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.
[AND THEN DOROTHY GRABS YEAGER BY THE CRAVAT AND DRAGS HIM IN THE RACK TO STRANGLE HIM--
Okay no, she does none of that, but she is giving him the most withering of looks. How could he do this to her!!!]
My word, Yeager, you are the worst! Simply the worst! [Give her a second to get out of here...after waiting until nobody else is looking...] Have you at least managed to find where the wine is in this infuriating labyrinth? I've had no luck of it yet.
I expected you to at least not leave me to potentially die out here.
[dorothy oh my god, you'd be fine, you'd probably just get followed by a robot knowing your luck--
But knowing that the wine was so damn close to where she was...Dorothy can't help but groan a bit at that. She feels like an idiot for not checking further over.]
Well, that explains it. I ended up going in the opposite direction, there. Did you at least find anything of note, or shall we both go back and check it together, then?
We're going to have to find some way to get this out of here, after all...
[alright everyone, start placing your bets on someone dying here--]
Very well, very well...
[Dorothy will gladly follow him, though, into the wine section! And. Oh, that is. That is a lot of wine to choose from, hang on. Dorothy whispers from next to Yeager because she's not letting him out of her sight this time--]
Humans have really had this much time to make so many of them? How do you even tell which ones are of decent quality...?
[don't look at her, they don't use $ in eden??? (probably? canon might joss me) ("i mean, it's just a bottle of wine, how much could it cost?")]
Neither do I. Most of the alcohol Scarlet brought back had the labels worn away by time, so you truly couldn't tell what you were going to get unless you opened it...
[And like, most of it was just wine bottles full of water, because Scarlet is a weakling. But Dorothy looks to Yeager at that and that seems fair?]
That seems like a good idea, yes. See how the humans value such things... [Though Dorothy's also looking at the champagne too...there's a lot of options, but she blinks when she pulls down a particular bottle.] Yeager, take a look at this one. This one seems highly prized...
[ Throughout the week, Sonia can be seen cleaning around the base, helping sweep and pick up where needed. With the glint in her eye, some might say she might be a little overzealous and excited to be helping out like this. Honestly, she's just glad she's able to help in a droll way like this without getting shut down. She's happy to stop and talk, and won't say no to any additional help.
Otherwise, she spends a lot of time in the entertainment room, having everything on from cheesy serial dramas to deep-dive Netflix specials on serial killers. She's generally listening to them on the whole, but her attention is occasionally diverted to the four hamsters that are always nearby. She usually gives them sunflower seeds, watching them nibble at the food. ]
I hope these offerings are sufficiently adequate... I wouldn't want to offend such fearsome creatures lest I pay the price.
[ Reminder: they are hamsters. ]
b. | park
[ As part of the search for the direction the energy reading is coming from, the group of indeterminate number that Sonia's part of in passes by a sizeable park not terribly far from the waterfront. One of the more impressive landmarks of the mixed-use space is a sizeable water feature, with two 50-foot tall concrete towers with LED panels of faces rotating as time passes along. Well, face instead of faces. It's just Eggman over and over again. Sometimes he makes a blowing face, and a torrent of water arcs out of the structures out of a port where the mouths are. ]
So that's Eggman, then? [ pauses to watch the water go floosh. ] He certainly has the flair for the dramatics, doesn't he?
[ After another minute of walking past, she points up in recognition of a certain sculpture. ]
Oh, look! There's Cloud Gate!
[ Lo and behold, several dozen yards down the way, is the Bean. ]
c. | wildcard
[ Sonia's down to do pretty much anything or go anywhere in the city – if you've got anything else you want to do, hit me up! õwõ ]
[you and me both and i'm a fuckin' retail worker--]
Yes, we should try to get a good variety. That way we'll have plenty to last us through this entire mission.
[Said as though they aren't going to drink at least one whole bottle between the both of them? Maybe two??? Oh, Dorothy. Honey.
Still, she will grab a decent variety of champagne and wine. At least some of them are picked for the pretty labels too, but once she's done, they probably have a good variety between the both of them since Yeager probably picks something other than wine--]
I think we've got a good selection. Now comes the real question...how do we get out with our spoils?
[Yeah, don't worry, he's covering all the non-wine options. He may have picked a few things for Raven as well, but shush we aren't talking about him.]
Easy enough, I did happen to find the exit as well.
[He just didn't mention it before now? Okay.]
Follow me~
[And off we go! Thankfully(?) the exit isn't very far away, so we'll be able to make it out of here without any issue. Or paying. Because we don't have $$$ and can't afford this. The humans of this world do not care whatsoever that we are stealing their booze.]
[Listen, as far as she's concerned, this is all for them and Raven can suck it up and make a W*lmart trip himself--]
Ha! I suppose I truly did underestimate you.
[...Just give her a second to find a good tea treat to share with Tails when they get back, but once they're off, Dorothy keeps her eyes peeled in case any robots decide to take issue with them or they need to fight. She's genuinely surprised that they made it through this unscathed, she wasn't sure how many backup plans they were gonna need, but...
Huh. That actually went surprisingly well.
Once they're back, Dorothy can't help but laugh a bit with their spoils.]
[Thankfully, the trip back is uneventful, which is good because putting down our spoils to fight robots would be a little annoying. We're going to have to party in Dorothy's room, though, since we aren't sharing with Raven!!]
Wasn't it just? This world certainly does have some interesting things to see!
[Anyway, let's at least pretend we're slightly classy and drink out of wine glasses instead of the bottle. Where did Yeager get those? Don't worry about it! ☆]
just putting a cw for drunken-ness here in advance--
[Blessedly, Vakama is out for the moment--a bit of a shame we can't put Raven in the metaphorical alcohol cuck chair, but Dorothy is more than happy to accommodate in her blank as hell room, chuckling and nodding.]
Perhaps we'll have to make another trip out at some point. Hopefully to a place much less chaotic than that labyrinth. I've heard talk of a few...'tourist attractions' or whatnot that perhaps we ought to see at some point?
[Dorothy is not going to question where Yeager got the glasses from, but hell yes, pour her some of that wine. She doesn't quite siphon it down, but the first glass is going to be gone in a moment and Dorothy will absolutely be asking for another in moments.]
Oh, this is simply delightful. I've certainly never had a chance to indulge like this before. This is better than anything we've managed to scavenge...
[Yeager nods at that, and gets to pouring them both a glass. Usually he'd bother with some sort of cheer before getting started, but there's no time for that. We've been dry for a whole week, he's suffering.]
Oh, this is good, well spotted.
[Though that does get a sympathetic look from him as he refills her glass, and then his own shortly after.]
Dahngrest - home of the guilds - is quite well-known for its parties, so this sort of thing is rather commonplace, where I'm from. It's been a bit since I've been able to indulge, though!
[Partially because he's banned from Dahngrest, partially because he's been busy with... work...
Yeah, he's draining his glass again and going for a third one just thinking about Alexei, ugh.]
[Dorothy puffs up with a genuine semblance of pride at that--you're damn right she spotted it well! But she'll drain her second glass just as fast while she listens to Yeager talk, perking outright.]
Is that so? That sounds quite lovely, though...I do remember back when the Goddess squad was all together, we had one or two parties of a more militaristic sort. Nothing with as much lovely wine as this, but...
[Let her fill up and get round 3 ready to go--]
Tell me a little bit about them. Color me curious as to how your guilds decided to celebrate?
Hah, guild parties are something else, I can tell you that much! Though that may be due in part to the leader of the Guild Union, Don Whitehorse.
[...Ah. He doesn't... really want to talk about the Don, but he's backed himself into a corner with it, hasn't he. Yeager swirls his glass of wine, gaze slipping away as he continues.]
The Don was... quite the imposing figure. Likely even taller than Vakama, with bulk to match, and a brash and bold personality to boot! He led the largest of the guilds, Altosk, and was someone anyone from the guilds would follow without question.
[Maybe even Yeager, if things had been different.]
He liked to celebrate anything with booze. And a man that imposing sober was even more of a joy drunk, or so I've heard. I never had the pleasure of drinking with him personally, though I did attend a few of those parties he held.
[...If he's looking a bit melancholic, that's just your imagination.]
Nah, actually, Dorothy sips on that one while she listens to Yeager talk about the Don. He certainly sounds like something of an oaf, if Dorothy's being completely honest with herself. But even so, she can't help but be reminded of the man she used to follow, though...]
I understand what you mean. Our original commander, he was...well. Not imposing or anything of the sort, but he could be just as bold and brash when given an opportunity to speak with us. [Dorothy chuckles a bit, nostalgic.] It seems like that Don of yours knew how to have fun, that much is certain. The sort of man I would have liked to get to know as well, though I doubt we'd be too fond, but...
It really is those joyful sorts that make life worthwhile, isn't it?
[But Dorothy feels herself tilt her head at a seeming...well, melancholy, perhaps. At least, Yeager doesn't seem as energetic as he continues. But...
Maybe a distraction will do them both well.]
We did have one interesting party, once, back on the base. It was around the time Red Hood joined, and she didn't realize what the dress code of that little event was. It was more...military casual, so to speak? But of course, she didn't know that.
Do you want to take a guess of what she did? Bear in mind that Red Hood was rather boorish, but she tended to take things quite seriously if she actually thought she had to put effort in.
Sure? Ed is been wondering what this all is for, anyway.
[Watching something recommended by someone else should be a good way to find out what this screen is for, since it very obviously isn't like Tails' security monitoring screens]
[It really is those joyful sorts that make life worthwhile, isn't it?
Hah. Maybe she's onto something. He can't help but think of Droite's grin every time she thought she'd pull one over on him, and her sister's exasperated expression, ever trying to hide her own smile—
But thankfully, he doesn't have to think about that for long. Dorothy, you are the best person here. Thank you for the distraction!!]
Oh dear. Did she overdress? Certainly an easy mistake to make, given the circumstances!
Is sorry to bother, but please leave some honey alone?
[It's somewhat of a timid question, but yeah, Ed hopes Dorothy won't use too much! Ed isn't taking for granted one can just find more honey by exploring the city, after all]
Oh? That's interesting...just by observing its evident versatile functions, I can understand why it would cost so much money. I would also assume gald's the name of the currency from your world.
[ How many people have gotten themselves wiped out on the other end of the weapon, they wonder? Well, whatever the case, they begin a little search to see if they can find a familiar 'weapon' themselves. ]
Are you in the habit of having weaponry such as this built, or is this a special case on account of it being a personal weapon?
[Listen, there's no need to be miserable here when we've got more wine than god to deal with our issues. Dorothy chuckles a bit, finishing off round 3, and--]
Hold one moment. I'll go get my notebook off of my desk; fill me another glass, and I'll show you.
[Dorothy's steps are just a little bit wobbly as she goes over to grab one of her notebooks really quick, and perhaps surprisingly quickly, she manages a pretty serviceable drawing of Red Hood standing by one of the old music players they had in that stupid outfit, giggling the entire time before passing it to Yeager.]
I can't tell if she over or under-dressed for that. But I tried to explain to her what appropriate attire was for a military soiree, and she proceeded to ask if what I was wearing was appropriate? And then she proceeded to dart off and see if she could find something in our recent run of supplies and picked...this.
[Dorothy laughs, and it's bright and unrestrained at poor Red Hood's expense.]
The latter, though I do ensure that my guild members are all prepared for any combat they might see. Given that their job is to fight, it's important that their weapons are in perfect condition.
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