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, I'm sure he expects to simply kill us right away. It's a dramatic touch to put a timer on it, though. He seems to have a flair for that.
[Turo would have done the same thing. The human one, that is.]
I would have changed my name, if it were me. It does sort of betray a continued fixation on the original, if nothing else. [Not that he can say he's over everything that happened with Turo, but it would be sort of embarrassing to walk around telling everyone that by saying he's "Neo Turo" or something like that.]
Yes, quite. The way he conducts himself reminds me of someone I knew, in some ways. But, those like him all tend to operate the very same way at their core.
[ Though, they do take a pause to consider something, reminded by a certain instance at the mention of an obsession with the original. ]
...He called Sonic his "loathsome copy", didn't he? In that parting comment to us.
A little ironic, don't you think? Shouldn't he be considered the "copy" in this instance? And yet, even with that apparent fixation, he doesn't seem to think so, to say such words swiftly and decisively. Not even with his name in mind. Perhaps...that is why he hasn't changed it, hm?
[ That, despite the name, he considered that to be representative of himself as the original? They think it is cringe, if their enemy believes that somehow "Neo" can become an indication of originality. Well, maybe it isn't too farfetched if Neo Metal Sonic, like, killed Sonic. Can't really be considered anything but the original, then. ]
[Words mean things! He cannot become the original no matter how much he claims it; he was very obviously modeled after Sonic.]
For that matter - he's been making more. That other robotic Sonic we fought before, and all those Shadows. That just feels...wrong.
[Cringe. It's cringe to be a robot copy with robot copy problems and then turn around and do it to someone else! Turo is never going to make himself some kind of weird sad robotic Arven!]
[ Bless Turo for that...that would be extremely cursed. ]
Delusions of grandeur to an exceptionally high degree~
[ Void Archives thinks it is very much a foolish notion. But that is just one more point against their wretched enemy. ]
...I suppose that only adds to the irony, hm? Or rather, I'd imagine delusion and denial. Though, at that point, what would he consider them to himself?
Well, perhaps there is no point deliberating on the matter. As, after some thought, I imagine that would be clear - we saw how he viewed those he consider failed him, at the least, given what he had the false Doctor do in response to Infinite's defeat.
True enough. I have trouble seeing it that simply myself. I have ever since we first began fighting them. But we are clearly not the same.
[Even if their origin points are similar, he cannot imagine himself ever venturing down a remotely similar path. It isn't wholly a good thing; he still thinks he may have been too timid with the Professor, way back when. But of course, he would not wish to emulate Neo Metal Sonic in particular. There are other ways.]
...I've been wondering if I might not wish to change my own name, some day.
Oh, certainly not. There are so many differences even I can spot between you and our enemy by far.
And let me tell you, I am very glad that you are rather different from him.
[ Neo Metal Sonic has so many...negative associations to them at this very moment. Though Void Archives never liked Otto, their original (very early, but discarded) plan to try to claim his identity (his body) as their own does not feel like it would have benefited them in the slightest. Sure, they are in a Soulium body that has that DNA, but they have fashioned it to differentiate themselves from him entirely. ]
That said, if the idea has been something you have been deeply contemplating, I would say that there is no reason not to give it sincere consideration in enacting, whenever that should be. A name is something that should have meaning, and fill one with contentment rather than distance or resignation. Thus, if the one you currently carry hardly feels as if it suits you or represents your "true self", then choosing another shouldn't be unreasonable.
[ That's how they feel. They never had any reason to be anything but the Void Archives - well, maybe that isn't true, but they feel it is a moniker that suits them, more than anything else. And now, it does feel more than a title. ]
[ So, it really was just a happenstance designation as a result of his creation; never meant to differentiate him from anything or mark him as separate from the original. Of course, they are hardly surprised that his creator never gave him that amount of consideration - they already know enough from what Turo has spoken on regarding him.
But as he says that there's not much time, and no other alternative ideas in mind, they look back on towards the window, where the sky is in full view. ]
Perhaps you will come up with something. Nature has quite a good deal of various subjects to choose from - the sky, the boundless stars in the sky, or perhaps something you'd find as you'd stroll growing from the ground up.
Or something else entirely that is far more conventional with names - of which there are many, of course. Though, I would not fret about time in this case. It should be something you take your time on.
It is not urgent. As little as I care for him, I am used to being called that name. Besides, I would hate to make a rash decision about something like that. [...] I might end up with something like Neo Metal Turo.
[has he learned how to make jokes at other peoples' expense]
[ They actually end up cutting themselves off because they're suddenl laughing at hearing that other part of the sentence.
Look, they are actually a sucker for laser-aimed jokes/digs, no matter the delivery - maybe it is doubly so because it is a bit unexpected, but that just makes it even better. ]
Oh yes, that would certainly be quite terrible...! At that point I would certainly refuse to call you that and so should anyone else!
[ That moment where they almost seemed like they were about to stop laughing? Well, it is non-existent, because when he says that, humor clear as day on his face and in those words, they can't help but start up laughing hard again. ]
You're...you're doing this on purpose!
[ But, Void Archives is far from angry about it. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
[Turo would have done the same thing. The human one, that is.]
I would have changed my name, if it were me. It does sort of betray a continued fixation on the original, if nothing else. [Not that he can say he's over everything that happened with Turo, but it would be sort of embarrassing to walk around telling everyone that by saying he's "Neo Turo" or something like that.]
no subject
[ Though, they do take a pause to consider something, reminded by a certain instance at the mention of an obsession with the original. ]
...He called Sonic his "loathsome copy", didn't he? In that parting comment to us.
A little ironic, don't you think? Shouldn't he be considered the "copy" in this instance? And yet, even with that apparent fixation, he doesn't seem to think so, to say such words swiftly and decisively. Not even with his name in mind. Perhaps...that is why he hasn't changed it, hm?
[ That, despite the name, he considered that to be representative of himself as the original? They think it is cringe, if their enemy believes that somehow "Neo" can become an indication of originality. Well, maybe it isn't too farfetched if Neo Metal Sonic, like, killed Sonic. Can't really be considered anything but the original, then. ]
no subject
[Words mean things! He cannot become the original no matter how much he claims it; he was very obviously modeled after Sonic.]
For that matter - he's been making more. That other robotic Sonic we fought before, and all those Shadows. That just feels...wrong.
[Cringe. It's cringe to be a robot copy with robot copy problems and then turn around and do it to someone else! Turo is never going to make himself some kind of weird sad robotic Arven!]
no subject
Delusions of grandeur to an exceptionally high degree~
[ Void Archives thinks it is very much a foolish notion. But that is just one more point against their wretched enemy. ]
...I suppose that only adds to the irony, hm? Or rather, I'd imagine delusion and denial. Though, at that point, what would he consider them to himself?
Well, perhaps there is no point deliberating on the matter. As, after some thought, I imagine that would be clear - we saw how he viewed those he consider failed him, at the least, given what he had the false Doctor do in response to Infinite's defeat.
no subject
[Even if their origin points are similar, he cannot imagine himself ever venturing down a remotely similar path. It isn't wholly a good thing; he still thinks he may have been too timid with the Professor, way back when. But of course, he would not wish to emulate Neo Metal Sonic in particular. There are other ways.]
...I've been wondering if I might not wish to change my own name, some day.
no subject
And let me tell you, I am very glad that you are rather different from him.
[ Neo Metal Sonic has so many...negative associations to them at this very moment. Though Void Archives never liked Otto, their original (very early, but discarded) plan to try to claim his identity (his body) as their own does not feel like it would have benefited them in the slightest. Sure, they are in a Soulium body that has that DNA, but they have fashioned it to differentiate themselves from him entirely. ]
That said, if the idea has been something you have been deeply contemplating, I would say that there is no reason not to give it sincere consideration in enacting, whenever that should be. A name is something that should have meaning, and fill one with contentment rather than distance or resignation. Thus, if the one you currently carry hardly feels as if it suits you or represents your "true self", then choosing another shouldn't be unreasonable.
[ That's how they feel. They never had any reason to be anything but the Void Archives - well, maybe that isn't true, but they feel it is a moniker that suits them, more than anything else. And now, it does feel more than a title. ]
no subject
I have never truly had one. It was only the two of us down in the crater - there was no need. "Turo" is a part of my filename, though.
[Along with a lot of version info...there's a reason he doesn't use that, it isn't really a name.]
I will consider it. I know I may not have much time, but I do not actually have any alternative ideas in mind.
no subject
But as he says that there's not much time, and no other alternative ideas in mind, they look back on towards the window, where the sky is in full view. ]
Perhaps you will come up with something. Nature has quite a good deal of various subjects to choose from - the sky, the boundless stars in the sky, or perhaps something you'd find as you'd stroll growing from the ground up.
Or something else entirely that is far more conventional with names - of which there are many, of course. Though, I would not fret about time in this case. It should be something you take your time on.
[ Whether he decides to go for it or not. ]
no subject
It is not urgent. As little as I care for him, I am used to being called that name. Besides, I would hate to make a rash decision about something like that. [...] I might end up with something like Neo Metal Turo.
[has he learned how to make jokes at other peoples' expense]
no subject
[ They actually end up cutting themselves off because they're suddenl laughing at hearing that other part of the sentence.
Look, they are actually a sucker for laser-aimed jokes/digs, no matter the delivery - maybe it is doubly so because it is a bit unexpected, but that just makes it even better. ]
Oh yes, that would certainly be quite terrible...! At that point I would certainly refuse to call you that and so should anyone else!
no subject
How about UltraTuro?
no subject
What? No, ah...you can't...you can't be serious—
[ They're in risk of potentially falling over. Please don't do this to them, they're practically losing it. ]
no subject
Mega Omega Turo!
no subject
You're...you're doing this on purpose!
[ But, Void Archives is far from angry about it. ]
no subject
Not at all! I'm just very good with names!
no subject
Hmm...I do wonder about that.