Sonic GeneX: Doomsday
Chapter 30 - Return to Station Square
Stage 16 - Raisol Sanctuary

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


"So let's all jump up super high!
High up in the sky!
There's no power-up like dancing!
You know that you're my superstar!
No one else can take me this far!
I'm flipping the switch; Get ready for this!
Oh, let's do the odyssey!" - Jump Up, Super Star!; Super Mario Odyssey
(Why? Well, uh... There were Mario crossovers in the series... And I wrote this chapter around Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary... So what the heck.)


Previously on GeneX…
Having survived the destruction of the Troblusk Clock Tower, Punchy and Heather had been hanging around the city, checking on their allies for a while. During that time, they caught a communication that showed them the location of Rainbow and Guard, so they started heading in that direction to catch up to them.
Fera spoke to Rainbow before setting out with Tails, telling her that the Chaos Crystal, with its power to stop the Chaos Relics, would be needed to get the relics back from the Lost Ones.
Now, our tale continues...


Punchy and Heather were on their way out of the city. The plan was to find wherever GUN was holed up, as that seemed the most likely place Rainbow and Guard would end up. As they traveled, two planes passed overhead. Heather glanced up at them. "Is that Tails up there?" she questioned. Tails and the future-kids were on their way to Central City to meet up with the other future-kids. As they passed over Punchy and Heather, something was tossed out of the Tornado-X's cockpit, and Punchy scrambled to catch it, only to have it bonk him on the head. "Yow!! H-he threw a rock at me!! Tails!!" he shouted, shaking his fist. Heather picked up the rock. "There's a paper tied to it... guess the comms really are toast." she murmured, untying the note to have a look. The grouchy Punchy snatched it from her hands. "Lemme see! Hmm... Dear One... Gah, it's from Rainbow!?" he stammered, reading through it silently after that. "Uhh... What's it say?" Heather asked. "Some of it's private. Tails better not have looked! Oh, but she says that Six is taking her to pick up the Chaos Crystal from home. Uhh, Six is Guard..." he murmured. "I know..." Heather nodded, glancing at the road to see a familiar taxi pulling up. Riley, aka Spy, was driving. He'd dropped off Silver and Blaze somewhere earlier, and now was on his own. "Hey there... You folks wouldn't know where I can find the owner of this cab, would ya?" he asked. Punchy glanced at him, pocketing Rainbow's note. "Mia? Never mind her. She can wait for it. I need a ride back to Station Square now!" he said urgently. Riley gulped. "Y-you mean the city that flooded with monsters first?! Isn't it suicide to go back there??" he stammered. Heather opened the car door. "There's Lost Ones everywhere. Believe me, you're safer with us than without us anywhere." she told him. Riley sighed. "Good point..." he whimpered, preparing to make a U-turn while Punchy and Heather got into the cab...


Dr. Eggman had taken Gunner and Dr. Nammad back to Darkegg Fortress, where he was regrouping after losing Eggtopia. The doctor was running diagnostics on the base from the control room, and in addition to Gunner and Nammad, Char flitted nearby. "...I need the Chao evacuated from this facility." the doctor stated. Char looked a bit distraught at that idea. "B-but...our home!" he stammered. "Your home was forfeit when I picked this island! I'm the bad guy, Char!! Now take your family off this base or I'll have them removed!" he shouted, sending the red Chao out of the room in tears. "This isn't fun anymore..." he sniffled on the way out. "Harsh, doc, hehe..." came the voice of Lospecter as a portal appeared in the room. Gunner pointed his gun arm at the spirit while Nammad hid behind him, but Lospecter ignored them. "I can see you're busy egging it up in here, but I need a robot. Gotta pick something up that I'm technically deeply allergic to." the ghost announced. Eggman glanced at him. "Freeze is at my pyramid base, supposedly. Go pick him up. At least I know you won't posses him since you also don't care for cold!" he grunted. "Aww, where's the trust, doc?" Lospecter teased, glancing at Gunner and licking his lips. "Hold on!" Gunner grunted, "Before you call in your swarm on me... A deal! Let me destroy Sonic for you!" he offered. Lospecter laughed. "Yeah, right! I'll do ya one better. You kill Copter for me, and THEN I'll give you a real shot at Sonic! How's that, big nose? Eggie'll know where to find Copter." he smirked, flying back into the portal to exit. Gunner sneered. "Whatever, freak. Who's Copter anyway?" he grumbled. "Uh, he's Experiment 2, sir." Nammad pointed out. "Perfect! About time I punished that furry freak!" Gunner laughed. Eggman plopped into his chair, heaving an exhausted sigh. "Tell me, Richard... Will killing Sonic be worth losing your soul? I'm starting to wonder..." he said wearily.


Riley drove to the city limits of Station Square before letting Punchy and Heather out. "I'm not quite brave enough to go in there... Just look at the clouds over that city!" he whimpered. Those clouds were dark and ominous, and on the whole the abandoned city gave off an eerie vibe now. "You're a GUN agent, right? Try to find their compound. Some of our friends are there." Heather told him. Riley gave her a salute. "Thank you, ma'am! I'll head wherever seems safe! Careful out there!" he said before driving away. With that, Punchy led Heather back into the city. Just like Central City, the Lost Ones seemed to have abandoned the area once there were no more souls to consume, but that didn't make it any less creepy to explore. "Well, she said home, so down to Raisol Sanctuary we go..." Punchy said, lifting up a sewer cover. "Ewww..." Heather murmured. "C'mon, you came to the wedding, didn't you?" Punchy scoffed. Hopping down into the sewer and starting to search for the entrance to the sanctuary, Punchy found it seemed darker than usual. "There should be a switch... Aha!" A hidden passage opened when Punchy pushed the switch, and a shout startled him. "THERE YA ARE, ONE!!" Punchy jumped back and was caught in Heather's arms, looking pretty embarrassed when he saw it was Rainbow. "Don't just scream out of nowhere like that!!" he shouted back. "Sorry, I was happy to see ya! Hey, Seven!" Rainbow giggled. Charmy of all people poked his head through the secret door next. "You finally made it! Vector and Guard and the others are inside! Come on!" the bee said excitedly. Heather raised an eyebrow. "Wait, how did you all get here before us??" she questioned. "We've got mob connections!" Charmy said with a sly smirk. That only raised more questions.

Indeed, Guard and Vector were waiting in the underground city, along with Espio. Heather rushed over and gave Guard a little hug. "I'm glad to see you're okay, Garen!" she smiled. "Awww..." Vector sighed with a light blush as he watched them, "That's sweet... Ah! Right, Punchy! I should take ya to talk to the professor!" the crocodile babbled. Punchy tilted his head. "Professor? No, no, we're here to pick up the Chaos Crystal!" he said. Espio took the time to explain. "Professor Pickle is here studying the restored ruins while a machine is repairing the Scepter of Darkness. I think he wants to share his findings with you." he stated. Punchy glanced at Rainbow. "Well, you stashed the Chaos Crystal anyway, so it's your call where to go first." he told her. Rainbow chuckled. "Okay! Follow me, everyone!" However, before the trip could get underway, a portal opened in the roof, and Lospecter popped out with Freeze! "Howdy, Punch and birdy! And...miscellaneous! Any chance you'd tell us where the big 'ol crystal is stashed?" Lospecter asked, not even waiting for a response before possessed gohlas and kikis from Eggman's pyramid base dropped from the portal, "Silly doc forgot I might help myself to whatever other toys he wasn't using, hehe!" the ghost chuckled before escaping into the portal! Guard immediately sliced his scythe through a gohla, only to find slime holding its broken head together! "Grrr! Punchy! Heather! We need elemental attacks!" he shouted. "Roger, Garen!" Heather replied, holding fire in her hands as she charged at a bomb-toting kiki-monkey robot. Punchy was about to race in as well when he heard Rainbow scream! "Huh?! Hey!! Put her down!!" he shouted, seeing Freeze sling her over his shoulder. "The Lost Ones have the doctor... I must obey their orders with cold calculation..." the robot stated, taking off into the underground city! Vector kicked away a kiki and looked toward Freeze. "We won't let him get away, Punch! C'mon, boys! Chase 'em!" he shouted. "Roger..." Espio huffed, leaping away from a gohla's flame gracefully. "Good luck, Guard! Gotta go!" Charmy said hastily.

Guard and Heather were only able to distract the robots briefly before they took off after Punchy and Team Chaotix. Heather started to chase them as well, but Guard grabbed her arm. "Rrrr... They can handle themselves. We should check on the professor." he said seriously. Heather glanced at him and nodded. "Right... No telling if the Lost Ones will go after him, too." she murmured, "Lead the way, Garen!" With a nod, Guard started to lead Heather through the roads of the underground city, watching carefully for any sneak attacks the Lost Ones might pull. When it seemed their path was safe, Heather broke the silence. "I was looking everywhere for you. I'm glad you weren't caught up in the initial destruction of the city here..." she said. Guard nodded. "I wasn't fully in control of myself until Sonic helped me in Central City, grrr... Since then, I've been working with GUN to keep people safe." he told her. Heather looked at the ground awkwardly. "GUN, yeah... You still wanna work with them when this is all over?" she asked. Guard slowed his steps, looking at the phoenix as she walked beside him. "Why wouldn't I? Grr... I was built to work for GUN." he stated. "And GUN tried to use me as a weapon." Heather reminded him. "Rrrr... I would never allow that to happen again." the gargoyle stated. "You can't promise that..." Heather sighed, stopping and taking Guard's hand. "Garen... I like you. And we won't die, so we'd be perfect for each other... But... I can't be with you if you stay with GUN." she told him. Guard looked at her like a wounded puppy. "I... rrrr... I didn't think you...liked me. Rrrr... But, leave GUN? What am I without GUN?" he questioned. They both resumed walking, a bit faster to make up for lost time. "I don't know, Garen, but we'd have eternity to find out." she told him. "My parts WILL cease to function eventually." Guard grunted. Heather held his hand tighter. "Then it's more important you decide how to use your time on earth..." she said.

Professor Pickle was conveniently set up in front of Rainbow's house, making him pretty easy to find. He had a small lab setup with equipment hooked up to a generator that typically supplied power to Rainbow's house. While a machine was busy restoring the Scepter of Darkness, the professor was talking to Uncle Chuck via a computer monitor. "So, according to Sally, the barrier erected by Tikal is indeed protecting all of the Gaia Wellsprings? And they appear to be holding even with her spirit in captivity?" the professor asked. "It looks that way, but if the Lost Ones get at the Wellsprings it's game over, so we have to continue keeping an eye on 'em." Chuck reported. "Wellsprings? Grrr... Sounds like important intel..." Guard grunted as he and Heather arrived. The professor turned to them and scratched his head. "Guard? Where are the echidnas? I need to tell them about the Chaos Crystal." he murmured. Heather shrugged. "No time to waste, the Lost Ones found us down here! We need to get you out safe!" she told him. Pickle looked at the machine working on the scepter. "Just a few moments and the scepter will be finished. I can't pack up before then!" he said, "I'll just tell you! Chuck and I have been going over some of the runes you can find on these restored buildings. Our findings are quite interesting. It seems that the Covenant of Despair's floating island may have been part of this tribe's territory at one time!" he stated. Guard and Heather glanced at each other with mildly annoyed expressions. "Rrr... Useless information. Demon Island sank under the sea and broke into pieces." Guard grunted. "Not in that order." Heather added. Pickle nodded. "True, but our findings suggest that the Chaos Crystal was part of a mechanism that raised the island into the sky originally. Perhaps it could be used in such a way again?" he hypothesized. Heather glanced at the machine working on the scepter. "Is it ready yet?" she sighed. The professor shrugged and grabbed a plate on a nearby table. "Cucumber sandwich while you wait, anyone?" he offered, gaining audible groans from his guests.


Punchy and Team Chaotix followed Freeze through the underground city, pursued by possessed robots on the way. Espio was sure to watch their backs, tossing ninja shuriken back at the kikis and gohlas periodically. "They don't sustain damage with spirits holding them together!" the chameleon observed in frustration. "I'll crush 'em when Rainbow's safe!" Punchy growled, chasing after Freeze even faster, "Damn it, I should've kept the Chaos Boots!" he complained. However, the robot grew weary of being pursued and stopped fleeing, placing Rainbow at the steps of a building. "There, you see, Icybot? All you have to do is be nice and One won't hurt ya!" Rainbow said, hoping he was giving up. However, Freeze responded to her words by shooting a blast of cold air from his hands at her, soon encasing the panicking echidna in ice! "RAINBOW!!" Punchy cried, a look of shock in his eyes as he saw his wife frozen on the steps with a look of fear locked on her face! He clenched his fists and ground his teeth growling furiously as Vector and Charmy caught up. "Ohhh, yer gonna pay for that!!" Vector shouted. "And for once we don't mean money!" Charmy added. Cold air seemed to emanate around the blue Gizoid, and Freeze pointed a chilled finger toward Punchy. "You won't impede my mission. I'll put you on ice as well. All for the safety of Dr. Eggman!" he declared. Espio backed close to the group as the robots chased after him. "Charmy, Vector... Not that I can't handle myself, but... If you wanted to lend a hand, it would...speed this along." he said, wording things carefully. "Can't beat 'em alone, Espio?" Charmy teased. "Go on, I got this..." Punchy grunted, cracking his knuckles, "I destroyed Firma already, and she just got in my way. But soul or not... I'm not gonna feel guilty tearing you apart... AFTER YOU HURT MY WIFE!!!" he shouted.

Punchy charged furiously at Freeze, but the robot quickly froze the ground under his feet, causing him to slip! "Whooooa- Chaos Avalanche!!" he shouted as he slid past the robot, pulling up chunks of the ground and haphazardly hurtling them at the robot! Freeze stepped in front of the frozen Rainbow and erected an icy shield to protect them both from the debris. As his shield crumbled from the impacts, Freeze looked at Punchy coldly. "If I were you, I would try not to hit the girl. If you shatter the ice around her, you may shatter her body as well." he warned. "Thanks for the concern!!" Punchy snapped, "After you froze her in the first place!!" Ice formed in Freeze's hands, becoming cold daggers. "I still need her alive. You, however, I have no need of..." he stated, racing across the icy floor towards Punchy! He slashed at the green echidna with his daggers, but Punchy backed away to avoid it, looking for an opening to strike. Soon, he attempted a punch, but a shell of ice formed around the Gizoid's chest, absorbing the damage! Then, Freeze managed to cut Punchy's arm as he pulled it back, making it bleed. He grunted and held his wound, stepping around the robot as it juggled the icy knives in its hands. "All you care about is serving Eggman, huh? Doesn't even faze you that Firma's gone? You really are a cold dude." Punchy scoffed. "Emotions are a concern for the flesh." Freeze stated, "So enjoy your fear as I freeze you to your bones..." Cold air surrounded the Gizoid, and he sent that freezing air at Punchy, looking to encase him in ice just like Rainbow! "Chaos Avalanche!" Punchy pulled up the earth around him, like a cocoon of dirt and stone, blocking the cold. "It matters not. I'll seal you in a tomb of your own making!" Freeze declared, stepping closer and turning up the cold, solidifying the earth around Punchy! It seemed like Punchy would indeed be trapped, but his voice could be faintly heard within. "Chaos...blast!" The frozen shell of earth exploded, its pieces flying at Freeze and crashing into him! Seizing the chance, Punchy leapt out of the smoke, winding up and throwing a mighty punch the Gizoid's way!

With a clatter of metallic parts, Freeze collapsed into a wrecked heap. Vector was busy holding back a deranged kiki that had sprouted demonic tendrils when he heard the sound. "I hope that means you're ready to help out, Punch!" he grunted, tossing the robot away from himself as Charmy flew by, frantically fleeing a gohla engulfed in ghost fire. Some redder, hotter flames came searing at the robot, destroying it and melting the goopy Lost One inside! "Yay! Heather's back!" Charmy cheered, flying over beside Vector and watching as the phoenix made quick work of the Lost One-possessed robots! "Thanks..." Espio murmured, "I could've easily handled it if they could...die." he murmured. Punchy hurried towards Heather. "Quick! I need ya to thaw out Rainbow! ...Hey, where's Guard? Aw, forget him!" he said frantically. Heather smirked. She looked a bit different, in fact. She looked more pink...and some of her red feathers stuck out of her head, almost like devil horns. "I'd be happy to turn up the heat, but I ain't Heather... Thanks, though. We needed that robot taken out." she sneered. Punchy's eyes widened and he turned around, finding Mephiles hovering over Freeze's remains and taking hold of the cold-hearted robot's soul! "I see you've met my beloved... The Dark form of your Heather, resurrected through me. We were once one, after all..." he said, referring to Solenix. Mephiles' demonic green eye glanced to the side, spotting the real Heather arriving with Guard. "Time to go..." he stated, fading into a shadow and swiftly escaping! Heather stopped short when she saw the other phoenix there. "Wait...me?" she stammered. Dark Heather waved at her with a wicked grin. "I'm Soleil. Catch you later, disaster-girl!" she snickered, dashing off while leaving streaks of flame behind her!

Heather didn't have too much time to process this, as she needed to get to work thawing out Rainbow right away, carefully moderating her flames to melt the ice without burning her. "Great, just great... Now there's another me who's willingly being used as a weapon for evil. I can't escape from this destiny, can I?" she grumbled. Guard watched her, a troubled expression on his face. "You can't blame yourself for this... Grrr..." he told her. Punchy was standing near Rainbow, and caught her as she fell out of the ice. "Whoa! I gotcha! Rainbow? Rainbow!!" he shouted, worried. Espio walked over and looked at her. "She seems to have lost consciousness. Who knows when she'll wake..." he stated. "Aw, no!" Charmy gasped, "She was the only one that knew where the Chaos Crystal was stashed!" That could be a problem. There was no telling how much havoc the Lost Ones could wreak while they remained unable to reclaim the Chaos Key. However, Vector just started to snicker at the situation. "I'm glad you find my wife's situation amusing!" Punchy growled, "...Then again, this IS the quietest I've ever seen her..." he whispered. That wasn't what Vector was laughing about. "Guys, it's fine! Just let her sleep it off! We'll have that crystal in no time, wherever she stashed it!" he announced. "Grrr... You have a plan?" Guard asked. Vector crossed his arms and gave a big crocodile grin. "The plan is me! Detective extraordinaire, Vector the Crocodile, at your service! I'll even waive my usual fees!" he said confidently. Heather sat on the steps next to Punchy as he cradled Rainbow in his arms. "Guess there's no choice." she said, "...And if the Lost Ones are going to use my power against us... Then I guess it's time I stopped fighting my destiny. If I'm to be a weapon...I should be a righteous weapon of justice!" she declared, fire burning in her eyes. Rainbow might be down, but the team wasn't out!

To be continued...