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. )
[ That is them in a nutshell - fortunately for Vakama at this very moment that they have no intentions of being too much of a pain before he leaves.
...
There is nothing to be said of the future, though! And as such, Void Archives finds themselves also not surprised by this response, either - given his commitment to carrying out his duty. ]
So you are.
And here I thought you might want to visit. It's going to keep you so busy you won't be able to hop in, hm? What about to other worlds?
What a pity. But I already know the burden that rests heavily upon your shoulders, so to speak. Let's hope it's over sooner than later.
[ Everyone has their goals they need to fulfill - they can understand that much. ]
Though if you can find small breaks in your responsibilities that don't cause too much trouble, even if it doesn't necessarily mean traveling here or there, I'm sure it'll brighten up things by far.
[Oh how to explain to a cube that the burden will likely never go away unless he dies...
The answer: Vakama doesn't answer. He just gives a shrug, leaving that in the hypothetical realm of "who knows."]
I'd like to hope so, if it can be managed. There is no sense in our virtue of unity if we cannot find ways to enjoy our time with one another. That won't change.
Is that what you intend to do? Travel? I don't imagine someone like you has had your fill of the unknown just yet.
[ Void Archives will accept this answer more graciously than the alternative by far. As for the other matter, they're not the type of person to say something bright and protagonist-esque, but at the same time? ]
Well, you know what they say. As long as one has the will, they can force a way.
[ ...That is actually not the saying and they know it. But the particular exact phrase is not necessarily a universal constant! ]
But, you are correct. I intend to travel, with my Jasper. There are a multitude to benefits in doing so, naturally.
Exploring new worlds, seeing new places - or familiar ones, with familiar faces.
Rock-headed? How about considering instead that the foundations of such a saying is stronger than any mountain?
[ Void Archives is going to Void Archives, apparently. ]
As for my main concern - I suppose that is a part of it, but not entirely. Does it surprise you? The universe is quite vast, in either event. I wish to see many places as I am - and experience many more lands.
And, it is also a way to keep in contact with familiar faces. As for Dear Jasper, I feel that there is a lot about him that would surprise you. And, of course, others. Perhaps even myself, as we have become quite close with one another.
Though, I also believe we know each other quite well. It helps when one has quite a deeper understanding of another, yes?
[ Their personalities are similar in a myriad ways at times, even with their subtle differences. ]
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no subject
...
There is nothing to be said of the future, though! And as such, Void Archives finds themselves also not surprised by this response, either - given his commitment to carrying out his duty. ]
So you are.
And here I thought you might want to visit. It's going to keep you so busy you won't be able to hop in, hm? What about to other worlds?
no subject
What sounds appealing and what will be possible aren't the same, I'm afraid. I can't guarantee I'll be in any state to do so even if I desired it.
The future will hold a lot of possibility, but my responsibilities to the Matoran come first.
no subject
[ Everyone has their goals they need to fulfill - they can understand that much. ]
Though if you can find small breaks in your responsibilities that don't cause too much trouble, even if it doesn't necessarily mean traveling here or there, I'm sure it'll brighten up things by far.
no subject
The answer: Vakama doesn't answer. He just gives a shrug, leaving that in the hypothetical realm of "who knows."]
I'd like to hope so, if it can be managed. There is no sense in our virtue of unity if we cannot find ways to enjoy our time with one another. That won't change.
Is that what you intend to do? Travel? I don't imagine someone like you has had your fill of the unknown just yet.
no subject
Well, you know what they say. As long as one has the will, they can force a way.
[ ...That is actually not the saying and they know it. But the particular exact phrase is not necessarily a universal constant! ]
But, you are correct. I intend to travel, with my Jasper. There are a multitude to benefits in doing so, naturally.
Exploring new worlds, seeing new places - or familiar ones, with familiar faces.
no subject
Is knowledge your main concern again? You do seem very friendly with Jasper, but I didn't take him to be a traveller.
no subject
[ Void Archives is going to Void Archives, apparently. ]
As for my main concern - I suppose that is a part of it, but not entirely. Does it surprise you? The universe is quite vast, in either event. I wish to see many places as I am - and experience many more lands.
And, it is also a way to keep in contact with familiar faces. As for Dear Jasper, I feel that there is a lot about him that would surprise you. And, of course, others. Perhaps even myself, as we have become quite close with one another.
Though, I also believe we know each other quite well. It helps when one has quite a deeper understanding of another, yes?
[ Their personalities are similar in a myriad ways at times, even with their subtle differences. ]