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.
If, for some reason, anyone wants to talk to the cube, they can.
But, they will not be approaching anyone this time around. If someone does approach, they flash one of their usual smirks (what? Did anyone expect that to just suddenly die?) ]
Quite an escape we just made, hm?
[ Surprisingly, they don't seem in a bad mood. Depending on who approaches, though, they might pause to see if the individual is looking alright, or maybe they're just double-checking there's no illusions. Who can say. ]
[ An expression of gratitude. That's more than what they were expecting in the aftermath, so... ]
I can understand if she is...important to you, I suppose.
[ They are trying to make an effort in that slightly - but only to those that they have a positive opinion on. They don't see a reason why they should otherwise and they spoke once before the battle, which went alright, so... ]
[ They place one hand on their own face, tilting it in consideration as they ponder on the potential implications of this. The matter of the woman is, fortunately, of little consequence at the moment, though they remain curious enough to consider it a point to circle back to it.
But they have other questions to ask first: ]
Can you tell me what would happen if you broke it? Would you suddenly fall apart? Explode? Be condemned and punished for all eternity?
I don't know. I physically cannot do it. The only way to do it, I suppose, would be to make a promise, some sort of vow that overrides the rule. But I would never agree to such a thing.
[guess what the plot of season 3 is]
You might as well ask me to rearrange the night sky; that's how impossible it is.
[ Making a promise that allows someone to murder a human? Sounds about like a fun time! ]
Nothing is impossible in the universe. Only when one thinks it is so.
Regardless, if you don't have the will to do it, I would say that I'm hardly in a position to disagree much.
But, that leads me to another question entirely...why would you never consider it? There must be some individuals which you might have met that could have been apparent exceptions.
[ Or...maybe there isn't. That's possible as well. ]
I hate myself plenty without adding the guilt of murdering more people to my conscious.
["More people", implying he's done it before, and that whoever he killed wasn't human. He also doesn't seem to care that he's admitted something so intimate.]
Besides, I already have overseen Hell for thousands of years. There's little I haven't seen.
[ They're tempted to ask when the man hates himself, but perhaps they should at least be something approaching tactful in their questioning. ]
I'd say that murdering people doesn't have to cause guilt, but it does depend on the personality - there are some out there who don't quite shake the feeling. Though, I wonder if you always felt guilt if there was someone particularly bad enough.
[ Ah well. That being said.. ]
Is that something you still do back home? Oversee Hell?
I haven't for a few years. But "a few years" versus hundreds of thousands isn't long at all.
[He's pretty done with Hell, though. It's far easier punishing people while they're still alive. It's why he joined the police force as a consultant to begin with.]
Thus far, it's run itself quite fine without my need to oversee it.
Interesting...I presume someone else is running it in your place.
[ Like, they can't imagine such a place not having someone at its head? Then again, they haven't been to Hell, so what would they know? Though they've heard enough scripture about it that they can very well imagine it. ]
And, I presume you no longer run it because you hated it? Which I also assume that is why you said such things of yourself a moment ago?
[ Then, he's not running it...and if he isn't, who is? First, though: ]
How did you even get out of doing it, then?
I doubt it could have been that easy. But, you clearly seem to have been embracing the change, no?
[ Lucifer's taste of a new direction in his life ever since somehow bypassing his rule of Hell and leaving it behind seems to have taken off, from what they can tell. But has he really been able to discard it completely? ]
And if that's not why, then did it have anything to do with your new path of life, at the least? Or would you say another element of your past?
[ sunday's looking a little battered but at least he didn't tank any super huge damage, so, ]
Quite. It could have been worse.
[ fam. our rolls. that said, he still looks a little shaken from having to actually fight nightmare-Robin, but sunday's doing the Thing where he's masking and pretending everything's ok. ]
[ There's a small pause, and they can probably at least see that Sunday is putting up his best attempt at soldering through things. They had been busy fighting the hell like everyone else in the battle, but it was more mentally taxing this time...
They let out a light sigh. ]
...You look like you should at least sit down. After all, we are going to be here for quite awhile, no?
[ it's said a little too quickly? like it's more out of reflex than anything, before sunday kind of stops himself for a moment. ]
... May I? [ join you, he seems to be asking. since they are going to be stuck here for a while, anyway, and the solitude doesn't help the spiraling. ] This place reminds me of when we first arrived.
...I'm not the type who can easily believe such assertions after our enemy attempted and perhaps almost summarily mentally torn some of us to pieces. We were also forced to pick ourselves up after no small effort.
Say what you will, pretend as you like - however, I see no reason to entertain such delusions, and I will speak frankly on them as I please.
[ It bothers them not to at least address it - they're blunt, and they prefer to be painfully, sometimes tactlessly and brutally honest when it comes down to it. If Sunday's not going to be forthcoming about it, they can't force him, but they do let him know that they won't be entertaining or pretending that any single one of them is "fine". It's all they can do. ]
That said, go ahead. It's senseless to stand alone in a place like this, anyway.
Though, perhaps we might all come up with our own kind of entertainment...?
[ Void Archives will turn to acknowledge him properly, and even give him a little nod in his direction. They do notice that his tone is chipper - which, granted, Void Archives is predispositioned towards sounding like that even when annoyed most of the time, so they get it if it's habitual. ]
Of course. I'm only happy to lend a hand~
[ It sounds playful, but it is honest. ]
...It would also be a pity if I were to be considered an unhelpful pest. I suppose it is only reasonable to ask, however, if the aftermath of wielding such conviction has weighed heavily on your mind?
[ Speaking of honesty, he's fighting the urge to tell Void Archives that it's fine and that he doesn't feel anything at all, because he does. He feels very conflicted about the events that transpired. ]
...Kind of.
[ Look at that. Honesty. It's something he doesn't partake in as much as he should, but he's trying. ]
Killing her – even if it wasn't really her – didn't feel good. I thought it would...and then when it happened, I didn't feel any better. And I wanted to kill Infinite, too. Make him pay for everything he did to us.
...But I don't think that would've made me feel any better, either.
[ Honesty indeed! It's not easy in situations like these - or the times, really. But, they don't think lying to oneself never did much good. ]
Well, I'll say this:
That the act of killing her doesn't feel right - or hasn't felt good - is to be expected, since she had the face of someone important to you.
As for killing Infinite...I feel that the impulse to rend him apart is natural as well. That is why if you still hold onto the sentiment while believing it won't make you feel better, I won't judge.
[ They say this lightly, but truthfully. Just because someone wants to kill someone or something doesn't mean it will grant them the relief they seek. Even they know that, and have little to no scruples about killing or trying to kill someone. ]
...Were the two of you friends, by the way? You and her.
[ Somehow, he didn't expect talking to Void Archives to be so oddly comforting? They just say it like it is but aren't really giving him a hard time for any of this, either. Huh.
He gets a little sheepish at their question. ]
She was my girlfriend. We, uh, parted ways a while before I got here, though.
[ Void Archives doesn't know about the dead part, do they? He'll continue to keep that part under wraps unless it comes up again. Nothing personal, it's just not something he really feels like mentioning unprompted, still. ]
...Parted ways. From what I can tell, that is quite the word for it.
[ They look over Percy. Does he happen to still have the head wound from when he lept in, by the way? They wouldn't have initially saw it because they rushed in, but...you know. They did hear a subject regarding his potential death, but they haven't confirmed if it means Percy died or not. ]
Does it still pain you, now that the circumstances had been brought to the surface once more? Or do you believe you can overcome such a dreadful incident?
[ At least, what he thinks is worse. This is probably more painful in actuality, but Percy is coping in the only way he knows how: He's shoving today in the back of his mind and pretending it doesn't exist.
And yes, he does! But the head wound is small. ]
I mean, what choice do we have but to keep going, right? I can't be stuck on it or I'm never gonna do what we came here to do.
Perhaps so. I am still ignorant on the entirety of your experiences. Though, I can't say I'd know either way, as a result.
[ Once again, they think about what they overheard as they rushed over - the expectation the other male was dead. They have no doubts that he seems to have had an exciting life.
That being said...after being satisfied that Percy seems to not be largely injured to the point of his own personal detriment, they continue. ]
Regardless, I suppose I shall have to trust your conviction! Do take care to never lose it.
But, I have something else to offer you as well. A bit of praise from someone like myself - and by that, I mean that you did well in showing that level of determination. Though the illusion held sway over your heart, you persisted. It's little comfort in the disgusting manipulation exerting upon our person, but as it's from myself of all people, let it all go to your head and savor the moment.
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no subject
If, for some reason, anyone wants to talk to the cube, they can.
But, they will not be approaching anyone this time around. If someone does approach, they flash one of their usual smirks (what? Did anyone expect that to just suddenly die?) ]
Quite an escape we just made, hm?
[ Surprisingly, they don't seem in a bad mood. Depending on who approaches, though, they might pause to see if the individual is looking alright, or maybe they're just double-checking there's no illusions. Who can say. ]
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[He looks them over for a moment before briefly turning away.]
Thank you.
I cannot harm humans. And I especially cannot bring myself to harm her. Even if it's just a copy.
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I can understand if she is...important to you, I suppose.
[ They are trying to make an effort in that slightly - but only to those that they have a positive opinion on. They don't see a reason why they should otherwise and they spoke once before the battle, which went alright, so... ]
But, why is it that you can't harm humans?
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[There's more to it than that with Chloe, clearly, but he doesn't elaborate.]
I truly don't want to see if that rule holds here, in a world that isn't my own.
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[ They place one hand on their own face, tilting it in consideration as they ponder on the potential implications of this. The matter of the woman is, fortunately, of little consequence at the moment, though they remain curious enough to consider it a point to circle back to it.
But they have other questions to ask first: ]
Can you tell me what would happen if you broke it? Would you suddenly fall apart? Explode? Be condemned and punished for all eternity?
no subject
[guess what the plot of season 3 is]
You might as well ask me to rearrange the night sky; that's how impossible it is.
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Nothing is impossible in the universe. Only when one thinks it is so.
Regardless, if you don't have the will to do it, I would say that I'm hardly in a position to disagree much.
But, that leads me to another question entirely...why would you never consider it? There must be some individuals which you might have met that could have been apparent exceptions.
[ Or...maybe there isn't. That's possible as well. ]
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["More people", implying he's done it before, and that whoever he killed wasn't human. He also doesn't seem to care that he's admitted something so intimate.]
Besides, I already have overseen Hell for thousands of years. There's little I haven't seen.
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[ They're tempted to ask when the man hates himself, but perhaps they should at least be something approaching tactful in their questioning. ]
I'd say that murdering people doesn't have to cause guilt, but it does depend on the personality - there are some out there who don't quite shake the feeling. Though, I wonder if you always felt guilt if there was someone particularly bad enough.
[ Ah well. That being said.. ]
Is that something you still do back home? Oversee Hell?
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[He's pretty done with Hell, though. It's far easier punishing people while they're still alive. It's why he joined the police force as a consultant to begin with.]
Thus far, it's run itself quite fine without my need to oversee it.
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[ Like, they can't imagine such a place not having someone at its head? Then again, they haven't been to Hell, so what would they know? Though they've heard enough scripture about it that they can very well imagine it. ]
And, I presume you no longer run it because you hated it? Which I also assume that is why you said such things of yourself a moment ago?
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[It's a job nobody wanted. And it was forced on Lucifer.]
...No. That's not why I said what I did.
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How did you even get out of doing it, then?
I doubt it could have been that easy. But, you clearly seem to have been embracing the change, no?
[ Lucifer's taste of a new direction in his life ever since somehow bypassing his rule of Hell and leaving it behind seems to have taken off, from what they can tell. But has he really been able to discard it completely? ]
And if that's not why, then did it have anything to do with your new path of life, at the least? Or would you say another element of your past?
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Quite. It could have been worse.
[ fam. our rolls. that said, he still looks a little shaken from having to actually fight nightmare-Robin, but sunday's doing the Thing where he's masking and pretending everything's ok. ]
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[ There's a small pause, and they can probably at least see that Sunday is putting up his best attempt at soldering through things. They had been busy fighting the hell like everyone else in the battle, but it was more mentally taxing this time...
They let out a light sigh. ]
...You look like you should at least sit down. After all, we are going to be here for quite awhile, no?
no subject
[ it's said a little too quickly? like it's more out of reflex than anything, before sunday kind of stops himself for a moment. ]
... May I? [ join you, he seems to be asking. since they are going to be stuck here for a while, anyway, and the solitude doesn't help the spiraling. ] This place reminds me of when we first arrived.
no subject
Say what you will, pretend as you like - however, I see no reason to entertain such delusions, and I will speak frankly on them as I please.
[ It bothers them not to at least address it - they're blunt, and they prefer to be painfully, sometimes tactlessly and brutally honest when it comes down to it. If Sunday's not going to be forthcoming about it, they can't force him, but they do let him know that they won't be entertaining or pretending that any single one of them is "fine". It's all they can do. ]
That said, go ahead. It's senseless to stand alone in a place like this, anyway.
Though, perhaps we might all come up with our own kind of entertainment...?
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Yo, Void. Thanks for the assist earlier.
[ He sounds...chipper, for someone who just went through all of that? But it's definitely forced. ]
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Of course. I'm only happy to lend a hand~
[ It sounds playful, but it is honest. ]
...It would also be a pity if I were to be considered an unhelpful pest. I suppose it is only reasonable to ask, however, if the aftermath of wielding such conviction has weighed heavily on your mind?
no subject
...Kind of.
[ Look at that. Honesty. It's something he doesn't partake in as much as he should, but he's trying. ]
Killing her – even if it wasn't really her – didn't feel good. I thought it would...and then when it happened, I didn't feel any better. And I wanted to kill Infinite, too. Make him pay for everything he did to us.
...But I don't think that would've made me feel any better, either.
no subject
Well, I'll say this:
That the act of killing her doesn't feel right - or hasn't felt good - is to be expected, since she had the face of someone important to you.
As for killing Infinite...I feel that the impulse to rend him apart is natural as well. That is why if you still hold onto the sentiment while believing it won't make you feel better, I won't judge.
[ They say this lightly, but truthfully. Just because someone wants to kill someone or something doesn't mean it will grant them the relief they seek. Even they know that, and have little to no scruples about killing or trying to kill someone. ]
...Were the two of you friends, by the way? You and her.
no subject
He gets a little sheepish at their question. ]
She was my girlfriend. We, uh, parted ways a while before I got here, though.
[ Void Archives doesn't know about the dead part, do they? He'll continue to keep that part under wraps unless it comes up again. Nothing personal, it's just not something he really feels like mentioning unprompted, still. ]
no subject
...Parted ways. From what I can tell, that is quite the word for it.
[ They look over Percy. Does he happen to still have the head wound from when he lept in, by the way? They wouldn't have initially saw it because they rushed in, but...you know. They did hear a subject regarding his potential death, but they haven't confirmed if it means Percy died or not. ]
Does it still pain you, now that the circumstances had been brought to the surface once more? Or do you believe you can overcome such a dreadful incident?
no subject
[ At least, what he thinks is worse. This is probably more painful in actuality, but Percy is coping in the only way he knows how: He's shoving today in the back of his mind and pretending it doesn't exist.
And yes, he does! But the head wound is small. ]
I mean, what choice do we have but to keep going, right? I can't be stuck on it or I'm never gonna do what we came here to do.
no subject
[ Once again, they think about what they overheard as they rushed over - the expectation the other male was dead. They have no doubts that he seems to have had an exciting life.
That being said...after being satisfied that Percy seems to not be largely injured to the point of his own personal detriment, they continue. ]
Regardless, I suppose I shall have to trust your conviction! Do take care to never lose it.
But, I have something else to offer you as well. A bit of praise from someone like myself - and by that, I mean that you did well in showing that level of determination. Though the illusion held sway over your heart, you persisted. It's little comfort in the disgusting manipulation exerting upon our person, but as it's from myself of all people, let it all go to your head and savor the moment.