You were successful in repelling the robots attacking the city, but you've been left with far too many questions. For once, Tails doesn't have any answers for you, and a gloomy uncertainty has fallen over your three allies. It probably doesn't help that everyone had a rough time of it last week. A win is a win, but it doesn't really feel like a win when you're not even sure who this unknown threat is...
Regardless, life goes on. Things are a bit different this week in Chicago, however.
THE CITY
You'll need to be careful now more than ever when heading out into the city. Though Eggman's usual robots are still present, their numbers have been cut drastically. Far fewer drones patrol the streets, with only the occasional tank or B33 to be seen. You can still find and fight them, and they will still call for backup, but it seems like you all really have destroyed a lot of them.
But there are the new additions to Eggman's forces. Unlike the white chrome versions, these are here to cause problems. You can find them patrolling sometimes... but usually you'll find them in the city proper, destroying whatever they can. Whenever they catch sight of you, they will stop at nothing to try to pursue you and destroy you.
The city itself is still undergoing changes, with more of that white chrome spreading throughout, as if infecting the structures themselves. The Badniks will still destroy even that, though; it's more like they're mindless machines than carrying out any precise orders.
But in a stroke of good luck, occasionally you'll find that some of the humans recognize the danger they're in. It's only when confronted with a robot - but you might hear a scream, or see them try to run away, and if you save them, you may even be able to get a few words in before they simply return to their monotonous lives. You won't be able to get any truly valuable information from them, but they will thank you repeatedly for helping. They don't seem to realize that they're being controlled by someone else, even if you ask them about it.
VISIONS
If you thought last week was a lot, get ready for the madness of week 4!
You may still have nightmares. You may still be pulled into each others' nightmares (same as last week, if you'd like to play out more of these). Or maybe you'll finally be able to catch a break and get some z's, but even if you are lucky enough for that, you'll still be dealing with everything else.
You may find yourself randomly teleported into the city. This happens at random, and can happen to multiple people at the same time. One minute you may be waking up, the next you'll find yourself surrounded by robots ready to kill you. And yeah, the robots are a feature, not a bug. No matter how it happens, you will always be facing down robots whenever you're brought into the city. Enjoy!
But maybe your luck holds out and you're unaffected by that. Well, there's still the visions to deal with!
There are two different kinds of visions that may happen.
The first are the more minor ones - where you may see the people closest to you (positive or negative). They will appear for others as well, and they will gladly speak with you - though they aren't exactly behaving in the way they should. They will torment you, reminding you of past failures and imperfections, and speaking as though everything is your fault. They will follow you wherever you go, and will only fade when someone else has helped you come to terms with the horrid things they're saying. These visions are a manifestation of a character's psyche and thus are based on their own perceptions of their friends/enemies and their own faults. They're incapable of interacting with the world or the characters, but they sure can insult you!
The second are much larger in scope. No matter where you were, you may find yourself pulled into friend's memory. These memories are one-for-one versions of what exactly happened, though now you're here! Are you playing the role of someone else, or are you just a bystander in all that's happening?
The character having the vision may or may not be aware of you initially, but once they're made aware of your presence, the vision will still play out as the memory would. The only way to stop it - aside from simply letting it play out in its entirety - is to drastically alter the memory in such a way that it cannot get itself back on track. Considering the trauma some of the people in this game have, it might be a good idea to help break them free of it.
Regardless of which happens to you (the nightmares, the teleportation, or the visions), your vision will turn bright red for a moment afterwards - it vanishes quickly enough, but it leaves you with the eerie feeling that you're being watched.
SHARDS
Your powers are growing, and you'll find you're able to defend yourself with your power in some way, even if yours is a power made for support. All characters are now able to fire off a blast of energy in their shard color to defend themselves - this attack will grow stronger in time, but at least everyone should be able to defend themselves (somewhat) now?
As you fight with your allies - particularly those you have a close bond with, positive or negative - you may feel the tug of something in the back of your head; it tells you that you can do more. Together, you can become more powerful. You can use your shards together. Doing so will grant you a new power, or strengthen the one you already have. The more you trust one another, the easier this power will be to use.
It might be good to experiment with these new powers; after all, you never know when you may need them.
TAILS' TASKS
Like last week, Sonic Team is still in need of rings. Rings are still annoying to get. You'll probably need help to get them, but they're worth collecting. So make sure to grab some for Tails!
You may also be tasked with tracking Chaos Energy. Like with tracking rings, Tails will give you a device that can pick up on the signature. You should be careful in approaching, especially if the signature is a large one, considering the three enemies you faced last weekend. Still, Chaos Energy may lead you to more of Eggman's fake Chaos Emeralds, which could prove useful...
Tracking the source down will lead you to one of the weekly enemies with a shard somewhere on its body. It will be much harder to kill than the regular versions of that enemy, and capable of some kind of special power (players' choice). Crushing the shard will weaken the enemy and bring it back down to its normal power level, making it fairly easy to defeat, but if you manage to defeat it without breaking the shard, you can bring it back to Tails for examination.
ENEMIES
Though you can still find the enemies from previous weeks in Chicago throughout the city, their numbers have thinned. Mostly, you'll be running into new faces - robots that don't look anything like Eggman's usuals. They are very rarely actually patrolling or idling, instead focused on destroying parts of the city or attacking any people unfortunate enough to get in their way.
Moto Bugs are... rather cute. They roll around on their singular wheel and can slash with their front claws, though primarily they deal damage by ramming into things at fairly high speeds. They're fairly weak, all things considered, especially by now. They're completely powerless when knocked over or onto their backs. Though one Moto Bug is weak, you will never find them alone - instead, you'll usually find at least 3-5 of them in a group.
Crabmeats are robotic crabs. Where does the meat come in? Unclear. Regardless, they're stronger than Moto Bugs and are capable of both bashing with their massive claws and snipping, and either way they are capable of a good deal of damage if you get hit. They're slower though, which means getting out of the way shouldn't be too hard. Like Moto Bugs, these usually are never alone, often working in pairs.
Buzzers are bees. Did you think we were done with bees? We are absolutely not done with bees. These bees function almost identically to the B33 models in that they're capable of firing lasers from their stingers, divebombing to try to sting, and generally be(e)ing a nuisance. Unlike the B33 models, they do not have a glaringly obvious weak point and are a bit harder to hit and destroy as a result. Though you may rarely encounter only one of these bees out in the wild, usually you'll run into groups of them and they will not be(e) happy to see you.
[Rio can still be found working diligently, both around the base and outside against robots. But even her energy’s starting to wane...]
A - Dreams
POISONED CUPS; Threats of poisoning, violence against a friend[You are in a hospital room in Tokyo, Japan, circa 1999. Four people are in the room including yourself: Rio, whose hair is down and who is in pajamas in a hospital bed, a boy with glasses leaned up against the wall near her, and a girl in a uniform standing by your side. A small table has been brought out with two glasses of water set out atop it, and Rio has an uncharacteristically sharp expression as she explains.]
This contest is very simple. It will do the job quickly, and it won’t add meaningless time to our battle.
[She holds up two small, white packets, completely unmarked and otherwise identical.]
One pack is regular sugar. The other pack is a poison that looks the same as the sugar. The poison is strong enough to kill a person two times over, and even I don’t know which bag is the poison.
[With a confident smile, she opens one up, stirring it into a glass, before doing the same with the second glass.]
We both pick a cup to drink. Do you understand? If you drink the cup with poison, you will immediately die. We both have a 50-50 chance of winning. No one knows who the god of death will pick.
[And then, with a bright smile:]
Help yourself~♪ You pick first, and I’ll just drink the other one.
[You know instinctively that you are in the role of Narumi Ayumu, and that Rio is your enemy. She and the other boy are trying to kill you, but for mysterious reasons they must adhere to the rule of employing “the fairness of an angel and the cunning of a devil” in order to earn that right.
Are you ready to play out your part?]
PREORDAINED MEETING; Religious discussion, games to the death (allegedly), bombs and general endangerment[You enter an abandoned church, and Rio stands before you, gazing up at a statue of the virgin Mary. You find yourself asking:
“...Are you praying to God?”]
God does not answer my prayers.
[She responds quietly, not yet even bothering to turn to face you. You take a look around the ruined state of the Church, and you’re vaguely aware that Rio suffered a fairly grievous wound recently. The words come to you whether you mean them to or not:
“Calling me here... is it okay for you to go on a stroll out of the hospital?”
Finally, she turns to you, expression determined:]
It’s not. I need to rest for two weeks. But... this isn’t a situation where I can sleep in bed. We don’t have much time.
[And, with a devious grin, she checks her watch.]
Shall I explain the rules of the game?
[You know, instinctively, that your role is that of Narumi Ayumu. Rio is a dangerous enemy who has killed a teacher at your school and gotten away with it under the guise of pretending she was the victim of another murder attempt. She and a boy are currently holding your friend/acquaintance? hostage, and though they must for some reason adhere to the rule of using “the fairness of an angel and the cunning of a devil”, they are still very much trying to kill you.
Are you ready to play out your part?]
WHICH IS JUSTICE AND WHICH IS EVIL; Discussions of religion, suicidal ideation, manipulation, casual ableism, comedic violence[You reach out to knock on the door of a hospital with the name “Takeuchi Rio” listed as the current patient, only to hear yelling from inside. “You were expecting Kanone’s surprise attack and you didn’t tell me?! If I was here, he and I could’ve stabbed each other and he wouldn’t run-”
“Keep your voice down, stupid!”
Though surprised, you nonetheless open the door and peek inside, only to see Rio sitting on her hospital bed in pajamas, a girl in uniform sitting next to her, and a girl and a boy in similar uniforms, the girl having apparently just whacked the boy over the head for his suggestion.
“That’s why I didn’t say anything. What good is stabbing each other?!”
”Shut up!! Don’t take Kanone lightly.”
Only for Rio to cut in dismissively:]
Ryouko is right. If you don’t withdraw when you’re supposed to, you’ll just die in vain.
[The braided girl next to Rio notices you at that moment and brightens.
”Ah! Narumi. You let yourself in?”
All of the room is focused on you. It seems your new role is that of Narumi Ayumu, friend (or acquaintance?) of the braided girl and someone with an uneasy truce at best with the other teens assembled. You have, as a matter of fact, come here to ask about the very same Kanone they already seem to be discussing...
Are you ready to play your role?]
VS KANONE; gun violence, blood, apparent death[You are taking shelter in a classroom as a boy aims a gun at your assailant, Kanone, down the hall, the windows of the hallway already shattered from gunfire. Instinctively, you know that your target is to take down Kanone nonlethally, and that you and the other two have come here with sedation bullets for the job. While Rio is with you, it’s you and the boy who take turns taking shots down the hallway to keep Kanone from advancing, though you soon have to duck back into safety to avoid taking a hit yourself. The bespectacled boy on your side does not take this as a good sign.
"We’ve predicted it to some level, but for him to come with that kind of a gun... It could easily pierce through two to three bulletproof vests and fire doors!"
“We can’t use a desk or a door as a shield,” you find yourself saying, turning to Rio and catching the ammunition she tosses to you. “Even if we arrange some obstacles in a straight line, it’ll probably be out. At this rate, it’s just a matter of time before he gets his way. What should we do?”
Rio thinks it over for a moment. And then:]
...We’ll approach him and seal his gun, and then we’ll press on him all at once.
[You reload your gun, thoughtful. ”...Huh. Are we really going to do it?”]
It might be dangerous, but we have no choice. It’s safer than staying like this.
[With that, Rio tosses another object - this one a grenade - which you catch easily and unpin. You then turn to the boy at the door:
“Kousuke! You know the formation, right?”
The gun you reloaded moments ago is tossed along to him as you keep a hold of the grenade, and he catches the second gun without a hitch.
"Yes... You better not fire horribly."
Behind you, Rio makes her way out of one of the windows and onto the ledge.
Your role is that of Takamichi Ryouko. You instinctively know that when Kousuke opens fire, it will be your job to throw the grenade to force him to kick it away, using that time to sprint for him and grab hold of his gun before he can fire at Kousuke as he tries to kill the three of you.
Are you prepared to play your part?]
B - Wildcard
[As mentioned above, Rio can be found hanging around the base wearily - if you would like her for practicing Shard Powers or Hunting Down Rings, let me know via DM or PM and I can make a custom top-level for you!]
[ ... strange. In the waking world, Gyles has no reason to distrust Rio - but in this role he's playing, he feels wary. On edge, as his gaze flickers between Rio and the other two. ]
And what'll they [ Gestures to the other two. ] be doing? Just watchin'?
They won't interfere. And my side will handle the cleanup afterwards, too.
[Which is not at all ominous!
Still... in your current role, you think you see what her trick is, here. She has stated that there's poison in one of the glasses, but that she'll drink whichever one you don't select. Naturally, if she were to drink a glass immediately and emerge unscathed, you would know then that you held the poisonous glass - and no sane person would drink something they knew to be poisoned.
Could it be that both glasses are sugar water...? It would be an awfully convenient way for her to claim she was victorious, now wouldn't it?]
But hm. Last he checked, humans didn't have natural poison resistance like mapachs. So maybe they are both sugar water...? Or maybe Rio and her group are that determined to kill the girl whose role he stepped into.
Well. Either he dies or he doesn't. At least she says it'll be immediate.
[She closes her eyes and drinks without hesitation.
Gyles, meanwhile, will immediately taste that his water is incredibly bitter. It's likely the result of his "role," but he feels a strong compulsion to stop with only a short sip out of fear of poisoning. Roll 1d20 to drink it anyway, with success on 11 or higher.]
[ Oh. Uh. That doesn't taste right. Despite a laundry list of reasons why he should be fine with this, the part of him that likes being alive despite everything is too strong to overcome (5). He hasn't set down his cup, but he's very obviously not drinking any more either. ]
[She drinks it to the last drop, only looking to him again when she's finished. There's a flicker of something - disappointment? Before she replaces it with that same confident expression from before.]
...And it looks like you were smart enough to drink so little, you wouldn't die from it.
[There's a powerful feeling of anxiety welling up in him. His heart races - he may even feel sick from the sensation.
The girl standing by his side seems dissatisfied with the results.]
That can't be right! You're supposed to kill him through cunning... but there's nothing cunning at all about a game of luck.
Was this really a fair game?
[Her words are... encouraging, somehow. She believes in you, or at least, in your role, and her belief is empowering.
Roll 1d20 to dispel the anxiety, success on 6 or higher. If successful, he will find he feels perfectly fine, albeit with a bitter taste in his mouth. If failed, he will only feel all the more sick, like he really does have a terrible poison coursing through his veins.]
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no subject
A - Dreams
POISONED CUPS; Threats of poisoning, violence against a friend
[You are in a hospital room in Tokyo, Japan, circa 1999. Four people are in the room including yourself: Rio, whose hair is down and who is in pajamas in a hospital bed, a boy with glasses leaned up against the wall near her, and a girl in a uniform standing by your side. A small table has been brought out with two glasses of water set out atop it, and Rio has an uncharacteristically sharp expression as she explains.]This contest is very simple. It will do the job quickly, and it won’t add meaningless time to our battle.
[She holds up two small, white packets, completely unmarked and otherwise identical.]
One pack is regular sugar. The other pack is a poison that looks the same as the sugar. The poison is strong enough to kill a person two times over, and even I don’t know which bag is the poison.
[With a confident smile, she opens one up, stirring it into a glass, before doing the same with the second glass.]
We both pick a cup to drink. Do you understand? If you drink the cup with poison, you will immediately die. We both have a 50-50 chance of winning. No one knows who the god of death will pick.
[And then, with a bright smile:]
Help yourself~♪ You pick first, and I’ll just drink the other one.
[You know instinctively that you are in the role of Narumi Ayumu, and that Rio is your enemy. She and the other boy are trying to kill you, but for mysterious reasons they must adhere to the rule of employing “the fairness of an angel and the cunning of a devil” in order to earn that right.
Are you ready to play out your part?]
PREORDAINED MEETING; Religious discussion, games to the death (allegedly), bombs and general endangerment
[You enter an abandoned church, and Rio stands before you, gazing up at a statue of the virgin Mary. You find yourself asking:“...Are you praying to God?”]
God does not answer my prayers.
[She responds quietly, not yet even bothering to turn to face you. You take a look around the ruined state of the Church, and you’re vaguely aware that Rio suffered a fairly grievous wound recently. The words come to you whether you mean them to or not:
“Calling me here... is it okay for you to go on a stroll out of the hospital?”
Finally, she turns to you, expression determined:]
It’s not. I need to rest for two weeks. But... this isn’t a situation where I can sleep in bed. We don’t have much time.
[And, with a devious grin, she checks her watch.]
Shall I explain the rules of the game?
[You know, instinctively, that your role is that of Narumi Ayumu. Rio is a dangerous enemy who has killed a teacher at your school and gotten away with it under the guise of pretending she was the victim of another murder attempt. She and a boy are currently holding your friend/acquaintance? hostage, and though they must for some reason adhere to the rule of using “the fairness of an angel and the cunning of a devil”, they are still very much trying to kill you.
Are you ready to play out your part?]
WHICH IS JUSTICE AND WHICH IS EVIL; Discussions of religion, suicidal ideation, manipulation, casual ableism, comedic violence
[You reach out to knock on the door of a hospital with the name “Takeuchi Rio” listed as the current patient, only to hear yelling from inside.“You were expecting Kanone’s surprise attack and you didn’t tell me?! If I was here, he and I could’ve stabbed each other and he wouldn’t run-”
“Keep your voice down, stupid!”
Though surprised, you nonetheless open the door and peek inside, only to see Rio sitting on her hospital bed in pajamas, a girl in uniform sitting next to her, and a girl and a boy in similar uniforms, the girl having apparently just whacked the boy over the head for his suggestion.
“That’s why I didn’t say anything. What good is stabbing each other?!”
”Shut up!! Don’t take Kanone lightly.”
Only for Rio to cut in dismissively:]
Ryouko is right. If you don’t withdraw when you’re supposed to, you’ll just die in vain.
[The braided girl next to Rio notices you at that moment and brightens.
”Ah! Narumi. You let yourself in?”
All of the room is focused on you. It seems your new role is that of Narumi Ayumu, friend (or acquaintance?) of the braided girl and someone with an uneasy truce at best with the other teens assembled. You have, as a matter of fact, come here to ask about the very same Kanone they already seem to be discussing...
Are you ready to play your role?]
VS KANONE; gun violence, blood, apparent death
[You are taking shelter in a classroom as a boy aims a gun at your assailant, Kanone, down the hall, the windows of the hallway already shattered from gunfire. Instinctively, you know that your target is to take down Kanone nonlethally, and that you and the other two have come here with sedation bullets for the job. While Rio is with you, it’s you and the boy who take turns taking shots down the hallway to keep Kanone from advancing, though you soon have to duck back into safety to avoid taking a hit yourself. The bespectacled boy on your side does not take this as a good sign."We’ve predicted it to some level, but for him to come with that kind of a gun... It could easily pierce through two to three bulletproof vests and fire doors!"
“We can’t use a desk or a door as a shield,” you find yourself saying, turning to Rio and catching the ammunition she tosses to you. “Even if we arrange some obstacles in a straight line, it’ll probably be out. At this rate, it’s just a matter of time before he gets his way. What should we do?”
Rio thinks it over for a moment. And then:]
...We’ll approach him and seal his gun, and then we’ll press on him all at once.
[You reload your gun, thoughtful. ”...Huh. Are we really going to do it?”]
It might be dangerous, but we have no choice. It’s safer than staying like this.
[With that, Rio tosses another object - this one a grenade - which you catch easily and unpin. You then turn to the boy at the door:
“Kousuke! You know the formation, right?”
The gun you reloaded moments ago is tossed along to him as you keep a hold of the grenade, and he catches the second gun without a hitch.
"Yes... You better not fire horribly."
Behind you, Rio makes her way out of one of the windows and onto the ledge.
Your role is that of Takamichi Ryouko. You instinctively know that when Kousuke opens fire, it will be your job to throw the grenade to force him to kick it away, using that time to sprint for him and grab hold of his gun before he can fire at Kousuke as he tries to kill the three of you.
Are you prepared to play your part?]
B - Wildcard
[As mentioned above, Rio can be found hanging around the base wearily - if you would like her for practicing Shard Powers or Hunting Down Rings, let me know via DM or PM and I can make a custom top-level for you!]
poisoned cups
And what'll they [ Gestures to the other two. ] be doing? Just watchin'?
Re: poisoned cups
[Which is not at all ominous!
Still... in your current role, you think you see what her trick is, here. She has stated that there's poison in one of the glasses, but that she'll drink whichever one you don't select. Naturally, if she were to drink a glass immediately and emerge unscathed, you would know then that you held the poisonous glass - and no sane person would drink something they knew to be poisoned.
Could it be that both glasses are sugar water...? It would be an awfully convenient way for her to claim she was victorious, now wouldn't it?]
no subject
But hm. Last he checked, humans didn't have natural poison resistance like mapachs. So maybe they are both sugar water...? Or maybe Rio and her group are that determined to kill the girl whose role he stepped into.
Well. Either he dies or he doesn't. At least she says it'll be immediate.
He picks the glass on his right. ] On three?
no subject
On three.
no subject
[ And down the hatch! No trickery, no hesitation. ]
no subject
Gyles, meanwhile, will immediately taste that his water is incredibly bitter. It's likely the result of his "role," but he feels a strong compulsion to stop with only a short sip out of fear of poisoning. Roll 1d20 to drink it anyway, with success on 11 or higher.]
no subject
... Well. Looks like you win.
no subject
...And it looks like you were smart enough to drink so little, you wouldn't die from it.
[There's a powerful feeling of anxiety welling up in him. His heart races - he may even feel sick from the sensation.
The girl standing by his side seems dissatisfied with the results.]
That can't be right! You're supposed to kill him through cunning... but there's nothing cunning at all about a game of luck.
Was this really a fair game?
[Her words are... encouraging, somehow. She believes in you, or at least, in your role, and her belief is empowering.
Roll 1d20 to dispel the anxiety, success on 6 or higher. If successful, he will find he feels perfectly fine, albeit with a bitter taste in his mouth. If failed, he will only feel all the more sick, like he really does have a terrible poison coursing through his veins.]