Between the mysteries of last weekend, the increasing number of visions and unexplained phenomena, and the attack on Vakama yesterday, everyone is likely on edge. When Tails calls you into his lab around noon, you all are likely already aware of how this is going to go.
Once again, a surge of Chaos Energy in the city is what draws you in, though this time it is a much larger burst than before. Sonic and Knuckles are here with you as usual, with Tails remaining behind to look after Vakama and the base. Unlike before, you aren't met with robots or destruction. In fact, this city block looks remarkably peaceful, aside from where Eggman's chroma has overtaken most of the buildings.
"So good of you all to finally arrive."
The voice comes from up above. You recognize it as the one you heard last week, through that gemstone the Tails Doll had. Perched on one of the buildings is a... fox? No, he's larger than Tails, and wearing a large silver mask that obscures most of his features. In one hand he holds Vakama's missing mask; his other is extended with six gemstones floating around it, a soft teal glow from beneath his black glove marking the seventh. There's a different gemstone on the center of his chest as well, though it doesn't look like the fake Chaos Emeralds you've seen before.
"You all have the pleasure of fighting me, Infinite. I am the Doctor's trusted ally... and I have been watching you all. Your struggles with my nightmares and illusions were so... delicious. You have my thanks for the show."
He kicks off the building, floating towards you all and the ground, though stopping high enough up, still out of reach. And for those of you getting any bright ideas, a deep red begins to fill your vision, tinting the corners of it as the very world itself begins to warp around you - this isn't exactly Chicago anymore, you see. The buildings still exist, wrapped in white chroma, though they bend and twist in ways they shouldn't, making it hard to tell what's real and what isn't.
"I'll snuff out your lives here and now for the Doctor's ambitions! Let's see what you're made of!"
Yes, of course I was – you're fucking supposed to be dead, Percy, how could I NOT be?!
...Oh. Oh, right. I guess I am.
[ And he knows this. He knows this isn't real, and yet...
He pulls back and keeps his hands on her shoulders, but he catches a glimpse of something sharp in one of her hands. He doesn't do a thing about it, though. ]
Lia...there's a lot I wanted to say to you, when I was alive. And – it's a lot of stuff I don't know if I'll ever get to tell you again. I'm...
[ His voice cracks, ever so slightly. ]
I'm really sorry. I hurt you and – I can't take it back.
[ Percy doesn't know it, but him trying his best, and saving them in their nightmare has definitely earned a proper spot of them actually having motivation to look out for them.
Such as it is that they're going to be sufficiently frustrated when it doesn't work out. And then their second attempt doesn't go well, either (8), going wide once more. Maybe it's just the battle fatigue; because they are not exactly at full powers in this strange land it's easier to have them at less than full capacity. ]
Don't listen to her. Do you not have important people awaiting you? Individuals who are far more real than an illusion?
[ Not that they know all of Percy's important people, but they are trying a logical argument. ]
Percy...they're not real. You know this. The only one who's here, who's tangible and here for you is me.
[ Something just feels so wrong, like he should pull away, and he knows who is talking to him but between getting gaslit by this illusion and Void Archives actually making sense, he has no idea what to do. He keeps looking back and forth between Lia and where Void Archives should be, though his hands are still on her shoulders... ]
Void Archives isn't reaching out to him very well because this lady has a solid grip on him - literally and metaphorically speaking.
Whatever the case, they have truly leveled up in how persistent they truly are, so after the moment of frustration reaching its apex, they reach out hurriedly, forcing her with the full power of their sheer strength off of Percy, and then shoot her in the face (19) ]
I suppose this is the only way to prove it for certain. Don't take it too personally, alright~?
[ If he does, well. More than one person here already has, they can deal with it. ]
[The illusion shatters. Percy is roughly dragged back to this corrupted version of Chicago, with the sounds of fighting around him as others try to free themselves from their illusions.
But Lia remains. She's been twisted by this nightmare - in whatever way you see fit.
She doesn't waste any time - instead immediately lunging at Percy with a knife.]
[ The image of Lia standing before him and Void Archives with a bullet hole in her forehead, and blood spilling from her chest, as if she's mortally wounded from a broken heart –
Void Archives, you don't have to worry about him being mad at you. Percy turns to them, and his expression is tense, eerily cold. Behind the coldness, though, is anger in its rawest, purest form, and for Percy, there is no yelling. There is not crying or shouting.
Only the desire to kill.
But this is not directed at Void Archives. ]
I won't. You did me a favor.
[ The anger funnels into his chest, which starts burning a bright blue flame. Then, to "Lia" – ]
How dare you.
[ He flicks his wrist...and in his palm appears something different. He got a shield today, but apparently, there's one more weapon he hadn't unlocked until now...
With zero hesitation, he dodges Lia's attack (19) and brings up his hammer. He swings it down on her. ]
[ Like before, they won't mind if he is! They are able to take more than most people, even their hatred or murderous aura - but, they see Percy's expression open with an expression they haven't witnessed before.
It's...startling.
The moment of surprise comes and goes, revealing something else in its wake.
What is that?
Why...it is the fact that they can't help but manage to grin, in approval. ]
...I see.
[ They decide to let Percy handle this (2), watching him bringing the hammer down on Lia, with prejudice. ]
[Lia tries to dodge, but there's no dodging a hammer that big. It slams down onto her shoulder, so hard it likely would have cracked bone, but she merely glitches out around it before she moves and reforms as if it hadn't happened. She's struggling to keep her form, but she's still here - and she's still coming at Percy with that knife.]
[ The knife connects (10) and absolutely slices through his bicep, on the same side that he got injured on last week. He's unfazed, though, surprisingly so. He swings the hammer again, aiming for her from the side.
(Void Archives' moral support is greatly appreciated as we go for baby's first kill.) ]
You'll never be her. Get the fuck out of my sight.
[And so she does. There's no dodging a hammer like that.
She tries to reform herself, but there isn't any way to keep her form after suffering that amount of damage. Lia dissipates into red, glitchy effects, fading upwards into nothingness.]
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no subject
...Oh. Oh, right. I guess I am.
[ And he knows this. He knows this isn't real, and yet...
He pulls back and keeps his hands on her shoulders, but he catches a glimpse of something sharp in one of her hands. He doesn't do a thing about it, though. ]
Lia...there's a lot I wanted to say to you, when I was alive. And – it's a lot of stuff I don't know if I'll ever get to tell you again. I'm...
[ His voice cracks, ever so slightly. ]
I'm really sorry. I hurt you and – I can't take it back.
[ And that's exactly why he's not moving. ]
no subject
Void Archives isn't going to let this go and will give it their best attempt to shoot at her, but unfortunately that doesn't go well (10) ]
Listen to me. Do not dare succumb to that illusion!
[ They are going to try to incite him to act...do something, at the least, since their initial attempt did not work out. ]
no subject
...Huh...?
[ He hears a familiar voice, but as he turns his head to look, Lia grabs his chin and turns him back to face her. ]
Don't worry. I'm here, okay? I know you're scared...so don't fade out on me again. Okay?
no subject
Such as it is that they're going to be sufficiently frustrated when it doesn't work out. And then their second attempt doesn't go well, either (8), going wide once more. Maybe it's just the battle fatigue; because they are not exactly at full powers in this strange land it's easier to have them at less than full capacity. ]
Don't listen to her. Do you not have important people awaiting you? Individuals who are far more real than an illusion?
[ Not that they know all of Percy's important people, but they are trying a logical argument. ]
no subject
[ (8??????) ]
Percy...they're not real. You know this. The only one who's here, who's tangible and here for you is me.
[ Something just feels so wrong, like he should pull away, and he knows who is talking to him but between getting gaslit by this illusion and Void Archives actually making sense, he has no idea what to do. He keeps looking back and forth between Lia and where Void Archives should be, though his hands are still on her shoulders... ]
no subject
Void Archives isn't reaching out to him very well because this lady has a solid grip on him - literally and metaphorically speaking.
Whatever the case, they have truly leveled up in how persistent they truly are, so after the moment of frustration reaching its apex, they reach out hurriedly, forcing her with the full power of their sheer strength off of Percy, and then shoot her in the face (19) ]
I suppose this is the only way to prove it for certain. Don't take it too personally, alright~?
[ If he does, well. More than one person here already has, they can deal with it. ]
no subject
But Lia remains. She's been twisted by this nightmare - in whatever way you see fit.
She doesn't waste any time - instead immediately lunging at Percy with a knife.]
cw gore
[ The image of Lia standing before him and Void Archives with a bullet hole in her forehead, and blood spilling from her chest, as if she's mortally wounded from a broken heart –
Void Archives, you don't have to worry about him being mad at you. Percy turns to them, and his expression is tense, eerily cold. Behind the coldness, though, is anger in its rawest, purest form, and for Percy, there is no yelling. There is not crying or shouting.
Only the desire to kill.
But this is not directed at Void Archives. ]
I won't. You did me a favor.
[ The anger funnels into his chest, which starts burning a bright blue flame. Then, to "Lia" – ]
How dare you.
[ He flicks his wrist...and in his palm appears something different. He got a shield today, but apparently, there's one more weapon he hadn't unlocked until now...
With zero hesitation, he dodges Lia's attack (19) and brings up his hammer. He swings it down on her. ]
no subject
It's...startling.
The moment of surprise comes and goes, revealing something else in its wake.
What is that?
Why...it is the fact that they can't help but manage to grin, in approval. ]
...I see.
[ They decide to let Percy handle this (2), watching him bringing the hammer down on Lia, with prejudice. ]
Well-deserved, if I do say so myself.
no subject
no subject
(Void Archives' moral support is greatly appreciated as we go for baby's first kill.) ]
You'll never be her. Get the fuck out of my sight.
CLEAR
She tries to reform herself, but there isn't any way to keep her form after suffering that amount of damage. Lia dissipates into red, glitchy effects, fading upwards into nothingness.]
no subject
Percy turns to look at Void Archives. His expression is still cold. Blank. Angry. All sorts of things all at once. ]
Where is he.
no subject
Good question.
Let's go ahead and try to find him, hm~?
[ Everyone else seems to have the fighting mostly under control...so pitching in seems redundant. ]
no subject
no subject
Absolutely fine. Maybe Infinite should start saying prayers. ]