Sonic GeneX - The Series: Countdown to Doomsday
Mini Episode - Ch. 2.5 - Neo Neon Interlude

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 - Sonic led a team to rescue the Robians from Eggman, along with Razor and others. They succeeded, and now Mia, Crash and Bob are back to normal.
Before Infinite helped Eggman conquer the world, Violet was trying to get her friends to leave the Covenant of Despair. During Eggman's reign, she aided Mitch the weasal and kept him safe. Now, he owes her one...


The Neon Tavern had seen better days, but it had also seen worse days. Eggman's occupation of the world hadn't been kind to Bill and Bob the hedgehogs' Troblusk City watering hole, but now that Bob was back on the job, the place felt a bit cheerier again. Bill sat back and cleaned the glasses, calmly watching Bob handle customers for a change, glad to have things back to a semblance of normalcy. "Hopefully the customers start comin' back in, cuz' we gotta fix some damage to the foundation..." he murmured. Bob was pouring Violet a soda...she was actually old enough to drink now, but she wanted to be sober for what she intended to discuss. "Thanks, Bob. Good to see you haven't lost a step." she said. "I dunno. Lost 'bout a year... Glad ta be back, tho." he nodded. The door swung open quickly, and Bill looked up eagerly. "Customer?" he asked. "If anyone asks, you didn't see me!" said Sonic, who dashed in, jumped behind the counter, and crouched down. "What'll it be?" Bill said slyly. Sonic gulped. "Ahhh... Chaos Soda, on the rocks..." he babbled. The door opened again and Amy peered in. "Sonic? Helloooo? Argh, how dare he mount a dangerous rescue mission without my help..." she grumbled, "Anyone seen him?" she asked. Bill glanced down and casually reached a hand, asking for money for the drink. Sonic searched himself for cash and gulped, shrugging. "Behind the counter, miss." Bill grunted. "Shoot!" Sonic yelped, leaping up and speeding out past Amy faster than she could grab him! "SONIC!! You're just making it worse for yourself!! Come back here!!" Amy yelled, storming out the door. Bill shook his head and sighed. "We need paying customers, dang it..." he mumbled. The door opened again and Razor shuffled in, looking frazzled. "I think I'd call that a domestic disturbance, but I don't wanna get in the middle of those two on my first day back..." he said. He was back in his uniform, gun, badge and all. "Officer on deck!" Bill saluted, "But nuts, that means no drinks." he sighed. Razor chuckled softly. "Sorry, just checking in on Bob. Also, shhh, I was supposed to be on leave there, so technically I was a vigilante taking on Eggman..." he said with a wink. Bob nodded. "Ya sure yer ready ta go back? I heard 'bout what happened to ya." he said. Razor shrugged. "Seems the best way to atone is to get back to work. That's the feeling I got out there fighting Eggman..." he said.

Vortex was seated in a dark corner of the bar, drinking away his loneliness. Whisk, the only girl he had eyes for, was now off in space somewhere or something, and it seemed she was moving on. He just wanted to be left alone with his misery. "Hello, dear, why so glum?" glancing up, he saw Vanilla the rabbit of all people standing beside him. "Oh my, I thought you were Espio. My mistake..." she stammered. "It'sss alright... I'm not the villain the newsss hasss made me out to be in the passsst." Vortex sighed. Vanilla sat down across from him. "You're one of the experiments, aren't you! I got to know one of them while locked in a bunker last year... Talon?" she said. Vortex stared into his glass. "Sssso, you were locked up with Talon for ssssix monthsss..." he murmured. Vanilla giggled. "He was such a nervous boy, but Cream was a bit of a comfort to him. I'm proud of her." she said. "Sssswell..." Vortex sighed, sipping his drink. Vanilla reached across the table and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It'll get better, young one. I've had that look before myself." she said. Vortex glanced up at her in surprise. "I..." he murmured. "You want to be alone. I understand." she smiled. Vortex patted her hand as it rested on his shoulder. "...You can ssstay..." he said softly. The door opened and Katie and Mia walked in, just in time to catch Razor before he was going to leave. "Hold it! Where ya goin, officer? I gotta frisk ya, first!" said Mia playfully, giving him a hug. Razor smiled and hugged her back. "Hey there, someone's happy!" he chuckled. Mia nodded. "I've got the best friends who never stopped hunting down Eggman to find me and bring me home!" she said before turning to hug Katie next. "And this one! She looked after my cab all that time!" she giggled. "Awww... But seriously, you two gonna order somethin?" Bill said, clearing his throat. Razor waved good bye as Katie and Mia sat down to order drinks. "Yo, Bob, how are ya?" Katie asked. "Lightly busy..." he muttered with a soft chuckle. Violet was still sitting at the counter with a glum look, only now a bit glummer having had to watch Mia's display as she entered. "Hey, what's with you?" the cat asked her. Violet huffed. "You and all your friends are back together, that's swell. My friends were with Despair before Eggman took over, probably were among the group of Robians that just got freed, but I still haven't seen them, so they probably went right back to Despair." she said. Katie and Mia looked at her a bit sadly. "Aw, that's tough... My boyfriend joined up with Despair for a while after I got shot." Katie said, "When he quit he...kinda died. Or just got hurt real bad? I'm not sure but he's an experiment now." she said, scratching her head in thought over it. Violet nodded. "Well... I'm hoping for a better way out for my friends than...that." she said.

Finally, Mitch the weasal came in. He was who Violet was waiting for. He sat down next to her and pulled down his hat over his eyes, grunting. "Whatcha want? I got business to see to..." he murmured. Violet glanced at him smugly. "Don't be like that. You owe me, or did you forget who saved your tail when Eggman had the world under his thumb?" she asked. Mitch clenched his teeth and glanced at Bob. "Don't just stand there, get me some booze!" he grunted. Violet gave him a small smile. "So, Infin, I'm trying to find Patch and Daisy. Can you tell me if they're back with Despair?" she asked. Mitch sipped his drink briefly and scoffed at her. "I ain't Infin no more. World's changed, info's changed. I ain't as connected as I used ta be. Just plain 'ol Mitch... But I gots an in with the new Covenant of Despair. I could probly look." he murmured. Violet nodded. "Let's cut to the chase. I want you to help me get Patch and Daisy out of Despair. Last time I saw them it seemed clear to me that they were being forced to stay. They're my friends and I can't leave them like this." she said. Mitch smirked. "Why don'tcha get yer pal, the dark echidna what beat Fera before, have him fight the new covenant?" he asked. Violet frowned. "He's got a kid now..." she said. "How 'bout yer boyfriend, the fox..." he snickered. Violet then grabbed him by the throat. "Watch it, I know you saw the tournament, everyone did." she growled. "Dat's how I know 'bout 'im, ack!" Mitch grunted as Violet released him, "I'm real important all of a sudden! What'll ya give me?" he asked. Violet crossed her arms. "How about never having to see me again?" she growled. Mitch took a big sip of his drink and then let out a sigh. "You realize I could get killed tryin' to help ya do this. This goes beyond settlin' my debt wit you." he told her, "I want... I want my foot back." he said, lifting up his robotic foot for her to see. Violet looked at it and raised an eyebrow. "I don't think we can fix that. It's not robotisized, it's just replaced." she said. Mitch lowered his foot and smirked. "Hah, seriously though. I may not be as connected as I was, but I do remember dis magic wand involved in Project GXterminate. I think you know the owner of dat wand. We'll fix me with magic." he said. Violet thought about it. Then, she extended her hand. "Deal. You help me, you get your foot back." she said as Mitch shook her hand. "Great... I'll get right on it!" he smirked.

As the customers left and Bill locked up for the night, Bob was calmly humming while cleaning a glass. "Never a dull moment, eh?" Bill asked. "Nope. Glad to be back, bro..." Bob smiled. Bill nodded. The place was a dump now, but it was their dump. "Night Bob... See ya tomorrow..." Bill said, heading for the back door to head home for the night.

To be continued...