While your conversation with Shadow may have shed light on a few things... it's obvious he doesn't think you all are up to the task of saving the universe from Eggman. Which also means that now you're dealing with his test, starting immediately. Some of you may be whisked away with no time to even blink, while others may find themselves wandering the Void aimlessly. Regardless, it seems this week won't be a particularly easy one.
THE VOID
Nothing has changed in the Void. Nothing ever changes in the Void. It's impossible to track the passage of time in here, and your only escape are the rings... though you should be careful with them, as there's far fewer this week. You're free to travel between worlds as you see fit - Shadow won't stop you - but you can be snatched up from wherever you are at any given moment and pulled back into the Void. Maybe don't plan on spending to long anywhere else, because it won't end well for you if you do.
The hexagonal shards will still show you visions of other worlds... but this time they all show the same thing. You'll see worlds - maybe even your own - taken over by robots and Eggman's chroma, reduced to smoldering ashes or being rebuilt in Eggman's image. Your friends, allies, and enemies may even be going about their lives just as listlessly and dutifully, heedless of their surroundings. You may even see alternate versions of yourself among them. Regardless, it seems all these shards have to show you this week are all the possibilities of failure - that other versions of shardbearers in other timelines have already lost.
MINDSCAPES
Shadow's usage of the Phantom Ruby and his own fake Chaos Emerald shard have caused quite the problem for you all - namely, you'll find yourselves traversing each other's innermost thoughts and dreams. Exactly how this mindscape manifests depends on the individual, but one thing will always remain true: you won't be able to find the owner of the mindscape easily.
As a reflection of these inner thoughts, mindscapes can be any sort of place. Perhaps they are a reflection of the owner's inner demons and fear, or perhaps they showcase a bright future they want to work towards. Regardless, this is a dream and one the owner must be awoken from... which means finding them and bringing them back to reality. That's easier said than done when traversing through this dream-like state, where the rules are made up by the owner and you're a foreign being that the dream recognizes as a threat (even if you aren't).
You may encounter familiar places or people within these mindscapes. You may not. You may end up fighting for your life in here... or you may not. Each one is individual, and the experience can vary wildly from person to person. No matter what you face, you must find the owner of the mindscape and bring them back. You must ensure you're strong enough to support them... and protect yourself.
Curiously, you can activate your shared shard power with the owner of the mindscape at any time - or bolster your own power if you share shard colors - even without them being present. Will this make it easier or harder to help bring them back? It depends on the person, your bond, and the mindscape itself...
Waking them up is as simple as convincing them that they're dreaming - that this isn't real and that they still have things to return to - but that may be easier said than done depending on the person... or the mindscape itself. There's no telling what you'll encounter, after all.
SHARDS
You'll find you're capable of more now than you were before. You're really adapting to using your shard powers and fighting with others. Those of you who share shard colors will feel the strength of your shards increasing even more when working together.
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
Given that your allies are being pulled into mindscapes and are unable to break free of their own, your task this week is to help your friends. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are off dealing with their own mindscapes, but whenever they are around, they're adamant about the importance of making sure everyone is freed and prepared for whatever comes next.
ENEMIES
Like last week, you will not encounter any of Eggman's robots. The Void is still free of enemies, though other worlds may possess their own threats. Mindscapes are a bit of a different beast; each one varies, and you may or may not encounter threats of any sort in them. Best be on your guard.
[Yeager thankfully doesn't tease her any further (or laugh, that was a very real possibility) and instead lets Dorothy kiss him, returning that easily. It wasn't an easy process to get here, but he can't say he has any regrets about it. After all, he's learned a lot about himself in the process, and he's at least a slightly less selfish person at the end of it. That's really the most you could ask for from someone like him, right?
Anyway, one of his hands comes up to her cheek even as they part, and of course Yeager looks far too damn pleased with himself. And because this man is literally incapable of shutting up...]
See? That wasn't so difficult, now was it~?
[you can still punch him, dorothy. you can still make all my dreams come true.]
[Yeager's hand finds her cheek and Dorothy doesn't waste any time leaning into that touch, that warmth--a little greedily, but there's something just...nice about this moment. All of it feels so nice, it makes her chest warm and faintly fuzzy from the contact and she doesn't think she did a good job, but that's okay. She can learn, and she can improve and...
...
YEAGER WHY ARE YOU SO RUDE--]
Yeager! [aaaaaaaAAAAAAAAA???] It was--I haven't done this with anyone before you, you know! I haven't even the slightest bit of experience with this, and you're still so--ugh!!
[...UNFORTUNATELY THAT HAND AT HER CHEEK IS STAYING HER HAND FROM PUNCHING HIM BUT SHE IS PUFFING HER CHEEKS OUT CUTELY. And. Still stealing all that warmth, leave her alone, she craves it--]
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Anyway, one of his hands comes up to her cheek even as they part, and of course Yeager looks far too damn pleased with himself. And because this man is literally incapable of shutting up...]
See? That wasn't so difficult, now was it~?
[you can still punch him, dorothy. you can still make all my dreams come true.]
no subject
...
YEAGER WHY ARE YOU SO RUDE--]
Yeager! [aaaaaaaAAAAAAAAA???] It was--I haven't done this with anyone before you, you know! I haven't even the slightest bit of experience with this, and you're still so--ugh!!
[...UNFORTUNATELY THAT HAND AT HER CHEEK IS STAYING HER HAND FROM PUNCHING HIM BUT SHE IS PUFFING HER CHEEKS OUT CUTELY. And. Still stealing all that warmth, leave her alone, she craves it--]
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Oh don't worry, I'm sure you'll learn fast. You'll have plenty of practice~
[Is that a threat??? Hmm.]
You're just so cute when you're embarrassed, I simply can't help myself!
[But don't worry, he's not moving that hand from her cheek; she is really cute, after all.]