Your defeat of "Eggman" has come at a high cost, namely the Egg Fleet in the skies and the looming threat of Neo Metal Sonic. He gave you a week to prepare; best use it wisely.
THE CITY
The massive robot on the horizon is no more - it looks like Neo Metal Sonic truly did rip the whole thing up. If you head back out there, you'll find that there are still pieces of it, and plenty of scrap left behind, but not nearly as much as one would expect.
More pressingly, there are far more robots present than even before. While you recognize all of them at this point, they're all patrolling in larger groups and will once again drop everything to attack you. Definitely don't head into the city alone for any reason, and always be prepared for an ambush. These robots are absolutely determined to kill you.
It seems that the white chroma that has spread throughout the city has reached a standstill - there isn't any more of is present than there was last week, but it hasn't receded any either. Strangely enough, it seems like the animals in the city are feeling more lively than before, though not quite back to their usual levels of being.
THE BASE
The new base is coming along nicely, and should be more or less furnished as needed by now. Still, with more and more robots coming around, you may find groups of them straying toward the base. You can't let them find it and report back to Neo Metal Sonic, so please take care of them! This is also the perfect time to practice with your shardbond powers...
You may also want to start thinking of the future as well. While it certainly isn't a sure thing, Sonic and friends have made it clear that this should be the final battle, that taking out Neo Metal Sonic should be the end of it and that you all will get to go home soon. Or if not home, then to wherever - and whenever - you'd like! Your future is up to you, though you're certainly welcome to stay here in Chicago, if you have nowhere else you want to go. May as well start thinking about what you'd like to bring back with you, or where you'd like to go.
But maybe don't get too caught up on that, as you still do have a battle to win, after all.
SHARDS
Your shard powers are fully unlocked, and with them comes a mastery of your shardbond powers as well. You really have reached the end with what you can do with these bonds - so now it's time to put them to the test.
Knuckles wants you all to practice forming even larger shardbonds and maintaining them for as long as possible - ideally you'll be able to work up to a seven person bond, as that should grant you the full extent of your power. No one knows what exactly will happen when you can achieve that... So you'd better get to work, as it may be very helpful for the final fight.
Those of you with the same color shards have mostly been able to bolster each others' powers rather than actively forming a bond, but now that you're at the very end, that's changed - shards of the same color can now activate each others' powers as well as their own! So for example, Yeager can shoot water like Dorothy, or Dorothy can draw aggro and take reduced damage like Yeager. You can utilize the others' powers alongside your own just as long as the other shard is in the same vicinity!
TAILS' TASKS
As always, rings are incredibly important, and you should collect them, especially if you'd like to bring some home with you so you can travel back to Chicago at any point, or jump to your friends' worlds. Go forth and find those obnoxiously-placed rings!
There's also Knuckles' daily lessons on shardbonds; he'll be overseeing you all while you practice to make sure that everything's going well, though you don't really need his help at this point. Activating a bond with six other shards is the goal, but every single extra shard you can add to the mix is important.
Finally, Tails is working on a teleporter that will jump you guys right up onto the ships above... but he's still fine-tuning it. Turns out that finding the right ship is a bit easier said than done. If you want to help, you can take the jump to test it! You'll be given a ring so you can get back immediately - but if you get the wrong ship, you can stay to clear out the robots. Doing so will net you experience with your shards and bonds, as well as at minimum ten rings. So really, it's a win/win unless you hate fighting.
ENEMIES
The enemies you face this week are the same as the ones you've faced in previous weeks. There are no new robots to fight, though you'll start finding knock-offs of Mecha Sonic, Robo Knuckles, and Tails Doll hanging around in the city as well. Which yes, means you can (and will) get many more rocks at you. Have fun!
Oh? Would it be something like our initial point of arrival, then? Well, I presume it would have better furnishings.
[because it was so nothing...]
And I would hope so, as well. There was a band of heroes opposing us, at the very least; for as much as I detested them as opponents, the only thing keeping me from hoping they gave Mordegon what he deserves is that it would mean I did not get a shot at him of my own.
A young woman had just retrieved myself and a friend of mine from a stranded state in space before I even accepted coming here. And where she had us stay thus far was a space vehicle with some very nice perks.
[ They do think Jasper will find them to his liking. It's funny that the subject of where they truly were before all of this is coming up so late, but considering the circumstances, they don't mind how it was managed in the first place. ]
...Hmm, it would be nice if you had a chance at revenge, I will not deny that - and I did envision strangling him a little myself. [ "A little", they say. ] Speaking of these heroes, is there anything I should know about them in particular, since we will wind up back in your home world, and potentially seeing these individuals?
Oh, that sounds like a nice little vacation for after this. Do not spoil it for me, then--at least, not all of it. I would enjoy a surprise.
[it's time to give welt an ulcer....]
Well, they will be extremely suspicious of you due to your association with me, and they are fairly powerful... I am familiar with two of them on a personal level, admittedly, one more than the other. I may be able to appeal to them...
As you wish. I was in fact hoping to keep mum on further details, so this suits me just fine. Prepare yourself best as you can for the surprise~
[ Somewhere in the universe, Welt is already getting a headache without knowledge of why. ]
Fairly powerful, though? Hmm, I am not intimidated so easily - if at all. Though, I know that persistent heroes in general are not to be taken lightly, and you do not mince words, so I have no doubt that they are as strong as you claim.
Which ones do you believe you will be able to make your appeal the most effective?
She just strikes me as ill-tempered and troublesome... and also as the most intelligent member of the group. It is a combination that I believe makes her somewhat admirable, but also extremely dangerous.
[it's kind of a game recognizing game sort of thing...]
Nevertheless, they did spare an ancient ice witch that I had freed who had been terrorizing a local kingdom because said ice witch had captured the fancy of the queen and presumably agreed not to cause any more trouble, so... perhaps my chances are fine.
Oh? A fierce, intelligent lady. I see and understand well your concern.
[ People like that are for obvious reasons harder to make come around.
...Though, they look very amused at the addition Jasper ends up tacking on, there. ]
Ah, yes. When you put it together like that, I can't help but feel that they have more leniency than what I might have originally presumed. Heroes aren't always bound to take to such gentleness when it comes to even those acts - but, it does seem like in addition to knowing you, they so happen to have a soft spot.
It could be a bit of both. I mostly know them enough to try and strategize properly against them, which does not really lend itself to knowing their personal quirks beyond that.
...
I suppose I am glad for it, at least.
[although he does kind of wish he could justify a booty call without feeling like a homewrecker... on... two ends...]
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[because it was so nothing...]
And I would hope so, as well. There was a band of heroes opposing us, at the very least; for as much as I detested them as opponents, the only thing keeping me from hoping they gave Mordegon what he deserves is that it would mean I did not get a shot at him of my own.
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A young woman had just retrieved myself and a friend of mine from a stranded state in space before I even accepted coming here. And where she had us stay thus far was a space vehicle with some very nice perks.
[ They do think Jasper will find them to his liking. It's funny that the subject of where they truly were before all of this is coming up so late, but considering the circumstances, they don't mind how it was managed in the first place. ]
...Hmm, it would be nice if you had a chance at revenge, I will not deny that - and I did envision strangling him a little myself. [ "A little", they say. ] Speaking of these heroes, is there anything I should know about them in particular, since we will wind up back in your home world, and potentially seeing these individuals?
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[it's time to give welt an ulcer....]
Well, they will be extremely suspicious of you due to your association with me, and they are fairly powerful... I am familiar with two of them on a personal level, admittedly, one more than the other. I may be able to appeal to them...
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[ Somewhere in the universe, Welt is already getting a headache without knowledge of why. ]
Fairly powerful, though? Hmm, I am not intimidated so easily - if at all. Though, I know that persistent heroes in general are not to be taken lightly, and you do not mince words, so I have no doubt that they are as strong as you claim.
Which ones do you believe you will be able to make your appeal the most effective?
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[...]
And one of the young ladies seems to have a pleasant disposition. I do believe her sister will prove the difficult one, though...
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[ That is perhaps phrased a little...unconventionally, but they have always been the way that they are. ]
Why do you believe this sister would be troublesome? ...Did you specifically get on her bad side...?
[ Beat her to something that was on sale, Jasper? No, that's just too silly. ]
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[it's kind of a game recognizing game sort of thing...]
Nevertheless, they did spare an ancient ice witch that I had freed who had been terrorizing a local kingdom because said ice witch had captured the fancy of the queen and presumably agreed not to cause any more trouble, so... perhaps my chances are fine.
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[ People like that are for obvious reasons harder to make come around.
...Though, they look very amused at the addition Jasper ends up tacking on, there. ]
Ah, yes. When you put it together like that, I can't help but feel that they have more leniency than what I might have originally presumed. Heroes aren't always bound to take to such gentleness when it comes to even those acts - but, it does seem like in addition to knowing you, they so happen to have a soft spot.
Or, perhaps...they are simply romantics?
[ Fufu. ]
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...
I suppose I am glad for it, at least.
[although he does kind of wish he could justify a booty call without feeling like a homewrecker... on... two ends...]
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Jokes aside, Void Archives flashes him something like another amused look, chuckling once more. ]
...Well, if it helps skew matters to your favor, I don't see why you shouldn't be.
I'll just also simply keep that in mind myself for the impending interaction~
[ It makes them consider that they may not have to come out swinging in their verbal threats, but they are going to drop those anyway. ]
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You could be a bit overly affectionate in the process. It may help sway their opinion.
[he may or may not be entirely serious.]
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I hope you are prepared, because I never do less than my best. Especially for someone as dear as you are to myself. Oh, they will never have doubt.
We shall be like a pair out of a very intriguing, sickly sweet fairytale romance! Do be prepared, hm~?
[ Jasper may not be serious, but Void Archives is! What have you wrought...? ]
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[...he wonders if this will be kind of embarrassing...
eh.]
Oh, I certainly will. Please practice batting your eyelashes at everyone, will you?