Sonic GeneX - The Series: Armada!
Episode 5 - Battling the Bird Armada!
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...
Sonic has been investigating the disappearance of his Uncle Chuck. Aside from accidentally altering the past so that he now has been living with Chuck for the past year, he hasn't had much success.
Gemini began searching for Libra as well, but also made little progress.
The GUN Strike Force has been marching through West Side Island, planning to stop the Battle Bird Armada before their forces can launch an attack on the United Federation. Conan has been scheming to get the Chaos Claws back from Mia while she's been getting rather close with Guard.
Punchy stunned Rainbow by asking her to marry him, and she agreed while a group of their friends emerged to congratulate them.
Now, let's begin today's story!
The Church of Central City was receiving a colorful batch of visitors on this day following Punchy's proposal to Rainbow. However, neither echidna was among them, the couple considering other possible venues considering the lack of religion in their lives. Copter had accompanied Gemini to the church, where she was praying for the safety of her missing friend, Libra. "...Shall I cast a voodoo spell while you're talking to your imaginary friend?" Copter muttered as she bowed her head in prayer. "Shush. I'll deal with your unenlightened attitude later." she grumbled. Sonic was sitting not too far away, his own head hung solemnly. "You gotta be kidding me..." Copter muttered. Sonic finished his silent prayers and spotted Copter. "Hey... Here to confess a few sins?" Sonic asked. "Har har... You don't strike me as the superstitious type, Sonic." Copter grumbled. Sonic shrugged. "Why wouldn't I be? I mean, I have fought a bunch of bad-tempered gods. There ought to be a nice one somewhere..." he sighed, "...And maybe he knows where my Uncle Chuck is..." Gemini sat next to him and patted his shoulder. "I'm missing someone too. Wait, do you think this could be related? Maybe they were kidnapped by the same person!" she suggested. Copter shook his head. "Why would the same guy take Sonic's uncle and your random doppelganger?" he asked. "Gemini! Good to see you here!" a voice familiar to the fennec girl called out. She ducked behind the church pews, but her old teacher Fred had spotted her. "Hey... You're looking more churchy than normal today." Copter said to him. Fred's normal black attire was accompanied by an actual priest's collar today. "Well, if I'm going to stay in this era--area--to watch over Gemini, I should have a fitting form of employment." he chuckled. "So... you're not here to drag me home?" Gemini asked, sighing with relief. Behind them, Illusi the shrew chuckled. He had come to the church as well to think things over after Punchy's big proposal. "Shame I can't attend the wedding... I can't keep the Chaos Relics in one place for too long..." he sighed. The church choir had been singing in the background through all of this, but at this moment, a lone voice began to sing that drew his attention. It was a voice he knew better than any other. To his astonishment, it was Fera, singing a song no one ever thought they'd hear her sing.
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found.
Was blind, but now I see!"
As she spoke that lyric, Illusi looked up, and could see that not only was it indeed Fera, but that her damaged eye had even been restored, and she was looking more beautiful than ever, wearing the white gown of the choir singers. He quickly got Fred's attention. "Th-that wolf... How long has she been here?" he asked. Fred smiled. "My predecessor as the priest here told me her story. It's quite a story. She washed up on the beaches near Station Square the day after Despair was defeated. Indeed, she herself was the picture of despair. Right eye badly wounded and sewn shut, even. The human priest here was visiting family in the area. He found her, nursed her to health. The poor thing had lost all her memories, but she proved not only strong of body, but of heart. She joined the church choir in order to give back to those who helped her, and her lovely voice has lifted many a spirit. One day, her beautiful singing turned a man, a doctor, back from the brink of suicide. In gratitude, he repaired her eye... Do you know her?" Fred asked. Illusi looked in wonder, and thought better of introducing a troubled past to this happy person's life. "What's her name?" he asked. "...We call her Felicia. She can't remember her real name." Fred shrugged. Illusi nodded as Fred stepped away, a tear coming to the shrew's eye as Fera's song ended. "...Seems she's moved on and found peace. Perhaps it is time I did the same..." he smiled.
Meanwhile, GUN's Strike Force had arrived at Oil Ocean. With Eggman's machines gone, oil had stopped dumping into the ocean, but with the Battle Bird Armada building their new warship, the flow of oil had resumed. "Grrr... Stay alert. Enemy forces could be anywhere..." Guard warned as they started cautiously toward the warship docked near Oil Ocean's mechanized platforms. However, they were almost immediately surrounded by a veritable army of birds armed with guns, flamethrowers, and explosives! "Gah! I surrender!" Nack shouted, "If they shoot off that stuff here, we'll all be blown to kingdom come!" he reasoned. "What a hero..." Rouge said sarcastically. Conan, Mia and Eddie glanced at Bean suspiciously. "Eee hee... They found us awfully quickly. Funny, isn't it?" Eddie chuckled. "Almost like a little bird told 'em." Mia added. Bark stepped in front of Bean defensively while he jumped around agitatedly. "I call racism!! Just 'cuz I'm a bird you think I'm with those birds!!" he shouted. Spy sighed. "Stop bickering, guys. He couldn't tip them off. Shock collar, remember?" he said, "Plus, I've been watching him closely. I mean, he IS a bird." While the Battle Birds surrounded them, Speedy flew up to address the Strike Force. "Can I count on your surrender? It's just that our Battle Lord is readying to announce his master plan, and I'd hate to miss it!" he smirked. A sea-green albatross, Aquarius, approached Guard and motioned for the Strike Force to follow. "Come quietly. I would prefer not to restrain you..." he said, winking. Guard scratched his head, but nodded. "Grrr... Fine. Take us to this Battle Lord of yours." he said. "It'd likely be easier to fight our way out from here..." Conan warned. "What fun would that be? Eee hee..." Eddie chuckled. As the birds led the Strike Force away, Speedy rubbed his fingers in glee. "I'm in for a big payday now! Da-I mean-the Battle Lord is gonna be so pleased with me!" he chuckled.
They were led to a massive, green, bird-shaped warship, floating next to a platform overlooking a vast sea of oil. Battle Lord Kukku waited on that platform, saluting the troops as they arrived. Dr. Fukurokov was there as well, guarding a caged Heather the phoenix. "Halt! Listen up, troops! I am giving a speech, now! You intruders can listen, too, if you're smart enough to follow." the Battle Lord began, "Plan 'B' is prepared to be put in motion!" he announced. "Isn't it more like 'Plan C'?" one of the birds in the crowd interrupted. "Who said that?" Kukku growled, hurling a bomb in the direction of the voice and blowing away the bird he believed to have irritated him. "Eee hee! I like this guy already..." Eddie whispered. The Battle Lord motioned to Heather's cage, and as he did, metal clamps reached into the cage and latched onto her limbs, holding her in place as a strange energy shot into her body! "Because we have been unable to locate the Chaos Relics, Plan B involves using the fiery power of this great phoenix to run our brand-spanking-new super weapon! ...The poor phoenix will likely use up all her flames and die by invasion's end, but sacrifices must be made for the glory of the Battle Bird Armada!" As the Battle Lord's speech ended and his minions started clapping, Speedy watched the phoenix he captured writhe in pain, a look of horror on his face. "Sacrifice...? B-but she's a bird like us!" he muttered, glancing at the Battle Lord, his father, with a newfound disgust. The Battle Lord glanced at him and crossed his arms. "What are you looking at? Ah, I know! You're waiting for the order to execute our prisoners! Well, I was considering allowing them to watch the start of our invasion...but we don't need the extra baggage. I suggest we start with the human. Who wants to watch some public executions!?" Kukku shouted, eliciting cheers from his goons, as well as Bean and Eddie. "You know they want to execute US, right?" Rouge groaned. "I'm hoping they'll let me go 'cuz I'm just so handsome!" Bean grinned. "Eee hee, c'mon, who doesn't wanna see the human's head roll?" Eddie grinned. "Me..." Spy whimpered.
As the birds moved in to finish off the prisoners, Aquarius flew up above them and let out a defiant shout. "I will follow you no more!!" As if in reaction to his words, the oily ocean surrounding the platform began to churn, and clear water rose up from that ocean, crashing onto the platform and knocking over the birds as an angry torrent of waves! "Whoa! D-did he do that?? How did he do that??" Bean shouted. "I'm just glad he managed to miss us." Nack sighed. As the birds scrambled back to their feet, Dr. Fukurokov pointed to Heather's cage. "Get her aboard the ship! Let's get going!" he ordered. "HEY! I'm in charge here!" the Battle Lord snapped, "...Get her aboard the ship! Let's get going!" he repeated hastily. A group of birds hoisted the cage and, led by the doctor and the Battle Lord, hurried onto the bird-shaped warship. Guard and Rouge were quick to take flight after them. "We can't let them use that weapon! My payment of jewels depends on it!" Rouge said. "Grrr... Don't you mean Heather's life?" Guard grunted. "I'm not too sentimental about the bird that keeps threatening my life as a weapon." Rouge shrugged. Mia watched them heading for the ship, and ran off after them. "Wait! Come back with those claws!" Conan growled, only to be blocked by a few Battle Bird guards. "Eddie, help me out here......Eddie?" Conan muttered, noticing the Hyena was suddenly MIA. As Mia caught up with Guard and Rouge inside the main entrance to the warship, they found a group of armored Battle Birds waiting for them. "Grrrr... About time we get to bring the fight to these featherheads!" Guard growled. Rouge nodded. "Too bad Omega didn't make it... Where IS he?" she muttered impatiently. "Probably still chasing Metal Sonic about, eeee hee!" laughed Eddie as he stepped out from behind one of the armored birds, a wicked grin on his face. Rouge glared at him. "Planning to go traitor? Eat shock collar!" she said, pulling out the remote and pressing it! As the collar zapped Eddie, he vanished, and a second Eddie stepped into view, wearing no collar. "You zapped illusion me to death! Eee hee! Too bad. Such a handsome devil. If it isn't obvious, I'm the one who fed our location to the Armada so they caught us as soon as we reached the area!" he chuckled. Mia raised her claws while Guard and Rouge prepared to fight as well. "Who's bright idea was it to trust bad guys?" she asked.
Eddie created more illusionary duplicates of himself and fled into the ship. "Oh, no you don't! I'm not losing my jewels because some chuckleheaded hyena escaped!" Rouge shouted, flying off after him, leaving Guard and Mia to face the Battle Bird Armada in its near-entirety. "Nice friend you got. Left us to rot... Well, if there were ever a time to let the Chaos Claws take over..." Mia sighed. "Grrr... Careful. I don't want to have to fight you!" Guard said with concern. Dr. Fukurokov let out a shout from the back of the crowd. "Out of the way! I'm going to test our new weapon out on those stowaways!" The bird army moved aside, revealing that Heather's cage had been attached by cables to a...really big gun, which Dr. Fukurokov was holding. "Yah ha ha ha!! I shall burn you to little piles of dust!" he laughed, firing a massive beam of heat from the big gun, while Heather yelped in pain from her power being drained! Naturally, Guard and Mia dashed out of the way. "Hmmm... Dumb lackeys! Hold them still! Do not worry, nothing will happen to you! Dumb lackeys..." A few birds were actually dumb enough to attempt to follow the doctor's order, and charged after Guard first. He snarled as he attempted to fend them off, but they were overwhelming him as the doctor was charging the weapon! "Oh no... Guard!! Out of the way!!" Mia shouted, lunging herself into the fray! She sent a few birds off whimpering with some swift scratches from her claws, and then shoulder-tacked Guard out of Fukurokov's line of fire! However, that meant his fiery blast would hit her instead! The hot beam struck her side and tossed her to the floor, the force of the impact sending the Chaos Claws clattering to the ground! "Rrr!! N-no!!" Guard rushed to her, lifting her into his arms, but she was already unconscious, her vital signs weak according to his scanners. Fukurokov didn't fire again, though. The Battle Lord was too close. He had emerged suddenly, and was picking up the Chaos Claws quickly. "With these to power me, and the phoenix to power my army... I am unstoppable! Yeee hee hee hee hee!" he cackled, as Guard glared up at him with rage. "GrrrRRRR!! You won't get away, bird! I'm gonna make you PAY!!" he roared. The Battle Lord snickered and took off hastily. "Catch me if you can, fluffy wings!" he taunted.
With Guard chasing the Battle Lord, it now fell to Rouge to rescue Heather and protect the wounded Mia. Trouble was, she was still occupied with Eddie, and now had the rest of the armada closing in around her. "Thanks a lot, Guard! C'mon, I can't go out like this... killed by a bunch of featherbrains!" she grunted as she did a twirling kick to clear some of the birds away from her vicinity. It looked bad, especially since she could feel that the warship was taking off, meaning the Strike Force wasn't coming...or was it? An explosion at a nearby wall caught the attention of her, Eddie, and pretty much everyone else in the room. Stepping through the resulting hole was Speedy, followed by Bean. "Ugh... I knew it. Birds flock together..." Rouge sighed, "Didn't think you'd be able to blow up the ship's hull that easily, though..." she muttered. "He did not!" said a voice behind the settling dust. Omega emerged behind Speedy and Bean, and with him were Spy, Bark, Conan and Nack! Speedy sped into the room and quickly kicked the bewildered Eddie in the face. "Yeeeow!! Hey! I'm on your side!!" he yelped. "I'm switching sides! Battle Bird Armada! Anyone who's tired of my father's cruelty, follow me!" Speedy shouted, leading half the armada to start battling the other half! Nack smirked at the ensuing chaos. "I'd say this provides some good cover. How much dynamite you packin', Bean?" he asked. Bean wore a big grin and hopped on Bark's back, pulling big sticks of dynamite into his wings out of nowhere. "I AM Bean the Dynamite!!" he cackled, slapping Bark's shoulder to send him charging into the ship. Meanwhile, Dr. Fukurokov attempted to aim his weapon into the crowd. "Stop battling each other, you fools! I cannot find my targets when you scramble about like loony toons!" he grumbled, only to collapse as a big rock suddenly fell on his head! "Nighty-night...!" he mumbled as he collapsed. Spy climbed down from overhead while Rouge landed nearby, setting to work unlocking Heather's cage. "Why the heck did they even have a big rock like that in here?? And why would a so-called genius stand right under it like that??" Spy babbled. "Shut up. A win's a win." Rouge sighed, helping Heather out of her cage. Conan carried Mia over as well. "What should we do with this dolt who lost the Chaos Claws? Throw her overboard?" he asked. "I've got her. Go find Guard so we can blow this ship and go home!" Spy suggested.
As Guard chased the Battle Lord to the warship's command deck, explosions rocked the vessel, making them both wobble a bit on their feet. "Yoooou! You and your pesky petty friends! You're wreaking my new battleship! Why can't you just die and let me rule my world in peace??" the Battle Lord growled, slipping the Chaos Claws on and turning to Guard with a wicked glare. Guard brandished his scythe, ready to fight. "Grrrr! This ship's going down, but not before I take you down first! You'll... you'll pay for hurting Mia!!" he shouted, taken aback by his own desire for vengeance. "Ahhh... Brought a girlfriend on a dangerous mission to my roost, eh? You're not angry with me, but yourself! Here, let me punish you!" Kukku cackled, leaping clear over Guard's head and slashing at his back with the Chaos Claws! "Graaaah!! I-I'll get you!!" Guard snarled, spinning around and swiping his scythe at the Battle Lord, missing with the blade but striking him with the following energy blast! "Ow!! That's a nice trick, why didn't Dr. Fuzibuzzy think of it?" he mumbled. "Name....is....Fukurokov...!" a weak voice could be heard in the distance correcting him. Kukku shrugged and slashed both claws in front of himself, leaving energy streaks in the air. "Ah, but these are the CHAOS Claws... So, let's see what is so chaotic about them!!" he cackled, tapping the energy streaks with the claws to send them shooting out at Guard as a beam attack! Guard attempted to fly out of the way, but his wings were injured when his back was slashed, so he had to block with his scythe. This gave Kukku the time to slash more energy streaks into the air. "I love playing with new toys!" he chuckled. Just then, Conan dashed into his path, joined by Nack! "You sure you know what you're doin, mate?" Nack asked. "I... am master of Chaos!! And he's just a rank amateur!" Conan shouted as Kukku flung more energy beams their way! Conan swiftly pulled out the picture of his beloved Emily, blocking the beams with the glass of the frame! The beams scattered, leaving Kukku to shrug it off. "You can't block all of them with a little frame... HUH!?" he yelped as he noticed Guard and Nack creeping around to his sides. "Grrr! And you can't stop us when we face you as a team!" he growled. "No, but I can escape!" he babbled, turning to run only to be kicked in the head by Speedy as he flew in! "Sorry Dad, ship's crashing. Troops need the order to evacuate, and I can only give it officially if you're out cold!" he grumbled. Kukku tried to get up, but Guard kicked him back down. "We're taking him in... Got a problem with that?" he asked. Speedy shrugged. "Maybe he'll mellow out with some time to cool down..." he said, hurrying off as the ship rumbled from more explosions.
Bean cackled as he set off the bombs. Eddie gave a snicker as well. "Good blasting. Eee hee! Now, let's skedaddle!" he suggested. Bark grunted at him, giving the hyena a suspicious glare. However, they were all bad guys, so what did they care that Eddie betrayed GUN? Ultimately, only Guard, Rouge, Spy, Omega and Heather met at the rear of the ship, along with most of the Battle Bird armada. "Where's the crooks? Don't they know we gotta evacuate?!" Spy asked. "If they'd rather die in a fiery crash than by Gunner's hands, I say more power to 'em." Rouge shrugged. Speedy opened the back hatch of the ship to find a GUN Warship outside waiting for them. "Attention! This is Sgt. Drol! Any who do not wish to die in the crash, surrender and board our warship now!" came an announcement over the loudspeaker. Dr. Fukurokov shakily hurried to the hatch. "I surrender! Don't shoot! Or hit my poor brilliant head!" he groaned. Guard held on tightly to Mia as he boarded the GUN Warship via a bridge shakily extended to the hatch. Heather was right behind him. "Hey, Guard! Thanks for saving me... It...was a nice change. Y'know, instead of being kidnapped by you." she said. "Grrr... You were never here. If the boss knew you were here, you wouldn't be going home now. Got it?" he grunted, his eyes staying fixed on Mia's peaceful, unconscious face.
The group watched from the windows of the GUN Warship as the armada's warship plummeted into the oil ocean, followed by a massive explosion. "Sensors indicated no life forms were aboard..." Omega reported. "Wonderful. We caught the birds, but let all those crooks loose!" Rouge groaned. Guard was the only one not watching the crash, staying beside Mia in the medical bay of the warship. Her vitals were weak, the Battle Lord's weapon had left her in critical condition. The doctor told him that she might remain in a coma for an unknown period of time, possibly never to wake. Guard looked at her grimly, knowing that for all intents and purposes, she was dead. Still, she might be able to hear him. He leaned close to her, stroking her head gently. "...I...I love you...Mia..." he whispered.
A team was sent back to West Side Island to find the criminals that had comprised the Strike Force, but all that was found were their shock collars, ditched. Naturally, warrants were immediately issued for the recapture of Nack the weasel, Bean the duck, Bark the polar bear, Eddie the hyena and Conan the raccoon. Further naturally, the five of them laid low for a time. Wherever Conan went, he was sure to keep his framed picture of Emily the squirrel close by. "...I'll master the Chaos Relics, Emily... I will bring you back to me..."
The End ... ... ... BZZ BVZZZ ZZZT!!!
Illusi the shrew paced about just outside the Dream Shrine, the smaller of the two monuments to the Dream King within the Forest of Dreams. He had to figure out what to do about the Chaos Relics if he was to move on with his life the way Fera had moved on with hers. Hearing footsteps, he looked around curiously to see Aquarius coming out of the shadows. "Are you lost, traveler? I'm afraid I am ill equipped to handle visitors right now..." Illusi muttered. Aquarius crossed his arms. "They sent me here out of convenience... I just wrapped up some business over on West Side Island... Involved the Chaos Claws." he said, causing Illusi's ears to perk up. "...You want the Chaos Relics..." he murmured. Aquarius shrugged. "No, no... I wanna see them in the right hands. You've been keeping them out of play for a bit too long. It's time to return them to the world. But you can't drop them all in one place..." he said. Illusi nodded. "What would you suggest?" he asked. Aquarius reached behind his back and produced a stone tablet. "The great Tikal left a prophecy. Interesting thing is, she made this one AFTER she died... Paraphrasing it, the world will face a great calamity. Only a group of chosen ones can stop it from ending all life. The chosen ones are the fated owners of the Chaos Relics. The best thing would be to get the Relics into their hands." he explained. Illusi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I have heard of this prophecy. The Doomsayer told it to me... Only, in his version, there is no stopping the calamity. Well, the chosen ones could be anyone. We'll need to test the mettle of everyone... The solution is fairly simple..." he said, a Righto popping up beside him as an idea came to his mind. "...The Chaos Relics will be prizes in a tournament!" he decided.
To be continued!
