Now that Tails has spoken with you about your mission, the state of the world, and the threat you're facing, you're free to settle in to life here. While the warehouse isn't exactly the most thrilling place to set up a base, it's clean and well-maintained (despite the only one here being a kid fox?) and Tails encourages you to make it your own as best you can. You're going to be here for awhile, after all. This world needs to be saved, and you're the ones to do it.
The warehouse is thankfully quite large, so there's plenty of space. Aside from the ground floor containing Tails' workshop, there's a room for Tails, Knuckles, and Sonic, as well as your rooms. There's a large bathroom and several nice showers - this time with actual hot water! Though it may not be fancy, it's certainly acceptable accommodations for your time here. Exploring further through the warehouse reveals that there's an upper floor, with several other rooms that have already been furnished for varying purposes; after all, it seems your friendly neighborhood talking animals have been living here for quite a bit themselves.
But outside the walls of the warehouse are where things get particularly dismal. Though life goes on in the city of Chicago, it's without any sort of passion or thought at all. The humans go about their day-to-day lives in monotony, acting as though nothing is wrong or out of the ordinary. They don't acknowledge you, even if you try to talk to them. They don't recognize you as weird, even if you aren't human (or a talking animal). They simply move about, drone-like, heedless of the robots that patrol the streets.
Eggman's robots are high-tech, white chrome and smooth; these are almost a work of art as they are technology. They all come equipped with laser beams regardless of the shape or size of them, and they all seem to be set on keeping an eye on the people. There are robots watching everywhere. You can't turn a street corner without seeing one or two, and they follow pre-determined surveillance paths as they watch over the humans.
Lingering in the distance, you can see a massive robot that takes up the horizon. That seems to be Eggman's base of operations, at least as far as Tails has been able to determine. Though it poses no threat to you right now, it's a looming reminder of what awaits you.
Welcome to Eggman's utopia.
THE BASE
Though he's apologized for the base not being particularly lively, Tails has promised you the freedom to make the place your own. He's even directed you to a "crafts room" if you'd like to decorate! This art studio is surprisingly robust for something put together in an abandoned, worn-down warehouse on the outskirts of the city. You'll find plenty of markers in every color you can think of, sketchbooks and paper and papercrafts, string and glue and everything you could need for your second grade arts and crafts project. Though it may all be a little kiddy, it's here for you to do with as you wish.
The crafts room isn't the only odd one on the upper floors, you'll also find a gymnasium. It's more of a home gym than anything else, with only a couple of beat-up old treadmills, a few exercise bikes, and some weight lifting stations, as well as plenty of weights. It's not exactly the best room in the base, but it's here if you'd like to make use of it.
Next door is an open room with several soft mats - an open room for sparring and training. This one doesn't really have much in it, but you're welcome to make use of it however you'd like.
And next to that is the requisite first aid room! This one is well-stocked and even has a few cots in case of more serious injuries. You'll find plenty of first aid kits, painkillers, and other various medical supplies, though nothing that will allow you to perform home surgery or anything of the sort. Hopefully you don't need to do that, though?
Finally, the last large room is one that a lot of love and care has been put into - an entertainment room! There's a large screen TV mounted on the wall, with many couches and plush chairs. You'll find that you've access to any and all modern day media you could find on a TV, from streaming services (who is paying for these, anyway?) and knock-off YouTube, to your favorite anime and even Twitch. It seems that our three allies have quite the varied interests, given their search history and "previously watched" shows and movies. There's enough seating in here for everyone, so why not have a movie night?
Oh, and you'll find the kitchen on the ground floor behind Tails' workshop is suitable for all your needs - it's not particularly well-furnished, as your pals here aren't exactly master chefs, but you're always welcome to talk to Tails about obtaining something more for the kitchen or any room in the warehouse.
All of the items you had on you at your canon point can be found in one of the storerooms as well. This includes weapons, though anything magical will unfortunately not work properly. Please ask me about anything gamebreaking!
THE CITY
Chicago itself is exactly what you'd expect of a typical American city. Well, apart from the robots patrolling and the lifeless people going about their days endlessly, that is. Anything you'd want to find in a city, you can find here! But be mindful - those robots can and will notice you, unlike the people. Most robots will engage in combat on sight, as you're someone unfamiliar and could possibly pose a threat, but some will try to flee - you probably don't want them getting away and reporting sightings of an unfamiliar person!
While the city may have undergone some major changes in its population, the infrastructure is about what you'd expect. The people clean and maintain everything just as they always have, leaving it to almost seem as though everything's fine... were it not for the construction. Unlike most construction sites, these are clearly being maintained and built by the robots - there are buildings that have been completely taken over by Eggman's white chrome finish, leaving to odd sights of mish-mashed buildings and structures that are half-advanced technology, half-old school building materials. Though it may look like a normal city at first glance, it would seem that Eggman is quite literally transforming everything into his very image. You'll even find a statue in a local park that has been replaced with an Eggman statue.
Sadly, it seems as though the people are not the only ones trapped under Eggman's thumb. Animals - be they pets or wild ones - also go about their usual business, with absolutely none of their usual livelihood. You won't see many people playing at the dog park, just passing through taking their dog on a needed walk and returning home. Squirrels and birds likewise carry on as if nothing is wrong, even if they're perched on something that is clearly Eggman's technology rather than a proper tree. Which yes, means that even some of the trees are being taken over by Eggman's chroma, transforming the very living world around you as well.
Though businesses are still running as usual, the people aren't exactly in any state of mind to notice if you steal something from them - as long as you're careful about it, anyway. While security cameras and the like may still exist, it doesn't seem like anyone's checking them. In fact, it seems like no one's committing crimes either, as the city is remarkably peaceful at all times of the day or night.
SHARDS
You may feel as though you have more control of your powers this week... or you may not. Regardless, things are still prone to going haywire, which could pose a problem if you get into a fight with a robot. Tails has asked you very nicely not to hurt any of the people, so maybe lead the robots somewhere that won't risk causing injury? Or don't, I'm not your mom.
Starting this week, you may attempt to use your shards together with someone you have a strong relationship with, good or bad. Once this has been used for the first time, a page will be opened to explain the mechanic. Regardless, that's going to take even more work than mastering your own power... so perhaps fighting those robots isn't a bad idea after all.
And you do want to fight those robots - Tails has warned you that the robots are searching for the rebels' base. You don't want to let a robot escape to bring information about you and possibly the base back to Eggman, do you? Should you let a robot escape, let me know.
TAILS' TASKS
For those of you willing to help - or if you're just particularly bored - Tails will offer some tasks for you all to help around the base. He can always use help with organizing and gathering supplies, keeping the base clean and in good condition, or even keeping track of the security cameras and communications networks. He'll gladly teach anyone who would like to learn technology as well!
For more specific tasks, this week he will grant you a small, rectangular box with an antennae on top. It's kind of cutesy, but it has a radar function built in and it is tracking some kind of signature. Tails says that it's tracking the Chaos Emeralds, and that some sort of Chaos Energy was detected not too far from the city about a week ago, when Knuckles vanished.
Your mission - should you choose to accept it - is to see if you can find this Chaos Energy reading and determine the direction it's coming from. You are to go in pairs, but you are not to try to track the readings to the source, just determine where they're located and what direction they lead to. Of course, nothing's stopping you from going off on a wild adventure if you really want to...
ENEMIES
This week's enemies are Badniks, Eggman's robots. Specifically, you'll find yourself facing the Badnik Surveillance Unit, the Badnik Drones, and the Badnik Transformer Model B33.
Badnik Surveillance Units are primarily made for reconnaissance. They can be found flying overhead, observing the people go about their lives and following scheduled flight paths and patterns to ensure every inch of the city is being observed. Well, mostly. You can find some back alleys and hidden spots here and there, and these Badniks usually won't go into buildings or out into the woods. They will immediately try to flee upon spotting you. They're easy to take down, though a bit more durable than one would expect, given Eggman's designs. If cornered, they are capable of shooting a simple laser beam that will hurt and possibly leave a burn.
Badnik Drones are the most common combat robot you will find. Small chrome white orbs with red eyes, they are capable of scanning and detecting abnormalities. They are not quite as common as the Badnik Surveillance Units, but you'll still spot several of them floating through the city at any given point in time. Unlike the Badnik Surveillance Units, these come ready for combat. They can fire lasers as well as shoot small homing missiles. The homing missiles thankfully aren't very fast and can be outrun or otherwise blocked, but they pack a punch if they do hit! These robots will stand their ground and fight if they spot you, but they will call for backup - if you aren't fast enough, you'll find yourself facing many of them!
The Badnik Transformer Model B33, more affectionately called Buzz Bombers by Tails and friends, is... well, it looks like a bee. A hornet, rather, as that stinger is actually a precision laser that moves fast. These robots typically look like Badnik Drones, but are capable of shifting and uncoiling themselves to become the B33 units. They are fast, they hit hard, and they are relentless, pursuing you nonstop until they've been destroyed. They will not call for backup, which is possibly the only saving grace about fighting them. Unfortunately, it's impossible to tell if a Badnik is a Drone or a B33 until you're actually in combat - and by then it may be(e) too late.
[ They purposefully put emphasis on that, then begin to start up the horror-thriller movie with a carefree and amused air.
The setting is vague but it's at night and the cast is gathered in one place...it kind of starts off almost innocent, before the horrors™ begin to creep in. ]
See? Wasn't I correct?
[ Jury is out on that one, but as far as they are concerned, they are. ]
I would hate to be the one to inform you that your endeavor to be considerate has failed spectacularly, which is good because I highly suspect you already know this.
Consistent, here meaning 'free from variation over time', is the most appropriate word for your approach and demeanor by my estimation, as even your 'innocent' questions have the stunning side effect of being aggravating.
[ Ah... of course this has to be the exact moment someone else walks in. He should get to his feet and shrug it off, but the shock is still sitting in his legs. Thus he remains on the floor. ]
Just resting for a moment. I've been at this for a while.
[ It would be easy to just give a broad yes to that, but... this would invite some disastrous misunderstandings down the line, would it not? Ancient Aliens type nonsense passed around as fact-- though he supposes in his world there truly were ancient aliens of a kind. ]
Sometimes. But not all documentaries are of the same quality... Some of them are full of false claims. You have to be careful in selecting your sources.
[One of the first things Dorothy goes is go to the storage room when she hears about her items being here; there's a few things that Dorothy wants to see if she can find, and while finding her gun is a pleasant surprise as she checks her rifle out, ensuring that it at least works, something else catches her eye that one can find Dorothy cradling in her hand, seeming outright relieved when she brings it to her cheek, embracing it like a child would hold a precious stuffed animal.
Dorothy holds a particular necklace in her hands with deep relief and it's perhaps the most joyful that anyone will likely see her all week.]
...I thought I lost you. I thought I'd somehow left you behind, or that you got lost with Eden's armor, but...oh. Oh, I'm so happy I didn't lose you...
[...Feel free to come upon Dorothy having a bit of a Moment, she's thoroughly distracted right now--
Of course, you may also find her in the sparring room, looking around the room for a moment before attempting to set up...targets? Dorothy seems a little dubious about what she's picked out, having set out some items that seem least likely to be missed. Dorothy will be trying to practice with her gun a bit, and while it isn't as powerful as it normally would be because I am not letting Dorothy go back to relying on her actual weapon, the energy rounds that Dorothy fires definitely are still a little too much for the targets.
Hm. Dorothy's going to have to ask about getting some stronger targets for practice. But you might also find her attempting to use her shard's power on the few that are left, attempting to create multiple watery jets to fire off. Even concentrating the water into an even stronger round, though she seems to have difficulty with that.
And then, of course, there's W*lmart. One can find her earlier in the week with Yeager, having...gotten separated from him on a good ol' wine heist, and one might find her in slight bewilderment, annoyance, and even a tiny bit of panic as she walks around and attempts to find him. That bastard really did leave her behind! The nerve! She's gonna kill him! She doesn't even have a normal looking weapon to carry, she's fucking defenseless, she's--
If one happens to be looking in the clothing section, you might notice some nice looking shirts on one of those circular racks that go all the way around--of course, if you happen to pull out a shirt or open it up, you might see--]
Hey--! [That. Sure is Dorothy sitting inside of a rack and trying to collect her bearings with tea in a basket in her arms? It's a tactical retreat, shut up--] ...Oh, it's just you. Please tell me you know your way around this place, I cannot make heads or tails of this labyrinth--
[Please help her, she hasn't even found the alcohol yet. This W*lmart labyrinth is the worst!
Of course, throughout the week, you can find Dorothy in the kitchen brewing some tea with a snack or two--never taking overmuch for herself unless she's making something for Tails, but you're free to join her if wanted.]
[Dorothy's genuinely curious about what kind of items that they were allowed to keep, so Dorothy's in not long after Yeager goes in there; she has a few things she needs to look for herself, but she comes across him with that odd briefcase for a moment and pauses. What on earth could he hold in there--
...
What the fuck.]
...How on earth did you manage to get it to work like that?
[Dorothy sounds absolutely fascinated? Like she's seen some weird Nikke weapons over the years, but hang on, she needs to take a look at this before she goes looking in the pile for her stuff.]
[Oh hey, Dorothy! Yeager transforms it back into scythe form before slinging it over his shoulder, like that's the most natural thing in the world.]
I didn't get it to work like this! I paid quite a hefty sum of gald to the Soul Smiths to have them create it! The artisan I worked with is quite talented; I've purchased quite a few transform weapons from him.
[ Yves doesn't mind this arrangement too much, actually! it has a lot of space for everyone, compared to cramming his cursed death friend, his serious best friend, his business partner friend, a scientist, a recluse, the recluse's butler, and his old schoolteacher into said serious best friend's small house in the outskirts of town. They had to make plans for catching a criminal okay, the hq part wasn't as thought through.
Around the hideout by any of the windows are plants in little pots this time! Yves has taken up some indoor gardening as a hobby with the help of his powers and this time he can actually tend to them. Last week if he didn't pay attention, they'd wilt because it wasn't an ideal place to grow them, very sad :( But if anyone needs them moved or wishes to help out, feel free. Or bring them to him if they're acting up. He absolutely grew a flytrap by accident and it's a hungry, snappy jerk.
If you need help getting your canon belongings out of the storeroom, this young man is here to help! Yves is trying to look for his sword, mainly. It's a completely normal saber though as it always was, like him! When he does find it, he'll happily do some combat training with anyone who wants to keep in shape or their skills sharp. He's not strong, but he's fast.
Can you keep this guy contained in his enclosure though? Nah. It's not exactly safe, what with the eggbots roaming about. But he wants to explore the city/w*lmart, okay? He is but a silly little guy who does not mind danger. Feel free to tag along or catch him trying to sneak out except not really. His stealth is ass. ]
[ Well, they catch Yves trying to sneak out due to his low level stealth stat. Which, really, what's up with that? ]
What do you think you're doing?
[ They ask in a light-hearted tone. Not that they actually frame his efforts as a wrong to be committed, but they'll make that clear when the other male responds.
They just think it's funny to ask like this first. ]
[That's actually kind of sick...Dorothy walks over to the pile to look for her own stuff in it, carefully setting anything aside that isn't hers--]
Oh, my. That truly is an impressive feat; I can certainly see why it's so valued by you. I've seen a few of those in my time with my fellow Nikke, but I think yours may be the first I've seen that has taken multiple forms...why, I think Harran could end up jealous if she ever saw. And you'd certainly earn Snow White's envy.
[not that harran's weapon is anything to scoff at, but--]
It's truly impressive. You'll have to show me how it compares to mine, if I can...aha!
[There's her beauty! Dorothy pulls out her own gun from the pile, wiping it off and examining it as she does.]
There it is. Yeager, this is the weapon I was speaking of to you.
[But whatever else he was going to say is cut off suddenly on seeing her weapon. It's a gun, so it isn't exactly the same, but the white and gold color scheme with intricate golden detailing is... well, it's a little too familiar, in all honesty. The weapon he's thinking of is safely tucked away in the Manor of the Wicked and isn't here, but he can't help but think back to it, and the woman who once wielded it.
...]
My, it's quite the impressive weapon! I'd like to see it in action!
I'll have to see if I can find a good target to practice on. [Dorothy puts her gun down for a moment, and she still seems to be digging for something...] While I'm happy to see it, it is a powerful weapon that I worry might not be good to use often. And I worry that none of the targets here will be able to take a hit from it's firepower very well...
[Dorothy's look goes a little bit worried for a moment as she looks through stuff, before looking to Yeager with a pause.]
...Yeager, could I request your assistance in looking for something? You wouldn't have happened to see a necklace among all of this, would you?
[ Lark has to half-wonder if Gyles could use a pair of glasses. ]
Let's see... Extra strength pain reliever, ac— [ A pause as he squints at the label, not so much because he can't read and more because, This is a word? The hell is it supposed to be pronounced? ]
It's a little necklace that's separated into three little segments--they look sort of like thin little leaves with little purple gemstones set inside. I...
I haven't been without it in a very long time since I...gained it. I really hope I didn't leave it back in my world...I could understand keeping it safe here, but...
[Dorothy's stress starts to build as she looks for it. Please don't tell her she lost it, please don't--]
[Yeager hums in acknowledgement as he continues looking... You'd think things would be a bit more organized in here given that we presumably just handed our stuff off to them?? Oh well.]
Ah, here, is this it?
[And here's his Alexandrite ring too, nice. He's going to pocket that and hold out the described necklace for Dorothy to examine.]
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