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 takes about a week of digging before concrete evidence of a monster comes out.

Sure, it's not a bad week; Sonic doesn't mind letting Neo have all of the time of his life taking him out to some of the food stalls that he enjoys, and letting him experience all sorts of new and amazing things that Sonic commits to Neo's databanks. It really is so nice to see him free like this, but given the problems that this bodyswapping poses, it's definitely appreciated when they get an actual lead.

From what the lady at the church and her friend said--apparently her name is Amaya, but she'll always be 'church lady' to Sonic, he never caught the tentacled man's name, though it didn't matter much when they were swapped--it was a rather fearsome foe with very powerful magic. A few more experienced outsiders have already tried taking it on, to ill effect, but Sonic could already tell that they didn't have the synergy needed to make a proper team. It was unfortunate, but there was a lot of info to be gathered that Sonic could store in those databanks for Neo and pass on.

They're outright suggesting that only the best of the best fight this thing, and it doesn't take long for Sonic and Neo to come up with a plan. After all, who could be more synergistic than the two of them? Two rivals, one literally made from the data of one, and the other literally the fastest thing alive who's taken on world ending calamities? Including his boyfriend? This'll be a piece of cake for the two of them, and they can reap a nice reward to go out to the arcade again. Win win situation!!

Sonic's still getting used to using Neo's jets to travel around, but of course, Neo gets to the monster's location before him--just a little ways away from the strange, new monster. It almost looks human, but with multiple arms and many magical weapons in it's hands--it almost looks like some kind of fucked up centaur, really.]

Alright, so. Go over the plan one more time with me, Neo. I've got myself primed and ready to go, so you just say the world and we'll send this thing packing back to the farm.

[Neo had hoped he'd be back in his body within a matter of days, but as time passes... he's starting to find it easier to adapt to Sonic's body. Sure, there are still plenty of fundamental problems he's not sure he could ever get used to - he is so woefully inefficient with needs such as hunger and sleep - but being able to feel and experience so much is truly wonderful. He tries new foods with Sonic, he goes out to practice running - actually running instead of using his jets - and it doesn't take him long at all to replicate Sonic's spin dash, as easy as if he'd been doing it his whole life. It feels amazing.

...Some part of him doesn't really want to go back, if he's being completely honest with himself.

He could never admit that to Sonic. He could never be that selfish to begin with either; it's merely a passing thought that terrifies him and one that he's quick to put out of his mind. They're going to return to their original bodies, and they'll put this behind them just as they always have. There's no point in dwelling on it, or wishing that he could keep parts of this for himself.

Truthfully, Neo's been so distracted by all of these new experiences that he hasn't really been focused on gathering information. He can't help but feel bad about it when Sonic comes through with a possible solution, and feels even worse when he considers telling Sonic that it would be smarter for someone else to take this thing on. Sure, they're an effective duo, but they won't be fighting at peak efficiency in each other's bodies. It would be smarter to have someone unaffected take down the monster, or at least a larger group to fight alongside.

Or maybe that's just how he's justifying it to himself to stay in this body for just a little longer. It's that thought that spurs him to agree and formulate a plan. So here they are, with Sonic arriving after him. He's certainly going to miss Sonic's speed, and the feeling of the wind blowing through his quills...]

Of course. From what I've been able to gather, our foe excels at both ranged and melee combat, switching between its weapons as needed. The best way to handle it would be to force it to switch between the two - it will leave us an opening to attack. As such, drawing its attention would be the best way to proceed.

[Usually that would be his job, because he's slower and bulkier; he can even shrug off magical hits fairly well. But...]

I'm not entirely sure how hard it hits. We'll need to be careful.

[Sonic finds himself standing up straighter, a little more confident as Neo lays out the plan for him. It makes sense--it's like waiting for his opponent's to grow stronger, adapting to the changes and making up new strategies on the fly. It makes complete sense to Sonic, at least, and he nods his head at Neo.]

Makes perfect sense to me! You're perfect at coming up with these as always. I'll make sure I'm nice and careful. Promise.

[And it is stated with that same devotion that Sonic's become very fond of giving to Neo--he's not going to die here today. He's got Neo's analytics at the ready, and he's here to give this thing a rude awakening--and considering that it's back is turned, they'll get the first strike easily.]

Let's do this, Neo!

[And with blasters at the ready, Sonic is off--the monster is quick to respond by sending a blast of ice in his direction, but he dodges it easily as he spindashes into action around the monster, beginning to strike at it properly and waiting for Neo to join the fray. It's certainly not a slow and lumbering creature in the slightest at least, so Sonic's perfectly entertained for now and tries to do his best to confuse the monster.

They just have to work in tandem, and this will work. Sonic has all of the confidence in the world.]

[Neo nods at that; Sonic's confidence is certainly appreciated because his own is rather lacking. He knows Sonic's fighting style better than anyone else so he should be able to replicate it as needed, but perhaps they should have sought out weaker enemies to test themselves on first... Oh well. No point in thinking about that now.

Sonic charges in to grab the beast's attention, and Neo charges a spin dash to come sailing in, striking a hard kick into its side. Unfortunately, the attack really doesn't hit like any of Neo's own would - that's the disadvantage of being in a fleshy body, you really do not hit as hard as a metal one. Sonic's homing attacks do better damage though, and those are thankfully easy enough to pull off even with just his memories of his rival's moveset to draw on.

Still, Neo is mindful of where the thing's attention lies. He moves to put some distance between himself and it to ensure that its eyes are on Sonic, and he waits for the perfect opening.]

[Sonic's confidence is soaring as the fight continues; they're both getting good damage in by his perception, and if anything, Sonic's more than pleased that Neo seems to be doing so damned well in this fight. Maybe it's overconfidence, but the creature seems to get slower as the fight wears on, switching between melee and magic fast as it can, though giving them plenty of opportunities to land hits in. Sonic thinks they have this in the bag, truth be told; he'll make everything up to Neo later, since he knows he'll likely miss all of the physical sensations later.

He still has so much to look into for Neo, after all. He wants Neo to have the best possible life, and there's so much more they can still do together. With Neo by his side, he feels like he can do anything.

Of course, that overconfidence is going to spell something bad momentarily--the centaur-like monster lets out a hideous roar, all of it's physical weapons turning into magic energy to charge what seems to be one last attack.

It's been keeping track of who's more of a threat, after all. And sure, Neo has all of the speed at his disposal that he can use, and the monster is more than aware of that--but it's going after the one who's hitting harder. The one with entirely too much confidence in the situation, who's charging up another attack to finish it off.

The creature attempts to knock Neo back as it takes aim with several spears of ice from all sides that are more than prepared to collide with the quickly moving Sonic, who hasn't fully realized just how badly his doom is spelled for him. But those spears are closing in fast, and an attack like that, well...

It's almost certain to be fatal, if something isn't done.]

[The monster is weakening. It may not be the easiest battle, but it is one they'll surely win. Maybe he was worrying for nothing; after all, they do know each other better than most people, and they're doing a damn good job at this. Soon they'll put an end to this beast and go back to the way they're supposed to be.

It'll be worth it just to see Sonic's smile again. He's missed all the little quirks and expressions his organic counterpart has that he can't quite replicate in Neo's metal body. No matter what he may think about returning to his shell, he can hold tight to that. Sonic deserves better. This is for Sonic.

But speaking of the blue blur, he's got that thing's attention and while Neo's waiting for the perfect moment to hopefully finish the job... well, it would be impossible to miss that the beast is preparing an attack. Even as the fastest thing alive, Neo barely has time to register what's going on.

He knows his own body better than anyone else, and he knows what he can take. The magic this beast is capable of has already been rather impressive, but this? This attack will undoubtedly destroy that metal frame. What was it Sonic had said, back then? Neo can't recall the exact words, but he remembers how Sonic worried about what would happen if Neo couldn't be repaired. How it had never even really occurred to him that someone might miss or even mourn him if he were truly gone.

But it isn't Neo in the way of that attack. It's Sonic. Sonic can't die - he won't let Sonic die. The one advantage he has over everyone in this fight is his speed, and Neo makes use of it now, before he can take a moment to think any further.

All that matters is saving Sonic.

He bodies into Sonic at full speed, aiming for his center to knock him both off-balance and out of the way; with that much force, that should be far enough away to avoid the attack entirely. Sonic will be safe.

As for Neo... Well. He knew exactly what would happen the moment he decided on this course of action. But how could he do anything else? How could he stand idly by when his beloved rival is in danger? And maybe his immediate, innate reaction is one that wasn't born solely of his own mind, but of Sonic's own tendency to push his metal counterpart out of the way of attacks.

The spears come crashing down - Neo doesn't even have time to make a sound before they've stabbed into him, dissipating on contact, but leaving behind far too many bleeding wounds.

In all his time in Sonic's body, he's never actually felt pain before.]

[Sonic realizes just a few moments too late what's happening--those popups that he usually ignores have finally become overwhelming, forcing him to realize the danger that he's in. No matter what he tries to do, he can't course correct, he can't, he has to try and endure this, but there's just too many of them coming at him. There's too much, and...

Sonic's pushed out of the way in a familiar gesture that makes something in his chest sink. Funny, how familiar this feels--as the spears whizz by his head, disappearing as soon as they hit their target.

Their target. The--the target, the one that was meant to be him, the one who's--]

NEO!!!

[No. No, no, nonono, no, this can't be happening, this can't--Sonic manages a horrific scream somehow, one that manages to startle the monster for a moment before Sonic finishes it off--perhaps a bit more brutally than intended, he's pretty sure he heard something crack but that's not the priority. That's not the priority right now, he can deal with that and the blood on his boot later as he flies over to Neo's bloody, rapidly declining, fleshy body.

Sonic's never seen so much blood before. Honestly, he wasn't even sure he had that much in him, but he watches it spill from Neo and everything in him is telling him to do something. Everything, every pop-up, every reminder, every fiber of his being is, and he starts to pick up Neo's bloody body, and--]

Neo--Neo, please, speak to me--please, I'm sorry, please speak to me--

[Sonic's voice is desperate and frantic in a way it's never been before. He needs to move, he knows that, and he cradles his beloved's body as he tries to get him up off of the snow, off of that deep red snow, and the guilt threatens to consume him alive.

He did this. He got Neo hurt, all for the sake of getting his body back. He got Neo hurt. He got Neo hurt, he's so stupid, he just wants everything to be okay, he just has to find a doctor. He's not sure what these signs he's reading are all about as he analyzes his own body are telling him, but everything's going bad fast, he knows it as he starts to rocket away with his beloved's body.

He's trying so hard to convince himself that everything will be okay, but there's a rapidly sinking pit in his stomach. He did this to Neo. He did this, it's all his fault, he has to make it right.]

Stay with me, Neo. Please.

[Neo barely reacts. He makes an unconscious, pained sound as he's lifted, but remains limp in Sonic's arms, still actively bleeding out from those injuries. Bluntly put, he's likely to die of blood loss before Sonic can get him back to civilization, even if Sonic were to change forms or shapeshift into his own speedy form.

It's... strange, how empty his mind feels. Sure, he can feel the pain - searing, near all-consuming and vibrant in the same way all other physical sensation feels - but it almost feels secondary to how clearly he's thinking. He did exactly what he set out to do. He protected Sonic from the attack. Sonic's safe. Yes, that means that Neo likely won't survive (and that he really destroyed Sonic's body, whoops) but it's a worthy trade. Besides, it isn't as though he'll stay dead. Though admittedly, he's not sure how that will work given he's not in his own body right now... but those that die in this world return through magic. He'll come back.

Neo has no regrets. He'd do it over and over again, as many times as necessary, as long as it means keeping Sonic safe. He'll even take the pain if it means protecting the one he loves so dearly.

Eventually it occurs to him that he isn't actually dead (yet) and that Sonic is talking to him and he should probably try to respond, though it takes a bit to get his mouth working and words to happen.]

I'm— glad you're safe.

[His eyes are glazing over, but he tries to keep his focus on his boyfriend. Strangely, it seems like the pain is actually fading? That... probably isn't a good sign, but then, he knows exactly what's happening. He doesn't have long.]

[Neo's bleeding out all over him now, and he must look like a mess. That's the furthest thing from Sonic's mind as he forces the robotic body to go at full speed, not even thinking about shifting forms because he can see it, just in the distance, they have to make it a little further--

But Neo speaks up, and Sonic's optics go down to him, and he's realizing he's never watched anyone die before.

It's horrible to watch the life begin to fade from someone's eyes. It's awful, if he had a stomach he'd probably be sick right now, but everything in him goes full tilt. He has to save Neo. He has to, he has to, it beats like a desperate drum in his head that a miracle can still happen, but...]

Keep talking, Neo. Please. We only have a little more to go, we just...we need to make it a little longer, I...

[Sonic's never watched someone die before, and everything in him feels like it's breaking, and he can't stop, he can't stop.]

I'm sorry, Neo! I'm sorry for this--this stupid plan! Please, just hold on a little bit longer for me, I'm gonna get you help--I'm gonna make up for this, I swear--

[They have to make it.

(They're not going to make it, and the realization is rapidly hitting Sonic that he doesn't have much time left, even at his full speed. Deep down, he wonders if this was the same desperation that Neo felt when he recklessly took that attack so long ago.)]

...I love you so much. Please don't go.

[A little longer. Oh, it would be nice if he could hold out for that long and someone could fix up these injuries, but that's just not possible. Not after suffering damage like this. He can't even determine exactly how bad it is without his usual metrics to check, but given the immense pain, he can only assume that there simply isn't any coming back from this.

Shakily, he raises a hand to Sonic's cheek. It takes a tremendous amount of effort to even just do that, and he can do little more than brush his fingers over his boyfriend's cheek before his arm drops back to his side, completely exhausted.]

Don't—

[apologize, this isn't your fault—

He doesn't have time to express that. He needs to be efficient with what little time he has left. He can comfort Sonic later, he can assure and reassure him that this wasn't his fault, that he did nothing wrong, but for now—]

I told you— I'll... find a way back. No matter... no matter what. Just...

[Oh, his vision is going. Oh, that's really not good.]

Promise me... you'll wait.

[Just a little longer. He just needs a little longer, to express how much he loves his boyfriend, how much he means to Neo, how much he's changed his damn life and actually taught him how to live—

But there just isn't enough life left in this organic body. Those words will have to wait. Neo dies in Sonic's arms, only vaguely aware of their surroundings, that they'd actually made it back to town.]

I'll wait. I'll wait forever if that's what it takes, but that's not...it's not...

[Sonic makes it to the city in time, and he dares to hope for a brief second that he can still save Neo. That there's time, that there's still something Sonic can do, and Sonic looks down and makes the gravest mistake of his life looking at his boyfriend's dead, limp body in his arms.

Sonic doesn't even intend to stop, really. He ends up slowing, bit by bit as the horror of it all hits him. Neo's dead. Neo's dead because of him, because of his stupid, boneheaded plan. Sonic killed Neo in the worst possible way, and--

Sonic can't even cry. He can't even properly mourn in this body, as much as he wants to. There's a long while where he's just on his knees on the ground, shaking a body that won't wake like this is a horrible nightmare that he just can't awaken from. It doesn't take long for someone to find him, Dorothea coming up hesitantly and attempting to speak to him.

"Neokins...Neokins, what are you doing on the...?"

It's when Sonic's gaze goes back to her, and there's just something in his eyes that really signals that it's Sonic as he looks to her, distraught, horrified, and...]

Dotty--Dotty, you have healing magic, right? Please, Neo's not waking up, he's...he's...!

[Dorothea takes shaky steps forward, her own expression paling as she looks at what happened to Neo's body down there, and there's no gentle way to put it. She's gentle with it, but she looks right over Neo's body and she looks to Sonic grimly and apologetic all the same.

"...Sonny, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. There's...there's nothing anyone can do at this point.

He's gone."

Sonic can't cry, but the anguished noise he lets out is more than enough to make up for it.

Neo is dead, and it's all his fault. Just as his life had begun.]

[It takes quite a bit of doing to get Sonic back to the apartment. Dorothea's devastated on Sonny's behalf once she gets the full story, as much as she wants to chide him for his recklessness--how much he could've hurt a lot of people if something happened to him, too. Thankfully, Dorothea is a woman with basic levels of tact in her, so she doesn't bring it up with Sonic. How can she, when he's beating himself up so badly for it in the first place? He's already learned his lesson in the hardest manner possible; there's no need to make this worse on him.

(She's already had to tell Hubie to not even think about bringing it up, even if she agrees with him that what they did was reckless.)

Dorothea doesn't mind helping Sonic, though; it's a little bit to adjust to, living at Sonic's admittedly a touch messy apartment to keep an eye on him, but she doesn't really mind it too much. Sonic's more than gracious enough of a host within his means; he gives her the couchbed while he sleeps near Neo's charging port, and something about that hits her as so sad. It's really the only familiar piece of anything he has of Neo, isn't it? The guy wasn't exactly very attached to much, after all; no real items of his own except those glossy stickers that joined Sonic's own on the apartment door.

It takes three days for Sonic's body to swap back to his more mortal one, and Sonic continues to sleep by Neo's charger even when he can feel the pain of sleeping on the floor now.

He doesn't talk much, and it makes Dorothea sad; Sonny's always been such a bright, spunky kind of guy. He never really seemed to get so down like this, but she doesn't mind helping him out a bit. She talks at him whenever she has to go out and get food, and she doesn't even make too much of a fuss when Sonic apologizes for taking up so much time. He's a dear friend of hers, after all. And she's certainly seen one too many of her own good friends back at the academy die, as well.

It's around a week in and Sonic's still not doing much, but there's a knock at the door that gets Dorothea startled. It's not the same knock that Hubie uses to check in with her; nor is it accompanied by Cami's charming voice. Ami doesn't even bother knocking when she drops off vegetables for the apartment. (Though, the surprisingly touching letter she left with them the last time she did got one of the few smiles she's seen out of Sonic this whole week.) Dorothea gets up from the couch, though, and cracks open the door a touch.]

Hey, sorry, Sonny's not accepting any visitors right now. If you want I can leave a mess...age...?

[...Wait a second--are her eyes deceiving her?]

[For Neo, it's as though no time has passed at all. He remembers struggling to stay conscious, to get the words out that he needed to before he died in Sonic's arms, but...

Well, he's immediately greeted by the agonizingly familiar screens indicating his current status. Fully charged, operating at peak efficiency, not a single scratch on him. The relief he feels at being back in his familiar shell is mingled with the sting of disappointment that he won't be able to feel things as he had in Sonic's body - but that was the goal. Sonic has returned to his original form, and Neo to his. They accomplished their goal. All that's left now is to return to Sonic's side.

After fighting his way out of a remarkably sturdy flower and finding himself in a garden full of similarly large flowers, Neo is... completely lost. He hasn't actually been over here before, so it takes him longer than he'd like to figure out where he is to begin with, let alone how to get home.

It's late when he finally manages to make his way back to the apartment; late enough that most sane people would be asleep. But that hardly matters, because Sonic is waiting for him. Waking Sonic up is a small price to pay to be back. Nothing else matters.

Except... it isn't Sonic who greets him. Neo recognizes the woman, of course - "Dotty", Sonic's dear friend. And from her greeting, it seems as though she's been keeping an eye on his beloved rival. Just how long has it been? Surely it couldn't have been more than a day... but then, he was dead, how would he be able to tell the passage of time?

It's easier to get his emotions back under control in this body. The worry, panic, and fright is easily wrangled into something more manageable and Neo keeps his voice low so as not to wake Sonic (paradoxically, given what he was here to do to begin with, but let's not focus on that).]

I believe it would be better to see him in person. Though I do appreciate that you've been keeping an eye on him.

[Hi, Dorothea. How's it going.]

Neokins...!

[Dorothea seems surprised, truth be told. Sure, she and Hubie have heard plenty about people coming back to life, but she always thought those were merely rumors. Seeing Neokins in the figurative flesh, well, it's shocking to say the least, but...

Dorothea's expression warms, and she opens the door for Neo, though he can watch her gaze avert for a moment--Sonic's still asleep, after all, and she's...]

...I don't know if you want to see him like this, but feel free to come on in. He's asleep right now. He's been doing a lot of that, lately.

[The apartment is in pretty good shape, all things considered. Dorothea's been doing an excellent job at maintaining it, and the only real difference is the lack of blankets on the couch, but, well...he can find them easily piled up near his charger, where Sonic sleeps curled into them. Curled into a ball, waiting for someone he assumes is never coming back.

Dorothea's gaze is...sad, certainly. But Neo wants to see him; Dorothea isn't going to keep him from doing so.]

...I'm sorry that your first sight of your sweetheart has to be like this, Neo. [Just this once and just for him, she'll avoid the nicknaming. He's...probably got questions. Dorothea keeps her voice down, just to let Sonic sleep, but...] It really is good to see you back though, dear. Are you holding up alright?

Edited (adds paid time to get better expressions--) 2025-01-05 09:18 (UTC)

[See him "like this"? Like what? What could she possibly be referring to...? Well, he finds out soon enough as Neo enters the room and finds the bed empty. His head cants to the side and he follows his systems' metrics to the next closest heat source— ah.

Sonic has taken to sleeping on the floor. Next to Neo's charger.

He feels— angry, maybe. Upset. Frustrated and hurt and devastated; all things he could have felt so much more clearly in Sonic's body that now seem like mere ghosts. They're present, certainly, but they're easier to control. To tamper down. After all, what good are any of those emotions right now? Sonic is clearly looking worse for the wear; he needs his sleep. Neo can wait a little longer to wake him. Still, he so desperately wants to run his claws through those quills, to let Sonic know that it's okay now, that he's here, that—

Ah, Dorothea's speaking. A-And calling Sonic his "sweetheart" which may be true but is sort of embarrassing...]

I am, yes. I have suffered no ill effects from returning and my body is in peak condition.

[Though whether that's because Sonic took care of it for him or because it was reformed(?) with him is unclear. Regardless, he's here, and that's what matters.]

How long has it been since I...

[He hesitates on the final word. There's really only one word for it, given he was in an organic body at the time. He died. He's been thinking of it as death and he's accepted it, but here and now... it's suddenly harder to do that. To think about the fact that he, a robot, managed to actually die. True, being completely destroyed would be the equivalent of killing him, but...

Now isn't the time for that. Neo shakes his head.]

Please, tell me what's happened since then.

[listen, that's how dorothea do baby, you gotta deal with the embarrassment!!!]

That's good to hear. I'd only heard of people coming back as mere rumors, so I wasn't sure how it would end up being for you. I'm certainly glad there's no ill effects on you, Neo.

[There's a pause as Dorothea looks to Neo, and to Sonic; part of her should leave the both of them alone, but Sonic genuinely does need this sleep. And though she doesn't know Neo as well as she does her dear friend, she can see that this isn't having a good effect on Neo, seeing him like this.

It's a bit overly familiar, sure, but Dorothea gently puts a hand on Neo's shoulder--quick to remove it if he's not comfortable with it.]

...Let's go somewhere else to talk, first. Okay?

[It's gentle, but she knows he must be hurting, seeing Sonny like this. The least Dorothea can do is try to be a good friend for the decidedly more metallic blue blur that she doesn't talk to as much.

It doesn't take long for her to bring him down to the lobby of the apartment, blessedly empty as she bids him to sit down on one of the couches in the lounge area. She starts to explain once they're settled.]

Well, for starters...it's been about a week since you two defeated that monster. Sonny carried you all the way back to town as fast as he could, but he was...well, pretty devastated at what happened to you. Sonny wouldn't stop blaming himself for what happened there, and it took a long while to get him back to the apartment to clean him up and...get you taken care of, afterward.

[She doesn't go into detail about that; she doubts he needs to know where his own body was buried, or how much it took to even get Sonic back in the apartment.]

Once all was said and done...well, Sonny tried to stay in the apartment by himself for a night before coming and knocking on mine. [Dorothea's gaze averts at that.] He said he needed someone to talk to, so he wasn't trapped in his own head. I wound up just staying at the apartment afterward to make sure he was taking care of himself. He wasn't...really in any state to be doing so himself.

[...]

He really missed you, Neo. Losing you...I don't think I've ever seen someone so lost in my life, if you want me to be honest.

[That's at least the start, and she lets that settle for a moment to let Neo process it.]

[Finally it clicks in his head that Sonic... might not have known he could come back. Neo had been adamant in chasing down those rumors to ensure that they were real - after all, back then he'd wanted nothing more than to kill Sonic and had only ruled it out once he was certain it was pointless to try to do so. But he'd never actually spoken about that with Sonic, and he has no idea if his counterpart discussed it with anyone else. What if he had no idea? What if he truly believed that was simply it for Neo, that he'd died, just like that?

Ohhh, he does not like this sinking feeling. Dread, he thinks. The terror of realizing how horribly he may have screwed all this up (though was it really a mistake? he would do the same thing a hundred times over if it meant Sonic was safe) sends icy claws through him that hurt more than dying actually did. He mutely nods at Dorothea's words and follows her silently, consumed in his thoughts until he's directed to take a seat in the lobby.

Her words confirm his worst fears. Not only was Sonic unaware that he could return, but he blamed himself for all of that. As though any of this was his fault? How could he blame himself, when Neo was the one who had reservations about it, when Neo was the one who chose to jump into that attack, knowing exactly what would happen?

And hearing that Sonic was so lost and upset... Even if he can't feel these emotions the same way he could in Sonic's body, they're still overwhelming. His claws tighten into fists and he shakes his head, doing his best to draw himself from his endlessly spiraling thoughts. He can't afford to do this right now. He can panic and worry and beat himself up over all of this later.]

I hadn't realized it would take me so long to return. I should have told him about this before I— Never mind.

[A soft, static-y noise leaves him.]

Thank you for taking care of him. I can only imagine how difficult this has been for you as well.

[Seeing a dear friend going through something so traumatic and being unable to do much at all to help... He doesn't have lungs to breathe and yet it still feels as though the air has been punched out of him.]

I didn't... I didn't think. I didn't analyze the situation or determine the best possible outcome, I simply... had to get him out of the way of that attack, regardless of the personal cost. I couldn't let him die.

[Even knowing that Sonic would return? Why is it that it's fine for Neo to die, but it isn't acceptable for Sonic to die?

Ah, he truly hates this.]

[Dorothea's never really had the chance to really talk with Neo for an extended amount of time. He truly is different from Sonny; that blue blur wears his heart on his sleeve and tries to hide some emotions much like she does. It's familiar. Neo's a lot more like Hubie than she could have thought; there's an intensity to his emotions that she can see as she watches him, watching him ball those fists. He absolutely must be spiraling too, and it hits that Sonny and he have some similarities after all. They both internalize, in different ways.

They're both willing to destroy themselves for the people they love, and it's...]

It really isn't any trouble, you know. I'd gladly do it for him; Sonny's a very dear friend, and I wanted nothing more than to make sure he's okay. It's what I'd do for anyone dear to me.

[Dorothea's smile is soft, but there's a tinge of sadness there as she listens to Neo. This poor boy...]

Hey, hey. Don't blame yourself for this either, okay? [It's remarkably gentle, but Dorothea manages a certain firmness with it too.] You did what you thought you had to in that situation. You wanted to keep Sonny safe, and you succeeded in that. It might not have been the best way to go about it, but when you're in a rough situation like that, you have to act before it's too late. It's the same as any battle...

...Though I imagine it's of little comfort for you to hear, with everything considered. [Dorothea pauses, briefly, her tone soft still.] ...I've had to watch one of you beat yourself up for a whole week over this--I'm not letting you do the same. Neither of you are at fault for this. Beating yourself up like this...is it going to help anyone?

Be kind to yourself, dear. You're alive, and he's going to be so relieved to see you once he wakes up.

[...]

Neo...if it isn't too uncomfortable for you, would you mind if I gave you a hug? [Dorothea tilts her head a bit, gently smiling.] You seem like you could use one, sweetie.

Edited (yeets a quick edit before sleeping--) 2025-01-05 10:17 (UTC)

[He's not entirely sure when his optics dropped to stare at his hands - as though there's anything to see there, though it may be a habit he picked up from his time in Sonic's body, where his eyes were so quick to dart away - but Dorothea's words get him to look up at her. Though there's no visible emotion in his face, he does slowly release his hands.

She's right. This isn't the sort of situation with anyone clearly at fault. There were things he could have done better, yes. There were things he and Sonic could have done differently. Maybe things wouldn't have turned out like this had they made different, smarter choices. But they didn't, and they're here now, so what's the point in thinking about those what-ifs?

Beating himself up like this isn't going to help either of them. It's best to put it aside.]

...Yes. You're right. I— Thank you, for the reminder.

[It's the next part that gets him to pause, and he very nearly says the completely inane and stupid thought of but I'm made of metal before remembering that it doesn't matter to Sonic. Some organic beings seem not to mind such things. And... he is a person. To her, she sees a person who is struggling with this, and her solution is to offer a hug. That's...]

It wouldn't be uncomfortable for me, no. That's... Yes, that's acceptable.

[It isn't like him to stumble over his words like this, and yet he finds himself doing it anyway, changing what he wants to say even as the words leave him. Neo shifts a bit so that Dorothea can hug him when she's ready, already carefully warming himself up so that she won't be hugging cold metal, at least.]

Don't mention it, Neo. Sometimes we all need a little reminder. I know I've needed it a few times after battle, myself. What are friends for, after all?

[Congrats, Neo, you've been friendopted. Dorothea's expression shifts to a soft smile as she waits for him to make a decision, and deep down, she can't help but think that it's sweet that he's willing to let a stranger hug him. Sure, she's not entirely a stranger; Sonny always has the habit of talking about the people he likes, and Dorothea's no different in that regard. She knows a lot about Neo secondhand, just from how Sonny talks about his beloved, but knowing him firsthand is a different experience entirely that a social butterfly like her hasn't gotten much of a chance to do.

...He's really grown from the way Sonny has talked about him at the beginning, she thinks. Dorothea can't help but be proud of him by proxy for opening up.

Dorothea takes Neo into her arms gently, a soft oh escaping when she realizes how warm he is--not that she would have minded him being cold, but Dorothea wraps her arms around him gently and pulls him in, rubbing Neo's back a bit as a kind gesture. She doesn't know if he can feel it or not; she doesn't care. He's hurting, and Dorothea wants to soothe that ache somewhat.]

Thank you, dear. You're very sweet. [It's softly said, but no less kind.] ...You're in a lot of pain too, I'm sure. I know I can't take it all away, but if I can help just a bit...well, that's good enough.

I certainly see why Sonny thinks the world of you, though.

[Dorothea chuckles once that's out there, warmly.]

Edited (get friended, idiot) 2025-01-05 16:45 (UTC)

[Friends. Well, it does make sense, they share a common "friend" (to put it lightly) in Sonic, so that does make them friends by proxy, right? Is that how this works? Well, that's how it works now, and Neo is perfectly content with it. The hug is different from when he hugs Sonic - but then, of course it is. They're two very different people with two very different relationships with Neo. Dorothea has likely never hugged someone quite like Neo either, but she doesn't seem to be hesitant or bothered by it at all. It doesn't take long for him to relax into it.]

You've already done so much for Sonic; I can never thank you enough for that. But still, allow me to thank you for this moment of weakness as well.

[He hasn't felt this damn tired in... well, ever, really. At least, not in this body. Maybe it's the stress of the situation, or perhaps the very idea of how horribly his death hurt Sonic, but regardless, all Neo wants to do right now is let himself be held, just for a moment longer. Things will make sense again soon enough and he'll be there for Sonic, but he can allow himself this one moment to feel all these conflicting emotions so vividly.

(And perhaps he's a little glad that he's in his own shell for this; he can't even begin to imagine how much more difficult this is for Sonic, who feels everything so vibrantly.)]

Think nothing of it; I'm glad to do it for you. We all feel things, you know?

[For the both of you goes unsaid, but Dorothea chuckles and it's bright and warm. That's just how Dorothea is as a person; it'd be different if he was a human, of course, but Dorothea doesn't see him as any different than anyone else right now. Any different than another kid who could really use an ear and a hug.]

You just got done with coming back to life. I think you can be afforded a little grace, and a little bit of weakness. If anyone tries to tell you otherwise, let me know and I'll gladly give them a sound walloping.

[...It at least sounds genuine and kindly said, but holy shit Dorothea--

Either way, light begins to pour in the room from the rising of the morning sun, and Dorothea finds herself smiling at it; she's always loved getting up around this time to see the sun rise like this. It used to just be a reminder she survived each day, but now...it's the dawn of a new morning for two hedgehogs who love each other dearly. Dorothea couldn't be happier, that this place allowed them this chance.

Dorothea will keep holding him for as long as needed, but once Neo's ready...]

Ready to go back upstairs and wake your sleeping beauty from his slumber, Neokins? He should be up by now, if you're ready.

[Heh. He can absolutely see why Sonic is so fond of Dorothea. She's quite the firebrand, isn't she?

Neo's attention is caught by the rising sun, and his internal clock indicates that Sonic should be rising soon, assuming his schedule is mostly the same. Of course he's ready; he's had his moment of weakness and he's ready to face Sonic.]

Yes. I'm ready. Once again, thank you for what you've done for us both; I won't forget it.

[Though there simply isn't any way he could ever possibly repay her for all she's done, it's greatly appreciated. He can't even imagine what would have happened to Sonic without her help... and he doesn't want to think about it any further. So with that, Neo pulls back and moves to stand; are you coming with, Dorothea?]

[As if she'd be anywhere but his side? Dorothea smiles warm and bright when Neo speaks up, her chuckle warm and ringing out as they make the walk back upstairs to the apartment.]

Anytime, dear, anytime. If you ever need anything else at all, I'm only a few more floors up. And if I happen to be out...well, Hubie knows where I am nine times out of ten. He'll certainly let you know where to find me.

[She really is so glad that he's okay now. It may be tough for a little bit, but Dorothea has faith that he'll be able to make it through. After all, the two of them are together again; why wouldn't they make it through?

Dorothea's quick to unlock the apartment door, taking a quick peek inside before opening it fully; Sonic's awake and more than a little lethargic, though he seems to be...trying to figure out tea...aww. He's got a couple cups out, so he was clearly thinking about her when making it. He turns when the door opens, though, greeting her.

"Mornin', Dotty." He sounds drained as usual, but...he tries to smile. "I, uh. Tried to make you something, it's--"]

["Oh, Sonny, you're sweet. You didn't have to! But, well...I have a guest here to see you. You're gonna want to see him."

Sonic looks a little apprehensive for a moment, but he does wait for Dorothea to let in her little guest. He's not sure what to expect, really, but...

When Neo enters, Sonic almost drops the little tea kettle that he's borrowed from Dorothea; it's something she definitely brought with her, but when he sees Neo properly, he's stunned. He didn't think Neo could come back from that, he...]

N...Neo? Neo, is that really you...?!

[Sonic practically darts at Neo and pulls him into a tight hug--mostly to see if this is...if he's real, if any of this is real. It's a shock to the system for him, to say the least, but...

Oh, Sonic's so relieved.]

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