[Sonic listens to that, purring becoming a little louder in the face of Neo's attention to his quills. He already knows a fair bit about the panel in the back at least, so it at least makes sense to him already given that he's done basic repairs.]

Makes perfect sense to me. I guess in a way, it's like...it's like your head and your heart? [Sonic places a hand on Neo's chest, as if to emphasize it.] Like, that's what it'd be on us. So as long as that can be preserved, you can come back in some way...

[Sonic considers that for a moment. He doesn't know which to think of as which, but it does make sense to him that Neo's memories would be important. After all, memories make a person just as much as their living, breathing body. But Neo's programming...Neo's programming is just as much who he is as his memories.

...Sonic hopes it never comes down to having to choose, because he does worry it wouldn't be the same, complete Neo that he knows without it. Even if he wonders if freeing him from that would be better.

Sonic discards that.]

...I promise I'll keep you safe and learn everything I can. I'll rebuild you from scratch if I gotta. Just means I'm gonna need to really hunker down and start learning more, huh? [Sonic grins just the slightest bit at that.] I don't want you to be anything but yourself, after all.