what goes up must come down

[shardmods]

The ring deposits you all safely outside the base and seals up afterwards. Neo Metal Sonic doesn't chase after you, which is something of a mercy.

What's significantly less of a mercy is the sky - it's gone dark and ominously stormy, though the clouds spark not with lightning, but with that same green Chaos Energy you've been facing this entire fight. Worse still, there are now far, far too many robotic planes filling the sky - the Egg Fleet seems to go on endlessly, as far as you can see. Though perhaps it would be more accurate to call it the Neo Metal Sonic Fleet.

Sonic and friends arrive shortly, looking pretty banged up but otherwise still healthy enough to make it here, though they stare up at the sky with obvious concern.

"O...kay, this is definitely not what any of us were expecting."

"We will have to take the fight to them, it seems."

"Easier said than done, I'm afraid... I'm not sure how to pinpoint their leader's exact location to send you all with a ring..."

A jolt of green lightning flashes across the sky and Neo Metal Sonic's voice rings out.

"I expect to see you onboard my fleet in one week's time. That includes you, my loathsome copy."

It seems you don't really have much of a choice. For now, tend to your wounds and try to regroup; you've earned a break after today.

NAVIGATION

Comments

[holeful]

I'm glad to see you guys! I thought you were dead!

[DON'T SAY THAT SO BLITHELY????]

[hashtagafreakingghost]

Shhhh! [ Elbowing him tbh before the fukuda-is-a-murderer fear returns. ]

[holeful]

[I mean how Ashley can maintain that fear with how he acts is crazy, he's so wet dog 90% of the time.]

What? I'm glad they aren't dead!

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[ it's a talent. ]

They're kids, don't just say that!

[holeful]

Sure, but they've been in mortal danger plenty of times?

[hashtagafreakingghost]

That doesn't make it okay.

[holeful]

Sorry, miss Ashley...

[Hanging his head.]

[shardnpcs]

It would take more than that to kill us.

[Though Knuckles is very obviously Put Off by being knocked out by a bigass robot. Absolutely rude.]

[holeful]

[What a Knuckles thing to say.]

Well, it seems like there is more to it....

[shardnpcs]

[Knuckles glances up at the sky and heaves a sigh.]

Apparently. Were you all successful in retrieving the Master Emerald?

[...he's pretty sure the answer is a big fat "no" given the ships.]

[holeful]

[He shakes his head.]

No, Eggman wasn't even real, he was just a robot. I imagine Neo Metal Sonic is who actually has it.