Chapter Twenty-Eight
Aside from the sounds of running water and broken car alarms wailing, a peaceful silence settled across Station Square as the dust settled from the battle. All eyes were soon fixed upon a watery humanoid being with green eyes calmly standing on a broken street near a ruined bridge.
The golden aura of Sonic's super form faded and the hedgehog descended to the ground, settling atop the nearby broken overpass, and Omega flew in gently, landing next to the blue hedgehog and they stood with Knuckles and Tails as they looked down upon the creature that had been filled with rage and laying waste to everything nearly a few minutes before.
Just then, a bright orange ball of light floated towards Chaos, then it took the form of the orange echidna girl that the battle robot had seen previously when he was still in the service of Doctor Robotnik. Moments later, the air was filled with the harmonious sounds of creatures chanting one word;
"Chao."
Everyone watched as small blue creatures with pink wings frolicked towards the creature that had ravaged the city, the creature that had been trapped within the Master Emerald for centuries.
The Chao gathered around Chaos and the deity looked down on them without a hint of anger.
"Chaos has changed again, this time, for the better." Knuckles said with relief.
"Super Sonic used the positive energies of the Emeralds to quell its anger." Tails remarked, "So, it's nice again."
"MISSION COMPLETE!" Omega buzzed, "PERFECT CHAOS HAS BEEN NEUTRALIZED!"
"Life goes on." Tikal said, "The fighting is over and harmony is restored. The Chao you have been protecting for centuries have been living peacefully with the humans, Chaos. There's no need for violent action, you don't need to unleash your rage, the Chao are safe."
Chaos looked at the orange echidna girl's spirit, staring at her silently. Silence was all that everyone needed to know how Chaos felt.
"Thank goodness..." Tails said with a sigh of relief, "It's finally over."
Tikal looked towards the heroes and bowed her head, silently thanking Sonic and Omega for their efforts in ending the wrath of Chaos. She then turned back towards the watery entity and held out her hand, an ethereal glow surrounded her and she began to rise into the air. Chaos started to levitate as well. Soon, he and Tikal had left the ground together.
Everyone watched as the two ancient entities rose towards the sky, climbing higher by the second. And then, Tikal and Chaos faded away, leaving the world of the living behind. The Chao that surrounded Chaos, they parted and vanished as well, leaving only Sonic and the others in a ruined city.
And then, Omega's sensors beeped and he looked up, seeing that Robotnik had been watching from his Egg Mobile.
No doubt, the doctor knew that Omega had turned on him. But whatever happened next, it would be a while before Omega and Robotnik did battle, before the E-Series robot heard the doctor rant about how disgusted he was with his betrayal. And yet, Robotnik did not seem to be looking at Omega. The mad scientist turned and flew away to places unknown, not a word.
Just then, Omega saw Sonic heading off, as if he was going in the same direction as the Eggman. Sonic leaped from the ruins of a building, then he jumped to a broken road, and then, he took off at high speed across the flooded streets and left the city. With the day saved once more, Sonic was heading off to his next adventure, even as Station Square lay in ruin.
Omega turned to Knuckles, his mechanical mind thinking of what he wanted to say, an apology was in order for what had happened on the island. However, the black and red battle robot saw the red echidna gliding away.
It was clear that he was heading home. Perhaps another time, he would apologize to Knuckles for the attack. But for now, it was time for a parting of ways, and everyone could carry on with their lives. The super Badnik looked out across the city, he saw the water brought forth by Chaos was receding.
Rescue helicopters began flying in, and the survivors of the attack began to wander around the ruins, looking for those in need along with whatever possessions they had lost under all the rubble. And that was when he thought of her.
He hoped that she was still okay, even after the battle.
Firing up his engines, Omega flew over the ruins of Station Square and returned to the rooftop where he'd last left Shirley. And there she was, sitting there almost comfortably, wearing her straw hat and bathing suit.
When she saw Omega return, the lovely human female smiled sweetly, telling Omega she was impressed by what she'd seen. The battle robot extended a hand, despite baring claws, Shirley accepted his gesture and he helped her stand. In the sky above, the sun broke through the clouds and gleamed over the ruins as peace truly returned to the world...
The End
He stood by the palm tree, staring out at the horizon as the waves rolled in. It had been a few days since the battle in Station Square and there hadn't been anything major to be concerned about. After battling a water monster and helping the hedgehog quell its rage, Omega had decided to embark on, what humans called, a vacation.
In technicality, he'd already gone on one, having visited Emerald Coast shortly before Chaos' attacked. But this time, Omega had selected the tropical paradise of Suvana Island. And he wasn't alone.
Shirley sat upon a purple beach blanket, wearing a crimson bikini, with her hair tied back in a ponytail while black sunglasses rested over her eyes. She looked very pretty today and she'd rubbed sunscreen on her arms and legs, making sure that the sun's rays didn't burn her.
Omega was silent as the sound of waves and seagulls filled his sensors. He could hear kids playing and he'd noticed two identical women in blue swimsuits playing volleyball. Nobody seemed to worry about anything. Forget about the mad scientists or water monsters or destroyed cities caused by the latter, people deserved peace and paradise.
"ENJOYING THE TROPIC SCENERY?" He asked Shirley.
"I could ask you the same question, sugar." Shirley giggled, lowering her sunglasses.
"THE TROPICAL SETTING IS ACCEPTABLE ENOUGH, FRESH AIR IS GOOD FOR MEAT-BAG LUNGS AND PEACE IS WELL-DESERVED!"
"Y'know, Omega..." Shirley stood up and began to stroke the battle robot's shoulder, "When we first met, I didn't picture this. But after you turned against the mean Doctor Robotnik and after you saved me when that water monster attacked, I'll admit, I became more fond of you. Then again, despite the fact you were working for Robotnik at the time, I did find you... quite handsome."
"HANDSOME, ALTERNATE ANONYMS INCLUDE THE WORD 'GORGEOUS'."
"Oooooh, you're quite good at that." She looped her arms around the robot's arm and leaned her head against his shoulder.
"YOUR COMPLIMENT IS AN ACCEPTABLE ONE."
"And seeing you take in the scenery with not even a hint of wanting to blow something up, without making a single remark about 'glorious explosions', seeing you become a gentle soul makes a girl feel happy. What makes it more relaxing is that there hasn't been a sign of any trouble, we're having quite the lovely vacation."
"I CAN SWEEP YOU OFF YOUR FEET AND FLY YOU OVER THE OCEAN FOR A WHILE." Omega offered.
He looked down at Shirley and grasped her hands gently, despite the sharpness of his claws. His bright red eyes met the human female's auburn-colored pupils and they gazed at one another, taking in the peace. But just then, a bright light flashed out of the corner of his and Shirley's eyes. They turned, seeing an odd swirling blue vortex, a gap in reality, appear.
Shirley stepped forward, transfixed and curious about the newly-appeared, but Omega stepped forward and held out an arm in front of her, holding his human companion back.
"STAY HERE, SHIRLEY." Omega instructed, "IT MAY BE DANGEROUS FOR YOU. I WILL INVESTIGATE THE ANOMALY THAT IS THE APPEARANCE OF A PATHWAY TO ANOTHER WORLD. I'LL BE BACK, DO NOT WORRY ABOUT ME."
He stepped towards the portal, then he stopped and looked back at Shirley one more time. His human companion lay upon the sand, laying on her side, and ran her fingers through her hair. Then she lowered her sunglasses and nodded to him, flashing him a smile and a wink. Omega nodded back, then he turned towards the portal and stepped forward.
Omega walked closer, closer, and closer. And then, he stepped into the vortex and his sensors briefly went haywire. All around him, reality distorted, contorted and shifted wildly.
The battle robot found himself twisting and falling through the mysterious vortex, seeing glimpses of different locations and other people as they briefly appeared. He looked at his clawed hand, seeing it suddenly distort and then it suddenly became a different texture, appearing to be pixelated.
And then, there was a bright flash and Omega's sights darkened. And then, he regained his vision. The advanced Badnik was no longer on a beach under a bright blue sky, the world around him looked very different. He stood upon barren ground, seeing scorch marks and some craters, under a dark-red sky and surrounded by mist.
"THIS IS NOT EARTH." Omega intoned, scanning his environment, "SCANNING..."
His sensors picked up something close by, very close by. Omega turned around, continuing to scan his new surroundings. And then, he was face-to-face with a familiar-looking red and black robot with green-colored eyes and the number '102' on its side.
Omega recognized the unit instantly, there was no mistaking who it was; E-102 Gamma. As he continued to scan and process his surroundings and whom he'd encountered, Omega was confused...
-E-123 Omega will return in ANIMATED GRAPHICAL PIXELATION GALACTIC INVASION-
