After eight long, difficult weeks of fighting, you've finally done it. You've put an end to Neo Metal Sonic's dreams of conquest and with it, you've saved not only this world, but all worlds. Perhaps not everything is wrapped up as neatly as some of you would like, but you've done what you set out to do, and now you can breathe a sigh of relief.
In the hours that follow the immediate aftermath of Neo Metal Sonic's defeat, Tails sets about figuring out how to control the Egg Fleet and recall them to where Neo Metal Sonic had them stationed. Sonic heads out into the city - and then even further beyond - to ensure that the people are starting to regain their senses without anyone to suppress their free will anymore. Knuckles escorts you back to the base, then takes a ring to hop into the Void to let Shadow and Infinite know what's going on.
As for you all? You aren't expected to do any work, because you've done so much today. Take a load off and take the time to rest - you deserve it.
For those of you who can't wait to get home, you're welcome to grab a ring from one of your colorful friends and head straight back, but for those of you willing to take the night off and regroup in the morning, you'll find that said colorful friends have put together a party for you - or, well, they tried their best. The decorations are store-bought (or not) and simple, Sonic seems to have thought confetti is the best way to throw a party and there is so much of it getting showered on all of you the moment you walk into the room, and someone obtained a sheet cake that did not have any sort of message on it, so an awkwardly scrawled message of "THANKS FOR HELP" is written in bright green icing that clashes with the cake's soft pink and red color scheme. An attempt was made.
You're welcome to hang out here - both in the new base and in this world as a whole - for as long as you'd like. Permanently, even, if you don't have any intention of going home. After all, you've more than earned it. Sonic and friends will gladly help you figure out a way to get settled here.
If you do choose to stay for any length of time and head out into the city, you'll find that people are indeed starting to return to their daily lives. They don't really understand - or remember - what happened, but they do recognize you as someone they have some innate fondness for, regardless of how startling your appearance may be to them. The city itself has seen better days thanks to the spread of Eggman's chroma, but thankfully the natural elements are recovering from that just fine. The buildings, streets, and the like will not naturally recover, so it seems Chicago's going to require some pretty intensive rebuilding...
But for the time being, everything is going smoothly, and you've done everything that was asked of you. You're free to return home. If you do, your shard may eventually come loose and simply fall off, ridding you of both the shard and its powers. Or maybe it won't, and you'll have that memory of your time in this world forever, along with the power innate to you and the ones you can activate from your fellow shardbearers whenever you're near each other.
Congratulations, shardbearers. You've done the impossible, and maybe even formed some new bonds along the way.
( Welcome to the final log of Shardbond! With this, you have successfully navigated your way through the Sonic friendship game and no one died! Hooray!!! For this final log, you may do whatever you'd like - if you want to use this to do an immediate aftermath top level, go for it! Party top level? Sure? Post-game top level? Have fun! You want to bring a castmate in and NPC them or have someone else play them? Also cool! Generally speaking, you are now free to do what you will with the setting as a whole - your fuzzy little friends will be hard at work making sure that you all are able to get home and/or get settled just fine, and they'll also be keeping an eye out for one (1) Neo Metal Sonic. And also Infinite, I guess, unless someone wants to take that stray jackal with them but like, no one needs that. )
Assuming the many worlds interpretation in quantum mechanics is true, there's an infinite number of worlds that are almost identical to yours aside from the fact you and the professor never existed in it!
[ There'll be plenty of time to speak to each other now! and for the adoption papers to get signed that'll make him his grandson-- ]
Don't see why not. Sure, you did some bad things, but we're all gettin' second chances. [ Fukuda, Neo, Viktor... and himself, albeit to a much lesser extent. ]
Look. I don't know what kind of joke you think you're pulling. But the Turaga woke up here along with the rest of us.
We don't take kindly to people lying in our village. If you're really not a threat, you can just turn around and --
[A distant horn call, far different than the first, echoes across the chasm.
Every Matoran turns back toward it in surprise, including Jaller. The caller on the top of the wall looks down at the Captain, then at Fukuda, perplexed and hesitant.
It takes Jaller a shocked second, glancing back at Fukuda with an alarmed confusion. But eventually, he nods to his subordinate, who returns the signal even as Jaller stabs a pointed finger in Fukuda's direction.]
Don't move.
Got it?
[The two Matoran sent away before are coming back slowly, with a third in their number. Slightly taller than any Matoran Fukuda has seen, but much slower, a mask as orange as the fire below them that completely covers his mouth and a staff to assist his in walking, hunched over with his body cloaked in fabric that hangs over his shoulders and back.
Fukuda still has guards pointing a bajillion pointy sticks at him as Jaller retreats back past the gate to meet the others, saluting to the elder. But his eyes are not on Jaller. Not immediately.
They are on Fukuda.
A gaze that bores, brows furrowed intensely with familiar golden eyes that are far bolder than his frail frame would give away.
It's a moment, only a moment, before he turns his attention back to the Matoran in hushed tones.]
[Hell yes. A Party. Jasper is so here for this. He's going to get a very large slice of cake for himself--perhaps discourteously so... he might be persuaded to get an apology cake later. Maybe. If you judge him for how big his slice of cake is. he will have booze as well if he can find it. and party games.
...
well, anyway. He's going to wait around to see when Void Archives is ready. And also see if he can track down any more rings, because he doesn't really want to stay in any one world for too long. He's curious about other worlds and doesn't want to stay tied down, really. He kind of gets the impression Void would like that also? He's not going to say it, but like. It does seem like they would appreciate it.
Aside from that, though... he's... just kind of pensive. Enjoying Chicago. Hitting the clubs. Still unsure what returning home will bring.
Perhaps it will be fine.
Well, it will be, won't it? It's Dragon Quest, baby. We're not grimdark here. But maybe that's for another day.]
[Even after everything, Lucifer manages to exude confidence. It's just who he is, which means that he swaggers on over to Tails, but has the kindness to him that he's always had around the boy.]
I was wondering what you will be doing, now.
[He'll of course be talking to Sonic and Knuckles, too, but that can be handwaved in favor of talking to The Boy.]
[He forgoes his chair this time, choosing to drop his weight to a seat against the bed instead, sitting cross legged with the mask settled between his palms.]
You remember what I told you of, back when we sat together on those foreign beaches? What you told me in return?
There is no prize to perfection. Either in its completion, or in total absence for fear of it, I think it still applies.
[It's a short deliberation, with the tallest of the group approaching Fukuda alone. Those eyes don't leave him, and that strict look across his face does not break.
Jaller moves to accompany him, but the elder holds out a hand for him to stand down, earning a quiet sound of protest.]
[ They can be annoying in a multitude of ways; them refusing to call Wolfwood other than Father Wolfwood being that - if he had insisted, there would be no way to convince them otherwise so yes he is stuck with it. Though they are glad that they don't have to exert anymore effort than this in terms of blocking the way...the final battle was tough - exhausting in so many senses, really.
...And yes, they can be certainly worse. Which does remind them that even if they don't intend to try to strike down Neo again, that is one reason they know they can't remain here for long themselves. Besides their little plans on journeying with Jasper and all - because who knows if that notion will change and there will suddenly be a compulsion...? ]
It doesn't count until you give one of those very long sentimental good-byes that people do to those they have met. You have come to know me very well, and though I will ensure that this is not the last you will see of me, we will both be quite busy for quite awhile.
And I will miss being a unique spot in your day.
[ You know, to irritate him, as you do. ]
Though, there is something else I must say. [ ... ] I hadn't the opportunity to grant you my appreciation for stepping in. Do remember to pat yourself on your back that I am conveying such words to you. It is not often that I care to give gratitude more than once to an individual.
[ What a nice background atmosphere. Void Archives thinks that even these guys should spend somewhere not in a volcano with all of this chill environment to take advantage of. But they remember that older woman who was elsewhere who was certainly...a time, so. It is what it is.
Anyway, the small red robot must be someone who is like a guardian. They suppose that they could approach this normally.
...
But instead of doing that, they just see how much chaos they can cause by trying to stroll right on by.
You know, without saying anything, and acting like it's totally normal for them to be here.
[Viktor made the telltale hitching metal sound of quiet and tired laughter, stepping closer to sit on the edge of the bed and leaning his staff against his shoulder.]
'When every equation was solved, all that remained...' [Just as he had on the beach, he spoke in the tone of echoing a recollection. Another's words, yet not quite someone else's.] '...were fields of dreamless solitude.'
Progress and innovation necessitates mistakes. It is how we learn and improve, iterate, evolve. So we must never confuse stumbling points for unsalvageable failures--nothing is ever so far gone that it can not improve.
[ Void Archives does pass something like a knowing little smile. They actually do like to talk to people, but despite their own acknowledgement, they don't see ever a reason to go hunt down and talk to everyday individuals. Well, not as 'themselves' anyway.
Still, at the question, they give pause. Sometimes, they do tend to forget - even if logically they shouldn't - that their experience might be still quite a bit out there. ]
Oh yes. I will give you quick run down of my timeline and some additional details on my circumstances. The last person who was in possession of myself entrapped myself in his mind for about five hundred years - a terrible example of humanity, at its worst, if I do say so myself. Then, before that, there was someone who utilized me in such a manner for about two thousand years [ A spiritual leader who Void Archives doesn't care to talk about or mention much. Thanks canon. ] even if I was in a technically sealed state, and he ensured it stayed that way by the time he was done. The total time I persisted while sealed before I met the first individual I mentioned was about 48,000 years or so. So, you know, I have definitely been around for quite awhile.
Though, it is clear that I had been enjoying my freedom for a tad by the time Sonic had approached myself, at the least.
I will be heading back first to see a familiar face with dear Jasper - you see, before all of this, I was hanging out with this friend of mine, and some lady who had rescued us in space.
Following that, I was planning on heading back to his homeworld with him. After settling matters there, I would imagine exploring different worlds will be on the table, though it is also to ensure that I've the chance to reunite or visit those I have met on this journey. It isn't very often someone like myself manages to make such close connections...and it will be a shame if I just let them all fall away, hm? Time is short, as a fellow long-lived being, you would understand, yes?
[ They'll discuss the matters more in detail with Jasper, though they wanted to settle those two things first before leaping into exploration of different worlds - yet, it is something definitely on their table. ]
What about yourself? I understand that you have a job back home, though I wonder is it something you see yourself as doing forever.
[ Whenever Jasper is done collecting his rings, Void Archives can be found nearby after he's more or less made himself done with the whole entirety of his efforts. The blond will be crossing his arms, leaning up against a tree, before pushing off of it, and coming on over to him. It may have been that the blond simply has had the opportune moment in tracking him down.
Though the other blond will find that the being before him hasn't exactly been entirely at rest and only being a socializing butterfly themselves - though, it is indeed their usual priority. They will hold up a little golden bag and jingle it purposefully. ]
And here I thought you would be spending most of the time partying before we left~? Is it possible we both had the same idea...?
[The little guy looks, eyes following, but doesn't say much.
Congratulations, Void Archive, you are able to walk on by without any immediate interruption whatsoever. Surely this will have no lasting consequences.
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