Your fight against Infinite didn't go as expected. You've now seen what the false Chaos Emeralds are capable of and how their powers can be used by someone accustomed to that power. Though Infinite is no longer a threat, Eggman certainly is - and you're in no position to return to Chicago to try to take him down right now.
Focus on recovering and regrouping; you're going to need a plan to oppose Eggman from here on out.
THE VOID
Maybe you've grown complacent over your time in Chicago. You won't be seeing the city this week. Tails is adamant that it isn't safe to go back and insists that you remain here, within the Void between worlds. It is a still, silent abyss of nothingness, broken up only by gemstone-like shards that serve as platforms or obstacles, with very little else to see.
Gravity doesn't work properly within the Void, meaning you can float and even zip around at high speeds once you've figured out how it works. You can also stick yourself to shards no matter what angle you're at, resulting in walking upside down or otherwise getting stuck to one without being able to escape. Thankfully, this wonky gravity only applies to the Void itself, and you'll naturally come to master it as you spend more time here.
There are some shards that are shaped differently from the ones you can use as platforms, however. These are almost hexagonal, with a dark center that may flicker whenever you approach one. If you're lucky, the surface will flicker like water and show you images of another world - usually you will see Chicago and the robots rampaging through the city streets - but occasionally you may see glimpses of your home world or of other worlds. No matter what you do, you cannot interact with these visions. Since they do seem to be water, punching them will do no good; your hand won't even get wet, as it will go through and dispel the image entirely.
Settle in, it seems like you'll be here for awhile. Oh, and try to ignore that unnerving feeling of being watched - there's no escaping it when you're in the Void, after all.
RINGS
There is one bright spot in being stuck within the Void, and that's that your colorful little pals have rings. If you've been diligent about collecting them from whatever ridiculous places they've ended up in, you may even have a good amount! Though it will take a day or so for the rings to actually work, as the week goes on, you'll be able to world hop to your heart's content.
Which yes, means you could absolutely go home. Be mindful of your mission and just how long you spend there, because you will need to return eventually, right? Though time may work differently in the Void, it mostly works the same between worlds. Try not to spend more than a week back home.
But there is something a bit strange about world hopping; you can't really control where or when you'll end up.
You may arrive back in your home world at the wrong point in time entirely, either in the past or the future. You may end up in an alternate reality of your world (canon AU or fanmade AU) or you may even end up in someone else's world entirely! You all aren't used to using rings just yet, so it makes sense that there's some confusion.
Two of you attempting to use a ring together will have more success... but even then, failures can still happen and you can still be sent to the wrong places.
You may visit any world to exist except any Sonic worlds. Worlds where Sonic shows up as a cameo (Super Smash Bros, for example) are fine. Which yes, means I am barring you from visiting Sonic Underground, you'll have to forgive me.
SHARDS
Though you're stronger now than ever before, your power pales in comparison to Infinite's, let alone Eggman's. You're going to need to be much, much stronger if you want to stand a chance of fighting back. Maybe it would be worth it to visit a world full of monsters to practice using your shards.
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
Rings can only be found in certain worlds, which means your worlds are safe from them. This does mean there are only a limited number of rings, however... so please keep this in mind when world hopping! This week, Tails does not have any tasks for you aside from continuing to train and develop your shard powers. Oh, and to stay safe, of course. Please don't get yourselves killed in some other world.
ENEMIES
Surprisingly, you will encounter none of Eggman's robots this week. The Void remains still and silent for the whole week and your worlds are free from Eggman's influence. You're welcome to beat up any enemies native to your own worlds, of course.
Come with me--we'll keep a little closer to the alleyways, the lab is only a block or two north of here.
[Letting out a short andd sharp breath as if trying to dispel his own nerves, Viktor adjusted his grip on the staff at his side and started walking. Fortunately, the city was quiet...maybe a little too much so, for its size. Kind of like the quiet that immediately followed abject chaos, when things were still being picked up and repaired.]
[Rio doesn't seem too fussed, keeping her calm from the word "go" as they begin to walk. Even her steps are strangely silent. Was she always so quiet...?
As they walk, however, she continues to look all about them, taking in every little detail she can.]
[Fortunately, Rio wasn't the one out of place here; the scant few people that sw her as they passed by took no significant notice of her past a second glance at seeing a child roaming the city after dark, and Viktor kept nervously to the shadows.]
[The city itself was a little strange; antiquated enough to be lit by streetlamps along narrow cobblestone roads, the occasional cable car and even airship passing by overhead. But judging by the work Viktor did and the kind of machinery he was made out of, the technological level was likely all over the place.]
[She does note that technological disparity, generally keeping her head down otherwise. No need to make eye contact with anyone who would take it the wrong way. Occasionally her eyes flit to Viktor ever so briefly, confirming she's still walking in the right direction.]
[Eventually they came to a building practically in the shadow of a far more opulent one nearby; Viktor cast the latter a nervous look before gesturing for Rio to follow him around the corner of the smaller building, relaxing slightly once they were definitely out of sight.]
This may prove difficult; I have never had to sneak into my own lab before. ...I should have asked Jinx which way she got in from.
[She follows as directed! Once they're hidden in the shadows, she tips her head down slightly in thought, her soft voice almost at odds with her short, professional tone.]
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[Nervously turning a ring over in his hand, like he was already prepared to escape at a moment's notice.]
We will have to leave very quickly if noticed by the wrong people. Enforcers, primarily--officers in blue uniforms.
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Alright. Just tell me where to go, then.
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[Letting out a short andd sharp breath as if trying to dispel his own nerves, Viktor adjusted his grip on the staff at his side and started walking. Fortunately, the city was quiet...maybe a little too much so, for its size. Kind of like the quiet that immediately followed abject chaos, when things were still being picked up and repaired.]
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As they walk, however, she continues to look all about them, taking in every little detail she can.]
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[The city itself was a little strange; antiquated enough to be lit by streetlamps along narrow cobblestone roads, the occasional cable car and even airship passing by overhead. But judging by the work Viktor did and the kind of machinery he was made out of, the technological level was likely all over the place.]
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This may prove difficult; I have never had to sneak into my own lab before. ...I should have asked Jinx which way she got in from.
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Did you have any defense systems set up?