Sonic GeneX - The Series
Episode 6 - The Cloaked Ones
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...
Some time ago, a mystery led Shadow to discover Ultimate Life Form blood samples buried in a graveyard, which had been hidden there by Bucky. The Deathbringer had been killing over this, so Shadow decided to move the blood samples to a safer location to keep them out of the wrong hands.
Sonic is still on the run after Col. Gunner has promised to transfer his speed to whoever manages to capture him, using a machine Bucky invented.
Now, let us begin today's story...
Shadow the Hedgehog had been silently keeping an eye on the situations developing around the nation. Today, he headed back to Club Rouge, intending to check on the Ultimate Life Form blood samples he'd left with Rouge for safekeeping. For once, the bouncer recognized him and led him straight to Rouge's office. "How did I know I'd be seeing you soon, Shadow?" Rouge said in greeting. Shadow shrugged. "You know why I'm here..." he stated. "Oooh, do you want my help capturing Sonic for his speed?" Rouge joked. Shadow scoffed. "Please. I don't need his speed. And I don't need GUN to place a price on my head once they're done with Sonic... Getting chased like that would be irritating..." he groaned. Rouge chuckled. "Right... Well, as it happens, I do know why you're here. The Ultimate Life Form samples... They're safe, for now..." she said, pulling the slot machine lever on the wall to open the secret passage to the BATT-computer room. "For now?" Shadow asked. Rouge nodded. "My security systems have caught some shady characters trying to crack the safe... Time to change the mechanism for the secret door here." she sighed as she led Shadow down to the safe beside the computer. Shadow examined it and frowned. "There's no time to redo security here. If there are people after it, we'd better have the blood samples moved." he realized. "The safe is heavy enough, and we're sure to attract attention trying to move it..." Rouge pointed out. Shadow headed for the stairs with a nod. "We'll need Omega. I know how to find him..." he said, glancing back briefly before leaving, "And I would never need help to capture Sonic, by the way..." he made a point to say before heading on his way. Rouge sat down at the BATT-computer with a sigh, relaxing a bit while Shadow was away. "At least this'll be a break from hunting Sonic for that idiot Gunner..." she muttered. Soon, her sensitive bat ears picked up some sneaking behind her. "Who's that...?" she growled, turning around and letting out a gasp as something jumped out at her!
Upon returning with Omega, Shadow found Rouge sitting impatiently. "They came back... We'd better get this moved before they get serious." she said. "Did you see them? Who are they?" Shadow asked. "When they found me here, they didn't stick around." she said, "Probably going for reinforcements." Omega crept down the stairs, scanning the room. "Sensors jammed... Does not compute." he said. "I can't have people scanning for my secret room, Omega." Rouge grumbled. "...Very well. I still suggest annihilating the source of this trouble." the robot stated. "This is the last of Professor Gerald's research. I'm not about to destroy it." Shadow grunted, "Now let's get going. I've called ahead to Tails. He's... our best option at the moment." he sighed. "Negative. GUN is more secure." Omega retorted. "Not with Gunner as Colonel." Shadow scoffed.
The group was soon on their way, and although they drew a lot of odd glances as they carried a safe through the city, they made it to the city limits undeterred. "We're walking this to the Mystic Ruins to avoid trouble on the trains... It could be hazardous to civilians if we get attacked." Shadow explained to Omega. "Understood." the robot stated. "Ooooh, what's in the safe, Shade??" Team Dark spun around quickly at the unexpected voice, only to find Rainbow the echidna standing there. "Oh... Not you..." Shadow groaned. "This is none of your business, girl! Go home!" Rouge growled. Rainbow had a sly look. "Oh, I see... You're up to something. Gotta be up to something. Batty and Sumo-bot are here to help." she mused. "I more closely resemble a Samurai..." Omega grumbled. "Enough! This is important, and potentially dangerous. We don't have time for you..." Shadow said, turning around. "Then you'll certainly appreciate my help! ...C'mon, One's fiddling with that big gem again. I'm bored." she said. Rouge glanced at her without a word, and Shadow sighed. "Stay quiet..." he muttered. "OK! I can do that!! Follow me!!" she yelled, rushing ahead of them. "I regret this already..." Shadow groaned.
Leaving the city, the group soon arrived in a stretch of grassy fields not unlike Green Hill Zone, except it was decidedly less sunny here. The trees dotting the landscape were more gnarled and dead-looking. Omega carried the heavy safe while Shadow, Rouge and Rainbow kept a watchful eye for anything suspicious or dangerous. "So, you guys have no idea who's after this safe?" Rainbow asked. Rouge groaned. "For the final time, no! Stop asking questions..." she growled. Shadow stopped suddenly, listening. "Omega, are your sensors picking up anything?" he asked. "...Inconclusive signals. Cannot ID..." he stated. Suddenly, several figures in black cloaks emerged ahead and quickly surrounded them. "These must be our mystery thieves..." Shadow grunted. Omega set down the safe, and Rainbow stood beside it. "Uh... I'll keep an eye on this. You go blast things!" she suggested. "...At last, one who appreciates my power!" Omega replied, rushing ahead to take on the cloaked intruders. "Wait, I need to interrogate them!" Shadow protested. Omega fired some missiles at them anyway, only to watch as the cloaked ones knocked each missile out of the sky by tossing strange energy spheres at them! They then proceeded to toss those spheres at the group, forcing Team Dark into action! Rouge flew over, dodging spheres before she went to kick one. The being bent back out of the way, unnaturally far, and then rose back up with ease and came at her with a clawed hand. Rouge jumped back and flew up high. "They're... not normal." she growled. Shadow tried to hit one with Chaos Spears, but its body twisted to escape each shot with ease. "Yeah... You're not kidding..." he grunted. Omega let loose with several explosive shots, trying to hit a bunch of the cloaked ones at once. "I will eradicate all threats!!" he yelled, and when the dust settled, it did appear that he might have done some damage, as the cloaked ones stood a bit shakily. However, they did not stop coming! "Quite a struggle... In the face of doom!!" Shadow stopped suddenly as he heard a familiar voice. "...Doomsayer??" he gasped.
Meanwhile, Amy and Cream met Blaze in Station Square, the first proper visit the cat had made since Tails completed the gate between their worlds. They got a table at the burger shop where Copter happened to be working and started to catch up on recent events. "Sorry about Marine, Cream... She can be a bit...uhhh..." Blaze said, having heard about the events of the Festival of Romance. "Oh, no... She actually helped!" Cream said, smiling. "Hey! What's taking so long with our food!!" Amy shouted to a grouchy Copter. "Hold on... Let me add 'extra spit' to your order..." he grumbled. "Suddenly I've lost my appetite..." Cream sighed. Blaze shrugged and continued the conversation. "How's Sonic doing? Has GUN stopped bothering him yet?" she asked. Amy sighed. "No... Wait... I bet we could catch Sonic!" she said suddenly. "Huh?? Why would you say such a thing?" Cream asked. Amy chuckled. "Oh, we'll just borrow his speed for a while... Maybe he'll appreciate me more if our roles are reversed..." she rambled. "Uh, I don't think that--" Blaze started to say, when Amy just got up and headed out the door. "Hey!! What about your... Oh, forget it..." Copter groaned. Amy quickly noticed that Sonic was in fact speeding around outside. "Oh, Sonic!!" she called, drawing his attention. "Hm?" he muttered, tapping his foot. "C'mere... I got something for you..." she said in a sultry voice. Sonic backed away nervously before running off hastily. "Sorry, gotta keep moving! Don't wanna draw a hedgehog-hunting crowd!" he shouted. Blaze and Cream stepped beside Amy and shook their heads. "That won't work. We have to set a trap." Blaze said, now curious to see if they could in fact pull this off.
Later, Sonic had moved his run to Emerald Coast. There, he found Cream sitting under a palm tree, holding Cheese and crying loudly. He stopped running and walked over to see what was up. "Something happen? Eggman didn't kidnap your mother again, did he?" he asked. Cream sniffled a bit. "N-no... I was chopping onions." she said with a giggle. Sonic raised an eyebrow, and was about to turn around when a net was dropped on his head, followed by a rope being tied around his waist quickly by Blaze! "Hah! My plan worked! That wasn't as difficult as I'd imagined..." the cat smirked. Sonic glanced around in surprise, and frowned at being tricked in this way. "That's a dangerous game to play. What if next time you actually need help, but I think it's a trick?" he grumbled. This immediately took Cream down a peg. "Oh... You're right... I'm sorry, Mr. Sonic. I just wanted to help the others..." she said, running off while sniffling. "Stupid onions!" she cried. Blaze chased after her. "Cream, wait!" she called. This left Amy to guard Sonic. He stared at her for a bit, and she stared back awkwardly. "Well... I guess this is it..." Sonic sighed, "GUN will surely lock me up...but hey, you get my speed. It's such a shame... We only had such a brief, brief time together..." he said, maybe overacting a tad, though Amy was too busy clutching her heart to notice. "If only... I could feel your soft lips against mine, one last time...." he chocked, covering his eyes. This did it. Amy untied him and threw off the net hastily. "You can, my love!!" she cried, only to look the next instant and find Sonic a half mile down the beach. "Now we're even!!" he shouted before dashing away. Amy blinked a couple times and blushed in embarrassment. "I need to think of a lie for Blaze... Um... A wave came in and swept him away! Yeah..." she babbled, walking off.
The Doomsayer was accompanied by a brief hail storm, and the icy precipitation seemed to frighten off the cloaked ones that had been fighting the group. "Ummm... Thanks, Grim Reaper?" Rainbow said unsurely. "Could you turn up the heat again?" Rouge complained. The Doomsayer raised a hand, and the storm turned to rain. "The Deathbringer; Hope the Raven, sought to keep what you are transporting hidden." he said. Shadow glanced at the safe and nodded. "She was Bucky's... friend. That might explain how she knew about this. But... Why did she go to such lengths? All that murder..." he wondered. "Too many were aware of Dr. Stein's research... Too many could lead this secret to the wrong hands. Your blood has already been used to create threats, and she could not allow it to happen again." the Doomsayer stated. "...What threats... Did Bucky use my DNA in his experiments? Is that why some of them can use Chaos Blast??" Shadow asked with urgency. However, the cloaked ones were returning by this time. "Alert! Unidentified hostiles have returned!" Omega shouted. The Doomsayer's eyes glowed a light shade of purple for a moment. "Each battle attempts to tip the scales of fate one way or the other... I challenge you! Determine fate's course... Fight the doom, if you dare!" he shouted, his body emitting a strange energy that enveloped the group! In the next instant, Team Dark found themselves scattered while the cloaked ones surrounded each of them! "Wherever we are... We must get to the safe!" Shadow called out. "Affirmative." Omega's voice called from the distance. "I'm still with it! Umm... Someone help meeee!!" Rainbow shouted from somewhere in the shadows. The Doomsayer's challenge had begun!
While the others began to battle the cloaked ones separately, Shadow decided it was time he knew what he was up against. He charged at one of the mysterious beings, but as it hurled an energy sphere at him, he shouted "Chaos Control!" and vanished, appearing seconds later behind the cloaked one! "Now, who are you?!" he growled, grasping the being's hood to discover a slimy skull underneath! "Lost Ones?! Acting alone?" Shadow gasped at the sight of the loskel. "No, not alone..." said Rouge, who had crept over to Shadow unhindered, and wore a sinister smirk. Shadow stared at her for a moment, and made a face as her body started to melt and transform, revealing the shape-shifting Lost One, Loskeletor! "You! What have you done with Rouge!!?" Shadow shouted. Loskeletor chuckled. "She was excessive after I took her form... Wherefore art thou, bat? Hmmm?" he cackled, "The prophet's interjection was an unexpected boon. My trap is much more effective with your forces scattered!" Shadow jumped as Loskeletor fired lasers from his eyes, chasing the hedgehog with his fiery gaze! "But what could you possibly do with the contents of that safe!?" Shadow demanded as he fired Chaos Spears at the nearby loskel, now compensating his shots to make up for their limber skeletal bodies. Loskeletor kept the pressure on Shadow, not allowing him to stop moving. "Twas imperative to defeat Team Dark before claiming the prize within the safe... Else, we could have taken it at any moment." he said, ignoring Shadow's questioning, "Now, with your defeat imminent, we may well claim our quarry..." he added, raising a hand to order the nearby loskel. This was followed by a scream from Rainbow. "You monster... Omega!! Can you get to Rainbow!?" Shadow called out. "Negative, I do not possess the required speed!" Omega replied from wherever he was. Shadow had to be the one to go. "Chaos Control!!" he said, warping to Loskeletor and swiftly kicking his bony green head to the ground! "Gaaah!! You have but delayed my wrath!" the skeleton roared as Shadow ran after Rainbow!
However, it appeared he would be too late to save Rainbow. As he arrived, she was swarmed by loskel, and they were holding her down, apparently about to finish her before Shadow would be able to take them all out! "NO!! Stop!!" he shouted, flashes of Maria briefly passing into his mind as the idea of watching someone else die occurred to him. However, that's not what happened. Instead, a miracle occurred. "Get... BACK!!" shouted Rainbow with desperation, and as the loskel drove their claws at her chest, a bright flash of light erupted from her, a strange force sending the loskel backward into a scattered mess of slimy bones! Shadow stared in surprise, and Omega soon joined him. "...Strange energy detected. What did I miss?" he asked. "It would seem... Rainbow has power..." Shadow stated. The echidna stood up woozily. "I don't feel good... What happened? Did you save me, Shade?" she mumbled. Shadow crossed his arms. "You have no consciousness of what happened? You saved yourself somehow!" he said. "Huh? That's silly..." Rainbow muttered. As Loskeletor placed his head back on, the real Rouge flew by and kicked it back off. "That's for locking me in a closet!!" she growled, and then smacked Shadow on the head. "How could you be fooled by a fake me!?" she shouted. Shadow rubbed his head and shrugged. "I did suspect something was off, since the fake you acted a bit strange... But I also knew you were strong enough to escape whatever danger you might be in." he stated. Rouge looked a bit surprised for a second, but then smiled. "Well, someone should get that..." she said. As Omega picked up the safe again and they started to leave, Rainbow was asking about these so-called powers Shadow observed, but it seemed apparent that she wouldn't be able to use them again on purpose for the time being. As they were leaving, Lospecter emerged next to Loskeletor, handing him his head. "Shadow the Hedgehog?? You got to battle Shadow the Hedgehog!!" he stammered. Loskeletor screwed his head back on. "So?" he mumbled. Lospecter glared at him. "What do you mean, 'so?!' He's Shadow the Hedgehog! Second most popular character in the whole flippin' canon!! Only shows up, like, once every one or two years! And I MISSED him!! Aaaaaugh!!" the ghost wailed. Loskeletor shook his head and walked off. With Team Dark fully united, there was no chance of getting the safe from them now, and Lospecter would have to wait until the next time the dark hedgehog would emerge from the shadows to battle him...
Tails hid the safe containing the DNA samples in the secret tunnels hidden beneath his Mystic Ruins workshop. Only he and Shadow would know its location in the underground maze. For now, Gerald's work was once again secure.
Episode End!
