sranks | ROLLING AROUND AT THE SPEED OF SOUND

ROLLING AROUND AT THE SPEED OF SOUND

( catchall for some dumb hedgehogs
also seasons tdm link for reference! )

[It doesn't take long for Neo to collect the ingredients required for the antidote. He's quick, efficient, and extremely skilled at combing through data for exactly what he needs, so it takes less than twenty minutes to obtain both the information he needs and the ingredients. Still, it feels entirely too slow and he finds himself missing his original form. The heightened speed would be preferable compared to his strength now that he's no longer fighting. If he had a Chaos Emerald, he could warp using Chaos Control (taken from a certain Ultimate Lifeform) but he doesn't, meaning he has but one choice and that's to rely on his subpar speed.

It isn't good enough. He isn't good enough.

Voices catch his attention as he enters the apartment building, jetting up the stairs with ease to land on the floor. His gaze pierces the walls to locate the lifeforms in his own apartment - still two heartbeats. Good, he finds himself thinking. After all, Sonic isn't allowed to die yet.

Despite the urgency of the situation, his steps slow as the words start to register and as he recognizes that they're talking about him. Eavesdropping is not something he needs to do. If he needs an answer, he can simply ask a question. There's little point in listening in on conversations that he has no part in.

...And yet.

The more Sonic speaks - obviously he's still suffering with the effects of the poison and his injuries, meaning he is not quite in his usual state of mind - the more Neo wants to simply spike the ingredients into the ground and leave. It's not like it would be difficult. He's done the bare minimum to keep Sonic alive; someone else could handle the poison. It doesn't have to be him.

He doesn't have to fuel the hedgehog's misguided belief that he's a friend any further.

It takes him a moment to realize he's simply standing there, claws shaking from how hard he's gripping the herbs and bottle of panacea - and yet he hasn't managed to break them despite the blinding, all-consuming heat that threatens to overload his systems.

He has a voice now. He can enter the room and tell Sonic just how wrong and stupid he is for believing in something so utterly nonsensical. He could prove it, just by stabbing the hedgehog in his already-mangled ribs and putting an end to him - temporarily, sure, but one he won't soon forget. It's almost frustrating how easy it would be to prove him wrong. Why would he even want to consider them friends, of all things?

...And yet.

Neo doesn't bother to hide his footsteps as he enters the room. Let them know he's coming so they'll keep such stupid thoughts in their heads.]

Here. The requested items.

[His voice doesn't reflect any of his internal struggle - but then, why would it? He isn't organic. It's remarkably easy to hide everything behind the familiar lines of code that dictate his behavior in any and all circumstances.

Neo takes up a spot against the far wall, unblinking red eyes boring holes in Sonic's skull like maybe he can just beam his thoughts directly into his counterpart's brain without having to say a single word at all.

It doesn't matter what Sonic thinks or feels, or how truly misguided and stupid he is. If he wants to be wrong, then so be it. It will only make it easier to kill him when the time comes.

For now, Neo can wait.]

[Sonic hears Metal's footsteps, and Doctor Weissman straightens himself up easily as the metal hedgehog enters the room; they both cease the conversation easily, and Sonic finds himself chuckling idly before coughing again, wheezing hard from all of the talking.]

Easy, Sonic. Get yourself some rest. [The Doctor goes over, rightfully intimidated by the large metal hedgehog and takes the ingredients with a nod of the head.] You have my thanks for your hard work. I will get the antidote prepared for him; it shouldn't take too long, and he should be cured within a few hours.

[The good Doctor works fast; perhaps even faster, though not sloppily, while Sonic just kind of idly looks over at Metal. Huh, it's weird...Metal's gaze is usually pretty piercing, but somehow it feels even moreso than usual. Maybe he's just imagining it, though. He's surprisingly comfortable otherwise, and doesn't really devote a lot of brainpower to it.

Once the antidote is finished, Sonic ingests it with a slight gag at the bitter taste; the Doctor explains to both of them the state of Sonic's injuries, and that he'll definitely be bedridden for a little while, and while Doctor Weissman's Spring alignment healing has helped with a majority of the injuries, Sonic's going to need to stay in bed for a while so his body can heal. Sonic makes a bit of a face at it, but he at least agrees to stay for the amount of time needed; he leaves both Sonic and Metal easily, though he'll at least be easier to contact if things get worse. There's no mention of any bonds between them; it's very business-like and professional, and he's on his way in an instant afterward.

Sonic, at least for his part, relaxes just a smidge once he's gone.]

Bleh. I hope I don't ever have to taste that again...guess that'll teach me to underestimate those Octofish again.

[Neo remains motionless after handing over the ingredients, simply watching. Though his gaze primarily remains on Sonic, those eyes occasionally do flicker toward the Doctor's work until he hands over the antidote and takes his leave. Assuming his work has been as efficient as anticipated, Neo will have to thank him properly later. There's no need to be rude, after all.

Still, leaving Sonic in bed for any length of time is going to prove a hassle. But that's a hassle Sonic himself can deal with; he doesn't need a babysitter. The worst is over. Sonic is not at risk of dying now.

For a brief, blessed moment there's silence. And then Sonic opens his mouth.]

You— [it sounds like the grinding of metal-on-metal despite the fact that neo doesn't have teeth to grind] could have gotten yourself killed from that little stunt. What were you trying to prove? That you are stronger than me? That you are capable of more than I am? Was it your desperation to defeat me again that drove you to act so rashly, so recklessly?

[...let the man have some time to recover, neo, good god—]

[...

i can't even say the risk sonic took was calculated, this man's never passed a math class in his damn life--]

Wh-- [neo for fuck's sake his head's still mildly hazy, what the fuck--] Woah, woah--hold on! I-- [cough] What do you mean? I wasn't trying to prove anything!?

Then why did you feel the need to jump in the way of that attack?

[Neo pushes himself off the wall and stalks forward, only coming to a halt when he's right up in Sonic's business, jabbing a claw at his organic counterpart's chest (while notably not actually stabbing him, thanks for that one saving grace, Neo).]

You know as well as I do what I am capable of. An attack like that would be nothing to me. I have been battered by far worse and remained unscathed. You have tested the limits of my capabilities time and time again, and yet—

[He retracts his claw, forming a fist almost as though he plans on striking Sonic before he suddenly withdraws, cape swirling behind him as he turns.]

You aren't allowed to die to something so lowly.

[Sonic's shaking. He's not entirely sure why, but he's never been particularly good at hiding his emotions, and now's no exception. If anything, Sonic seems angry, an emotion that's almost foreign on him, and while it's weak, Sonic manages to raise his head up getting right into Metal's business in kind.]

You aren't--you aren't either, you big metal lughead!?

[Sonic attempts to rise more, with only a painful wince forcing him back down, but his own look doesn't abate even slightly.]

Look, I thought I could take it! I know you're more durable! But at least if I got hurt, I could get fixed up nice and easy by the people here!

What if that thing managed to land a clean blow on you, huh?! Eggman ain't here to repair you if you go and kick the bucket!

Edited (tensing my arch nemesis.........) 2024-12-18 05:05 (UTC)

[Neo pauses for a moment. He has no need to compose himself because that would imply that he's having feelings - which as established, he does not have - but something in Sonic's voice implies that his counterpart is, and that's...

Strange.

He finally turns his head enough to look over one pointy shoulder, gaze flickering over Sonic's physical state as if he needs to stare him down to determine the extent of his injuries. He hasn't truly agitated anything despite his outburst, anyway. Neo doesn't need to take this long to establish that.]

Unlike you, I cannot truly "die". If I am completely destroyed and nothing remains of me, then the Doctor will simply rebuild me.

[Though there's a part of that he doesn't say - after all, how can he possibly express that Eggman has no reason to keep his newfound rebellious nature? He would return to simply being Metal Sonic, and his memories of this time, this attempt at ending Sonic's life, will be deleted. Perhaps Eggman will even ensure Metal's loyalty next time.

...Perhaps he wouldn't even still be the same "Metal Sonic" anymore.]

This still does not explain why you would worry yourself over me. In case you've forgotten, you've done far more damage to me than most anything else could.

[Not that he likes acknowledging Sonic's superiority, but he has been beaten into scrap more times than he really cares to count. But each defeat has only led to him coming back stronger and faster, better prepared for his eventual success against his hated rival.]

Yeah, but I ain't ever really killed you. Even when you tried that whole world domination thing.

[...]

You forget the fact that Eggman isn't here, in this place. And who knows how long we'll be stuck here for? I couldn't find anyone with any experience with robot stuff like he's got--a lot of it's stuff I'd usually leave to Tails, but he ain't exactly here either. If you go here, who's to say that you're not just gonna be gone for good? And...

Would it really even be you that comes back, if Egghead did go and remake you?

[The anger in Sonic's kind of died down at this point, and it's more of a genuine bit of questioning at this point. Sure, this world is nice and all, but it's got a lot of things that don't make sense, either. A lot of things Sonic doesn't understand, no matter how hard he tries to put his nose to the grindstone.

Besides, he's not gonna just go and say the actual reason. They're not friends, no matter how much Sonic at least one-sidedly considers Metal something of one. They're enemies, pure and simple. But they're rivals too, and while Sonic's got plenty of those, they all have a say in how they live their lives.

Can Metal really say the same of himself?]

Edited 2024-12-18 05:20 (UTC)

[Would it really even be you that comes back, if Egghead did go and remake you?

Perhaps it was a critical mistake to assume that any "death" of his in this world wouldn't matter. After all, he isn't organic, like so many of the other beings brought here. Would he be brought back in the same way they are? There's been no information on other robotic beings brought to this world that he could find. There's no other test cases. So if Sonic is right, and if his complete destruction here means that he can't come back through magic like the rest of them can...

Then would he still be Neo Metal Sonic, if he was remade by someone else?

Theoretically, someone with the correct knowledge would be able to rebuild his core components, thus restoring his databanks and memory. With the same knowledge and memories then yes, he would have to be the same person. But Eggman - for all his many flaws - is a genius. Though Sonic's companion Tails may eventually grow to match the man in intelligence, even he cannot possibly do what Eggman could, which includes building - or in this case rebuilding Metal Sonic. So what are the odds that someone else here would have the correct knowledge, because neither Sonic nor Neo himself could provide it?

There are hundreds of thousands of other worlds out there. Perhaps someone could be found that could repair him. But it's equally likely that they couldn't.

This is going in circles. It is pointless to speculate on it, because it didn't happen. He is still in peak condition, and he has the means to repair most problems that could arise; it was one of the first things he did on arriving here. So all of this is pointless.]

Why does it matter? It would only be beneficial for you to rid yourself of me permanently.

[And that's... a good question, really. He hasn't forgotten Sonic's words from earlier, but surely even an idiot (like Sonic) can see that his life would be much easier without Neo around.]

[...

There's a lot of things that Sonic could say to that, and perhaps for once in his life, Sonic's mouth doesn't immediately open to form some witty retort. Mostly because it involves addressing actual feelings, and while Sonic's always been a guy who wears his heart on his sleeve, it's...

Is it really fair to Metal, who's never had his own life to lead? To keep impressing his own feelings on him like this, when the robot hasn't had anything to call his own? This is way too much thinking for Sonic to be doing, and part of him just wants to flounce out of this conversation and pretend it never happened. They can go back to hating each other and being rivals, and maybe eventually, things will go back to the way they should be.

...But is keeping this from Metal fair, either? Gah. Sonic hates thinking about this. He doesn't think, he feels.]

...What do you want me to say here? That I think you should go and die because it'd make my life easier? Is that what you want to hear?

[Sonic sounds so tired. Metal can probably smell the burning coming out of Sonic's ears from overthinking. Ugh, how does Metal do this?]

Because that ain't it at all.

[Apparently this question requires thought, something that he wasn't sure Sonic was capable of doing. Neo waits for the answer though, because... because he wants to know. Because maybe it will make things make sense again so he can stop treading the same pointless circles in his thought processes. If there's one thing he can count on, it's that Sonic is, and always will be Sonic.

And then Sonic goes and says that and Neo considers throwing him out the window.]

Why...

[The sound he makes is something like a crackle of static.]

Why don't you see me the same way I see you? Am I not enough of a threat to you? Am I still that far beneath you?

[There's no more heat in the words at all, despite the fact that there really should be some considering the subject matter. He's just downright baffled because this doesn't make sense. Sonic should hate him for what he's done, what he's capable of, and what he will do in pursuit of his goal.

...Sorry for forcing you to have a thought, except he's not sorry at all, get used to it.]

You are a threat. You're a threat to the whole world if given enough time to prepare yourself and get it in your head to do so. I ain't gonna deny that for a second. If anything, I'd say you're literally only second to me, in a lot of ways, and even then, it's only barely.

[Sonic pauses for a moment. Coughs a little bit, because he's been doing a lot of talking, and it is still agitating his injuries whether he wants to admit it or not. He's more than willing to admit that yeah, Metal does match him in a lot of ways, and that he continues to push him harder and harder--hard enough to make things fair, at least.

It doesn't hurt Sonic's pride to say that, not really, at least. He'll always keep pushing to be better, but it's...]

Why do you want me to hate you so bad, huh?

[ah yes, it's like two wobbuffets using mirror coat on each other

...But no, Sonic's genuinely having a hard time trying to properly put any of this to words, stop making him think asshole???]

[Ah, acknowledgement. It rings hollow right now, but hearing that his concerns of not even registering as a threat to Sonic are unfounded helps, he supposes. Sonic considers him a threat. Second only to Sonic himself.

...This conversation is completely pointless. They aren't getting anywhere with it. That's made all the more clear when Sonic dodges his question and asks one of his own, and Neo's almost petty enough to do the same in return, except...]

Because that's what makes sense.

[That leaves him before he can put a stop to it. The downsides of having your voice attached to your brain is that sometimes the words happen without you really preparing to loose them into the world. Whoops.]

We are enemies - that's all we've ever been and all we ever will be, regardless of the circumstances of this world. My primary objective is to destroy you. I will pursue this until you lie dead.

[And yet... his programming also said he should remain loyal to Doctor Eggman. He's already proven he can change his programming if he really desires. He cast aside that loyalty in pursuit of his primary objective, but today he denied that objective. Today he saved Sonic despite every single piece of programming and line of code dictating that he should do otherwise.

Neo Metal Sonic is a product of that code.

...Isn't he?]

[We are enemies - that's all we've ever been and all we ever will be, regardless of the circumstances of this world.

...Sonic knew this, and it still stings a bit to hear. But perhaps surprisingly, it actually gets him to laugh a bit. It almost sounds...bitter.]

Hey, as long as it's your decision to do so, then that's cool. I can accept that.

[...]

You deserve a life that's your own to pursue, no matter where it takes you. I mean...I'd like it if it was away from the Egghead, sure, but even if it's only for now, you're free to do what you want. You could even kill me right now, if you wanted. I'm kinda surprised you haven't. Here I am, weak and bedridden from doing something stupid, and you haven't even gone for the clear shot in front of you.

[There's something off about that laugh. It isn't the signature laugh that he's so used to hearing. And yet he can't even begin to analyze what emotion might have been changing it, because Sonic continues and Neo—

Neo's turned back around and closed the distance between them in a heartbeat again, claws going for the hedgehog's throat.

...And yet.

Sonic will not die in this world. He will come back. It's pointless to kill him. Neo will not truly prove he's superior, that he's the real Sonic, if the real one just returns to life like nothing happened.

Sonic, for some inexplicable reason, wants him to live his own life, regardless of what it may entail. Even if it means killing him. The complete lack of self-preservation is baffling enough on its own, but knowing that his counterpart wants something so... so organic for him is just baffling.

Neo's claws click together as he snaps his hand into a fist. He doesn't stab Sonic.

Instead, he turns to leave. There aren't any words to explain anything that just went through his head or why he won't kill Sonic, because frankly, he's not even sure how he's explaining it to himself. So what if he comes back after death here? That just gives him ample time to ensure that the death sticks back home. He has time to prepare and plan for the perfect moment, the one that Sonic won't see coming. He has time to fight, to find those weaknesses that he can exploit and study all the data he can gain from combating Sonic over and over and over again.

He's known this since he first heard it. And yet he never once considered it, and even went so far as to save his loathsome copy.

Asking why is pointless, now. It's over and done with. Just like this conversation.

Neo turns on his heel and storms off, not even bothering to shut the door behind him. So what if it's his apartment? He hardly needs to rest, and he can obtain more supplies to attend to his upkeep elsewhere. He just... He needs to get away from this. He's put entirely too much processing power into questions that don't matter and what-ifs that won't happen.

Who cares about what Sonic the hedgehog wants for him? He certainly doesn't.]

[Sonic doesn't even flinch when Neo closes the distance between them. At this point, it's deserved; they've both talked so much trash at each other that this feels more normal. More than anything, Sonic is kind of hoping for them to go back to some form of normal, and he closes his eyes.

Part of him knows he won't die. Neo wouldn't have gone this far if he actually intended to do something. He could just put a hole in Sonic or do all sorts of things, and...

Yet, he doesn't. Sonic opens his eyes as he watches Neo go out of his own apartment, and that bitter laughter comes out of him again. How stupid of him. It's his apartment, he should have just told Sonic to get out. Why didn't he?

...

Why does it...hurt, almost?

Sonic's not going to worry about that. There's a world that needs saving, and he's still got recovering to do on his own terms. He doesn't even care that he's walking wobbly at this point as he gets out of Neo's bed, forcing himself into the long walk back to his own apartment.

It's a shame, but it's Neo's decision at the end of it all.]

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ROLLING AROUND AT THE SPEED OF SOUND

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