psychokinesis. "I'm sorry my future knowledge can't help you Sonic... I've been away from the future too long. The timeline's changed." the shiny hedgehog stated. Mighty looked at Chuck with concern. "I can't believe Eggman did this... I hope it's reversible..." he sighed. Sonic looked around and gave the group a smile. "No worries! We'll figure out a way! Heck, soon Tails will be done that tournament. If Eggman won't fix Chuck, I'm sure he can find a way." he reasoned. "Then why am I traveling with you meatbags?!" Omega complained. Sonic's expression turned serious. "Because I don't want my Unc to be stuck like this a moment longer than he has to!" he stated. Omega started to walk away. "If his programming wasn't garbage, I'd call it an improvement..." the robot mumbled. Mighty crossed his arms and shook his head. "Maybe we don't need Omega..." he sighed. "We need help of some kind... I had enough trouble findin' Chuck. Eggman doesn't want his plans to be found, and he's doin' a good job hidin' 'em..." Sonic reasoned.


It was time for the final round of the Tournament of Chaos to begin. "All competitors, enter the Dream Shrine!" Illusi announced, "The full nature of this final test will be made clear once you are gathered within..." The Dream Shrine was small compared to the Dream Temple, and the twenty finalists wondered how a substantial enough maze could possibly fit inside. As they stepped into the shrine, however, they found the dark room within instantly seem to expand and stretch, the stone walls of Illusi's maze rising to fill the space! "Great... It's Illusiworld..." Punchy groaned. "What's to stop me from casting you all into a deep sleep while I claim the Relics for my own?" Tabitha cackled. As if in response to her words, a dense fog blew across the entrance! When it faded, the contestants found themselves separated in different areas of the maze. "Oh, goody, my own personal dark labyrinth..." Punchy groaned. "Actually, we get to share it, One!" said Rainbow from behind him, startling Punchy a great deal. "Gah! What're you doing here?! You were supposed to wait outside!" he stammered. Rainbow giggled. "I snuck in! Mousy was so busy dreaming up the maze he didn't notice!" she smiled. Punchy rolled his eyes. "Yeah, of course... Or maybe he doesn't really care who sneaks in..." he sighed, and then blushed as Rainbow hugged him. "Besides, I want my fiance to be safe..." she whispered. Punchy smiled and nodded. "You be safe, too. No telling who or what else snuck in here..." he muttered. In a different corner of the illusory labyrinth, Guard was carefully sneaking around. Certain the coast was clear, he let his eyes project a hologram of Gunner. "Grrr... I have successfully infiltrated the maze..." he stated. "I have no idea how he fit a maze in that little shrine, but I don't care. Find those relics, Guard, or... Let's say the hospital will lose track of your comatose girlfriend!" Gunner sneered. Guard's eyes widened as the hologram vanished. "Grrr... Fine. I won't fail... For Mia's sake..." he growled. 

As time passed, the maze altered its form, each contestant traveling through an area designed to test them specifically. Copter found himself roaming crystal hallways resembling the Dream Temple. "If I run into the Dream King, I'm gonna scream..." he grumbled. Instead, he came across Conan, who was exploring the same maze. The pair immediately started to fight, fists and tails flying! "Ha! You're as pitiful as the other fox without that tailband!" Conan taunted. "Well, you're just words without your sword!" Copter spat back, trying to knock him down with a tail whip! Conan backed away a step and smirked. "At least I know what I'm fighting for! What have you got to fight for? Nothing!" he shouted, making Copter stop short, staring at him. "...Well? Can't tell me I'm wrong, eh? Bye, then!" the raccoon chuckled, running off around a corner. Copter took a deep breath and started in a different direction. "Maybe he's right... But that just means this is all I have left!" he growled. 

Meanwhile, in a section of maze that resembled a Covenant of Despair training facility, Felicia was roaming carefully. Heading in her direction were Amy and Cream, who both looked alarmed to find her. "Fera!" Amy growled, pulling out her hammer, "We should've known you were still around!" she shouted. Felicia stared at them in puzzlement. "...Fera? I don't know what you mean. My name's Felicia. Put that away, this isn't the fight round." she sighed. Cream scratched her head curiously. "Maybe she doesn't remember you, Amy?" she asked. Amy didn't lower her hammer. "C'mon! Sandopolis? You blew up that hidden room! Well... that GUN scientist helped... Between the two of you a whole bunch of us almost died!" she shouted. Felicia looked bewildered by her accusations. "I have... no clue what you're talking about. But I'm sorry you went through such an ordeal." she said. Amy started to lower her hammer, glancing at Cream. "Maybe we can trust her. C'mon, let's all look for those relics!" the rabbit smiled. 

Another section of the maze had become a hall of mirrors, where Lucky the cat was nervously looking for the way forward. "Hellooo?" he muttered, yelping as he saw another cat in the mirror! It was Blaze. "You're not me! Are you nearby?!" he called, realizing he was talking to a mirror. Blaze was seeing Punchy in the mirror directly in front of her. "This place is a fun house..." she muttered. "One!! Oooone!! Where are ya!?" With Rainbow's voice calling, Punchy disappeared from the mirror Blaze was looking at, only to be replaced in a moment with a third cat, Tabitha. "This isn't good..." Blaze murmured. Tabitha cackled. "These mirrors are too bright... Why not reflect on something a bit darker?" she said, casting a spell that changed all the reflections into creepy, ghastly images! Ghosts, zombies, a world in flames... The images filled all trapped in the maze with dread. "Gyaaah!!" Lucky yelled as he saw an undead version of himself in the mirror! Blaze gasped as she saw the same, and ran to escape the image, only to find it following her! Tabitha's cackling could be heard as they fled. Blaze and Lucky stopped together at an intersection, nervously clinging to each other as they were surrounded by zombies! Then... the glass shattered! "Seven years of bad luck? Bah, my life is bad luck already!" Punchy growled as he broke the mirrors, stopping the images. "...You kittens alright? Hey, anyone seen Rainbow?" he asked, looking a bit worried. "Hey, One!" Turning around, Punchy shrieked to see a zombie Rainbow! Blaze promptly tossed a fireball at it to destroy the mirror. "What was all the screaming? You're all weird." Rainbow sighed, her real non-zombie self turning the corner.


Omega had tracked signals from Eggman's machines back to Troblusk City and Eggtopia, the now-run down building thought to have been abandoned by the doctor. Sonic led him, Silver, Mighty and Uncle Chuck right into the building. "Careful where you step, guys... We don't wanna get trapped in Eggman's video game world..." Sonic warned. They stepped to avoid the obvious spot on the floor that served as the transport to the game world, only for a trap door to open beneath them, sending them dropping into a basement area! Large monitors covered the walls surrounding them as they landed on a platform below surrounded by spikes! "Whew! Glad Eggman decided to leave this floor here for us..." Mighty sighed. The monitors flickered on, and a red-furred feline face with glowing yellow eyes and saber teeth stared out at them from each screen. "Meowr!! Guests! Welcome, welcome! Oh, Sonic! Did you miss me?" the feline sneered. Sonic looked around at the screens and clenched his fists. "Firepaw... We don't have time for your games! Where's Eggman!?" he shouted. Firepaw wagged a clawed finger at them. "Is that any way to talk to your gamemaster? I could just drop you into those spikes y'know..." he warned. Silver looked up to see that the trap door had closed. "We'd better play along for the moment, Sonic. I'm not seeing a way out..." he said. Firepaw nodded. "Well, there's the hall directly in front of you... Oh, but it's also full of spikes. Pity. Meowr..." Firepaw smirked. "Enough! Let us out of here, or I will tear apart every computer until you have nowhere to hide!" Omega threatened. Firepaw snickered at him. "I'm rather enjoying watching someone else feel trapped... Normally I'm the one stuck. In this lonely digital realm. No one to talk to but BAS. Except he's been decommissioned in this base. Oh well, watching you squirm will get boring..." he sighed, and as if on cue, platforms side out of the walls to allow safe passage into the next room. "You might wish you stayed here..." Firepaw said teasingly. Sonic glanced at Silver. "Keep Uncle Chuck under control... I'll check up ahead." he said, rushing into the next room to find a techno nightmare! It looked much like Metropolis, but with less emphasis on lava and more emphasis on spikes! "I hate this base motif..." Sonic groaned, "This'll be a long day..."


Back in the maze, some explorers within had arrived at what appeared to be a gladiator pit. A swarm of Illusi's no-sign shaped minions, the Wrongos, were flying about, ready to jolt anyone who came near! Zavok was the first to approach them. "...I have no time for these silly games. Remove these creatures from my path!" he ordered. At his command, the other Zeti emerged from the corridor behind him and began attacking the Wrongos... except for Zor and Zeena. "These things aren't even real? What's the point..." Zor sighed. "Can't fight now. Doing my nails..." Zeena muttered. Zim sped past them enthusiastically. "I shall clear the path for you, lord Zavok!!" he cried, only to be knocked backward by a metal blue ball. It was Metal Sonic! The robot had arrived from the other entrance to the arena, and Guard the gargoyle wasn't far behind him! "Heh, looks like I'm not the only one who snuck in some friends..." Zavok sneered. "The gargoyle is no ally of mine!" Metal Sonic shouted. "Oooh... You look familiar... And it's makin' me MAD!!" Zazz growled, charging at the robot! Guard looked around awkwardly. "Hostiles everywhere... Grrr... Where to go?" he muttered, only to be whacked by a cane in his distraction! "You'll need focus to stand a chance in this battle!" said Zik as he caught his cane and began to run at Guard, who struck back at his cane with his scythe! Zomom, meanwhile, quickly cleared most of the Wrongos, leaving a clear path out of the gladiator pit for Zavok. "...It'd be amusing to watch you squirm, but I have a prize to locate. When you're done here, split up and find the other relics!" he ordered the rest of the Zeti. "Whatever, I'll do it when I'm good and ready..." Zeena sighed. Zavok hurried out of the arena, rushing through the maze until he found a hallway resembling an echidna temple. At the end, the Chaos Claws rested on a pedestal! However, Knuckles the echidna was already halfway down the hall! "Turn around, echidna! The relics are meant for the worthy. The Zeti are the only ones strong enough for that honor!" he growled. Knuckles turned to face him, and raised his fists. "I don't care about winning these relics, I already have a powerful gem to protect. But I'm not about to allow the likes of you to get ahold of them!" he shouted. "So be it..." Zavok smirked.

Zavok came at Knuckles, looking to slam his fists into the echidna's skull! Knuckles blocked with his own fists, shoving him back and beginning to punch the Zeti in the chest swiftly like a boxer! Zavok grunted and spun around, slapping Knuckles away with his tail! "You can't overpower me! It's useless to try!" the Zeti growled, grabbing the stunned echidna by the throat and tossing him into the wall! Knuckles climbed to his feet with a stubborn smirk. "You should talk to old Howler. Oh wait, you can't." he said deviously. Zavok scratched his head. "I've no idea who that is. But you can give him my regards if he's dead!" he smirked, hurling a punch toward Knuckles! The echidna met his fist with a fist of his own, a loud smack sounding through the hallway as they collided! Knuckles seemed clearly outmatched by Zavok, but he stood his ground anyway. "Why don't you give in!? My physical might could crush Sonic if he'd stay put long enough for me to hit him!" Zavok snarled. "...I don't break so easily..." Knuckles grinned. As if in response to his determination, the Chaos Claws began to glow brightly, enveloped in light. This light leapt from the pedestal and knocked Zavok away, leaving the claws hovering in front of Knuckles! "Huh...?" he muttered. "...You have been chosen. The power of the Claws is yours now..." This familiar voice rang in his ears. "...Tikal?" Knuckles muttered. Without further words, Knuckles, the Chaos Claws, and the Deadly Six found themselves back outside the Dream Shrine in a flash of light! "Congratulations, Knuckles the echidna! You are our first winner!" Illusi announced, glaring at the Deadly Six. "What?! Wait... The contest isn't over!" Zavok protested. "You cheated. The relics will never deem you worthy." Illusi informed him. "Forget the rules. Let's just TAKE 'em!" Zazz suggested. Zavok growled softly. "With GUN likely watching this place? No, let them have their pithy victory..." he grunted, scowling at Knuckles. "But I promise you this, echidna... You haven't seen the last of me!" Knuckles shrugged as the Deadly Six started to leave. "Well, this'll go nicely with my Shovel Claws..." he muttered. "Be cautious, Knuckles. Those claws are known to affect the mind of the wielder..." Illusi warned, and turned to the Dream Shrine. There were still eight more winners to be determined. Who would the Chosen Ones turn out to be?

To be continued... BZZZT!! ...ZZZZT!! ...WARNING! CHALLENGER APPROACHING!!


The ocean off the coast of Station Square still showed signs of the great battle with the Covenant of Despair. Chunks of the broken Demon Island still floated, like icebergs, drifting slowly but surely away from the coast. Soon enough, this evidence of the battle would either sink or be swept away. While most citizens of the city had chosen to forget that conflict already, the ocean never fully forgets. Now, the sea began to churn a bit, as a final resting place began to be disturbed by an outside force... 

The churning water seemed to move, bubbling towards the shoreline. The ocean turned darker in places, until the churning spot became a black liquid. This black liquid then leapt at the shore, as though clawing for the sweet freedom of land. It clawed again, before slithering free of the ocean's salty depths. A black puddle oozed onto the sand. Then, it began to slowly take shape. It stumbled back into a puddle once or twice. Eventually, though, the creature's strength returned. It took form, a black liquid life form with yellow eyes. Its arrival was a reaction. Something, somewhere was disturbed. As a result, a very similar being was also back in play. The shadowy creature began to walk away from the shoreline. It had one goal...one thing on its mind to find...

Chaos!

To be continued...