WEEK 4

[shardmods]

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.

NAVIGATION

Comments

[ungratefuloz]

[...]

I've struggled with finding a reason for doing much of anything past this. I've been so focused on revenge for so long, I...never really thought of what might happen after. If anything would happen after. But I...

I know I want to fight for you all. What comes afterward, though...I don't truly know. I'm still too harsh to forgive the humans of my world for their crimes, but...I fear if I go back there now, all it's going to amount to is nothing.

[Dorothy looks out to the dance floor again, watching them all have fun and...she knows she shouldn't. Part of her knows she shouldn't, but...

She looks to Viktor, briefly.]

...I want to protect this precious world, I think.

[hexcrafter]

I think...for now, that is not a terrible first step. Large a goal as it may appear at the moment, it is a foundation for whatever may come next. That is to say--if we succeed in this, we may yet find any number of possibilities waiting on the other side of it. Perhaps even a path where we do not have to cause more damage than we rectify.

[He tilted his head slightly in consideration, shifting his weight as if testing his metal-braced leg. Well...it was just a dream, so-]

...Do you know how to dance, Dorothy?

[ungratefuloz]

I do, actually.

[Dorothy looks at Viktor as she takes everything he says to her; she likes the idea of that future, all be told. A future where she doesn't want to hurt everyone. A future where she doesn't get betrayed again, a future where she can actually be happy after a century long-lived. The idea of it is blissful, overwhelming in it's force.

But Dorothy will hold out her hand, and Viktor himself might find himself with more energy and stability than he's used to having for this endeavor; call it something of a wish fulfillment from Dorothy, but--]

...If you're offering to dance with me, I'd be quite happy to enjoy this moment alongside you, my dear friend.

[hexcrafter]

I've never been able to, but I have seen a fair amount in places like this. I think I could take a bit of a risk as a favor to a friend. Besides, I trust you are more thn strong enough to catch me before I trip and make a complete idiot of myself.

[He took her hand with a thin smile, leaning his crutch back against the wall.]

So, to new beginnings and the infinite potential of unknown variables?

[ungratefuloz]

[Dorothy can't help but smile a bit at that, her eyes warm.]

To new beginnings, and the infinite potential of unknown variables. To our future.

[Dorothy will gladly and enthusiastically take Viktor out to the dance floor, and it doesn't take long for the dream to begin to fade; it starts with the others on the dance floor fading away slow but sure, noticing the new dancers and even seeming to smile and clap for a moment. Liliweiss, the Commander, Snow White, Scarlet...

Red Hood and Rapunzel are the last to fade, but they both look pleased as hell as the dream fades back in and they're back at the base--Dorothy chuckling a bit as they do, though she'll be quick to support Viktor if he needs it.]

...Thank you. I found that to be quite fun, my friend.

[hexcrafter]

[Viktor's steps were a little unsteady as he tried to remember how one body moved while he was in the other, following Dorothy's movements with caution and only minimal stumbling. He'd always hated these things--formality, politics, a lot of time wasted not in the laboratory. But this wasn't all that bad. No expectations one way or another, with one of many who barely even blinked at a form wrought of either metal or mortality. Viktor had never been one to make friends easily, and though he didn't quite know how that had changed so abruptly...it was nice.]

[Nice enough that an untroubled if lopsided smile broke out across pale features as the base faded back in, with the kind of earnest sincerity that made one's entire face a little brighter for it.]

That was quite the new experience for me. I should be the one thanking you.