sranks | ROLLING AROUND AT THE SPEED OF SOUND

[Life has finally begun to settle again after the body swap; it may have taken at least a week for Sonic to actually want to be separated from Neo for any amount of time, but he's finally accepting that Neo is back, and Neo isn't going anywhere this time. It's been a lot off of Sonic's shoulders as well as Neo's, and life has begun to settle back into something of a rhythm.

What's shaken it up this time is only a good thing, for once; Sonic doesn't always check the new arrivals when they come on it, but a familiar mass of black fur had arrived and Sonic had been outright jazzed to see such a familiar face.

Shadow seemed to be from a further point in time than Sonic when they got the chance to talk, but that was fine; Sonic didn't mind finding out about some of the other things that had happened. Wild shit, just another day ending in Y for Team Sonic, if he's being totally honest. Still, even he couldn't hide his excitement at seeing an old friend, and he was more than happy to help Shadow get adjusted. Along with an apartment for himself; the landlady's at least happy to have a slightly less chaotic hedgehog to have to worry about, if nothing else.

But Sonic has also let Shadow kind of do his own thing, too; he knows the guy will need to get somewhat adjusted to this place at his own pace, no matter what that takes. But today at least, they've arranged some time to spend together while Neo goes out to do something with Beruka, so!

Have one knock at the door, Shadow.]

Hey, Shadow, it's Sonic! You in?

[Shadow isn't exactly pleased to be here. Sure, he understands the people of this world need otherworlders to help them, and he could have been dragged here at a worse point in time, but that doesn't change the fact that he's entirely out of his depth. This world is home to a great many more humans - so much so that it's a little surreal. He almost misses Rouge. And Omega. He definitely misses home, because at least things made sense back home.

But Shadow keeps his thoughts to himself (though they are clearly visible on his face) and does his best to understand the situation here in Ellipsa. Returning home isn't an option until the world simply decides to send him back, so he may as well get comfortable.

Some time ago - a time that isn't really all that long ago, all things considered - he would have wondered why he was called here to save this world. Now... well, he supposes he understands. He is pretty powerful, after all.

Thankfully, there's one familiar face here, and Shadow was perhaps a bit too relieved to learn that Sonic has been dragged to this world as well. Sure, things don't exactly line up neatly - he doesn't remember several events that Shadow does, after all - but he's here and he's still Sonic, and that alone means this world is in good hands. Not that Shadow would ever freely admit that, of course, but who can argue with Sonic's track record of saving the world?

Sonic's also been content to allow Shadow to approach this at his own pace; the hedgehog never smothers him and doesn't drown him in information. Shadow is ultimately fairly similar to a cat; he likes his space, and if he's choosing to share it with you, then that means he likes and trusts you. It seems even without all of his memories, Sonic understands that much.

They're supposed to meet up today, and Shadow gets the door when Sonic knocks.]

I am, yes. Did you think I would stand you up?

[He rolls his eyes at that and pulls the door in, you can come in, if you want. Or we can go out, he's not picky.

It probably isn't a surprise at all that Shadow's room has barely seen any changes from the default. He hasn't really been here long enough to decorate it, and even then he prefers utilitarian spaces over anything remotely "homey". The couch may have more blankets and pillows than are strictly necessary, though.]

[Sonic can't help but grin when he sees Shadow; sure, things don't line up, but this is still the guy who he thinks the world of. Someone he never thought he'd see again, and someone who seems to be doing so much better now than he was. Even if the pieces of the timeline don't line up, how can he be upset when Shadow seems so might lighter than he has been in so long?

The words get an easy laugh as Sonic's eyes briefly dart to look at Shadow's apartment, but he's back to Shadow in a moment as his arms go behind his head easily]

Not even a bit! I just figured you might've gotten a head start on finding somewhere nice to go, that's all!

[He'll gesture with his head though; come on Shadow, let's go into town!]

But come on; I know a good place we can go get lunch and talk a bit! My treat. It's been way too long since we've gotten a chance to just shoot the breeze, y'know?

[He's not going on ahead of Shadow; he'll match his rival's pace, but Sonic seems more than genuinely excited.]

[Off we go, then! Shadow will keep pace with Sonic, but he's definitely letting the blue blur take the lead here. He's been here long enough to have a decent idea of where things are in the nearby area, but anything outside of that is still a learning process.]

Hmm. True enough.

[Sonic was locked up for six months and Shadow was off doing his own thing, so like. Yeah. It's been awhile. He glances back over at Sonic as they walk.]

What do you remember happening last? I'm not entirely sure how much you've forgotten.

[Or how much further ahead Shadow is in the timeline, both are very real possibilities here.]

Oh, yeah. Been a few months since it happened, but I pretty clearly remember just getting done running off with Tails and Knuckles after we stopped Neo from trying to take over the world.

[It gets something of a shrug out of Sonic, but he's still smiling; he's never really been too fussed about the details of everything. Sometimes these things just happen, you know? Admittedly Sonic only really has had secondhand experience up until this point from Dotty and some of the others, but...

At any rate, Sonic will gladly bring Shadow over to one of the outdoor food stall conglomerates at the park; there's a nice place for them to sit and everything, away from other people, and Sonic's got himself and Shadow some food to enjoy. Sonic's treat.]

From the sound of what you were talking about, though, [Sonic immediately goes for something to eat, flinging a bite sized morsel into the air and catching it in his mouth before chewing and swallowing.] it sounds like waaay more than just a couple months passed back home, yeah? Unless, you know. It's really just been that eventful and the Egghead's decided to go into overdrive or something.

[It takes Shadow a moment to connect the dots - that he means Neo Metal Sonic and that it was that long ago for him. It feels like a lifetime ago, and in some ways, maybe it was. He was a completely different person back then, after all.

Shadow follows and takes a seat when Sonic does, still lost in thought. He only looks up when Sonic finishes and then he exhales.]

A lot has happened since then, yes. [Exactly how long has it been? Idk man who knows.] We'd be here all day if I were to go over everything, but rest assured that everything has ultimately worked out for the best.

[...Though.]

The most recent events I told you about... I suppose it's better for you to hear it from me than anyone else. The Doctor did succeed in taking over the world - he held you captive and the resistance struggled for six months before you were able to get free to assist them.

[Straightforward and to the point as always, with no attempts to sugarcoat it. Shadow doesn't know all the details, exactly, but better for Sonic to hear it from him than someone else.]

I figured! You know I'd come running if you said anything else. Much as I like this place, I wanna keep you guys safe, too.

[Sonic's always been reliable like that; he'd absolutely let Neo and Dotty know at least before he left, but even now, he loves the world he came from. He could always come back here, after all; if the world was truly in danger, nothing could stop him from going to save it. That's just who Sonic is, at the end of the day.

Sonic flicks another treat into the air while Shadow talks, fully intending on catching it in his mouth, but...

The most recent events I told you about... I suppose it's better for you to hear it from me than anyone else. The Doctor did succeed in taking over the world - he held you captive and the resistance struggled for six months before you were able to get free to assist them.

Sonic seems to outright startle at that, the finger food long forgotten as it lands on the ground and Sonic just kind of lets that sink in a bit. Sure, it sounds like everything worked out; Shadow would have almost certainly wanted to bring him back if this was still a problem, if Eggman was still causing problems like that. But knowing that he succeeded and even managed to keep him captive...he's not sure what it says about him, that it's that last part that manages to actually shake him a bit. The fact that Eggman succeeded was bad enough, but...

Sonic manages a smile on his face, but Shadow can probably tell better than anyone that it's...well, a little forced.]

Huh. Well! [...Sonic doesn't even flick one of his finger foods into the air at that, and he's gotta say something. At least before Shadow catches on--] Glad to hear it all worked out, in the end. What did the Egghead even manage to do, though? Did he get access to something?

[How do we make sure he doesn't get access to it again is the unspoken question on Sonic's mind, and he's not sure if he's shaking nearly as much as he feels like he is. Still, Sonic's at least trying to fake an easy smile, but he does look pretty serious despite it.]

[He can tell. This is why he was hesitant about bringing it up initially, because Sonic is going to have a difficult time with it. Of course he would, who wouldn't after hearing their enemy all but won? Shadow does Sonic the courtesy of only glancing over at him for a moment before turning his attention away, as if he's more focused on their surroundings than on the fact that the other hedgehog is having a crisis.]

I don't know all of the specifics, but it would seem he created an incredibly powerful item and imbued its power into a person. Infinite was capable of using illusions to fight, essentially creating an army for the Doctor as well as sending familiar faces at you to fight.

[But the most important thing is...]

He was defeated, and his Phantom Ruby seemed to have consumed him. That specific threat is unlikely to happen again, unless the Doctor finds another willing host for such an experiment. Given its failure, I doubt he will return to it. The world has since been freed of his iron grip, and the resistance is working on rebuilding.

[So the hard part is really just starting, but at least Eggman's no longer a threat.]

[Sonic appreciates Shadow; he may see through Sonic more clearly than most, but he never brings it up unless it's truly necessary. Sonic isn't a guy who needs to be treated delicately, he can roll with the punches pretty well, but...there are times where he doesn't actually know what to do. He's always faked it until he made it.

Still, Sonic eats while Shadow talks, mostly so he can actually ruminate on this while he tries to grasp the whole situation. Illusions, huh? He could see where that would be a problem, but the idea that Eggman became so strong that he managed to take over the world...he doesn't like it. There's a lot of reasons he doesn't like it, truth be told. If he's that powerful now, what does that mean for him? Even if he discards this, he could always go back to it. What does it mean for them?

...What does it mean for Neo? Could Eggman just do something like that again, and could he just force Neo back under his control? The world he's tried so hard to convince Neo of the good of...all of his progress, will that just go away?

But Sonic listens to Shadow, and his gaze is determined by the end of it as he nods. It isn't lost on Sonic how much Shadow himself has had to deal with, either, and he seems a lot more resolved. Anxious, maybe, but for Shadow's sake...]

I'm glad to hear it. What comes next isn't gonna be easy; people are gonna have a lot of wounds that need licking, and they're gonna need all of the help that they can get. They're over the hardest hurdle now, at least, but...man. I had a feeling the Egghead would figure something out, but finding some kind of vessel for something like that...I'm glad it backfired on the guy, but eesh. Kind of sends chills down my spine hearing about it...

[He can at least admit it to Shadow, that it...kind of freaks him out, in his own way. He always downplays it, but Shadow knows him. Somehow, he knows him even better than he can imagine, and it's...

...It's honestly nice.]

...How are you doing after all of that, Shadow? [He doesn't want to focus on himself, even if he knows he should.] I take it they must've sent some pretty nasty stuff your way as well, yeah? You didn't get hurt by 'em, did you?

[Ah, there's that determined little fire in him. If anyone hurt or locked up Shadow there's gonna be hell to pay--]

[Shadow nods at the first part, and chances a glance over at Sonic during the momentary pause. The hedgehog looks to be taking this about as well as he can be; it's a lot to throw at him with very little lead-up, but it simply wouldn't be Shadow's way to try to soften the blow any further. It's going to be a lot to handle because it is a lot to handle. He's sure Sonic isn't taking it much better even after living through it, though he's hardly had the time to sit and talk with the other hedgehog about any of it.

Some part of him wonders if Sonic will remember this conversation when he returns home and catches up to where Shadow is in the timeline. He decides to dismiss the thought, because the idea that Sonic won't remember any of this in order to ensure their timelines match up is something he isn't going to deal with today.]

You know you don't need to worry about me.

[The deflection is immediate, and probably expected. Shadow huffs a sigh, returning his gaze to the path before them.]

I did have to fight as well, but you had the tougher battle. I faced Infinite before he had his power; the battle was forgettable.

[Harsh, but unfortunately true. Shadow's raided plenty of Eggman's bases and Infinite simply didn't stand out as all that noteworthy. Maybe he should have; after all, it's not often Eggman has a person guarding his bases instead of a robot.]

I'm unharmed, though. You'd know if I was.

[It's not quite an apology for the immediate defensiveness, but it is an affirmation of what Sonic already knows. He knows Shadow well enough to see right through him; if he truly was hurt after all of that, Sonic would have noticed it immediately - and then would have proceeded to never let him out of his sight again until he was healed, but thankfully that isn't what happened.]

[...Faced Infinite before...]

...Wonder if the Egghead found him before or after that... [Sonic admittedly hasn't bothered to ask too much about that, but it still makes him wonder...it was more likely after, if he had to guess. But still, Sonic nods, a little more firmly this time.] It's good to know, though. I mean, I kinda figured I might be able to tell, but with there being such a big time gap in how long we've seen each other, I guess I...

[Mmm. Sonic doesn't like thinking before he speaks. He really is taking more after Neo with the time he's had around him, overthinking like this. Sonic manages to chuckle a bit, shaking his head as if to clear the thought out.]

Good to know my confidence wasn't unfounded! Juuust wanted to know if I'd need to kick the Egghead's butt a little harder next time, for good measure. [Sonic grins, but Shadow of all people knows that Sonic means every word of it despite the light tone.] But hey, thanks for getting me caught up on everything. Might've been a little hard to hear, and I'm gonna need to go talk with Neo once I get back to the apartment, but I really do appreciate you always being so honest, y'know? It's why I think the world of ya.

[And it's back to tossing treats in the air, after that, and Sonic catches the next one in his mouth easily.]

How are you doing here, then, if ya don't mind my askin'? Find anything worthwhile to occupy your time with, Shadow?

[Shadow elects to let the first part go; surely Sonic won't need to know anything about Infinite and this will never come up again, because why would this world ever want to drag Infinite here?? It'll never happen.

Anyway, Sonic moves on and Shadow nods; he knows Sonic means it. Sonic will always do what he can for his friends, and though Shadow may grouse about it, he knows he's lucky to be counted among that number. And speaking of friends...]

Neo? You have a roommate?

[...The connection here goes sailing over his head because surely it couldn't be Metal Sonic because that would be a scrapped robot. Anyway!]

I've been looking into familiarizing myself with this place; there are some interesting people here. There's also this world's strange magic... there's plenty to keep me occupied for the time being.

[He knows Sonic wants to make sure that he's not antsy about being stuck here, so he's doing what he can to alleviate Sonic's concerns.]

Sounds like you got a lot to do, then! Tell me about some of the interesting faces you've met, yeah? If any of 'em get the Shadow Seal of Approval, they're bound to be someone interesting to meet!

But hey, if you're ever up for testing out that magic, I'd be happy to test it out with you. Maybe a little battle, for old time's sake.

[Sonic admittedly knows jack and shit about his own magic even still now, but Sonic breaks out into something of a silly grin. Shadow really is having fun here--it means they can all have a good time here. Maybe Rogue and Omega can show up and he'll have more of his friends, but...

Shadow seems happy, and it makes his chest feel light. It's fine, right? It's one of his best friends, and he's happy. Of course Sonic can feel this way.

But, ah--]

Oh, yeah! I didn't get the chance to tell you, did I? [Sonic chuckles a bit when he says that much, though a hand goes to rub the back of his head and...are his cheeks turning a teeny bit pink?] Some, uh. Some stuff happened here and Neo's more than just a roommate, actually--more than a rival even, too.

He's my boyfriend, actually! We started living with each other a while back and we've been inseparable since!

[He's making a mental note to come back to the first topic of conversation later, both because it is a valuable one and because Sonic deserves to know the people Shadow has found some kind of kindred spirit in, but also—]

You... have a boyfriend.

[Sonic?? The hedgehog??? Is dating????]

...I see.

[NO HE FUCKING DOESN'T???????]

This "Neo"... tell me he is not the robot I'm thinking of.

[SONIC PLEASE HIS BRAIN IS ALREADY BREAKING, HE CAN'T HANDLE HEARING THAT YOU'RE DATING THE ROBOT WHO REALLY WANTS TO KILL YOU.]

[...Should he...not have said anything??? Sonic's look slowly shifts to slightly bemused confusion as Shadow seems to process what he's hearing, and Sonic laughs again.]

Yeah, I didn't expect it either! I mean, I've spent so much time rejecting Amy and I thought she was the only one who'd ever be interested, because I really never had a lot of interest, and--

[Shadow's last words get Sonic's attention though, and with all of the casualness one would expect;]

I mean, I could, but that'd be a lie? [...] Neo and I have been dating for...eesh, feels like months now! But you're thinking of the right guy!

[Sonic says this in the most :D tone in the world, oblivious to Shadow's pain.]

[..............this is so goddamn much, hold on—]

I see.

[NO HE STILL DOES NOT, ACTUALLY?????]

How did that happen, exactly? I assumed he'd want to kill you on sight.

[try not to make it sound like a tragic accident, shadow, jeez,]

Oh, he definitely wanted to when we first met--

[Surprisingly, Sonic's actually pretty forthright about talking about what happened; sure, it means talking about some of the uh, clumsy attempts at communication and some of the month long silence...and that stupid festival, but...

Sonic doesn't go into all of the sappy details, even if his eyes have lit up in a way very few things do. They've lit up like this in fighting with Shadow before, but it stays sustained this time, that bright, fervent light as Sonic finishes his explanation.]

...It took us a real long time to get to this point, and there were, uh. A lot of things that really brought us closer together, even if it wasn't intentional. But Neo's really changed with time away from the Egghead, honest! You should see him now, Shadow--he's still more than strong enough to take on everything and keep up with me, but he's got his own way he's forging in life now, just like you and me!

It's something I'm really happy he's found for himself, more than anything.

[...]

But...hey, uh...you alright, Shadow...?

[That's...

That's a lot to take in. But the more Sonic lays out about it, the more sense it makes. Sonic wanted Metal Sonic— Neo to find his own way in life, to be free from Eggman. Neo fought it until finally giving in and agreeing that he wanted to be his own person, and with it they forged a relationship built on trust and mutual understanding, something that wouldn't have been possible back home. But because they're here, away from Eggman and the rest of Sonic's friends, things were able to work out like this.

It's... a good thing. Objectively, it's a good thing for Neo to become his own person and want to leave Eggman's service. It's likewise a good thing (objectively) that Sonic has found someone he cares for and wants to be with. These are facts.

...So why does Shadow feel vaguely frustrated about the whole thing? It isn't as though he has any reason to believe that Neo is going to stab Sonic in the back - if he wanted to, he would have done it far earlier, after all. So no, it stands to reason that the situation Sonic has told him about is exactly as it seems, and without Eggman or anyone else here, it will likely stay this way for the foreseeable future.

...

He kind of wants to punch something, and punching Sonic will not solve whatever's gone wrong in his head.]

I'm fine. [Moving on—] I must admit I'm curious about how much he's changed from the last time I saw him. I'll speak with him when I see him.

[...And...]

I wouldn't have expected anything like this, but I suppose I am pleased you've made the most of your time here.

[Objectively speaking, it is a good thing, and he can acknowledge this much.]

I think he might like that! I mean, he'd probably wanna see how he stacks up in comparison to you, too, but I figure that's just kind of another day ending in Y, yeah?

But I really am glad to hear that. [Sonic rubs the back of his head a bit, an embarrassed chuckle leaving him.] He's become something real precious to me. It's...kinda why I wanna make sure he knows about what the Egghead could do, now, so we can be prepared for it if we end up going home. But I'm real happy with him! Guy really knows how to make me feel light as air, and I never really thought I could feel like that. It's a great way to spend time when I'm not hanging out with friends like Dotty and Charlotte and Yeager!

[But despite Sonic's jubilation, he...kind of does look at Shadow a bit, kind of staring at him and kind of wondering if he really is okay. Sonic's not entirely sure if it's something he's said, but Shadow seems more...tense, than anything?

Hm. Maybe a distraction is in order--]

And you too, once you get used to how things go around here. Now that you're here, I wanna catch up and show you all this place has to offer! Obviously I don't wanna occupy all of your time, but I really am happy to get to hang out with you like this!

[Sonic really does seem happy, and that is a good thing. It's unsurprising that Sonic has made quite a few friends here as well; he's certainly had plenty of time in this strange world, after all. So all of this is a good thing. It's just going to take a little bit to get used to it, Shadow thinks.]

Hmph. You won't occupy all of my time, don't concern yourself with that. For now... show me where your favorite place to eat is.

[Is he going to regret this when Sonic takes him to a chilidog stand? Yeah, probably. But here we are anyway.]

Gladly! It isn't that far from here, actually, come on--

[It's almost on impulse that Sonic offers a hand to Shadow, and he doesn't think too long on why he does. He's just offering his friend a hand up while he goes and absolutely takes him to the local hot dog stand. They make the best chili dogs with the GOOD chili shadow, come on!!!

(Just don't think too hard about the fact that Sonic isn't the one who lets go of their hands, it's fine.)]

ROLLING AROUND AT THE SPEED OF SOUND

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