Sonic GeneX: Doomsday
Chapter 59 - The Final Run of Sonic the Hedgehog
Note: Sonic the Hedgehog and related characters are (c) SEGA. You knew that, right?
GeneX and related OCs are (c) 2BIT (TheGreatGator), the author.
The Keyblade & other Kingdom Hearts elements are (c) Disney & Square-Enix.
Moogles are (c) Square-Enix.
Super Mario is (c) Nintendo
"Before I say goodbye to you,
One more last fist bump..." - Fist Bump, Sonic Forces
Each run begins with a single step. There will come a day also when we take our last. Apocalos was poised to end all running forever, having used the power of the Scepter of Despair and the Dark Chaos Relics to grow his power, merging with Demon Island and the mass of slime the Lost Ones had cultivated within. The resulting entity's massive tendrils were snaking around the entire planet, seeking out the Gaia Wellsprings. Once Apocalos managed to taint them, the Earth itself would be lost. In order to stop this, Sonic's friends and allies had flown to his side using planes and teleportation, and delivered the Chaos Relics to him. Equipping all the Relics together, Sonic glowed with their power, becoming Legend Sonic, and took off into the sky on golden wings as the world below watched for a moment. They couldn't stare long, as Apocalos' army was still on the rampage throughout Green Hill below. However, brandishing the Chaos Sword in one hand, and clutching a shield composed of the Key and Cards in the other, Sonic rose to meet the bulging single eye of the terrifying Doomling-hedgehog-tyrannosaur-hybrid that was Apocalos. He roared at Sonic, his transformed body dwarfing the hedgehog many times over now. "Run through the sky, run through the stars... It will be the last run you ever have." the massive monster growled. Sonic chuckled softly. "But I'm wearin' the immortality crown! How you gonna beat me?" he chuckled. Apocalos grinned wide. "Inside me, I have absorbed its antithesis. Along with countless souls, and the corrupted power of the Sol Emeralds... There is no power in the multiverse that can overcome me!" he declared. Sonic was prepared to lay it all on the line. This would be their final battle... for the fate of everything, everywhere!
The tentacles rising from the island pieces merged to Apocalos' body all sprouted claws on their ends, and tried to lash out at Sonic! With the power of the Chaos Wing and Chaos Boots combined, Sonic was able to easily soar away from those tentacles, appearing as a stream of light as he arced through the sky! However, in order to strike back, he'd have to get in close and put himself in danger of being grabbed. Sonic clutched the shield and charged up toward the giant eye of Apocalos. "Whenever there's a big bulging eye, the monster never likes getting hedgehog in it!" he snickered, preparing to stab it with the Chaos Sword! Apocalos opened his maw wide, and fired a huge beam of concentrated energy, which Sonic barely evaded even with the added speed of the Chaos Boots, the beam was so massive! "Whoa! That could punch a hole in the planet!!" Sonic gasped, making sure to keep that in mind so that he wouldn't accidentally fly below Apocalos and cause him to vaporize all his friends below. The monster's tentacles came at the hedgehog again while he was distracted by the shock of seeing such a powerful attack, but he wasn't so distracted that he wouldn't strike back with his sword and defend with the shield! The claws at the end of those tentacles scratched at the Chaos Cards that comprised the shield, but they held surprisingly strong. "Can't you weirdo monsters think of anything but tentacles??" Sonic taunted. Apocalos laughed at him. "If you insist... By the power of the Dark Cards... Rain, Hell Meteors!!" Apocalos' hand rose up, and manifested a massive, burning meteorite! It then split into pieces as he hurled it toward Sonic, but each piece still dwarfed the hedgehog! He gasped, realizing this could rain down on his friends, and charged at the fragments, blade in hand! "Hyaaaaah!!" The sword glowing bright, Sonic slashed at the meteors, breaking them into smaller chunks one by one, and trying to knock them into the slimy tendrils reaching out from Demon Island for the Gaia Wellsprings. Anything to protect his friends. He wouldn't let Apocalos destroy their world!
With Hoover's supervision, Orbot and Cubot had brought the power-transfer pods that Bucky had invented, and that Eggman had claimed for himself during the half-year he'd taken over the planet. The seven Chaos Emeralds were hooked up to the machine, their power necessary to refine and enhance Gideon's powers. Amy was strapped into a seat, watching the monitor in the control room. Through it, she could see the monstrous form of Apocalos as Darkegg Fortress was rocketing toward South Island. "Oh my god... I left my friends behind with that... I left Sonic!" she gasped. "He'll be fine!" Eggman scoffed, "I'm not lucky enough for anything less!" he muttered as he was finishing preparations. Vortex placed a hand on Gideon's shoulder, looking at it seriously. "You can ssstill refussse to do thissss..." he stated. "No one else can. Sonic cannot prevail through violence. We have to save them..." Gideon said softly. Once everything was ready, Metal Sonic and Gideon each stepped into a pod, with Amy and Vortex watching nervously. "Good luck..." Amy said. "Be at peace..." Vortex added for Gideon. Eggman threw the switch, firing up the machine, and the Chaos Emeralds started to glow. "I can't believe I'm using the seven emeralds to save the world rather than conquer it! But... genius is genius!!" the doctor said, laughing as Metal Sonic's pod glowed brightly! "Come out, my ultimate robot!!" the doctor smiled. Metal Sonic started to step out, but then his body began to spark wildly. "E-e-ener-g-gy o-o-over-l-load!! I-I... aaaaaagh!!" the robot screeched, grabbing his head and collapsing to the ground in a heap! "...Was that 'sposed to happen?" Cubot asked. "No, ya dern idjut! The plan went in the terlit like always! We're doomed!!" Hoover shouted while Orbot started crying. Eggman's mustache drooped as he looked at his ruined plan. "No... No, I can't fail this time! This can't be how it all ends!!" he shouted, clutching his head. There were no more plans, no more schemes. It was up to Sonic.
Cooling off, some of the meteors had begun to orbit around Apocalos a bit, the massive creature rising higher and higher into the atmosphere, as though aiming to take the fight to space. Despite this, he was pursued not just by Sonic, but by two biplanes and a flying taxicab. "Hang on, Soniiiic!!" Tails' voice cried out as he weaved the Tornado around incoming meteors, all while Knuckles held onto the wing tight! Sonic looked back at them with concern, but also respect. "Guys..." he murmured. Copter still wasn't the pilot Tails was, but it was fine. Dark Punchy was there to punch out any debris in front of the Hurricane! "Haah!! Don't worry about me, me and my other half got an understanding right now!" Punky assured them. Mia had left her cab for a safer place on the ground, but Shadow had taken the wheel while Silver and Gemini hung out either passenger window, protecting the vehicle with psychokinesis and magic while Blaze awaited an opportunity to lend a hand herself. Their other friends had stayed behind to help the fight in Green Hill, so including Sonic, there were nine of them. Apocalos roared, a wide smirk on his fanged face. "I'd hoped for the chance to kill each of you personally... How thoughtful to offer yourselves up!" he cackled as his clawed tentacles lashed out for the vehicles! Sonic tried to slice the tentacles with the Chaos Sword, but there were too many, and they grew back as fast as he could destroy them, so the vehicles were forced into a crash landing onto the orbiting meteors! Despite that, everyone climbed out, seeming okay. "Is that... The best you have... Rex!?" Gemini huffed, clutching her wand. Shadow leapt to a closer meteor, while Silver floated next to Blaze. "Bring us to space, fine. We'll fight you unchained by our Earthly fears..." Blaze shouted. "Whatever it takes!" Knuckles added, giving a warning punch while Tails prepped his arm cannon! Copter and Punky readied themselves as well. "You better not have scratched the paint on my plane, or my mechanic will kill you..." the fox smirked. Apocalos' single eye glared at them. How dare they still resist? How could they? "...I won't even make a meal of your souls. I will scatter your broken bodies across the universe!!" he roared!
Although Sonic's friends had arrived to help in whatever way they could, they weren't the only ones to fly up after them. Powerful Losohst Knights surrounded the group, ready to give them the fight of their lives! "Chaos Whirlwind!!" Copter shouted, his winds failing to destroy them, but managing to at least blow out the blue fire enshrouding their blades! One of those blades came straight for Tails, who blocked it with the laser cannon on his hand before Knuckles gave the creature a hard punch to its helmeted head! Silver pushed back a few of these creatures with his powers while Shadow leapt at them, hitting them hard with Chaos Blast! "Don't let us distract you down here, Sonic! Take him down!!" Shadow yelled, landing behind Blaze, who was lighting up an incoming Knight with her fire! Gemini and Punky were busy holding Apocalos' tentacles at bay, hitting them with magic and with meteor bits lifted by Chaos Avalanche to keep their claws off their friends! Sonic nodded at what Shadow had said, and resumed his flight towards Apocalos' massive eye! "Insignificant mortal! Fight me all you wish!" Apocalos snarled, reaching his imposing hand out and manifesting the Dark Sword, sized to fit his huge hand! He clashed his blade against Sonic's, the hedgehog darting up and around, trying to pass his weapon, only to find he had to parry it with his sword again! "Haha, guess we're both trained with a sword!" Sonic realized, pushing back against his huge blade. Apocalos lifted his other hand with a fanged sneer. "Hell METEORS!!!" he roared, sending another massive ball of fire streaming towards Sonic, and his friends if he didn't stop it! Knocking Apocalos' blade back with his shield, Sonic turned his attention to the meteor, slashing it with the energy of his blade, whittling it down to protect his friends! "I see... I will destroy you...by destroying your pathetic friends!! Say farewell!!" Apocalos snarled as he began charging energy in his maw during Sonic's distraction.
Shadow could feel the energy building, and as he looked up, the Lost Ones fled the scene around them. "This isn't good, is it?" Gemini stammered. Copter took her hand, while Punky stood beside Knuckles, and Silver and Blaze stepped beside Tails, all watching Apocalos open his dinosaur jaws. Sonic realized what he was doing, and darted between the monster and his friends. "You won't hurt them!!" he shouted. Apocalos said nothing, tightening his fists as he fired another massive, planet-busting beam of energy, planning to vaporize Sonic and all his friends in one terrible blast! Tails, Knuckles and the others all shielded their faces, but when they weren't instantly vaporized, they slowly looked up. "S-sonic!!" Tails cried. "Hang on!!" Copter shouted. Sonic was blocking the massive beam with all the power he could gather, the Chaos Sword and Shield crossed together in front of him, forming a barrier that was pushing the beam back as his body glowed intensely! "I... have... to keep... fighting!! AAAAAAAHHH!!" Sonic screamed as Apocalos kept pouring the power of the Dark Relics into that beam. It was creation against its antithesis, life versus antilife. It was taking all Sonic had to hold it back, and there was nothing his friends could do. "Don't you have a spell?!" Knuckles shouted to Gemini. "I'm not a GOD!!" the fennec cried. "Maybe I can..." Silver began. "No, take cover!!" Blaze yelled. The clash of powers ended in a final explosion as Apocalos poured a bit more power into the beam before shutting his mouth! To the group's dismay, they saw the Chaos Relics begin to clatter down to the meteors they were standing on, one by one! "No! I-it can't be!!" Tails stammered, bending over a Chaos Tailband as it landed at his feet. Sonic himself crashed down in front of Shadow, still clutching the Chaos Sword and wearing the Chaos Wing, but the other Relics had each landed somewhere else. Apocalos laughed in triumph. "All of you are at my mercy... Will you submit and become my Lost Ones? Or else, how shall I obliterate you... LET ME THINK ON IT!!" he roared.
While he was thinking, the giant tendrils had found their targets, and with a mighty, piercing strike, they burrowed through the Earth, beginning their feast on the Gaia Wellsprings beneath! Storms began to break out across the globe, not just the unnatural storm over Green Hill. The situation was dire, and it appeared life was to be extinguished. Darkegg Fortress had even slowed its ascent towards Apocalos as it rocketed over Green Hill, because with the plan failed, what was the point? Still, those fighting below didn't have the luxury of deciding if it was worth it or not. Heather and Kosmo poured all their energy into breaking a path through the Lost One army for Violet and Fera to go back and search for their loved ones. "Go on! Garen...will be fine. I know he will!" Heather panted, Kosmo shifting back to his normal form and grasping her hand. "Sure you'll be alright?" he questioned. Violet and Fera charged past countless monsters, searching for Rainbow and Illusi. "She's got to be out here!! Rainbow!!" Violet cried, only to hear a scream, and catch sight of Cream and Big desperately trying to pull Vanilla out of a Losol Golem's slimy embrace! "Y-you have to...let go...Cream! I lo-" Vanilla's voice was cut off as her grip was lost, and she was swallowed up by the beast. "NOOOOO!!" Cream shouted as Big lifted her up, carrying her away from the danger. Violet followed. She had to make sure Vanilla's loss wasn't for nothing. Fera, meanwhile, passed by Rouge and Omega, surrounded by Despair "zombies." The robot was ruthlessly firing on any of them near him, while Rouge flew about, looking for safe openings to strike, but they would be overwhelmed before long. In fact, the wolf could see that the tide was turning against them throughout Green Hill. Gargoyles were being knocked from the sky, Wispon-toting Rookies were being swarmed by lospides and loslimes, and even the Wisps were on the run. "It's a lost cause..." the wolf sighed, clenching her fist, "Hang on until I find you... Don't you dare die without me, Illusi!!" she growled.
From his vantage point atop the loop, the Doomsayer watched it all unfold, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth as he grappled with the reality of it all. Sparks fizzled out from his fingertips, and he shook his hand in surprise, looking from his hand to the flying tower on the horizon. "...No. I won't stand anymore. I was born to run..." As he looked out toward Darkegg Fortress, lightning began to strike in an erratic fashion, but he knew how to use it. He kicked off the loop, his feet so fast, that they were able to catch onto the lightning, and dash across the bolts, leaping from strike to strike, until he reached Darkegg Fortress! Char and Alpha saw this spectacle, and followed him into the tower, the robot pointing his laser at him as they arrived in the control room. "Stop! You leave Eggman alone!!" Char shouted. "And teach me to dance like you!" Alpha added. Eggman was examining Metal Sonic, and barely looked at the hooded Sonic. "Oh, whatever. Knock my tower out of the sky, what's it matter. We're all done for..." he grumbled. The Doomsayer chuckled softly. "So, finally you see things my way..." he said. Amy stepped towards the Doomsayer defiantly. "You can't believe that! You just can't! Why would you even come here, just to gloat? Please... Look inside your heart... Help us." she pleaded. Vortex glanced at the pods. "If anyone could hold all that energy, it would be Ssssonic, however... Curing ssso many Lossst Onesss would take everything he hasss. Once the tasssk were done, he would likely vanisssh from our world. From exissstence." he warned. "Oh..." Amy squeaked. It was certainly a lot to ask. The Doomsayer looked at the machine. "You're saying... This will be my final run. Perhaps we'd best delay no further..." he said, making Amy and Vortex gasp. Eggman stood up, holding Metal Sonic. "Gideon vanished after the last experiment, however... Yes, yes! Although Metal is inactive, he may still be housing Gideon's power inside him! I'll just throw him into the other pod!" he said excitedly, eager for his plans to bear fruit after all. It was all a long shot, but it was their last hope...
Sonic stuck the blade into the meteor beneath him, using it to aid him in rising to his feet as Apocalos loomed over him and his friends. "Ahh, good... I was afraid you would miss this. Now, watch me tear your friends limb from limb!" Apocalos roared, his clawed tentacles rising up from below, surrounding the meteor they were standing on! Quickly, Knuckles leapt up and slashed at some of them...with the Chaos Claws! "Give us your best shot!" he shouted! Blaze had placed the Chaos Crown on her head, and with its power, was able to grow vines out of even the barren soil of the meteor, sending them to tangle with the tentacles! "We will fight you to the last!!" she cried. Tails and Copter each slipped a Tailband onto their tails, smacking those clawed tendrils away with mighty whips of those tails while watching each others' backs! "You know, you could go super!" Tails told Copter. "I ain't leavin' you like that! We do this together!!" he declared, clasping his hand in the other fox's as they spun together, their tails smacking away those claws! Silver stood by Gemini, the hedgehog holding the Chaos Key while the fennec had assembled the deck of Cards. "We hold the keys to the future!!" Silver shouted, floating up and zapping the incoming tentacles one at a time with the key, locking them in place! Gemini was then free to strike back. "How's this for magic!?" she shouted, tossing up several cards which erupted in lightning, jolting the tendrils and forcing them back! "Don't forget me, big guy!!" Punky had equipped the Chaos Gauntlets, and started boxing with the tendrils from a distance, sending bolts of energy their way, while Shadow tore through the area with the Chaos Boots, using their momentum to strike furiously! "Keep pushing back! Don't let him through!!" the black hedgehog shouted. This was all amusing for Apocalos to watch, but only for a little while. "Enough...!!" he snarled, snapping his fingers. Following that, lightning crashed down on the meteor repeatedly, catching the heroes off guard! If it weren't for the Chaos Relics they were holding, they would be quickly killed just by those strikes, but instead they all collapsed, smoke rising from the meteor as the strikes ceased!
"Well, now, this has gotten sad..." Apocalos mused, "All there is to do now, then... Is vaporize you all, and then put your world out of its misery forever..." he snarled, beginning to charge up energy for a final blast. However, Sonic rose in front of him, lifted by the Chaos Wings. He clutched the Sword tightly, gritting his teeth as he girded himself to face the fiend anyway. Apocalos' eye stared at him widely, and he had to laugh, long and loud and maniacally. It was absurd, utterly absurd. Sonic had to be an idiot, still trying to fight him. "HAHA... WAAHAHAHAHAHA!! RRRAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!! FOOL!! When will you understand!? You've lost! You could never triumph over the inevitable! Why won't you accept your fate and perish with dignity?!" he roared. Sonic's quills were blown in the breeze caused by his breath as he shouted, the fiend was so massive. "We...were using the Chaos Relics wrong. Their power is creation, and what is creation but life?" he grunted. Apocalos had time to listen as he charged up, so he indulged Sonic. "One life alone...can go far, sure. But it will eventually perish, to its extinction. You need...more lives. Together, through love and friendship, they grow and multiply... Build families, communities, worlds teeming with life..." Nodding, Tails reached out his hand to Copter, and the other to Knuckles. As they took his hand, their Chaos Relics started to glow. Punky took Knuckles' other hand. Shadow took Punky's. Gemini took Copter's, and Silver, Gemini's, and Blaze linked with Silver. With each link in the chain, the Relics they wore glowed brighter. "Apocalos..." Sonic said, "We won't quit... 'cuz we're Sonic Heroes!!" he declared. "Go, Sonic!!" each of his friends cried, sending the collected energy from their Chaos Relics to his! Sonic's body erupted into a brilliant white light, becoming the true Legend Sonic! Apocalos fired his beam, planning to stop him there, and the hedgehog charged through the beam, slicing into it with the brightly glowing Chaos Sword, stopping its progress and protecting his friends! Shocked, Apocalos recoiled, raising his arms and tentacles in an effort to grab Sonic! The hedgehog only sped up, pointing the sword right at his great eye! "This...is YOUR Doomsday!! Hyaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!" Tails, Knuckles and the others had to shield their eyes from the bright flash of light as Sonic made contact, drilling the blade into Apocalos' eye, as the monster shrieked and howled in defiance!
Darkegg Fortress shook as the rocket moved dangerously close to Apocalos' meteors. Amy, Vortex, Alpha, Eggman and the others present watched anxiously as the pods glowed, and the Chaos Emeralds attached glowed with them. The light faded after a moment, and the Chaos Emeralds were gone, making Eggman very nervous, wringing his hands. "If this didn't work, it doesn't matter if Sonic wins. The Lost Ones left behind will still consume our world..." he stated. "Husssh." Vortex hissed. Out of the pod stepped the Doomsayer, his body glowing golden, just like Super Sonic! However, he additionally was accompanied by a pale blue aura, which lit up his eyes as well. "I think it worked!" Char gasped. The Doomsayer nodded, throwing off his black cloak and heading for the nearest exit. Amy followed after him. "Doomsayer!" she called. He looked back at her, and for the first time in so long...he cracked a smile. "That's not my name... I'm Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog!" he declared as he turned around, starting into a run. Vortex and Alpha stood next to Amy, watching him depart. "Actually, we could call that form 'GeneX Ssssonic.'" Vortex mused. Alpha fired his laser up into the air. "A better name is 'Sonic GeneX!!'" he declared. A Sonic by any other name was still Super, and this Super Sonic's final run led into a flight as he left Darkegg Fortress, streaming across the sky and heading for Apocalos first! Looking away from the bright light caused by Legend Sonic's attack on Apocalos, Tails noticed Darkegg Fortress flying their way. "Hey! I know our planes are beaten up, but lets try to get them there! We can hitch a ride!" he suggested. "Sure better than riding a meteor!" Copter agreed. While that group was frantically working to get down from their high perch safely, Super Sonic joined Legend Sonic in striking Apocalos, a pale blue hue being added to the light emitting from the point of impact...
To be concluded...
