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.
The memory plays once, fully, in a firm state of uninterrupted continuity. [The sky cracks with lighting and darkened clouds. Giant pillars emerge from a silver sea to toss a makeshift boat far below between its crashing waves.
But Vakama is far above it. Far, far above, his body aching from an enormous fall, now crawling up the rock face of a cliff that seems to extend into the heavens and far off into the horizon. The Great Barrier.
It is determination and determination alone that keeps him going, a firm struggling push up over the edge to roll onto his knees in an automatic defensive posture.
All the better. For opposite him is his goal. A being nearly three times his size, armor pitted with black and green and brown, enormous wings that stretch behind him with eyes of deep crimson. The Makuta.
He who set their city to ruin. Their people to sleep.
Makuta reacts exactly how he expected. A showering of compliments. An offer that chills him to the bone. But with defiance and little thought for logic, Vakama puts the mask to his face, rather than surrender it.
Makuta's chestplate immediately snaps open, dark energy gathering and shooting forward. And in the same instance, the mask triggers.
The surge of time dilation itself immediately ripples out from Vakama in a nauseating wave. First in the immediate area, like the forceful grinding of gears to a halt as they try to push on as they always have. It stutters, then rapidly starts to expand, a snowball effect that is rapidly starting to lose control.
For it takes an immense call of willpower to control a Great Mask. Even more so to wield one that controls the flow of time itself.
Vakama rapidly realizes two things as time escapes him. First: while Makuta is completely stilled, the energy that rushes forward from him is not, a slowed but noticeable march forward. And second?
Vakama himself is frozen.
A power used in desperation now leaves him completely open. And as he desperately tries to turn the mask off, his hold on the things around him grow weaker. Makuta starts to move again. Vakama still can't move a muscle. The reaching blast of dark energy moves that much faster. And the sheer magnitude of the power in his body, in his mind, spirals further and further out of control. Seconds feeling like years. Reality starting to twist.
So focused he is on containing the uncontainable, Vakama does not notice the third person that has also been freed from the grasp in his distress. He does not notice the figure of gold and red, significantly shorter, pushing with all his might to throw himself bodily in front of the Toa, until it's far too late.
The energy makes contact. Ricochets. The body goes flying to the side in a crackle of red energy. The Mask of Time is thrown off Vakama's face in the knock back, tossing him onto his back and blowing the wind out of him. And as the Mask of Time screeches across the stone and down the Great Barrier -- as Makuta lets out a massive roar and dives through the air after it --
[ Well, that was... That certainly was a moment not meant for More, holding an amount of significance that he'd never be able to fully comprehend. He feels like an interloper, just watching, and then as the replay puts himself onto the scene, he also feels woefully underprepared. ]
Vakama... Who is that?
[ Makuta looks like a mighty foe but... A brief note of context feels like it might be helpful for preventing what is to come, if only in memories. ]
[He shoves himself up to the cliff's edge, holding a hand out to help More up alongside him. A slight disbalance in stability, the memory trying to correct and make logic of the new addition.]
That would be the Makuta. Cobbled together with the corpses of his servants, from the look of it.
He already took our city. Put our people into an endless sleep. We cannot let him go any further.
[ The corpses of....? Okay. Yikes. More takes the offered hand and catches his footing on the stone platform. Though he's just seen the memory play out, he takes a short moment to look around.
This is... looking pretty dire, as far as other options are concerned. But he has to try, or they won't get out of here. ]
Yet we cannot be careless. Attempting to go beyond our abilities may invite ruin in itself.
...We have gone on this far with our abilities at their lowest. Some of us more than others.
[Makuta has yet to notice them, but it does not stop Vakama from still pulling the Mask of Time out to rest in his hands. Where was he keeping that? Who knows, we don't discuss the hammerspace that is their inventory in this film.]
I will not let the last waking remnants of our people drown in the ocean. If he can be distracted, we have a chance... and he wants little more in the world than time at his disposal.
[ Well, there's that mask. More gives it a worried look, brows furrowing deeply. ]
Yet by tempting him, you are also bringing him a powerful took in its own right - and you can't claim for certain that you are master to it so he will not be able to rip it from you, can you?
[ Maybe it'd be a better idea if he was a meathead guy who'd just try to toss the mask off the cliff now, but... Well, he's not. Negotiations it is. ]
[can't believe more didn't just pick the speedrun strat of Yeet... pensive emoji
It's a firm enough rebuttal, one that seems to ripple the integrity of the memory itself with Vakama's hesitation.]
I have no other choice, More. [Nothing easily obtainable. Nothing within his direct power. He is no negotiator, no strongman. He is only a craftsman; a fledgling hero flung far out of his element and now at the end of his rope.]
I've already allowed this to get as far as it has without allowing myself to do what needed to be done. My visions have already spoken to this being the key. If I can use something I've created to end it, no matter how powerful, then the reward will have to be worth the risk.
[And yet, he hesitates.
Makuta's arms lift. Out in the ocean, solid towers of silver-toned water rise to disrupt the craft far below, slamming down with a tidal wave. The boat overturns, nearly capsizing, as several spheres go bobbing out into the open water. There are cries from far below - the rest of the Toa, watching what little of the Matoran they have taken in escape now moments away from being lost.]
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no subject
The memory plays once, fully, in a firm state of uninterrupted continuity.
[The sky cracks with lighting and darkened clouds. Giant pillars emerge from a silver sea to toss a makeshift boat far below between its crashing waves.
But Vakama is far above it. Far, far above, his body aching from an enormous fall, now crawling up the rock face of a cliff that seems to extend into the heavens and far off into the horizon. The Great Barrier.
It is determination and determination alone that keeps him going, a firm struggling push up over the edge to roll onto his knees in an automatic defensive posture.
All the better. For opposite him is his goal. A being nearly three times his size, armor pitted with black and green and brown, enormous wings that stretch behind him with eyes of deep crimson. The Makuta.
He who set their city to ruin. Their people to sleep.
His jaw sets. And as he straightens to his feet, he pulls out exactly what he knows the Makuta wants.
Makuta reacts exactly how he expected. A showering of compliments. An offer that chills him to the bone. But with defiance and little thought for logic, Vakama puts the mask to his face, rather than surrender it.
Makuta's chestplate immediately snaps open, dark energy gathering and shooting forward. And in the same instance, the mask triggers.
The surge of time dilation itself immediately ripples out from Vakama in a nauseating wave. First in the immediate area, like the forceful grinding of gears to a halt as they try to push on as they always have. It stutters, then rapidly starts to expand, a snowball effect that is rapidly starting to lose control.
For it takes an immense call of willpower to control a Great Mask. Even more so to wield one that controls the flow of time itself.
Vakama rapidly realizes two things as time escapes him. First: while Makuta is completely stilled, the energy that rushes forward from him is not, a slowed but noticeable march forward. And second?
Vakama himself is frozen.
A power used in desperation now leaves him completely open. And as he desperately tries to turn the mask off, his hold on the things around him grow weaker. Makuta starts to move again. Vakama still can't move a muscle. The reaching blast of dark energy moves that much faster. And the sheer magnitude of the power in his body, in his mind, spirals further and further out of control. Seconds feeling like years. Reality starting to twist.
So focused he is on containing the uncontainable, Vakama does not notice the third person that has also been freed from the grasp in his distress. He does not notice the figure of gold and red, significantly shorter, pushing with all his might to throw himself bodily in front of the Toa, until it's far too late.
The energy makes contact. Ricochets. The body goes flying to the side in a crackle of red energy. The Mask of Time is thrown off Vakama's face in the knock back, tossing him onto his back and blowing the wind out of him. And as the Mask of Time screeches across the stone and down the Great Barrier -- as Makuta lets out a massive roar and dives through the air after it --
-- Vakama, instead, runs for the damaged body of Turaga Lhikan - his mentor.
It is the only time, in their short time together, that anyone has ever called Vakama by his title.
It is the only time that Lhikan has ever called any of them "Brother".
And with one quick mistake, he is gone. And it feels entirely, completely, like it is your fault.]
---
[The memory will snap back to the start, of Vakama and whoever is alongside him shoving themselves up the rockface.]
no subject
Vakama... Who is that?
[ Makuta looks like a mighty foe but... A brief note of context feels like it might be helpful for preventing what is to come, if only in memories. ]
no subject
That would be the Makuta. Cobbled together with the corpses of his servants, from the look of it.
He already took our city. Put our people into an endless sleep. We cannot let him go any further.
no subject
This is... looking pretty dire, as far as other options are concerned. But he has to try, or they won't get out of here. ]
Yet we cannot be careless. Attempting to go beyond our abilities may invite ruin in itself.
no subject
[Makuta has yet to notice them, but it does not stop Vakama from still pulling the Mask of Time out to rest in his hands. Where was he keeping that? Who knows, we don't discuss the hammerspace that is their inventory in this film.]
I will not let the last waking remnants of our people drown in the ocean. If he can be distracted, we have a chance... and he wants little more in the world than time at his disposal.
no subject
Yet by tempting him, you are also bringing him a powerful took in its own right - and you can't claim for certain that you are master to it so he will not be able to rip it from you, can you?
[ Maybe it'd be a better idea if he was a meathead guy who'd just try to toss the mask off the cliff now, but... Well, he's not. Negotiations it is. ]
no subject
It's a firm enough rebuttal, one that seems to ripple the integrity of the memory itself with Vakama's hesitation.]
I have no other choice, More. [Nothing easily obtainable. Nothing within his direct power. He is no negotiator, no strongman. He is only a craftsman; a fledgling hero flung far out of his element and now at the end of his rope.]
I've already allowed this to get as far as it has without allowing myself to do what needed to be done. My visions have already spoken to this being the key. If I can use something I've created to end it, no matter how powerful, then the reward will have to be worth the risk.
[And yet, he hesitates.
Makuta's arms lift. Out in the ocean, solid towers of silver-toned water rise to disrupt the craft far below, slamming down with a tidal wave. The boat overturns, nearly capsizing, as several spheres go bobbing out into the open water. There are cries from far below - the rest of the Toa, watching what little of the Matoran they have taken in escape now moments away from being lost.]