So Much More 6 - Doomsday
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.
Chaos (c) Square-Enix.
Pokemon & related characters (c) Game Freak, Nintendo & The Pokemon Company
Foxhound the Hedgehog belongs to SonicFoxhound
Gido the Squirtle belongs to bbbuuu
Morgan the Kitsune belongs to CosmicNeko
Kyle the Fox belongs to Omega445
Tom the Hedgehog belongs to TomTodd774
"I've gotta be so much more than this,
And I'm gonna try!
I'm cool in a twisted kind of bliss,
With saying good-bye.
'Cause I can't look back,
No more turning back,
'Til I find my way back home, and I know,
I've gotta be so much more than this,
But what can I be if not me?
You can't map out my destiny!
Gotta be lost before I can be found.
Drop the guitar!" - So Much More; Bentley Jones
A long-missing member of BIT Squad, Gator, had gotten in touch with 2BIT. After transporting back home, the entire squad gathered together to discuss the situation(barring Dusk and Cupie), while Tails eavesdropped close by. "Okay, Gator, use your words..." 2BIT sighed, trying to be patient with the somewhat crazy costumed human. "Words... Okay. Words..." Gator said, taking a deep breath, "Zombies!! Ghosts! Skellytons!! Slimies! And it's not even my birthday, waaaahh!!" he shouted, panicking. Stripes the tiger shook his head. "Hmm, think this has anything to do with what we sent Cupie and Dusk out to investigate?" he asked, believing they were all on the same page. Vixy glanced at 2BIT. "You know what this sounds like, right?" she asked. Before they could discuss it, a portal opened right in the middle of the room, startling them! "Blocky, cut it out!!" Zed the zebra shouted. 2BIT looked into the portal and nodded intently. "There's only one person who could conjure up one of these here. This is a Chaos Key portal, and the person using the key would have to know how to find me... Someone who, in his heart, remembers paying a visit to Byte Space." he stated, glancing back at the group, "It's Lucky... He's calling for our help!" Everyone nodded, and as they started towards the portal, Tails rushed out to join them. "Hey, don't leave me behind!" he cried. 2BIT looked back at him, a nervous look on his face. They could be walking into a real hornet's nest. What to do...?
A bolt of lightning struck just outside the portal, and Gator yelped on the way through. "Gwaaa!! Wait! I forgot my umbrella!" he stammered, turning to go back upon noticing the thunderstorm wracking Green Hill Zone. "Hooold it... We got work to do..." said 2BIT as he stepped through, wearing his old helmet so you knew he meant business. Following behind him was Tails, not the only Tails to be seen in Green Hill in fact, and then following him came the rest of BIT Squad, including Stripes the tiger, Blocky the digi-fox, Vixy the fox, Zed the Zebra and Dogson the...dog. They all looked pretty terrified, and 2BIT turned to address them. "Yeah, our powers are gone. But c'mon, I got a plan!" he told them, "...It's a very good plan! ...I have no plan." he whispered nervously.
They were just one of many groups, arriving through many portals, called to aid the heroes of this world against a terrible supernatural army. The Lost Ones, led by their sinister leader, Apocalos, had built their ranks by devouring souls across countless dimensions. Cupie and Dusk had even witnessed such atrocities, and arrived through another portal moments before, joined by a Werehog Sonic and the surviving Phantom Fighters from a version of Knothole Village, including yet another Tails. They left those fellows behind, joining up with BIT Squad. "Twosey!! And Gator, and Doggo, and Zedie, yay!" Cupie cheered, flying around with relief to find his friends. "Please tell me you got a plan..." Dusk asked.
One might wonder why a demigod like 2BIT didn't just use his powers to obliterate the evil in two seconds flat. "Lost my powers in my own story's conclusion... I did bring this, though!" he said directly to you, holding up a hand with a different glove on it. The glove was mostly red, but there was a blue orb attached to the back of the hand. "The Infinity--" Gator started to say, only for 2BIT to shush him. "It's the Byte Power-Glove. Don't get another copyright stuffed into the intro here! Now, all I gotta do is snap my fingers..." And so he attempted. "Flwip, flwip, flwap..." Gator watched him, looking bored. "Is something supposed to happen?" he asked. A voice laughed at them from close by. "My idiot brother! Did you forget? You can't snap! None of us know how because you don't!" There stood 8BIT, smirking and holding up a hand clothed in an identical Power-Glove! "I can make this work for me, though, I think!" he sneered. Dogson let out a confused growl. "Wait a sec, you can't just spring deus ex machina gloves on us all sudden-like!" he shouted. 2BIT laughed. "Oh, I surely can! Did you forget what kinda story we came from? The writer beyond the fourth wall gave me the ability to materialize this glove in the event I needed my old powers back... The prankster didn't tell me I couldn't work it, though! ...or that there was a second one..." he groaned. 8BIT snickered. "You done expositing? Because guess what I learned how to do...!" he said, and snapped his fingers!
The End...
...or, it might be, but 8BIT had more interesting plans. The group of them found themselves tucked away on the outskirts of Green Hill, out of the way of the main conflict, and aside from just moving them, 8BIT was also manifesting some backup. A pair of ghosts emerged behind him first, familiar Nightmare Zone foes, one a battered green E-series robot, Xenegg, and the other the spirit of the ruler of Robotropolis himself, Dr. Julien Robotnik. Both spirits had been banished by Sonic and the Phantom Fighters before, but now they were back! "How might I aid you, oh dark summoner?" Xenegg asked. "And when do I get to have my revenge on that ughh...hedgehog!?" Robotnik shuddered. They weren't the only ones to be summoned, however. Reaching out into other worlds for inspiration, 8BIT manifested a black, evil Mewtwo as well as the winged, multi-armed god Chaos whom Lucky had fought so hard to defeat! Shadow Mewtwo was silent, but Chaos roared at the moon in rage! "My Chaos Hearts!! Impossible!! I will sow glorious chaos one way or another!!" he declared! Two more beings from the Nightmare Zone also manifested. One, the goat-legged hedgehog devil, a fire burning in his eyes and a wicked grin on his face. The other was the Lord of Nightmares himself... the triple-headed and triple-tailed Cerberus floated high above Green Hill, snarling hatefully! Last, but not least, a green blur rushed to 8BIT's side, having been awaiting his cue. Tails squinted and gasped. "S-sonic!?" he stammered. The hedgehog laughed at him. "I go by Scourge now! This fox promised to show me where you assholes ran off to! And now, I'll make sure that you know once and for all... You belong only to ME!!" he shouted as lightning crashed around the villains. 8BIT chuckled. "He does look better in green, doesn't he? Well, Bonehead-Squad, ready to surrender?" he asked.
2BIT was busy trying to snap his own fingers, but it wasn't happening. He just didn't know how. Vixy finally let out a frustrated growl. "Forget trying to snap! There's gotta be other ways to cause the needed friction!" she shouted. "What do you sugges- aaah!!" 2BIT yelped, holding up his hand as Vixy seemed like she was going to hit him! She struck his glove with her palm, and energy jolted from the glove, sending her flying back...and turning her fur from yellow to blue like his! "What the??" Dogson stammered, observing her new look. "2BIT must've rubbed off on her a bit, hehe!" Cupie giggled. "Is that all...?" Dusk groaned. They looked around a moment, thinking that they'd indeed messed up as 8BIT laughed at them. However, a number of portals suddenly emerged, quite similar to the ones Lucky had used to summon heroes to their world! 2BIT grinned wide, knowing what this meant. "Alright, we got backup!" he declared. "What backup?" Tails asked. 2BIT looked back at the portals with a smirk. "...some of the friends made along the way." he said.
First out stepped a glassmith kitsune, Morgan, who had five tails, brownish hair, and wearing simple clothes, carrying a few tools attached to his belt including a gourd of sand and what appeared to be glass daggers. He was a far cry from a god, but he'd met at least a version of Lucky before. "Wh-what's this? Ahh, should I maybe turn back?" he stammered. Cupie flew up to him and shook his hand. "Glad to meetcha! No time to explain, but the multiverse is at stake! C'mon and fight with us!" he said cheerfully. Morgan gulped, but nodded. Sounded serious. If he could help, he should.
Next up, a couple Pokemon crept through a portal to help with Mewtwo. One was a Squirtle named Gido, and he was joined by a Zorua wearing a blue bandana and familiar blue goggles... He was a version of Copter, but being a Zorua, he simply called himself Arthur. "Is this...?" Gido asked curiously. Arthur gasped. "It is! It's...the world I came from? I think? But why am I still a Pokemon!?" he stammered. Dusk hopped over to them with a frown. "I'm not exactly a trainer, but you think either of you guys can beat the ultimate evil Psychic Pokemon?" he asked, pointing at Shadow Mewtwo. Gido gulped, glancing at Arthur. "Mewtwo!? Sounds like a problem for the whole guild!" he said. Arthur patted his shell. "With you by my side... I think we can take on anything!" he smiled. Gido smirked back and nodded. "Alright... Let's give your world a rescue!" he said. "Oh, it's not...err...whatever..." Dusk shrugged.
It didn't take any explaining for the next arrivals. Kyle, a three-tailed, silver-furred god of a fox leapt through his portal, followed by a godly version of Libra the fennec! Both looked plenty pissed off! "Lost Ones!! We know you're here!! You won't threaten our world or our family anymore!" Kyle shouted. "Are we in my world again? Looks like Green Hill..." Libra said, looking around. Vixy called out to them. "Hey! Don't race out to find Lospecter just yet! We got bigger fish for you to fry!" she waved. Kyle looked her way, tilting his head in confusion at the blue-furred Vixy. "Uhhh....2BIT??" he murmured. "Huh?" Libra asked. "Nothing. Sub plot we can discuss later, heh..." Kyle chuckled. He had come across 2BIT before, but now wasn't the time to discuss that with his mate.
A green biplane, a Sopwith Camel, came flying out of the next portal! Piloting was a blue hedgehog, but not Sonic. His name was Tom, and he was accompanied by fellow Freedom Fighter Fera the Wolf, who was standing on the back of the plane, looking out over the soon-to-be chaotic battlefield of Green Hill. "I think we've veered off our primary mission..." the wolf said. Tom nodded, noting the sudden presence of turbulent, rainy skies around them. "Not the best flight conditions all of a sudden... And is that Robotnik over there...but a GHOST?!" he shouted. They were a bit high to get any immediate explanations. It would be up to their Freedom Fighter training to keep them alive until aid could reach them!
Next out was Foxhound the hedgehog, and he was the last to arrive...close enough to help. 2BIT had many more friends of course, including more Pokemon, more Mobians, and some other assorted allies he tried to call upon... But the rest all landed closer to the main battle. They would be tackling the multiversal Lost One army with Sonic and all their friends. Foxhound, Morgan, Tom and Gido weren't exactly the boon 2BIT had been hoping for, in all honesty. In fact, 2BIT jumped in front of Foxhound defensively. "Your military training has in no way prepared you for THIS!!" he shouted. Foxhound chuckled. "Good to see you, too! Hey! Is that a zebra!?" he gasped, staring at Zed for a moment. "Eyes front, soldier!!" 2BIT cried. The Lost Ones' army had charged forth, and already there were legions of paranormal monsters assaulting Green Hill Zone! Foxhound saw flaming loskulls soaring towards them past 8BIT's team, and yelped in alarm, pulling out his gun and firing at the flying skulls! "You have lots of explaining to do later, foxy!!" he stammered. 2BIT nodded, and then glanced around at the unfolding chaos. "Shoot...where's Tails!?" he gasped.
Almost immediately, the situation escalated into a chaotic battle, with BIT Squad and their allies taking on the "Legion of Evil" summoned by 8BIT, as well as an assortment of Lost Ones that wandered into their otherwise private little slice of Green Hill. The rest of Green Hill was no less chaotic, as Sonic and his many allies took on the various villains summoned by Apocalos' command. But this story is about 2BIT, not them. And 2BIT was frantically searching the battleground for Tails, who had surely been snatched up by Scourge the moment the fighting started. He didn't like to think of what was happening to him. But of course, the villains wouldn't make it easy for him to look around. The ghostly Xenegg appeared before him and started firing his laser, forcing the fox to race for cover! "Perish, and allow me to claim my vengeance upon that wretched hedgehog once and for all, so that my soul can finally rest!!" the ghost wailed. 2BIT ducked behind Gator, who raised his hands to cover his face. "No, no! I don't like pain, it hurts meee!!" he whined as Xenegg shot him repeatedly, only succeeding in shaking up the immortal man...and making him whine more. Stripes was curled up behind a rock nearby, sleeping, and 2BIT rolled his eyes. "HOW CAN YOU SLEEP OUT HERE?!" he shouted. Stripes wiped his eyes and stood up groggily. "Fine, fine... I'll...I'll supervise Gator." he mumbled. 2BIT looked around and shrugged. He really couldn't afford to waste time with Xenegg. "Whatever." he said, running off and leaving the two to deal with the ghost. "You're all so LAZY!" Gator shouted. Stripes yawned. "Well, it's YOUR crazy adventure that you dragged us into. Oh, fine. I'll take the lead, then..." he groaned, cracking his knuckles and slowly stepping out from behind the rock. Xenegg took aim at him. "Surely one of you can perish..." he bellowed, firing a shot straight for the tiger! Stripes suddenly leapt clean over the laser, doing several acrobatic spins in the air before landing behind the ghost! He briefly took a meditative stance, turned around, and then launched a beam from his hands that somehow sent the spirit flying! Gator watched this happen and scratched his head. "Wait a minute, you don't know how to do that! All you do is sleep!" he shouted, glancing back to find Stripes asleep standing up. "Waaah!! Hey! I take it back! Go zappy-zap! He's a ghost, he's not dead!! Help Gator!!!" Gator cried.
2BIT found Gido, Arthur and Dusk in a spot of trouble. Not only was Shadow Mewtwo keeping the Pokemon endangered with his Psywave, but some lospide Lost Ones had surrounded them. "These Ariados aren't bothered by my water attacks, any ideas?" Gido asked. "They're not...aw, who cares..." Dusk sighed, not being particularly helpful. 2BIT realized he had to put his search for Tails aside to lend a hand. "If this glove worked how I want, then summoning these guys wouldn't be all it did..." he said, raising his ungloved hand to point at one of the spider monsters. A jolt of lightning shot out, splattering the spider into a mess of slime! "Yikes...they sure they need us?" Arthur questioned. Dusk yawned and gave a stretch. "Kay, fine, I'll try to handle this. Feet of fury time!" he said, leaping at the spiders one by one, kicking them aside while 2BIT handled the others. This left Gido and Arthur to deal with Mewtwo. The black feline teleported in close and started a fierce attack on Arthur, kicking his small body into the air so he could start striking him with powerful physical blows, since psychic energy wouldn't work on a dark-type! "Aah! A-arthur, no!" Gido shouted in alarm, watching the bandana he'd gifted the Zorua flutter to the ground from the force of Mewtwo's attacks! Ever since Arthur had been transported to his world and turned into a Pokemon, Gido had grown very close to him, the pair going through so much together. He wouldn't let Mewtwo tear them apart like this! Growling, Gido lunged at the distracted legendary Pokemon, and sank his jaws into Shadow Mewtwo's side! The Pokemon shouted with alarm, letting Arthur drop as he moved to shake the Squirtle off him! Both friends dropped to the ground close to each other, as Mewtwo glared hatefully at them!
Dusk had managed to hurt his foot, and 2BIT was wrapping it up in a bandage when he glanced over at the situation with Mewtwo. "C'mon, Copter..." he said softly. Arthur weakly reached out his hand to Gido, holding it tightly. The Squirtle was caught on his shell, unable to right himself. "Y-you gotta get up!" he stammered, giving Arthur's hand a squeeze before Mewtwo lifted the Squirtle with his powers. Gido took shelter inside his shell, but the feline just smirked darkly, and as the shell glowed with psychic energy, Gido cried out in pain! "St-stop it!!" Arthur shouted, staggering to his four paws. There was absolute coldness in Shadow Mewtwo's eyes. This wasn't a real Pokemon, but a monster constructed by 8BIT's Power Glove. Arthur let out an angry growl, and he started to glow brightly! "You...won't hurt him!!" he cried, the brilliant light enveloping his body as Arthur began to evolve! Mewtwo dropped Gido callously to the ground as he watched Arthur grow to about the same height as the feline, transforming into a Zoroark...with a Mobian fox tail! "Back away from him...Chaos Whirlwind!!" he shouted, his signature wind attack now available to him again in the Mobian world! Shadow Mewtwo grunted as the wind blew him away from Gido a few steps, and then Arthur charged at him, striking with a powerful Night Slash while Gido popped his limbs back out of his shell, 2BIT helping him to his feet. "Wow, Arthur..." he gasped, and then began to smirk confidently. "Hey, wait up for me! Let's clobber that creep together!" he cried, running after his partner as he was locked in combat with Shadow Mewtwo! 2BIT let out a sigh, watching them for a second. "Wonder if I should change Arthur back when this is over? Yeah, probably... Agh, wait, I almost forgot! Tails!!" he gasped, rushing off to resume his search. "...Oh, don't mind me... I'll be totally fine. Long as no monsters come to munch me..." Dusk groaned as he rested his injured foot under a tree. "Lucky foot, my cotton tail..." he groaned.
Before 2BIT could resume looking for the object of his worry, he had to get past Chaos. He found the villain lunging his massive energy blades at Morgan and Cupie, who were both fleeing as best they could. Morgan took cover behind a tree, holding several glass spikes between his fingers. "I don't think I can even hurt a thing like that..." he panted, heart thumping in his chest. Cupie was keeping Chaos distracted for now, his cherub wings flitting fast to carrying him just out of reach of the god's weapons. "Ha ha! You can't catch me! Whoop, almost! Hehe!" he giggled, teasing Chaos. As upbeat as Cupie was, 2BIT didn't want to find out if he could stay positive after losing a limb. He sent a bolt of lightning to strike Chaos from behind, and the god turned around with a snarl. "You expect to defeat a god with mere sparks?" he sneered. Then, Chaos pointed upward, snickering. "Meteor! Crush them!!" As Cupie found Morgan behind the tree, both of them gasped to see a meteor summoned from above, hurtling straight toward them! The kitsune held onto the mouse tightly. "I-I think this is it!" he cried. "Meee-yow!!" A familiar voice cried out, and Morgan looked to see Lucky leaping up at the Meteor, swinging his Keyblade toward it! "Gravity!!" he cried, using a spell to alter the course of the meteor, sending it straight for Chaos, who sliced the meteor into pieces with his energy blades! "The black cat, still alive! No matter... I told you your world would end, and look around! You see that I was right!" the god declared. The Lost Ones were indeed working on a plot to destroy the entire world as they spoke, but Lucky stood unfazed. "We won't allow it! No matter how many villains they bring back!" he shouted, pointing his Keyblade at the god!
Seeing Lucky there, Morgan grabbed for something in his pocket, a determined look coming to his eyes. "Lucky! Here!!" he shouted, running over to hand his friend something he'd made. "Morgan?? Wow, did I bring everyone here?" he questioned, accepting the object. It was a glass keychain, in the shape of a heart. Morgan gave him a sweet smile. "I studied up after we met... These keychains can power your weapon, can't they?" he said. It was news to Lucky. "Guess we'll see..." he said, attaching the keychain. It transformed his Keyblade, turning it into a glass weapon with a flame motif! "Wow! ...Me-YOW!!" Lucky cried, blocking as Chaos' blades clashed against his own! The god tried to grab the cat with his other two arms, but Cupie flew in and swatted those hands away! "No touchie!" he shouted. Fire burned around the shaft of Lucky's Keyblade, and he managed to push back Chaos! "C'mon, big guy! Round two!" the cat shouted, while Cupie flew close to him, ready to join in! Morgan watched as Lucky began to clash blades with Chaos while Cupie ran interference, but he wasn't watching long before he was startled by lightning striking next to him! He looked to see a jolted loskel, and more skeletal Lost Ones creeping toward him! "Don't get distracted, Morgan!" 2BIT shouted, racing over to him. "How do you know my name??" the kitsune asked. "Name's 2BIT, creator of this world, how's it goin? Don't get stabbed!" he said, giving the skeletons a parting shot of lightning before running off to find Tails again. One of the bony monsters had dropped a sword, so Morgan picked it up and used it to block an incoming sword strike! "Rrrgh... Gotta keep it together... Guess I'll try this!" he said, grabbing a lighter attached to his tool belt. Igniting it, the fire then leapt from the lighter and burned the slimy skeleton, which certainly seemed to bother it quite a bit. "Don't usually use my powers for things other than glassworks...but use what works, I guess!" he sighed.
The ghostly version of Robotnik had manifested a spectral warship from which Buzzbombers and the like flew out to attack anyone he chose. Due to the ghostly nature of these foes, Tom found his plane's bullets ineffective against them, and was taking evasive maneuvers for the moment. "Hello? Sally, anyone, do you read??" he called out, trying to make contact with his allies over comms, but only Fera responded. "We're alone up here. I could try my darker powers, but there's no guarantee that'd work." she told him. Another voice surprised them over the comms. "Beep, blip! You appear in need of assistance! Do I have your consent to power up your plane, boop bleep?" Tom looked around in confusion, and was building altitude to attempt to maintain an advantage over Robotnik's forces. "Can't exactly land for plane maintenance right now. Who is this??" he asked. "64BIT. They refer to me as Blocky, beep boop. Don't worry about landing. Keep evading enemy fire." Blocky said. Fera glanced down at the ground to see the strange polygonal version of 2BIT looking up at them from below. "No idea what this is about, but veer left, I think he's that way!" she told the pilot. Tom veered right first, avoiding fire from the ghostly Buzzbombers. "Boeckle's Dicta, rule 4, always watch the enemy!" he said with utmost seriousness. Fera rolled her eye. "Don't give me that pilot's lecture now! I'll handle this!" she said, turning on the plane's tail and raising a hand towards the pursuing Buzzbombers. "Let's see if you like this!" she shouted, hurling balls of dark energy their way! The robots instinctively avoided them, but Fera managed to hit one, causing it to spin out but not destroying it, considering it was a spectral robot. Tom took the opportunity to turn, flying closer to Blocky...but what could he do?
As 2BIT passed under this scene, headed toward the area where Cerberus and the Devil were, Blocky's body transformed into pure energy, and beamed up into Tom's biplane, causing it to glow brightly! "Hey! My feet are tingling! What's happening??" Fera gasped. "Zzzzt!! I have interfaced with your plane! Your bullets now hold the power of a demigod! Beep, bzzt! Hold nothing back, Freedom Fighter!" Blocky's voice sounded through the comms, and Blocky nodded. He could actually feel power surging through the plane around him. "This is insane, but I'm sure I'm dreaming now, so what the hell?" he murmured, turning the plane towards the Buzzbombers even as they were firing at him! Fera ran interference with her magic, so that by the time Tom had made the turn, he had an opening to get in close for a shot! "Here goes nothing...!" His plane's bullets came out as a sort of energy, and upon striking a Buzzbomber, it exploded despite being a spectre, reduced to nothing! Robotnik could see this from his warship, and let out a snarl. "This isn't a mere Freedom Fighter... It's a Phantom Fighter wannabe. I'll blow him out of the sky!" the ghostly doctor growled, slamming his fist into a red button to cause his warship to erupt in missile fire, putting immense pressure on Tom's little plane. "We're in trouble..." he grunted. "Get behind him, beep! I'll give us some speed!" Before any discussion could be had, the plane tore ahead towards the oncoming missiles, and Tom gripped the controls tightly, knowing that his steering would be the difference between survival and death! As Fera held on, Tom twisted the plane in the air, firing on a missile as he approached and detonating it in order to pass through the smoke after the explosion finished! Robotnik's ship passed under him, but started to turn, and the Buzzbombers were hot on their trail as well. "We may not be able to win this, beep, bzzt... We have to hold on and hope for 2BIT to stop their leader..." Blocky said. "Robotnik's...not the leader?" Fera asked. They were way out of the loop and there wasn't really time to catch them up...
Cerberus was quite possibly the most powerful entity that 8BIT had summoned; He didn't get the title "Lord of Nightmares" for nothing. Fortunately, Kyle and his family were literal gods. Unfortunately, Libra was the only member of his family not to be tied up with defending the Void of Passage, as some of Apocalos' legions had remained there to keep those gods occupied. Further unfortunate, any foreign god's power was lessened in the world of GeneX Prime, which is where they were. So, Kyle and Libra weren't able to simply decimate Cerberus with the full powers of gods. Instead, their powers were being channeled through weapons, a staff for Kyle and a sword for Libra. As Cerberus floated in the air, the hellhound fired skulls made of dark energy at them, a horrific spell that Libra responded to simply by slicing the black skulls with her blade! "What kind of demon is this??" she wondered, looking at Cerberus' blood red eyes and feeling very uneasy. Kyle started towards the fiend, swatting the skulls aside with his staff as he went. "Must be bad for 2BIT to summon us here. Better take care of it quick!" he said, preparing to cast a spell with his staff as he got in close! Cerberus' mouths opened, and black beams started to spew out towards him! "Watch out!!" shouted Vixy, who leapt in and tackled Kyle to the ground so that the beams passed over him! "Ahh! T-twoBIT??" Kyle stammered, blushing. "Nah, Vixy. I know, I look just like girl 2BIT right now..." she murmured. Cerberus loomed over them, and Vixy gasped, rolling off of Kyle. "I will consume your souls, and your power will be mine!" the demon growled, quickly picking up Vixy by the throat, her life force starting to drain into him as he held her! "Aghh!! D-dammit, why didn't I get powers instead of a...color change!?" she choked as Kyle grit his teeth. "Put her...down!!" he shouted.
A light beam shot from his staff, met by Cerberus' three dark beams, the powers clashing while Vixy kicked and struggled in the villain's grip! It was three against one, but Kyle strained his powers, holding those beams back, trying to overpower them! It was then that Libra rushed to his side with her sword, and leapt to strike at the hand holding Vixy! "Hyaaaaa!!" She sliced off his hand, and the demon howled in stereo as he floated up in the air, clutching the bloody stump! However, in just a mere moment, a new hand clawed out of the bloody injury, growing back rapidly! "You may fancy yourself gods... But I am a devil! Destined to plunge the world into eternal shadows! You haven't the powers to destroy me!" he snarled. "...what if I cut off his heads?" Libra asked. "Good luck..." Vixy huffed, sitting to catch her breath and recover from having her life force drained. Kyle's staff glowed softly, and then he himself started to glow as he floated up to meet Cerberus head on. "Maybe my powers here aren't strong enough to destroy you... But as the god of knowledge, I know for a fact that you are NOT invincible... So I just have to keep you occupied until the others figure out how to get rid of you!" he said. Cerberus' two side heads snarled as the center head scoffed at him. "Even your knowledge is limited here. Now, let's see what a god's soul tastes like..." he sneered. "Is he a Lost One?" Libra asked Vixy. He wasn't, he just liked eating souls. Cerberus lashed his spiked tails at Kyle to catch him off guard, causing him to drop his staff! However, he had other equipment prepared. He pulled a high-tech blaster from a holster on his hip, and shot the demon in two of his faces before the third spat the black beam at him again, chasing him through the air with it! While he was keeping Cerberus busy, Libra found losoar bats flapping towards her and Vixy. "Somebody better figure out how we stop all these nasties at once fast, because I dunno how long the mortals can take this!" Libra shouted, clutching her sword to take the bats on. Vixy spied 2BIT passing by, heading for the Devil next. "Infi- I mean Power Glove oughta help..." she murmured.
Foxhound the hedgehog took cover behind some trees while he reloaded his gun, despite the fact that his bullets didn't seem to do a whole lot of good against undead monsters and evil deities. Zed took cover as well, the zebra armed with nothing more than a pencil. "We're pinned down! I think... We may need a tactical retreat." Foxhound said anxiously. Zed twirled his pencil, looking a bit thoughtful. "Maybe we just need creative solutions..." he said, seeming to draw something into the air itself! Out of thin air, a machine gun seemed to materialize based on his drawing, and he tossed it to Foxhound. "Try these bullets!" he suggested. "You have a magic pencil!?!" Foxhound shouted. Zed proceeded to draw himself a shield, holding it tightly in his free hand. "It actually became magic when 2BIT hi-fived Vixy with that super-glove. I don't have full grasp of its power yet." he explained. Shrugging, Foxhound peeked out from behind the cover and fired at the loskulls keeping them pinned down, the magic rounds from his new machine gun shattering the skulls to slimy pieces! "Awesome! Ah, I mean, this way!" he shouted, attempting to lead Zed safely away from the trees, only to stop short as lava geysers suddenly erupted in his path! Behind those geysers, the hedgehog Devil could be seen, smirking at them. "Ever wanted to dance with me in the pale moonlight?" he asked, waving his hand to cause the geysers to essentially "turn off." Foxhound aimed the machine gun at the goat-legged hedgehog, getting a demonic laugh for his trouble. "I'm more into deals than violence. There must be something you want. Power? Fame? Love?" the Devil asked, "How about a wager, for your soul?" he smirked. Foxhound fired several rounds right at the demonic hedgehog's chest, but even Zed's bullets were only mildly annoying to the Devil himself. "...Violence, then." he sighed.
With just some simple motions of his hands, the Devil seemed to cause the earth to quake beneath their feet! Cracks were forming in the ground, and the floor began to rapidly crumble around them! They tried to find an escape route, but the ground was crumbling too fast! "Draw us a way out!" Foxhound shouted. "Like what!?" the panicked Zed stammered. Before they could plummet into the lava below, 2BIT came flying by via his jetpack, grabbing onto both of them and carrying them to safety! "Foxy!! W-we are fighting the actual Devil!!" Foxhound stammered, holding onto him tightly. "Zed, distract him with music!" 2BIT suggested. Zed wriggled in 2BIT's grip and drew a piano, dropping it on the Devil's head as they passed over him! "...Not like that!" 2BIT groaned, the piano smashing to pieces as it landed. "Sorry..." Zed sighed, drawing a fiddle attached to a balloon so it would drift to the Devil more gently as he climbed out from under the wrecked piano. "Is this a deal you're trying to make? Oh, very well... I shall send you to heaven before I send you to hell!" the Devil proclaimed, picking up the fiddle and starting to play it, singing in an operatic voice. "He can't resist performing..." 2BIT murmured, flying the duo to a safer place and dropping them off on the ground. He had a worried look in his eyes. "I have to go... H-have either of you actually seen Tails around?" he asked. Foxhound scratched his head. "Didn't Sonic take him to safety...?" he murmured. That was exactly what 2BIT didn't want to hear. "Scourge!" he growled, racing off to try and find where the evil version of Sonic would have taken him. "Hold on! You might need this!" Zed said, quickly sketching up a familiar robot. SPOT leapt out of his drawing, looking around in surprise. "Rebooting..." the robot mumbled. "Hurry, you gotta locate a Tails close to a Sonic!" 2BIT asked the robot dog. As they hurried off, Foxhound looked at Zed with an intrigued smirk. "Can you make people with that magic pencil?" he asked playfully.
At the border between Green Hill and the Marble Zone, Dogson stumbled backward to the ground, knocked back by Scourge as he'd attempted to defend Tails. "Urrrgh... Geez, Sonic, you used to be cool..." the canine grunted, only to whimper as Scourge stepped on his chest! "Sonic was weak. Weak enough to let his pet fox escape. My name is Scourge now... SAY IT!" he shouted, pressing his foot down on Dogson and making him groan in pain. Tails watched, shivering, his mind flashing back to the abuse he'd endured at this hedgehog's hands. Despite being armed, he was too scarred to make a move. Scourge lifted his foot, preparing to stomp Dogson hard. "Say my name... Grovel, mutt!" he shouted, only to hesitate as he heard something. Something racing towards him fast. He turned and leapt into the air, striking 2BIT's jetpack as he got close, causing the fox to crash next to Dogson, holding SPOT in his arms. "Aghhh... G-good dogs..." 2BIT groaned, reaching over to pat Dogson's head. "I deserve a vacation, honestly..." Dogson groaned, "Hawaii, here I come..." he laughed softly. 2BIT set SPOT down next to him and stood up, facing Scourge. "This won't be like last time!" he shouted. Scourge scoffed at him. "You're right. Last time I let you live!!" 2BIT smirked, and shot a lightning bolt at Scourge, but he didn't expect what happened next. Scourge fired back with lightning comprised of Chaos energy, the two forces clashing and straining against each other! "Your brother said you'd be predictable! All your friends in one place, but it's MY pet you're so obsessed with saving! Pathetic!" the hedgehog sneered. 2BIT tried to push back against Scourge's power, but 8BIT had gifted the hedgehog with immense power of his own. It was a stalemate!
While Scourge kept 2BIT occupied, some losolanterns floated towards them; powerful spectral pumpkins. They spewed blue flames from their carved mouths, trying to ignite Dogson and Tails, when SPOT leapt in front and erected a barrier to defend them! "Master... The odds are mounting against us. You must fight!" SPOT said as Tails looked around fearfully. "M-me? I'm not...your master. I'm...just a..." Dogson covered his mouth before he could say it. "Say pet, and I'll bite you." he said before stepping over to pick up SPOT. "Ya got lasers? Gimmie somethin!" he said, shaking the robot. This was a drawing created by Zed, however. They were lucky it could create a barrier. Tails watched 2BIT's struggle, Scourge's lightning seeming to creep towards him, and the two-tailed fox's memory flashed to 2BIT trying and failing to fight Sonic. Their flight from his world, the adventures they shared together. Everything 2BIT had done for him clashed in his mind against everything Scourge had done to him. Growling, he clenched his fist, tears forming in his eyes. "I... can't..." he grunted, "I can't... let him hurt you!!" he shouted, lifting the energy blade he'd invented in his hand! He flew up above the barrier, and pointed the weapon at the losolanterns, firing the energy blade at them like a laser, shattering those pumpkins! He then flew above 2BIT, pointing his weapon at Scourge! "What do you think you're doing, wimp!! You belong to me!!" the hedgehog shouted. Tails glared at him. "I'm a free fox! I...belong to myself!!" he shouted, firing two blades straight at Scourge, who was too busy with 2BIT to block them! He stumbled backwards as they slashed his chest, leaving scars just like another Scourge in the multiverse! "Y-you... asshole!!" he shouted, clutching his wounds. 2BIT and Tails stood over him, cutting off his escape. "By the authority vested in me, as creator of this world, I place you under arrest..." 2BIT said. "As if you can contain me..." Scourge laughed, suddenly vanishing in a flash of light. Chaos Control!
There was only one way to truly stop the evils that 8BIT had brought, and that would be to defeat 8BIT himself. With Tails, SPOT and Dogson following him, 2BIT found his dark brother at a central point between where his friends were battling 8BIT's fiends. The villainous fox seemed to be enjoying watching the battles unfold as 2BIT arrived. "You must be so proud of yourself. You really branched out from the world we set out to create, and you made a little army of pretend friends. Where were they when Byte Space shut down? Where were these friends when we all were cast out of our home!? Huh...well, let's see how they feel when they all lose their homes!" he sneered. 2BIT stepped towards him, shaking his head. "We just got a taste of our own medicine. We meddled in the lives of so many, playing god. So, it was only fair we had to get our lives turned upside down by a being that could control us." he sighed. 8BIT held up his fist wearing the power glove, energy sparking from it. "What was that supposed to teach me? Humility? Was I supposed to find a mortal for a pet, like you!?" he shouted. Tails' ears drooped, and 2BIT growled. "He's not a pet! He's...m-my friend!" he said. 8BIT charged at 2BIT, punching him hard in the face with his sparking hand, making him shout in pain as the villain wound his arm back for another punch! "He's a fantasy, and you know it!! The reality is, you're just as much alone as I am!!" he shouted! Before he could strike 2BIT again, Tails blocked his punch with his energy sword, only for such a powerful shockwave to result that it broke his weapon and threw him across the green hills, right into Dogson! "Tails!!" 2BIT shouted, turning to jolt 8BIT with lightning hard, causing the dark fox to stagger! "Gaaahh... Alright... It's time I ended this!!" 8BIT snarled.
8BIT snapped his powered fingers, and then clapped his hands together, causing a mighty shockwave that knocked 2BIT, Tails, and their allies away from him! Tom's plane started to spin out, the hedgehog struggling to right it. Kyle raced to catch Libra as the shockwave blew her back forcefully! Zed and Foxhound took cover behind a fortified shield that the zebra drew into existence, but they were pinned down by enemy forces. Chaos got an opening to fling Lucky far into the distance through all the distractions...placing him right where he needs to be in our other story while Morgan stumbled back, caught in Cupie's arms. Gido and Arthur went tumbling into some trees as well, and each member of BIT Squad really didn't fare any better as 8BIT lifted up his glove. Evil energy from Robotnik, Cerberus, the Devil, Xenegg, Chaos, Mewtwo and Scourge all flowed from their bodies to his glove, filling the black fox with dark power! "I summoned these villains to form a hateful eight with me... Their darkness forged in conflict would make me stronger!" he declared. "I...don't talk like that!" 2BIT grunted, staggering slowly to his feet. "You do when it's my voice...and my voice is about to be all that's left!" 8BIT's eyes glowed a demonic red, his body brimming with black energy as he rose into the air. He pointed his power-gloved hand like a gun, and pulled the trigger. In an instant, reality seemed to crack around them, and time halted through Green Hill. Only BIT Squad was moving in this fractured reality. "You went beyond the fourth wall... Now I'll BREAK it! I'll send our maker to meet his, and take control of our story once and for all!"
2BIT tried to get up, but 8BIT shot him down with a powerful strike of black lightning. "Stay down... You are beaten..." he sneered. The rest of BIT Squad weren't looking much better. Even before the big shockwave, their battles had run them ragged. So, it was all on 2BIT, and the fox strained to his feet, lifting his own power glove to block 8BIT's next lightning strike! He strained to push back against the power 8BIT had built up, moving only through sheer determination. "I... won't stop!" he panted, even as the sparks seared and burned his fur! 8BIT growled. "You will!" he yelled, pointing his finger-gun and cracking reality around 2BIT again, causing him to stagger as the world beneath his feet shifted in uncanny directions! 2BIT's jetpack fired up, and he started into the air to pursue 8BIT. "Unlike you, I can't quit... Unlike you... I have...everything to fight for!" he declared. 8BIT struck at the flying fox with more lightning, laughing as the dark energy covered 2BIT and seemingly trapped him in the air! "And I have power fighting for me!" 8BIT snarled. However, a light erupted from Tails, who was frozen below, and started to counter some of that darkness. This was followed by a light from each member of BIT Squad, and 2BIT broke free, flying up towards 8BIT as he glowed with that light! "Gah! You unoriginal hack! You're copying me, drawing power from them!" 8BIT shouted. 2BIT looked around in confusion. "No...I'm not. See, 8BIT, you stole your power." he said, charging at the black fox and slapping his Power Glove against his own, starting a cosmic arm-wrestling match right there! Blue and black colors swirled around them, and each tried to overcome the other fox! "You think...you can rub off on me, huh? Haha, I'll turn you instead!!" 8BIT shouted. 2BIT clutched his rival's fist tight, struggling against him. "We'll...see!" he grunted. Light erupted from the frozen Morgan, Foxhound, Kyle, Gido, Tom... each adding their power to 2BIT! "Stop...stealing that weak light energy to gain an edge!" 8BIT snarled. "I'm not stealing it... My friends...are giving me strength, 8BIT! And I have plenty more where that came from...where's yours?" 8BIT's eyes widened as the truth of 2BIT's words revealed itself. Lucky, Arthur, Fera, Libra...not just their energy, but more beams of light raced across Green Hill. Every friend 2BIT had summoned but landed elsewhere, every Mobian, Pokemon, human, hylian, or other being that happened to arrive either by 2BIT's power or Lucky's portals, any with ties to 2BIT's heart now lended their aid! And with their power mingling with 2BIT's, the blue light spread into 8BIT's body, and overcame his evil! The cracks in reality began to restore themselves, and the villains recreated by 8BIT began to fade away into dust from whence they came... Scourge, however, was not a construct, so he remained out there. Furthermore, the Power Gloves also faded into dust, as 2BIT and 8BIT gently lowered to the ground...hugging.
Atop a massive loop de loop, the Lost Ones' leader, Apocalos had knocked Sonic down onto his back as the hedgehog once again attempted to get at his Scepter of Despair. As Sonic tried to pick himself up, Apocalos pinned him with a lightning spear! The villain sneered, and without a word prepared to strike... But then, another lightning spear blocked him, and forced his spear back! Looking, Sonic could see the Doomsayer, golden eyes glaring at Apocalos! "Haha!! 'Bout time you showed up!" Sonic laughed, hopping to his feet and standing beside the Doomsayer. "We finish this once and for all, then!" Apocalos growled, and together the trio started a tense battle, Apocalos grabbing another crashing lightning bolt to swing at Sonic while parrying the Doomsayer's spear! Their clash of speed and power seemed to put the pressure on Apocalos, but the villain let out a laugh as a mystical beam shot up from the floating Scepter, feeding all of its energy to Demon Island above! "You're too late! Haha... You're too late!!! Now, all worlds end...and my world begins!!" he snarled, hurling his two spears right at Sonic and the Doomsayer to force them back! He then leapt up and grabbed the Scepter, his toothy grin widening all the way across his face. The bridge of his oddly linked together hedgehog eyes rose up, and his two glowing pupils merged, his two eyes becoming one bulging eye, resembling that of a Doomling, an anti-life creature that the Lost Ones had been born from! "Now...watch as everything you love...withers and dies!!" he growled, his one eye glancing up and drawing Sonic and the Doomsayer's gazes. The slimy tendrils contained within Demon Island suddenly burst out from all sides, seven massive tendrils reaching out from the barely-held-together island! They were so giant, they were able to start snaking around the entire world...and they were seeking out the sites where the Temples of Gaia once stood...under which were the Gaia Wellsprings, source of all life energy in this world!
The massive tendrils caught everyone in Green Hill's attention, including 2BIT and 8BIT's. "Oh, what have I done? We could have used the Power Gloves to stop this!" the now-reformed 8BIT said with great fear and regret. Tails and Dogson ran up to them, time having been restored. "Hey, where's SPOT?" Dogson asked. Zed's drawing had been temporary, it seemed. It didn't matter anyway, as there was still a fight to be had. "2BIT... We're all still here." Tails told him, grabbing his hand. 2BIT nodded. "That's good, cuz this world may need our help! Dogson, go with 8BIT, rally the others!" he told them. As the others raced to regroup their forces, 2BIT stood alone with Tails for a moment. "Stopping 8BIT took all my power. Maybe some will come back, but I fear it's going to be up to mere mortals to save this world." he said to the kitsune, "I gotta admit...I'm a little scared." Tails squeezed his hand and smiled at him. "Don't worry. We mortals will show you our stuff!" he winked. 2BIT chuckled softly. "Alright then...lead the way!" he said. There was still so much more left to do.
To be continued... in Sonic GeneX: Doomsday!
