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.
[Hm! Pokemon don't usually care for that sort of thing, but it is sort of interesting!]
I... [He doesn't know if "used to be" is exactly something he's comfortable with.] There was a Pokemon professor, once. Do you ever see those out here?
[It shrugs a little and gestures in a direction down the mountain.]
I certainly see why. Even if travel were not already the second biggest passion in my heart, seeing a land as wondrous as this would surely make me wish to wander.
I always wanted that, too. I used to watch people traveling on security cameras.
[Is that - More probably knows what those are by now, right?]
The same view of the same places every day, but it was still like living vicariously a little bit. [...] Arven and his friends were out on their Treasure Hunt, when I called them down to the Crater.
[ Thankfully, More has spent enough time around Tails to understand the camera concept pretty well by now. ]
Once we've fulfilled our duties, you'll be able to go on your own informal version of that Treasure Hunt. Camping somewhere in the wilderness and watching the stars... There's nothing quite like it.
I'd like to think so. I'm a little nervous about how it's all going to work...
[He holds up his hand, the one with the shard in it.]
I think this might be what's allowing me to continue functioning even though I'm away from the lab. But if we have to give them back... [Or maybe it'll just stop working one day. Any number of things could happen. And that's all assuming they survive and move on in the first place, though...he doesn't want to bring up his doubts about that.]
We've spoken about it before. He isn't entirely sure what is happening either.
[They could investigate and test, but none of that sounds like anything Turo is willing to submit himself to again.]
But - yes, I'm sure you're right. He would at least try. It is less about the power source itself, and more the fact that... [Hm. How to explain this...?] I am not really possible? My hardware cannot actually support anything akin to a digital consciousness; my world does not have that kind of technology yet. Tera energy simply allows for technology to function to impossible levels.
[it's probably magic okay]
The only time I ever attempted to leave the crater, I became inert.
[ And the fake chaos shards might allow for the same phenomenon to happen... That does seem to track. Magla, the matter all magic derives form, can be made manifest as crystals in More's world as well, so all of this makes more sense to him than it maybe should. ]
Failing a way of securing that you remain supplied with a shard, then maybe you should look into a world that is... more futuristic, more likely to actually sustain beings like you properly?
They'd have to either gut me and replace everything, or transfer me to another piece of hardware entirely.
[Which is...not entirely a negative proposition...? It isn't something Turo would probably undertake to do to himself - he isn't even certain he could - but if it were necessary, would he mourn this form? He's not...sure.]
[ 'Gut' is... a pretty evocative term when you're an organic being and especially when you're an organic being with very limited computer experience. So More makes a face.
And also seeks eye contact with Yamask on this, ARE YOU HEARING THIS, YAMASK??]
That seems... like a risky procedure. And painful...?
Hm. Well - in sleep mode, some parts of me are still active. Monitoring, primarily, so that I can reactivate if there's some sort of danger. Shutting down entirely cuts off all power flow. It's important if someone's working on me to that extent, but it does mean that I cannot reactivate on my own. They'd have to do it for me.
If it were to come down to that, I might prefer to simply switch to a different body altogether. It's a strange idea...I am very used to this one. But I would not mind looking at least a bit different. My ability to change how I look now is a bit limited - my hair doesn't grow or anything like that.
[Maybe if it did, he'd grow it out? He's unsure. Really, he doesn't mind how he looks so much as who he looks like.]
[ More glances at Turo, whose face feels so wholly familiar and friendly to him. He's sure he wouldn't think this way of it if he had known the professor. He wonders what kind of expressions that man made. Would he smile the same? It's hard to imagine. ]
I'd suggest doing your makeup, but I'm not sure that's the kind of change you're truly looking for.
[Probably not; Turo does run a hand over his short beard thoughtfully, but doesn't say anything about it.]
Interesting...I don't know much about it myself.
[The Professor had no interest, and when would the AI ever have had the chance? Admittedly, it wouldn't have been high on his list of things to research in any leisure time he did have, but that doesn't mean it's not still an interesting idea!]
A sentiment that is easy to understand. I have told you as much before, but it does please me that I am unfamiliar with your creator. Thinking of this face as solely yours comes with its own satisfaction to me.
[ Human Turo had the rights to his face revoked. ]
But such a thing does little to lessen the association for yourself.
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I have no image to show you, but I used to be a king in a faraway land.
[ This is nicer to say when he can tell it to Yamask like he's telling a fairytale to a child. ]
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[Hm! Pokemon don't usually care for that sort of thing, but it is sort of interesting!]
I... [He doesn't know if "used to be" is exactly something he's comfortable with.] There was a Pokemon professor, once. Do you ever see those out here?
[It shrugs a little and gestures in a direction down the mountain.]
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So there's a settlement not far from this place? Do you get other visitors sometimes?
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[Shrug! Like, sometimes, maybe?]
Hiking's a common pastime in my world. People probably come for the climb up the mountain.
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[ Pokémon World Utopia... ]
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[Is that - More probably knows what those are by now, right?]
The same view of the same places every day, but it was still like living vicariously a little bit. [...] Arven and his friends were out on their Treasure Hunt, when I called them down to the Crater.
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Once we've fulfilled our duties, you'll be able to go on your own informal version of that Treasure Hunt. Camping somewhere in the wilderness and watching the stars... There's nothing quite like it.
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[He holds up his hand, the one with the shard in it.]
I think this might be what's allowing me to continue functioning even though I'm away from the lab. But if we have to give them back... [Or maybe it'll just stop working one day. Any number of things could happen. And that's all assuming they survive and move on in the first place, though...he doesn't want to bring up his doubts about that.]
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I cannot imagine that Tails, bright child that he is, would ever allow you to leave here without something to keep you powered.
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[They could investigate and test, but none of that sounds like anything Turo is willing to submit himself to again.]
But - yes, I'm sure you're right. He would at least try. It is less about the power source itself, and more the fact that... [Hm. How to explain this...?] I am not really possible? My hardware cannot actually support anything akin to a digital consciousness; my world does not have that kind of technology yet. Tera energy simply allows for technology to function to impossible levels.
[it's probably magic okay]
The only time I ever attempted to leave the crater, I became inert.
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Failing a way of securing that you remain supplied with a shard, then maybe you should look into a world that is... more futuristic, more likely to actually sustain beings like you properly?
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[Which is...not entirely a negative proposition...? It isn't something Turo would probably undertake to do to himself - he isn't even certain he could - but if it were necessary, would he mourn this form? He's not...sure.]
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And also seeks eye contact with Yamask on this, ARE YOU HEARING THIS, YAMASK??]
That seems... like a risky procedure. And painful...?
[ How does pain for robots even work. ]
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Oh, no. I'd have to shut down for something like that. But - risky, yes, that does seem likely.
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I assume shutting down is different from sleep and more alike to heavy anesthesia...?
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[Yamask tilts its head, then nods seriously.]
Mask.
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Yes, that is about what we imagined. Right, little friend?
[ Deciding this for Yamask, but he wants it to be included. ]
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[Yamask is just happy to be involved!]
If it were to come down to that, I might prefer to simply switch to a different body altogether. It's a strange idea...I am very used to this one. But I would not mind looking at least a bit different. My ability to change how I look now is a bit limited - my hair doesn't grow or anything like that.
[Maybe if it did, he'd grow it out? He's unsure. Really, he doesn't mind how he looks so much as who he looks like.]
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I'd suggest doing your makeup, but I'm not sure that's the kind of change you're truly looking for.
[ It's entirely a joke, but it'd be fun to do. ]
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That isn't the sort of thing I meant, but I wouldn't mind trying it.
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Well... altering the perception of shadow through makeup can do some interesting tricks in changing the apparent shape of the face.
[ They can presumably not shave Turo without the fake skin taking damage, but... This might actually be an interesting experiment. ]
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Interesting...I don't know much about it myself.
[The Professor had no interest, and when would the AI ever have had the chance? Admittedly, it wouldn't have been high on his list of things to research in any leisure time he did have, but that doesn't mean it's not still an interesting idea!]
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[ If they still had their base, he'd get on Youtube to watch make up artist influencers now, so maybe it's for the best that we were displaced. ]
Though if the time ever comes when you can safely choose a new body, I'll be curious to see what form you may take.
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[He shrugs.]
It is not...that I mind my current appearance, exactly. I just wish I had less of a resemblance.
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[ Human Turo had the rights to his face revoked. ]
But such a thing does little to lessen the association for yourself.
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