Sonic GeneX - The Series: Countdown to Doomsday
Mini Episode - Ch. 4.5 - The Last Respite

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 - Bucky the rat has begun creating new experiments, starting with a turtle-creature named Bolt and a light blue unicorn.
Sonic and Violet joined Gemini's hero-training group as dangers began to escalate.
After an attack on the Hopebringer Center made the Commander appear weak, General Gunner took advantage to seize control of GUN, finding many supporters to aid his coup. Guard turned on his master and helped the Commander escape, and with Shadow's help, they got the President to safety as Gunner seized control of the nation...


Sonic, Tails and Knuckles had met at Tails' Workshop. They were sitting along the ledge at the end of the Tornado's runway, looking out over the beautiful ocean view. They weren't yet aware of the full extent of Gunner's schemes, only that he'd attacked Despair and captured Fera. So much had changed through the years, but these three were still much the same. It seemed nothing could truly drive them apart. "Well, feels like we'll have to break up more fights between GUN and Despair soon. You ready for this, guys?" Sonic asked, standing up. "As I'll ever be..." Tails murmured, climbing back to his feet. "I'm good as long as the Master Emerald stays out of it this time." Knuckles smirked. They heard footsteps approach, and the trio turned around to see an odd bat-headed, turtle-shelled, chinchilla-tailed creature with bolts in his head approaching...accompanied by a light blue uniform with a white horn. "This is Bucky's handiwork..." they all sighed at once. "Th-they're staring..." the turtle-creature stammered. "It's okay, I'll do the talking." the unicorn said in a soothing voice. Knuckles crossed his arms. "Alright, spill it, what's that crazed scientist want now?" he asked. The unicorn raised his hands to call for peace. "He asked us to go to you for training. He believes great evil is approaching our world, and he created us to help fight it...even though I don't want to fight..." he said. Then, he pointed to his awkward turtle companion. "This is Bolt, and the others decided to call me Sonata, because they find my voice soothing and melodic..." he said with a blush. "Yo, Sonny." Sonic waved. "Leave the nicknames to Rainbow, Sonic..." Knuckles sighed. "No, no... I kinda like it." Sonata blushed again. Bolt tapped his pointer fingers together awkwardly. "So, uh, you think you can help us? Vortex and Zipp weren't exactly patient enough to train us..." he said. Tails looked a bit worried. "I don't know about us, but you could join our whole training group, I guess. There's a bunch of us." he stated. Sonic chuckled and nudged him. "You can train 'em, bro! I saw you with Copter the other day!" he winked, making it Tails' turn to blush. "Ahh, well, what exactly can you guys do?" he asked. Knuckles nodded. "Yeah, are you like Carrie and Kosmo, or are you more like Zipp and Lucky?" he asked, earning slightly judgemental glances from his companions. "...What? Legitimate question! Some experiments are loaded with powers and then you got ones with no powers!" he stammered. "Lucky and Zipp do have powers." Tails stated. "They do??" Knuckles scratched his head.

A demonstration of their abilities was in order. They moved over to the cliff below Tails' Workshop where there was more room. Then, Sonny suggested Knuckles try throwing a punch at Bolt. "Alright... Sorry, kiddo..." Knuckles said, charging at the creature, who yelped and ducked mostly into his shell, but his head bolts kept him from drawing his head inside, so he spun in place a bit to avoid getting hit in the head. Knuckles punched the shell, and it went spinning off! Sparks began to fly from it, and then the shell changed direction, spinning towards Knuckles! "Gah, what!? Wait!! No one said...!!" More sparks flew from the shell as it moved, and Knuckles got a bit of a jolt when it hit him! "Aaaaaaagh!! Ow ow!! I wasn't ready for that!! Zzzzt!!" Knuckles shouted, static frizzing his quills a bit. As Bolt stood up, his head bolts were still sparking, and he looked mad. "Rrrraaaagh!! You hit me!!" he roared. Sonny cleared his throat. "That's my cue..." he said, and began to hum a soothing melody. "Hmmm, hmmm... Relax, little Bolt, don't be sad. You're safe and sound, these guys aren't bad..." he sang softly. His lovely voice rapidly soothed Bolt's wild rage, and the sparks began to subside. "Ahh, huh? Oh, dear, I'm sorry..." he said to Knuckles shyly. Knuckles looked at him awkwardly. "Therapy. Get some." he muttered. Tails nodded as he listened to Sonata's song. "So, you two work in tandem. Bolt gains power when he goes berserk, and your voice brings him out of it. Fascinating..." he said. Sonata nodded. "I also have some empathic abilities... I can tell what you're feeling. Tails...you're uneasy about something... Knuckles, you're just mad." he said. Knuckles pouted. "Am not..." he huffed. Tails looked away, rubbing the back of his head. "Tails... Are you uneasy about something?" Sonic asked. "Aren't you? Gunner killed a bunch of Despair agents, and now he has Fera...Felicia..." he murmured, "And Despair's going to attack again, Daisy told us. Don't you get a little tired of all the violence?" he asked. Sonic put a hand on his shoulder. "You just gotta remember what we're fighting for. Not everyone is violent, most people are good, and they don't deserve to be caught in the crossfire." he said. "Neither do you or our friends, Sonic... I wish we didn't have to put ourselves in danger like this..." Bolt and Sonata nodded in agreement, and seeing this, Tails amended his statement, "But that doesn't mean I'm gonna sit the fight out! I'm with you all the way, Sonic!" he smiled. Sonata turned to Sonic and smiled. "That's a very warm feeling coming from you!" he said. Sonic nodded, smiling at his friends and allies. "It's pride. I know you won't let me down, guys!" he said, giving Tails and Knuckles each a hi-five!


Meanwhile, explosions rocked the EggmanEmpireFortress where the Covenant of Despair had moved. "Air raid!! Every bird for themselves!!" Bean shouted, scrambling about to avoid crumbling pieces of the base falling around him! Nova blased a hole in the wall using some of Enerjak's power, and peered out to get a look at what was happening. Missiles had been launched at their location. Gunner wasn't even bothering to waste manpower trying to destroy them, he just sought to blow them off the map. "Shoulda killed Fera guys, looks like she sold us out!" Nova-jak shouted. Conan stepped to the hole in the wall and held up the deck of Chaos Cards he'd managed to steal from Fera before she was captured. "This'll be good practice... Why don't I try summoning my own missile?" he said, pulling a card and tossing it! The card turned into a mist of bubbles, and Patch burst out laughing from behind Conan. "Heeheeheehee!! Good job! We'll shampoo 'em to death!!" he giggled. Conan growled. Now wasn't the time for experimentation. Another missile rocked the fortress, sending part of the roof crumbling. Anubis was forced to come to a decision. "We must evacuate the fortress... Hurry, before they decimate us all!" he shouted. "I knew throwin' in my lot with you guys would turn out a disaster!" Nack complained as he ran to gather his loot. During this chaos, Dark Copter stood with a furious scowl. "Cowards...all of you! I'll handle this myself!" he growled, pushing past panicking Despair agents until he located the illusion shell that was holding Shadow Chaos captive. "Out of my way, hyena-boy!" he snarled, whipping his tails to generate a dark shockwave that broke the illusion! Before Shadow Chaos could go far, Dark Copter reached into him and pulled at the Phantom Ruby, and as he drew the ruby towards his chest, Shadow Chaos vanished inside it! Dark Copter now wore the Phantom Ruby as Infinite had, and his darkness bonded with its power. The familiar sound of the ruby rang through the fortress. "Nothing can stop me now..." Dark Copter's voice boomed. In an instant, he was outside, and with a wave of his hand, he sent phantom energy forth to obliterate the incoming missiles! Anubis watched this through the hole in the wall with wide eyes, and then a wider smile. "Excellent... Well done, agent! Everyone! Come back! The tower will stand!" Anubis shouted as Dark Copter used the ruby's power to repair the damage. Then, appearing beside Anubis, he scoffed at the gathering agents. "Simpering cowards. You're lucky I don't destroy you. I could use groveling worshippers..." he sneered. Anubis grunted softly. "Well... I daresay with your power, now is the time to launch an attack... Let us finish off the humans that tried to destroy us!" he suggested. Nova, Tabitha, Dark Copter and Conan all nodded as they gathered around, snickering and laughing, reveling in their evil plans. With so much dark power gathered together, could Despair be stopped?

Next time...the Series Finale of Sonic GeneX: the Series!