Sonic GeneX: Doomsday
Chapter 40 - The Final Experiment
Stage 20 - Lost Hive

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


"Just a walk or a journey.
Don’t stop reaching high.
Don’t let the time pass you by.

So many ways that you can, try to forget.
So many ways that you’ll find, you wake up to regret.

Someday, One Day,
We’ll say live life, I know!
Hold on, Hold Tight!
Don’t let go, Don’t lose sight." - Live Life; Sonic & the Black Knight

Previously on GeneX…
Key to the Lost Ones' schemes was the capture of Gemini, who after surviving nearly becoming a Lost One long ago, became immune to the creatures' powers. With her and Copter sent on the run by the destruction of the Troblusk Clock Tower, they were eventually cornered, and Gemini was forced to give herself up to save a train full of refugees, leaving Copter with her wand. Desperate to save her, Copter tracked down her sister, Libra, and together they set out to find and rescue the fennec.
Meanwhile, Bucky's efforts to find a cure for the Lost Ones bore fruit, with Gideon, Experiment 20, proving key in reviving the previously Lost Capricorn the Ferret. Next, a way to mobilize the cure is in order...
Now, our tale continues...


Copter, Libra and Chopper followed a search spell to Angel Island, which floated above them, and so they would need to warp to get up there. "I have no confidence warping. You sure you can't sprout your wings back?" Copter asked the former Deathbringer, Libra. "No, Copter, I don't have a spell for wings. I'm really more of a dark mage, anyway." she sighed. As they bantered back and forth, Chopper was looking around, and noticed something in the sky, approaching fast. "G-guys... Either of you remember an even bigger floating island?" he stammered. Copter and Libra looked with alarm. "Demon Island?! Oh, come on! What's next, a swarm of Doomlings gonna fly outta Despair Castle to surround us!?" Copter complained, a bit fed up with every evil they'd ever faced before seemingly coming back in one day. Instead of Doomlings, the great slime tendril swooped down from the island as it passed near Angel Island, scooping up a certain building and adding it to Demon Island's landscape. Libra could see the search spell following this activity from one island to the other. "So... Good news, Demon Island's stopping its movement for a bit. Bad news..." she murmured, voice trailing off. "Gemini's up there..." Chopper finished. Copter growled in frustration, but as he turned his gaze toward Tails' Workshop, thinking of swiping a plane, he spotted Shadow Arcangel in the sky, heading toward Demon Island. "Huh... Looks like Bucky's on it..." he murmured. Chopper's ProwerPhone rang, and when he answered it, he saw Sonata the Unicorn of all people. "Uhhhh... Who are you and how'd ya get this number?" he asked. Sonata scratched his head awkwardly. "I-I'm up on Shadow Arcangel. Zipp handed me this communicator and asked me to tell you... Stay right there? Yeah. Anyway, I'm Sonata, hello..." he smiled. While they talked, two figures flew toward them from the ship...

The trio were soon being flown up to the ship, Chopper and Libra clinging to each arm of a straining Talon the Griffin, while Copter was being grudgingly carried by Conan the Raccoon, who was flying using the Chaos Wing that Darkosmo had neglected to steal when he took the Chaos Sword. "We never speak of this again..." Copter growled. "Don't bring this nasty attitude in front of my Emily. I will drop you, ingrate!" Conan grunted. "Don't mention dropping, I am too ready to drop!" the exhausted Talon huffed.

At any rate, they met up with Bucky near his lab aboard Shadow Arcangel. The experiments aboard the ship were rushing back and forth, apparently preparing for something. "Thanks for the ride, but what the heck is Conan doing up here?" Copter asked, earning a scoff from the raccoon. Bucky was talking to Capricorn the Ferret, but turned to address Copter. "Everyone aboard this vessel has their place. Without Conan, you would be stuck on the ground, there simply isn't time to stop." he stated, "And without Capricorn here, I wouldn't be poised to end the scourge of the Lost Ones once and for all. She was patient zero." Copter looked at the ferret and laughed. "Guess Experiment Zero wasn't ever gonna be a thing! So I take it you don't know anything about Ophiuchus taking Gemini, eh?" he asked her. Capricorn rubbed her head with an awkward expression. "Sorry, kinda feel like my soul's been in a blender since this morning. You're telling me Ophi's back?" she groaned. "And performing experiments on my sister!" Libra snapped, "How soon can we land on Demon Island?" she asked. Bucky motioned for the group to follow him. "We need to check the team's progress. We're trying to prep the ship's mega-gun to fire a wave of the GeneX cure over the island, rendering Ophiuchus and his sort the only real dangers there." he explained as they walked. "GeneX cure?" Chopper asked. "Experiment 20, Gideon, is a being of pure GeneX -or creation- energy. Its power, properly channeled, can restore the Lost Ones to living beings." the rat stated. As they walked, they soon found Lospecter floating in the hall, blocking their path! "There ya are! Makin' a cure for a whole species... And you call yourselves the heroes! Oh, well. Time for the fiery crash!" he announced, pointing the Chaos Key over his head to create a portal through which Lost Ones began to swarm into the ship!

Bucky quickly struck back against the invading creatures, shooting a massive burst of electricity from his fingers to roast them up! Lospecter poked his head out of the open portal when the coast was clear again. "Such a tough old rodent. But you can't be everywhere at once, hehe!" he taunted, popping back into the portal as it vanished! The ship suddenly shook violently, and Bucky pulled a walkie talkie out of his coat. "It's the worst case scenario. Time to evacuate!" he said hastily, breaking into a run! The others started following behind him. "Evacuate how?? You only had two guys to fly us three up here!!" Copter shouted. "You'll just have to put those silly tails of yours to use...or die!" Conan told him. They all headed for the control room, where Vortex and Zipp were busy fending off losol with their Chaos attacks! "I can finally use my flamethrower but I left it in the rumpus room!" Zipp complained. "Copter?? Where'ssss Crassssh??" Vortex groaned. Bucky turned to Talon and pointed, making the griffin salute him quickly. "Aye aye! I'll find him!" he stammered, rushing off! At about the same time, Sonata, Bolt and Emily fled into the room, and Gideon actually seemed to phase through the ceiling to join them! "Th-th-there's monsters chasing us!" Bolt stammered. Indeed, Talon had to flap his wings and fly past the Lost Ones as he embarked on his search for Crash. Chopper and Libra looked back at the approaching creatures nervously. "How do we get out now??" Chopper gulped. Bucky calmly stepped to the front windshield, and then smashed it with a strike of lightning! "Fly through there! Look, we're as close to the island as we can get!" he told them. Zipp held some pistols in his hands, firing at a few Lost Ones in the corridors. "I can fly myself! I'll stay and buy time!" he smirked. "No, you won't." Bucky told him, rushing to the entrance of the control room and laying an electrical barrier to prevent the Lost Ones from entering! "I will hold them here! Get off this ship and find a way to defeat them!!" he shouted, grunting as he strained to maintain the electric barrier as various monsters crashed against it! Copter looked at him like he was crazy. "What are ya doin', old man!? This ship is falling!!" he shouted. "What are YOU doing, Two? Save your girl! Do what I couldn't!" the rat growled, "All of you, go now, while you can!"

As Zipp flew out, he was followed by Conan carrying Emily in his arms. Chopper took Capricorn, who could no longer fly herself without her Zodiac powers. Vortex was waiting beside Copter, and Libra used her dark magic to warp Sonata and Bolt to safety. Gideon took Bucky's form, and with electricity sparking from its glowing body, it hovered through the window itself. Vortex and Copter watched Bucky strain against the Lost Ones with worry. "Y-you won't be able to essscape..." Vortex stammered. "You didn't have to do this..." Copter said, gritting his teeth as tears started to escape his eyes. The rat looked back and gave them a smirk. "Yes, I did. I failed you all in so many ways... This is my penance! Now get out of my lab! Go, and live! That's a final order from your creator!!" he shouted, pouring on the juice as the Lost Ones started fiercely clawing at the electric barrier! Copter looked away with a grunt, rushing to the broken windshield with Vortex. "You are all my sons and daughters... Numbers in my notes...but never in my heart. Fly, Arthur!!" the rat cried! Copter took Vortex and leapt from the ship, spotting Talon and Crash as he started spinning his tails with all his might! Bucky's power started to weaken, and a single tear dropped down to his shoes as he groaned, giving everything he had. "Th-they're safe, Hope... I'm...coming..." he huffed. As Copter landed on the island, he turned toward Shadow Arcangel, and gasped to see the massive tendril of Demon Island whipped at the ship, piercing into it, and starting to tear it apart from inside! "B-buck... DAD!!" Copter cried, only to see Shadow Arcangel explode before his eyes, the fiery remains of the ship crashing down into the Mystic Ruins and burying the creator of the Experiments within. Just like that, Buck Stein was no more.

It was confirmed through the combined powers of Sonata and Gideon. "I could feel him until the ship exploded..." the unicorn sighed, "He was...oddly at peace." Gideon was still in his form for a moment, but shifted to its default hedgehog form. "His life force is gone. I believe he is in the beyond..." it said. Everyone took a seat in the dead forest they found themselves in, giving Bucky a moment of silence while they considered their next move. "...Well, Bucky said for me to...save my girl? He mean Gemini?" Copter questioned. "Nooo, he meant Rainbow! Of course he meant the girl you're practically joined at the hip with!" Zipp snorted. Copter had an awkward look, but he nodded. "Well, it's what we came for. Who's comin' with?" he asked. "Honestly? I want a ride to the ground where it's safer. I have no powers!" Capricorn pointed out. "You leave with the rest of us!" Crash grunted. "Can we all just leave?" Bolt asked nervously. Vortex hissed angrily. "Our father died to get usss up here! We're going to avenge him before he leave!" he insisted. "Vengeance was furthest from his mind..." Sonata stated. "He wanted to save the Lost, not destroy them." Gideon noted. Copter shook his head hopelessly as he watched them bicker. "It's just the three of us. Come on, Libra, Chopper!" he scoffed, turning only to nearly walk into Conan. "Uh, heya. I don't got no tailbands." Copter grumbled. Conan held the Chaos Cards in his hand. "I'm keeping the relics I have in order to protect Emily. She is now your experiment sister, and that... it makes you family." he said, drawing a gold-backed card and offering it to the fox. "Take this. It can summon nearly any single thing. Don't waste it." the raccoon said. Copter hesitantly took it, glancing at Emily the Squirrel behind him and waving. "Hey, new sis..." he murmured. Emily smiled and waved back. "Good luck, and I hope to have the chance to know you better...and your girl." she said. Copter started to walk off with the card in hand. "She's not MY girl..." he mumbled. "Whatever you say..." Libra shrugged.

Copter, Chopper and Libra didn't take too long finding the chunk of Angel Island that was affixed to Demon Island. It was the Lost One nest that had been built there the previous year, where Gemini went to get a piece of Loscream and enable Astra to break the curse on the Chaos Claws. The building was atop a slight ledge, a bit of a climb needed to reach it, and to the trio's surprise, Richard Gunner and Dr. Nammad were waiting atop the ledge! Gunner was wearing a sort of power armor, likely built by Nammad, and he clutched the Chaos Sword in his good hand! "Well, well. He's finally lost what little he had." Copter said, shrugging at the sight of Gunner as he pointed the sword down at him. "Furry freaks! I care nothing for my doomed presidency! You are in my way...barring me from taking my vengeance on Sonic! Once I prove myself by ending you, those creatures will find Sonic for me, and I will finally put an end to that disgusting fleet-footed freak!" Gunner shouted. Chopper scratched his head. "His timeline's been messed up so much. Should I have new memories now or what?" he questioned. Copter started toward the cliff. "Put down that sword before you hurt yourself, dumbass! Don't you realize that the Lost Ones will EAT you if you succeed??" he pointed out. Gunner laughed. "They're the dumbasses! They gave me the Chaos Sword! With this...THIS...I can destroy them afterwards! Ha HA!" he cackled, turning his gun arm on Copter and firing several shots at his feet! "Come and get me if you can, 'Copter the Freak!' It's about time I did what I originally should have done and ended your fake clone existence!!" While Gunner was shouting at Copter, Libra tried to follow him to lend support, but a giant dragon suddenly landed in front of her! Lospecter laughed, floating next to the slimy light green dragon. "Came to find your sis, eh, Libby? Well, here she is! I love a family reunion!" the ghost chuckled, while Los Gemini let out a roar in front of Libra and Chopper!

Copter spun his tails to fly up that cliff after Gunner, swerving to evade the shots from his gun arm on the way up! Dr. Nammad backed away from the ledge, looking around nervously. "So now we are, uh, literally battling against our best chance of escaping the, uh, undead creatures, uhhh, alive??" he babbled anxiously. "You knew what the armor was for! Shut up and save your thinking for when I ask it of you!" Gunner snarled, switching arms to fire Chaos Spears from the Chaos Sword at the approaching fox! Below, Chopper and Libra were face to face with the corrupted version of Gemini's dragon form. "How is this my sister??" Libra gasped, backing up while charging dark energy in her hands. Lospecter floated casually around the dragon, almost looking like he was laying in an invisible hammock as he moved. "Gemma fumbled her magic a lot when she first came to the past. Somehow landed on this form. Then she stumbled on our boss, Apocalos, disguised as the Doomsayer, inside our old base/prison at Shadow Arc. He tried to finish her, Zodiac be damned, but Knuckles showed up and somehow managed to stop her from transforming! All this time, we kept a piece of her soul. We've been able to summon this bad girl at will. Might have a bit to do with her immunity to us? Dunno. But whether it kills you or you kill it, doesn't hurt me!" the spirit laughed. Libra tossed the orbs of dark energy she'd been charging, but they did little to the slimy dragon, which retaliated by spewing blue flames towards her! She grabbed Chopper and fled the flames quickly. "M-maybe we shoulda held onto Gemini's wand instead of Dad!" Chopper yelped. Lospecter shrugged. "Well, if ya survive, I'll be in the Lost Hive up there. See ya around!" he waved, flying off toward the very building they were trying to enter!

As Copter tried to land on the ledge, Gunner swiped the blade at him, forcing him to back away quickly! "Kinda spry for a man your age!" the fox remarked, making Gunner snarl. "The suit has enhanced my natural ability. We can't all be freaks like you!" he shouted, tapping his gun hand with the back of his good hand, which caused it to switch modes, enabling him to shoot fireballs at the fox with it! Copter blew the fire back with Chaos Whirlwind, and Gunner showed the prowess of the suit by leaping over the flames! "Truth be told, this suit was designed to kill Stein! But I hear that's been taken care of already... At last, Joseph Murten has been avenged!" the old man smirked, pointing both his weapons at Copter to keep him on the run with repeated shots! Copter flew up above him and whipped up another whirlwind to knock Gunner off balance! "Bucky was ten times the man you'll ever be! All he ever wanted was to bring lives together, while you wanna kill anything that's different!" he cried, diving down to close the distance between himself and Gunner! The man kicked him back, his attack enhanced by the power suit to nearly send Copter over the ledge! "You want to know why I hate you freaks?? All those absurd powers you were gifted with! Speed, flight, strength... the power to move things with your damn minds! You didn't earn it, but it trumps what the best and brightest of humans can ever aspire to! My goal...has always been...to level the playing field! And if that means destroying you all, then so be it!" he shouted. Dr. Nammad suddenly helped Copter to his feet, much to Gunner's surprise. "That's been your reason? A lifelong tantrum because you weren't born with superpowers?? And that's why you'll let those Lost creatures consume the world to get your way!?" the scientist growled, a tear dropping from his eye as he turned to the bully, "Buck Stein was a hundred times the man you are! More human than you'll ever be!" Gunner knocked him down with a Chaos Spear, then turning his blade on Copter. "Ivo has it right. Machines are superior beings..." he scoffed. Copter growled and charged at Gunner, shrugging off the Chaos Spears as he approached. "You aren't worthy of that sword! You ain't gonna hurt me with it!" he shouted, spinning his tails and knocking the blade from Gunner as he stepped back in surprise! "I'll kick your ass old-school then, freak!" he growled, swinging his gun arm like a big metal fist at the fox! Copter ducked it and grabbed the Chaos Sword, hurling it off the ledge! "Slay that dragon, Libra!" he shouted.

The Chaos Sword clattered to the ground, and Libra dashed past the dragon, ducking its flames and going into a slide as she grabbed for the blade! Chopper shot the dragon in the face with his Wispon, blinding it for a moment. "Go for it!" he shouted. Libra clutched the sword, the blade glowing faintly in her hand. "By the power of the Deathbringer... I end you, demon!" she shouted, leaping up and tossing the blade into the dragon's chest! It let out an agonized roar, and stumbled towards the ledge, spewing a final blast of blue fire before its slimy body started to melt away from the creation energy flowing from the Chaos Sword! The burning Ghost Fire left behind made it dangerous to approach the hive, but that was the least of their problems. Libra suddenly collapsed, Lospecter floating behind her with a karate stance! "Snake dude says we need ya to finish the experiments. C'mon, Libby!" he said, scooping the unconscious Libra into his arms and flying to the Chaos Sword, creating a portal under it and tossing Libra in before following behind, all while Chopper frantically chased him to no avail! Above, Copter had been distracted by the scene. "Libra, no!!" he cried, jumping in alarm as he heard a shot from Gunner, turning to see that Nammad had pushed him and messed it up! "Ivan, I literally don't need you anymore!" Gunner snarled, turning the gun on him! Copter leapt at him, tugging at that arm! "I will rip this armor off ya, old man! I need to save Gemini and Libra and you're in the way!!" he shouted as Gunner struggled against him! "Let them die! All you disgusting freaks are the same! I hate you!! I hate all of you!! HA!!" he laughed, tossing Copter into Nammad. However, he now teetered over the edge of the cliff! "Gaah!! The hell!?" he growled, flailing his arms! Copter ran over, reaching to pull him up, but Gunner slapped his hand away! "Never!! I don't surrender to disgusting, degenerate, furry freeeeeeaaaaks!!" Before he'd finished his words, he was falling, and Copter, Nammad, and Chopper all watched the despicable man plummet into the blue flames below, lost to his own hatred. Chopper spun his tails rapidly, flying up over those flames to meet his father. "We've gotta save Libra!" he panted as he landed on the ledge. Copter nodded, glancing over at Nammad, who shrugged hopelessly. "I'm, uh, screwed. I'll just await my fate, uh, here..." he murmured. Copter shook his hand. "We'll try to come back for you. Be careful." he said.


Gemini was strapped to a table in a chamber that looked like a cross between a lab and an observatory. Images of the Zodiac constellations adorned the ceiling, while chemicals bubbled on another table close by. This was where Ophiuchus had been tormenting and torturing her for the preceding couple hours. She had the burns on her fur to prove it, and there were tears in her eyes as she'd resigned herself to the fate of ultimately becoming a Lost One when this was all over. She heard activity in the room, and looked up to see Lospecter and Ophiuchus placing Libra on another table, strapping her in. "Now, I will be able to compare the data of the two... And my conclusion should answer all the mysteries of how Gemini became immune... Then, they both die." the snake sneered, holding a wand over Libra and placing a sort of barrier around her. Gemini renewed her efforts to struggle. "No... I won't let you hurt my sister! No!!" she cried, only for Lospecter to float over and stick his tongue out. "I'm gonna kill your boyfriend and your maybe-maybe-not son, too! And look at yooou, just a snack on my plate..." he taunted. Gemini grit her teeth. "Copter...Libra... No... You will NOT!! NOOO!!" as she lunged forward towards Lospecter, glowing wings erupted from her back, tearing the straps that held her down! She stood up from the table, her true power once more unlocked! "Im...impossible!! Zodiac Station is gone! You can't access this kind of power!!" Ophiuchus shouted. Gemini went for Libra, only to be repelled by the barrier. "...Copter!" she gasped, spreading her wings and speeding out of the room, using them to fly! Lospecter watched her with wide eyes. "She's such a firecracker! Why, if I were 5000 years younger or she were slimier...!" he said with a low growl. Ophiuchus looked to the table of bubbling chemicals. "Go get her, just in case... But I may not need her..." he said with a sly grin.

To be continued...