Though it may not have been easy or fun, your time in the Void was ultimately productive; you've become far stronger than you were when you entered, and you may have even made a friend(?) or two. Shadow insists on remaining behind in the Void because he does not want to interfere with this world or potentially cause problems with this world's Shadow (wherever he may be), but Infinite is free to either accompany you or stay behind and fight Shadow, depending on whatever you guys would like. Surprisingly, he'll respect your wishes without complaint (though this may be because he wants to fight Shadow).
You return to the outskirts of Chicago, and it seems that the city has changed some in your time away...
THE CITY
Eggman's chroma has taken over damn near everything. The buildings, the streets, even the wildlife. It seems that the changes have only hit the city itself, as the outskirts (where the base is located) are mostly chroma-free. Still, it's a stark change - you haven't really been gone for all that long, have you? It's kind of hard to tell judging from your time in the Void, but if you check a calendar you'll find that approximately two weeks have passed. All this in two weeks seems a bit much...
The city itself still retains the same landmarks, shops, and people - though the former two are Eggman-ified. The people are back to going about their business as lifelessly as ever, completely heedless of the robots even if they do get in the way... but even the robots are back to patrolling as usual. There are far more of them now, however, and they aren't the same ones you're used to. Sure, you can still fine drones, B33s, and tanks here and there, but they've mostly been replaced by newer, tougher foes.
You're going to have to fight if you enter the city for any reason. The robots will recognize you as a threat and try to kill you on sight, and there are far more of them now than there ever were. But you're stronger now, so you can certainly keep up, if not destroy them easily.
THE BASE
The new base that Sonic and friends have moved you all into is quite different from the last one. This one seems to have been an office building at some point; a simple two story building with plenty of large rooms and smaller offices that have been repurposed as bedrooms. You can room with the same people as before, or you can even claim your own room! There's plenty of space here, after all. Knuckles will even move beds around if you want to rearrange things and can't lift them yourself.
Unfortunately, this base isn't nearly as furnished as the previous one. Sonic Team has managed to get all the bedrooms functional in the span of a few days, but everything else? Well... You're going to have to help with that, aren't you? The kitchen is barebones, there's no rooms for entertainment, training, or anything else, and security is minimal. Tails is still working on getting his surveillance up and running, let alone all the various research he's been working on. In short, you've got your work cut out for you building this place into something you can truly call your own.
But it is located on the outskirts of Chicago and it is is safe. After all, you've got each other to rely on.
SHARDS
Shadow's test may not have immediately had any sort of effects on you, but as you return to Chicago and resume fighting, you'll realize that controlling your shard and its power is innate at this point. You won't be struggling with it anymore - in fact, you've completely unlocked your shard's power. You're capable of a great many more things with it now than you were before. You should be able to use your shard for offensive and defensive purposes - which yes, means our healers can do the equivalent of averaging their HP with the enemy in order to deal damage to them. Fun times all around. You'll find that bonding with another shardbearer is also easier, and you can bond with many more of them now. You're growing stronger; maybe your time away in the Void did some good after all.
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
Returning to the old base is ill-advised, but you can take a ring and hop over there if you've got someone to accompany you. After all, Tails would appreciate more of his old gear back, and you've probably left things behind there too. You'll find that the place is simply swarming with robots - they're on patrol rather than smashing your things, almost as if they were waiting for you all to return. Bring back whatever you need or whatever will prove useful - and be careful about it.
Of course, rings are running low again... so you know what that means. Scour Chicago and the outskirts in search of those pesky rings and make sure to bring them back! As always, they'll be found in increasingly bizarre and frustrating locations, but you'll be able to find them easier now than you could before. You won't even need a radar - your shards will innately draw you toward their location now!
ENEMIES
While you're undoubtedly going to find yourself running into familiar bots from the previous weeks, there are many new ones to contend with - and they are far stronger than the others. Eggman's army has more or less taken over Chicago, meaning that you'll be running into some sort of enemy frequently. The outskirts of the city are practically deserted, with the exception of your old base, that is.
Assault Drones have more or less replaced the majority of weaker patrolling drones. Unlike those, these are built for combat and they will not hesitate to engage in it. Capable of both shooting lasers, exploding, and sending out a loud siren call for reinforcements, they are not fun to fight. Still, they're the weakest of the new enemies by a long shot... though if you aren't quick enough and they get that loud siren out, they're going to be joined by those stronger enemies.
E-1000s are robots with gun arms that want you dead. They're capable of limited flight, shooting many lasers, and are quite durable... and to make matters worse, some of them even have shards allowing them access to a knockoff copy of one of your powers. The E-1000s usually patrol solo, without any other robots for backup, but they can and will call in reinforcements of the previous weeks' smaller robots when necessary.
Shadow Androids are basically what you'd expect. Shadow androids. They not only look like a certain black and red hedgehog, they also act like him, moving quickly and striking with hard hits and utilizing their fake Chaos Emerald shards for Chaos Control to both warp and temporarily freeze any opponent they face. They usually patrol in pairs - two Shadow Androids or a Shadow Android and any other assortment of weaker robots. Chaos Control is far more useful when someone else can take advantage of it, after all!
Our foe has left him with little capacity to recognize the love and care he was receiving. It was a sorry sight, however adorable he may still have been.
[ Truly, Eggman is creating such a dead world... ]
A world without will is a world without strife - it is a hollow peace, but nevertheless harmonious. Yet, I cannot bring myself to believe Dr. Robotnik is motivated by something like this. There is no misguided kindness visible in his actions.
[ Even Professor Turo had some faint excuse of doing it for Arven. He was lying to himself, certainly, but there was something there. It didn't feel wholly hollow. ]
It really makes me wonder what he is getting out of this at all. It would be an easy assumption to make that he is merely feeding his ego, but... at the end of this, nothing will be left to even praise him.
[ How is that satisfying? To anyone, to even the vilest villains? ]
...I don't know about his original goals, but Infinite mentioned that his behavior has changed recently. He has evidently become far more cold and controlling, more obsessed with the specific goal of removing free will. His human assistant has also vanished.
[Turo can read a possible motive into that, but...well, he was sort of doing all of this even before that?]
[ More is absolutely going to say it out loud. Eggman/Stone divorce arc is immediately real in his mind - though he'll of course be proven wrong about that by the weekend. ]
[Yeah in retrospect it was totally different but nevermind that!]
It seems like a stretch, for someone to remain loyal through all of this and then abandon him...but I suppose it is possible. It certainly explains why he may have some new vendetta against other people's freedom of choice.
Yes, indeed... In a world you control fully you can experience neither betrayal nor loss. I see how that could be an appealing prospect to some, even as it seems so terribly lonely in its own way.
It would take an awfully fragile soul to try and bring about something like that... though I certainly am in no place to lecture anybody on mental strength either.
I understand that learning more about the doctor as a person is probably not our top priority, but I do wish we knew more. If nothing else, it might help us predict his actions. Anyway...I'm curious, I suppose. Even knowing what I do about Stone, what began it all?
I feel the same way. That we need to stop him is without question, but I do find myself wishing to know more.
Even if it doesn't matter presently and is just to satisfy our thirst for knowledge, it would be nice to know what set off this whole calamity we're now trying to prevent.
I'm used to having a rather intimate knowledge of these things. Turo was going to be one of those regional incidents, if he hadn't been killed.
[And he understands where all of that came from perfectly well, even if he can't quite track it all on an emotional level.]
He could have had power, I think. With the level of the machines he creates, he could have simply made himself wealthy and influential. I can imagine that being more satisfying for him than forcing people to comply in this way...but, clearly not.
[ This is a difficult matter to consider. Knowing now that he's not going to sleep anytime soon, More crosses his legs on the bed to get into a better thinking position. ]
Perhaps his inventions were not considered fit for the society of this world? You are no stranger to the concept of outrageous inventions, and on a smaller scale such things also existed in my own world.
This place does not seem to be as devoted to destroying science as the Sanctist Church is, but even then... He may have already done 'too far' by the metrics of those judging him.
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I... would like that as well. I have missed Plateau quite terribly while we were here.
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[Though Turo is still notably downcast about it.]
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That must have been a hard decision. A wise one, also, given the way matters are progressing for us, but no less saddening for it.
... when we fulfill our mission, it should restore his natural habitat and behaviour as well.
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[The behavior, anyway. He never was successful, but even if he had been, they're still in too much danger for any animals to stick around them.]
But I was still sorry to leave him behind. It felt a bit like a betrayal, though I do not think he ever felt much of anything about anything.
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[ Truly, Eggman is creating such a dead world... ]
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[How could anyone possibly find a life worth living in this?]
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[ Even Professor Turo had some faint excuse of doing it for Arven. He was lying to himself, certainly, but there was something there. It didn't feel wholly hollow. ]
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[Turo hadn't been pretending, exactly. The AI thinks maybe he was only deluded.]
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[ How is that satisfying? To anyone, to even the vilest villains? ]
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[A utopia in which to live the life he always wanted. It would not have worked out that way, of course, but at least he had a goal.]
But what sort of life is there to live in a world like that? There's nothing to achieve or obtain anymore.
suicidal ideation mention
[ Despite how shameful it feels to admit, he can kind of understand giving up so thoroughly that you think it is best to let it all come to ruin. ]
suicidal ideation mention
[That's not something he can really relate to. Not that he has never wanted to die, but he's never thought to take anything else with him.]
It does make you wonder. But I doubt that we can talk him down now...
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[ More sighs, and leans back against the wall. ]
But it does make me feel like we should have tried to seriously inquire into our opponent's goals earlier.
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[Turo can read a possible motive into that, but...well, he was sort of doing all of this even before that?]
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[ More is absolutely going to say it out loud. Eggman/Stone divorce arc is immediately real in his mind - though he'll of course be proven wrong about that by the weekend. ]
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[Yeah in retrospect it was totally different but nevermind that!]
It seems like a stretch, for someone to remain loyal through all of this and then abandon him...but I suppose it is possible. It certainly explains why he may have some new vendetta against other people's freedom of choice.
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It would take an awfully fragile soul to try and bring about something like that... though I certainly am in no place to lecture anybody on mental strength either.
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[Between the suffering he's causing and the people opposing him. Turo's never had much of a backbone, though.]
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[ More gives a wry smile at that. ]
It does take a special kind of character to even attempt to take over the world, let alone get this close to succeeding.
We really are lacking in knowledge, from very angle.
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Even if it doesn't matter presently and is just to satisfy our thirst for knowledge, it would be nice to know what set off this whole calamity we're now trying to prevent.
Knowledge is mighty in itself.
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[And he understands where all of that came from perfectly well, even if he can't quite track it all on an emotional level.]
He could have had power, I think. With the level of the machines he creates, he could have simply made himself wealthy and influential. I can imagine that being more satisfying for him than forcing people to comply in this way...but, clearly not.
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Perhaps his inventions were not considered fit for the society of this world? You are no stranger to the concept of outrageous inventions, and on a smaller scale such things also existed in my own world.
This place does not seem to be as devoted to destroying science as the Sanctist Church is, but even then... He may have already done 'too far' by the metrics of those judging him.
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[At least, he hasn't seen any in the stores they've been to, either for sale or for use by the staff.]
It's difficult to gauge how people felt about things like that now.
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[ As much as More enjoys being able to go outside again, but that had bothered him even when it was safer to explore Chicago. ]
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