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!"
["...I truly did think you had died, Jasper," says Hendrik, looking downcast. "It had me wondering where we had gone wrong."
He pauses, looking into his tea.
"Where I had gone wrong. You were..."]
...Hendrik.
[...he wants this. But at the same time...]
I have decided. I do not wish to hear this from some figment of my imagination designed to keep me from doing my duty.
["Jasper? What are you--"
Jasper stands and looks down at the illusion of Hendrik, because despite everything, he rolled a 19 even with disadvantage and you know what. he draws his swords..]
I need to speak with the real version of you at some point, and to do that, I need to kill the obnoxious little rat putting me through this.
The illusion breaks. Jasper will find himself back in that twisted version of Chicago, surrounded by the others struggling with their own illusions and nightmares. But facing him is Hendrik - bearing a nasty gash across his throat that should be fatal, but inexplicably isn't. Feel free to incorporate any other nightmare elements into his appearance as you'd like!
He steps toward Jasper, reaching out a hand... but it's immediately followed by him bringing his sword around to Jasper's side, so you might want to watch out.]
[...you know. he did figure this would happen a bit, and so he retreats momentarily into his shadow instead of trying to take that hand. Hendrik whiffs, and Jasper...
Well.
This is the ultimate It's Complicated relationship status. He does, admittedly, laugh a bit cruelly as he reemerges from his shadow to slash at the phantom Hendrik.]
[Sometimes you just want to stab your It's Complicated buddy, don't worry about it.
Anyway, Hendrik loses track of Jasper when he disappears, and is caught off-guard by the blade to his side (8). It doesn't seem to hurt, aside from causing the area of his body to glitch out momentarily before it reforms, and he swings his sword down on Jasper again.]
[Jasper's momentary glee at getting the hit in on Hendrik is quickly overtaken by the fact that he rolls an 8 and takes that hit; he lets out a hiss of pain and retreats into shadow momentarily, looking for an opening with which he can use to catch Hendrik off guard.]
[Hendrik can't hit what he can't see, and he certainly can't see where Jasper's gone to. He looks around warily, keeping his guard up... but there's an opening, if you want to take it.]
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He pauses, looking into his tea.
"Where I had gone wrong. You were..."]
...Hendrik.
[...he wants this. But at the same time...]
I have decided. I do not wish to hear this from some figment of my imagination designed to keep me from doing my duty.
["Jasper? What are you--"
Jasper stands and looks down at the illusion of Hendrik, because despite everything, he rolled a 19 even with disadvantage and you know what. he draws his swords..]
I need to speak with the real version of you at some point, and to do that, I need to kill the obnoxious little rat putting me through this.
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The illusion breaks. Jasper will find himself back in that twisted version of Chicago, surrounded by the others struggling with their own illusions and nightmares. But facing him is Hendrik - bearing a nasty gash across his throat that should be fatal, but inexplicably isn't. Feel free to incorporate any other nightmare elements into his appearance as you'd like!
He steps toward Jasper, reaching out a hand... but it's immediately followed by him bringing his sword around to Jasper's side, so you might want to watch out.]
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Well.
This is the ultimate It's Complicated relationship status. He does, admittedly, laugh a bit cruelly as he reemerges from his shadow to slash at the phantom Hendrik.]
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Anyway, Hendrik loses track of Jasper when he disappears, and is caught off-guard by the blade to his side (8). It doesn't seem to hurt, aside from causing the area of his body to glitch out momentarily before it reforms, and he swings his sword down on Jasper again.]
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CLEAR
And the illusion can't manage it. Hendrick fades into those red, glitchy effects and they disappear slowly, leaving nothing left behind.]
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[he sheathes his swords with a dismissive shrug.]
I suppose it would have been more satisfying that way... but oh well.
[...who is having trouble, actually, he should check that out...]