Fandom Sonic RP (Closed)

[Kumokumo]

Gears whizzed at her response. "H4ppy..?" Metal knew the definition of happy but he'd never really stopped to think about his emotions before--at least not his positive ones. "Wh4t y0u are s4ying is th4t th1s makes y0u f3el..c0ntent?" If only Eggman could see his creation now. The once bloodthirsty, destructive piece of machinery that would take pleasure in stealing candy from a baby was now giving out hugs. Not only that but hugs to a member of Sonic's cr ew. The doctor would more than likely lose his marbles. Metal Sonic was probably one of his greatest weapons against the team--his other creations being destroyed whenever they were built up to the point of actually becoming a threat. "Appr3c1ate..." Again another word he knew the definition of but never used in reference to him. Eggman was never appreciative or thankful for anything he'd ever done. Which was in part why Metal had strove so hard, even to the point of being destroyed multiple times over, just to please his master. To prove he was worth something. Something worthy of gratitude and not just a slave. One could even say that Metal Sonic had once wanted to be deemed something of a son to Eggman--though that ship had long set sail. There was no way that Eggman would ever think of him as anything other than a tool to be used at his own disposal.

"Hey stop worrying so much! It's me Knuckles. I got this." He offers a confident wink, patting his companion on the shoulder as he looks out at the mess he's made. "Ugh, I'll worry about fixing this later. I say we grab that book, head back, and hopefully we can figure out what's going on." Knuckles goes ahead and jumps down, using his gloves as a means to slide down the adjacent walls all the way to the grass below. Hopefully everyone was alright back at HQ! Surely it hadn't been as chaotic as what had gone down over here with Fy.

Sonic couldn't hold back his smile. "I'll catch you later Jazz..for now get yourself some sleep. You've earned it!" The hedgehog knew he shouldn't stay--lest he freak the poor skunk out when she wakes up and there's the off chance she has no recollection of what happened. He quietly leaves the room, as quiet as a bulky werehog can be, then sets out to check on Tails. Surprisingly, the fox answers him on his communicator. How had he not been affected? "Ah right..maybe the book's energy couldn't reach the lower levels of the base--or something." Though the more likely story was that Tails had been exposed to chaos energy plenty before. Whatever the case it made Sonic's life easier. He was done apprehending feral friends today.

"Uuhuh." Binx crosses her arms, trying to fight the amused expression off her face. "Though you came first right? So doesn't that mean Sonic is your doppelgänger?" She was pretty sure she'd remembered that bit of lore correctly. Shadow was kept in some weird capsule for god knows how long until Eggman woke him from his cryptic slumber. "But slow down your ego-wagon, because that also makes you an old man. Which would explain your crusty attitude sometimes." The spider had never thought of it like that before but the parallels were there and undeniably funny. Even if he wasn't technically just this old guy. "Ah, it makes so much sense now! You're like one of those cute little old men that act grumpy all the time!" She giggles at the thought of Shadow bent over with a cane. Like hell she was gonna tell him that tarantulas live stupidly long though, so technically she was also considered 'old'. He'd never let that go!​

 

[Sparkie_Darkie]

Hope could already sense the difficulties Metal’s CPU was encountering when pondering how appreciation and contentment related to his own feelings. If able to, the rabbit would have tears welling up in her eyes. While it seemed like this world’s Robotnik wasn’t hellbent on killing an entire world and its populace, the egg-shaped was just as cruel as ever. “How could someone be so negligent of their own creation?” The thought of Metal’s horrible treatment by someone he should trust…it stimulated a response that Hope had blocked out for some time: the want for revenge and destruction. “It must be hard, not being able to befriend the organisms of this plant or being able to confide in your creator…but do not worry! I will stick beside you…and w3 can m4ke them p4y t0geth3r…”

Fy pushed himself up onto his feet, groaning at the burning sensation in his muscles. When was it last he had to hunt down an opponent like that again? He couldn’t recall, but it was likely when an egg-drone threatened to report back to Robotnik and leak the location of The Resistance’s hideout. That drone was fast, but it of course, couldn’t escape Fy’s fangs sinking into it circuitry and its imminent destruction. “Good times”, as the Doberman would say. Not desiring to be left behind, the canine followed the echidna down the ruins, taking note of all the damage he caused. Maybe he could offer to help Knuckles later with cleaning up? It was the least he could do.

“Old? An old man wouldn’t be capable of pulling off half the stunts I have to perform for a mission’s success.” Front flips, backflips, crouching, sliding—moves that would definitely end an elderly man in the hospital. Not to mention the several heart attacks triggered by being shot at by eggbots or being locked on to by laser beams. “But, if I’m as old as you say I am, wouldn’t that mean you admit to finding me cute? You did say those grumpy old men were cute, so surely you see that cuteness within me, no?” How was the little spider going to get out of this one?​

 

[Kumokumo]

Metal was quiet as his mind brewed. Was he truly finished seeking Eggman's approval? Deep down in his processers, he still craved for validation from his creator. If he had that he'd truly be able to let go of his obsessive need to be better than Sonic because it wouldn't matter anymore. Having Eggman's thumbs-up could potentially sever him from all of that. "0f c0urse, th4t w1ll n3ver occur." All this time he'd held his arms in at his side like a stiff board, as he was unsure of what to do or how to move. However, he found himself mirroring Hope's movements albeit with much hesitation and slowness until his arms were around her. His optics blinked at her words. "Ah, s0 y0u d1d cons1der my 0ffer." He shook his head. "1'm afr4id pl4ns ch4nge. F0r th3 t1me b3ing it 1s much s4fer f0r y0u to r3m4in w1th y0ur 0ther fr1ends. 1 c4nnot ensur3 y0ur s4f3ty if 1 w3re t0 t4ke y0u t0 th3 d0ct0r's lair." He could easily see Eggman ripping that battery right out of her. The thought made Metal clench his fists.

Knuckles was quick to retrieve the cursed book from the ground. Luckily it didn't look like anything was going to jump from its pages any time soon. "Gah! The trouble this wretched thing has caused!" Sonic had undergone a similar transformation before--perhaps he had some answers as to what kind of sorcery was inflicted upon them. Knuckles uncovered the tunnel, staring back at Fy. "Let's go! Ergh, before anything else unexpected happens." Yeah he was definitely done for today. No more surprises!! All he wanted to do was relax, kick his feet up, and listen to nature. He jumped down into the earth.

"Ah shoot," "Hey, but you just proved me wrong right? How could an old man do all the stunts you do? Guess you aren't like them." Mentally the spider was sweating bullets. Her? Find Shadow cute? Never! "You've just got the grumpy and old parts." "Don't poke holes in my logic you old narcissistic fart!" "I know you just want to hear someone say you're cute. You can admit your ego-addiction to me Shadow." Ah yes gas-lighting. That would definitely work.​

 

[Sparkie_Darkie]

…What was happening again? The robot’s weight leaned into Metal’s, her body slumping a tad. There was now a gap in her memory of what two of them were just discussing. It wasn’t a normal occurrence for her memory to slip up like this…how strange! Her head tilted downward as she tried to sift through her files for the last couple of seconds before the gap, but no anomaly was detected. Maybe she just spaced out. Yeah, that’s it. Hope then remained quiet, unaware of Metal’s comments of her statement.

The echidna’s canine companion descended down the tunnel after him. What a nightmare the past hour had been. Fydrick wanted to hibernate again in his bed for a few more years once this spell was undone. Being this large was draining his stamina; especially after he had ascended up the ruins in no time at all. The doggy beast needed sleep before his body refused to inch any further. And food. And water. He needed lots of things at the moment, okay?

“Dammit!” So close, yet so far. He thought for sure he had her cornered into giving him a compliment. Oh well, there would other opportunities…probably. “I do not have an ego-addiction. It’s just your imagination.” He’d never tell her that she right on the money with wanting to be considered cute. Never! He’d deny it until the day he actually got to be a cute, little, grumpy old man. Which would be ages from now, by the way!​

 

[Kumokumo]

The robot regretted not being able to stay longer--though as dim-witted as the doctor was; he wasn't completely and utterly stupid. If he delayed his return any longer there would be a chance he'd be questioned. Metal slowly let go of Hope. "1t w0uld be in y0ur b3st 1nter3st to r3turn t0 y0ur dw3lling t0 av0id 4ny furth3r susp1cion 1 will d0 th3 s4me." Red eyes flickering down at her. "D0 not fr3t. W3 w1ll m33t ag4in so0n."

Knuckles was about in the same boat as Fy. Sure, he was a pretty active guy and oftentimes scaled up and down the ruins multiple times in a day--but not necessarily with the haste of 'a big bloodthirsty dooberman is trying to maul me.' So needless to say he was still rather drained. The echidna was surprisingly quiet on their journey back but that was partly due to the being tired part of his inflictions at the moment.

"Uuuuhuh..sure you don't." Binx had already gone about the room, trying to undo the mess of webs she had made. "Wow..didn't even know I knew how to do that." Sure she had made little things like the string lights--but because of certain things *cough* Amy's disgust *cough* she kind of refrained from ever experimenting further. It was probably the primal instinct the book had infused her with when, y'know, she was going crazy.

---

The next morning was like any other. After some much needed rest, Sonic was out and about surveying the landscape. "Ah, I love the smell of absolutely nothing in sight!' The nothing being Eggman drones, niks, or some random crazy contraption sprung up overnight. By the way, was that what Eggman did? Because if so that's incredibly dumb. "Surely the eggbrain doesn't just pick a random spot in the woods every once and awhile and just works overnight on the latest hot mess of machinery." Sonic did however chuckle at the thought.

The curse, at least for Sonic, wore off sometime in his slumber. Who was to say it was the same for the others though? After all, he'd been through this tap-and-dance routine before. It would make sense that it would be lifted from him first.​

 

[Sparkie_Darkie]

Thankfully, Jazzlyn and Fydrick awoke to their normal selves after that eventful night. And, because of the excitement stirred up from yesterday’s curse, Hope managed to sneak her way back to her room and successfully convince Fy that her systems needed a recharge, so she missed out on all the “fun”. They were all none the wiser. Currently, the trio of dimension hoppers occupied the space in the main room, doing nothing in particular except for staying around each other.

Jazz honestly had no recollection of last night. She simply woke up underneath her desk with room having remnants of pepper lingering in the walls. It wasn’t a problem for her though since she could replace the scent herself. But, that was for later. Right now, she just wanted to remember how exactly she ended up sleeping under the desk instead of in a bed. She also wanted to check in with her teammates so she gathered the group together in the first place.

Fy, of course, remembered everything about the night before. He got transformed, he trashed the ruins, and almost turned Knuckles into a mangled pile of red echidna. Naturally, the guilt hadn’t subsided so easily overnight. He would go find Knuckles and attempt to join him in ruin repair, but he could find the echidna! Even with his excellent sense of smell and tracking abilities, he had no clue where Knuckles was. Without much to do, he decided then to meet up with his team when Jazz pulled him along to do so.

While Fy and Jazz were as composed as they usually were, Hope was internally fretting over her lack of memory for that one instance with Metal. Why couldn’t the data for the moment be retrieved? Were her operations malfunctioning? She knew she’d eventually drop this issue as long as nothing dangerous was detected in her inner workings. Surely, it was nothing to worry about and just a fluke. But she wouldn’t figure out anything until running a diagnostic when she had the chance to.​

 

[Kumokumo]

Sonic placed his hands on his hips, drumming his foot. Everything that could have gone wrong the past few days had somehow come to fruition. It was like some dark deity was looming over them, pointing fingers and suggesting only the worst outcomes in their reality. Though, at the very least, nobody was hurt. That fact was enough to keep the blue hedgehog in his usual good spirits. "How come we always bump elbows with the worst possible problems?" Of course, Eggman, his goons, and other evil entities in Mobius wanted to steal the chaos emeralds for their bidding. He couldn't complain too much; it had been a long time since they had to deal with problems like this. Everything had been so calm for so long. It was almost as though Sonic was losing touch with what having problems was even like! Speaking of problems-- the sound of fast-approaching feet woke him from his solitary thoughts. His ears twitched from the oncoming breeze, setting his gaze hard upon the dark figure standing across from him. "Metal."

"S0nic." The robot tipped a nod to his counterpart, devilishly grinning inside as he clacked his claws together. As each word left him, his head twisted further and further into a more unnatural angle. "L0ng t1me no s3e. H0w h4ve y0u be3n? 1 h4ve b3en pr0p3rly busy pr3p4ring f0r 0ur n3xt m3eting."

The blue blur clenches his fists. "What do you want this time, Metal? I've already told you to keep your nose in your own business--and keep my friends out of it!"

"D3ar S0nic, 4ll th1s t1me y0u sp3nd w0rry1ng ab0ut y0ur so-c4lled 'fr1ends.' Y0u c0uld r3ally b3 w0rk1ng on s0meth1ng us3ful. 1nste4d, h3re y0u are, w4st1ng t1me. Typ1cal."​

 

[Sparkie_Darkie]

The sound of sliding doors catch the trio’s attention as someone enters the room. Oh boy. It’s Shadow, looking as unfriendly and sulky as he normally does. And he’s not even a werehog anymore. Not too far behind, the hedgehog ends up bringing in several other guests that ruin the tranquility the group was having: irritation, fear, and uncertainty. Eventually, the brooding hedgehog stops before the trio, having this air of seriousness about him. “….Morning.” Least he didn’t say anything snarky…yet. Why was he even making an effort to mingle with the group? Two of them understood his distaste for the newcomers while one of them was basically a mute to everyone except Knuckles. Why bother chatting?

Jazz was still miffed at the hedgehog for his hostility he demonstrated towards her group. Still, not wanting to appear as rude as Shadow does quite often, she forces out a reply. “…Hi.”

“Salutations…” Hope was afraid Shadow was secretly plotting to get rid of her since her battery made him so aggressive. Her mainframe whizzed away at calculating the possibilities of the end of this conversation ending with him not wanting to dismantle herself limb from limb.

“…..” Fy waves to make up for his lack of being able to speak. Confusion of the strange mood shift occupied the entirety of his mind. Sure, he heard that commotion the prior day, but he was sure that argument involved the kind spider and the edgy ally. Did Jazz and Hope get roped into it somehow?

Shadow then got himself comfort on couch parallel to the skunk, dog, and rabbit, the atmosphere growing more and more tense by the second. He was going to fuss at them, wasn’t he? Perhaps make them regret accepting Tails’ generosity on that day they met the dynamic duo? What was his motive?​

 

[Kumokumo]

"Humph! Says you. Would it kill ya to do some yoga every once in a while? Might let you vent some of those frustrations you've got there, pal."

"W3 4R3 N0T P4LS." Metal practically spit out the words. His claws raked across a tree as he sped toward his adversary.

Thus it began. The two became little opposing blue dots on the horizon, bouncing aggressively at each other. The back-and-forth dance was only interrupted by Metal Sonic's arms holding back the rapidly spinning Sonic. They were always getting into a stalemate--the only one being able to break them up was Shadow or some particular Egghead with a finger on a launch button. However, this time, Metal had the upper hand. "Just 4dm1t it S0nic. 1 4m b3tter th4n y0u. 1 w1ll 4LW4YS be b3tter th4n y0u."

"Heh! Listen, honesty is one of my best personality traits--I can't go tarnishing that just because you want to hear me say something that isn't true." Sonic managed to jump back from Metal's plowing arms. Now standing with his fists clenched and ready to do some defense. Usually when he came at Metal with words like this it always pissed the robot off substantially more. So now he was just waiting for that anger to strike.

To Sonic's surprise the fury never came. Perhaps the ideals of a certain robotic rabbit were wearing off on him? "G4H!" Instead, the bot stood his ground and glowered at the other. "N0 m4tter. Y0ur eff0rts w1ll pr0ve fru1tless w1th t1me. S00n y0u 4nd 4ll y0ur l1ttle fr1ends w1ll be aw3struck by my p0w3r!" And with a blink, he was gone. The only thing left of him were two shoe-shaped burn marks in the ground.

A friendly face appeared from the double-doors some minutes after. "Hiiii everyone! Knuckles and I made breakfast if anyone's hungry." It was both a blessing and a curse having extra arms--do you know how many times it took her to flip a pancake with one arm and stir eggs with another?​

 

[Sparkie_Darkie]

Fydrick’s tail slapped against the furniture he was sitting on and also the back of his black and white leader, wagging with eagerness. You wouldn’t know it, but behind those shades of his were a look of utter embarrassment. He swore he looked like a tomato to everyone around him as his cheeks were feeling hot. “Not again…”

Jazz gave the dog a rub on the back, chuckling at his sudden excitement. “He can probably already smell the food. Any moment now he’s probably gonna be drooling!” Her head turned in Binx’s direction and she met the spider with a small smile of appreciation. “Hope you both made enough for this big guy. Fy’s like a bottomless pit in the morning.”

Shadow wasn’t really a breakfast person. If he could, he’d skip it to save precious time training or gathering information for the next important assignment. But if today had the likelihood of being just as exciting as yesterday and this new team still had so much mystery about them, it’d be in his best interest to get as much of his energy as he could. “I suppose I could use something to eat…”​

 

[Kumokumo]

Sonic was left alone, dumbfounded by the whole encounter. Sure, it wasn't uncommon for the little rage-filled mech to approach him out of the blue; however, what was strange, relatively unheard of, was Metal holding back his fury. Usually, the bot was a feisty thing, especially when Sonic made jabs at him. Oh well. It didn't matter too much now. What mattered was Metal's statement. Sonic took it as an ominous warning of what was to come. "And what would that even be exactly?" He was going to have to run that up with Tails. Maybe Eggman was plotting something big this time? Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. "I think that's enough sightseeing for this morning. I better let the others in on what just happened!" And like that, he, too, was gone with the wind. The only thing hinting at his previous presence was the stirring of leaves.

"Oh believe me, we're set. These boys eat like there's no tomorrow! Knuckles and Sonic alone eat enough to feed a small village." She didn't have too much room to talk. There have been times, especially after sleeping for a long period, Binx herself ate more than her weight's worth in food in one sitting. "The kitchen is this way."

In said kitchen, Knuckles was heaping pancakes on platters. Adorning an apron and wielding his spatula like a weapon. The look in his eyes was serious; as if making breakfast was part of his mission.​

 

[Sparkie_Darkie]

Fydrick’s tail refused to stop its wagging frenzy even when they got to the kitchen. By then, the drool definitely started. The scent of all those delicious pancakes made his mouth turn into a waterfall. Not wanting to appear without manners, he did his very best to conceal his excitement. But those yummy pancakes almost made so impossible to do! “So many pancakes…! Gotta eat them all…!”

Despite her lack of a need for consumption and nutrition, the rabbit also had excitement towards the event. The concept of food fascinated her so. Why were there so many kinds when some are statistically better options than others? Why were some foods associated with different times of day? The topic baffled her but also brought her a thrill that came with learning something new. “Pan…cakes? Pancakes…! I want to examine this ‘pancake’!”

While the others were distracted, Jazzlyn had pulled Shadow to the side, letting the others head off to the kitchen without them. “I need to speak with you. Now.” Her voice was hushed and stern, her intent to converse with the hedgehog in private being conveyed.

If this was anyone else, the antihero would have yanked his arm out her grasp, insulting her seemingly to no end for handling him in such a way. But Shadow did originally plan to somewhat interrogate the party before Binx had lured them all away with breakfast so he saw this as the perfect opportunity. “…Make it quick. Those pancakes will vanish in a matter of seconds if we don’t return in time.” And with that, Shadow found himself being maneuvered away further from the kitchen and the other members of the base. “What are you planning, skunk…?”​

 

[Kumokumo]

"We got pancakes, vegan bacon, and eggs." Knuckles went ahead and piled a big ol plate and set it in front of the excited doggo. Listen, he could tell the guy had an appetite as big as his and that Knuckles would surely put to the test. He then turned and tapped his spatula on the food sprawled out on the counter. "What are you all staring at? It's not gonna jump up and bite you." Basically shoving plates in their hands.

Binx took note of Shadow and Jazzlyn leaving the room, but didn't think much of it. "Maybe they're gonna reconcile?" That would be good. Any distrust within a group was bound to cause issues so the quicker they got that all wrapped up the better. Instead of getting herself all fluffed up and worried, she decided to wiggle her way over to where Hope stood, tapping her lightly. Hope was becoming almost like a safety social blanket for the spider--even though they'd just met. "If you want something to do later, we can bake some cookies or brownies."

"You guys are just lucky Sonic isn't back from his run yet. He's a bottomless pit, especially when it's hot dog day." Ah yes, Sonic was an infamous hot-dog bandit around these parts. His criminal activities peaked around Knuckle's grill and unsuspecting weenie stands in town.​

 

[Sparkie_Darkie]

The canine gave a very appreciative nod towards Kunckles…and proceeded to start going to town on that generous plate of breakfast goodness. It was like a massacre! Those poor little pancakes, bacon, and eggs never stood a chance against the dog’s never ending appetite. If you didn’t know better, you’d think the man was starving himself. Fy was the equivalent of a black hole as the food moved so quickly from the plate to his mouth that it might as have flown inside, entering the dark void with no Hope of return.

‘Cookie’…’brownie’…she’d heard those terms before. A certain pink hedgehog had mentioned those items while reminiscing on times seemingly long gone, before the war began. Even with knowing that these were objects of edible components, Hope had never gazed upon such delicacies. Thus, she nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! We shall perform the activity of baking! But first, you must assist on my research of the ‘pancake’.” Currently, the rabbit had a pancake in her hands, holding it like it were a book of sorts that would reveal its fluffy secrets.

Once at a fair distance from the kitchen or any other people dwelling in the base, Jazz released Shadow and stared him dead in the eye, determined about something. “Look. I understand you aren’t really fond of me or my team, but how you acted during our last encounter was not okay.” She didn’t hold too much of grudge, the blame she pinned on herself still residing inside her. But just because she made a bad decision, it wouldn’t mean she’d be willing to be the punching bag for Shadow’s outbursts.

That’s it? This is what was keeping Shadow from sinking into pancakey goodness? “Is that all you came to discuss with me? Certainly this could have waited another time—“ He was cut short, interrupted by the skunk before another word could slip from him. How rude! Who did this skunk think she was anyway?

“‘Is that all?’ Of course not! I wouldn’t bother you if I didn’t have a greater plan to this. No, what I wanted to discuss is how you owe my teammates an apology. Specifically, Hope.”

An apology?? What nonsense! Shadow saw no reason to take back his statements. Their presence was a threat to Mobius. He’d never take back anything while speaking with honesty. Crossing his arms, his words were riddled with arrogance. “Oh, really? And what makes you think I’ve got something to apologize for, hmm? I merely spoke the truth. A truth you don’t wish to accept.”​

 

[Kumokumo]

Binx smiled and offered a little explanation. "A pancake is made with flour, egg, milk, and baking powder as the main ingredients." She counted on her fingers with each item, waving her other hand and appendages in unison. The spider very much encapsulated that one anime character that gets super passionate about an explanation. She might as well have gone ahead and whipped out some nerd glasses and a diagram. "Though there are other fun things you can add in for more flavor. For example, I like to add a bit of vanilla extract and pecans to my pancakes to add flavor. Oh and berries can be a nice touch too! Syrup is used as a 'dressing' over pancakes but it can often be too rich. But if you add berries it can negate some of the overpowered sugary-ness." As sweet as the spider seemed, she actually wasn't a huge fan of sugar--her preference leaning more towards savory.

"Jeez pal, you'd think they were starving you." Knuckles chuckles heartily, patting the dog on the back. "Don't choke yourself. The food isn't gonna disappear. Unless you do choke, in which case you'll be shoving pancakes in the afterlife." There had to be pancakes in the afterlife right? He'd never thought about it before but it would suck to be trapped in an endless cloud or void with no yummy things to chow on. How else were you supposed to pass the time?

Sonic, as if eavesdropping on the conversation. "Shadow doesn't know how to apologize." He wags his finger. "It has something to do with that huge ego of his." "Though you know what they say about guys with big egos!" "I agree with Jazzlyn. I think you should apologize, at least to Hope. You were the one that made her run away after all." "Aaallso I gotta tell you guys about the bigger fish we're gonna have to fry." "Also, as a side note, I had a ..'run-in' with Metal today." There were visible scrapes on his knees--nothing at all serious. A scuff here and there as well as a couple twigs in his quills.​

 

[Sparkie_Darkie]

“How intriguing! This pancake truly is a versatile piece of edible substances!” She enjoyed how educated Binx was in the matter of pancakes. It was nice to see that the spider could be relied upon when performing studies as important of breakfast foods. But then the robot’s ears flopped a little, her eye light curving downward to communicate disappointment. “I wish I could taste a pancake for myself. Or any food for that matter! I do not possess a mouth or tastebuds so I shall never know such a sensation. It’s moments like these where envy Mobians for being made of bones and flesh.” The thought of being a regular rabbit crossed her CPU. She’d calculate how average her life might be, pondering about living in a village where she could spend the rest of her days in simplicity and participate in activities she never needed to in her robotic state.

Eventually, the cluster of food on his plate had completely disappeared. The dog didn’t even leave crumbs behind. He truly enjoyed the meal that much, didn’t he? You didn’t even have to acknowledge his tail flailing about again to see how content he was. If possible, he’d praise Knuckles and Binx for such impeccable work, but he’d prefer it if they both remained unaware of his teeth condition. Sure, the teeth weren’t as gnarly while he was transformed by that dark energy, but there had been numerous times Fydrick would smile too wide and someone would faint or scream in terror. He didn’t wish to expose anyone to that experience again.

Both of them were a bit caught off guard by Sonic’s sudden interjection. But the mention of the menacing machine diverted their focus away from their brief conversation. They reacted in unison. “Metal Sonic?”

“That’s a name I haven’t heard of in a long time! Last I heard of, he was…actually nevermind that.” Jazz thought it’d be wise to store that information for now, not wanting Shadow to comment on what she was going to tell Sonic. The news of Metal being replaced with Hope spread like wildfire through The Resistance, causing everyone to be more alert. Thankfully, all that worry was washed away when it became clear that the rabbit would never fulfill her former function and was far less dangerous thanks to that.

“What was she going to say?” A note the hedgehog kept to himself for now. More secrets he’d have to pry out from the group on another occasion. “It’s clear you got into another intense battle with him. But usually you’d be in far worse condition. Did something different occur this time?” From how little wounds the blue blur carried, it merely looked Sonic might have slipped up and tumbled down a hill in the woods, not a fierce showdown with Metal Sonic.​

 

[Kumokumo]

Binx blinked over at Hope sympathetically. Although she didn't quite relate to her in that aspect, she did understand what it was like to feel outcasted. "Hey, the grass always seems greener on the other side. I wouldn't let it bog you down! There are plenty of super cool things you can do that none of us can't. It's just why we're all different--we all have our strengths and weaknesses. Sounds cliché, but if we were all the same we'd be kinda screwed. I mean, imagine if we were all like Knuckles." She smiles to convey her playful intent. "There'd be no more breakfast foods in all of Mobius!"

"Hey!" Knuckles shot her a fake 'hurt' expression. "You forgot to mention that there would be no more bad guys either!" The echidna nodded in affirmation of himself, crossing his arms. There was no doubt Knuckles had confidence of his own capability. He'd clear out all of Eggman's punks within a week! Ah, if only he had an army of Knuckles clones.

"I was thinking that too. Metal seemed.. off the script today to say the least." Sonic offers a sheepish shrug. He had no clue as to why the robotic menace was behaving so strangely, but it didn't seem to be a threatening sign. Did it? "He seemed pretty in-character with the banter--but I could tell he was holding back his strength." "Why is that?" It wasn't likely the mech had some dramatic change of heart or something. That would be ludicrous. "I just hope he isn't planning something." But Metal Sonic never hesitated to battle it out in the past, even if there was some other menacing plan up the road. It was all just mind-boggling.​

 

[Sparkie_Darkie]

Hope giggled, her giggling underlined with a buzz that was soft on the ears. Being Knuckles sounded pretty neat to the rabbit. She could glide around in the sky and dig for treasure if she so desired. She would even be able to have an important job: protecting the master emerald! But despite her seeing the benefits to being the brawny red echidna, she did understand the primary message of her sweet spidery companion. “Thank you, Binx. Your kind words mean a great deal to me!” Her ears perked up instantly as her blue lights curved upward in a “smiling” expression.

Fy grabbed his plate, rising out of his seat and making his way to the nearest sink. While he couldn’t show the spider and the echidna his gratitude with words, he figured that he could clean up the kitchen and wash some dishes to show appreciation for the wonderful food. “I should…help out…” Even the lovely breakfast didn’t cause him to forget about last night’s fiasco and his lingering regret. He really needed to find a way to make it up Knuckles. He wanted to right his wrongs one thousand times over!

“An unlikely possibility for that piece of scrap metal. Since when isn’t he plotting anything?” Everyone was well aware of Metal’s strong desire to surpass Sonic. It’d be highly unlikely that the metal speedster wasn’t generating a new plan that would surely be foiled by the blue blur once again. But it was just as unlikely for Metal to withhold his true power against a foe like Sonic. Whatever was happening, it probably wasn’t good.​

 

[Kumokumo]

"No problem!" Binx went ahead and grabbed herself a plate, piling some berries on. She figured she would help clean later after grabbing a bite. Knuckles was doing the same, grabbing a few pancakes and pouring syrup. He had not the faintest idea what Shadow and Jazz were out there talking about. Of course he didn't see them leave--but they must have considering they were the only two missing. The possibilities made his eyes narrow. He wasn't one that liked to be left out of the loop of things--something that often occurred given he was always away digging or guarding the master emerald. Ah, it just couldn't be helped. "Did you notice Jazzlyn and Shadow leaving? Wonder what they're talkin about."

Sonic shrugs once more. "I can't put my finger on it..but you just had to be there to understand how different he was behaving." He puts a hand under his chin, as if mimicking some detective in a thriller movie. "One second he was normal, and the next he was holding back out of--mercy? Heck, I don't know. It was waayy off." The idea that the robot could be capable of such an emotion was ludicrous even to Sonic. But that's really what it had seemed like to him! And if it was mercy they were talking about--it was a feeling Sonic was most familiar with. "I've already told Tails, and he's going to try to keep an eye out on surveillance. I say nobody goes outside alone until we figure out what's going on."​

 

[Sparkie_Darkie]

A mere sigh was exhaled by the robot, it being laced with exhaustion and guilt. “They are most likely discussing last night’s incident regarding Shadow’s behavior. I do not think it is anything to fret over. Knowing Jazzlyn, she will not bother escalating things too far with Shadow since she knows how outclassed she is when it comes battling with him, verbally and physically.” Hope then delicately tore her fluffy pancake in half as she spoke, seemingly amazed by how the breakfast food behaved in her hands. “After all, Shadow assisted her in honing her gunslinging abilities in our dimension. She is familiar with his expertise on some degree.”

Jazzlyn gave a nod in agreement, not having any problems with this plan. It’s not like she had been dying to explore this new world and its endless possibilities. She’d rather stay in the base, doodling the day away or even start brainstorming on what to do about the war that was waiting for them when her team would return. If they even could. “Sounds good enough for me. I’m sure we won’t have to worry about anyone leaving alone…long as Shadow learns how to ‘play nice’ with others…” Her side eye was aimed at the dark hedgehog as she mumbled her last words. After he caused Hope to flee into the forest alone, he had better get his act together and not have repeat of last night.

The glare might as well have been thrown at a wall since Shadow paid it no mind. “Hmph.” The hedgehog crossed his arms and proceeded to walk away from Sonic and Jazz. He felt like he didn’t need to stay any longer than he felt was necessary. “If that’s all, I’m heading back to the kitchen. I’ve been kept away from those pancakes and eggs far longer than I would prefer.”​

 

[Kumokumo]

Binx did feel a shred of remorse for Shadow, given their conversation last night. So she had somewhat forgiven his behavior--though that didn't mean she was going to stand idly by if anyone were to call out her robotic friend again! She just hoped that everyone was at peace for now. "Lets hope there's no more drama. Especially after last night--I'd say I've gotten my fill of drama to last me the next month."

"Did you say pancakes?" Sonic practically shot like an arrow from his spot to the kitchen. The sudden appearance of the blue hedgehog probably startling a certain spider, who was wide-eyed and had tucked her fuzzy limbs in to her chest on instinct. Sonic didn't seem to notice this and promptly began serving himself under the narrowed eyes of Knuckles. The echidna rolled said eyes and proceeded to clean the kitchen. "Ah, you're back." Knuckles huffs a little bit. "If only you'd stay gone a little longer!" "Anything interesting to note on your joy run this morning?"

The hedgehog swiped a dribble of syrup that had managed to stick to his fur. "Not too much. Other than the fact that Metal and I had a little dance competition." Before Knuckles could say anything else he added. "Don't worry, I'm not hurt too bad." He winks. "Though it was a pretty odd encounter! Usually we both end up with a lot more scrapes and bruises. This time he didn't stay for a fight."​

 

[Sparkie_Darkie]

Hearing Metal being brought up in conversation created a brewing feeling of consternation in the mecha rabbit. “I do hope that Metal was not badly damaged by their encounter…though he appears strong enough to withstand Sonic’s abilities. Surely he is in adequate condition!” But hearing that the robotic hedgehog hadn’t engaged in combat melted all her worries concerning Metal as her gears whizzed in jubilation. Had he decided to embrace a more merciful approach to foes? While it was hard to imagine, Hope desired for that to be the case!

Luckily, Knuckles wouldn’t have as much to clean up after since Fydrick had tidied up a good portion, but not the entirety, of the kitchen. Oddly enough, the canine didn’t make so much of a clatter during his operation. After all, the Doberman was set on cleaning the area with as little noise as possible so he didn’t take any attention away from the conversation the group. Fy returned to his chair, quietly, and directed his focus to the blue hero that was retelling of his morning run.

A few seconds after Sonic’s sudden entrance, Shadow and Jazzlyn arrive behind the speedy hedgehog, both not being in a particular rush to join the gang. The two exchange glares of annoyance with one another before departing into their own sections of kitchen space, Jazz residing close to both Fydrick and Hope, and Shadow approaching the array of breakfast cuisines. Naturally, he steered clear of his rival’s path as he assembled his plate and took root in a spot further away from the others.

Jazz then asked a question that wasn’t directed at anyone in particular, sending it out for anyone to answer. “Does this kitchen have a coffee machine? I could go for some caffeine right about now.” Out of nowhere, she received one half of a torn pancake, curtesy of the rabbit sitting next to her. Puzzled, but not wanting to argue with the reason why she was gifted the severed pancake piece, she took a small nibble of it before understanding that Hope just wanted to feed her the pancake since she’d probably only eat this slice of it if coffee was going to get involved soon.​