You hop through the ring portals, barely escaping Eggman's forces and making it through (mostly) unscathed. On the plus side, you're all here - in fact, you'll find Tails and Vakama nearby, with the fox having brought your pal here too.
But unfortunately, "here" is not exactly the best place to be.
"Back here again...? Sheesh, I really can't catch a break.
"What is this place, Sonic?"
"This is the space between worlds. The void, I guess you could call it."
Everywhere you look there's a whole lot of nothing. Gemstone-like shards litter this reality in all sorts of shapes and sizes, serving as obstacles or platforms; they're sturdy enough to walk and stand on, but this world's rules are a little different from what you're used to. For one, gravity doesn't really work properly - you may find yourself floating or walking upside-down on a shard you didn't mean to end up on, and it's going to take some getting used to.
There's not really much to do or see here either - at least, not for now. You're welcome to explore this strange place, but you won't find anything particularly interesting... with one notable exception as seen in the comment below.
No matter where you go, no matter what you do, you'll feel like you're being watched.
Oh, I wish I could take more credit, but I wasn't one of the people fighting, for the most part. I'm mostly good for defense. It was Viktor who was most furious.
[Turo cocks his head for a second, considering. Maybe that's true. It probably is - if he or someone he cared about had suffered for More's naivete, maybe he'd be angry. But that isn't what happened. They are here together in the same boat. He's not interested in excoriating anyone else for their own past failings, not when he's so busy doing it for himself.]
...thank you.
[He supposes? It feels a little much, when he feels as though he hasn't done anything at all. He's quiet a moment longer before adding:]
You said that we were friends last week. No one has ever claimed any such thing before. It - means something to me, entirely apart from your past mistakes.
Yes, it's quite the same for me. I find it disturbingly open-ended.
[Really, it's for the best. He knows that. But to be so entirely free, after a life with no choices at all...he feels frozen, mostly. It's fortune that they don't seem to be near any decision points anyway.]
[Infinite is quiet for a moment, simply studying Turo.]
Tell me about what you went through.
[It's more of a demand than a proper question, and he doesn't really need to ask it at all given the fact that he's been messing with your dreams for the past two weeks. But he asks anyway, because it's not like he knows the full story. It certainly isn't an apology, but he can recognize that dragging that out further is both pointless and needlessly rude to someone who has done nothing to him.]
[Judging from the look Turo flashes him, the fact that all of those dreams and illusions came directly from Infinite to begin with is also not lost on him! But he's not one to point things like that out; after a moment, he shrugs.]
As I said - I believe I was dying when they found me. Before that... [Ugh. How much of it does he really want?] My world does not actually possess the technology levels to create a sapient AI such as myself. I am only able to function due to the Tera energy found in the Zero Crater in Paldea - as such, I was unable to ever leave it. I always thought that any future I might have was naturally contained within those walls.
[So maybe it's natural, in a way, that he has no idea what to do with himself. Right now, he has the structure and direction of the group's mission. After...?]
[Turo gives this some actual consideration, finally folding up to sit on the ground himself.]
It's hardly the circumstances under which I always dreamed of going out into the world. But those were never going to happen in any case. [That's what makes them dreams, and not goals or plans.] The others have been very kind, even if I have not been of much use. And there's a lot to see in that world, even if it isn't the one I wanted. I'm glad I came here, I think.
[It's a bit of a realization. Turo has felt conflicted over his choice practically since he made it. He's not against helping other people to save their world, but - well, he hasn't been very useful on that front. In all likelihood, what he's been so far has mostly been "awkward" and "weird", possibly "emotionally needy". That makes it feel so much more selfish; he really did just have his life saved and give nothing back.
He gets to spend his days doing whatever he wants, though. If he wants to go outside, he goes outside. If he doesn't, he doesn't, and nobody comes along to force him. It's sort of like being a real person.]
...well, to Chicago. Although this place does have some fascinating implications.
[Okay, Oscar has to laugh at that simply because he knows it's the truth. This entire group sure is... something, all right, and while he's not entirely sure what to make of them, he also can't say that he hasn't come to care for them all in his own way. If he can make sure that none of them get hurt by being the one to get hurt instead, then that's what he's going to do.]
Yeah, there's a reason Bas and I have been tryin' to be the ones takin' the majority of the hits here. You can't tell me "fall over like a bundle of sticks" wouldn't apply to a bunch of this little squad...
[Some of them look like they'd keel over if they took two good hits, not that he's going to say this out loud. He knows he doesn't really need to.
He's gearing up to say something else when Wolfwood places his hand on Oscar's shoulder and he feels the warmth of that healing pulse through him, the pain ebbing away slightly like a tide.
He could protest. He should protest. But in the face of this whole conversation, somehow he finds he can't bring himself to do it.
Sister would be proud of him, honestly.]
Now you're just startin' to sound like someone I know.
[Really, it's just as embarrassing to dwell on as it is sobering that one pathetically bad fight could have been all it took to keep him from ever going home.]
I cannot say I'm used to it in this sort of quantity, but... I am relieved my mistake won't be one to cause any further strife.
[Like, yes, he's seen Viktor pissed out of his mind by now, sure. But why over this?
Huh. Anyway.]
A-ah, don't downplay yourself regardless, my friend. Given what I heard you were all up against, protection was in just as much of a need. It's not to be overlooked.
[At the question, he nods, though his expression dims a little.]
For the most part. I was attacked after finding myself transported in the middle of the night, out to that giant store everyone keeps visiting. Another strange robot was waiting for me the second I left the building. One that looked similar to Sonic.
I defended myself as best as I could until a blow to the head hit me harder than I expected. I didn't realize the thing had done something with my mask until it had vanished as quick as it came, and I with far less energy to stand when my head started to clear.
When I couldn't find it immediately around me, the last thing I really remember was trying to drag myself somewhere more visible, somewhere I could hopefully be found... but I don't know how far I managed to get before my body stopped responding.
[ Ah... That does bring More's unstoppable spiral of self-loathing to a momentary halt. Turo was right to assume that the utterance itself has not been as significant to More as it had been to him. Though More barely remembers them now, he's had many friends, and declarations of affection come easy.
They come easy but they're not empty. More is a wretchedly and desperately lonely person, easily latching onto those who treat him with kindness. Between the way Turo can understand his isolation and the endless patience and consideration he's shown, More had started to feel a little bad for how much he'd come to rely on him.
But like this... He's also silent for a moment, collecting his words. ]
As much as it pains me that you had to go without friendship for so long, I'm honored that I can be that for you now.
... And I'm glad that we met like this. It would have been difficult for both of us to start over with somebody so freely, had we remained where we were.
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