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.
[ are there even things that wolfwood is shy about? real answers only. but regardless of what that answer is, wolfwood is just going to nod along with what void archives tell him about this hypothetical bracelet that he could/should give to vash as a memento. they sure are all words that he understands on an objective level but ask him to explain what all of it means and he’ll fail.
case in point: ]
Rose-gold? [ reminder, he was just a simple orphan before everything happened so much. ] Are we really talkin’ about a bracelet here?
[ not that what they tell him sounds bad, it’s just not something that he would have considered for a bracelet. his idea of a bracelet is something silver or gold (what the fuck is rose-gold) with some engraving or some sort of cool design. this is the limit of his knowledge of jewelry. ]
What yer talkin’ about sounds like the kinds of words ya’d use for a ring. [ ...ah.
may void archives not capitalize on the momentarily pause to realize what he had just said. or, even if they do, he will immediately add to what he had said. do not get crazy ideas, cube. wolfwood is not about to give vash a ring to remember him by. (at least this is what he’s telling himself presently.) what kind of message would he be accomplishing there? ]
—which will certainly give a guy the wrong idea if I just start off with handin’ him a ring.
[ PROBABLY? there are only so many ways you can take gifting someone such a fancy sounding ring, right? or, even if isn’t that fancy comparatively to others, it is fancy for wolfwood. ]
[ There definitely are if they are V-shaped. This is a fact that will be engraved in the entire history of the game and afterwards. ]
Bracelets come in rose-gold. Have you never seen that before?
[ They'd understand if not, though of course they are used to seeing grand things - Otto came from a VERY rich family, and they observed him for about 500 or so years even when their knowledge was used for certain purposes or whatnot. To say the least of the fact that they would be knowledgeable about certain objects due to what they are in the first place... ]
Well, either way, they are very much in existence. There is also a good amount of time to witness them in person - and it is quite the necessity in order to narrow down the one that would be most applicable, anyway.
[ But, imagine a bracelet with a engraving of "W" for Wolfwood...that'd make it even more personalized, and potentially precious!
Then, they pause as Wolfwood mentions the ring and then they get this sort of look on their face. One that spells no-good - or maybe it's helpful? Totally exactly that. ]
...Oh my. A ring?
You'd certainly give him ideas if you handed him a ring. Hmm, you know, I hadn't considered that as an option. But, if you wished to profess your undying affection for him, as well as solidify it, and immortalize it in one singular fashion, a ring would certainly be a way to do it.
After all, it certainly doesn't have to be an indication you'll immediately be jumping for a wedding. But, engagement rings are not out of style.
[ So. Making Vash his fiance doesn't sound too odd, right? Sorry not sorry. ]
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case in point: ]
Rose-gold? [ reminder, he was just a simple orphan before everything happened so much. ] Are we really talkin’ about a bracelet here?
[ not that what they tell him sounds bad, it’s just not something that he would have considered for a bracelet. his idea of a bracelet is something silver or gold (what the fuck is rose-gold) with some engraving or some sort of cool design. this is the limit of his knowledge of jewelry. ]
What yer talkin’ about sounds like the kinds of words ya’d use for a ring. [ ...ah.
may void archives not capitalize on the momentarily pause to realize what he had just said. or, even if they do, he will immediately add to what he had said. do not get crazy ideas, cube. wolfwood is not about to give vash a ring to remember him by. (at least this is what he’s telling himself presently.) what kind of message would he be accomplishing there? ]
—which will certainly give a guy the wrong idea if I just start off with handin’ him a ring.
[ PROBABLY? there are only so many ways you can take gifting someone such a fancy sounding ring, right? or, even if isn’t that fancy comparatively to others, it is fancy for wolfwood. ]
no subject
Bracelets come in rose-gold. Have you never seen that before?
[ They'd understand if not, though of course they are used to seeing grand things - Otto came from a VERY rich family, and they observed him for about 500 or so years even when their knowledge was used for certain purposes or whatnot. To say the least of the fact that they would be knowledgeable about certain objects due to what they are in the first place... ]
Well, either way, they are very much in existence. There is also a good amount of time to witness them in person - and it is quite the necessity in order to narrow down the one that would be most applicable, anyway.
[ But, imagine a bracelet with a engraving of "W" for Wolfwood...that'd make it even more personalized, and potentially precious!
Then, they pause as Wolfwood mentions the ring and then they get this sort of look on their face. One that spells no-good - or maybe it's helpful? Totally exactly that. ]
...Oh my. A ring?
You'd certainly give him ideas if you handed him a ring. Hmm, you know, I hadn't considered that as an option. But, if you wished to profess your undying affection for him, as well as solidify it, and immortalize it in one singular fashion, a ring would certainly be a way to do it.
After all, it certainly doesn't have to be an indication you'll immediately be jumping for a wedding. But, engagement rings are not out of style.
[ So. Making Vash his fiance doesn't sound too odd, right? Sorry not sorry. ]