Zonerunner 6 Cagefight 2 of 3

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG IN: ZONERUNNER
PART V: CAGEFIGHT 2 OF 3

Zicole rushes through the corridors of the Zone Cop HQ, searching for her allies. She looked everywhere, avoiding a few rioters along the way. Then she saw Zector, Zespio, and Zharmy, the Zhaotix, trying to fend off a Hulk sized version of Amy Rose.

Zector: Back! Get back!

Zicole: Hang on, let me help!

Zicole pulled out a stun gun and fired a probe from it, which hits the alternate Amy and knocks her out.

Zespio: Thanks for the help...our weapons stopped working so we wouldn't be able to hold our own. Now, what was that of a disease breaking out?

Zicole: The disease is a lie! The council has gone corrupt, they are just sabotaging the ones who can expose them.

Zharmy: But...I thought it was impossible to corrupt a No-Zoner.

Zicole: So everyone thought...Now, it may be hard to take in, but you have to trust me. I mean, have you not noticed how bad the search for Theta went? How so thinly spread we were that even Scourge could bust out? You think a sane Council would let something like that happen?

Zector: You know, saying it like that does make it sound ridiculous.

Zicole: Added, the disease makes people violent and aggressive, yet Zonic and Zally are supposed to be trying to manipulate people? Those two symptoms don't match up.

Zespio: Then it's clear what we need to do...we need to stop their madness. Tell us what to do.

Zicole: I'm getting some weapons from the confiscated objects of the prisoners, I'm going to give you weapons used more by your counterparts. not what you're used to, but they'll have to do.

Zector: I always wanted to try sonic headphones...

Zicole: And then we need to help the Primers get to the control tower, so they can get thier powers back, and help them vanquish the council. Try to get as many reinforcements as you can and clear a path for them. We'll be outnumbered, but we're the only chance we have.

Zharmy: This is our duty, to save people. No matter what.

Zespio: My team will assist Zally, I saw Team Zark locking themselves up in the mental ward due to the onslaught. Some prisoners tried to harrass Zouge...Zhadow nearly went berserk.

Zicole: Understood. I'll find some more of the others.

Meanwhile with the heroes, they did their best to hide from the rampagin prisoners, who were now free to mutilate, destroy and even kill those who were in their way.

Sonic: This place has turned into a madhouse. We need help.

Zally: Did someone say help?

Fiona: Zally! Oh, I'm so glad you're here.

Zally: It wasn't easy, with all the insanity going around. Now, Zicole is convincing a few zone cops from my innocence, they'll try to clear a way towards the control tower. From there you should be able to restore order to this place.

Emerl: sounds easy enough but knowing our luck there is a catch.

Zally: The control center is right above the battle ground between Maxx and Jeffrey's gangs. Worst is now there are insanely powerful prisoners under their command. We have two reality-warping imps and a planet-eating version of Eggman duking it out at the center.

Emerl: Ever consider that putting the multiverse's worst criminals all in one building might be a really bad idea?

Zally: Until the council's corruption our methods have never failed before.

Nicole: Nothing's infallible.

Zally: I know that. But we have no time to reflect on that. Right now what matters is stopping the madness. Follow me and lay low.

Sonic: Roger that.

The heroes made it to the part of the prison the control tower was stationed...and it was the most chaotic part of the prison. They saw a giant, Galactus-esque version of Robotnik fight the robot forms of the imps Horizont-Al and Verti-Cal. The creature called Void was fighting the Silver Snively, all sorts of thugs were pounding on each other like rabid animals and at the center Jeffrey and Maxx themselves were in the middle of a sword duel.

Abby: This part of the prison makes the rest look controlled...Just look at all this crap. And you say you deal with this on a weekly basis?

Zally: Well, we don't tend to have breakouts.

Abby: I was talking to the Freedom Fighters.

Tails: Yes, we have quite chaotic lives.

Sally: It's a living.

Zally:With a bit of luck, they are so occupied they won't notice that we're here and we can sneak in.

However that plan fell into the water. A Zone cop who looks a lot like Lien-Da has noticed our heroes. She grabbed the intercom and alerted the entire prison.

Zien-Da: It's the Primers! And Zally! Get them!

Emerl: Scrap!

Zally: We really need backup about now...

Several of the thugs charged towards them.

Zally; Did Zicole take your weapons?

Sonic: We have no more powers, and for Emerl and Nicole the weapon systems have become useless...we only have our combat training.

Zally: What about the swords?

Tails: Zonic has them, we gave them to him for safekeeping. Speaking of which, you know what he's up to.

Zally: I don't, and I'm worried about him.

Nicole: We should also worry about ourselves, because those thugs are advancing upon us...we'll have to hold them until reinforcements show up.

Fiona: What kind of reinforcements are we going to get here?

Zally: Zicole is gathering the remaining loyal zone cops to clear us a path.

Zally opens fire on the nearest thug, then kicks them back into the crowd. Another thug tried to come up from behind her, but she flips him over her back and knees him in the stomach.

Sonic: Can you do that, Sal?

Sally: Not with people of that size and weight...

Zally: We No-Zoners can, since we are not organic, do a few things normal Mobians can't.

Sonic: Are we going to let her do all the work or are we going to help her.

Sally kicks another thug down. Two more run up to her, but she jumps up and  kicks them both in the face before landing back down. Another thug came up behind her and slammed her in the back, knocking her down. Sonic tackled the thug down. Then he kicked another one down, before helping Sally up.

Emerl: Okay, I might not have powers anymore... but I'm still a machine. And I still remember all the fighting moves I saw all of you use!

He rushes forward, and shoulder-barges several thugs. He then performed a karate chop he once saw Sally use and knock another thug to the ground.

Nicole: My weapon systems may be useless...But what about other gadgets?

Nicole created an oil slick from her wrist, over which several thugs slipped.

Nicole: My self-maintenance tools still work.

Emerl: Wait, that gives me an idea...

Emerl fires his jets, trying to get airborne. But it didn't work.

Emerl: Well, it was worth trying.

Nicole: Apparently they saw your jets as an escape tool.

Emerl: But not an oil slick?

Nicole: Hey I'm not the one who programmed these collars, all right?

Emerl: Suppose they're still hot enough to really hurt if I hit something with them.

He swings the back of his leg into another prisoner. There were no flames coming out but the attempt to use them still made his legs rather hot.

Emerl: Good thing those collars don't cut off our brainpower!

Fiona: WOuld've made Scourge a vegetable if they did.

Fiona did an impressive acrobatic flip and then launched a flying kick at a thug, knocking them into others, flipping them over like domino's.

Meanwhile, Abby showed she is as strong as her burly physique suggests as she is literally tossing around the thugs.

Zien-Da: Never count on a thug to do a Zone Cops' job (takes out a gun and aims it).

Zally: Zien-Da, stop! THe virus isn't real! And even if it was, we're not organic beings, we can't be effected by biological illnesses! Added, Nicole and Emerl are artificial beings, so they couldn't be affected either! The council are being corrupted by something, they're the reason we've had so many troubles since the Theta incidents began!

Zien-Da: I'm sorry Zally, orders are orders. I must do what the council says...this is my purpose, and nothing you can say can change that...

Zien-Da was preparing to shoot as a blue blur shot out, knocking Zien-Da from the storage above, down in the crowd of thugs below, as it landed in the midst of the heroes. It was Zonic, and he was carrying a bag with the heroes' swords.

Zonic; Sorry I'm late, but me and Zicole have done some collecting.

Sonic: Good to see you, other me.

Zally: I'm glad you're alright.

Zonic: I guess one other thing I got from Sonic is escaping the odds. Wasn't easy though...a few guys may need to go to the sickbay after this. Now, you want your swords back?

Sally: Thanks. They should help. We're still outnumbered, though.

Zicole: Not for long.

Zicole and a whole range of Zone cops ressembling the freedom fighters' friends and allies appeared a floor above, looking down on the thugs. Instead of guns they wielded weapons similar to their prime zone counterpart.

Zien-Da: Traitors! All of you!

Zicole: Will you put a sock in it! As I said to the others, the virus cannot be real, because the symptoms listed do not match up. Use your brain rather than letting the council think for you.

Zien-Da: Serving the council to uphold balance is our goal, no matter what...You have become too much like those pitiful Mobians.

Zonic: We'd rather be more like them. They are more balanced then you and the council!

Zien-Da: Don't just stand there, you stupid thugs! You want to earn your pardon? I'll throw in some immunity as well if you can take the traitors out!

Zicole: She's hopeless!

Zonic: Somebody needs a session with Zouge.

Zien-Da: Attack!

Zonic: Protect the primers, get to the tower!

The six started to push towards the tower again. With their enchanted swords, they let out shockwaves to push back larger numbers of thugs. The helpful zone cops jumped form the first floor down below and began fighting back the thugs, quite effectively.

Nothin was going to stop our heroes. In fact, the giant Galactus-Robotnik tried to slam his giant hand on the heroes, only for Sonic to stab the palm of his hand with his sword. The giant screamed in pain, as Sally slashed his ankle with the sword of light, making the Robolactus fall on top of Horizont-Al and Verti-Cal, knocking the three of them out.

Sally: That was easy. I guess they're still weak from the collars.

Sonic: Or they are just all strength and no brains. Now, let's push through.

The heroes charged through the crowd, right at the tower, but they were blocked by Jeffrey and King Maxx.

Maxx: I was almost a king again, even if it was the king of this No-Zone, I am tired of snot-nosed brats standing in my way.

Jeffrey: Good or evil, your counterparts are a pain in my butt, so it's safer to take you out first before I crown myself king.

Sally: Try us.

Sally brandished her sword, as the others did the same. Maxx jumped for Sally and Jeffrey decided to go for Sonic.

Maxx: My daughter always gives me trouble, and you are no exception. Kids, what can you do? No respect for their elders.

Sally parried his attack, kicking him in the knee.

Sally: I have plenty of respect for my father, perhaps a little too much. But I learned to respect people that deserve it, not just people that are older than me.

Maxx: People should respect me because I demand it! I am the rightful ruler!

Sally: What you describe is a dictator!

Maxx: Toe-may-toe, to-mah-to!

Sally: I've met your daughter, fought her too, and she's a much better leader than that.

Maxx: And killing you will be good practice for when I get back to my homeworld.

Sally: I'm afraid neither of those is going to happen.

Maxx: Let's see about that!

Maxx thrusts his sword forward, but Sally dodged and prepares her sword of light. She swings it at him, but he parries. Maxx still seemed to have considerable skill despite his age. Sally kept moving, swinging it at him again. The swords clashed and they tried to push one another back, but Sally then disarmed Maxx with a flick of her wrist, and then pointed the blade at his throat.

Sally: You lose... Now stay down.

Maxx (raises his arms): It's not fair, the title of king is rightfully mine, why can't I get it back?

Sally: Because you lost that right.

Meanwhile, Sonic was holding his own in his swordfight with Jeffrey.

Jeffrey: You have no powers, just give up! You can't win.

Sonic: You must be confusing me with Scourge. I actually bothered to learn to fight without my powers. And you, you're in insult to a friend of mine. He's full of hot air, but he's a real decent guy. But it also means you have no excuse to have your own head up your smelly ass so much.

Sonic pushes Jeffery back, aiming to sweep his legs. Jeffrey jumps over it, but then brings his sword down hard, only for Sonic do block with his own sword. His landing disrupted, Jeffrey fell awkwardly. Sonic then pushed him off of him and landed a roundhouse kick to his chin.

Sonic: Give up yet?

Jeffrey: No! I've been walked over enough! By that washed up king, by Scourge, I won't be walked over by the likes of you as well!

Sonic: You're the one that got in my way.

As Jeffery rushes at him again, the ceiling begins to crack. The ceiling collapses and then he crashes down, rubble coming down and crushing a few thugs under it.

Sonic: Theta. Of all times.

Theta starts to laugh.

Theta: I always told you those zone cops couldn't be trusted, and now I have proven it. The Zone cops can be corrupted. And how corrupt they are. See the chaos around you! Can you see it now? Do you trust the safety of the of the infinite zones to them? No, I can better blow this place up, ridding us of both the zone cops and the criminals inside, two birds with one stone!

Sonic: Sorry, can't hear you over the sound of you not having any Zonekillers left.

Theta: I can control the self destruct, right from the control towers, you silly. And you have no powers to stop me, what do you have to say to that?

Sonic: Only one thing...(pokes Theta) oops, I touched him, he is infected now and has to be put down.

Theta: Oh come on, do you really think they'll fall for that?

Theta was then dogpiled by a variety of prisoners. A second later, all of them were thrown off by an explosion of Chaos Energy.

Theta: Not very bright, are they?

Sonic: No, but they make good distractions.

Theta: Those meatbags don't last seconds...

Then Theta was tossed down by the Robotnik-Galactus, who just has gotten up.

Sonic: Nope, but he will...guys, let's go for the tower when we still can!

Sally: Right!

Tails: Right behind you!

The heroes went up to the tower, and while Theta was distracted, they made it to the control pannel.

Nicole: My powers are cut off so I need to do the hacking manually, cover me.

Fiona: Got it.

Nicole started to dial away at the console.

Nicole: First thing we do is to disable our own collars, then we set the security systems on Theta, then we can safely reactivate the other collars.

Sally: Right.

Zicole: Need a hand?

Nicole: Sure, two heads are better then one.

Both start to dial away madly at the computer. The collars start beeping.

Nicole: We are nearly there...done!

The collars fell off.

Sonic: I feel like my speedy self again.

Emerl: I feel like a million bolts.

Nicole: Now...let's reactivate the security system.

No longer needing to hack manually, Nicole presses her hand on the computer itself. Turrets started to pop from the walls and shoot probes at the prisoners and at Theta, which started to shock and paralyze them. Even as the massive ones like Horizont-Al and Verti-Cal were knocked out by the probes, Theta stayed sane and was fighting the containment.

Theta: No! I won't be trapped...Not by you Zone Cops! You are all corrupt! You are the true menace. It's because of your inability that I have been like this...I have been ahead of you all the time.

Zonic: Sorry to dissapoint, but you've been used from the start; The High Council knew of you and deliberately gave you space.

Theta: You're lying!

Zally: If we were, you think it would have been this easy for you?

Theta: You scattered yourselves across the zones just to search for Nega, and you claim it was all some sort of trick, and you already knew it was me? It was this easy because of the general incompetence of your entire organisation. It took you years to apprehend Scourge, and I killed him in moments. You completely failed to see that there was something altering Fiona's mind, despite all the pointers, when you have one of her in your number, and most parties ascertained the truth simply by thinking about it. You've fought me for this long, and you still don't know who I really am! And your probe? Would've worked before I obtained this body. But now I can simply adapt its energy into my own systems!

Theta stops sparking and stands up, then projects the paralyzing field from his hand, ensnaring Zonic and Zally.

Theta: I ought to thank you... you've made my job a whole lot easier... But the gain pales in comparison to your previous crimes. And you...Zally, of all the crimes you could commit, taking the form of Sally of all people...But it seems to work. I can't bring myself to hurt anyone bearing her image. Instead, I'll work my anger towards the Council. After all, they thought I'd play a part in thier games...well, I'm going to change the rules.

Theta flies through the roof and flees.

Sonic: What's going on? Didn't we get Theta.

Zally: We had him...for all of five seconds.

Nicole: Where did he go?

Zonic: He went after the council by himself.

Fiona: Isn't that a good thing?

Zonic: The Council is stationed at the center of the crossroads. If they aren't careful their fighting may cause the crossroads to collapse, and while the zones themselves may be unaffected, everything in the no zone may collapse alongside the crossroads.

Sonic: And let it happen the most violent and unstable baddie of them all is heading towards there...how strong exactly is the council?

Zally: They are really powerful, they predate the multiverse...They have powers that the other zone cops don't have. Even Theta will have trouble fighting them. And that's the danger. In his frustration to try and destroy them he may damage the crossroads more then the council.

Sally: How do we stop the council, and stop Theta destroying the crossroads at the same time?

Sonic: Maybe if we could put Theta on a wrong trail, and neutralize the council before he finds them?

Zally: The council makes Argus look like a puppy. Unless you have some chaos emeralds on hand, you are going to be in a pickle.

Nicole: I am powered by psionically enhanced Emeralds, will they do?

Zally: In theory.

Nicole: Me and Zicole can send out a signal that can scramble his navigational circuits, giving us time to confront the Council, but it will only work for so long, so we need to try to destroy them as fast as possible.

Zonic: Then get onto that.

Nicole: Starting right now...We have to move fast once this is done.

Sally: Everybody ready.

Zicole: It is done. I stay here to keep the signal going as long as possible. The Zone cops also need to stay to keep the control we just regained. But be careful, no matter how much the Council may look familiar, they are more dangerous then they appear!

Nicole: We'll keep that in mind.

With that said, the Prime Zone heroes ran off to their destination.

Maxx: Unhand me this instance, don't you remember, I'm King...

Zonic; Will you finally put a sock in it! You've already lost! Old coot...

The heroes came closer to the center of the crossroads.

Emerl: I'm surprised we haven't run into any resistance.

Sally; They are all powerful, they are arrogant, they want us to look them in the eyes before they destroy us. They are inviting us in...to die.

Sonic: Like that'll happen.

They arrived at the center...the center was like a huge dome connecting the branches of the multiverse. Once they came in, it was so...empty. Aside from three figures in the middle.

Sonic: Okay, what do we have here?

They came closer and saw the trio, sitting on the ground in a circle, meditating. Two of them were familiar as counterparts of Naugus and Mogul. The third they didn't recognize but had to be sure it probably was Ixis related as she (the only female of the trio) also wore mystical robes. She was a bird of sorts but it wasn't clear which one.

Zogul: So, Primers, you've come to face us?

Sonic: Got that right. But first I want to know something. What is your thing with messing up the worlds you tried to keep in balance?

Zaugus: For a long time we thought balance was achieved through order. But then we learned true order does not exist. Order needs to be balanced with chaos...

Tails: DId you have to get them started on a monlogue?

Sally: Yeah, it's pretty clear what their problem is: they are bat guano insane.

Zale: We call it enlightment; Nothing a three-dimensional organic can understand. You know, you are brave to be standing here against us. Now smart, but certainly brave. YOu know, unlike other No Zoners we didn't choose to resort to technology or to relinquish our godly powers to stand closer to the inferior lifeforms.

Fiona: And now they've decided that they're gods! Great!

Zogul; We have been called many things, but Gods is what you may call it nowadays. We are a manifestation of the multiverse's very will, we tap into the power of the multiverse, we can bend space to our liking, we can do things you can't do even with your enchanted baubels, and our true forms are incomprehensible.

Sonic: Don't know about you guys but if I was the will of the multiverse I wouldn't will such insane bastards as you into existence to keep balance.

Tails; Besides, we hear all the excuses, those who think they should rule because they are smart or powerful enough, or because they have a trauma or because they have been broken, but in the end they're still that, excuses. You three are just big jerks who just try to justify for the fact you are insane sadistic pricks.

Sonic: Meanwhile I've killed two or three gods, or maniacs and monsters pretending to be gods in my years. You three are no different.

Zogul: Oh, are we?

Zogul, Zaugus, and Zale then glowed in a bright white light...and the surroundings changed to a space like purple and dark blue starry void, yet the heroes still somehow felt like they were on solid ground. The three wizard counterparts stood giant-sized over them.

Sonic: Kinda reminds me of the fight with Argus. And the size thing, very Dark Gaia.

Emerl: Should have known, no originality whatsoever!

Fiona: Let's just end this, guys.

Sonic: Now you're speaking my language!

Sonic rushed forward, speeding up and jumping high in the air, and then homing in on the face of Zogul, who just swats him away like a fly.

Nicole: Do you want to use the Emeralds before you try that?

Sonic: I'm trying to watch the whole rashness thing, but there are still times I get carried away...

Sally: It's okay

Zaugus: Are you done emberassing yourselves or are you actually going to fight us?

Nicole's body begans to glow, and the Emeralds appear around her. The best way to describe it looking like Overclocked Nicole but the shades of purple were mixed up with shades of teal and light blue and instead of red star rings she had small garnet-like gems, and she had golden cuffs and digital blue outlines.

Nicole: Well, this is different...So this is what it's like to be super.

Sonic: Can you give us some Esper powers before they kill us?

Nicole: Oh right, sorry.

Nicole stretched out her hands towards Tails, Sonic and Emerl.

Sonic: ALright, let's try this again.

Upon touching Nicole's hands, Sonic and Tails got their Esper forms again, and Emerl got also a new one, which was in teal and dark blue.

Emerl: Oh, interesting.

Esper Sonic: All right then, you trio of nutjobs. We will end your twisted game now. Even you can't handle the power of the emeralds.

Zogul: We'll see about that.

Esper Tails: I beat your counterpart with half as much power, and he'd already become a god.

Zaugus: We are no counterparts, we only take forms your feeble minds can comprehend. We are differnt from them, we dwarf even their most powerful forms!

Fiona: And you chose our enemies. Why not shape yourselves like Scourge or Theta while you're at it? Or that creepy vampire girl from the last world.

Sally: You are losing yourselves, as much as the other no zoners, you are evolving from mindless machines, but you resist the process. is that it? You don't think yourselves superior, you fear us, and for how you can become like us. You are afraid of...mobianity.

Matrix Nicole: Let's get them.