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

[tworo]

[Mmm, well. If they're going to do this, then Turo supposes he does have to reluctantly let go and pull back. He wants to look at More while he speaks to him, which is hard to do like this.]

You have taught me about becoming my own person. That I am not entirely chained to my creator, and what he wished of me. That I even can go off and have a life of my own. You have seen the worst in me and accepted me all the same.

[akademise]

[ Despite feeling a little bit sad about it, More pulls back when Turo does, and meets his eyes with a gentle smile. ]

The worst in you does truly not seem so terrible to me.

[ It's human Turo that he has conflicted feelings about, but the AI is blameless in More's eyes. Being turned into a weapon does not reflect on his character any which way. ]

But I'm glad... I'd say that most of that work has been your own doing, but if the time we've spent together has been at all a help in the process, I could not be more overjoyed to hear it.

[tworo]

Of course it has! I do not know if anyone can really change, all by themselves.

[At least, he feels like the past few weeks have lasted so much longer than his lonely months prior. Even though none of that really makes any sense.

He sort of regrets letting go as well, now. But he's also pretty sure he can't just go right back to hugging him. They certainly can't just go on doing that all night. He remains where he is, though, hovering close.]

[akademise]

[ More looks surprised by this sentiment for just a second but then his smile widens. ]

Those are wise words, my friend. Attempting to endure all in solitude may be the greatest mistake one can make.

[ And he was oh so guilty of it before. Certainly, it wasn't by choice that he was so isolated, but he took no measures to break out of his cage either. ]

I asked you how you learned from me, and immediately I learn from you in turn. You truly are a treasure.

[ Hovering close it is. After the day they've had, it's comforting to stay this way. ]

[tworo]

Oh.

[He is immediately, visibly flustered.]

That is - that's a rather significant thing to say to someone in Paldea.

[akademise]

[ >Treasure Hunt

.......... okay yeah, he could have maybe figured that one out, but he had absolutely not been thinking about it.

Putting his foot in his mouth by coming on too strong seems to be his specialty recently. ]

It is not an insignificant thing to say from where I am standing either... but you're right, I... well, I may not be quite aware of the full extent?

[tworo]

Ah....nevermind, it's not terribly relevant.

[At least, he knows More isn't Paldean, so obviously it isn't the same thing.]

I'm just glad you're alright.

[akademise]

[ More hesitates for a moment. A part of him feels like he ought to chase this and double down again, because he wants to express his affections to the fullest, but... the other half of him feels like he's pushing too hard. Like no matter how much everything he says holds equally true on a platonic level, he's still putting pressure on Turo to reciprocate something he may not want to.

So he settles on simply smiling. ]

Thank you for everything, as always. And... we'll make it out of this together. I look forward to our future too much to consider another outcome.

[tworo]

[Turo smiles back, a little helplessly, and then leans in for another hug. He doesn't know what to say - despite his talk with Void Archives earlier, he still can't see any sort of conclusive correct path to take. Anyway, in front of everyone like this? He's learning that he maybe doesn't do so well in large groups.]

[akademise]

[ More practically melts into that hold. It's fine if it's wordless, it's fine if it's undefined and uncertain, it's fine for it to just be.

The day has been a horrible disaster and it feels incredibly good to let it all go and just lean on each other.

Too tired for shame and embarrassment, More just closes his eyes and soaks up all the affection he can get. ]