Aw yeah! This is happening!

Hi! This is an rp blog! | Mod: cuddlycharlotty | Icon: IDW #13 | Header: IDW #1 | All the information for them is in the pinned post! | Sonic [ Death Count: 0] [ Kill Count: 1 ] | Tails [Death Count: 1] [Kill Count: 0] | Asks are open, and feel free to send them curses or talk to either of them!

[rolling-combo]

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Sonic and Tails are here!

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Hi! This is an info post for this rp blog!

Information will be added as you (or your muses) interact with them. These characters are a mixture of a good bunch of Sonic media. Mainly games, IDW comics (Not Archie because I know almost nothing about them :( ), Tv shows and a couple of fanworks along with my own ideas for some... events (AKA Sonic Forces because.. The war setting was way too tempting not to meddle with it).

Anyways! With no further ado,

Here we

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go!

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Character Introduction:

Hey everyone! My name is Sonic! Sonic the Hedgehog. I'm the fastest thing alive, even though some people would like to differ! I go with He/him pronouns! Nice to meet y'all!

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Age:

I'm 18 years old! I'm turning 19 this year! My birthday is really soon actually! June 23th!

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Likes:

—;What do I like? Well, we could start off with chilli dogs!! Definitely my favorite food. You have to try them at least once in your life. I specially love adding cheese and onion. Man I'm hungry now..

—;Also running. It's kind of an obvious one but y'know, Sonic is my name and speed is my game!

—;I also like making new friends! There's a lot of cool and amazing people out there and I can't wait for the chance to meet them one day!

—;A good nap is always nice from time to time, add a nice flower field and it's a perfect image. Scenic views are one of the things I love when I'm out running.

—;Oh yeah! I enjoy rock a lot! I love the vibes!

—;And, last but not least! My little bro! Can't forget him! He's so smart and cool! You'll talk to him in a bit!

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Dislikes:

—;Eggman. Since we're starting with the obvious.. I don't think I have to elaborate a lot.

—;I really dislike small spaces. I like to move a lot so, yyyeah nope.

—;It's also infuriating when people mistake me with other species. You can look at my quills! I'm a hedgehog!! Not a rat. Notthatbeingaratisbadbutyknow-

—;You're dead if you talk bad about my friends.

—;Water. I can't swim and I'm not interested in learning how, I can run on water just fine!

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Extra data:

—;He's trans! He has top surgery scars on his chest.

—;✨ADHD hedgehog✨

—;Since this Sonic is a bit older than the canon version, he has longer quills and the ends are a bit darkened.

—; Bisexual!

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Character Introduction:

Hey everyone! I'm Miles Prower, but you can call me Tails! I'm Sonic's brother and best friend! I go with He/They pronouns! Nice to meet you!

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Age:

I'm 14 years old! Turning 15 on November!

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Likes:

—; I enjoy mint in general! Chocomint, mint tea, regular mint candy, everything mint! 🍬

—; I have a knack for mechanics! I love watching my ideas come to fruition and help people!

—; I feel free when I fly with the Tornado, or my tails! I love feeling the wind on my face!

—; I kind of have this thing with planes.. I'm always looking for new ways to upgrade the tornado!

—; Adventure! I enjoy going out with Sonic and beating Eggman! Even if we don't go out together as much..

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Dislikes:

—; I uhh.. I don't like thunder. Too loud, spooks me a lot.

—; Feeling useless- I don't want to elaborate much but... I hate it.

—; When a machine fails one too many times! It just, sometimes it's just small things and!! It gets frustrating.

—; Talking about machines... I dislike it when people mistreat them! They might not have feelings but treating them badly won't help them work faster!

—; It's a bit uncomfortable when people.. y'know point out my tails too much? Like, mentioning them, over and over. Gets weird.

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Extra data:

—; Autistic boye! ♡

—; He's aged up too! His tails are a little bigger and the tips of his ears are a bit brown.

—; AroAce!

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Alright! That's all I have to add for these boys! Might update it if I have more ideas!

Thanks for reading!

[rolling-combo]

Surge The Tenrec is brought in to the Clutter Dimension.

//oo this is going to be fun >:D

-The tenrec was running along a path of dirt along a forest, a circle of water along her waist, her sidekick, Kit, holding onto it. They were looking for shelter around the place.-

-None of them noticed when they were teleported, placed at the forest near Beach city. Eventually they found the aforementioned place, stopping abruptly.-

What the-

Ey drippy, this wasn't here before! Where are we?!

-Kitsunami lowered himself to the ground, water going back to his backpack, confused as well.-

We're in the middle of the continent, there isn't supposed to be a beach here.

Something's up here then. I'll ask for directions, you stay hidden.

-The fennec nodded, and Surge grinned, sharp teeth showing themselves. Might as well have some fun with the "gathering information" thing. They both got separated now, Surge just casually strolling until she spotted your muse. In a flash she pinned them against the wall and showed them her hand crackling with strands of glowing electricity.-

Hey there! How about you answer some questions for me?

//open rp! Uhhh I've been gone for a good while and idk who are still active- @purple-steven @corvid-steven @varian-the-unstable-alchemist @lilmetalsonic @anyone! sorry if i didn't tag someone i just genuinely dont remember-

[purple-steven]

Oh god-

This already felt problematic. He's weirded out by the fact he's suddenly pressed against the wall and-

Well. That hand is NOT going to do him any good. Electricity is not his strong suit.

Woah- hey, okay, calm it, put the- put the hand away, what's up? Who are you?

This is. Dangerous. He's got to be careful.

[rolling-combo]

Not your problem is it!? Shut up and answer! Where the fuck is this place!?

Answer me or you won't like what comes next!

-She pointed a finger at him, a little zap burning his nose a bit as she showed her teeth, intimidating him-

[purple-steven]

He flinched at the zap, feeling himself freak out the moment he felt it.

Okay- okay, just- just calm down. You're in the clutter dimension. You're new here, I'm assuming? Look, just- put the hand down, I'm not- not gonna do anything.

[rolling-combo]

The fuck is the Clutter Dimension?! You tryna be funny?! You piece of shit!

-Surge screamed at him, raising her fist in anger, about to beat him up. Before a strong gust of wind came across the alley, a familiar voice for Lav coming along.-

Hey bully! Haven't they told you to not pick on others! Also, go wash your mouth.

-Sonic joked around, crossing his arms. The lightning began acting up, the tenrec growling in anger as she looked down and then glared with all the anger she could muster at him.-

Let him go now, Surge. This is between us.

-His tone turned a bit serious, urgent to make her let go of Lav.-

Heh, what? You ready to put me down now!?

-She let go of Lav, more interested in.. well, beating the shit out of Sonic. Some electricity emanating from her might go to him, but it felt more like a light sting than anything. It's up to you if you're going to help Sonic or not, Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched with each sting, backing up slightly but going towards Sonic. Yeah, he's going to be helping out.

Oookay, so this is- this is a You Thing, I'm assuming? Can I have details??

[rolling-combo]

-Surge ignored Lav completely, launching herself at Sonic, charging towards him at full speed. He almost didn't manage to dodge it, but he did and appeared besides Lav in a flash, getting in a fighting stance as the tenrec crashed onto a random building.-

Uhhh, long story short. She was genetically modified and brainwashed to kill me. I need you to res- Whoa!

-He pushed Lav to the side. She'd thrown a literal wall at them.-

I need you to find a good moment to knock her out or restrain her quic-

-Surge now pounced him, Sonic stopping him with both his hands.-

What!? You think that weak human can pin me down?!

[purple-steven]

Oh SHI-

He just flicked his head, following the wall flying past them. What the fuCK??

Then the snide remark, which quite frankly peeved him off a bit. He pulled out his whip, cracking it for no reason other than dramatic effect, before wrapping it around Surge and attempting to pull her off.

Alright, let's NOT do that, yeah?

[rolling-combo]

-The tenrec actually went flying with that, actually being really light. She hit the ground hard, eyes widening as she was not expecting that at all, a small cloud of dust appearing with the ground cracking with the impact.-

-Sonic quickly incorporated himself, immediately turning to Lav at the sight of the whip, a worried tone in his exclamation.-

Lav! Let go of the-

-And a strong current of energy went through the whip, it would last a good 3 seconds before Sonic cut it off with a homing atack.-

[purple-steven]

He wasn't expecting her to fly off that easily, and the fact she did was sorta concerning to him, especially since he did NOT hold back at all. He looked incredibly worried, before feeling the shock course through him and an expression of pain and distress painted his face. He can't let go of the whip even if he wanted to, his hand clenching the whip tighter.

Oh goodness. He feels like he's seeing those trees again. He needs to stay focused. He can be distressed later. But it's notoriously difficult to concentrate at all when you're being shocked and all you can feel is pain and it doesn't stop and it's not stopping and its-

The relief he felt once it had seized was one he hadn't experienced in a while. He dropped to the floor for a moment, catching his breath, his hand finally letting go of the rope.

Ow.

[rolling-combo]

You alright!?

What! Little guy can't handle a little shock?! Aww, and I just thought things were getting interesting!

-As the cloud of dust dissipated, you could see Surge's fist emanating pure electricity. Sonic tried to stay and check if Lav was alright, but the tenrec charged at him will full speed.-

Alright then! Let's dance!

Sonic ran as as well, a blur of blue and green now going around the place, stopping when Surge managed to punch Sonic, throwing him over to a wall and breaking it on impact.-

Gah!-

-Lav could hear someone walking near him, a blue kit staring him down, tentacles of water emerging from what seemed to be a backpack.-

[purple-steven]

This is. Not looking good for him.

Don't worry about me! Just- be careful!

And he felt the ominous loom of the kit by him, turning around and looking back at him. That looks. Really cool, but right now, he's a bit scared for what's to come. He's bubbling himself already just in case, getting out a new whip, still trying to recover from the shock. More mentally than physically. Hhholy shit this is a lot that he wasn't expecting.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit stared at him for a moment, then looked at Sonic and Kit fighting, assessing the situation, then staring back at Lav. He'd seen his strength back when he threw Surge to the ground. The ends water tentacles turned sharp, repeatedly hitting the bubble now. Nice Lav, you've been deemed a threat.-

You're just a coward, aren't you.

-Meanwhile, the tenrec and the hedgehog were still actively fighting in the background. Sonic this time got the next hit, managing to kick Surge on the side, making her stumble back. He was about to charge a spindash when he saw Kit.-

Lav!

-He remembered their last encounter as clear as day, and he knew well enough what Kit could do when he's protecting Surge. He rushed to go towards Kit, and stop his attack, but he had to stop when Surge appeared in front of him.-

[purple-steven]

Oh goodness, they aren't going to make this easy at ALL are they.

I'm not a coward, I just- I don't want to hurt you!

He's trying to keep his bubble strong, but it's already forming cracks. Holding on to his whip slightly tighter. He doesn't want to fling people about, but it seems like he's running out of options here.

Can't we just- talk this out?

He's flicking his attention back and forth from Kit and to Surge and Sonic just in case they need help. Maybe he could try and intervene if he can slip by? But this may be a case of trusting Sonic to take care of Surge, leaving him to take care of Kit.

Well, regardless, he's trying to stay as aware as possible.

[rolling-combo]

Surge c'mon! Listen to me for a sec!

-Sonic now focused on dodging Surge, just wanted to make her reason. The tenrec kept attacking, eyes glowing as she focused her lightning on her fists and shoes.-

Why should I?! Are you going to start with the "You can be good" shit! Because I ain't buying it!

-Back to Lav, Kit didn't even answer him, all the water merging together and forming one big spike that crashed down on him.-

[purple-steven]

Glad to know that him and sonic were thinking similarly, at least... The spike crashing down on him popped the bubble, giving him time to dodge, albeit slightly weaker. He wrapped his whip around Kit, pulling him down to the ground.

[rolling-combo]

-A water tentacle slashed the whip, but the fennec still fell to the ground. A puddle of water formed around him and spikes of water formed, extending and aiming towards Lav.-

You won't hurt Surge.

-Talking about her, back to Sonic.-

-Sonic kept blocking Surge's punches as he tried to speak to her, eventually answering with a kick to make her stand back.-

Just listen! This isn't our dimension, you're free here!

-The tenrec stared at him. A sinister smile creeping up her face. This is not going the way Sonic wanted, immediately knowing what she was about to say.-

Free you say?

I'm pretty sure that whatever you're thinking right now is wrong. I won't let you cause mayhem.

But then that means...

-Surge's body was covered by electricity now, charging at Sonic once again.-

You don't have anyone to back you up! Do ya!?

-As they clashed, electricity quickly enveloped Sonic, making him scream in pain as his eyes widened.-

[purple-steven]

He quickly summoned 2 more whips to make up for the loss of the first, looking back to hear the sound of Sonic screaming, trying to wrap his whip around Sonic and pull him back towards him. He is paying no mind towards Kit at the moment, instead keeping the other whip spare for any retaliations that he might need to take.

Oh boy. This is going to be difficult to take care of. Maybe they should flee? But that doesn't seem wise either... They just need to try and keep Surge in one place, so maybe bubbling? But his bubbles are useless at times... It'll be fine. They'll figure something out. Just keep fighting somehow.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic stayed on the ground for a moment, a bit of smoke coming from his body. He groaned as he stood up, struggling to do so. Both Kit and Surge stood in front of them.-

Hey kid! Change of plans, we'll just kill off the blue rat. I used almost all my charge on him so he's pretty much dead, you can call dibs on the kill if you get the chance.

-Kit nodded, raising himself with the water and immediately aiming water spikes at Sonic.-

[purple-steven]

He wrapped one whip around Kit and another around Surge, pulling them back to the ground and towards him rather than near Sonic. He needs time to recover by the looks of it, and Lav is going to buy as much time as needed.

[rolling-combo]

I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!

-Kit let himself get pulled, choosing to free Surge. She charged right at Lav, jumping and raising a charged fist, aiming to knock him down on one hit. But before it landed, Sonic spindashed right onto her stomach, sending her flying onto a nearby building.-

SURGE!?

-Kit growled at Sonic, water tentacles shooting over to grab him midair and throw him to the ground with full force.-

Ghk!-

-Sonic landed on the concrete, and a very audible crack could be heard. Making him cough blood. He.. still stood up though, struggling to breathe a bit and putting a hand on his side. He looked at the blood.-

That can't be good.

-He averted his gaze towards Kit, the kid had run off to check on Surge. She seemed to be injured as well, blood dripping down from her forehead as she recovered. Sonic tried to take a deep breath, looking back at Lav with a smile, bright as always, even though he was struggling to stand.-

Yo, Lav. Cover me, 'kay?

-He just has his vibe within him y'know? To make you feel safe, that everything is going to be alright. Just trust him, he's a hero after all.-

[purple-steven]

He glanced at the blood, nervous for Sonic and honestly a bit shaken, considering he had braced himself for a blow that never came to him.

Yeah, alright. Don't do anythin' stupid...

He nodded though, he's ready to cover as best he can, both whips out and ready to strike. He's also preparing himself to bubble something or someone if necessary, although it's hard to tell what's coming next. Out of all the times Lav fails to have fountain water on him... He needs to keep it in his gem more often. You'd think by now he's learnt his lesson, but... He always forgets in the end.

He's going to attack whoever Sonic doesn't go for first. He's just keeping an eye out, focussing on who to target.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, coughing again, his glove staining with a little more blood. Definitely a punctured lung. Don't have time to deal with that right now. He grinned.-

You need to have more faith in me man!

-Sonic assessed the situation, kit was unharmed and Surge was healing from her injury already. Man, this is going to be tough. He was just standing there, before he disappeared from Lav's sight.-

-The other two seemed confused as well, looking around. In a blink of an eyes, the hedgehog appeared over to kick Surge on the back of her head, aiming for her injury. She went face down on the ground, growling as she lunged over to try and tackle Sonic.-

Going for a sucker punch, hero?!

-Sonic dodged, being wary of the water puddle forming nearby, feeling Kit's glare.-

Can't keep up?

-He's a little fed up at this point.-

[purple-steven]

There's a right answer here. He needs to make a decision now on who and what to tackle. Would he rather face suffocating blue, or sparks of pain? Which one is the right answer? Which one is going to help? Which one can he handle more and which one is the right answer?

He'd take them both on, but Sonic is stupidly determined to protect him. He admires the courage, but it's hard when they're both wanting to tank hits for each other.

Surge... Even if it means taking electricity, it's clear that she's the bigger threat and that she appears to be the one who's harder to escape from. The electricity makes you seize in place. That's what hinders them both from doing ANYTHING at all.

Kit. The water is an issue. The fact they're near a beach isn't helping either. Neither of them can swim, but that's not an issue considering they don't need that skill at the moment. Drowning is an obvious risk, but the easy way out is to just sever the water with his whip or thwack Kit out of the way. If that's the case, he can take a second whip out to get rid of him easily.

Surge is better to take hits from. He has the durability as a bigger person in general, and even if the electricity brings back memories, memories aren't going to hurt anyone.

That must be the right decision. Right?

No time for more thinking. You already wasted enough with these few seconds, now you just need to fight. Diving head first into these sorts of things never backfire, right?

He rushed in, wrapping his whip tightly around Surge, each gem divot pushing against the skin enough to hurt, but not enough to pierce it. This trick is getting old, but there's not much he can do other than this. Unless he starts giving her ACTUAL whip lashes, but that feels too harsh. He's tempted to try and throw her far away from here, but that'll become an issue in the future. Might as well deal with it here and now.

Doesn't matter if he dies. Doesn't really bother him much in the long run, does it?

Enough is enough. He's getting tired of this as well. He's desummoned one whip, instead bubbling his fist. He pulls Surge towards him, ready to punch her with his bubbled fist. He's aware the pressure and force may make it burst, but power is needed more at the moment. Plus, he can take a hit like that.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge allowed herself to be pulled, tanking the punch. Definitely didn't expect it the amount of raw strength coming from it though. She then electrified the whip, same as last time.-

You don't learn, do ya.

-Meanwhile, Sonic was fighting Kit, dodging water whips and trying to make him use his water supply as much as he could. Didn't want to hirt the kid, but he was already seeing it hard to win this without doing so.-

-He charged a spindash, going through one of the water whips and bouncing off a street lamp to hit Kit right on his water backpack, the water whips faltering as Sonic barely dodged one coming at him.-

-He was keeping an eye on Lav and Surge, would definitely barge in if things go south.-

[purple-steven]

The bubble burst with the collision, and he seized, unable to think of any sort of witty comeback. Each muscle in his body felt far too tense, but he didn't let go of the whip. Take the hit. You can handle the hit. You can handle this.

His eyes welled up with tears whilst remaining quiet, solely concentrated on trying to stray his focus elsewhere.

Stop thinking about how much it hurts. Think about what to do next. Think about Sonic. Think about what to do next think about your next move think about-

It hurts so much. He's scared. It hurts so much and he's scared, and he isn't sure when it's going to end, and he isn't sure when he'll be able to completely focus again.

The whip instead is desummoned, somewhat unwillingly, freeing Surge to move around a bit more. He bubbled his fists once more, breathing heavily after the current had been broken. He's still out of focus. Out of practice. He'll fight fist to fist if he has to. Shapeshifting is still a skill he possessed, maybe just having a physically Massive Fist might pummel them.

[rolling-combo]

-The tenred stood up, brushing some dust off as her wounds healed. She grinned at the sight of Lav's bubbled fists, squaring up as well.-

Wanna dance, you puny little human? Come at me!

-She taunted, signaling him to come closer with one of her hands, her sharp teeth forming a haunting smile towards him. She wouldn't show mercy at all.-

-Back to Sonic, he was still fighting the water whips, dodging and waiting for another opening. He kicked some of the whips away, sometimes glancing towards Lav. He trusted him, but was starting to get worried. Would have to finish things quickly with Kit.-

[purple-steven]

He ran towards her, preparing to punch her straight in the face if he can, getting ready to shapeshift smaller if he has to dodge quickly. It's going to take some concentration. He's keeping his eyes on Surge's movements, but only Surge.

Get ready. You need to be fast. Land a punch and shapeshift. Not that difficult.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge dodged by ducking down, aiming to land an uppercut and then kicking Lav on the side. She's saving the electricity she has left to finish off Sonic.-

Too slow!

-The hedgehog jumped and landed a homing attack on Kit, making him hit the ground on his back, his backpack taking most of the impact. Something could be heard cracking inside of it, and the fennec's eyes widened.-

Gotcha.

-Kit glared at Sonic, a water blade forming and going towards him, but deforming and disintegrating before even making contact.-

[purple-steven]

Lav staggered, but he didn't back down.

Alright, speed isn't his forte. Let's use something you're good at then.

He raised his hand above his shoulder as if he was going to throw something, before shapeshifting it into a giant fist, almost half his size. He flung his arm in time so that he wouldn't have to worry about lifting it, allowing gravity to do the work, hopefully crushing Surge.

He didn't really want to kill her, but... It'll hurt her enough, surely, if it hits. If it seems fatal, he can take them to the fountain. It should be fine... Yeah, it should be fine.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge stared at the shapeshifting, her reflexes barely managing to get her out of his range. She immediately went to kick him behind the knees, trying to make him fall over and then kick his stomach.-

-On the other side, Kit was trying to punch Sonic, but he was just dodging every hit Kit threw at him. The fennec had a plan in mind, a single line of water slowly making it's way towards Lav. The backpack had enough pressure for one more attack. Sonic was about to knock out Kit, dashing behind him to hit him on the back of his head.-

-But then he saw the fennec's eyes glowing and looking at Lav. A water blade going for his abdomen, it was meant to pierce him all the way, but it stopped before it could do any fatal damage.-

LAV?!

-But Sonic didn't know that, immediately rushing over to Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He groaned in pain, his fist keeping him stuck to the ground before he shapeshifted it away. He heard the yell out, confused, before he saw the water blade.

He put up a bubble, although it seemed weak already and likely wouldn't stop anything that sharp from piercing it through, but it was a last attempt at protecting himself, attempting to roll to the side but...

...Well, speed isn't his forte.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran over towards Lav, but Surge intercepted him. She punched Sonic right on the face, making him fly over to the nearest building.-

Weren't quick enough to save him, were ya.

-She turned over to look at Kit.-

Hey drippy!? Ya good?!

-Kit didn't answer, focused on fixing his backpack. Tinkering away with it, a couple of sparks coming from it. Surge sighed, looking over at Lav, grabbing him by the hair.-

You're weak, but at least you make good bait.

-She whispered to him, before dropping him and looking over where Sonic crashed, just aiming to make him hurt even more. The hedgehog was standing up again, his last injuries coming back to him. He groaned, looking over at Surge grabbing Lav by the hair and hissing.-

[purple-steven]

He was flung towards Sonic, landing roughly and unpleasantly next to him, the harsh pebbles and small stones hidden within the dirt scratching his face. He teared up in pain, not even properly processing the stab wound yet, until he felt something wet on his hand.

His body instinctively already tried to cover the wound, and suddenly, the sting of being stabbed finally stepped in, and he curled in on himself, hissing in pain. He would've tried to scramble up, but from where the wound is, any sort of movement would hurt if he tried to get up.

It felt... Wetter than usual, thanks to the water, but it hurts badly.

He's not sure he can fight through this. He can try, but... It's not looking good for him.

Ugh... It... Keeps hurting more and now he's bleeding more, curling in on himself with tears slowly tracing his face.

He's more than bait. He's stronger than that. He's worth more than that. He's a useful person, he can be useful, he can be worth more than just a distraction. Than just bait.

He isn't weak.

He... He isn't weak.

Right...?

He hissed as well, albeit in pain, breathing heavily.

Shit...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran towards Surge, before a water tentacle grabbed his ankle and launched him up, he managed to block Surge's kick coming at him. He charged a homing attack to hit Surge in the air, but Kit immediately made the hedgehog hit a large mass of water.-

-He was trapped inside it, tried to swim upwards, panicked. But Surge put a hand on the water, using all she had left on her charge to electrify the water. It flashed white, making Sonic scream in the water as his muscles tensed.-

-As soon as it ended, Sonic was dropped onto the ground. He coughed water, he was struggling to breathe earlier and this definitely didn't help his case. His vision was blurry and everything hurt now. But he stood up again.-

That- That's all y-ya ha-

-And then a punch landed right on his stomach, knocking the air out of him. He put his hands on Surge's arm, seemingly supporting himself from the impact, before he grabbed her and slammed her onto the ground.-

-They should've known he wouldn't go down without a fight.-

[purple-steven]

Why is he still fighting? Shouldn't they-

No, he's right, he's... He should keep fighting as well.

You aren't bait. You're more than that.

You aren't useless.

He kept attempting to stagger up, until eventually he got his balance back, stumbling up to his feet. What can he do, what can he do...

Sonic obviously doesn't want to retreat, but if it continues, that might be the only option they have left. He summoned his whip. He'll just... Distract them.

...just... Be bait.

He flung his whip out around Kit, Surge being out of the question considering the electricity issue, wrapping it around before pulling him towards Lav.

...okay, so the backpack is the source. Break the source again. Obliterate it if you have to. You can do that, even in this state, right?

He seethed, closing his eyes and wincing, but it doesn't matter. Sonic needs back up.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit looked back at Lav the moment Sonic smashed Surge on the ground, Water tentacles emerging and shielding him from his whip. Surge, on the other side, growled and hissed at the hedgehog before she tackled him, punching him on the face over and over before he managed to kick her off. He was glad he was facing away from Lav.-

-He stumbled up, and then disappeared, kicking Surge on the stomach, returning the hit from earlier. He almost fell over when he landed on the ground, clearly at his limit.-

[purple-steven]

Shit no... Sonic can't do this any longer.

He wrapped his whip around Sonic, planning to pull him towards himself. They need to get out of here. But he'll loosen it if Sonic struggles against it. He doesn't want to yell it out loud; if they do have to escape, announcing it seemed idiotic.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was still keeping an eye on Lav and, alas, he didn't even allow that whip to go halfway through. A water whip slashing Lav's whip in half. He will support Surge in whatever she wants, and if she wants to fight Sonic one on one, so be it.-

-With that said, Surge was actually really worn out right now. Sonic wasn't pulling any punches now and she could obviously feel that on the kick she just received. She was near her limit, panting.-

-With that said, Sonic was way past his at this point, carrying on by sheer willpower. He still managed to get into a fighting position, and charged at her.-

-Surge attempted to sweep Sonic's legs, but he dashed behind her. Hitting her on the back of her head and then conjoining his two hands and striking down on her back, full force, making a small crater on the ground. Left her unconscious.-

-And then a water spike stabbed him from behind.-

[purple-steven]

His eyes widened, looking for Kit, running towards him with his hand glowing, morphing to be massive again. He looked mad. He swung his arm, sending his hand to swat Kit away, potentially sending him flying, this time with a fairly quick speed. He needs to wait for the water to dissipate. He's going to have to get them to the fountain, even if he's strength is slowly fading.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was keeping himself above the ground with his water tentacles, eyes widening when she saw the massive hand. The water tentacles divided into a massive amount of water spikes, all piercing Lav's hand, leaving just a single water tentacle keeping him above.-

-Sonic kicked Kit on the side of the head, knocked out Kit with the impact. With that the water dissipated, and a couple portals appeared beneath them, taking them away.-

-The hedgehog landed, stumbling and then looking at Lav.-

They're g-gone?.. Good...

[purple-steven]

He was breathing heavily, hand glowing to shift back to normal, the gaping piercings becoming far more apparent. He looked down at his wounds, his hands shaking as well as the stab wound becoming slightly worse and still flowing. Little streams of blood started to fall from the holes in his hand.

We n... We need to go....

He breathed out, hissing in pain, still stumbling and bending over slightly.

...the bending over was likely not helping whatsoever, in fact it likely made it worse, but he didn't have the strength to keep himself upright.

[rolling-combo]

You go, I'm not going to make it.

-Sonic leaned against a wall, and let himself fall down, a trail of blood smearing across the wall. He sighed.-

-He chuckled, holding his side as he winced in pain. The adrenaline was already wearing down, the pain of his injuries making itself more and more intense.-

Man, that sure was a fight.

-He was smiling, definitely afraid of dying.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no. N-no, we're not doing that.

He practically grabbed Sonic, picking him up, hoisting him over his shoulder in the fireman hold. He silently winced, but began quickly walking towards any portal which would be nearby.

Not letting you die on me, mate...

[rolling-combo]

L-Lav, no.

-He coughed, now struggling to breathe even more than before, you could hear how some of the air wasn't reaching his lungs.-

J-just leave m-me. I'll feel worse if y-ya bleed out trying to h-help me.

-He tried to pull away from him, falling onto the ground and grunting, hissing from the pain.-

G-go without me, I'll be fine.

-He could already feel he was going to die soon. No deal in making his corpse wait a little bit more to be healed.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no, let me help you, what're you doing? I can- I can save you, let me help, for fucks sake...

He went to try and pick him up again. He's not going without him. The fountain will save him, and he KNOWS it would. Why fight it when he can just- survive?

It'll save you, Sonic, you're not gonna die if I take you and it'll heal you, why the hell are you fighting that?

[rolling-combo]

-He immediately spiked up, all his quills going up, not letting him touch him. He tried to get in a more comfortable position.-

I-If you take me you'll d-die.

Y-your wounds are g-getting worse.

I d-don't want you to die, you're m-my friend.

-He smiled at him, he already feels lighteaded, cold. Definitely wouldn't make it even if Lav ran towards the fountain right now.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched, flapping his hand wildly, hissing in pain and immediately regretting his sudden movement, groaning slightly.

Argh, fUck-

He looked at Sonic, mildly angry, but mainly just... Frustrated. He could've saved him if he wasn't so stubborn about it. He could've done something.

...sonic, you're an absolute twat, you know that?

He sighed, holding his own hand to soothe it.

...I'll wait until you go. I can hold... I can hold out, but... But god, you're an idiot. I've died before... I can handle it. Why did you take so many hits...? You didn't... You shouldn't've, you idiot.

[rolling-combo]

-He laughed again, coughing more blood out, struggling to stay awake, but he persevered.-

D-didn't know how m-much time they would be stayin'

Y-you saw what they c-could do didn't cha'-

-His blinking was getting slower, each time getting harder and harder to keep himself up. He did manage to look at Lav though, still smiling, as always.-

T-thanks for helping me out man, probably wouldn't have been able t-to get them both alone.

-He was 100% sincere here, probably wouldn't have been able to fight both of them at the same time.-

D-don't let Tails know bout this 'kay?

-And he closed his eyes, of course those would be his last words.-

[purple-steven]

He sighed, nodding.

Yeah, alright.

He bubbled Sonic's body, sending him to his room in the library. It's locked, so it's not like anyone's just gonna wander in. He'll go and grab some healing water to help as well.

But now... He's gotta make the journey without dying, so that's going to be eventful. He probably won't either, but it hurts badly.

Right, let's assess this. We've got a pretty deep stab wound that's gone all the way through his abdomen. That's the main point of concern. Several holes in his hands from multiple piercings of water spikes. Also can't be good. Multiple electricity burns but that's nothing he's not used to. And probably a bunch of bruises that he can't exactly identify right now.

He continued his journey to the fountain, warping himself away, feeling slightly faint. Yeah, he's definitely gonna make it.

He took all the flasks out of his gem, refilling them as well as chugging one down to get rid of anything internal that might be going on. The rest he sorta sprinkled on. He didn't want to deal with any submerging shit right now, especially with the state he's in.

...Sonic died. He couldn't help. It's fully sinking in.

God, is he really only good for bait? Good for distractions? Sonic said he'd helped, but then again, Sonic would say anything to make anyone feel better. He was worried the entire time. Was Lav really incapable of standing his ground that whole time?

Okay, stop that, that's unreasonable thinking. Surely.

Right. Yeah. 'course it is. You're strong. You're strong as hell. You aren't useless.

Are you sure? Because to me, it seemed like you were pretty incompetent. Seemed like you sorta just... Let it happen. You're not exactly the best person, are you? You could've easily just taken all the hits. But instead, you were too scared. Too scared of dying, no matter what you say, and too scared of getting hurt. You hate it. The sensation of it. Isn't that pathetic? That's what cost him his life. Your own fear, your own actions, everything. It was you.

...was he even entirely wrong this time?

He splashed his face with the fountain water, putting each flask except one in his gem. This one he'll use for Sonic. He wiped the water from his face, dragging his hand down his cheeks and sighing.

Is this Sonic's first death? Hopefully he doesn't take too long. He doesn't want to have to hide a body again. He's got too many memories of keeping stupid secrets like that from people.

He warped back home, starting to lead to his room, flask in hand, before unlocking his room door and entering.

...yep. Bloody bubble with a bloody sonic. What else would you expect? He took it over to the tub, bursting the bubble and letting any blood that pooled drain out. Lav let the fountain water clear up the major injuries, obviously unable to help with the internal ones, but Sonic'll cope. He should wake up soon.

...if he wakes up soon.

No, don't think like that. It was one time.

But you don't know that.

...give it a day. If it takes any longer, then you're allowed to panic. For now, you need to calm down. He put Sonic's (now less bloody) body in his bed, tucking him in. At least he won't feel sore, hopefully.

God, sonic, you're such an idiot. You've got someone who cares if you die. You should've just let him help. Lav could've saved you. He really could've saved you if you just let him help.

He brought his knees to his chest, trying his best not to tear up. He's going to come back. He has to.

...he just wish it was him instead. At least then, he wouldn't have to think about it being his first death or anything of the sort.

...now that he thinks about it, Sonic said he was a friend.

Heh. A friend. That's nice to know, at least.

...he's going to have to step up his game if this happens again.

Now it's just a case of waiting. And he'll be right beside him, as he always is. Got nothing else better to do anyways. Maybe he might tidy up in here as well. Seems like every time he does, it always goes back to a tip.

[rolling-combo]

-In the quiet embrace of mortality, Sonic felt the gentle pull of life's final curtain. A profound calm settled over him, like the hushed aftermath of a storm. The weight of the hios struggles, battles fought, and sacrifices made began to lift, replaced by an ethereal lightness.

-As the hedgehog embraced the inevitable, there was a sense of closure and completion. Every scar, both seen and unseen, whispered tales of resilience and valor. In these fleeting moments, the hero just stared at what was his entire existence, and the culmination of it. The darkness engulfed him, but there was an odd feeling on the back of his head, a nagging feeling that this wasn't over yet.-

-His voice whispered that it wasn't his time to sink down further down. The voice turned into a bittersweet melody, his beating heart leading the compass.-

-And then he gasped awake.-

[purple-steven]

Despite the rush of it all earlier, he would find himself in almost silence, shooting up in his bed with Lav still on the floor next to him. He has moved, but he always returned to this spot whenever he was doing nothing. And now he's napping. He does that a lot.

[rolling-combo]

-The hedgehog put a hand on his side, where the piercing wound had been, expecting his gloves to be crimson red. Instead, he just touched his fur, his gloves an inmaculate white.-

-He felt relieved, he had this sort of ethereal sense of clarity at the moment, his ears flickered at the sound of someone breathing, turning over to look at his friend on the ground.-

-A small smile appeared on his lips, the sight of Lav making him happy. He was just recalling everything that happened earlier, all the violence and pain. He tensed, before closing his eyes, expression softening, now wondering how much his revival took.-

-It didn't feel right to look at his friend resting on the ground, very slowly getting off the bed and carrying the human and getting him under the covers, before he got on it as well. They can both rest on the same bed, not that he's especially big or anything.-

-He still felt a little tired, but didn't feel the urge to sleep anymore, so he just sat up, closing his eyes and meditating.-

[purple-steven]

He stirred a little when he was picked up, before continuing his nap, waking up after a couple of minutes. He felt the covers on top of him, slowly blinking awake and looking around, grasping his surroundings.

He saw Sonic sitting up, and all of a sudden he felt a weight slowly melt off his chest.

Oh- oh thank god, you're awake...

[rolling-combo]

-Ears flickered off at the sound of Lav's voice. He smiled, opening his eyes to look at his friend. He was just.. emitting this calm aura. Death has seemed to bring some sort of enlightenment to the hedgehog.-

Why wouldn't I be?

...

Sorry for worrying you earlier.

-He recalled his friend's desperation earlier, and how he was pricked by this quills, felt like some apologies were in order. He just couldn't bear having his friend die trying to help him when he wa beyond saving.-

[purple-steven]

Nothing, no reason, don't worry about it. Just... Let me help you, next time. I know my limits.

...are you... Doing alright? You seem to be coping with this a whole lot better than I did. Especially since it's... Well, it's your first death, isn't it...?

[rolling-combo]

You were stabbed in the abdomen, you would've died if you carried me over to the fountain. And I would've died if you moved me anymore.

-He sighed, serious, he knows his limits as well, and by moving to kick Kit that last time he worsened the injury he had made to him. Had no chance of surviving that fight. His expression eased up after saying all that, no worth in stressing over something that already happened.-

And I'm fine! It was just... kind of ominous, heh-

[purple-steven]

Kind of... Ominous...?

I mean, that's one way to describe it, but it doesn't... Seem right at all from his perspective.

...huh. I think... I think we've had very different after-death-experiences then.

He sighed, still letting the relief that Sonic Actually Woke Up wash over him. It was stupid to be worried about in the first place: it's not something that happens often and the likelihood of it ever happening is low, but it did stress him out.

How're you feeling? Sore? Achy? Anything of the sort?

He's still fairly concerned... But if Sonic is completely fine, he should probably just take it as a win.

[rolling-combo]

-Well Lav, you both have very different perspectives regarding death.-

A bit lightheaded, but aside from that, I just picked you up so, I should be fine!

[purple-steven]

Huh... Well, that's good!! Means that it wasn't... Too rough.

He smiled, clearly more relaxed.

You should still probably take it easy... I don't think it's smart to overdo it now.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic hugged Lav, it was a very gentle embrace. He still sorta felt bad for worrying him earlier. Also..-

Thanks, for everything.

-He wanted to thank him. Releasing the hug after saying so, smiling wide.-

We should go with Tails though. He's probably worried, or not. Depends, uh- How long have I been gone?

[purple-steven]

He seemed oddly surprised, before hugging back.

Hey, no need to thank me bud... Besides, what're...

He kinda hesitated, but then smiled a little.

What're friends for?

He then scanned his room for the clock, quickly doing some maths.

It's been... Less than a day. At least 10 hours.

Huh. Didn't keep count this time. That's... Good. He felt oddly proud of himself for not obsessing over something like that.

But yeah, we should go get you to Tails. He'll probably be a bit worried...

[rolling-combo]

-He scratched the back of his head.-

He'll probably scold me for not checking in earlier.

-He sighed, stretched a little before he stood up, he noticed he left some quills on Lav's pillow.-

Ah shoot, sorry about that. Usually happens after a fight-

-He picked them up, getting them out of Lav's pillow.-

[purple-steven]

Eh, don't stress, it's no biggie. Although... Uh... You might want to tell him the truth. At least, with my experience with everyone else, it... Becomes a huge issue when you lie about it. You don't have to tell him now, but... Yknow.

He kinda looked away. He felt bad giving advice for whatever reason??? Gah, hates the way his brain works sometimes.

[rolling-combo]

Gotcha, thanks for the advice!

-He stretched a little bit more, moving his arms and legs. The lightheadedness he felt earlier was mostly gone.-

Yo, y'wanna go running?

[purple-steven]

Uh- yeah! Yeah, we can do, uh- I might be a bit... Slow though, heh.

He got up as well, opening his room door. He's probably gonna shapeshift to catch up. What's fast? Probably a cheetah or something. He'll figure it out. He hasn't shapeshifted for fun in a while, so it'll be nice to let loose.

[rolling-combo]

Don't worry bout that!

Unless ya wanna make it a race.

-That. was definitely an invitation to race. Up to you Lav.-

[purple-steven]

HAH! No way. That's- yeah, I'm asking to lose there, I'm gonna pass you on that one, bud.

He chuckled a little. There was NO WAY IN HELL he was going to race Sonic. At least, not today.

Ready to get goin'?

[rolling-combo]

You're missing out man.

-Sonic chuckled alongside him, making his way out of the library.-

Sure! Let's go.

-And with that, he took off, going at a slow pace, for him, that is. He was going fast, but Lav could definitely catch up if he shapeshifted.-

[purple-steven]

He hadn't even realised they started until a couple seconds afterwards, surprised at the sudden takeoff, running after him. His body became a burst of bright purple light, shifting through different animals. A bird, soaring through the sky, to a horse galloping down, until he stuck with a cheetah, although he couldn't exactly match the speed. He was definitely far faster, and surprisingly, keeping up the pace. You could hear him laugh while shifting, freely running around. He seemed happier.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic laughed too, slowing his pace to match Lav's, feeling the wind on his face, he was grinning wide.-

That's so cool! We definitely should do this more!

-Future invitation to run around sometime! With Sonic! Yay :D-

[purple-steven]

YES!

He smiled widely, still running and shifting as much as he could. He is slowing down though - he hasn't done this in so long, his stamina is Quite Shit.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic didn't mind slowing down a bit for Lav, they were nearby anyways. Besides, they were having fun, and it was nice seeing Lav so happy, it's a nice contrast.-

[purple-steven]

As they got closer to their house, he began to slow significantly, before just walking the last 5 minutes, shapeshifting back to normal. He seemed tired, sweating his head off and breathing heavily.

...might be a bit out of practice in general. He doesn't usually struggle this much when shifting forms quickly. Just something to get used to.

He ran a hand through his hair, chuckling softly to himself.

Oh my god, what a run that was... Sorry for the... The speed though, heh...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ended up walking beside him, disappeared for some good 10 seconds and appeared back with a water bottle for Lav.-

There ya go!

[purple-steven]

He slowed at the sudden disappearance, reaching a stop before jumping when Sonic came.

How did yo-

You know how he did that, Lav... He felt like he hadn't properly seen it in motion before, or at least not this close up. It's extremely impressive.

Th-thanks...

He took the bottle, completely downing it before sighing, wiping his mouth. Lord, he needed that.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, was kinda amusing to see him surprised. Usually people don't react as much.-

Just ran back to the store. And you're welcome!

-He smiled, now they were almost in front of the house. Time to be scolded by Tails. Haha-_

[purple-steven]

Alright... Do you wanna make up an excuse for the time being or are we telling the truth...?

He looked at Sonic, completely judge free. He wouldn't mind either way, he can understand completely.

[rolling-combo]

I uh- I dunno?

I think I'm telling him the truth here.

He's died before me.. so there's nothing to hide to be honest.

-The hedgehog sighed, and went over to knock on the door.-

[purple-steven]

Alright...

He let Sonic take the lead, falling back. This'll be a lot... Maybe...? He has no idea.

[rolling-combo]

-Tails took less than a minute to open the door. He seemed tired, eye bags very much visible. Sonic frowned a bit at the sight. The fox's eyes widened, jumping over to hug the hedgehog.-

Sonic! Where have you been?! I've been worried sick about you!

-Sonic hugged back, patting his brother's head. He let go at the last sentence though, scratching the back of his quills.-

Uh, yeah. About that buddy... uh- I kinda died for a bit?

-Tails didn't seem to react at what Sonic said. He just, looked away for a moment and then.-

...

Yeah.. I know.

What-

-He was. Surprised, didn't expect that answer at all.-

The bracelet also picks up your vitals. It sends me a message when they don't pick a signal anymore. I.. Sorry for not telling you.

-Sonic quickly glanced back at Lav, then at Tails, and then at the device on his wrist. He seemed conflicted for a second, but then sighed. Tails ears were down, didn't look at Sonic in the eyes, what he did wasn't exactly bad but.. he knew Sonic wants his boundaries and... yeah.-

Does it notify me as well?

Huh?

-The fox looked up at Sonic, meeting his eyes. He wasn't mad at all.-

If it doesn't pick a signal, I mean.

Oh, uh- yeah.

Then we're good.

-Tails's ears perked up, looking at Sonic as he opened up his arms to offer a hug. He immediately jumped right into it, and began to sob on his chest.-

I-I'm sorry I never went there to help, I wasn't checking and I got the signal and I- I didn't want to see you like- like-

Whoa, hey- Hey it's- It's alright buddy, I get it. I don't blame ya, alright? Lav took care of me, so don't worry. Everything's fine now.

-He rubbed his brother's back, looking over at Lav and sighing in relief. This wasn't what he was expecting but, it's alright.-

[purple-steven]

Hey- it's- it's okay! I got you covered. Everything's alright now, so... So it's all okay.

He smiled, trying to be supportive. He looked back to Sonic, yeah, he knows exactly how that feels. It'll be alright.

[rolling-combo]

Thanks..

-Tails sniffled, still hugging his brother as tight as he could. Sonic ended up picking him up and walking inside the house, gesturing with his head for Lav to come in too.-

I made you chilli dogs for when you came back..

Awh.. Buddy... Okay, how about you rest? I bet you've been awake all this time.

-Tails was already asleep mid-phrase, and the hedgehog just smiled warmly, walking over to his bedroom and tucking him in.-

Alright, let's get those chilli dogs.

-Sonic said to Lav as he closed Tails's door, grinning and rushing over to the kitchen, a tray full of chilli dogs waiting for them right there, although they seem to be a little cold by now.-

[purple-steven]

He followed, feeling like he was imposing on something far more personal. He felt bad, but equally, he knew he couldn't prevent... Any of it, really.

I'm... Uh... Glad he took it alright, at least...

He took a chilli dog himself, taking a bite. Ooh, good dog.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic smiled at Lav.-

Not sleeping probably didn't help, he'll be better after resting a bit.

-He proceded to take a bite out of a chilli dog himself, his tail waging and his ears flickering and then going down. Tastyyy-

Now this is worth living for-

-He joked a bit, and then finished his dog, then ate another, then another, then a-

-So it seems to be that he was hungry.-

[rolling-combo]

Surge The Tenrec is brought in to the Clutter Dimension.

//oo this is going to be fun >:D

-The tenrec was running along a path of dirt along a forest, a circle of water along her waist, her sidekick, Kit, holding onto it. They were looking for shelter around the place.-

-None of them noticed when they were teleported, placed at the forest near Beach city. Eventually they found the aforementioned place, stopping abruptly.-

What the-

Ey drippy, this wasn't here before! Where are we?!

-Kitsunami lowered himself to the ground, water going back to his backpack, confused as well.-

We're in the middle of the continent, there isn't supposed to be a beach here.

Something's up here then. I'll ask for directions, you stay hidden.

-The fennec nodded, and Surge grinned, sharp teeth showing themselves. Might as well have some fun with the "gathering information" thing. They both got separated now, Surge just casually strolling until she spotted your muse. In a flash she pinned them against the wall and showed them her hand crackling with strands of glowing electricity.-

Hey there! How about you answer some questions for me?

//open rp! Uhhh I've been gone for a good while and idk who are still active- @purple-steven @corvid-steven @varian-the-unstable-alchemist @lilmetalsonic @anyone! sorry if i didn't tag someone i just genuinely dont remember-

[purple-steven]

Oh god-

This already felt problematic. He's weirded out by the fact he's suddenly pressed against the wall and-

Well. That hand is NOT going to do him any good. Electricity is not his strong suit.

Woah- hey, okay, calm it, put the- put the hand away, what's up? Who are you?

This is. Dangerous. He's got to be careful.

[rolling-combo]

Not your problem is it!? Shut up and answer! Where the fuck is this place!?

Answer me or you won't like what comes next!

-She pointed a finger at him, a little zap burning his nose a bit as she showed her teeth, intimidating him-

[purple-steven]

He flinched at the zap, feeling himself freak out the moment he felt it.

Okay- okay, just- just calm down. You're in the clutter dimension. You're new here, I'm assuming? Look, just- put the hand down, I'm not- not gonna do anything.

[rolling-combo]

The fuck is the Clutter Dimension?! You tryna be funny?! You piece of shit!

-Surge screamed at him, raising her fist in anger, about to beat him up. Before a strong gust of wind came across the alley, a familiar voice for Lav coming along.-

Hey bully! Haven't they told you to not pick on others! Also, go wash your mouth.

-Sonic joked around, crossing his arms. The lightning began acting up, the tenrec growling in anger as she looked down and then glared with all the anger she could muster at him.-

Let him go now, Surge. This is between us.

-His tone turned a bit serious, urgent to make her let go of Lav.-

Heh, what? You ready to put me down now!?

-She let go of Lav, more interested in.. well, beating the shit out of Sonic. Some electricity emanating from her might go to him, but it felt more like a light sting than anything. It's up to you if you're going to help Sonic or not, Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched with each sting, backing up slightly but going towards Sonic. Yeah, he's going to be helping out.

Oookay, so this is- this is a You Thing, I'm assuming? Can I have details??

[rolling-combo]

-Surge ignored Lav completely, launching herself at Sonic, charging towards him at full speed. He almost didn't manage to dodge it, but he did and appeared besides Lav in a flash, getting in a fighting stance as the tenrec crashed onto a random building.-

Uhhh, long story short. She was genetically modified and brainwashed to kill me. I need you to res- Whoa!

-He pushed Lav to the side. She'd thrown a literal wall at them.-

I need you to find a good moment to knock her out or restrain her quic-

-Surge now pounced him, Sonic stopping him with both his hands.-

What!? You think that weak human can pin me down?!

[purple-steven]

Oh SHI-

He just flicked his head, following the wall flying past them. What the fuCK??

Then the snide remark, which quite frankly peeved him off a bit. He pulled out his whip, cracking it for no reason other than dramatic effect, before wrapping it around Surge and attempting to pull her off.

Alright, let's NOT do that, yeah?

[rolling-combo]

-The tenrec actually went flying with that, actually being really light. She hit the ground hard, eyes widening as she was not expecting that at all, a small cloud of dust appearing with the ground cracking with the impact.-

-Sonic quickly incorporated himself, immediately turning to Lav at the sight of the whip, a worried tone in his exclamation.-

Lav! Let go of the-

-And a strong current of energy went through the whip, it would last a good 3 seconds before Sonic cut it off with a homing atack.-

[purple-steven]

He wasn't expecting her to fly off that easily, and the fact she did was sorta concerning to him, especially since he did NOT hold back at all. He looked incredibly worried, before feeling the shock course through him and an expression of pain and distress painted his face. He can't let go of the whip even if he wanted to, his hand clenching the whip tighter.

Oh goodness. He feels like he's seeing those trees again. He needs to stay focused. He can be distressed later. But it's notoriously difficult to concentrate at all when you're being shocked and all you can feel is pain and it doesn't stop and it's not stopping and its-

The relief he felt once it had seized was one he hadn't experienced in a while. He dropped to the floor for a moment, catching his breath, his hand finally letting go of the rope.

Ow.

[rolling-combo]

You alright!?

What! Little guy can't handle a little shock?! Aww, and I just thought things were getting interesting!

-As the cloud of dust dissipated, you could see Surge's fist emanating pure electricity. Sonic tried to stay and check if Lav was alright, but the tenrec charged at him will full speed.-

Alright then! Let's dance!

Sonic ran as as well, a blur of blue and green now going around the place, stopping when Surge managed to punch Sonic, throwing him over to a wall and breaking it on impact.-

Gah!-

-Lav could hear someone walking near him, a blue kit staring him down, tentacles of water emerging from what seemed to be a backpack.-

[purple-steven]

This is. Not looking good for him.

Don't worry about me! Just- be careful!

And he felt the ominous loom of the kit by him, turning around and looking back at him. That looks. Really cool, but right now, he's a bit scared for what's to come. He's bubbling himself already just in case, getting out a new whip, still trying to recover from the shock. More mentally than physically. Hhholy shit this is a lot that he wasn't expecting.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit stared at him for a moment, then looked at Sonic and Kit fighting, assessing the situation, then staring back at Lav. He'd seen his strength back when he threw Surge to the ground. The ends water tentacles turned sharp, repeatedly hitting the bubble now. Nice Lav, you've been deemed a threat.-

You're just a coward, aren't you.

-Meanwhile, the tenrec and the hedgehog were still actively fighting in the background. Sonic this time got the next hit, managing to kick Surge on the side, making her stumble back. He was about to charge a spindash when he saw Kit.-

Lav!

-He remembered their last encounter as clear as day, and he knew well enough what Kit could do when he's protecting Surge. He rushed to go towards Kit, and stop his attack, but he had to stop when Surge appeared in front of him.-

[purple-steven]

Oh goodness, they aren't going to make this easy at ALL are they.

I'm not a coward, I just- I don't want to hurt you!

He's trying to keep his bubble strong, but it's already forming cracks. Holding on to his whip slightly tighter. He doesn't want to fling people about, but it seems like he's running out of options here.

Can't we just- talk this out?

He's flicking his attention back and forth from Kit and to Surge and Sonic just in case they need help. Maybe he could try and intervene if he can slip by? But this may be a case of trusting Sonic to take care of Surge, leaving him to take care of Kit.

Well, regardless, he's trying to stay as aware as possible.

[rolling-combo]

Surge c'mon! Listen to me for a sec!

-Sonic now focused on dodging Surge, just wanted to make her reason. The tenrec kept attacking, eyes glowing as she focused her lightning on her fists and shoes.-

Why should I?! Are you going to start with the "You can be good" shit! Because I ain't buying it!

-Back to Lav, Kit didn't even answer him, all the water merging together and forming one big spike that crashed down on him.-

[purple-steven]

Glad to know that him and sonic were thinking similarly, at least... The spike crashing down on him popped the bubble, giving him time to dodge, albeit slightly weaker. He wrapped his whip around Kit, pulling him down to the ground.

[rolling-combo]

-A water tentacle slashed the whip, but the fennec still fell to the ground. A puddle of water formed around him and spikes of water formed, extending and aiming towards Lav.-

You won't hurt Surge.

-Talking about her, back to Sonic.-

-Sonic kept blocking Surge's punches as he tried to speak to her, eventually answering with a kick to make her stand back.-

Just listen! This isn't our dimension, you're free here!

-The tenrec stared at him. A sinister smile creeping up her face. This is not going the way Sonic wanted, immediately knowing what she was about to say.-

Free you say?

I'm pretty sure that whatever you're thinking right now is wrong. I won't let you cause mayhem.

But then that means...

-Surge's body was covered by electricity now, charging at Sonic once again.-

You don't have anyone to back you up! Do ya!?

-As they clashed, electricity quickly enveloped Sonic, making him scream in pain as his eyes widened.-

[purple-steven]

He quickly summoned 2 more whips to make up for the loss of the first, looking back to hear the sound of Sonic screaming, trying to wrap his whip around Sonic and pull him back towards him. He is paying no mind towards Kit at the moment, instead keeping the other whip spare for any retaliations that he might need to take.

Oh boy. This is going to be difficult to take care of. Maybe they should flee? But that doesn't seem wise either... They just need to try and keep Surge in one place, so maybe bubbling? But his bubbles are useless at times... It'll be fine. They'll figure something out. Just keep fighting somehow.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic stayed on the ground for a moment, a bit of smoke coming from his body. He groaned as he stood up, struggling to do so. Both Kit and Surge stood in front of them.-

Hey kid! Change of plans, we'll just kill off the blue rat. I used almost all my charge on him so he's pretty much dead, you can call dibs on the kill if you get the chance.

-Kit nodded, raising himself with the water and immediately aiming water spikes at Sonic.-

[purple-steven]

He wrapped one whip around Kit and another around Surge, pulling them back to the ground and towards him rather than near Sonic. He needs time to recover by the looks of it, and Lav is going to buy as much time as needed.

[rolling-combo]

I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!

-Kit let himself get pulled, choosing to free Surge. She charged right at Lav, jumping and raising a charged fist, aiming to knock him down on one hit. But before it landed, Sonic spindashed right onto her stomach, sending her flying onto a nearby building.-

SURGE!?

-Kit growled at Sonic, water tentacles shooting over to grab him midair and throw him to the ground with full force.-

Ghk!-

-Sonic landed on the concrete, and a very audible crack could be heard. Making him cough blood. He.. still stood up though, struggling to breathe a bit and putting a hand on his side. He looked at the blood.-

That can't be good.

-He averted his gaze towards Kit, the kid had run off to check on Surge. She seemed to be injured as well, blood dripping down from her forehead as she recovered. Sonic tried to take a deep breath, looking back at Lav with a smile, bright as always, even though he was struggling to stand.-

Yo, Lav. Cover me, 'kay?

-He just has his vibe within him y'know? To make you feel safe, that everything is going to be alright. Just trust him, he's a hero after all.-

[purple-steven]

He glanced at the blood, nervous for Sonic and honestly a bit shaken, considering he had braced himself for a blow that never came to him.

Yeah, alright. Don't do anythin' stupid...

He nodded though, he's ready to cover as best he can, both whips out and ready to strike. He's also preparing himself to bubble something or someone if necessary, although it's hard to tell what's coming next. Out of all the times Lav fails to have fountain water on him... He needs to keep it in his gem more often. You'd think by now he's learnt his lesson, but... He always forgets in the end.

He's going to attack whoever Sonic doesn't go for first. He's just keeping an eye out, focussing on who to target.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, coughing again, his glove staining with a little more blood. Definitely a punctured lung. Don't have time to deal with that right now. He grinned.-

You need to have more faith in me man!

-Sonic assessed the situation, kit was unharmed and Surge was healing from her injury already. Man, this is going to be tough. He was just standing there, before he disappeared from Lav's sight.-

-The other two seemed confused as well, looking around. In a blink of an eyes, the hedgehog appeared over to kick Surge on the back of her head, aiming for her injury. She went face down on the ground, growling as she lunged over to try and tackle Sonic.-

Going for a sucker punch, hero?!

-Sonic dodged, being wary of the water puddle forming nearby, feeling Kit's glare.-

Can't keep up?

-He's a little fed up at this point.-

[purple-steven]

There's a right answer here. He needs to make a decision now on who and what to tackle. Would he rather face suffocating blue, or sparks of pain? Which one is the right answer? Which one is going to help? Which one can he handle more and which one is the right answer?

He'd take them both on, but Sonic is stupidly determined to protect him. He admires the courage, but it's hard when they're both wanting to tank hits for each other.

Surge... Even if it means taking electricity, it's clear that she's the bigger threat and that she appears to be the one who's harder to escape from. The electricity makes you seize in place. That's what hinders them both from doing ANYTHING at all.

Kit. The water is an issue. The fact they're near a beach isn't helping either. Neither of them can swim, but that's not an issue considering they don't need that skill at the moment. Drowning is an obvious risk, but the easy way out is to just sever the water with his whip or thwack Kit out of the way. If that's the case, he can take a second whip out to get rid of him easily.

Surge is better to take hits from. He has the durability as a bigger person in general, and even if the electricity brings back memories, memories aren't going to hurt anyone.

That must be the right decision. Right?

No time for more thinking. You already wasted enough with these few seconds, now you just need to fight. Diving head first into these sorts of things never backfire, right?

He rushed in, wrapping his whip tightly around Surge, each gem divot pushing against the skin enough to hurt, but not enough to pierce it. This trick is getting old, but there's not much he can do other than this. Unless he starts giving her ACTUAL whip lashes, but that feels too harsh. He's tempted to try and throw her far away from here, but that'll become an issue in the future. Might as well deal with it here and now.

Doesn't matter if he dies. Doesn't really bother him much in the long run, does it?

Enough is enough. He's getting tired of this as well. He's desummoned one whip, instead bubbling his fist. He pulls Surge towards him, ready to punch her with his bubbled fist. He's aware the pressure and force may make it burst, but power is needed more at the moment. Plus, he can take a hit like that.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge allowed herself to be pulled, tanking the punch. Definitely didn't expect it the amount of raw strength coming from it though. She then electrified the whip, same as last time.-

You don't learn, do ya.

-Meanwhile, Sonic was fighting Kit, dodging water whips and trying to make him use his water supply as much as he could. Didn't want to hirt the kid, but he was already seeing it hard to win this without doing so.-

-He charged a spindash, going through one of the water whips and bouncing off a street lamp to hit Kit right on his water backpack, the water whips faltering as Sonic barely dodged one coming at him.-

-He was keeping an eye on Lav and Surge, would definitely barge in if things go south.-

[purple-steven]

The bubble burst with the collision, and he seized, unable to think of any sort of witty comeback. Each muscle in his body felt far too tense, but he didn't let go of the whip. Take the hit. You can handle the hit. You can handle this.

His eyes welled up with tears whilst remaining quiet, solely concentrated on trying to stray his focus elsewhere.

Stop thinking about how much it hurts. Think about what to do next. Think about Sonic. Think about what to do next think about your next move think about-

It hurts so much. He's scared. It hurts so much and he's scared, and he isn't sure when it's going to end, and he isn't sure when he'll be able to completely focus again.

The whip instead is desummoned, somewhat unwillingly, freeing Surge to move around a bit more. He bubbled his fists once more, breathing heavily after the current had been broken. He's still out of focus. Out of practice. He'll fight fist to fist if he has to. Shapeshifting is still a skill he possessed, maybe just having a physically Massive Fist might pummel them.

[rolling-combo]

-The tenred stood up, brushing some dust off as her wounds healed. She grinned at the sight of Lav's bubbled fists, squaring up as well.-

Wanna dance, you puny little human? Come at me!

-She taunted, signaling him to come closer with one of her hands, her sharp teeth forming a haunting smile towards him. She wouldn't show mercy at all.-

-Back to Sonic, he was still fighting the water whips, dodging and waiting for another opening. He kicked some of the whips away, sometimes glancing towards Lav. He trusted him, but was starting to get worried. Would have to finish things quickly with Kit.-

[purple-steven]

He ran towards her, preparing to punch her straight in the face if he can, getting ready to shapeshift smaller if he has to dodge quickly. It's going to take some concentration. He's keeping his eyes on Surge's movements, but only Surge.

Get ready. You need to be fast. Land a punch and shapeshift. Not that difficult.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge dodged by ducking down, aiming to land an uppercut and then kicking Lav on the side. She's saving the electricity she has left to finish off Sonic.-

Too slow!

-The hedgehog jumped and landed a homing attack on Kit, making him hit the ground on his back, his backpack taking most of the impact. Something could be heard cracking inside of it, and the fennec's eyes widened.-

Gotcha.

-Kit glared at Sonic, a water blade forming and going towards him, but deforming and disintegrating before even making contact.-

[purple-steven]

Lav staggered, but he didn't back down.

Alright, speed isn't his forte. Let's use something you're good at then.

He raised his hand above his shoulder as if he was going to throw something, before shapeshifting it into a giant fist, almost half his size. He flung his arm in time so that he wouldn't have to worry about lifting it, allowing gravity to do the work, hopefully crushing Surge.

He didn't really want to kill her, but... It'll hurt her enough, surely, if it hits. If it seems fatal, he can take them to the fountain. It should be fine... Yeah, it should be fine.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge stared at the shapeshifting, her reflexes barely managing to get her out of his range. She immediately went to kick him behind the knees, trying to make him fall over and then kick his stomach.-

-On the other side, Kit was trying to punch Sonic, but he was just dodging every hit Kit threw at him. The fennec had a plan in mind, a single line of water slowly making it's way towards Lav. The backpack had enough pressure for one more attack. Sonic was about to knock out Kit, dashing behind him to hit him on the back of his head.-

-But then he saw the fennec's eyes glowing and looking at Lav. A water blade going for his abdomen, it was meant to pierce him all the way, but it stopped before it could do any fatal damage.-

LAV?!

-But Sonic didn't know that, immediately rushing over to Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He groaned in pain, his fist keeping him stuck to the ground before he shapeshifted it away. He heard the yell out, confused, before he saw the water blade.

He put up a bubble, although it seemed weak already and likely wouldn't stop anything that sharp from piercing it through, but it was a last attempt at protecting himself, attempting to roll to the side but...

...Well, speed isn't his forte.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran over towards Lav, but Surge intercepted him. She punched Sonic right on the face, making him fly over to the nearest building.-

Weren't quick enough to save him, were ya.

-She turned over to look at Kit.-

Hey drippy!? Ya good?!

-Kit didn't answer, focused on fixing his backpack. Tinkering away with it, a couple of sparks coming from it. Surge sighed, looking over at Lav, grabbing him by the hair.-

You're weak, but at least you make good bait.

-She whispered to him, before dropping him and looking over where Sonic crashed, just aiming to make him hurt even more. The hedgehog was standing up again, his last injuries coming back to him. He groaned, looking over at Surge grabbing Lav by the hair and hissing.-

[purple-steven]

He was flung towards Sonic, landing roughly and unpleasantly next to him, the harsh pebbles and small stones hidden within the dirt scratching his face. He teared up in pain, not even properly processing the stab wound yet, until he felt something wet on his hand.

His body instinctively already tried to cover the wound, and suddenly, the sting of being stabbed finally stepped in, and he curled in on himself, hissing in pain. He would've tried to scramble up, but from where the wound is, any sort of movement would hurt if he tried to get up.

It felt... Wetter than usual, thanks to the water, but it hurts badly.

He's not sure he can fight through this. He can try, but... It's not looking good for him.

Ugh... It... Keeps hurting more and now he's bleeding more, curling in on himself with tears slowly tracing his face.

He's more than bait. He's stronger than that. He's worth more than that. He's a useful person, he can be useful, he can be worth more than just a distraction. Than just bait.

He isn't weak.

He... He isn't weak.

Right...?

He hissed as well, albeit in pain, breathing heavily.

Shit...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran towards Surge, before a water tentacle grabbed his ankle and launched him up, he managed to block Surge's kick coming at him. He charged a homing attack to hit Surge in the air, but Kit immediately made the hedgehog hit a large mass of water.-

-He was trapped inside it, tried to swim upwards, panicked. But Surge put a hand on the water, using all she had left on her charge to electrify the water. It flashed white, making Sonic scream in the water as his muscles tensed.-

-As soon as it ended, Sonic was dropped onto the ground. He coughed water, he was struggling to breathe earlier and this definitely didn't help his case. His vision was blurry and everything hurt now. But he stood up again.-

That- That's all y-ya ha-

-And then a punch landed right on his stomach, knocking the air out of him. He put his hands on Surge's arm, seemingly supporting himself from the impact, before he grabbed her and slammed her onto the ground.-

-They should've known he wouldn't go down without a fight.-

[purple-steven]

Why is he still fighting? Shouldn't they-

No, he's right, he's... He should keep fighting as well.

You aren't bait. You're more than that.

You aren't useless.

He kept attempting to stagger up, until eventually he got his balance back, stumbling up to his feet. What can he do, what can he do...

Sonic obviously doesn't want to retreat, but if it continues, that might be the only option they have left. He summoned his whip. He'll just... Distract them.

...just... Be bait.

He flung his whip out around Kit, Surge being out of the question considering the electricity issue, wrapping it around before pulling him towards Lav.

...okay, so the backpack is the source. Break the source again. Obliterate it if you have to. You can do that, even in this state, right?

He seethed, closing his eyes and wincing, but it doesn't matter. Sonic needs back up.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit looked back at Lav the moment Sonic smashed Surge on the ground, Water tentacles emerging and shielding him from his whip. Surge, on the other side, growled and hissed at the hedgehog before she tackled him, punching him on the face over and over before he managed to kick her off. He was glad he was facing away from Lav.-

-He stumbled up, and then disappeared, kicking Surge on the stomach, returning the hit from earlier. He almost fell over when he landed on the ground, clearly at his limit.-

[purple-steven]

Shit no... Sonic can't do this any longer.

He wrapped his whip around Sonic, planning to pull him towards himself. They need to get out of here. But he'll loosen it if Sonic struggles against it. He doesn't want to yell it out loud; if they do have to escape, announcing it seemed idiotic.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was still keeping an eye on Lav and, alas, he didn't even allow that whip to go halfway through. A water whip slashing Lav's whip in half. He will support Surge in whatever she wants, and if she wants to fight Sonic one on one, so be it.-

-With that said, Surge was actually really worn out right now. Sonic wasn't pulling any punches now and she could obviously feel that on the kick she just received. She was near her limit, panting.-

-With that said, Sonic was way past his at this point, carrying on by sheer willpower. He still managed to get into a fighting position, and charged at her.-

-Surge attempted to sweep Sonic's legs, but he dashed behind her. Hitting her on the back of her head and then conjoining his two hands and striking down on her back, full force, making a small crater on the ground. Left her unconscious.-

-And then a water spike stabbed him from behind.-

[purple-steven]

His eyes widened, looking for Kit, running towards him with his hand glowing, morphing to be massive again. He looked mad. He swung his arm, sending his hand to swat Kit away, potentially sending him flying, this time with a fairly quick speed. He needs to wait for the water to dissipate. He's going to have to get them to the fountain, even if he's strength is slowly fading.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was keeping himself above the ground with his water tentacles, eyes widening when she saw the massive hand. The water tentacles divided into a massive amount of water spikes, all piercing Lav's hand, leaving just a single water tentacle keeping him above.-

-Sonic kicked Kit on the side of the head, knocked out Kit with the impact. With that the water dissipated, and a couple portals appeared beneath them, taking them away.-

-The hedgehog landed, stumbling and then looking at Lav.-

They're g-gone?.. Good...

[purple-steven]

He was breathing heavily, hand glowing to shift back to normal, the gaping piercings becoming far more apparent. He looked down at his wounds, his hands shaking as well as the stab wound becoming slightly worse and still flowing. Little streams of blood started to fall from the holes in his hand.

We n... We need to go....

He breathed out, hissing in pain, still stumbling and bending over slightly.

...the bending over was likely not helping whatsoever, in fact it likely made it worse, but he didn't have the strength to keep himself upright.

[rolling-combo]

You go, I'm not going to make it.

-Sonic leaned against a wall, and let himself fall down, a trail of blood smearing across the wall. He sighed.-

-He chuckled, holding his side as he winced in pain. The adrenaline was already wearing down, the pain of his injuries making itself more and more intense.-

Man, that sure was a fight.

-He was smiling, definitely afraid of dying.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no. N-no, we're not doing that.

He practically grabbed Sonic, picking him up, hoisting him over his shoulder in the fireman hold. He silently winced, but began quickly walking towards any portal which would be nearby.

Not letting you die on me, mate...

[rolling-combo]

L-Lav, no.

-He coughed, now struggling to breathe even more than before, you could hear how some of the air wasn't reaching his lungs.-

J-just leave m-me. I'll feel worse if y-ya bleed out trying to h-help me.

-He tried to pull away from him, falling onto the ground and grunting, hissing from the pain.-

G-go without me, I'll be fine.

-He could already feel he was going to die soon. No deal in making his corpse wait a little bit more to be healed.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no, let me help you, what're you doing? I can- I can save you, let me help, for fucks sake...

He went to try and pick him up again. He's not going without him. The fountain will save him, and he KNOWS it would. Why fight it when he can just- survive?

It'll save you, Sonic, you're not gonna die if I take you and it'll heal you, why the hell are you fighting that?

[rolling-combo]

-He immediately spiked up, all his quills going up, not letting him touch him. He tried to get in a more comfortable position.-

I-If you take me you'll d-die.

Y-your wounds are g-getting worse.

I d-don't want you to die, you're m-my friend.

-He smiled at him, he already feels lighteaded, cold. Definitely wouldn't make it even if Lav ran towards the fountain right now.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched, flapping his hand wildly, hissing in pain and immediately regretting his sudden movement, groaning slightly.

Argh, fUck-

He looked at Sonic, mildly angry, but mainly just... Frustrated. He could've saved him if he wasn't so stubborn about it. He could've done something.

...sonic, you're an absolute twat, you know that?

He sighed, holding his own hand to soothe it.

...I'll wait until you go. I can hold... I can hold out, but... But god, you're an idiot. I've died before... I can handle it. Why did you take so many hits...? You didn't... You shouldn't've, you idiot.

[rolling-combo]

-He laughed again, coughing more blood out, struggling to stay awake, but he persevered.-

D-didn't know how m-much time they would be stayin'

Y-you saw what they c-could do didn't cha'-

-His blinking was getting slower, each time getting harder and harder to keep himself up. He did manage to look at Lav though, still smiling, as always.-

T-thanks for helping me out man, probably wouldn't have been able t-to get them both alone.

-He was 100% sincere here, probably wouldn't have been able to fight both of them at the same time.-

D-don't let Tails know bout this 'kay?

-And he closed his eyes, of course those would be his last words.-

[purple-steven]

He sighed, nodding.

Yeah, alright.

He bubbled Sonic's body, sending him to his room in the library. It's locked, so it's not like anyone's just gonna wander in. He'll go and grab some healing water to help as well.

But now... He's gotta make the journey without dying, so that's going to be eventful. He probably won't either, but it hurts badly.

Right, let's assess this. We've got a pretty deep stab wound that's gone all the way through his abdomen. That's the main point of concern. Several holes in his hands from multiple piercings of water spikes. Also can't be good. Multiple electricity burns but that's nothing he's not used to. And probably a bunch of bruises that he can't exactly identify right now.

He continued his journey to the fountain, warping himself away, feeling slightly faint. Yeah, he's definitely gonna make it.

He took all the flasks out of his gem, refilling them as well as chugging one down to get rid of anything internal that might be going on. The rest he sorta sprinkled on. He didn't want to deal with any submerging shit right now, especially with the state he's in.

...Sonic died. He couldn't help. It's fully sinking in.

God, is he really only good for bait? Good for distractions? Sonic said he'd helped, but then again, Sonic would say anything to make anyone feel better. He was worried the entire time. Was Lav really incapable of standing his ground that whole time?

Okay, stop that, that's unreasonable thinking. Surely.

Right. Yeah. 'course it is. You're strong. You're strong as hell. You aren't useless.

Are you sure? Because to me, it seemed like you were pretty incompetent. Seemed like you sorta just... Let it happen. You're not exactly the best person, are you? You could've easily just taken all the hits. But instead, you were too scared. Too scared of dying, no matter what you say, and too scared of getting hurt. You hate it. The sensation of it. Isn't that pathetic? That's what cost him his life. Your own fear, your own actions, everything. It was you.

...was he even entirely wrong this time?

He splashed his face with the fountain water, putting each flask except one in his gem. This one he'll use for Sonic. He wiped the water from his face, dragging his hand down his cheeks and sighing.

Is this Sonic's first death? Hopefully he doesn't take too long. He doesn't want to have to hide a body again. He's got too many memories of keeping stupid secrets like that from people.

He warped back home, starting to lead to his room, flask in hand, before unlocking his room door and entering.

...yep. Bloody bubble with a bloody sonic. What else would you expect? He took it over to the tub, bursting the bubble and letting any blood that pooled drain out. Lav let the fountain water clear up the major injuries, obviously unable to help with the internal ones, but Sonic'll cope. He should wake up soon.

...if he wakes up soon.

No, don't think like that. It was one time.

But you don't know that.

...give it a day. If it takes any longer, then you're allowed to panic. For now, you need to calm down. He put Sonic's (now less bloody) body in his bed, tucking him in. At least he won't feel sore, hopefully.

God, sonic, you're such an idiot. You've got someone who cares if you die. You should've just let him help. Lav could've saved you. He really could've saved you if you just let him help.

He brought his knees to his chest, trying his best not to tear up. He's going to come back. He has to.

...he just wish it was him instead. At least then, he wouldn't have to think about it being his first death or anything of the sort.

...now that he thinks about it, Sonic said he was a friend.

Heh. A friend. That's nice to know, at least.

...he's going to have to step up his game if this happens again.

Now it's just a case of waiting. And he'll be right beside him, as he always is. Got nothing else better to do anyways. Maybe he might tidy up in here as well. Seems like every time he does, it always goes back to a tip.

[rolling-combo]

-In the quiet embrace of mortality, Sonic felt the gentle pull of life's final curtain. A profound calm settled over him, like the hushed aftermath of a storm. The weight of the hios struggles, battles fought, and sacrifices made began to lift, replaced by an ethereal lightness.

-As the hedgehog embraced the inevitable, there was a sense of closure and completion. Every scar, both seen and unseen, whispered tales of resilience and valor. In these fleeting moments, the hero just stared at what was his entire existence, and the culmination of it. The darkness engulfed him, but there was an odd feeling on the back of his head, a nagging feeling that this wasn't over yet.-

-His voice whispered that it wasn't his time to sink down further down. The voice turned into a bittersweet melody, his beating heart leading the compass.-

-And then he gasped awake.-

[purple-steven]

Despite the rush of it all earlier, he would find himself in almost silence, shooting up in his bed with Lav still on the floor next to him. He has moved, but he always returned to this spot whenever he was doing nothing. And now he's napping. He does that a lot.

[rolling-combo]

-The hedgehog put a hand on his side, where the piercing wound had been, expecting his gloves to be crimson red. Instead, he just touched his fur, his gloves an inmaculate white.-

-He felt relieved, he had this sort of ethereal sense of clarity at the moment, his ears flickered at the sound of someone breathing, turning over to look at his friend on the ground.-

-A small smile appeared on his lips, the sight of Lav making him happy. He was just recalling everything that happened earlier, all the violence and pain. He tensed, before closing his eyes, expression softening, now wondering how much his revival took.-

-It didn't feel right to look at his friend resting on the ground, very slowly getting off the bed and carrying the human and getting him under the covers, before he got on it as well. They can both rest on the same bed, not that he's especially big or anything.-

-He still felt a little tired, but didn't feel the urge to sleep anymore, so he just sat up, closing his eyes and meditating.-

[purple-steven]

He stirred a little when he was picked up, before continuing his nap, waking up after a couple of minutes. He felt the covers on top of him, slowly blinking awake and looking around, grasping his surroundings.

He saw Sonic sitting up, and all of a sudden he felt a weight slowly melt off his chest.

Oh- oh thank god, you're awake...

[rolling-combo]

-Ears flickered off at the sound of Lav's voice. He smiled, opening his eyes to look at his friend. He was just.. emitting this calm aura. Death has seemed to bring some sort of enlightenment to the hedgehog.-

Why wouldn't I be?

...

Sorry for worrying you earlier.

-He recalled his friend's desperation earlier, and how he was pricked by this quills, felt like some apologies were in order. He just couldn't bear having his friend die trying to help him when he wa beyond saving.-

[purple-steven]

Nothing, no reason, don't worry about it. Just... Let me help you, next time. I know my limits.

...are you... Doing alright? You seem to be coping with this a whole lot better than I did. Especially since it's... Well, it's your first death, isn't it...?

[rolling-combo]

You were stabbed in the abdomen, you would've died if you carried me over to the fountain. And I would've died if you moved me anymore.

-He sighed, serious, he knows his limits as well, and by moving to kick Kit that last time he worsened the injury he had made to him. Had no chance of surviving that fight. His expression eased up after saying all that, no worth in stressing over something that already happened.-

And I'm fine! It was just... kind of ominous, heh-

[purple-steven]

Kind of... Ominous...?

I mean, that's one way to describe it, but it doesn't... Seem right at all from his perspective.

...huh. I think... I think we've had very different after-death-experiences then.

He sighed, still letting the relief that Sonic Actually Woke Up wash over him. It was stupid to be worried about in the first place: it's not something that happens often and the likelihood of it ever happening is low, but it did stress him out.

How're you feeling? Sore? Achy? Anything of the sort?

He's still fairly concerned... But if Sonic is completely fine, he should probably just take it as a win.

[rolling-combo]

-Well Lav, you both have very different perspectives regarding death.-

A bit lightheaded, but aside from that, I just picked you up so, I should be fine!

[purple-steven]

Huh... Well, that's good!! Means that it wasn't... Too rough.

He smiled, clearly more relaxed.

You should still probably take it easy... I don't think it's smart to overdo it now.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic hugged Lav, it was a very gentle embrace. He still sorta felt bad for worrying him earlier. Also..-

Thanks, for everything.

-He wanted to thank him. Releasing the hug after saying so, smiling wide.-

We should go with Tails though. He's probably worried, or not. Depends, uh- How long have I been gone?

[purple-steven]

He seemed oddly surprised, before hugging back.

Hey, no need to thank me bud... Besides, what're...

He kinda hesitated, but then smiled a little.

What're friends for?

He then scanned his room for the clock, quickly doing some maths.

It's been... Less than a day. At least 10 hours.

Huh. Didn't keep count this time. That's... Good. He felt oddly proud of himself for not obsessing over something like that.

But yeah, we should go get you to Tails. He'll probably be a bit worried...

[rolling-combo]

-He scratched the back of his head.-

He'll probably scold me for not checking in earlier.

-He sighed, stretched a little before he stood up, he noticed he left some quills on Lav's pillow.-

Ah shoot, sorry about that. Usually happens after a fight-

-He picked them up, getting them out of Lav's pillow.-

[purple-steven]

Eh, don't stress, it's no biggie. Although... Uh... You might want to tell him the truth. At least, with my experience with everyone else, it... Becomes a huge issue when you lie about it. You don't have to tell him now, but... Yknow.

He kinda looked away. He felt bad giving advice for whatever reason??? Gah, hates the way his brain works sometimes.

[rolling-combo]

Gotcha, thanks for the advice!

-He stretched a little bit more, moving his arms and legs. The lightheadedness he felt earlier was mostly gone.-

Yo, y'wanna go running?

[purple-steven]

Uh- yeah! Yeah, we can do, uh- I might be a bit... Slow though, heh.

He got up as well, opening his room door. He's probably gonna shapeshift to catch up. What's fast? Probably a cheetah or something. He'll figure it out. He hasn't shapeshifted for fun in a while, so it'll be nice to let loose.

[rolling-combo]

Don't worry bout that!

Unless ya wanna make it a race.

-That. was definitely an invitation to race. Up to you Lav.-

[purple-steven]

HAH! No way. That's- yeah, I'm asking to lose there, I'm gonna pass you on that one, bud.

He chuckled a little. There was NO WAY IN HELL he was going to race Sonic. At least, not today.

Ready to get goin'?

[rolling-combo]

You're missing out man.

-Sonic chuckled alongside him, making his way out of the library.-

Sure! Let's go.

-And with that, he took off, going at a slow pace, for him, that is. He was going fast, but Lav could definitely catch up if he shapeshifted.-

[purple-steven]

He hadn't even realised they started until a couple seconds afterwards, surprised at the sudden takeoff, running after him. His body became a burst of bright purple light, shifting through different animals. A bird, soaring through the sky, to a horse galloping down, until he stuck with a cheetah, although he couldn't exactly match the speed. He was definitely far faster, and surprisingly, keeping up the pace. You could hear him laugh while shifting, freely running around. He seemed happier.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic laughed too, slowing his pace to match Lav's, feeling the wind on his face, he was grinning wide.-

That's so cool! We definitely should do this more!

-Future invitation to run around sometime! With Sonic! Yay :D-

[purple-steven]

YES!

He smiled widely, still running and shifting as much as he could. He is slowing down though - he hasn't done this in so long, his stamina is Quite Shit.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic didn't mind slowing down a bit for Lav, they were nearby anyways. Besides, they were having fun, and it was nice seeing Lav so happy, it's a nice contrast.-

[purple-steven]

As they got closer to their house, he began to slow significantly, before just walking the last 5 minutes, shapeshifting back to normal. He seemed tired, sweating his head off and breathing heavily.

...might be a bit out of practice in general. He doesn't usually struggle this much when shifting forms quickly. Just something to get used to.

He ran a hand through his hair, chuckling softly to himself.

Oh my god, what a run that was... Sorry for the... The speed though, heh...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ended up walking beside him, disappeared for some good 10 seconds and appeared back with a water bottle for Lav.-

There ya go!

[purple-steven]

He slowed at the sudden disappearance, reaching a stop before jumping when Sonic came.

How did yo-

You know how he did that, Lav... He felt like he hadn't properly seen it in motion before, or at least not this close up. It's extremely impressive.

Th-thanks...

He took the bottle, completely downing it before sighing, wiping his mouth. Lord, he needed that.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, was kinda amusing to see him surprised. Usually people don't react as much.-

Just ran back to the store. And you're welcome!

-He smiled, now they were almost in front of the house. Time to be scolded by Tails. Haha-_

[purple-steven]

Alright... Do you wanna make up an excuse for the time being or are we telling the truth...?

He looked at Sonic, completely judge free. He wouldn't mind either way, he can understand completely.

[rolling-combo]

I uh- I dunno?

I think I'm telling him the truth here.

He's died before me.. so there's nothing to hide to be honest.

-The hedgehog sighed, and went over to knock on the door.-

[purple-steven]

Alright...

He let Sonic take the lead, falling back. This'll be a lot... Maybe...? He has no idea.

[rolling-combo]

-Tails took less than a minute to open the door. He seemed tired, eye bags very much visible. Sonic frowned a bit at the sight. The fox's eyes widened, jumping over to hug the hedgehog.-

Sonic! Where have you been?! I've been worried sick about you!

-Sonic hugged back, patting his brother's head. He let go at the last sentence though, scratching the back of his quills.-

Uh, yeah. About that buddy... uh- I kinda died for a bit?

-Tails didn't seem to react at what Sonic said. He just, looked away for a moment and then.-

...

Yeah.. I know.

What-

-He was. Surprised, didn't expect that answer at all.-

The bracelet also picks up your vitals. It sends me a message when they don't pick a signal anymore. I.. Sorry for not telling you.

-Sonic quickly glanced back at Lav, then at Tails, and then at the device on his wrist. He seemed conflicted for a second, but then sighed. Tails ears were down, didn't look at Sonic in the eyes, what he did wasn't exactly bad but.. he knew Sonic wants his boundaries and... yeah.-

Does it notify me as well?

Huh?

-The fox looked up at Sonic, meeting his eyes. He wasn't mad at all.-

If it doesn't pick a signal, I mean.

Oh, uh- yeah.

Then we're good.

-Tails's ears perked up, looking at Sonic as he opened up his arms to offer a hug. He immediately jumped right into it, and began to sob on his chest.-

I-I'm sorry I never went there to help, I wasn't checking and I got the signal and I- I didn't want to see you like- like-

Whoa, hey- Hey it's- It's alright buddy, I get it. I don't blame ya, alright? Lav took care of me, so don't worry. Everything's fine now.

-He rubbed his brother's back, looking over at Lav and sighing in relief. This wasn't what he was expecting but, it's alright.-

[purple-steven]

Hey- it's- it's okay! I got you covered. Everything's alright now, so... So it's all okay.

He smiled, trying to be supportive. He looked back to Sonic, yeah, he knows exactly how that feels. It'll be alright.

[rolling-combo]

Thanks..

-Tails sniffled, still hugging his brother as tight as he could. Sonic ended up picking him up and walking inside the house, gesturing with his head for Lav to come in too.-

I made you chilli dogs for when you came back..

Awh.. Buddy... Okay, how about you rest? I bet you've been awake all this time.

-Tails was already asleep mid-phrase, and the hedgehog just smiled warmly, walking over to his bedroom and tucking him in.-

Alright, let's get those chilli dogs.

-Sonic said to Lav as he closed Tails's door, grinning and rushing over to the kitchen, a tray full of chilli dogs waiting for them right there, although they seem to be a little cold by now.-

[rolling-combo]

Surge The Tenrec is brought in to the Clutter Dimension.

//oo this is going to be fun >:D

-The tenrec was running along a path of dirt along a forest, a circle of water along her waist, her sidekick, Kit, holding onto it. They were looking for shelter around the place.-

-None of them noticed when they were teleported, placed at the forest near Beach city. Eventually they found the aforementioned place, stopping abruptly.-

What the-

Ey drippy, this wasn't here before! Where are we?!

-Kitsunami lowered himself to the ground, water going back to his backpack, confused as well.-

We're in the middle of the continent, there isn't supposed to be a beach here.

Something's up here then. I'll ask for directions, you stay hidden.

-The fennec nodded, and Surge grinned, sharp teeth showing themselves. Might as well have some fun with the "gathering information" thing. They both got separated now, Surge just casually strolling until she spotted your muse. In a flash she pinned them against the wall and showed them her hand crackling with strands of glowing electricity.-

Hey there! How about you answer some questions for me?

//open rp! Uhhh I've been gone for a good while and idk who are still active- @purple-steven @corvid-steven @varian-the-unstable-alchemist @lilmetalsonic @anyone! sorry if i didn't tag someone i just genuinely dont remember-

[purple-steven]

Oh god-

This already felt problematic. He's weirded out by the fact he's suddenly pressed against the wall and-

Well. That hand is NOT going to do him any good. Electricity is not his strong suit.

Woah- hey, okay, calm it, put the- put the hand away, what's up? Who are you?

This is. Dangerous. He's got to be careful.

[rolling-combo]

Not your problem is it!? Shut up and answer! Where the fuck is this place!?

Answer me or you won't like what comes next!

-She pointed a finger at him, a little zap burning his nose a bit as she showed her teeth, intimidating him-

[purple-steven]

He flinched at the zap, feeling himself freak out the moment he felt it.

Okay- okay, just- just calm down. You're in the clutter dimension. You're new here, I'm assuming? Look, just- put the hand down, I'm not- not gonna do anything.

[rolling-combo]

The fuck is the Clutter Dimension?! You tryna be funny?! You piece of shit!

-Surge screamed at him, raising her fist in anger, about to beat him up. Before a strong gust of wind came across the alley, a familiar voice for Lav coming along.-

Hey bully! Haven't they told you to not pick on others! Also, go wash your mouth.

-Sonic joked around, crossing his arms. The lightning began acting up, the tenrec growling in anger as she looked down and then glared with all the anger she could muster at him.-

Let him go now, Surge. This is between us.

-His tone turned a bit serious, urgent to make her let go of Lav.-

Heh, what? You ready to put me down now!?

-She let go of Lav, more interested in.. well, beating the shit out of Sonic. Some electricity emanating from her might go to him, but it felt more like a light sting than anything. It's up to you if you're going to help Sonic or not, Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched with each sting, backing up slightly but going towards Sonic. Yeah, he's going to be helping out.

Oookay, so this is- this is a You Thing, I'm assuming? Can I have details??

[rolling-combo]

-Surge ignored Lav completely, launching herself at Sonic, charging towards him at full speed. He almost didn't manage to dodge it, but he did and appeared besides Lav in a flash, getting in a fighting stance as the tenrec crashed onto a random building.-

Uhhh, long story short. She was genetically modified and brainwashed to kill me. I need you to res- Whoa!

-He pushed Lav to the side. She'd thrown a literal wall at them.-

I need you to find a good moment to knock her out or restrain her quic-

-Surge now pounced him, Sonic stopping him with both his hands.-

What!? You think that weak human can pin me down?!

[purple-steven]

Oh SHI-

He just flicked his head, following the wall flying past them. What the fuCK??

Then the snide remark, which quite frankly peeved him off a bit. He pulled out his whip, cracking it for no reason other than dramatic effect, before wrapping it around Surge and attempting to pull her off.

Alright, let's NOT do that, yeah?

[rolling-combo]

-The tenrec actually went flying with that, actually being really light. She hit the ground hard, eyes widening as she was not expecting that at all, a small cloud of dust appearing with the ground cracking with the impact.-

-Sonic quickly incorporated himself, immediately turning to Lav at the sight of the whip, a worried tone in his exclamation.-

Lav! Let go of the-

-And a strong current of energy went through the whip, it would last a good 3 seconds before Sonic cut it off with a homing atack.-

[purple-steven]

He wasn't expecting her to fly off that easily, and the fact she did was sorta concerning to him, especially since he did NOT hold back at all. He looked incredibly worried, before feeling the shock course through him and an expression of pain and distress painted his face. He can't let go of the whip even if he wanted to, his hand clenching the whip tighter.

Oh goodness. He feels like he's seeing those trees again. He needs to stay focused. He can be distressed later. But it's notoriously difficult to concentrate at all when you're being shocked and all you can feel is pain and it doesn't stop and it's not stopping and its-

The relief he felt once it had seized was one he hadn't experienced in a while. He dropped to the floor for a moment, catching his breath, his hand finally letting go of the rope.

Ow.

[rolling-combo]

You alright!?

What! Little guy can't handle a little shock?! Aww, and I just thought things were getting interesting!

-As the cloud of dust dissipated, you could see Surge's fist emanating pure electricity. Sonic tried to stay and check if Lav was alright, but the tenrec charged at him will full speed.-

Alright then! Let's dance!

Sonic ran as as well, a blur of blue and green now going around the place, stopping when Surge managed to punch Sonic, throwing him over to a wall and breaking it on impact.-

Gah!-

-Lav could hear someone walking near him, a blue kit staring him down, tentacles of water emerging from what seemed to be a backpack.-

[purple-steven]

This is. Not looking good for him.

Don't worry about me! Just- be careful!

And he felt the ominous loom of the kit by him, turning around and looking back at him. That looks. Really cool, but right now, he's a bit scared for what's to come. He's bubbling himself already just in case, getting out a new whip, still trying to recover from the shock. More mentally than physically. Hhholy shit this is a lot that he wasn't expecting.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit stared at him for a moment, then looked at Sonic and Kit fighting, assessing the situation, then staring back at Lav. He'd seen his strength back when he threw Surge to the ground. The ends water tentacles turned sharp, repeatedly hitting the bubble now. Nice Lav, you've been deemed a threat.-

You're just a coward, aren't you.

-Meanwhile, the tenrec and the hedgehog were still actively fighting in the background. Sonic this time got the next hit, managing to kick Surge on the side, making her stumble back. He was about to charge a spindash when he saw Kit.-

Lav!

-He remembered their last encounter as clear as day, and he knew well enough what Kit could do when he's protecting Surge. He rushed to go towards Kit, and stop his attack, but he had to stop when Surge appeared in front of him.-

[purple-steven]

Oh goodness, they aren't going to make this easy at ALL are they.

I'm not a coward, I just- I don't want to hurt you!

He's trying to keep his bubble strong, but it's already forming cracks. Holding on to his whip slightly tighter. He doesn't want to fling people about, but it seems like he's running out of options here.

Can't we just- talk this out?

He's flicking his attention back and forth from Kit and to Surge and Sonic just in case they need help. Maybe he could try and intervene if he can slip by? But this may be a case of trusting Sonic to take care of Surge, leaving him to take care of Kit.

Well, regardless, he's trying to stay as aware as possible.

[rolling-combo]

Surge c'mon! Listen to me for a sec!

-Sonic now focused on dodging Surge, just wanted to make her reason. The tenrec kept attacking, eyes glowing as she focused her lightning on her fists and shoes.-

Why should I?! Are you going to start with the "You can be good" shit! Because I ain't buying it!

-Back to Lav, Kit didn't even answer him, all the water merging together and forming one big spike that crashed down on him.-

[purple-steven]

Glad to know that him and sonic were thinking similarly, at least... The spike crashing down on him popped the bubble, giving him time to dodge, albeit slightly weaker. He wrapped his whip around Kit, pulling him down to the ground.

[rolling-combo]

-A water tentacle slashed the whip, but the fennec still fell to the ground. A puddle of water formed around him and spikes of water formed, extending and aiming towards Lav.-

You won't hurt Surge.

-Talking about her, back to Sonic.-

-Sonic kept blocking Surge's punches as he tried to speak to her, eventually answering with a kick to make her stand back.-

Just listen! This isn't our dimension, you're free here!

-The tenrec stared at him. A sinister smile creeping up her face. This is not going the way Sonic wanted, immediately knowing what she was about to say.-

Free you say?

I'm pretty sure that whatever you're thinking right now is wrong. I won't let you cause mayhem.

But then that means...

-Surge's body was covered by electricity now, charging at Sonic once again.-

You don't have anyone to back you up! Do ya!?

-As they clashed, electricity quickly enveloped Sonic, making him scream in pain as his eyes widened.-

[purple-steven]

He quickly summoned 2 more whips to make up for the loss of the first, looking back to hear the sound of Sonic screaming, trying to wrap his whip around Sonic and pull him back towards him. He is paying no mind towards Kit at the moment, instead keeping the other whip spare for any retaliations that he might need to take.

Oh boy. This is going to be difficult to take care of. Maybe they should flee? But that doesn't seem wise either... They just need to try and keep Surge in one place, so maybe bubbling? But his bubbles are useless at times... It'll be fine. They'll figure something out. Just keep fighting somehow.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic stayed on the ground for a moment, a bit of smoke coming from his body. He groaned as he stood up, struggling to do so. Both Kit and Surge stood in front of them.-

Hey kid! Change of plans, we'll just kill off the blue rat. I used almost all my charge on him so he's pretty much dead, you can call dibs on the kill if you get the chance.

-Kit nodded, raising himself with the water and immediately aiming water spikes at Sonic.-

[purple-steven]

He wrapped one whip around Kit and another around Surge, pulling them back to the ground and towards him rather than near Sonic. He needs time to recover by the looks of it, and Lav is going to buy as much time as needed.

[rolling-combo]

I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!

-Kit let himself get pulled, choosing to free Surge. She charged right at Lav, jumping and raising a charged fist, aiming to knock him down on one hit. But before it landed, Sonic spindashed right onto her stomach, sending her flying onto a nearby building.-

SURGE!?

-Kit growled at Sonic, water tentacles shooting over to grab him midair and throw him to the ground with full force.-

Ghk!-

-Sonic landed on the concrete, and a very audible crack could be heard. Making him cough blood. He.. still stood up though, struggling to breathe a bit and putting a hand on his side. He looked at the blood.-

That can't be good.

-He averted his gaze towards Kit, the kid had run off to check on Surge. She seemed to be injured as well, blood dripping down from her forehead as she recovered. Sonic tried to take a deep breath, looking back at Lav with a smile, bright as always, even though he was struggling to stand.-

Yo, Lav. Cover me, 'kay?

-He just has his vibe within him y'know? To make you feel safe, that everything is going to be alright. Just trust him, he's a hero after all.-

[purple-steven]

He glanced at the blood, nervous for Sonic and honestly a bit shaken, considering he had braced himself for a blow that never came to him.

Yeah, alright. Don't do anythin' stupid...

He nodded though, he's ready to cover as best he can, both whips out and ready to strike. He's also preparing himself to bubble something or someone if necessary, although it's hard to tell what's coming next. Out of all the times Lav fails to have fountain water on him... He needs to keep it in his gem more often. You'd think by now he's learnt his lesson, but... He always forgets in the end.

He's going to attack whoever Sonic doesn't go for first. He's just keeping an eye out, focussing on who to target.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, coughing again, his glove staining with a little more blood. Definitely a punctured lung. Don't have time to deal with that right now. He grinned.-

You need to have more faith in me man!

-Sonic assessed the situation, kit was unharmed and Surge was healing from her injury already. Man, this is going to be tough. He was just standing there, before he disappeared from Lav's sight.-

-The other two seemed confused as well, looking around. In a blink of an eyes, the hedgehog appeared over to kick Surge on the back of her head, aiming for her injury. She went face down on the ground, growling as she lunged over to try and tackle Sonic.-

Going for a sucker punch, hero?!

-Sonic dodged, being wary of the water puddle forming nearby, feeling Kit's glare.-

Can't keep up?

-He's a little fed up at this point.-

[purple-steven]

There's a right answer here. He needs to make a decision now on who and what to tackle. Would he rather face suffocating blue, or sparks of pain? Which one is the right answer? Which one is going to help? Which one can he handle more and which one is the right answer?

He'd take them both on, but Sonic is stupidly determined to protect him. He admires the courage, but it's hard when they're both wanting to tank hits for each other.

Surge... Even if it means taking electricity, it's clear that she's the bigger threat and that she appears to be the one who's harder to escape from. The electricity makes you seize in place. That's what hinders them both from doing ANYTHING at all.

Kit. The water is an issue. The fact they're near a beach isn't helping either. Neither of them can swim, but that's not an issue considering they don't need that skill at the moment. Drowning is an obvious risk, but the easy way out is to just sever the water with his whip or thwack Kit out of the way. If that's the case, he can take a second whip out to get rid of him easily.

Surge is better to take hits from. He has the durability as a bigger person in general, and even if the electricity brings back memories, memories aren't going to hurt anyone.

That must be the right decision. Right?

No time for more thinking. You already wasted enough with these few seconds, now you just need to fight. Diving head first into these sorts of things never backfire, right?

He rushed in, wrapping his whip tightly around Surge, each gem divot pushing against the skin enough to hurt, but not enough to pierce it. This trick is getting old, but there's not much he can do other than this. Unless he starts giving her ACTUAL whip lashes, but that feels too harsh. He's tempted to try and throw her far away from here, but that'll become an issue in the future. Might as well deal with it here and now.

Doesn't matter if he dies. Doesn't really bother him much in the long run, does it?

Enough is enough. He's getting tired of this as well. He's desummoned one whip, instead bubbling his fist. He pulls Surge towards him, ready to punch her with his bubbled fist. He's aware the pressure and force may make it burst, but power is needed more at the moment. Plus, he can take a hit like that.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge allowed herself to be pulled, tanking the punch. Definitely didn't expect it the amount of raw strength coming from it though. She then electrified the whip, same as last time.-

You don't learn, do ya.

-Meanwhile, Sonic was fighting Kit, dodging water whips and trying to make him use his water supply as much as he could. Didn't want to hirt the kid, but he was already seeing it hard to win this without doing so.-

-He charged a spindash, going through one of the water whips and bouncing off a street lamp to hit Kit right on his water backpack, the water whips faltering as Sonic barely dodged one coming at him.-

-He was keeping an eye on Lav and Surge, would definitely barge in if things go south.-

[purple-steven]

The bubble burst with the collision, and he seized, unable to think of any sort of witty comeback. Each muscle in his body felt far too tense, but he didn't let go of the whip. Take the hit. You can handle the hit. You can handle this.

His eyes welled up with tears whilst remaining quiet, solely concentrated on trying to stray his focus elsewhere.

Stop thinking about how much it hurts. Think about what to do next. Think about Sonic. Think about what to do next think about your next move think about-

It hurts so much. He's scared. It hurts so much and he's scared, and he isn't sure when it's going to end, and he isn't sure when he'll be able to completely focus again.

The whip instead is desummoned, somewhat unwillingly, freeing Surge to move around a bit more. He bubbled his fists once more, breathing heavily after the current had been broken. He's still out of focus. Out of practice. He'll fight fist to fist if he has to. Shapeshifting is still a skill he possessed, maybe just having a physically Massive Fist might pummel them.

[rolling-combo]

-The tenred stood up, brushing some dust off as her wounds healed. She grinned at the sight of Lav's bubbled fists, squaring up as well.-

Wanna dance, you puny little human? Come at me!

-She taunted, signaling him to come closer with one of her hands, her sharp teeth forming a haunting smile towards him. She wouldn't show mercy at all.-

-Back to Sonic, he was still fighting the water whips, dodging and waiting for another opening. He kicked some of the whips away, sometimes glancing towards Lav. He trusted him, but was starting to get worried. Would have to finish things quickly with Kit.-

[purple-steven]

He ran towards her, preparing to punch her straight in the face if he can, getting ready to shapeshift smaller if he has to dodge quickly. It's going to take some concentration. He's keeping his eyes on Surge's movements, but only Surge.

Get ready. You need to be fast. Land a punch and shapeshift. Not that difficult.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge dodged by ducking down, aiming to land an uppercut and then kicking Lav on the side. She's saving the electricity she has left to finish off Sonic.-

Too slow!

-The hedgehog jumped and landed a homing attack on Kit, making him hit the ground on his back, his backpack taking most of the impact. Something could be heard cracking inside of it, and the fennec's eyes widened.-

Gotcha.

-Kit glared at Sonic, a water blade forming and going towards him, but deforming and disintegrating before even making contact.-

[purple-steven]

Lav staggered, but he didn't back down.

Alright, speed isn't his forte. Let's use something you're good at then.

He raised his hand above his shoulder as if he was going to throw something, before shapeshifting it into a giant fist, almost half his size. He flung his arm in time so that he wouldn't have to worry about lifting it, allowing gravity to do the work, hopefully crushing Surge.

He didn't really want to kill her, but... It'll hurt her enough, surely, if it hits. If it seems fatal, he can take them to the fountain. It should be fine... Yeah, it should be fine.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge stared at the shapeshifting, her reflexes barely managing to get her out of his range. She immediately went to kick him behind the knees, trying to make him fall over and then kick his stomach.-

-On the other side, Kit was trying to punch Sonic, but he was just dodging every hit Kit threw at him. The fennec had a plan in mind, a single line of water slowly making it's way towards Lav. The backpack had enough pressure for one more attack. Sonic was about to knock out Kit, dashing behind him to hit him on the back of his head.-

-But then he saw the fennec's eyes glowing and looking at Lav. A water blade going for his abdomen, it was meant to pierce him all the way, but it stopped before it could do any fatal damage.-

LAV?!

-But Sonic didn't know that, immediately rushing over to Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He groaned in pain, his fist keeping him stuck to the ground before he shapeshifted it away. He heard the yell out, confused, before he saw the water blade.

He put up a bubble, although it seemed weak already and likely wouldn't stop anything that sharp from piercing it through, but it was a last attempt at protecting himself, attempting to roll to the side but...

...Well, speed isn't his forte.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran over towards Lav, but Surge intercepted him. She punched Sonic right on the face, making him fly over to the nearest building.-

Weren't quick enough to save him, were ya.

-She turned over to look at Kit.-

Hey drippy!? Ya good?!

-Kit didn't answer, focused on fixing his backpack. Tinkering away with it, a couple of sparks coming from it. Surge sighed, looking over at Lav, grabbing him by the hair.-

You're weak, but at least you make good bait.

-She whispered to him, before dropping him and looking over where Sonic crashed, just aiming to make him hurt even more. The hedgehog was standing up again, his last injuries coming back to him. He groaned, looking over at Surge grabbing Lav by the hair and hissing.-

[purple-steven]

He was flung towards Sonic, landing roughly and unpleasantly next to him, the harsh pebbles and small stones hidden within the dirt scratching his face. He teared up in pain, not even properly processing the stab wound yet, until he felt something wet on his hand.

His body instinctively already tried to cover the wound, and suddenly, the sting of being stabbed finally stepped in, and he curled in on himself, hissing in pain. He would've tried to scramble up, but from where the wound is, any sort of movement would hurt if he tried to get up.

It felt... Wetter than usual, thanks to the water, but it hurts badly.

He's not sure he can fight through this. He can try, but... It's not looking good for him.

Ugh... It... Keeps hurting more and now he's bleeding more, curling in on himself with tears slowly tracing his face.

He's more than bait. He's stronger than that. He's worth more than that. He's a useful person, he can be useful, he can be worth more than just a distraction. Than just bait.

He isn't weak.

He... He isn't weak.

Right...?

He hissed as well, albeit in pain, breathing heavily.

Shit...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran towards Surge, before a water tentacle grabbed his ankle and launched him up, he managed to block Surge's kick coming at him. He charged a homing attack to hit Surge in the air, but Kit immediately made the hedgehog hit a large mass of water.-

-He was trapped inside it, tried to swim upwards, panicked. But Surge put a hand on the water, using all she had left on her charge to electrify the water. It flashed white, making Sonic scream in the water as his muscles tensed.-

-As soon as it ended, Sonic was dropped onto the ground. He coughed water, he was struggling to breathe earlier and this definitely didn't help his case. His vision was blurry and everything hurt now. But he stood up again.-

That- That's all y-ya ha-

-And then a punch landed right on his stomach, knocking the air out of him. He put his hands on Surge's arm, seemingly supporting himself from the impact, before he grabbed her and slammed her onto the ground.-

-They should've known he wouldn't go down without a fight.-

[purple-steven]

Why is he still fighting? Shouldn't they-

No, he's right, he's... He should keep fighting as well.

You aren't bait. You're more than that.

You aren't useless.

He kept attempting to stagger up, until eventually he got his balance back, stumbling up to his feet. What can he do, what can he do...

Sonic obviously doesn't want to retreat, but if it continues, that might be the only option they have left. He summoned his whip. He'll just... Distract them.

...just... Be bait.

He flung his whip out around Kit, Surge being out of the question considering the electricity issue, wrapping it around before pulling him towards Lav.

...okay, so the backpack is the source. Break the source again. Obliterate it if you have to. You can do that, even in this state, right?

He seethed, closing his eyes and wincing, but it doesn't matter. Sonic needs back up.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit looked back at Lav the moment Sonic smashed Surge on the ground, Water tentacles emerging and shielding him from his whip. Surge, on the other side, growled and hissed at the hedgehog before she tackled him, punching him on the face over and over before he managed to kick her off. He was glad he was facing away from Lav.-

-He stumbled up, and then disappeared, kicking Surge on the stomach, returning the hit from earlier. He almost fell over when he landed on the ground, clearly at his limit.-

[purple-steven]

Shit no... Sonic can't do this any longer.

He wrapped his whip around Sonic, planning to pull him towards himself. They need to get out of here. But he'll loosen it if Sonic struggles against it. He doesn't want to yell it out loud; if they do have to escape, announcing it seemed idiotic.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was still keeping an eye on Lav and, alas, he didn't even allow that whip to go halfway through. A water whip slashing Lav's whip in half. He will support Surge in whatever she wants, and if she wants to fight Sonic one on one, so be it.-

-With that said, Surge was actually really worn out right now. Sonic wasn't pulling any punches now and she could obviously feel that on the kick she just received. She was near her limit, panting.-

-With that said, Sonic was way past his at this point, carrying on by sheer willpower. He still managed to get into a fighting position, and charged at her.-

-Surge attempted to sweep Sonic's legs, but he dashed behind her. Hitting her on the back of her head and then conjoining his two hands and striking down on her back, full force, making a small crater on the ground. Left her unconscious.-

-And then a water spike stabbed him from behind.-

[purple-steven]

His eyes widened, looking for Kit, running towards him with his hand glowing, morphing to be massive again. He looked mad. He swung his arm, sending his hand to swat Kit away, potentially sending him flying, this time with a fairly quick speed. He needs to wait for the water to dissipate. He's going to have to get them to the fountain, even if he's strength is slowly fading.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was keeping himself above the ground with his water tentacles, eyes widening when she saw the massive hand. The water tentacles divided into a massive amount of water spikes, all piercing Lav's hand, leaving just a single water tentacle keeping him above.-

-Sonic kicked Kit on the side of the head, knocked out Kit with the impact. With that the water dissipated, and a couple portals appeared beneath them, taking them away.-

-The hedgehog landed, stumbling and then looking at Lav.-

They're g-gone?.. Good...

[purple-steven]

He was breathing heavily, hand glowing to shift back to normal, the gaping piercings becoming far more apparent. He looked down at his wounds, his hands shaking as well as the stab wound becoming slightly worse and still flowing. Little streams of blood started to fall from the holes in his hand.

We n... We need to go....

He breathed out, hissing in pain, still stumbling and bending over slightly.

...the bending over was likely not helping whatsoever, in fact it likely made it worse, but he didn't have the strength to keep himself upright.

[rolling-combo]

You go, I'm not going to make it.

-Sonic leaned against a wall, and let himself fall down, a trail of blood smearing across the wall. He sighed.-

-He chuckled, holding his side as he winced in pain. The adrenaline was already wearing down, the pain of his injuries making itself more and more intense.-

Man, that sure was a fight.

-He was smiling, definitely afraid of dying.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no. N-no, we're not doing that.

He practically grabbed Sonic, picking him up, hoisting him over his shoulder in the fireman hold. He silently winced, but began quickly walking towards any portal which would be nearby.

Not letting you die on me, mate...

[rolling-combo]

L-Lav, no.

-He coughed, now struggling to breathe even more than before, you could hear how some of the air wasn't reaching his lungs.-

J-just leave m-me. I'll feel worse if y-ya bleed out trying to h-help me.

-He tried to pull away from him, falling onto the ground and grunting, hissing from the pain.-

G-go without me, I'll be fine.

-He could already feel he was going to die soon. No deal in making his corpse wait a little bit more to be healed.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no, let me help you, what're you doing? I can- I can save you, let me help, for fucks sake...

He went to try and pick him up again. He's not going without him. The fountain will save him, and he KNOWS it would. Why fight it when he can just- survive?

It'll save you, Sonic, you're not gonna die if I take you and it'll heal you, why the hell are you fighting that?

[rolling-combo]

-He immediately spiked up, all his quills going up, not letting him touch him. He tried to get in a more comfortable position.-

I-If you take me you'll d-die.

Y-your wounds are g-getting worse.

I d-don't want you to die, you're m-my friend.

-He smiled at him, he already feels lighteaded, cold. Definitely wouldn't make it even if Lav ran towards the fountain right now.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched, flapping his hand wildly, hissing in pain and immediately regretting his sudden movement, groaning slightly.

Argh, fUck-

He looked at Sonic, mildly angry, but mainly just... Frustrated. He could've saved him if he wasn't so stubborn about it. He could've done something.

...sonic, you're an absolute twat, you know that?

He sighed, holding his own hand to soothe it.

...I'll wait until you go. I can hold... I can hold out, but... But god, you're an idiot. I've died before... I can handle it. Why did you take so many hits...? You didn't... You shouldn't've, you idiot.

[rolling-combo]

-He laughed again, coughing more blood out, struggling to stay awake, but he persevered.-

D-didn't know how m-much time they would be stayin'

Y-you saw what they c-could do didn't cha'-

-His blinking was getting slower, each time getting harder and harder to keep himself up. He did manage to look at Lav though, still smiling, as always.-

T-thanks for helping me out man, probably wouldn't have been able t-to get them both alone.

-He was 100% sincere here, probably wouldn't have been able to fight both of them at the same time.-

D-don't let Tails know bout this 'kay?

-And he closed his eyes, of course those would be his last words.-

[purple-steven]

He sighed, nodding.

Yeah, alright.

He bubbled Sonic's body, sending him to his room in the library. It's locked, so it's not like anyone's just gonna wander in. He'll go and grab some healing water to help as well.

But now... He's gotta make the journey without dying, so that's going to be eventful. He probably won't either, but it hurts badly.

Right, let's assess this. We've got a pretty deep stab wound that's gone all the way through his abdomen. That's the main point of concern. Several holes in his hands from multiple piercings of water spikes. Also can't be good. Multiple electricity burns but that's nothing he's not used to. And probably a bunch of bruises that he can't exactly identify right now.

He continued his journey to the fountain, warping himself away, feeling slightly faint. Yeah, he's definitely gonna make it.

He took all the flasks out of his gem, refilling them as well as chugging one down to get rid of anything internal that might be going on. The rest he sorta sprinkled on. He didn't want to deal with any submerging shit right now, especially with the state he's in.

...Sonic died. He couldn't help. It's fully sinking in.

God, is he really only good for bait? Good for distractions? Sonic said he'd helped, but then again, Sonic would say anything to make anyone feel better. He was worried the entire time. Was Lav really incapable of standing his ground that whole time?

Okay, stop that, that's unreasonable thinking. Surely.

Right. Yeah. 'course it is. You're strong. You're strong as hell. You aren't useless.

Are you sure? Because to me, it seemed like you were pretty incompetent. Seemed like you sorta just... Let it happen. You're not exactly the best person, are you? You could've easily just taken all the hits. But instead, you were too scared. Too scared of dying, no matter what you say, and too scared of getting hurt. You hate it. The sensation of it. Isn't that pathetic? That's what cost him his life. Your own fear, your own actions, everything. It was you.

...was he even entirely wrong this time?

He splashed his face with the fountain water, putting each flask except one in his gem. This one he'll use for Sonic. He wiped the water from his face, dragging his hand down his cheeks and sighing.

Is this Sonic's first death? Hopefully he doesn't take too long. He doesn't want to have to hide a body again. He's got too many memories of keeping stupid secrets like that from people.

He warped back home, starting to lead to his room, flask in hand, before unlocking his room door and entering.

...yep. Bloody bubble with a bloody sonic. What else would you expect? He took it over to the tub, bursting the bubble and letting any blood that pooled drain out. Lav let the fountain water clear up the major injuries, obviously unable to help with the internal ones, but Sonic'll cope. He should wake up soon.

...if he wakes up soon.

No, don't think like that. It was one time.

But you don't know that.

...give it a day. If it takes any longer, then you're allowed to panic. For now, you need to calm down. He put Sonic's (now less bloody) body in his bed, tucking him in. At least he won't feel sore, hopefully.

God, sonic, you're such an idiot. You've got someone who cares if you die. You should've just let him help. Lav could've saved you. He really could've saved you if you just let him help.

He brought his knees to his chest, trying his best not to tear up. He's going to come back. He has to.

...he just wish it was him instead. At least then, he wouldn't have to think about it being his first death or anything of the sort.

...now that he thinks about it, Sonic said he was a friend.

Heh. A friend. That's nice to know, at least.

...he's going to have to step up his game if this happens again.

Now it's just a case of waiting. And he'll be right beside him, as he always is. Got nothing else better to do anyways. Maybe he might tidy up in here as well. Seems like every time he does, it always goes back to a tip.

[rolling-combo]

-In the quiet embrace of mortality, Sonic felt the gentle pull of life's final curtain. A profound calm settled over him, like the hushed aftermath of a storm. The weight of the hios struggles, battles fought, and sacrifices made began to lift, replaced by an ethereal lightness.

-As the hedgehog embraced the inevitable, there was a sense of closure and completion. Every scar, both seen and unseen, whispered tales of resilience and valor. In these fleeting moments, the hero just stared at what was his entire existence, and the culmination of it. The darkness engulfed him, but there was an odd feeling on the back of his head, a nagging feeling that this wasn't over yet.-

-His voice whispered that it wasn't his time to sink down further down. The voice turned into a bittersweet melody, his beating heart leading the compass.-

-And then he gasped awake.-

[purple-steven]

Despite the rush of it all earlier, he would find himself in almost silence, shooting up in his bed with Lav still on the floor next to him. He has moved, but he always returned to this spot whenever he was doing nothing. And now he's napping. He does that a lot.

[rolling-combo]

-The hedgehog put a hand on his side, where the piercing wound had been, expecting his gloves to be crimson red. Instead, he just touched his fur, his gloves an inmaculate white.-

-He felt relieved, he had this sort of ethereal sense of clarity at the moment, his ears flickered at the sound of someone breathing, turning over to look at his friend on the ground.-

-A small smile appeared on his lips, the sight of Lav making him happy. He was just recalling everything that happened earlier, all the violence and pain. He tensed, before closing his eyes, expression softening, now wondering how much his revival took.-

-It didn't feel right to look at his friend resting on the ground, very slowly getting off the bed and carrying the human and getting him under the covers, before he got on it as well. They can both rest on the same bed, not that he's especially big or anything.-

-He still felt a little tired, but didn't feel the urge to sleep anymore, so he just sat up, closing his eyes and meditating.-

[purple-steven]

He stirred a little when he was picked up, before continuing his nap, waking up after a couple of minutes. He felt the covers on top of him, slowly blinking awake and looking around, grasping his surroundings.

He saw Sonic sitting up, and all of a sudden he felt a weight slowly melt off his chest.

Oh- oh thank god, you're awake...

[rolling-combo]

-Ears flickered off at the sound of Lav's voice. He smiled, opening his eyes to look at his friend. He was just.. emitting this calm aura. Death has seemed to bring some sort of enlightenment to the hedgehog.-

Why wouldn't I be?

...

Sorry for worrying you earlier.

-He recalled his friend's desperation earlier, and how he was pricked by this quills, felt like some apologies were in order. He just couldn't bear having his friend die trying to help him when he wa beyond saving.-

[purple-steven]

Nothing, no reason, don't worry about it. Just... Let me help you, next time. I know my limits.

...are you... Doing alright? You seem to be coping with this a whole lot better than I did. Especially since it's... Well, it's your first death, isn't it...?

[rolling-combo]

You were stabbed in the abdomen, you would've died if you carried me over to the fountain. And I would've died if you moved me anymore.

-He sighed, serious, he knows his limits as well, and by moving to kick Kit that last time he worsened the injury he had made to him. Had no chance of surviving that fight. His expression eased up after saying all that, no worth in stressing over something that already happened.-

And I'm fine! It was just... kind of ominous, heh-

[purple-steven]

Kind of... Ominous...?

I mean, that's one way to describe it, but it doesn't... Seem right at all from his perspective.

...huh. I think... I think we've had very different after-death-experiences then.

He sighed, still letting the relief that Sonic Actually Woke Up wash over him. It was stupid to be worried about in the first place: it's not something that happens often and the likelihood of it ever happening is low, but it did stress him out.

How're you feeling? Sore? Achy? Anything of the sort?

He's still fairly concerned... But if Sonic is completely fine, he should probably just take it as a win.

[rolling-combo]

-Well Lav, you both have very different perspectives regarding death.-

A bit lightheaded, but aside from that, I just picked you up so, I should be fine!

[purple-steven]

Huh... Well, that's good!! Means that it wasn't... Too rough.

He smiled, clearly more relaxed.

You should still probably take it easy... I don't think it's smart to overdo it now.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic hugged Lav, it was a very gentle embrace. He still sorta felt bad for worrying him earlier. Also..-

Thanks, for everything.

-He wanted to thank him. Releasing the hug after saying so, smiling wide.-

We should go with Tails though. He's probably worried, or not. Depends, uh- How long have I been gone?

[purple-steven]

He seemed oddly surprised, before hugging back.

Hey, no need to thank me bud... Besides, what're...

He kinda hesitated, but then smiled a little.

What're friends for?

He then scanned his room for the clock, quickly doing some maths.

It's been... Less than a day. At least 10 hours.

Huh. Didn't keep count this time. That's... Good. He felt oddly proud of himself for not obsessing over something like that.

But yeah, we should go get you to Tails. He'll probably be a bit worried...

[rolling-combo]

-He scratched the back of his head.-

He'll probably scold me for not checking in earlier.

-He sighed, stretched a little before he stood up, he noticed he left some quills on Lav's pillow.-

Ah shoot, sorry about that. Usually happens after a fight-

-He picked them up, getting them out of Lav's pillow.-

[purple-steven]

Eh, don't stress, it's no biggie. Although... Uh... You might want to tell him the truth. At least, with my experience with everyone else, it... Becomes a huge issue when you lie about it. You don't have to tell him now, but... Yknow.

He kinda looked away. He felt bad giving advice for whatever reason??? Gah, hates the way his brain works sometimes.

[rolling-combo]

Gotcha, thanks for the advice!

-He stretched a little bit more, moving his arms and legs. The lightheadedness he felt earlier was mostly gone.-

Yo, y'wanna go running?

[purple-steven]

Uh- yeah! Yeah, we can do, uh- I might be a bit... Slow though, heh.

He got up as well, opening his room door. He's probably gonna shapeshift to catch up. What's fast? Probably a cheetah or something. He'll figure it out. He hasn't shapeshifted for fun in a while, so it'll be nice to let loose.

[rolling-combo]

Don't worry bout that!

Unless ya wanna make it a race.

-That. was definitely an invitation to race. Up to you Lav.-

[purple-steven]

HAH! No way. That's- yeah, I'm asking to lose there, I'm gonna pass you on that one, bud.

He chuckled a little. There was NO WAY IN HELL he was going to race Sonic. At least, not today.

Ready to get goin'?

[rolling-combo]

You're missing out man.

-Sonic chuckled alongside him, making his way out of the library.-

Sure! Let's go.

-And with that, he took off, going at a slow pace, for him, that is. He was going fast, but Lav could definitely catch up if he shapeshifted.-

[purple-steven]

He hadn't even realised they started until a couple seconds afterwards, surprised at the sudden takeoff, running after him. His body became a burst of bright purple light, shifting through different animals. A bird, soaring through the sky, to a horse galloping down, until he stuck with a cheetah, although he couldn't exactly match the speed. He was definitely far faster, and surprisingly, keeping up the pace. You could hear him laugh while shifting, freely running around. He seemed happier.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic laughed too, slowing his pace to match Lav's, feeling the wind on his face, he was grinning wide.-

That's so cool! We definitely should do this more!

-Future invitation to run around sometime! With Sonic! Yay :D-

[purple-steven]

YES!

He smiled widely, still running and shifting as much as he could. He is slowing down though - he hasn't done this in so long, his stamina is Quite Shit.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic didn't mind slowing down a bit for Lav, they were nearby anyways. Besides, they were having fun, and it was nice seeing Lav so happy, it's a nice contrast.-

[purple-steven]

As they got closer to their house, he began to slow significantly, before just walking the last 5 minutes, shapeshifting back to normal. He seemed tired, sweating his head off and breathing heavily.

...might be a bit out of practice in general. He doesn't usually struggle this much when shifting forms quickly. Just something to get used to.

He ran a hand through his hair, chuckling softly to himself.

Oh my god, what a run that was... Sorry for the... The speed though, heh...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ended up walking beside him, disappeared for some good 10 seconds and appeared back with a water bottle for Lav.-

There ya go!

[purple-steven]

He slowed at the sudden disappearance, reaching a stop before jumping when Sonic came.

How did yo-

You know how he did that, Lav... He felt like he hadn't properly seen it in motion before, or at least not this close up. It's extremely impressive.

Th-thanks...

He took the bottle, completely downing it before sighing, wiping his mouth. Lord, he needed that.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, was kinda amusing to see him surprised. Usually people don't react as much.-

Just ran back to the store. And you're welcome!

-He smiled, now they were almost in front of the house. Time to be scolded by Tails. Haha-_

[purple-steven]

Alright... Do you wanna make up an excuse for the time being or are we telling the truth...?

He looked at Sonic, completely judge free. He wouldn't mind either way, he can understand completely.

[rolling-combo]

I uh- I dunno?

I think I'm telling him the truth here.

He's died before me.. so there's nothing to hide to be honest.

-The hedgehog sighed, and went over to knock on the door.-

[purple-steven]

Alright...

He let Sonic take the lead, falling back. This'll be a lot... Maybe...? He has no idea.

[rolling-combo]

-Tails took less than a minute to open the door. He seemed tired, eye bags very much visible. Sonic frowned a bit at the sight. The fox's eyes widened, jumping over to hug the hedgehog.-

Sonic! Where have you been?! I've been worried sick about you!

-Sonic hugged back, patting his brother's head. He let go at the last sentence though, scratching the back of his quills.-

Uh, yeah. About that buddy... uh- I kinda died for a bit?

-Tails didn't seem to react at what Sonic said. He just, looked away for a moment and then.-

...

Yeah.. I know.

What-

-He was. Surprised, didn't expect that answer at all.-

The bracelet also picks up your vitals. It sends me a message when they don't pick a signal anymore. I.. Sorry for not telling you.

-Sonic quickly glanced back at Lav, then at Tails, and then at the device on his wrist. He seemed conflicted for a second, but then sighed. Tails ears were down, didn't look at Sonic in the eyes, what he did wasn't exactly bad but.. he knew Sonic wants his boundaries and... yeah.-

Does it notify me as well?

Huh?

-The fox looked up at Sonic, meeting his eyes. He wasn't mad at all.-

If it doesn't pick a signal, I mean.

Oh, uh- yeah.

Then we're good.

-Tails's ears perked up, looking at Sonic as he opened up his arms to offer a hug. He immediately jumped right into it, and began to sob on his chest.-

I-I'm sorry I never went there to help, I wasn't checking and I got the signal and I- I didn't want to see you like- like-

Whoa, hey- Hey it's- It's alright buddy, I get it. I don't blame ya, alright? Lav took care of me, so don't worry. Everything's fine now.

-He rubbed his brother's back, looking over at Lav and sighing in relief. This wasn't what he was expecting but, it's alright.-

[rolling-combo]

Surge The Tenrec is brought in to the Clutter Dimension.

//oo this is going to be fun >:D

-The tenrec was running along a path of dirt along a forest, a circle of water along her waist, her sidekick, Kit, holding onto it. They were looking for shelter around the place.-

-None of them noticed when they were teleported, placed at the forest near Beach city. Eventually they found the aforementioned place, stopping abruptly.-

What the-

Ey drippy, this wasn't here before! Where are we?!

-Kitsunami lowered himself to the ground, water going back to his backpack, confused as well.-

We're in the middle of the continent, there isn't supposed to be a beach here.

Something's up here then. I'll ask for directions, you stay hidden.

-The fennec nodded, and Surge grinned, sharp teeth showing themselves. Might as well have some fun with the "gathering information" thing. They both got separated now, Surge just casually strolling until she spotted your muse. In a flash she pinned them against the wall and showed them her hand crackling with strands of glowing electricity.-

Hey there! How about you answer some questions for me?

//open rp! Uhhh I've been gone for a good while and idk who are still active- @purple-steven @corvid-steven @varian-the-unstable-alchemist @lilmetalsonic @anyone! sorry if i didn't tag someone i just genuinely dont remember-

[purple-steven]

Oh god-

This already felt problematic. He's weirded out by the fact he's suddenly pressed against the wall and-

Well. That hand is NOT going to do him any good. Electricity is not his strong suit.

Woah- hey, okay, calm it, put the- put the hand away, what's up? Who are you?

This is. Dangerous. He's got to be careful.

[rolling-combo]

Not your problem is it!? Shut up and answer! Where the fuck is this place!?

Answer me or you won't like what comes next!

-She pointed a finger at him, a little zap burning his nose a bit as she showed her teeth, intimidating him-

[purple-steven]

He flinched at the zap, feeling himself freak out the moment he felt it.

Okay- okay, just- just calm down. You're in the clutter dimension. You're new here, I'm assuming? Look, just- put the hand down, I'm not- not gonna do anything.

[rolling-combo]

The fuck is the Clutter Dimension?! You tryna be funny?! You piece of shit!

-Surge screamed at him, raising her fist in anger, about to beat him up. Before a strong gust of wind came across the alley, a familiar voice for Lav coming along.-

Hey bully! Haven't they told you to not pick on others! Also, go wash your mouth.

-Sonic joked around, crossing his arms. The lightning began acting up, the tenrec growling in anger as she looked down and then glared with all the anger she could muster at him.-

Let him go now, Surge. This is between us.

-His tone turned a bit serious, urgent to make her let go of Lav.-

Heh, what? You ready to put me down now!?

-She let go of Lav, more interested in.. well, beating the shit out of Sonic. Some electricity emanating from her might go to him, but it felt more like a light sting than anything. It's up to you if you're going to help Sonic or not, Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched with each sting, backing up slightly but going towards Sonic. Yeah, he's going to be helping out.

Oookay, so this is- this is a You Thing, I'm assuming? Can I have details??

[rolling-combo]

-Surge ignored Lav completely, launching herself at Sonic, charging towards him at full speed. He almost didn't manage to dodge it, but he did and appeared besides Lav in a flash, getting in a fighting stance as the tenrec crashed onto a random building.-

Uhhh, long story short. She was genetically modified and brainwashed to kill me. I need you to res- Whoa!

-He pushed Lav to the side. She'd thrown a literal wall at them.-

I need you to find a good moment to knock her out or restrain her quic-

-Surge now pounced him, Sonic stopping him with both his hands.-

What!? You think that weak human can pin me down?!

[purple-steven]

Oh SHI-

He just flicked his head, following the wall flying past them. What the fuCK??

Then the snide remark, which quite frankly peeved him off a bit. He pulled out his whip, cracking it for no reason other than dramatic effect, before wrapping it around Surge and attempting to pull her off.

Alright, let's NOT do that, yeah?

[rolling-combo]

-The tenrec actually went flying with that, actually being really light. She hit the ground hard, eyes widening as she was not expecting that at all, a small cloud of dust appearing with the ground cracking with the impact.-

-Sonic quickly incorporated himself, immediately turning to Lav at the sight of the whip, a worried tone in his exclamation.-

Lav! Let go of the-

-And a strong current of energy went through the whip, it would last a good 3 seconds before Sonic cut it off with a homing atack.-

[purple-steven]

He wasn't expecting her to fly off that easily, and the fact she did was sorta concerning to him, especially since he did NOT hold back at all. He looked incredibly worried, before feeling the shock course through him and an expression of pain and distress painted his face. He can't let go of the whip even if he wanted to, his hand clenching the whip tighter.

Oh goodness. He feels like he's seeing those trees again. He needs to stay focused. He can be distressed later. But it's notoriously difficult to concentrate at all when you're being shocked and all you can feel is pain and it doesn't stop and it's not stopping and its-

The relief he felt once it had seized was one he hadn't experienced in a while. He dropped to the floor for a moment, catching his breath, his hand finally letting go of the rope.

Ow.

[rolling-combo]

You alright!?

What! Little guy can't handle a little shock?! Aww, and I just thought things were getting interesting!

-As the cloud of dust dissipated, you could see Surge's fist emanating pure electricity. Sonic tried to stay and check if Lav was alright, but the tenrec charged at him will full speed.-

Alright then! Let's dance!

Sonic ran as as well, a blur of blue and green now going around the place, stopping when Surge managed to punch Sonic, throwing him over to a wall and breaking it on impact.-

Gah!-

-Lav could hear someone walking near him, a blue kit staring him down, tentacles of water emerging from what seemed to be a backpack.-

[purple-steven]

This is. Not looking good for him.

Don't worry about me! Just- be careful!

And he felt the ominous loom of the kit by him, turning around and looking back at him. That looks. Really cool, but right now, he's a bit scared for what's to come. He's bubbling himself already just in case, getting out a new whip, still trying to recover from the shock. More mentally than physically. Hhholy shit this is a lot that he wasn't expecting.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit stared at him for a moment, then looked at Sonic and Kit fighting, assessing the situation, then staring back at Lav. He'd seen his strength back when he threw Surge to the ground. The ends water tentacles turned sharp, repeatedly hitting the bubble now. Nice Lav, you've been deemed a threat.-

You're just a coward, aren't you.

-Meanwhile, the tenrec and the hedgehog were still actively fighting in the background. Sonic this time got the next hit, managing to kick Surge on the side, making her stumble back. He was about to charge a spindash when he saw Kit.-

Lav!

-He remembered their last encounter as clear as day, and he knew well enough what Kit could do when he's protecting Surge. He rushed to go towards Kit, and stop his attack, but he had to stop when Surge appeared in front of him.-

[purple-steven]

Oh goodness, they aren't going to make this easy at ALL are they.

I'm not a coward, I just- I don't want to hurt you!

He's trying to keep his bubble strong, but it's already forming cracks. Holding on to his whip slightly tighter. He doesn't want to fling people about, but it seems like he's running out of options here.

Can't we just- talk this out?

He's flicking his attention back and forth from Kit and to Surge and Sonic just in case they need help. Maybe he could try and intervene if he can slip by? But this may be a case of trusting Sonic to take care of Surge, leaving him to take care of Kit.

Well, regardless, he's trying to stay as aware as possible.

[rolling-combo]

Surge c'mon! Listen to me for a sec!

-Sonic now focused on dodging Surge, just wanted to make her reason. The tenrec kept attacking, eyes glowing as she focused her lightning on her fists and shoes.-

Why should I?! Are you going to start with the "You can be good" shit! Because I ain't buying it!

-Back to Lav, Kit didn't even answer him, all the water merging together and forming one big spike that crashed down on him.-

[purple-steven]

Glad to know that him and sonic were thinking similarly, at least... The spike crashing down on him popped the bubble, giving him time to dodge, albeit slightly weaker. He wrapped his whip around Kit, pulling him down to the ground.

[rolling-combo]

-A water tentacle slashed the whip, but the fennec still fell to the ground. A puddle of water formed around him and spikes of water formed, extending and aiming towards Lav.-

You won't hurt Surge.

-Talking about her, back to Sonic.-

-Sonic kept blocking Surge's punches as he tried to speak to her, eventually answering with a kick to make her stand back.-

Just listen! This isn't our dimension, you're free here!

-The tenrec stared at him. A sinister smile creeping up her face. This is not going the way Sonic wanted, immediately knowing what she was about to say.-

Free you say?

I'm pretty sure that whatever you're thinking right now is wrong. I won't let you cause mayhem.

But then that means...

-Surge's body was covered by electricity now, charging at Sonic once again.-

You don't have anyone to back you up! Do ya!?

-As they clashed, electricity quickly enveloped Sonic, making him scream in pain as his eyes widened.-

[purple-steven]

He quickly summoned 2 more whips to make up for the loss of the first, looking back to hear the sound of Sonic screaming, trying to wrap his whip around Sonic and pull him back towards him. He is paying no mind towards Kit at the moment, instead keeping the other whip spare for any retaliations that he might need to take.

Oh boy. This is going to be difficult to take care of. Maybe they should flee? But that doesn't seem wise either... They just need to try and keep Surge in one place, so maybe bubbling? But his bubbles are useless at times... It'll be fine. They'll figure something out. Just keep fighting somehow.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic stayed on the ground for a moment, a bit of smoke coming from his body. He groaned as he stood up, struggling to do so. Both Kit and Surge stood in front of them.-

Hey kid! Change of plans, we'll just kill off the blue rat. I used almost all my charge on him so he's pretty much dead, you can call dibs on the kill if you get the chance.

-Kit nodded, raising himself with the water and immediately aiming water spikes at Sonic.-

[purple-steven]

He wrapped one whip around Kit and another around Surge, pulling them back to the ground and towards him rather than near Sonic. He needs time to recover by the looks of it, and Lav is going to buy as much time as needed.

[rolling-combo]

I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!

-Kit let himself get pulled, choosing to free Surge. She charged right at Lav, jumping and raising a charged fist, aiming to knock him down on one hit. But before it landed, Sonic spindashed right onto her stomach, sending her flying onto a nearby building.-

SURGE!?

-Kit growled at Sonic, water tentacles shooting over to grab him midair and throw him to the ground with full force.-

Ghk!-

-Sonic landed on the concrete, and a very audible crack could be heard. Making him cough blood. He.. still stood up though, struggling to breathe a bit and putting a hand on his side. He looked at the blood.-

That can't be good.

-He averted his gaze towards Kit, the kid had run off to check on Surge. She seemed to be injured as well, blood dripping down from her forehead as she recovered. Sonic tried to take a deep breath, looking back at Lav with a smile, bright as always, even though he was struggling to stand.-

Yo, Lav. Cover me, 'kay?

-He just has his vibe within him y'know? To make you feel safe, that everything is going to be alright. Just trust him, he's a hero after all.-

[purple-steven]

He glanced at the blood, nervous for Sonic and honestly a bit shaken, considering he had braced himself for a blow that never came to him.

Yeah, alright. Don't do anythin' stupid...

He nodded though, he's ready to cover as best he can, both whips out and ready to strike. He's also preparing himself to bubble something or someone if necessary, although it's hard to tell what's coming next. Out of all the times Lav fails to have fountain water on him... He needs to keep it in his gem more often. You'd think by now he's learnt his lesson, but... He always forgets in the end.

He's going to attack whoever Sonic doesn't go for first. He's just keeping an eye out, focussing on who to target.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, coughing again, his glove staining with a little more blood. Definitely a punctured lung. Don't have time to deal with that right now. He grinned.-

You need to have more faith in me man!

-Sonic assessed the situation, kit was unharmed and Surge was healing from her injury already. Man, this is going to be tough. He was just standing there, before he disappeared from Lav's sight.-

-The other two seemed confused as well, looking around. In a blink of an eyes, the hedgehog appeared over to kick Surge on the back of her head, aiming for her injury. She went face down on the ground, growling as she lunged over to try and tackle Sonic.-

Going for a sucker punch, hero?!

-Sonic dodged, being wary of the water puddle forming nearby, feeling Kit's glare.-

Can't keep up?

-He's a little fed up at this point.-

[purple-steven]

There's a right answer here. He needs to make a decision now on who and what to tackle. Would he rather face suffocating blue, or sparks of pain? Which one is the right answer? Which one is going to help? Which one can he handle more and which one is the right answer?

He'd take them both on, but Sonic is stupidly determined to protect him. He admires the courage, but it's hard when they're both wanting to tank hits for each other.

Surge... Even if it means taking electricity, it's clear that she's the bigger threat and that she appears to be the one who's harder to escape from. The electricity makes you seize in place. That's what hinders them both from doing ANYTHING at all.

Kit. The water is an issue. The fact they're near a beach isn't helping either. Neither of them can swim, but that's not an issue considering they don't need that skill at the moment. Drowning is an obvious risk, but the easy way out is to just sever the water with his whip or thwack Kit out of the way. If that's the case, he can take a second whip out to get rid of him easily.

Surge is better to take hits from. He has the durability as a bigger person in general, and even if the electricity brings back memories, memories aren't going to hurt anyone.

That must be the right decision. Right?

No time for more thinking. You already wasted enough with these few seconds, now you just need to fight. Diving head first into these sorts of things never backfire, right?

He rushed in, wrapping his whip tightly around Surge, each gem divot pushing against the skin enough to hurt, but not enough to pierce it. This trick is getting old, but there's not much he can do other than this. Unless he starts giving her ACTUAL whip lashes, but that feels too harsh. He's tempted to try and throw her far away from here, but that'll become an issue in the future. Might as well deal with it here and now.

Doesn't matter if he dies. Doesn't really bother him much in the long run, does it?

Enough is enough. He's getting tired of this as well. He's desummoned one whip, instead bubbling his fist. He pulls Surge towards him, ready to punch her with his bubbled fist. He's aware the pressure and force may make it burst, but power is needed more at the moment. Plus, he can take a hit like that.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge allowed herself to be pulled, tanking the punch. Definitely didn't expect it the amount of raw strength coming from it though. She then electrified the whip, same as last time.-

You don't learn, do ya.

-Meanwhile, Sonic was fighting Kit, dodging water whips and trying to make him use his water supply as much as he could. Didn't want to hirt the kid, but he was already seeing it hard to win this without doing so.-

-He charged a spindash, going through one of the water whips and bouncing off a street lamp to hit Kit right on his water backpack, the water whips faltering as Sonic barely dodged one coming at him.-

-He was keeping an eye on Lav and Surge, would definitely barge in if things go south.-

[purple-steven]

The bubble burst with the collision, and he seized, unable to think of any sort of witty comeback. Each muscle in his body felt far too tense, but he didn't let go of the whip. Take the hit. You can handle the hit. You can handle this.

His eyes welled up with tears whilst remaining quiet, solely concentrated on trying to stray his focus elsewhere.

Stop thinking about how much it hurts. Think about what to do next. Think about Sonic. Think about what to do next think about your next move think about-

It hurts so much. He's scared. It hurts so much and he's scared, and he isn't sure when it's going to end, and he isn't sure when he'll be able to completely focus again.

The whip instead is desummoned, somewhat unwillingly, freeing Surge to move around a bit more. He bubbled his fists once more, breathing heavily after the current had been broken. He's still out of focus. Out of practice. He'll fight fist to fist if he has to. Shapeshifting is still a skill he possessed, maybe just having a physically Massive Fist might pummel them.

[rolling-combo]

-The tenred stood up, brushing some dust off as her wounds healed. She grinned at the sight of Lav's bubbled fists, squaring up as well.-

Wanna dance, you puny little human? Come at me!

-She taunted, signaling him to come closer with one of her hands, her sharp teeth forming a haunting smile towards him. She wouldn't show mercy at all.-

-Back to Sonic, he was still fighting the water whips, dodging and waiting for another opening. He kicked some of the whips away, sometimes glancing towards Lav. He trusted him, but was starting to get worried. Would have to finish things quickly with Kit.-

[purple-steven]

He ran towards her, preparing to punch her straight in the face if he can, getting ready to shapeshift smaller if he has to dodge quickly. It's going to take some concentration. He's keeping his eyes on Surge's movements, but only Surge.

Get ready. You need to be fast. Land a punch and shapeshift. Not that difficult.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge dodged by ducking down, aiming to land an uppercut and then kicking Lav on the side. She's saving the electricity she has left to finish off Sonic.-

Too slow!

-The hedgehog jumped and landed a homing attack on Kit, making him hit the ground on his back, his backpack taking most of the impact. Something could be heard cracking inside of it, and the fennec's eyes widened.-

Gotcha.

-Kit glared at Sonic, a water blade forming and going towards him, but deforming and disintegrating before even making contact.-

[purple-steven]

Lav staggered, but he didn't back down.

Alright, speed isn't his forte. Let's use something you're good at then.

He raised his hand above his shoulder as if he was going to throw something, before shapeshifting it into a giant fist, almost half his size. He flung his arm in time so that he wouldn't have to worry about lifting it, allowing gravity to do the work, hopefully crushing Surge.

He didn't really want to kill her, but... It'll hurt her enough, surely, if it hits. If it seems fatal, he can take them to the fountain. It should be fine... Yeah, it should be fine.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge stared at the shapeshifting, her reflexes barely managing to get her out of his range. She immediately went to kick him behind the knees, trying to make him fall over and then kick his stomach.-

-On the other side, Kit was trying to punch Sonic, but he was just dodging every hit Kit threw at him. The fennec had a plan in mind, a single line of water slowly making it's way towards Lav. The backpack had enough pressure for one more attack. Sonic was about to knock out Kit, dashing behind him to hit him on the back of his head.-

-But then he saw the fennec's eyes glowing and looking at Lav. A water blade going for his abdomen, it was meant to pierce him all the way, but it stopped before it could do any fatal damage.-

LAV?!

-But Sonic didn't know that, immediately rushing over to Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He groaned in pain, his fist keeping him stuck to the ground before he shapeshifted it away. He heard the yell out, confused, before he saw the water blade.

He put up a bubble, although it seemed weak already and likely wouldn't stop anything that sharp from piercing it through, but it was a last attempt at protecting himself, attempting to roll to the side but...

...Well, speed isn't his forte.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran over towards Lav, but Surge intercepted him. She punched Sonic right on the face, making him fly over to the nearest building.-

Weren't quick enough to save him, were ya.

-She turned over to look at Kit.-

Hey drippy!? Ya good?!

-Kit didn't answer, focused on fixing his backpack. Tinkering away with it, a couple of sparks coming from it. Surge sighed, looking over at Lav, grabbing him by the hair.-

You're weak, but at least you make good bait.

-She whispered to him, before dropping him and looking over where Sonic crashed, just aiming to make him hurt even more. The hedgehog was standing up again, his last injuries coming back to him. He groaned, looking over at Surge grabbing Lav by the hair and hissing.-

[purple-steven]

He was flung towards Sonic, landing roughly and unpleasantly next to him, the harsh pebbles and small stones hidden within the dirt scratching his face. He teared up in pain, not even properly processing the stab wound yet, until he felt something wet on his hand.

His body instinctively already tried to cover the wound, and suddenly, the sting of being stabbed finally stepped in, and he curled in on himself, hissing in pain. He would've tried to scramble up, but from where the wound is, any sort of movement would hurt if he tried to get up.

It felt... Wetter than usual, thanks to the water, but it hurts badly.

He's not sure he can fight through this. He can try, but... It's not looking good for him.

Ugh... It... Keeps hurting more and now he's bleeding more, curling in on himself with tears slowly tracing his face.

He's more than bait. He's stronger than that. He's worth more than that. He's a useful person, he can be useful, he can be worth more than just a distraction. Than just bait.

He isn't weak.

He... He isn't weak.

Right...?

He hissed as well, albeit in pain, breathing heavily.

Shit...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran towards Surge, before a water tentacle grabbed his ankle and launched him up, he managed to block Surge's kick coming at him. He charged a homing attack to hit Surge in the air, but Kit immediately made the hedgehog hit a large mass of water.-

-He was trapped inside it, tried to swim upwards, panicked. But Surge put a hand on the water, using all she had left on her charge to electrify the water. It flashed white, making Sonic scream in the water as his muscles tensed.-

-As soon as it ended, Sonic was dropped onto the ground. He coughed water, he was struggling to breathe earlier and this definitely didn't help his case. His vision was blurry and everything hurt now. But he stood up again.-

That- That's all y-ya ha-

-And then a punch landed right on his stomach, knocking the air out of him. He put his hands on Surge's arm, seemingly supporting himself from the impact, before he grabbed her and slammed her onto the ground.-

-They should've known he wouldn't go down without a fight.-

[purple-steven]

Why is he still fighting? Shouldn't they-

No, he's right, he's... He should keep fighting as well.

You aren't bait. You're more than that.

You aren't useless.

He kept attempting to stagger up, until eventually he got his balance back, stumbling up to his feet. What can he do, what can he do...

Sonic obviously doesn't want to retreat, but if it continues, that might be the only option they have left. He summoned his whip. He'll just... Distract them.

...just... Be bait.

He flung his whip out around Kit, Surge being out of the question considering the electricity issue, wrapping it around before pulling him towards Lav.

...okay, so the backpack is the source. Break the source again. Obliterate it if you have to. You can do that, even in this state, right?

He seethed, closing his eyes and wincing, but it doesn't matter. Sonic needs back up.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit looked back at Lav the moment Sonic smashed Surge on the ground, Water tentacles emerging and shielding him from his whip. Surge, on the other side, growled and hissed at the hedgehog before she tackled him, punching him on the face over and over before he managed to kick her off. He was glad he was facing away from Lav.-

-He stumbled up, and then disappeared, kicking Surge on the stomach, returning the hit from earlier. He almost fell over when he landed on the ground, clearly at his limit.-

[purple-steven]

Shit no... Sonic can't do this any longer.

He wrapped his whip around Sonic, planning to pull him towards himself. They need to get out of here. But he'll loosen it if Sonic struggles against it. He doesn't want to yell it out loud; if they do have to escape, announcing it seemed idiotic.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was still keeping an eye on Lav and, alas, he didn't even allow that whip to go halfway through. A water whip slashing Lav's whip in half. He will support Surge in whatever she wants, and if she wants to fight Sonic one on one, so be it.-

-With that said, Surge was actually really worn out right now. Sonic wasn't pulling any punches now and she could obviously feel that on the kick she just received. She was near her limit, panting.-

-With that said, Sonic was way past his at this point, carrying on by sheer willpower. He still managed to get into a fighting position, and charged at her.-

-Surge attempted to sweep Sonic's legs, but he dashed behind her. Hitting her on the back of her head and then conjoining his two hands and striking down on her back, full force, making a small crater on the ground. Left her unconscious.-

-And then a water spike stabbed him from behind.-

[purple-steven]

His eyes widened, looking for Kit, running towards him with his hand glowing, morphing to be massive again. He looked mad. He swung his arm, sending his hand to swat Kit away, potentially sending him flying, this time with a fairly quick speed. He needs to wait for the water to dissipate. He's going to have to get them to the fountain, even if he's strength is slowly fading.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was keeping himself above the ground with his water tentacles, eyes widening when she saw the massive hand. The water tentacles divided into a massive amount of water spikes, all piercing Lav's hand, leaving just a single water tentacle keeping him above.-

-Sonic kicked Kit on the side of the head, knocked out Kit with the impact. With that the water dissipated, and a couple portals appeared beneath them, taking them away.-

-The hedgehog landed, stumbling and then looking at Lav.-

They're g-gone?.. Good...

[purple-steven]

He was breathing heavily, hand glowing to shift back to normal, the gaping piercings becoming far more apparent. He looked down at his wounds, his hands shaking as well as the stab wound becoming slightly worse and still flowing. Little streams of blood started to fall from the holes in his hand.

We n... We need to go....

He breathed out, hissing in pain, still stumbling and bending over slightly.

...the bending over was likely not helping whatsoever, in fact it likely made it worse, but he didn't have the strength to keep himself upright.

[rolling-combo]

You go, I'm not going to make it.

-Sonic leaned against a wall, and let himself fall down, a trail of blood smearing across the wall. He sighed.-

-He chuckled, holding his side as he winced in pain. The adrenaline was already wearing down, the pain of his injuries making itself more and more intense.-

Man, that sure was a fight.

-He was smiling, definitely afraid of dying.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no. N-no, we're not doing that.

He practically grabbed Sonic, picking him up, hoisting him over his shoulder in the fireman hold. He silently winced, but began quickly walking towards any portal which would be nearby.

Not letting you die on me, mate...

[rolling-combo]

L-Lav, no.

-He coughed, now struggling to breathe even more than before, you could hear how some of the air wasn't reaching his lungs.-

J-just leave m-me. I'll feel worse if y-ya bleed out trying to h-help me.

-He tried to pull away from him, falling onto the ground and grunting, hissing from the pain.-

G-go without me, I'll be fine.

-He could already feel he was going to die soon. No deal in making his corpse wait a little bit more to be healed.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no, let me help you, what're you doing? I can- I can save you, let me help, for fucks sake...

He went to try and pick him up again. He's not going without him. The fountain will save him, and he KNOWS it would. Why fight it when he can just- survive?

It'll save you, Sonic, you're not gonna die if I take you and it'll heal you, why the hell are you fighting that?

[rolling-combo]

-He immediately spiked up, all his quills going up, not letting him touch him. He tried to get in a more comfortable position.-

I-If you take me you'll d-die.

Y-your wounds are g-getting worse.

I d-don't want you to die, you're m-my friend.

-He smiled at him, he already feels lighteaded, cold. Definitely wouldn't make it even if Lav ran towards the fountain right now.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched, flapping his hand wildly, hissing in pain and immediately regretting his sudden movement, groaning slightly.

Argh, fUck-

He looked at Sonic, mildly angry, but mainly just... Frustrated. He could've saved him if he wasn't so stubborn about it. He could've done something.

...sonic, you're an absolute twat, you know that?

He sighed, holding his own hand to soothe it.

...I'll wait until you go. I can hold... I can hold out, but... But god, you're an idiot. I've died before... I can handle it. Why did you take so many hits...? You didn't... You shouldn't've, you idiot.

[rolling-combo]

-He laughed again, coughing more blood out, struggling to stay awake, but he persevered.-

D-didn't know how m-much time they would be stayin'

Y-you saw what they c-could do didn't cha'-

-His blinking was getting slower, each time getting harder and harder to keep himself up. He did manage to look at Lav though, still smiling, as always.-

T-thanks for helping me out man, probably wouldn't have been able t-to get them both alone.

-He was 100% sincere here, probably wouldn't have been able to fight both of them at the same time.-

D-don't let Tails know bout this 'kay?

-And he closed his eyes, of course those would be his last words.-

[purple-steven]

He sighed, nodding.

Yeah, alright.

He bubbled Sonic's body, sending him to his room in the library. It's locked, so it's not like anyone's just gonna wander in. He'll go and grab some healing water to help as well.

But now... He's gotta make the journey without dying, so that's going to be eventful. He probably won't either, but it hurts badly.

Right, let's assess this. We've got a pretty deep stab wound that's gone all the way through his abdomen. That's the main point of concern. Several holes in his hands from multiple piercings of water spikes. Also can't be good. Multiple electricity burns but that's nothing he's not used to. And probably a bunch of bruises that he can't exactly identify right now.

He continued his journey to the fountain, warping himself away, feeling slightly faint. Yeah, he's definitely gonna make it.

He took all the flasks out of his gem, refilling them as well as chugging one down to get rid of anything internal that might be going on. The rest he sorta sprinkled on. He didn't want to deal with any submerging shit right now, especially with the state he's in.

...Sonic died. He couldn't help. It's fully sinking in.

God, is he really only good for bait? Good for distractions? Sonic said he'd helped, but then again, Sonic would say anything to make anyone feel better. He was worried the entire time. Was Lav really incapable of standing his ground that whole time?

Okay, stop that, that's unreasonable thinking. Surely.

Right. Yeah. 'course it is. You're strong. You're strong as hell. You aren't useless.

Are you sure? Because to me, it seemed like you were pretty incompetent. Seemed like you sorta just... Let it happen. You're not exactly the best person, are you? You could've easily just taken all the hits. But instead, you were too scared. Too scared of dying, no matter what you say, and too scared of getting hurt. You hate it. The sensation of it. Isn't that pathetic? That's what cost him his life. Your own fear, your own actions, everything. It was you.

...was he even entirely wrong this time?

He splashed his face with the fountain water, putting each flask except one in his gem. This one he'll use for Sonic. He wiped the water from his face, dragging his hand down his cheeks and sighing.

Is this Sonic's first death? Hopefully he doesn't take too long. He doesn't want to have to hide a body again. He's got too many memories of keeping stupid secrets like that from people.

He warped back home, starting to lead to his room, flask in hand, before unlocking his room door and entering.

...yep. Bloody bubble with a bloody sonic. What else would you expect? He took it over to the tub, bursting the bubble and letting any blood that pooled drain out. Lav let the fountain water clear up the major injuries, obviously unable to help with the internal ones, but Sonic'll cope. He should wake up soon.

...if he wakes up soon.

No, don't think like that. It was one time.

But you don't know that.

...give it a day. If it takes any longer, then you're allowed to panic. For now, you need to calm down. He put Sonic's (now less bloody) body in his bed, tucking him in. At least he won't feel sore, hopefully.

God, sonic, you're such an idiot. You've got someone who cares if you die. You should've just let him help. Lav could've saved you. He really could've saved you if you just let him help.

He brought his knees to his chest, trying his best not to tear up. He's going to come back. He has to.

...he just wish it was him instead. At least then, he wouldn't have to think about it being his first death or anything of the sort.

...now that he thinks about it, Sonic said he was a friend.

Heh. A friend. That's nice to know, at least.

...he's going to have to step up his game if this happens again.

Now it's just a case of waiting. And he'll be right beside him, as he always is. Got nothing else better to do anyways. Maybe he might tidy up in here as well. Seems like every time he does, it always goes back to a tip.

[rolling-combo]

-In the quiet embrace of mortality, Sonic felt the gentle pull of life's final curtain. A profound calm settled over him, like the hushed aftermath of a storm. The weight of the hios struggles, battles fought, and sacrifices made began to lift, replaced by an ethereal lightness.

-As the hedgehog embraced the inevitable, there was a sense of closure and completion. Every scar, both seen and unseen, whispered tales of resilience and valor. In these fleeting moments, the hero just stared at what was his entire existence, and the culmination of it. The darkness engulfed him, but there was an odd feeling on the back of his head, a nagging feeling that this wasn't over yet.-

-His voice whispered that it wasn't his time to sink down further down. The voice turned into a bittersweet melody, his beating heart leading the compass.-

-And then he gasped awake.-

[purple-steven]

Despite the rush of it all earlier, he would find himself in almost silence, shooting up in his bed with Lav still on the floor next to him. He has moved, but he always returned to this spot whenever he was doing nothing. And now he's napping. He does that a lot.

[rolling-combo]

-The hedgehog put a hand on his side, where the piercing wound had been, expecting his gloves to be crimson red. Instead, he just touched his fur, his gloves an inmaculate white.-

-He felt relieved, he had this sort of ethereal sense of clarity at the moment, his ears flickered at the sound of someone breathing, turning over to look at his friend on the ground.-

-A small smile appeared on his lips, the sight of Lav making him happy. He was just recalling everything that happened earlier, all the violence and pain. He tensed, before closing his eyes, expression softening, now wondering how much his revival took.-

-It didn't feel right to look at his friend resting on the ground, very slowly getting off the bed and carrying the human and getting him under the covers, before he got on it as well. They can both rest on the same bed, not that he's especially big or anything.-

-He still felt a little tired, but didn't feel the urge to sleep anymore, so he just sat up, closing his eyes and meditating.-

[purple-steven]

He stirred a little when he was picked up, before continuing his nap, waking up after a couple of minutes. He felt the covers on top of him, slowly blinking awake and looking around, grasping his surroundings.

He saw Sonic sitting up, and all of a sudden he felt a weight slowly melt off his chest.

Oh- oh thank god, you're awake...

[rolling-combo]

-Ears flickered off at the sound of Lav's voice. He smiled, opening his eyes to look at his friend. He was just.. emitting this calm aura. Death has seemed to bring some sort of enlightenment to the hedgehog.-

Why wouldn't I be?

...

Sorry for worrying you earlier.

-He recalled his friend's desperation earlier, and how he was pricked by this quills, felt like some apologies were in order. He just couldn't bear having his friend die trying to help him when he wa beyond saving.-

[purple-steven]

Nothing, no reason, don't worry about it. Just... Let me help you, next time. I know my limits.

...are you... Doing alright? You seem to be coping with this a whole lot better than I did. Especially since it's... Well, it's your first death, isn't it...?

[rolling-combo]

You were stabbed in the abdomen, you would've died if you carried me over to the fountain. And I would've died if you moved me anymore.

-He sighed, serious, he knows his limits as well, and by moving to kick Kit that last time he worsened the injury he had made to him. Had no chance of surviving that fight. His expression eased up after saying all that, no worth in stressing over something that already happened.-

And I'm fine! It was just... kind of ominous, heh-

[purple-steven]

Kind of... Ominous...?

I mean, that's one way to describe it, but it doesn't... Seem right at all from his perspective.

...huh. I think... I think we've had very different after-death-experiences then.

He sighed, still letting the relief that Sonic Actually Woke Up wash over him. It was stupid to be worried about in the first place: it's not something that happens often and the likelihood of it ever happening is low, but it did stress him out.

How're you feeling? Sore? Achy? Anything of the sort?

He's still fairly concerned... But if Sonic is completely fine, he should probably just take it as a win.

[rolling-combo]

-Well Lav, you both have very different perspectives regarding death.-

A bit lightheaded, but aside from that, I just picked you up so, I should be fine!

[purple-steven]

Huh... Well, that's good!! Means that it wasn't... Too rough.

He smiled, clearly more relaxed.

You should still probably take it easy... I don't think it's smart to overdo it now.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic hugged Lav, it was a very gentle embrace. He still sorta felt bad for worrying him earlier. Also..-

Thanks, for everything.

-He wanted to thank him. Releasing the hug after saying so, smiling wide.-

We should go with Tails though. He's probably worried, or not. Depends, uh- How long have I been gone?

[purple-steven]

He seemed oddly surprised, before hugging back.

Hey, no need to thank me bud... Besides, what're...

He kinda hesitated, but then smiled a little.

What're friends for?

He then scanned his room for the clock, quickly doing some maths.

It's been... Less than a day. At least 10 hours.

Huh. Didn't keep count this time. That's... Good. He felt oddly proud of himself for not obsessing over something like that.

But yeah, we should go get you to Tails. He'll probably be a bit worried...

[rolling-combo]

-He scratched the back of his head.-

He'll probably scold me for not checking in earlier.

-He sighed, stretched a little before he stood up, he noticed he left some quills on Lav's pillow.-

Ah shoot, sorry about that. Usually happens after a fight-

-He picked them up, getting them out of Lav's pillow.-

[purple-steven]

Eh, don't stress, it's no biggie. Although... Uh... You might want to tell him the truth. At least, with my experience with everyone else, it... Becomes a huge issue when you lie about it. You don't have to tell him now, but... Yknow.

He kinda looked away. He felt bad giving advice for whatever reason??? Gah, hates the way his brain works sometimes.

[rolling-combo]

Gotcha, thanks for the advice!

-He stretched a little bit more, moving his arms and legs. The lightheadedness he felt earlier was mostly gone.-

Yo, y'wanna go running?

[purple-steven]

Uh- yeah! Yeah, we can do, uh- I might be a bit... Slow though, heh.

He got up as well, opening his room door. He's probably gonna shapeshift to catch up. What's fast? Probably a cheetah or something. He'll figure it out. He hasn't shapeshifted for fun in a while, so it'll be nice to let loose.

[rolling-combo]

Don't worry bout that!

Unless ya wanna make it a race.

-That. was definitely an invitation to race. Up to you Lav.-

[purple-steven]

HAH! No way. That's- yeah, I'm asking to lose there, I'm gonna pass you on that one, bud.

He chuckled a little. There was NO WAY IN HELL he was going to race Sonic. At least, not today.

Ready to get goin'?

[rolling-combo]

You're missing out man.

-Sonic chuckled alongside him, making his way out of the library.-

Sure! Let's go.

-And with that, he took off, going at a slow pace, for him, that is. He was going fast, but Lav could definitely catch up if he shapeshifted.-

[purple-steven]

He hadn't even realised they started until a couple seconds afterwards, surprised at the sudden takeoff, running after him. His body became a burst of bright purple light, shifting through different animals. A bird, soaring through the sky, to a horse galloping down, until he stuck with a cheetah, although he couldn't exactly match the speed. He was definitely far faster, and surprisingly, keeping up the pace. You could hear him laugh while shifting, freely running around. He seemed happier.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic laughed too, slowing his pace to match Lav's, feeling the wind on his face, he was grinning wide.-

That's so cool! We definitely should do this more!

-Future invitation to run around sometime! With Sonic! Yay :D-

[purple-steven]

YES!

He smiled widely, still running and shifting as much as he could. He is slowing down though - he hasn't done this in so long, his stamina is Quite Shit.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic didn't mind slowing down a bit for Lav, they were nearby anyways. Besides, they were having fun, and it was nice seeing Lav so happy, it's a nice contrast.-

[purple-steven]

As they got closer to their house, he began to slow significantly, before just walking the last 5 minutes, shapeshifting back to normal. He seemed tired, sweating his head off and breathing heavily.

...might be a bit out of practice in general. He doesn't usually struggle this much when shifting forms quickly. Just something to get used to.

He ran a hand through his hair, chuckling softly to himself.

Oh my god, what a run that was... Sorry for the... The speed though, heh...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ended up walking beside him, disappeared for some good 10 seconds and appeared back with a water bottle for Lav.-

There ya go!

[purple-steven]

He slowed at the sudden disappearance, reaching a stop before jumping when Sonic came.

How did yo-

You know how he did that, Lav... He felt like he hadn't properly seen it in motion before, or at least not this close up. It's extremely impressive.

Th-thanks...

He took the bottle, completely downing it before sighing, wiping his mouth. Lord, he needed that.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, was kinda amusing to see him surprised. Usually people don't react as much.-

Just ran back to the store. And you're welcome!

-He smiled, now they were almost in front of the house. Time to be scolded by Tails. Haha-_

[purple-steven]

Alright... Do you wanna make up an excuse for the time being or are we telling the truth...?

He looked at Sonic, completely judge free. He wouldn't mind either way, he can understand completely.

[rolling-combo]

I uh- I dunno?

I think I'm telling him the truth here.

He's died before me.. so there's nothing to hide to be honest.

-The hedgehog sighed, and went over to knock on the door.-

[rolling-combo]

Surge The Tenrec is brought in to the Clutter Dimension.

//oo this is going to be fun >:D

-The tenrec was running along a path of dirt along a forest, a circle of water along her waist, her sidekick, Kit, holding onto it. They were looking for shelter around the place.-

-None of them noticed when they were teleported, placed at the forest near Beach city. Eventually they found the aforementioned place, stopping abruptly.-

What the-

Ey drippy, this wasn't here before! Where are we?!

-Kitsunami lowered himself to the ground, water going back to his backpack, confused as well.-

We're in the middle of the continent, there isn't supposed to be a beach here.

Something's up here then. I'll ask for directions, you stay hidden.

-The fennec nodded, and Surge grinned, sharp teeth showing themselves. Might as well have some fun with the "gathering information" thing. They both got separated now, Surge just casually strolling until she spotted your muse. In a flash she pinned them against the wall and showed them her hand crackling with strands of glowing electricity.-

Hey there! How about you answer some questions for me?

//open rp! Uhhh I've been gone for a good while and idk who are still active- @purple-steven @corvid-steven @varian-the-unstable-alchemist @lilmetalsonic @anyone! sorry if i didn't tag someone i just genuinely dont remember-

[purple-steven]

Oh god-

This already felt problematic. He's weirded out by the fact he's suddenly pressed against the wall and-

Well. That hand is NOT going to do him any good. Electricity is not his strong suit.

Woah- hey, okay, calm it, put the- put the hand away, what's up? Who are you?

This is. Dangerous. He's got to be careful.

[rolling-combo]

Not your problem is it!? Shut up and answer! Where the fuck is this place!?

Answer me or you won't like what comes next!

-She pointed a finger at him, a little zap burning his nose a bit as she showed her teeth, intimidating him-

[purple-steven]

He flinched at the zap, feeling himself freak out the moment he felt it.

Okay- okay, just- just calm down. You're in the clutter dimension. You're new here, I'm assuming? Look, just- put the hand down, I'm not- not gonna do anything.

[rolling-combo]

The fuck is the Clutter Dimension?! You tryna be funny?! You piece of shit!

-Surge screamed at him, raising her fist in anger, about to beat him up. Before a strong gust of wind came across the alley, a familiar voice for Lav coming along.-

Hey bully! Haven't they told you to not pick on others! Also, go wash your mouth.

-Sonic joked around, crossing his arms. The lightning began acting up, the tenrec growling in anger as she looked down and then glared with all the anger she could muster at him.-

Let him go now, Surge. This is between us.

-His tone turned a bit serious, urgent to make her let go of Lav.-

Heh, what? You ready to put me down now!?

-She let go of Lav, more interested in.. well, beating the shit out of Sonic. Some electricity emanating from her might go to him, but it felt more like a light sting than anything. It's up to you if you're going to help Sonic or not, Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched with each sting, backing up slightly but going towards Sonic. Yeah, he's going to be helping out.

Oookay, so this is- this is a You Thing, I'm assuming? Can I have details??

[rolling-combo]

-Surge ignored Lav completely, launching herself at Sonic, charging towards him at full speed. He almost didn't manage to dodge it, but he did and appeared besides Lav in a flash, getting in a fighting stance as the tenrec crashed onto a random building.-

Uhhh, long story short. She was genetically modified and brainwashed to kill me. I need you to res- Whoa!

-He pushed Lav to the side. She'd thrown a literal wall at them.-

I need you to find a good moment to knock her out or restrain her quic-

-Surge now pounced him, Sonic stopping him with both his hands.-

What!? You think that weak human can pin me down?!

[purple-steven]

Oh SHI-

He just flicked his head, following the wall flying past them. What the fuCK??

Then the snide remark, which quite frankly peeved him off a bit. He pulled out his whip, cracking it for no reason other than dramatic effect, before wrapping it around Surge and attempting to pull her off.

Alright, let's NOT do that, yeah?

[rolling-combo]

-The tenrec actually went flying with that, actually being really light. She hit the ground hard, eyes widening as she was not expecting that at all, a small cloud of dust appearing with the ground cracking with the impact.-

-Sonic quickly incorporated himself, immediately turning to Lav at the sight of the whip, a worried tone in his exclamation.-

Lav! Let go of the-

-And a strong current of energy went through the whip, it would last a good 3 seconds before Sonic cut it off with a homing atack.-

[purple-steven]

He wasn't expecting her to fly off that easily, and the fact she did was sorta concerning to him, especially since he did NOT hold back at all. He looked incredibly worried, before feeling the shock course through him and an expression of pain and distress painted his face. He can't let go of the whip even if he wanted to, his hand clenching the whip tighter.

Oh goodness. He feels like he's seeing those trees again. He needs to stay focused. He can be distressed later. But it's notoriously difficult to concentrate at all when you're being shocked and all you can feel is pain and it doesn't stop and it's not stopping and its-

The relief he felt once it had seized was one he hadn't experienced in a while. He dropped to the floor for a moment, catching his breath, his hand finally letting go of the rope.

Ow.

[rolling-combo]

You alright!?

What! Little guy can't handle a little shock?! Aww, and I just thought things were getting interesting!

-As the cloud of dust dissipated, you could see Surge's fist emanating pure electricity. Sonic tried to stay and check if Lav was alright, but the tenrec charged at him will full speed.-

Alright then! Let's dance!

Sonic ran as as well, a blur of blue and green now going around the place, stopping when Surge managed to punch Sonic, throwing him over to a wall and breaking it on impact.-

Gah!-

-Lav could hear someone walking near him, a blue kit staring him down, tentacles of water emerging from what seemed to be a backpack.-

[purple-steven]

This is. Not looking good for him.

Don't worry about me! Just- be careful!

And he felt the ominous loom of the kit by him, turning around and looking back at him. That looks. Really cool, but right now, he's a bit scared for what's to come. He's bubbling himself already just in case, getting out a new whip, still trying to recover from the shock. More mentally than physically. Hhholy shit this is a lot that he wasn't expecting.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit stared at him for a moment, then looked at Sonic and Kit fighting, assessing the situation, then staring back at Lav. He'd seen his strength back when he threw Surge to the ground. The ends water tentacles turned sharp, repeatedly hitting the bubble now. Nice Lav, you've been deemed a threat.-

You're just a coward, aren't you.

-Meanwhile, the tenrec and the hedgehog were still actively fighting in the background. Sonic this time got the next hit, managing to kick Surge on the side, making her stumble back. He was about to charge a spindash when he saw Kit.-

Lav!

-He remembered their last encounter as clear as day, and he knew well enough what Kit could do when he's protecting Surge. He rushed to go towards Kit, and stop his attack, but he had to stop when Surge appeared in front of him.-

[purple-steven]

Oh goodness, they aren't going to make this easy at ALL are they.

I'm not a coward, I just- I don't want to hurt you!

He's trying to keep his bubble strong, but it's already forming cracks. Holding on to his whip slightly tighter. He doesn't want to fling people about, but it seems like he's running out of options here.

Can't we just- talk this out?

He's flicking his attention back and forth from Kit and to Surge and Sonic just in case they need help. Maybe he could try and intervene if he can slip by? But this may be a case of trusting Sonic to take care of Surge, leaving him to take care of Kit.

Well, regardless, he's trying to stay as aware as possible.

[rolling-combo]

Surge c'mon! Listen to me for a sec!

-Sonic now focused on dodging Surge, just wanted to make her reason. The tenrec kept attacking, eyes glowing as she focused her lightning on her fists and shoes.-

Why should I?! Are you going to start with the "You can be good" shit! Because I ain't buying it!

-Back to Lav, Kit didn't even answer him, all the water merging together and forming one big spike that crashed down on him.-

[purple-steven]

Glad to know that him and sonic were thinking similarly, at least... The spike crashing down on him popped the bubble, giving him time to dodge, albeit slightly weaker. He wrapped his whip around Kit, pulling him down to the ground.

[rolling-combo]

-A water tentacle slashed the whip, but the fennec still fell to the ground. A puddle of water formed around him and spikes of water formed, extending and aiming towards Lav.-

You won't hurt Surge.

-Talking about her, back to Sonic.-

-Sonic kept blocking Surge's punches as he tried to speak to her, eventually answering with a kick to make her stand back.-

Just listen! This isn't our dimension, you're free here!

-The tenrec stared at him. A sinister smile creeping up her face. This is not going the way Sonic wanted, immediately knowing what she was about to say.-

Free you say?

I'm pretty sure that whatever you're thinking right now is wrong. I won't let you cause mayhem.

But then that means...

-Surge's body was covered by electricity now, charging at Sonic once again.-

You don't have anyone to back you up! Do ya!?

-As they clashed, electricity quickly enveloped Sonic, making him scream in pain as his eyes widened.-

[purple-steven]

He quickly summoned 2 more whips to make up for the loss of the first, looking back to hear the sound of Sonic screaming, trying to wrap his whip around Sonic and pull him back towards him. He is paying no mind towards Kit at the moment, instead keeping the other whip spare for any retaliations that he might need to take.

Oh boy. This is going to be difficult to take care of. Maybe they should flee? But that doesn't seem wise either... They just need to try and keep Surge in one place, so maybe bubbling? But his bubbles are useless at times... It'll be fine. They'll figure something out. Just keep fighting somehow.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic stayed on the ground for a moment, a bit of smoke coming from his body. He groaned as he stood up, struggling to do so. Both Kit and Surge stood in front of them.-

Hey kid! Change of plans, we'll just kill off the blue rat. I used almost all my charge on him so he's pretty much dead, you can call dibs on the kill if you get the chance.

-Kit nodded, raising himself with the water and immediately aiming water spikes at Sonic.-

[purple-steven]

He wrapped one whip around Kit and another around Surge, pulling them back to the ground and towards him rather than near Sonic. He needs time to recover by the looks of it, and Lav is going to buy as much time as needed.

[rolling-combo]

I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!

-Kit let himself get pulled, choosing to free Surge. She charged right at Lav, jumping and raising a charged fist, aiming to knock him down on one hit. But before it landed, Sonic spindashed right onto her stomach, sending her flying onto a nearby building.-

SURGE!?

-Kit growled at Sonic, water tentacles shooting over to grab him midair and throw him to the ground with full force.-

Ghk!-

-Sonic landed on the concrete, and a very audible crack could be heard. Making him cough blood. He.. still stood up though, struggling to breathe a bit and putting a hand on his side. He looked at the blood.-

That can't be good.

-He averted his gaze towards Kit, the kid had run off to check on Surge. She seemed to be injured as well, blood dripping down from her forehead as she recovered. Sonic tried to take a deep breath, looking back at Lav with a smile, bright as always, even though he was struggling to stand.-

Yo, Lav. Cover me, 'kay?

-He just has his vibe within him y'know? To make you feel safe, that everything is going to be alright. Just trust him, he's a hero after all.-

[purple-steven]

He glanced at the blood, nervous for Sonic and honestly a bit shaken, considering he had braced himself for a blow that never came to him.

Yeah, alright. Don't do anythin' stupid...

He nodded though, he's ready to cover as best he can, both whips out and ready to strike. He's also preparing himself to bubble something or someone if necessary, although it's hard to tell what's coming next. Out of all the times Lav fails to have fountain water on him... He needs to keep it in his gem more often. You'd think by now he's learnt his lesson, but... He always forgets in the end.

He's going to attack whoever Sonic doesn't go for first. He's just keeping an eye out, focussing on who to target.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, coughing again, his glove staining with a little more blood. Definitely a punctured lung. Don't have time to deal with that right now. He grinned.-

You need to have more faith in me man!

-Sonic assessed the situation, kit was unharmed and Surge was healing from her injury already. Man, this is going to be tough. He was just standing there, before he disappeared from Lav's sight.-

-The other two seemed confused as well, looking around. In a blink of an eyes, the hedgehog appeared over to kick Surge on the back of her head, aiming for her injury. She went face down on the ground, growling as she lunged over to try and tackle Sonic.-

Going for a sucker punch, hero?!

-Sonic dodged, being wary of the water puddle forming nearby, feeling Kit's glare.-

Can't keep up?

-He's a little fed up at this point.-

[purple-steven]

There's a right answer here. He needs to make a decision now on who and what to tackle. Would he rather face suffocating blue, or sparks of pain? Which one is the right answer? Which one is going to help? Which one can he handle more and which one is the right answer?

He'd take them both on, but Sonic is stupidly determined to protect him. He admires the courage, but it's hard when they're both wanting to tank hits for each other.

Surge... Even if it means taking electricity, it's clear that she's the bigger threat and that she appears to be the one who's harder to escape from. The electricity makes you seize in place. That's what hinders them both from doing ANYTHING at all.

Kit. The water is an issue. The fact they're near a beach isn't helping either. Neither of them can swim, but that's not an issue considering they don't need that skill at the moment. Drowning is an obvious risk, but the easy way out is to just sever the water with his whip or thwack Kit out of the way. If that's the case, he can take a second whip out to get rid of him easily.

Surge is better to take hits from. He has the durability as a bigger person in general, and even if the electricity brings back memories, memories aren't going to hurt anyone.

That must be the right decision. Right?

No time for more thinking. You already wasted enough with these few seconds, now you just need to fight. Diving head first into these sorts of things never backfire, right?

He rushed in, wrapping his whip tightly around Surge, each gem divot pushing against the skin enough to hurt, but not enough to pierce it. This trick is getting old, but there's not much he can do other than this. Unless he starts giving her ACTUAL whip lashes, but that feels too harsh. He's tempted to try and throw her far away from here, but that'll become an issue in the future. Might as well deal with it here and now.

Doesn't matter if he dies. Doesn't really bother him much in the long run, does it?

Enough is enough. He's getting tired of this as well. He's desummoned one whip, instead bubbling his fist. He pulls Surge towards him, ready to punch her with his bubbled fist. He's aware the pressure and force may make it burst, but power is needed more at the moment. Plus, he can take a hit like that.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge allowed herself to be pulled, tanking the punch. Definitely didn't expect it the amount of raw strength coming from it though. She then electrified the whip, same as last time.-

You don't learn, do ya.

-Meanwhile, Sonic was fighting Kit, dodging water whips and trying to make him use his water supply as much as he could. Didn't want to hirt the kid, but he was already seeing it hard to win this without doing so.-

-He charged a spindash, going through one of the water whips and bouncing off a street lamp to hit Kit right on his water backpack, the water whips faltering as Sonic barely dodged one coming at him.-

-He was keeping an eye on Lav and Surge, would definitely barge in if things go south.-

[purple-steven]

The bubble burst with the collision, and he seized, unable to think of any sort of witty comeback. Each muscle in his body felt far too tense, but he didn't let go of the whip. Take the hit. You can handle the hit. You can handle this.

His eyes welled up with tears whilst remaining quiet, solely concentrated on trying to stray his focus elsewhere.

Stop thinking about how much it hurts. Think about what to do next. Think about Sonic. Think about what to do next think about your next move think about-

It hurts so much. He's scared. It hurts so much and he's scared, and he isn't sure when it's going to end, and he isn't sure when he'll be able to completely focus again.

The whip instead is desummoned, somewhat unwillingly, freeing Surge to move around a bit more. He bubbled his fists once more, breathing heavily after the current had been broken. He's still out of focus. Out of practice. He'll fight fist to fist if he has to. Shapeshifting is still a skill he possessed, maybe just having a physically Massive Fist might pummel them.

[rolling-combo]

-The tenred stood up, brushing some dust off as her wounds healed. She grinned at the sight of Lav's bubbled fists, squaring up as well.-

Wanna dance, you puny little human? Come at me!

-She taunted, signaling him to come closer with one of her hands, her sharp teeth forming a haunting smile towards him. She wouldn't show mercy at all.-

-Back to Sonic, he was still fighting the water whips, dodging and waiting for another opening. He kicked some of the whips away, sometimes glancing towards Lav. He trusted him, but was starting to get worried. Would have to finish things quickly with Kit.-

[purple-steven]

He ran towards her, preparing to punch her straight in the face if he can, getting ready to shapeshift smaller if he has to dodge quickly. It's going to take some concentration. He's keeping his eyes on Surge's movements, but only Surge.

Get ready. You need to be fast. Land a punch and shapeshift. Not that difficult.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge dodged by ducking down, aiming to land an uppercut and then kicking Lav on the side. She's saving the electricity she has left to finish off Sonic.-

Too slow!

-The hedgehog jumped and landed a homing attack on Kit, making him hit the ground on his back, his backpack taking most of the impact. Something could be heard cracking inside of it, and the fennec's eyes widened.-

Gotcha.

-Kit glared at Sonic, a water blade forming and going towards him, but deforming and disintegrating before even making contact.-

[purple-steven]

Lav staggered, but he didn't back down.

Alright, speed isn't his forte. Let's use something you're good at then.

He raised his hand above his shoulder as if he was going to throw something, before shapeshifting it into a giant fist, almost half his size. He flung his arm in time so that he wouldn't have to worry about lifting it, allowing gravity to do the work, hopefully crushing Surge.

He didn't really want to kill her, but... It'll hurt her enough, surely, if it hits. If it seems fatal, he can take them to the fountain. It should be fine... Yeah, it should be fine.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge stared at the shapeshifting, her reflexes barely managing to get her out of his range. She immediately went to kick him behind the knees, trying to make him fall over and then kick his stomach.-

-On the other side, Kit was trying to punch Sonic, but he was just dodging every hit Kit threw at him. The fennec had a plan in mind, a single line of water slowly making it's way towards Lav. The backpack had enough pressure for one more attack. Sonic was about to knock out Kit, dashing behind him to hit him on the back of his head.-

-But then he saw the fennec's eyes glowing and looking at Lav. A water blade going for his abdomen, it was meant to pierce him all the way, but it stopped before it could do any fatal damage.-

LAV?!

-But Sonic didn't know that, immediately rushing over to Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He groaned in pain, his fist keeping him stuck to the ground before he shapeshifted it away. He heard the yell out, confused, before he saw the water blade.

He put up a bubble, although it seemed weak already and likely wouldn't stop anything that sharp from piercing it through, but it was a last attempt at protecting himself, attempting to roll to the side but...

...Well, speed isn't his forte.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran over towards Lav, but Surge intercepted him. She punched Sonic right on the face, making him fly over to the nearest building.-

Weren't quick enough to save him, were ya.

-She turned over to look at Kit.-

Hey drippy!? Ya good?!

-Kit didn't answer, focused on fixing his backpack. Tinkering away with it, a couple of sparks coming from it. Surge sighed, looking over at Lav, grabbing him by the hair.-

You're weak, but at least you make good bait.

-She whispered to him, before dropping him and looking over where Sonic crashed, just aiming to make him hurt even more. The hedgehog was standing up again, his last injuries coming back to him. He groaned, looking over at Surge grabbing Lav by the hair and hissing.-

[purple-steven]

He was flung towards Sonic, landing roughly and unpleasantly next to him, the harsh pebbles and small stones hidden within the dirt scratching his face. He teared up in pain, not even properly processing the stab wound yet, until he felt something wet on his hand.

His body instinctively already tried to cover the wound, and suddenly, the sting of being stabbed finally stepped in, and he curled in on himself, hissing in pain. He would've tried to scramble up, but from where the wound is, any sort of movement would hurt if he tried to get up.

It felt... Wetter than usual, thanks to the water, but it hurts badly.

He's not sure he can fight through this. He can try, but... It's not looking good for him.

Ugh... It... Keeps hurting more and now he's bleeding more, curling in on himself with tears slowly tracing his face.

He's more than bait. He's stronger than that. He's worth more than that. He's a useful person, he can be useful, he can be worth more than just a distraction. Than just bait.

He isn't weak.

He... He isn't weak.

Right...?

He hissed as well, albeit in pain, breathing heavily.

Shit...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran towards Surge, before a water tentacle grabbed his ankle and launched him up, he managed to block Surge's kick coming at him. He charged a homing attack to hit Surge in the air, but Kit immediately made the hedgehog hit a large mass of water.-

-He was trapped inside it, tried to swim upwards, panicked. But Surge put a hand on the water, using all she had left on her charge to electrify the water. It flashed white, making Sonic scream in the water as his muscles tensed.-

-As soon as it ended, Sonic was dropped onto the ground. He coughed water, he was struggling to breathe earlier and this definitely didn't help his case. His vision was blurry and everything hurt now. But he stood up again.-

That- That's all y-ya ha-

-And then a punch landed right on his stomach, knocking the air out of him. He put his hands on Surge's arm, seemingly supporting himself from the impact, before he grabbed her and slammed her onto the ground.-

-They should've known he wouldn't go down without a fight.-

[purple-steven]

Why is he still fighting? Shouldn't they-

No, he's right, he's... He should keep fighting as well.

You aren't bait. You're more than that.

You aren't useless.

He kept attempting to stagger up, until eventually he got his balance back, stumbling up to his feet. What can he do, what can he do...

Sonic obviously doesn't want to retreat, but if it continues, that might be the only option they have left. He summoned his whip. He'll just... Distract them.

...just... Be bait.

He flung his whip out around Kit, Surge being out of the question considering the electricity issue, wrapping it around before pulling him towards Lav.

...okay, so the backpack is the source. Break the source again. Obliterate it if you have to. You can do that, even in this state, right?

He seethed, closing his eyes and wincing, but it doesn't matter. Sonic needs back up.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit looked back at Lav the moment Sonic smashed Surge on the ground, Water tentacles emerging and shielding him from his whip. Surge, on the other side, growled and hissed at the hedgehog before she tackled him, punching him on the face over and over before he managed to kick her off. He was glad he was facing away from Lav.-

-He stumbled up, and then disappeared, kicking Surge on the stomach, returning the hit from earlier. He almost fell over when he landed on the ground, clearly at his limit.-

[purple-steven]

Shit no... Sonic can't do this any longer.

He wrapped his whip around Sonic, planning to pull him towards himself. They need to get out of here. But he'll loosen it if Sonic struggles against it. He doesn't want to yell it out loud; if they do have to escape, announcing it seemed idiotic.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was still keeping an eye on Lav and, alas, he didn't even allow that whip to go halfway through. A water whip slashing Lav's whip in half. He will support Surge in whatever she wants, and if she wants to fight Sonic one on one, so be it.-

-With that said, Surge was actually really worn out right now. Sonic wasn't pulling any punches now and she could obviously feel that on the kick she just received. She was near her limit, panting.-

-With that said, Sonic was way past his at this point, carrying on by sheer willpower. He still managed to get into a fighting position, and charged at her.-

-Surge attempted to sweep Sonic's legs, but he dashed behind her. Hitting her on the back of her head and then conjoining his two hands and striking down on her back, full force, making a small crater on the ground. Left her unconscious.-

-And then a water spike stabbed him from behind.-

[purple-steven]

His eyes widened, looking for Kit, running towards him with his hand glowing, morphing to be massive again. He looked mad. He swung his arm, sending his hand to swat Kit away, potentially sending him flying, this time with a fairly quick speed. He needs to wait for the water to dissipate. He's going to have to get them to the fountain, even if he's strength is slowly fading.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was keeping himself above the ground with his water tentacles, eyes widening when she saw the massive hand. The water tentacles divided into a massive amount of water spikes, all piercing Lav's hand, leaving just a single water tentacle keeping him above.-

-Sonic kicked Kit on the side of the head, knocked out Kit with the impact. With that the water dissipated, and a couple portals appeared beneath them, taking them away.-

-The hedgehog landed, stumbling and then looking at Lav.-

They're g-gone?.. Good...

[purple-steven]

He was breathing heavily, hand glowing to shift back to normal, the gaping piercings becoming far more apparent. He looked down at his wounds, his hands shaking as well as the stab wound becoming slightly worse and still flowing. Little streams of blood started to fall from the holes in his hand.

We n... We need to go....

He breathed out, hissing in pain, still stumbling and bending over slightly.

...the bending over was likely not helping whatsoever, in fact it likely made it worse, but he didn't have the strength to keep himself upright.

[rolling-combo]

You go, I'm not going to make it.

-Sonic leaned against a wall, and let himself fall down, a trail of blood smearing across the wall. He sighed.-

-He chuckled, holding his side as he winced in pain. The adrenaline was already wearing down, the pain of his injuries making itself more and more intense.-

Man, that sure was a fight.

-He was smiling, definitely afraid of dying.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no. N-no, we're not doing that.

He practically grabbed Sonic, picking him up, hoisting him over his shoulder in the fireman hold. He silently winced, but began quickly walking towards any portal which would be nearby.

Not letting you die on me, mate...

[rolling-combo]

L-Lav, no.

-He coughed, now struggling to breathe even more than before, you could hear how some of the air wasn't reaching his lungs.-

J-just leave m-me. I'll feel worse if y-ya bleed out trying to h-help me.

-He tried to pull away from him, falling onto the ground and grunting, hissing from the pain.-

G-go without me, I'll be fine.

-He could already feel he was going to die soon. No deal in making his corpse wait a little bit more to be healed.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no, let me help you, what're you doing? I can- I can save you, let me help, for fucks sake...

He went to try and pick him up again. He's not going without him. The fountain will save him, and he KNOWS it would. Why fight it when he can just- survive?

It'll save you, Sonic, you're not gonna die if I take you and it'll heal you, why the hell are you fighting that?

[rolling-combo]

-He immediately spiked up, all his quills going up, not letting him touch him. He tried to get in a more comfortable position.-

I-If you take me you'll d-die.

Y-your wounds are g-getting worse.

I d-don't want you to die, you're m-my friend.

-He smiled at him, he already feels lighteaded, cold. Definitely wouldn't make it even if Lav ran towards the fountain right now.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched, flapping his hand wildly, hissing in pain and immediately regretting his sudden movement, groaning slightly.

Argh, fUck-

He looked at Sonic, mildly angry, but mainly just... Frustrated. He could've saved him if he wasn't so stubborn about it. He could've done something.

...sonic, you're an absolute twat, you know that?

He sighed, holding his own hand to soothe it.

...I'll wait until you go. I can hold... I can hold out, but... But god, you're an idiot. I've died before... I can handle it. Why did you take so many hits...? You didn't... You shouldn't've, you idiot.

[rolling-combo]

-He laughed again, coughing more blood out, struggling to stay awake, but he persevered.-

D-didn't know how m-much time they would be stayin'

Y-you saw what they c-could do didn't cha'-

-His blinking was getting slower, each time getting harder and harder to keep himself up. He did manage to look at Lav though, still smiling, as always.-

T-thanks for helping me out man, probably wouldn't have been able t-to get them both alone.

-He was 100% sincere here, probably wouldn't have been able to fight both of them at the same time.-

D-don't let Tails know bout this 'kay?

-And he closed his eyes, of course those would be his last words.-

[purple-steven]

He sighed, nodding.

Yeah, alright.

He bubbled Sonic's body, sending him to his room in the library. It's locked, so it's not like anyone's just gonna wander in. He'll go and grab some healing water to help as well.

But now... He's gotta make the journey without dying, so that's going to be eventful. He probably won't either, but it hurts badly.

Right, let's assess this. We've got a pretty deep stab wound that's gone all the way through his abdomen. That's the main point of concern. Several holes in his hands from multiple piercings of water spikes. Also can't be good. Multiple electricity burns but that's nothing he's not used to. And probably a bunch of bruises that he can't exactly identify right now.

He continued his journey to the fountain, warping himself away, feeling slightly faint. Yeah, he's definitely gonna make it.

He took all the flasks out of his gem, refilling them as well as chugging one down to get rid of anything internal that might be going on. The rest he sorta sprinkled on. He didn't want to deal with any submerging shit right now, especially with the state he's in.

...Sonic died. He couldn't help. It's fully sinking in.

God, is he really only good for bait? Good for distractions? Sonic said he'd helped, but then again, Sonic would say anything to make anyone feel better. He was worried the entire time. Was Lav really incapable of standing his ground that whole time?

Okay, stop that, that's unreasonable thinking. Surely.

Right. Yeah. 'course it is. You're strong. You're strong as hell. You aren't useless.

Are you sure? Because to me, it seemed like you were pretty incompetent. Seemed like you sorta just... Let it happen. You're not exactly the best person, are you? You could've easily just taken all the hits. But instead, you were too scared. Too scared of dying, no matter what you say, and too scared of getting hurt. You hate it. The sensation of it. Isn't that pathetic? That's what cost him his life. Your own fear, your own actions, everything. It was you.

...was he even entirely wrong this time?

He splashed his face with the fountain water, putting each flask except one in his gem. This one he'll use for Sonic. He wiped the water from his face, dragging his hand down his cheeks and sighing.

Is this Sonic's first death? Hopefully he doesn't take too long. He doesn't want to have to hide a body again. He's got too many memories of keeping stupid secrets like that from people.

He warped back home, starting to lead to his room, flask in hand, before unlocking his room door and entering.

...yep. Bloody bubble with a bloody sonic. What else would you expect? He took it over to the tub, bursting the bubble and letting any blood that pooled drain out. Lav let the fountain water clear up the major injuries, obviously unable to help with the internal ones, but Sonic'll cope. He should wake up soon.

...if he wakes up soon.

No, don't think like that. It was one time.

But you don't know that.

...give it a day. If it takes any longer, then you're allowed to panic. For now, you need to calm down. He put Sonic's (now less bloody) body in his bed, tucking him in. At least he won't feel sore, hopefully.

God, sonic, you're such an idiot. You've got someone who cares if you die. You should've just let him help. Lav could've saved you. He really could've saved you if you just let him help.

He brought his knees to his chest, trying his best not to tear up. He's going to come back. He has to.

...he just wish it was him instead. At least then, he wouldn't have to think about it being his first death or anything of the sort.

...now that he thinks about it, Sonic said he was a friend.

Heh. A friend. That's nice to know, at least.

...he's going to have to step up his game if this happens again.

Now it's just a case of waiting. And he'll be right beside him, as he always is. Got nothing else better to do anyways. Maybe he might tidy up in here as well. Seems like every time he does, it always goes back to a tip.

[rolling-combo]

-In the quiet embrace of mortality, Sonic felt the gentle pull of life's final curtain. A profound calm settled over him, like the hushed aftermath of a storm. The weight of the hios struggles, battles fought, and sacrifices made began to lift, replaced by an ethereal lightness.

-As the hedgehog embraced the inevitable, there was a sense of closure and completion. Every scar, both seen and unseen, whispered tales of resilience and valor. In these fleeting moments, the hero just stared at what was his entire existence, and the culmination of it. The darkness engulfed him, but there was an odd feeling on the back of his head, a nagging feeling that this wasn't over yet.-

-His voice whispered that it wasn't his time to sink down further down. The voice turned into a bittersweet melody, his beating heart leading the compass.-

-And then he gasped awake.-

[purple-steven]

Despite the rush of it all earlier, he would find himself in almost silence, shooting up in his bed with Lav still on the floor next to him. He has moved, but he always returned to this spot whenever he was doing nothing. And now he's napping. He does that a lot.

[rolling-combo]

-The hedgehog put a hand on his side, where the piercing wound had been, expecting his gloves to be crimson red. Instead, he just touched his fur, his gloves an inmaculate white.-

-He felt relieved, he had this sort of ethereal sense of clarity at the moment, his ears flickered at the sound of someone breathing, turning over to look at his friend on the ground.-

-A small smile appeared on his lips, the sight of Lav making him happy. He was just recalling everything that happened earlier, all the violence and pain. He tensed, before closing his eyes, expression softening, now wondering how much his revival took.-

-It didn't feel right to look at his friend resting on the ground, very slowly getting off the bed and carrying the human and getting him under the covers, before he got on it as well. They can both rest on the same bed, not that he's especially big or anything.-

-He still felt a little tired, but didn't feel the urge to sleep anymore, so he just sat up, closing his eyes and meditating.-

[purple-steven]

He stirred a little when he was picked up, before continuing his nap, waking up after a couple of minutes. He felt the covers on top of him, slowly blinking awake and looking around, grasping his surroundings.

He saw Sonic sitting up, and all of a sudden he felt a weight slowly melt off his chest.

Oh- oh thank god, you're awake...

[rolling-combo]

-Ears flickered off at the sound of Lav's voice. He smiled, opening his eyes to look at his friend. He was just.. emitting this calm aura. Death has seemed to bring some sort of enlightenment to the hedgehog.-

Why wouldn't I be?

...

Sorry for worrying you earlier.

-He recalled his friend's desperation earlier, and how he was pricked by this quills, felt like some apologies were in order. He just couldn't bear having his friend die trying to help him when he wa beyond saving.-

[purple-steven]

Nothing, no reason, don't worry about it. Just... Let me help you, next time. I know my limits.

...are you... Doing alright? You seem to be coping with this a whole lot better than I did. Especially since it's... Well, it's your first death, isn't it...?

[rolling-combo]

You were stabbed in the abdomen, you would've died if you carried me over to the fountain. And I would've died if you moved me anymore.

-He sighed, serious, he knows his limits as well, and by moving to kick Kit that last time he worsened the injury he had made to him. Had no chance of surviving that fight. His expression eased up after saying all that, no worth in stressing over something that already happened.-

And I'm fine! It was just... kind of ominous, heh-

[purple-steven]

Kind of... Ominous...?

I mean, that's one way to describe it, but it doesn't... Seem right at all from his perspective.

...huh. I think... I think we've had very different after-death-experiences then.

He sighed, still letting the relief that Sonic Actually Woke Up wash over him. It was stupid to be worried about in the first place: it's not something that happens often and the likelihood of it ever happening is low, but it did stress him out.

How're you feeling? Sore? Achy? Anything of the sort?

He's still fairly concerned... But if Sonic is completely fine, he should probably just take it as a win.

[rolling-combo]

-Well Lav, you both have very different perspectives regarding death.-

A bit lightheaded, but aside from that, I just picked you up so, I should be fine!

[purple-steven]

Huh... Well, that's good!! Means that it wasn't... Too rough.

He smiled, clearly more relaxed.

You should still probably take it easy... I don't think it's smart to overdo it now.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic hugged Lav, it was a very gentle embrace. He still sorta felt bad for worrying him earlier. Also..-

Thanks, for everything.

-He wanted to thank him. Releasing the hug after saying so, smiling wide.-

We should go with Tails though. He's probably worried, or not. Depends, uh- How long have I been gone?

[purple-steven]

He seemed oddly surprised, before hugging back.

Hey, no need to thank me bud... Besides, what're...

He kinda hesitated, but then smiled a little.

What're friends for?

He then scanned his room for the clock, quickly doing some maths.

It's been... Less than a day. At least 10 hours.

Huh. Didn't keep count this time. That's... Good. He felt oddly proud of himself for not obsessing over something like that.

But yeah, we should go get you to Tails. He'll probably be a bit worried...

[rolling-combo]

-He scratched the back of his head.-

He'll probably scold me for not checking in earlier.

-He sighed, stretched a little before he stood up, he noticed he left some quills on Lav's pillow.-

Ah shoot, sorry about that. Usually happens after a fight-

-He picked them up, getting them out of Lav's pillow.-

[purple-steven]

Eh, don't stress, it's no biggie. Although... Uh... You might want to tell him the truth. At least, with my experience with everyone else, it... Becomes a huge issue when you lie about it. You don't have to tell him now, but... Yknow.

He kinda looked away. He felt bad giving advice for whatever reason??? Gah, hates the way his brain works sometimes.

[rolling-combo]

Gotcha, thanks for the advice!

-He stretched a little bit more, moving his arms and legs. The lightheadedness he felt earlier was mostly gone.-

Yo, y'wanna go running?

[purple-steven]

Uh- yeah! Yeah, we can do, uh- I might be a bit... Slow though, heh.

He got up as well, opening his room door. He's probably gonna shapeshift to catch up. What's fast? Probably a cheetah or something. He'll figure it out. He hasn't shapeshifted for fun in a while, so it'll be nice to let loose.

[rolling-combo]

Don't worry bout that!

Unless ya wanna make it a race.

-That. was definitely an invitation to race. Up to you Lav.-

[purple-steven]

HAH! No way. That's- yeah, I'm asking to lose there, I'm gonna pass you on that one, bud.

He chuckled a little. There was NO WAY IN HELL he was going to race Sonic. At least, not today.

Ready to get goin'?

[rolling-combo]

You're missing out man.

-Sonic chuckled alongside him, making his way out of the library.-

Sure! Let's go.

-And with that, he took off, going at a slow pace, for him, that is. He was going fast, but Lav could definitely catch up if he shapeshifted.-

[purple-steven]

He hadn't even realised they started until a couple seconds afterwards, surprised at the sudden takeoff, running after him. His body became a burst of bright purple light, shifting through different animals. A bird, soaring through the sky, to a horse galloping down, until he stuck with a cheetah, although he couldn't exactly match the speed. He was definitely far faster, and surprisingly, keeping up the pace. You could hear him laugh while shifting, freely running around. He seemed happier.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic laughed too, slowing his pace to match Lav's, feeling the wind on his face, he was grinning wide.-

That's so cool! We definitely should do this more!

-Future invitation to run around sometime! With Sonic! Yay :D-

[purple-steven]

YES!

He smiled widely, still running and shifting as much as he could. He is slowing down though - he hasn't done this in so long, his stamina is Quite Shit.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic didn't mind slowing down a bit for Lav, they were nearby anyways. Besides, they were having fun, and it was nice seeing Lav so happy, it's a nice contrast.-

[purple-steven]

As they got closer to their house, he began to slow significantly, before just walking the last 5 minutes, shapeshifting back to normal. He seemed tired, sweating his head off and breathing heavily.

...might be a bit out of practice in general. He doesn't usually struggle this much when shifting forms quickly. Just something to get used to.

He ran a hand through his hair, chuckling softly to himself.

Oh my god, what a run that was... Sorry for the... The speed though, heh...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ended up walking beside him, disappeared for some good 10 seconds and appeared back with a water bottle for Lav.-

There ya go!

[purple-steven]

He slowed at the sudden disappearance, reaching a stop before jumping when Sonic came.

How did yo-

You know how he did that, Lav... He felt like he hadn't properly seen it in motion before, or at least not this close up. It's extremely impressive.

Th-thanks...

He took the bottle, completely downing it before sighing, wiping his mouth. Lord, he needed that.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, was kinda amusing to see him surprised. Usually people don't react as much.-

Just ran back to the store. And you're welcome!

-He smiled, now they were almost in front of the house. Time to be scolded by Tails. Haha-_

[rolling-combo]

Surge The Tenrec is brought in to the Clutter Dimension.

//oo this is going to be fun >:D

-The tenrec was running along a path of dirt along a forest, a circle of water along her waist, her sidekick, Kit, holding onto it. They were looking for shelter around the place.-

-None of them noticed when they were teleported, placed at the forest near Beach city. Eventually they found the aforementioned place, stopping abruptly.-

What the-

Ey drippy, this wasn't here before! Where are we?!

-Kitsunami lowered himself to the ground, water going back to his backpack, confused as well.-

We're in the middle of the continent, there isn't supposed to be a beach here.

Something's up here then. I'll ask for directions, you stay hidden.

-The fennec nodded, and Surge grinned, sharp teeth showing themselves. Might as well have some fun with the "gathering information" thing. They both got separated now, Surge just casually strolling until she spotted your muse. In a flash she pinned them against the wall and showed them her hand crackling with strands of glowing electricity.-

Hey there! How about you answer some questions for me?

//open rp! Uhhh I've been gone for a good while and idk who are still active- @purple-steven @corvid-steven @varian-the-unstable-alchemist @lilmetalsonic @anyone! sorry if i didn't tag someone i just genuinely dont remember-

[purple-steven]

Oh god-

This already felt problematic. He's weirded out by the fact he's suddenly pressed against the wall and-

Well. That hand is NOT going to do him any good. Electricity is not his strong suit.

Woah- hey, okay, calm it, put the- put the hand away, what's up? Who are you?

This is. Dangerous. He's got to be careful.

[rolling-combo]

Not your problem is it!? Shut up and answer! Where the fuck is this place!?

Answer me or you won't like what comes next!

-She pointed a finger at him, a little zap burning his nose a bit as she showed her teeth, intimidating him-

[purple-steven]

He flinched at the zap, feeling himself freak out the moment he felt it.

Okay- okay, just- just calm down. You're in the clutter dimension. You're new here, I'm assuming? Look, just- put the hand down, I'm not- not gonna do anything.

[rolling-combo]

The fuck is the Clutter Dimension?! You tryna be funny?! You piece of shit!

-Surge screamed at him, raising her fist in anger, about to beat him up. Before a strong gust of wind came across the alley, a familiar voice for Lav coming along.-

Hey bully! Haven't they told you to not pick on others! Also, go wash your mouth.

-Sonic joked around, crossing his arms. The lightning began acting up, the tenrec growling in anger as she looked down and then glared with all the anger she could muster at him.-

Let him go now, Surge. This is between us.

-His tone turned a bit serious, urgent to make her let go of Lav.-

Heh, what? You ready to put me down now!?

-She let go of Lav, more interested in.. well, beating the shit out of Sonic. Some electricity emanating from her might go to him, but it felt more like a light sting than anything. It's up to you if you're going to help Sonic or not, Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched with each sting, backing up slightly but going towards Sonic. Yeah, he's going to be helping out.

Oookay, so this is- this is a You Thing, I'm assuming? Can I have details??

[rolling-combo]

-Surge ignored Lav completely, launching herself at Sonic, charging towards him at full speed. He almost didn't manage to dodge it, but he did and appeared besides Lav in a flash, getting in a fighting stance as the tenrec crashed onto a random building.-

Uhhh, long story short. She was genetically modified and brainwashed to kill me. I need you to res- Whoa!

-He pushed Lav to the side. She'd thrown a literal wall at them.-

I need you to find a good moment to knock her out or restrain her quic-

-Surge now pounced him, Sonic stopping him with both his hands.-

What!? You think that weak human can pin me down?!

[purple-steven]

Oh SHI-

He just flicked his head, following the wall flying past them. What the fuCK??

Then the snide remark, which quite frankly peeved him off a bit. He pulled out his whip, cracking it for no reason other than dramatic effect, before wrapping it around Surge and attempting to pull her off.

Alright, let's NOT do that, yeah?

[rolling-combo]

-The tenrec actually went flying with that, actually being really light. She hit the ground hard, eyes widening as she was not expecting that at all, a small cloud of dust appearing with the ground cracking with the impact.-

-Sonic quickly incorporated himself, immediately turning to Lav at the sight of the whip, a worried tone in his exclamation.-

Lav! Let go of the-

-And a strong current of energy went through the whip, it would last a good 3 seconds before Sonic cut it off with a homing atack.-

[purple-steven]

He wasn't expecting her to fly off that easily, and the fact she did was sorta concerning to him, especially since he did NOT hold back at all. He looked incredibly worried, before feeling the shock course through him and an expression of pain and distress painted his face. He can't let go of the whip even if he wanted to, his hand clenching the whip tighter.

Oh goodness. He feels like he's seeing those trees again. He needs to stay focused. He can be distressed later. But it's notoriously difficult to concentrate at all when you're being shocked and all you can feel is pain and it doesn't stop and it's not stopping and its-

The relief he felt once it had seized was one he hadn't experienced in a while. He dropped to the floor for a moment, catching his breath, his hand finally letting go of the rope.

Ow.

[rolling-combo]

You alright!?

What! Little guy can't handle a little shock?! Aww, and I just thought things were getting interesting!

-As the cloud of dust dissipated, you could see Surge's fist emanating pure electricity. Sonic tried to stay and check if Lav was alright, but the tenrec charged at him will full speed.-

Alright then! Let's dance!

Sonic ran as as well, a blur of blue and green now going around the place, stopping when Surge managed to punch Sonic, throwing him over to a wall and breaking it on impact.-

Gah!-

-Lav could hear someone walking near him, a blue kit staring him down, tentacles of water emerging from what seemed to be a backpack.-

[purple-steven]

This is. Not looking good for him.

Don't worry about me! Just- be careful!

And he felt the ominous loom of the kit by him, turning around and looking back at him. That looks. Really cool, but right now, he's a bit scared for what's to come. He's bubbling himself already just in case, getting out a new whip, still trying to recover from the shock. More mentally than physically. Hhholy shit this is a lot that he wasn't expecting.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit stared at him for a moment, then looked at Sonic and Kit fighting, assessing the situation, then staring back at Lav. He'd seen his strength back when he threw Surge to the ground. The ends water tentacles turned sharp, repeatedly hitting the bubble now. Nice Lav, you've been deemed a threat.-

You're just a coward, aren't you.

-Meanwhile, the tenrec and the hedgehog were still actively fighting in the background. Sonic this time got the next hit, managing to kick Surge on the side, making her stumble back. He was about to charge a spindash when he saw Kit.-

Lav!

-He remembered their last encounter as clear as day, and he knew well enough what Kit could do when he's protecting Surge. He rushed to go towards Kit, and stop his attack, but he had to stop when Surge appeared in front of him.-

[purple-steven]

Oh goodness, they aren't going to make this easy at ALL are they.

I'm not a coward, I just- I don't want to hurt you!

He's trying to keep his bubble strong, but it's already forming cracks. Holding on to his whip slightly tighter. He doesn't want to fling people about, but it seems like he's running out of options here.

Can't we just- talk this out?

He's flicking his attention back and forth from Kit and to Surge and Sonic just in case they need help. Maybe he could try and intervene if he can slip by? But this may be a case of trusting Sonic to take care of Surge, leaving him to take care of Kit.

Well, regardless, he's trying to stay as aware as possible.

[rolling-combo]

Surge c'mon! Listen to me for a sec!

-Sonic now focused on dodging Surge, just wanted to make her reason. The tenrec kept attacking, eyes glowing as she focused her lightning on her fists and shoes.-

Why should I?! Are you going to start with the "You can be good" shit! Because I ain't buying it!

-Back to Lav, Kit didn't even answer him, all the water merging together and forming one big spike that crashed down on him.-

[purple-steven]

Glad to know that him and sonic were thinking similarly, at least... The spike crashing down on him popped the bubble, giving him time to dodge, albeit slightly weaker. He wrapped his whip around Kit, pulling him down to the ground.

[rolling-combo]

-A water tentacle slashed the whip, but the fennec still fell to the ground. A puddle of water formed around him and spikes of water formed, extending and aiming towards Lav.-

You won't hurt Surge.

-Talking about her, back to Sonic.-

-Sonic kept blocking Surge's punches as he tried to speak to her, eventually answering with a kick to make her stand back.-

Just listen! This isn't our dimension, you're free here!

-The tenrec stared at him. A sinister smile creeping up her face. This is not going the way Sonic wanted, immediately knowing what she was about to say.-

Free you say?

I'm pretty sure that whatever you're thinking right now is wrong. I won't let you cause mayhem.

But then that means...

-Surge's body was covered by electricity now, charging at Sonic once again.-

You don't have anyone to back you up! Do ya!?

-As they clashed, electricity quickly enveloped Sonic, making him scream in pain as his eyes widened.-

[purple-steven]

He quickly summoned 2 more whips to make up for the loss of the first, looking back to hear the sound of Sonic screaming, trying to wrap his whip around Sonic and pull him back towards him. He is paying no mind towards Kit at the moment, instead keeping the other whip spare for any retaliations that he might need to take.

Oh boy. This is going to be difficult to take care of. Maybe they should flee? But that doesn't seem wise either... They just need to try and keep Surge in one place, so maybe bubbling? But his bubbles are useless at times... It'll be fine. They'll figure something out. Just keep fighting somehow.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic stayed on the ground for a moment, a bit of smoke coming from his body. He groaned as he stood up, struggling to do so. Both Kit and Surge stood in front of them.-

Hey kid! Change of plans, we'll just kill off the blue rat. I used almost all my charge on him so he's pretty much dead, you can call dibs on the kill if you get the chance.

-Kit nodded, raising himself with the water and immediately aiming water spikes at Sonic.-

[purple-steven]

He wrapped one whip around Kit and another around Surge, pulling them back to the ground and towards him rather than near Sonic. He needs time to recover by the looks of it, and Lav is going to buy as much time as needed.

[rolling-combo]

I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!

-Kit let himself get pulled, choosing to free Surge. She charged right at Lav, jumping and raising a charged fist, aiming to knock him down on one hit. But before it landed, Sonic spindashed right onto her stomach, sending her flying onto a nearby building.-

SURGE!?

-Kit growled at Sonic, water tentacles shooting over to grab him midair and throw him to the ground with full force.-

Ghk!-

-Sonic landed on the concrete, and a very audible crack could be heard. Making him cough blood. He.. still stood up though, struggling to breathe a bit and putting a hand on his side. He looked at the blood.-

That can't be good.

-He averted his gaze towards Kit, the kid had run off to check on Surge. She seemed to be injured as well, blood dripping down from her forehead as she recovered. Sonic tried to take a deep breath, looking back at Lav with a smile, bright as always, even though he was struggling to stand.-

Yo, Lav. Cover me, 'kay?

-He just has his vibe within him y'know? To make you feel safe, that everything is going to be alright. Just trust him, he's a hero after all.-

[purple-steven]

He glanced at the blood, nervous for Sonic and honestly a bit shaken, considering he had braced himself for a blow that never came to him.

Yeah, alright. Don't do anythin' stupid...

He nodded though, he's ready to cover as best he can, both whips out and ready to strike. He's also preparing himself to bubble something or someone if necessary, although it's hard to tell what's coming next. Out of all the times Lav fails to have fountain water on him... He needs to keep it in his gem more often. You'd think by now he's learnt his lesson, but... He always forgets in the end.

He's going to attack whoever Sonic doesn't go for first. He's just keeping an eye out, focussing on who to target.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, coughing again, his glove staining with a little more blood. Definitely a punctured lung. Don't have time to deal with that right now. He grinned.-

You need to have more faith in me man!

-Sonic assessed the situation, kit was unharmed and Surge was healing from her injury already. Man, this is going to be tough. He was just standing there, before he disappeared from Lav's sight.-

-The other two seemed confused as well, looking around. In a blink of an eyes, the hedgehog appeared over to kick Surge on the back of her head, aiming for her injury. She went face down on the ground, growling as she lunged over to try and tackle Sonic.-

Going for a sucker punch, hero?!

-Sonic dodged, being wary of the water puddle forming nearby, feeling Kit's glare.-

Can't keep up?

-He's a little fed up at this point.-

[purple-steven]

There's a right answer here. He needs to make a decision now on who and what to tackle. Would he rather face suffocating blue, or sparks of pain? Which one is the right answer? Which one is going to help? Which one can he handle more and which one is the right answer?

He'd take them both on, but Sonic is stupidly determined to protect him. He admires the courage, but it's hard when they're both wanting to tank hits for each other.

Surge... Even if it means taking electricity, it's clear that she's the bigger threat and that she appears to be the one who's harder to escape from. The electricity makes you seize in place. That's what hinders them both from doing ANYTHING at all.

Kit. The water is an issue. The fact they're near a beach isn't helping either. Neither of them can swim, but that's not an issue considering they don't need that skill at the moment. Drowning is an obvious risk, but the easy way out is to just sever the water with his whip or thwack Kit out of the way. If that's the case, he can take a second whip out to get rid of him easily.

Surge is better to take hits from. He has the durability as a bigger person in general, and even if the electricity brings back memories, memories aren't going to hurt anyone.

That must be the right decision. Right?

No time for more thinking. You already wasted enough with these few seconds, now you just need to fight. Diving head first into these sorts of things never backfire, right?

He rushed in, wrapping his whip tightly around Surge, each gem divot pushing against the skin enough to hurt, but not enough to pierce it. This trick is getting old, but there's not much he can do other than this. Unless he starts giving her ACTUAL whip lashes, but that feels too harsh. He's tempted to try and throw her far away from here, but that'll become an issue in the future. Might as well deal with it here and now.

Doesn't matter if he dies. Doesn't really bother him much in the long run, does it?

Enough is enough. He's getting tired of this as well. He's desummoned one whip, instead bubbling his fist. He pulls Surge towards him, ready to punch her with his bubbled fist. He's aware the pressure and force may make it burst, but power is needed more at the moment. Plus, he can take a hit like that.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge allowed herself to be pulled, tanking the punch. Definitely didn't expect it the amount of raw strength coming from it though. She then electrified the whip, same as last time.-

You don't learn, do ya.

-Meanwhile, Sonic was fighting Kit, dodging water whips and trying to make him use his water supply as much as he could. Didn't want to hirt the kid, but he was already seeing it hard to win this without doing so.-

-He charged a spindash, going through one of the water whips and bouncing off a street lamp to hit Kit right on his water backpack, the water whips faltering as Sonic barely dodged one coming at him.-

-He was keeping an eye on Lav and Surge, would definitely barge in if things go south.-

[purple-steven]

The bubble burst with the collision, and he seized, unable to think of any sort of witty comeback. Each muscle in his body felt far too tense, but he didn't let go of the whip. Take the hit. You can handle the hit. You can handle this.

His eyes welled up with tears whilst remaining quiet, solely concentrated on trying to stray his focus elsewhere.

Stop thinking about how much it hurts. Think about what to do next. Think about Sonic. Think about what to do next think about your next move think about-

It hurts so much. He's scared. It hurts so much and he's scared, and he isn't sure when it's going to end, and he isn't sure when he'll be able to completely focus again.

The whip instead is desummoned, somewhat unwillingly, freeing Surge to move around a bit more. He bubbled his fists once more, breathing heavily after the current had been broken. He's still out of focus. Out of practice. He'll fight fist to fist if he has to. Shapeshifting is still a skill he possessed, maybe just having a physically Massive Fist might pummel them.

[rolling-combo]

-The tenred stood up, brushing some dust off as her wounds healed. She grinned at the sight of Lav's bubbled fists, squaring up as well.-

Wanna dance, you puny little human? Come at me!

-She taunted, signaling him to come closer with one of her hands, her sharp teeth forming a haunting smile towards him. She wouldn't show mercy at all.-

-Back to Sonic, he was still fighting the water whips, dodging and waiting for another opening. He kicked some of the whips away, sometimes glancing towards Lav. He trusted him, but was starting to get worried. Would have to finish things quickly with Kit.-

[purple-steven]

He ran towards her, preparing to punch her straight in the face if he can, getting ready to shapeshift smaller if he has to dodge quickly. It's going to take some concentration. He's keeping his eyes on Surge's movements, but only Surge.

Get ready. You need to be fast. Land a punch and shapeshift. Not that difficult.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge dodged by ducking down, aiming to land an uppercut and then kicking Lav on the side. She's saving the electricity she has left to finish off Sonic.-

Too slow!

-The hedgehog jumped and landed a homing attack on Kit, making him hit the ground on his back, his backpack taking most of the impact. Something could be heard cracking inside of it, and the fennec's eyes widened.-

Gotcha.

-Kit glared at Sonic, a water blade forming and going towards him, but deforming and disintegrating before even making contact.-

[purple-steven]

Lav staggered, but he didn't back down.

Alright, speed isn't his forte. Let's use something you're good at then.

He raised his hand above his shoulder as if he was going to throw something, before shapeshifting it into a giant fist, almost half his size. He flung his arm in time so that he wouldn't have to worry about lifting it, allowing gravity to do the work, hopefully crushing Surge.

He didn't really want to kill her, but... It'll hurt her enough, surely, if it hits. If it seems fatal, he can take them to the fountain. It should be fine... Yeah, it should be fine.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge stared at the shapeshifting, her reflexes barely managing to get her out of his range. She immediately went to kick him behind the knees, trying to make him fall over and then kick his stomach.-

-On the other side, Kit was trying to punch Sonic, but he was just dodging every hit Kit threw at him. The fennec had a plan in mind, a single line of water slowly making it's way towards Lav. The backpack had enough pressure for one more attack. Sonic was about to knock out Kit, dashing behind him to hit him on the back of his head.-

-But then he saw the fennec's eyes glowing and looking at Lav. A water blade going for his abdomen, it was meant to pierce him all the way, but it stopped before it could do any fatal damage.-

LAV?!

-But Sonic didn't know that, immediately rushing over to Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He groaned in pain, his fist keeping him stuck to the ground before he shapeshifted it away. He heard the yell out, confused, before he saw the water blade.

He put up a bubble, although it seemed weak already and likely wouldn't stop anything that sharp from piercing it through, but it was a last attempt at protecting himself, attempting to roll to the side but...

...Well, speed isn't his forte.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran over towards Lav, but Surge intercepted him. She punched Sonic right on the face, making him fly over to the nearest building.-

Weren't quick enough to save him, were ya.

-She turned over to look at Kit.-

Hey drippy!? Ya good?!

-Kit didn't answer, focused on fixing his backpack. Tinkering away with it, a couple of sparks coming from it. Surge sighed, looking over at Lav, grabbing him by the hair.-

You're weak, but at least you make good bait.

-She whispered to him, before dropping him and looking over where Sonic crashed, just aiming to make him hurt even more. The hedgehog was standing up again, his last injuries coming back to him. He groaned, looking over at Surge grabbing Lav by the hair and hissing.-

[purple-steven]

He was flung towards Sonic, landing roughly and unpleasantly next to him, the harsh pebbles and small stones hidden within the dirt scratching his face. He teared up in pain, not even properly processing the stab wound yet, until he felt something wet on his hand.

His body instinctively already tried to cover the wound, and suddenly, the sting of being stabbed finally stepped in, and he curled in on himself, hissing in pain. He would've tried to scramble up, but from where the wound is, any sort of movement would hurt if he tried to get up.

It felt... Wetter than usual, thanks to the water, but it hurts badly.

He's not sure he can fight through this. He can try, but... It's not looking good for him.

Ugh... It... Keeps hurting more and now he's bleeding more, curling in on himself with tears slowly tracing his face.

He's more than bait. He's stronger than that. He's worth more than that. He's a useful person, he can be useful, he can be worth more than just a distraction. Than just bait.

He isn't weak.

He... He isn't weak.

Right...?

He hissed as well, albeit in pain, breathing heavily.

Shit...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran towards Surge, before a water tentacle grabbed his ankle and launched him up, he managed to block Surge's kick coming at him. He charged a homing attack to hit Surge in the air, but Kit immediately made the hedgehog hit a large mass of water.-

-He was trapped inside it, tried to swim upwards, panicked. But Surge put a hand on the water, using all she had left on her charge to electrify the water. It flashed white, making Sonic scream in the water as his muscles tensed.-

-As soon as it ended, Sonic was dropped onto the ground. He coughed water, he was struggling to breathe earlier and this definitely didn't help his case. His vision was blurry and everything hurt now. But he stood up again.-

That- That's all y-ya ha-

-And then a punch landed right on his stomach, knocking the air out of him. He put his hands on Surge's arm, seemingly supporting himself from the impact, before he grabbed her and slammed her onto the ground.-

-They should've known he wouldn't go down without a fight.-

[purple-steven]

Why is he still fighting? Shouldn't they-

No, he's right, he's... He should keep fighting as well.

You aren't bait. You're more than that.

You aren't useless.

He kept attempting to stagger up, until eventually he got his balance back, stumbling up to his feet. What can he do, what can he do...

Sonic obviously doesn't want to retreat, but if it continues, that might be the only option they have left. He summoned his whip. He'll just... Distract them.

...just... Be bait.

He flung his whip out around Kit, Surge being out of the question considering the electricity issue, wrapping it around before pulling him towards Lav.

...okay, so the backpack is the source. Break the source again. Obliterate it if you have to. You can do that, even in this state, right?

He seethed, closing his eyes and wincing, but it doesn't matter. Sonic needs back up.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit looked back at Lav the moment Sonic smashed Surge on the ground, Water tentacles emerging and shielding him from his whip. Surge, on the other side, growled and hissed at the hedgehog before she tackled him, punching him on the face over and over before he managed to kick her off. He was glad he was facing away from Lav.-

-He stumbled up, and then disappeared, kicking Surge on the stomach, returning the hit from earlier. He almost fell over when he landed on the ground, clearly at his limit.-

[purple-steven]

Shit no... Sonic can't do this any longer.

He wrapped his whip around Sonic, planning to pull him towards himself. They need to get out of here. But he'll loosen it if Sonic struggles against it. He doesn't want to yell it out loud; if they do have to escape, announcing it seemed idiotic.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was still keeping an eye on Lav and, alas, he didn't even allow that whip to go halfway through. A water whip slashing Lav's whip in half. He will support Surge in whatever she wants, and if she wants to fight Sonic one on one, so be it.-

-With that said, Surge was actually really worn out right now. Sonic wasn't pulling any punches now and she could obviously feel that on the kick she just received. She was near her limit, panting.-

-With that said, Sonic was way past his at this point, carrying on by sheer willpower. He still managed to get into a fighting position, and charged at her.-

-Surge attempted to sweep Sonic's legs, but he dashed behind her. Hitting her on the back of her head and then conjoining his two hands and striking down on her back, full force, making a small crater on the ground. Left her unconscious.-

-And then a water spike stabbed him from behind.-

[purple-steven]

His eyes widened, looking for Kit, running towards him with his hand glowing, morphing to be massive again. He looked mad. He swung his arm, sending his hand to swat Kit away, potentially sending him flying, this time with a fairly quick speed. He needs to wait for the water to dissipate. He's going to have to get them to the fountain, even if he's strength is slowly fading.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was keeping himself above the ground with his water tentacles, eyes widening when she saw the massive hand. The water tentacles divided into a massive amount of water spikes, all piercing Lav's hand, leaving just a single water tentacle keeping him above.-

-Sonic kicked Kit on the side of the head, knocked out Kit with the impact. With that the water dissipated, and a couple portals appeared beneath them, taking them away.-

-The hedgehog landed, stumbling and then looking at Lav.-

They're g-gone?.. Good...

[purple-steven]

He was breathing heavily, hand glowing to shift back to normal, the gaping piercings becoming far more apparent. He looked down at his wounds, his hands shaking as well as the stab wound becoming slightly worse and still flowing. Little streams of blood started to fall from the holes in his hand.

We n... We need to go....

He breathed out, hissing in pain, still stumbling and bending over slightly.

...the bending over was likely not helping whatsoever, in fact it likely made it worse, but he didn't have the strength to keep himself upright.

[rolling-combo]

You go, I'm not going to make it.

-Sonic leaned against a wall, and let himself fall down, a trail of blood smearing across the wall. He sighed.-

-He chuckled, holding his side as he winced in pain. The adrenaline was already wearing down, the pain of his injuries making itself more and more intense.-

Man, that sure was a fight.

-He was smiling, definitely afraid of dying.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no. N-no, we're not doing that.

He practically grabbed Sonic, picking him up, hoisting him over his shoulder in the fireman hold. He silently winced, but began quickly walking towards any portal which would be nearby.

Not letting you die on me, mate...

[rolling-combo]

L-Lav, no.

-He coughed, now struggling to breathe even more than before, you could hear how some of the air wasn't reaching his lungs.-

J-just leave m-me. I'll feel worse if y-ya bleed out trying to h-help me.

-He tried to pull away from him, falling onto the ground and grunting, hissing from the pain.-

G-go without me, I'll be fine.

-He could already feel he was going to die soon. No deal in making his corpse wait a little bit more to be healed.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no, let me help you, what're you doing? I can- I can save you, let me help, for fucks sake...

He went to try and pick him up again. He's not going without him. The fountain will save him, and he KNOWS it would. Why fight it when he can just- survive?

It'll save you, Sonic, you're not gonna die if I take you and it'll heal you, why the hell are you fighting that?

[rolling-combo]

-He immediately spiked up, all his quills going up, not letting him touch him. He tried to get in a more comfortable position.-

I-If you take me you'll d-die.

Y-your wounds are g-getting worse.

I d-don't want you to die, you're m-my friend.

-He smiled at him, he already feels lighteaded, cold. Definitely wouldn't make it even if Lav ran towards the fountain right now.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched, flapping his hand wildly, hissing in pain and immediately regretting his sudden movement, groaning slightly.

Argh, fUck-

He looked at Sonic, mildly angry, but mainly just... Frustrated. He could've saved him if he wasn't so stubborn about it. He could've done something.

...sonic, you're an absolute twat, you know that?

He sighed, holding his own hand to soothe it.

...I'll wait until you go. I can hold... I can hold out, but... But god, you're an idiot. I've died before... I can handle it. Why did you take so many hits...? You didn't... You shouldn't've, you idiot.

[rolling-combo]

-He laughed again, coughing more blood out, struggling to stay awake, but he persevered.-

D-didn't know how m-much time they would be stayin'

Y-you saw what they c-could do didn't cha'-

-His blinking was getting slower, each time getting harder and harder to keep himself up. He did manage to look at Lav though, still smiling, as always.-

T-thanks for helping me out man, probably wouldn't have been able t-to get them both alone.

-He was 100% sincere here, probably wouldn't have been able to fight both of them at the same time.-

D-don't let Tails know bout this 'kay?

-And he closed his eyes, of course those would be his last words.-

[purple-steven]

He sighed, nodding.

Yeah, alright.

He bubbled Sonic's body, sending him to his room in the library. It's locked, so it's not like anyone's just gonna wander in. He'll go and grab some healing water to help as well.

But now... He's gotta make the journey without dying, so that's going to be eventful. He probably won't either, but it hurts badly.

Right, let's assess this. We've got a pretty deep stab wound that's gone all the way through his abdomen. That's the main point of concern. Several holes in his hands from multiple piercings of water spikes. Also can't be good. Multiple electricity burns but that's nothing he's not used to. And probably a bunch of bruises that he can't exactly identify right now.

He continued his journey to the fountain, warping himself away, feeling slightly faint. Yeah, he's definitely gonna make it.

He took all the flasks out of his gem, refilling them as well as chugging one down to get rid of anything internal that might be going on. The rest he sorta sprinkled on. He didn't want to deal with any submerging shit right now, especially with the state he's in.

...Sonic died. He couldn't help. It's fully sinking in.

God, is he really only good for bait? Good for distractions? Sonic said he'd helped, but then again, Sonic would say anything to make anyone feel better. He was worried the entire time. Was Lav really incapable of standing his ground that whole time?

Okay, stop that, that's unreasonable thinking. Surely.

Right. Yeah. 'course it is. You're strong. You're strong as hell. You aren't useless.

Are you sure? Because to me, it seemed like you were pretty incompetent. Seemed like you sorta just... Let it happen. You're not exactly the best person, are you? You could've easily just taken all the hits. But instead, you were too scared. Too scared of dying, no matter what you say, and too scared of getting hurt. You hate it. The sensation of it. Isn't that pathetic? That's what cost him his life. Your own fear, your own actions, everything. It was you.

...was he even entirely wrong this time?

He splashed his face with the fountain water, putting each flask except one in his gem. This one he'll use for Sonic. He wiped the water from his face, dragging his hand down his cheeks and sighing.

Is this Sonic's first death? Hopefully he doesn't take too long. He doesn't want to have to hide a body again. He's got too many memories of keeping stupid secrets like that from people.

He warped back home, starting to lead to his room, flask in hand, before unlocking his room door and entering.

...yep. Bloody bubble with a bloody sonic. What else would you expect? He took it over to the tub, bursting the bubble and letting any blood that pooled drain out. Lav let the fountain water clear up the major injuries, obviously unable to help with the internal ones, but Sonic'll cope. He should wake up soon.

...if he wakes up soon.

No, don't think like that. It was one time.

But you don't know that.

...give it a day. If it takes any longer, then you're allowed to panic. For now, you need to calm down. He put Sonic's (now less bloody) body in his bed, tucking him in. At least he won't feel sore, hopefully.

God, sonic, you're such an idiot. You've got someone who cares if you die. You should've just let him help. Lav could've saved you. He really could've saved you if you just let him help.

He brought his knees to his chest, trying his best not to tear up. He's going to come back. He has to.

...he just wish it was him instead. At least then, he wouldn't have to think about it being his first death or anything of the sort.

...now that he thinks about it, Sonic said he was a friend.

Heh. A friend. That's nice to know, at least.

...he's going to have to step up his game if this happens again.

Now it's just a case of waiting. And he'll be right beside him, as he always is. Got nothing else better to do anyways. Maybe he might tidy up in here as well. Seems like every time he does, it always goes back to a tip.

[rolling-combo]

-In the quiet embrace of mortality, Sonic felt the gentle pull of life's final curtain. A profound calm settled over him, like the hushed aftermath of a storm. The weight of the hios struggles, battles fought, and sacrifices made began to lift, replaced by an ethereal lightness.

-As the hedgehog embraced the inevitable, there was a sense of closure and completion. Every scar, both seen and unseen, whispered tales of resilience and valor. In these fleeting moments, the hero just stared at what was his entire existence, and the culmination of it. The darkness engulfed him, but there was an odd feeling on the back of his head, a nagging feeling that this wasn't over yet.-

-His voice whispered that it wasn't his time to sink down further down. The voice turned into a bittersweet melody, his beating heart leading the compass.-

-And then he gasped awake.-

[purple-steven]

Despite the rush of it all earlier, he would find himself in almost silence, shooting up in his bed with Lav still on the floor next to him. He has moved, but he always returned to this spot whenever he was doing nothing. And now he's napping. He does that a lot.

[rolling-combo]

-The hedgehog put a hand on his side, where the piercing wound had been, expecting his gloves to be crimson red. Instead, he just touched his fur, his gloves an inmaculate white.-

-He felt relieved, he had this sort of ethereal sense of clarity at the moment, his ears flickered at the sound of someone breathing, turning over to look at his friend on the ground.-

-A small smile appeared on his lips, the sight of Lav making him happy. He was just recalling everything that happened earlier, all the violence and pain. He tensed, before closing his eyes, expression softening, now wondering how much his revival took.-

-It didn't feel right to look at his friend resting on the ground, very slowly getting off the bed and carrying the human and getting him under the covers, before he got on it as well. They can both rest on the same bed, not that he's especially big or anything.-

-He still felt a little tired, but didn't feel the urge to sleep anymore, so he just sat up, closing his eyes and meditating.-

[purple-steven]

He stirred a little when he was picked up, before continuing his nap, waking up after a couple of minutes. He felt the covers on top of him, slowly blinking awake and looking around, grasping his surroundings.

He saw Sonic sitting up, and all of a sudden he felt a weight slowly melt off his chest.

Oh- oh thank god, you're awake...

[rolling-combo]

-Ears flickered off at the sound of Lav's voice. He smiled, opening his eyes to look at his friend. He was just.. emitting this calm aura. Death has seemed to bring some sort of enlightenment to the hedgehog.-

Why wouldn't I be?

...

Sorry for worrying you earlier.

-He recalled his friend's desperation earlier, and how he was pricked by this quills, felt like some apologies were in order. He just couldn't bear having his friend die trying to help him when he wa beyond saving.-

[purple-steven]

Nothing, no reason, don't worry about it. Just... Let me help you, next time. I know my limits.

...are you... Doing alright? You seem to be coping with this a whole lot better than I did. Especially since it's... Well, it's your first death, isn't it...?

[rolling-combo]

You were stabbed in the abdomen, you would've died if you carried me over to the fountain. And I would've died if you moved me anymore.

-He sighed, serious, he knows his limits as well, and by moving to kick Kit that last time he worsened the injury he had made to him. Had no chance of surviving that fight. His expression eased up after saying all that, no worth in stressing over something that already happened.-

And I'm fine! It was just... kind of ominous, heh-

[purple-steven]

Kind of... Ominous...?

I mean, that's one way to describe it, but it doesn't... Seem right at all from his perspective.

...huh. I think... I think we've had very different after-death-experiences then.

He sighed, still letting the relief that Sonic Actually Woke Up wash over him. It was stupid to be worried about in the first place: it's not something that happens often and the likelihood of it ever happening is low, but it did stress him out.

How're you feeling? Sore? Achy? Anything of the sort?

He's still fairly concerned... But if Sonic is completely fine, he should probably just take it as a win.

[rolling-combo]

-Well Lav, you both have very different perspectives regarding death.-

A bit lightheaded, but aside from that, I just picked you up so, I should be fine!

[purple-steven]

Huh... Well, that's good!! Means that it wasn't... Too rough.

He smiled, clearly more relaxed.

You should still probably take it easy... I don't think it's smart to overdo it now.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic hugged Lav, it was a very gentle embrace. He still sorta felt bad for worrying him earlier. Also..-

Thanks, for everything.

-He wanted to thank him. Releasing the hug after saying so, smiling wide.-

We should go with Tails though. He's probably worried, or not. Depends, uh- How long have I been gone?

[purple-steven]

He seemed oddly surprised, before hugging back.

Hey, no need to thank me bud... Besides, what're...

He kinda hesitated, but then smiled a little.

What're friends for?

He then scanned his room for the clock, quickly doing some maths.

It's been... Less than a day. At least 10 hours.

Huh. Didn't keep count this time. That's... Good. He felt oddly proud of himself for not obsessing over something like that.

But yeah, we should go get you to Tails. He'll probably be a bit worried...

[rolling-combo]

-He scratched the back of his head.-

He'll probably scold me for not checking in earlier.

-He sighed, stretched a little before he stood up, he noticed he left some quills on Lav's pillow.-

Ah shoot, sorry about that. Usually happens after a fight-

-He picked them up, getting them out of Lav's pillow.-

[purple-steven]

Eh, don't stress, it's no biggie. Although... Uh... You might want to tell him the truth. At least, with my experience with everyone else, it... Becomes a huge issue when you lie about it. You don't have to tell him now, but... Yknow.

He kinda looked away. He felt bad giving advice for whatever reason??? Gah, hates the way his brain works sometimes.

[rolling-combo]

Gotcha, thanks for the advice!

-He stretched a little bit more, moving his arms and legs. The lightheadedness he felt earlier was mostly gone.-

Yo, y'wanna go running?

[purple-steven]

Uh- yeah! Yeah, we can do, uh- I might be a bit... Slow though, heh.

He got up as well, opening his room door. He's probably gonna shapeshift to catch up. What's fast? Probably a cheetah or something. He'll figure it out. He hasn't shapeshifted for fun in a while, so it'll be nice to let loose.

[rolling-combo]

Don't worry bout that!

Unless ya wanna make it a race.

-That. was definitely an invitation to race. Up to you Lav.-

[purple-steven]

HAH! No way. That's- yeah, I'm asking to lose there, I'm gonna pass you on that one, bud.

He chuckled a little. There was NO WAY IN HELL he was going to race Sonic. At least, not today.

Ready to get goin'?

[rolling-combo]

You're missing out man.

-Sonic chuckled alongside him, making his way out of the library.-

Sure! Let's go.

-And with that, he took off, going at a slow pace, for him, that is. He was going fast, but Lav could definitely catch up if he shapeshifted.-

[purple-steven]

He hadn't even realised they started until a couple seconds afterwards, surprised at the sudden takeoff, running after him. His body became a burst of bright purple light, shifting through different animals. A bird, soaring through the sky, to a horse galloping down, until he stuck with a cheetah, although he couldn't exactly match the speed. He was definitely far faster, and surprisingly, keeping up the pace. You could hear him laugh while shifting, freely running around. He seemed happier.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic laughed too, slowing his pace to match Lav's, feeling the wind on his face, he was grinning wide.-

That's so cool! We definitely should do this more!

-Future invitation to run around sometime! With Sonic! Yay :D-

[purple-steven]

YES!

He smiled widely, still running and shifting as much as he could. He is slowing down though - he hasn't done this in so long, his stamina is Quite Shit.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic didn't mind slowing down a bit for Lav, they were nearby anyways. Besides, they were having fun, and it was nice seeing Lav so happy, it's a nice contrast.-

[purple-steven]

As they got closer to their house, he began to slow significantly, before just walking the last 5 minutes, shapeshifting back to normal. He seemed tired, sweating his head off and breathing heavily.

...might be a bit out of practice in general. He doesn't usually struggle this much when shifting forms quickly. Just something to get used to.

He ran a hand through his hair, chuckling softly to himself.

Oh my god, what a run that was... Sorry for the... The speed though, heh...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ended up walking beside him, disappeared for some good 10 seconds and appeared back with a water bottle for Lav.-

There ya go!

[rolling-combo]

Surge The Tenrec is brought in to the Clutter Dimension.

//oo this is going to be fun >:D

-The tenrec was running along a path of dirt along a forest, a circle of water along her waist, her sidekick, Kit, holding onto it. They were looking for shelter around the place.-

-None of them noticed when they were teleported, placed at the forest near Beach city. Eventually they found the aforementioned place, stopping abruptly.-

What the-

Ey drippy, this wasn't here before! Where are we?!

-Kitsunami lowered himself to the ground, water going back to his backpack, confused as well.-

We're in the middle of the continent, there isn't supposed to be a beach here.

Something's up here then. I'll ask for directions, you stay hidden.

-The fennec nodded, and Surge grinned, sharp teeth showing themselves. Might as well have some fun with the "gathering information" thing. They both got separated now, Surge just casually strolling until she spotted your muse. In a flash she pinned them against the wall and showed them her hand crackling with strands of glowing electricity.-

Hey there! How about you answer some questions for me?

//open rp! Uhhh I've been gone for a good while and idk who are still active- @purple-steven @corvid-steven @varian-the-unstable-alchemist @lilmetalsonic @anyone! sorry if i didn't tag someone i just genuinely dont remember-

[purple-steven]

Oh god-

This already felt problematic. He's weirded out by the fact he's suddenly pressed against the wall and-

Well. That hand is NOT going to do him any good. Electricity is not his strong suit.

Woah- hey, okay, calm it, put the- put the hand away, what's up? Who are you?

This is. Dangerous. He's got to be careful.

[rolling-combo]

Not your problem is it!? Shut up and answer! Where the fuck is this place!?

Answer me or you won't like what comes next!

-She pointed a finger at him, a little zap burning his nose a bit as she showed her teeth, intimidating him-

[purple-steven]

He flinched at the zap, feeling himself freak out the moment he felt it.

Okay- okay, just- just calm down. You're in the clutter dimension. You're new here, I'm assuming? Look, just- put the hand down, I'm not- not gonna do anything.

[rolling-combo]

The fuck is the Clutter Dimension?! You tryna be funny?! You piece of shit!

-Surge screamed at him, raising her fist in anger, about to beat him up. Before a strong gust of wind came across the alley, a familiar voice for Lav coming along.-

Hey bully! Haven't they told you to not pick on others! Also, go wash your mouth.

-Sonic joked around, crossing his arms. The lightning began acting up, the tenrec growling in anger as she looked down and then glared with all the anger she could muster at him.-

Let him go now, Surge. This is between us.

-His tone turned a bit serious, urgent to make her let go of Lav.-

Heh, what? You ready to put me down now!?

-She let go of Lav, more interested in.. well, beating the shit out of Sonic. Some electricity emanating from her might go to him, but it felt more like a light sting than anything. It's up to you if you're going to help Sonic or not, Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched with each sting, backing up slightly but going towards Sonic. Yeah, he's going to be helping out.

Oookay, so this is- this is a You Thing, I'm assuming? Can I have details??

[rolling-combo]

-Surge ignored Lav completely, launching herself at Sonic, charging towards him at full speed. He almost didn't manage to dodge it, but he did and appeared besides Lav in a flash, getting in a fighting stance as the tenrec crashed onto a random building.-

Uhhh, long story short. She was genetically modified and brainwashed to kill me. I need you to res- Whoa!

-He pushed Lav to the side. She'd thrown a literal wall at them.-

I need you to find a good moment to knock her out or restrain her quic-

-Surge now pounced him, Sonic stopping him with both his hands.-

What!? You think that weak human can pin me down?!

[purple-steven]

Oh SHI-

He just flicked his head, following the wall flying past them. What the fuCK??

Then the snide remark, which quite frankly peeved him off a bit. He pulled out his whip, cracking it for no reason other than dramatic effect, before wrapping it around Surge and attempting to pull her off.

Alright, let's NOT do that, yeah?

[rolling-combo]

-The tenrec actually went flying with that, actually being really light. She hit the ground hard, eyes widening as she was not expecting that at all, a small cloud of dust appearing with the ground cracking with the impact.-

-Sonic quickly incorporated himself, immediately turning to Lav at the sight of the whip, a worried tone in his exclamation.-

Lav! Let go of the-

-And a strong current of energy went through the whip, it would last a good 3 seconds before Sonic cut it off with a homing atack.-

[purple-steven]

He wasn't expecting her to fly off that easily, and the fact she did was sorta concerning to him, especially since he did NOT hold back at all. He looked incredibly worried, before feeling the shock course through him and an expression of pain and distress painted his face. He can't let go of the whip even if he wanted to, his hand clenching the whip tighter.

Oh goodness. He feels like he's seeing those trees again. He needs to stay focused. He can be distressed later. But it's notoriously difficult to concentrate at all when you're being shocked and all you can feel is pain and it doesn't stop and it's not stopping and its-

The relief he felt once it had seized was one he hadn't experienced in a while. He dropped to the floor for a moment, catching his breath, his hand finally letting go of the rope.

Ow.

[rolling-combo]

You alright!?

What! Little guy can't handle a little shock?! Aww, and I just thought things were getting interesting!

-As the cloud of dust dissipated, you could see Surge's fist emanating pure electricity. Sonic tried to stay and check if Lav was alright, but the tenrec charged at him will full speed.-

Alright then! Let's dance!

Sonic ran as as well, a blur of blue and green now going around the place, stopping when Surge managed to punch Sonic, throwing him over to a wall and breaking it on impact.-

Gah!-

-Lav could hear someone walking near him, a blue kit staring him down, tentacles of water emerging from what seemed to be a backpack.-

[purple-steven]

This is. Not looking good for him.

Don't worry about me! Just- be careful!

And he felt the ominous loom of the kit by him, turning around and looking back at him. That looks. Really cool, but right now, he's a bit scared for what's to come. He's bubbling himself already just in case, getting out a new whip, still trying to recover from the shock. More mentally than physically. Hhholy shit this is a lot that he wasn't expecting.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit stared at him for a moment, then looked at Sonic and Kit fighting, assessing the situation, then staring back at Lav. He'd seen his strength back when he threw Surge to the ground. The ends water tentacles turned sharp, repeatedly hitting the bubble now. Nice Lav, you've been deemed a threat.-

You're just a coward, aren't you.

-Meanwhile, the tenrec and the hedgehog were still actively fighting in the background. Sonic this time got the next hit, managing to kick Surge on the side, making her stumble back. He was about to charge a spindash when he saw Kit.-

Lav!

-He remembered their last encounter as clear as day, and he knew well enough what Kit could do when he's protecting Surge. He rushed to go towards Kit, and stop his attack, but he had to stop when Surge appeared in front of him.-

[purple-steven]

Oh goodness, they aren't going to make this easy at ALL are they.

I'm not a coward, I just- I don't want to hurt you!

He's trying to keep his bubble strong, but it's already forming cracks. Holding on to his whip slightly tighter. He doesn't want to fling people about, but it seems like he's running out of options here.

Can't we just- talk this out?

He's flicking his attention back and forth from Kit and to Surge and Sonic just in case they need help. Maybe he could try and intervene if he can slip by? But this may be a case of trusting Sonic to take care of Surge, leaving him to take care of Kit.

Well, regardless, he's trying to stay as aware as possible.

[rolling-combo]

Surge c'mon! Listen to me for a sec!

-Sonic now focused on dodging Surge, just wanted to make her reason. The tenrec kept attacking, eyes glowing as she focused her lightning on her fists and shoes.-

Why should I?! Are you going to start with the "You can be good" shit! Because I ain't buying it!

-Back to Lav, Kit didn't even answer him, all the water merging together and forming one big spike that crashed down on him.-

[purple-steven]

Glad to know that him and sonic were thinking similarly, at least... The spike crashing down on him popped the bubble, giving him time to dodge, albeit slightly weaker. He wrapped his whip around Kit, pulling him down to the ground.

[rolling-combo]

-A water tentacle slashed the whip, but the fennec still fell to the ground. A puddle of water formed around him and spikes of water formed, extending and aiming towards Lav.-

You won't hurt Surge.

-Talking about her, back to Sonic.-

-Sonic kept blocking Surge's punches as he tried to speak to her, eventually answering with a kick to make her stand back.-

Just listen! This isn't our dimension, you're free here!

-The tenrec stared at him. A sinister smile creeping up her face. This is not going the way Sonic wanted, immediately knowing what she was about to say.-

Free you say?

I'm pretty sure that whatever you're thinking right now is wrong. I won't let you cause mayhem.

But then that means...

-Surge's body was covered by electricity now, charging at Sonic once again.-

You don't have anyone to back you up! Do ya!?

-As they clashed, electricity quickly enveloped Sonic, making him scream in pain as his eyes widened.-

[purple-steven]

He quickly summoned 2 more whips to make up for the loss of the first, looking back to hear the sound of Sonic screaming, trying to wrap his whip around Sonic and pull him back towards him. He is paying no mind towards Kit at the moment, instead keeping the other whip spare for any retaliations that he might need to take.

Oh boy. This is going to be difficult to take care of. Maybe they should flee? But that doesn't seem wise either... They just need to try and keep Surge in one place, so maybe bubbling? But his bubbles are useless at times... It'll be fine. They'll figure something out. Just keep fighting somehow.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic stayed on the ground for a moment, a bit of smoke coming from his body. He groaned as he stood up, struggling to do so. Both Kit and Surge stood in front of them.-

Hey kid! Change of plans, we'll just kill off the blue rat. I used almost all my charge on him so he's pretty much dead, you can call dibs on the kill if you get the chance.

-Kit nodded, raising himself with the water and immediately aiming water spikes at Sonic.-

[purple-steven]

He wrapped one whip around Kit and another around Surge, pulling them back to the ground and towards him rather than near Sonic. He needs time to recover by the looks of it, and Lav is going to buy as much time as needed.

[rolling-combo]

I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!

-Kit let himself get pulled, choosing to free Surge. She charged right at Lav, jumping and raising a charged fist, aiming to knock him down on one hit. But before it landed, Sonic spindashed right onto her stomach, sending her flying onto a nearby building.-

SURGE!?

-Kit growled at Sonic, water tentacles shooting over to grab him midair and throw him to the ground with full force.-

Ghk!-

-Sonic landed on the concrete, and a very audible crack could be heard. Making him cough blood. He.. still stood up though, struggling to breathe a bit and putting a hand on his side. He looked at the blood.-

That can't be good.

-He averted his gaze towards Kit, the kid had run off to check on Surge. She seemed to be injured as well, blood dripping down from her forehead as she recovered. Sonic tried to take a deep breath, looking back at Lav with a smile, bright as always, even though he was struggling to stand.-

Yo, Lav. Cover me, 'kay?

-He just has his vibe within him y'know? To make you feel safe, that everything is going to be alright. Just trust him, he's a hero after all.-

[purple-steven]

He glanced at the blood, nervous for Sonic and honestly a bit shaken, considering he had braced himself for a blow that never came to him.

Yeah, alright. Don't do anythin' stupid...

He nodded though, he's ready to cover as best he can, both whips out and ready to strike. He's also preparing himself to bubble something or someone if necessary, although it's hard to tell what's coming next. Out of all the times Lav fails to have fountain water on him... He needs to keep it in his gem more often. You'd think by now he's learnt his lesson, but... He always forgets in the end.

He's going to attack whoever Sonic doesn't go for first. He's just keeping an eye out, focussing on who to target.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, coughing again, his glove staining with a little more blood. Definitely a punctured lung. Don't have time to deal with that right now. He grinned.-

You need to have more faith in me man!

-Sonic assessed the situation, kit was unharmed and Surge was healing from her injury already. Man, this is going to be tough. He was just standing there, before he disappeared from Lav's sight.-

-The other two seemed confused as well, looking around. In a blink of an eyes, the hedgehog appeared over to kick Surge on the back of her head, aiming for her injury. She went face down on the ground, growling as she lunged over to try and tackle Sonic.-

Going for a sucker punch, hero?!

-Sonic dodged, being wary of the water puddle forming nearby, feeling Kit's glare.-

Can't keep up?

-He's a little fed up at this point.-

[purple-steven]

There's a right answer here. He needs to make a decision now on who and what to tackle. Would he rather face suffocating blue, or sparks of pain? Which one is the right answer? Which one is going to help? Which one can he handle more and which one is the right answer?

He'd take them both on, but Sonic is stupidly determined to protect him. He admires the courage, but it's hard when they're both wanting to tank hits for each other.

Surge... Even if it means taking electricity, it's clear that she's the bigger threat and that she appears to be the one who's harder to escape from. The electricity makes you seize in place. That's what hinders them both from doing ANYTHING at all.

Kit. The water is an issue. The fact they're near a beach isn't helping either. Neither of them can swim, but that's not an issue considering they don't need that skill at the moment. Drowning is an obvious risk, but the easy way out is to just sever the water with his whip or thwack Kit out of the way. If that's the case, he can take a second whip out to get rid of him easily.

Surge is better to take hits from. He has the durability as a bigger person in general, and even if the electricity brings back memories, memories aren't going to hurt anyone.

That must be the right decision. Right?

No time for more thinking. You already wasted enough with these few seconds, now you just need to fight. Diving head first into these sorts of things never backfire, right?

He rushed in, wrapping his whip tightly around Surge, each gem divot pushing against the skin enough to hurt, but not enough to pierce it. This trick is getting old, but there's not much he can do other than this. Unless he starts giving her ACTUAL whip lashes, but that feels too harsh. He's tempted to try and throw her far away from here, but that'll become an issue in the future. Might as well deal with it here and now.

Doesn't matter if he dies. Doesn't really bother him much in the long run, does it?

Enough is enough. He's getting tired of this as well. He's desummoned one whip, instead bubbling his fist. He pulls Surge towards him, ready to punch her with his bubbled fist. He's aware the pressure and force may make it burst, but power is needed more at the moment. Plus, he can take a hit like that.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge allowed herself to be pulled, tanking the punch. Definitely didn't expect it the amount of raw strength coming from it though. She then electrified the whip, same as last time.-

You don't learn, do ya.

-Meanwhile, Sonic was fighting Kit, dodging water whips and trying to make him use his water supply as much as he could. Didn't want to hirt the kid, but he was already seeing it hard to win this without doing so.-

-He charged a spindash, going through one of the water whips and bouncing off a street lamp to hit Kit right on his water backpack, the water whips faltering as Sonic barely dodged one coming at him.-

-He was keeping an eye on Lav and Surge, would definitely barge in if things go south.-

[purple-steven]

The bubble burst with the collision, and he seized, unable to think of any sort of witty comeback. Each muscle in his body felt far too tense, but he didn't let go of the whip. Take the hit. You can handle the hit. You can handle this.

His eyes welled up with tears whilst remaining quiet, solely concentrated on trying to stray his focus elsewhere.

Stop thinking about how much it hurts. Think about what to do next. Think about Sonic. Think about what to do next think about your next move think about-

It hurts so much. He's scared. It hurts so much and he's scared, and he isn't sure when it's going to end, and he isn't sure when he'll be able to completely focus again.

The whip instead is desummoned, somewhat unwillingly, freeing Surge to move around a bit more. He bubbled his fists once more, breathing heavily after the current had been broken. He's still out of focus. Out of practice. He'll fight fist to fist if he has to. Shapeshifting is still a skill he possessed, maybe just having a physically Massive Fist might pummel them.

[rolling-combo]

-The tenred stood up, brushing some dust off as her wounds healed. She grinned at the sight of Lav's bubbled fists, squaring up as well.-

Wanna dance, you puny little human? Come at me!

-She taunted, signaling him to come closer with one of her hands, her sharp teeth forming a haunting smile towards him. She wouldn't show mercy at all.-

-Back to Sonic, he was still fighting the water whips, dodging and waiting for another opening. He kicked some of the whips away, sometimes glancing towards Lav. He trusted him, but was starting to get worried. Would have to finish things quickly with Kit.-

[purple-steven]

He ran towards her, preparing to punch her straight in the face if he can, getting ready to shapeshift smaller if he has to dodge quickly. It's going to take some concentration. He's keeping his eyes on Surge's movements, but only Surge.

Get ready. You need to be fast. Land a punch and shapeshift. Not that difficult.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge dodged by ducking down, aiming to land an uppercut and then kicking Lav on the side. She's saving the electricity she has left to finish off Sonic.-

Too slow!

-The hedgehog jumped and landed a homing attack on Kit, making him hit the ground on his back, his backpack taking most of the impact. Something could be heard cracking inside of it, and the fennec's eyes widened.-

Gotcha.

-Kit glared at Sonic, a water blade forming and going towards him, but deforming and disintegrating before even making contact.-

[purple-steven]

Lav staggered, but he didn't back down.

Alright, speed isn't his forte. Let's use something you're good at then.

He raised his hand above his shoulder as if he was going to throw something, before shapeshifting it into a giant fist, almost half his size. He flung his arm in time so that he wouldn't have to worry about lifting it, allowing gravity to do the work, hopefully crushing Surge.

He didn't really want to kill her, but... It'll hurt her enough, surely, if it hits. If it seems fatal, he can take them to the fountain. It should be fine... Yeah, it should be fine.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge stared at the shapeshifting, her reflexes barely managing to get her out of his range. She immediately went to kick him behind the knees, trying to make him fall over and then kick his stomach.-

-On the other side, Kit was trying to punch Sonic, but he was just dodging every hit Kit threw at him. The fennec had a plan in mind, a single line of water slowly making it's way towards Lav. The backpack had enough pressure for one more attack. Sonic was about to knock out Kit, dashing behind him to hit him on the back of his head.-

-But then he saw the fennec's eyes glowing and looking at Lav. A water blade going for his abdomen, it was meant to pierce him all the way, but it stopped before it could do any fatal damage.-

LAV?!

-But Sonic didn't know that, immediately rushing over to Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He groaned in pain, his fist keeping him stuck to the ground before he shapeshifted it away. He heard the yell out, confused, before he saw the water blade.

He put up a bubble, although it seemed weak already and likely wouldn't stop anything that sharp from piercing it through, but it was a last attempt at protecting himself, attempting to roll to the side but...

...Well, speed isn't his forte.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran over towards Lav, but Surge intercepted him. She punched Sonic right on the face, making him fly over to the nearest building.-

Weren't quick enough to save him, were ya.

-She turned over to look at Kit.-

Hey drippy!? Ya good?!

-Kit didn't answer, focused on fixing his backpack. Tinkering away with it, a couple of sparks coming from it. Surge sighed, looking over at Lav, grabbing him by the hair.-

You're weak, but at least you make good bait.

-She whispered to him, before dropping him and looking over where Sonic crashed, just aiming to make him hurt even more. The hedgehog was standing up again, his last injuries coming back to him. He groaned, looking over at Surge grabbing Lav by the hair and hissing.-

[purple-steven]

He was flung towards Sonic, landing roughly and unpleasantly next to him, the harsh pebbles and small stones hidden within the dirt scratching his face. He teared up in pain, not even properly processing the stab wound yet, until he felt something wet on his hand.

His body instinctively already tried to cover the wound, and suddenly, the sting of being stabbed finally stepped in, and he curled in on himself, hissing in pain. He would've tried to scramble up, but from where the wound is, any sort of movement would hurt if he tried to get up.

It felt... Wetter than usual, thanks to the water, but it hurts badly.

He's not sure he can fight through this. He can try, but... It's not looking good for him.

Ugh... It... Keeps hurting more and now he's bleeding more, curling in on himself with tears slowly tracing his face.

He's more than bait. He's stronger than that. He's worth more than that. He's a useful person, he can be useful, he can be worth more than just a distraction. Than just bait.

He isn't weak.

He... He isn't weak.

Right...?

He hissed as well, albeit in pain, breathing heavily.

Shit...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran towards Surge, before a water tentacle grabbed his ankle and launched him up, he managed to block Surge's kick coming at him. He charged a homing attack to hit Surge in the air, but Kit immediately made the hedgehog hit a large mass of water.-

-He was trapped inside it, tried to swim upwards, panicked. But Surge put a hand on the water, using all she had left on her charge to electrify the water. It flashed white, making Sonic scream in the water as his muscles tensed.-

-As soon as it ended, Sonic was dropped onto the ground. He coughed water, he was struggling to breathe earlier and this definitely didn't help his case. His vision was blurry and everything hurt now. But he stood up again.-

That- That's all y-ya ha-

-And then a punch landed right on his stomach, knocking the air out of him. He put his hands on Surge's arm, seemingly supporting himself from the impact, before he grabbed her and slammed her onto the ground.-

-They should've known he wouldn't go down without a fight.-

[purple-steven]

Why is he still fighting? Shouldn't they-

No, he's right, he's... He should keep fighting as well.

You aren't bait. You're more than that.

You aren't useless.

He kept attempting to stagger up, until eventually he got his balance back, stumbling up to his feet. What can he do, what can he do...

Sonic obviously doesn't want to retreat, but if it continues, that might be the only option they have left. He summoned his whip. He'll just... Distract them.

...just... Be bait.

He flung his whip out around Kit, Surge being out of the question considering the electricity issue, wrapping it around before pulling him towards Lav.

...okay, so the backpack is the source. Break the source again. Obliterate it if you have to. You can do that, even in this state, right?

He seethed, closing his eyes and wincing, but it doesn't matter. Sonic needs back up.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit looked back at Lav the moment Sonic smashed Surge on the ground, Water tentacles emerging and shielding him from his whip. Surge, on the other side, growled and hissed at the hedgehog before she tackled him, punching him on the face over and over before he managed to kick her off. He was glad he was facing away from Lav.-

-He stumbled up, and then disappeared, kicking Surge on the stomach, returning the hit from earlier. He almost fell over when he landed on the ground, clearly at his limit.-

[purple-steven]

Shit no... Sonic can't do this any longer.

He wrapped his whip around Sonic, planning to pull him towards himself. They need to get out of here. But he'll loosen it if Sonic struggles against it. He doesn't want to yell it out loud; if they do have to escape, announcing it seemed idiotic.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was still keeping an eye on Lav and, alas, he didn't even allow that whip to go halfway through. A water whip slashing Lav's whip in half. He will support Surge in whatever she wants, and if she wants to fight Sonic one on one, so be it.-

-With that said, Surge was actually really worn out right now. Sonic wasn't pulling any punches now and she could obviously feel that on the kick she just received. She was near her limit, panting.-

-With that said, Sonic was way past his at this point, carrying on by sheer willpower. He still managed to get into a fighting position, and charged at her.-

-Surge attempted to sweep Sonic's legs, but he dashed behind her. Hitting her on the back of her head and then conjoining his two hands and striking down on her back, full force, making a small crater on the ground. Left her unconscious.-

-And then a water spike stabbed him from behind.-

[purple-steven]

His eyes widened, looking for Kit, running towards him with his hand glowing, morphing to be massive again. He looked mad. He swung his arm, sending his hand to swat Kit away, potentially sending him flying, this time with a fairly quick speed. He needs to wait for the water to dissipate. He's going to have to get them to the fountain, even if he's strength is slowly fading.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was keeping himself above the ground with his water tentacles, eyes widening when she saw the massive hand. The water tentacles divided into a massive amount of water spikes, all piercing Lav's hand, leaving just a single water tentacle keeping him above.-

-Sonic kicked Kit on the side of the head, knocked out Kit with the impact. With that the water dissipated, and a couple portals appeared beneath them, taking them away.-

-The hedgehog landed, stumbling and then looking at Lav.-

They're g-gone?.. Good...

[purple-steven]

He was breathing heavily, hand glowing to shift back to normal, the gaping piercings becoming far more apparent. He looked down at his wounds, his hands shaking as well as the stab wound becoming slightly worse and still flowing. Little streams of blood started to fall from the holes in his hand.

We n... We need to go....

He breathed out, hissing in pain, still stumbling and bending over slightly.

...the bending over was likely not helping whatsoever, in fact it likely made it worse, but he didn't have the strength to keep himself upright.

[rolling-combo]

You go, I'm not going to make it.

-Sonic leaned against a wall, and let himself fall down, a trail of blood smearing across the wall. He sighed.-

-He chuckled, holding his side as he winced in pain. The adrenaline was already wearing down, the pain of his injuries making itself more and more intense.-

Man, that sure was a fight.

-He was smiling, definitely afraid of dying.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no. N-no, we're not doing that.

He practically grabbed Sonic, picking him up, hoisting him over his shoulder in the fireman hold. He silently winced, but began quickly walking towards any portal which would be nearby.

Not letting you die on me, mate...

[rolling-combo]

L-Lav, no.

-He coughed, now struggling to breathe even more than before, you could hear how some of the air wasn't reaching his lungs.-

J-just leave m-me. I'll feel worse if y-ya bleed out trying to h-help me.

-He tried to pull away from him, falling onto the ground and grunting, hissing from the pain.-

G-go without me, I'll be fine.

-He could already feel he was going to die soon. No deal in making his corpse wait a little bit more to be healed.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no, let me help you, what're you doing? I can- I can save you, let me help, for fucks sake...

He went to try and pick him up again. He's not going without him. The fountain will save him, and he KNOWS it would. Why fight it when he can just- survive?

It'll save you, Sonic, you're not gonna die if I take you and it'll heal you, why the hell are you fighting that?

[rolling-combo]

-He immediately spiked up, all his quills going up, not letting him touch him. He tried to get in a more comfortable position.-

I-If you take me you'll d-die.

Y-your wounds are g-getting worse.

I d-don't want you to die, you're m-my friend.

-He smiled at him, he already feels lighteaded, cold. Definitely wouldn't make it even if Lav ran towards the fountain right now.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched, flapping his hand wildly, hissing in pain and immediately regretting his sudden movement, groaning slightly.

Argh, fUck-

He looked at Sonic, mildly angry, but mainly just... Frustrated. He could've saved him if he wasn't so stubborn about it. He could've done something.

...sonic, you're an absolute twat, you know that?

He sighed, holding his own hand to soothe it.

...I'll wait until you go. I can hold... I can hold out, but... But god, you're an idiot. I've died before... I can handle it. Why did you take so many hits...? You didn't... You shouldn't've, you idiot.

[rolling-combo]

-He laughed again, coughing more blood out, struggling to stay awake, but he persevered.-

D-didn't know how m-much time they would be stayin'

Y-you saw what they c-could do didn't cha'-

-His blinking was getting slower, each time getting harder and harder to keep himself up. He did manage to look at Lav though, still smiling, as always.-

T-thanks for helping me out man, probably wouldn't have been able t-to get them both alone.

-He was 100% sincere here, probably wouldn't have been able to fight both of them at the same time.-

D-don't let Tails know bout this 'kay?

-And he closed his eyes, of course those would be his last words.-

[purple-steven]

He sighed, nodding.

Yeah, alright.

He bubbled Sonic's body, sending him to his room in the library. It's locked, so it's not like anyone's just gonna wander in. He'll go and grab some healing water to help as well.

But now... He's gotta make the journey without dying, so that's going to be eventful. He probably won't either, but it hurts badly.

Right, let's assess this. We've got a pretty deep stab wound that's gone all the way through his abdomen. That's the main point of concern. Several holes in his hands from multiple piercings of water spikes. Also can't be good. Multiple electricity burns but that's nothing he's not used to. And probably a bunch of bruises that he can't exactly identify right now.

He continued his journey to the fountain, warping himself away, feeling slightly faint. Yeah, he's definitely gonna make it.

He took all the flasks out of his gem, refilling them as well as chugging one down to get rid of anything internal that might be going on. The rest he sorta sprinkled on. He didn't want to deal with any submerging shit right now, especially with the state he's in.

...Sonic died. He couldn't help. It's fully sinking in.

God, is he really only good for bait? Good for distractions? Sonic said he'd helped, but then again, Sonic would say anything to make anyone feel better. He was worried the entire time. Was Lav really incapable of standing his ground that whole time?

Okay, stop that, that's unreasonable thinking. Surely.

Right. Yeah. 'course it is. You're strong. You're strong as hell. You aren't useless.

Are you sure? Because to me, it seemed like you were pretty incompetent. Seemed like you sorta just... Let it happen. You're not exactly the best person, are you? You could've easily just taken all the hits. But instead, you were too scared. Too scared of dying, no matter what you say, and too scared of getting hurt. You hate it. The sensation of it. Isn't that pathetic? That's what cost him his life. Your own fear, your own actions, everything. It was you.

...was he even entirely wrong this time?

He splashed his face with the fountain water, putting each flask except one in his gem. This one he'll use for Sonic. He wiped the water from his face, dragging his hand down his cheeks and sighing.

Is this Sonic's first death? Hopefully he doesn't take too long. He doesn't want to have to hide a body again. He's got too many memories of keeping stupid secrets like that from people.

He warped back home, starting to lead to his room, flask in hand, before unlocking his room door and entering.

...yep. Bloody bubble with a bloody sonic. What else would you expect? He took it over to the tub, bursting the bubble and letting any blood that pooled drain out. Lav let the fountain water clear up the major injuries, obviously unable to help with the internal ones, but Sonic'll cope. He should wake up soon.

...if he wakes up soon.

No, don't think like that. It was one time.

But you don't know that.

...give it a day. If it takes any longer, then you're allowed to panic. For now, you need to calm down. He put Sonic's (now less bloody) body in his bed, tucking him in. At least he won't feel sore, hopefully.

God, sonic, you're such an idiot. You've got someone who cares if you die. You should've just let him help. Lav could've saved you. He really could've saved you if you just let him help.

He brought his knees to his chest, trying his best not to tear up. He's going to come back. He has to.

...he just wish it was him instead. At least then, he wouldn't have to think about it being his first death or anything of the sort.

...now that he thinks about it, Sonic said he was a friend.

Heh. A friend. That's nice to know, at least.

...he's going to have to step up his game if this happens again.

Now it's just a case of waiting. And he'll be right beside him, as he always is. Got nothing else better to do anyways. Maybe he might tidy up in here as well. Seems like every time he does, it always goes back to a tip.

[rolling-combo]

-In the quiet embrace of mortality, Sonic felt the gentle pull of life's final curtain. A profound calm settled over him, like the hushed aftermath of a storm. The weight of the hios struggles, battles fought, and sacrifices made began to lift, replaced by an ethereal lightness.

-As the hedgehog embraced the inevitable, there was a sense of closure and completion. Every scar, both seen and unseen, whispered tales of resilience and valor. In these fleeting moments, the hero just stared at what was his entire existence, and the culmination of it. The darkness engulfed him, but there was an odd feeling on the back of his head, a nagging feeling that this wasn't over yet.-

-His voice whispered that it wasn't his time to sink down further down. The voice turned into a bittersweet melody, his beating heart leading the compass.-

-And then he gasped awake.-

[purple-steven]

Despite the rush of it all earlier, he would find himself in almost silence, shooting up in his bed with Lav still on the floor next to him. He has moved, but he always returned to this spot whenever he was doing nothing. And now he's napping. He does that a lot.

[rolling-combo]

-The hedgehog put a hand on his side, where the piercing wound had been, expecting his gloves to be crimson red. Instead, he just touched his fur, his gloves an inmaculate white.-

-He felt relieved, he had this sort of ethereal sense of clarity at the moment, his ears flickered at the sound of someone breathing, turning over to look at his friend on the ground.-

-A small smile appeared on his lips, the sight of Lav making him happy. He was just recalling everything that happened earlier, all the violence and pain. He tensed, before closing his eyes, expression softening, now wondering how much his revival took.-

-It didn't feel right to look at his friend resting on the ground, very slowly getting off the bed and carrying the human and getting him under the covers, before he got on it as well. They can both rest on the same bed, not that he's especially big or anything.-

-He still felt a little tired, but didn't feel the urge to sleep anymore, so he just sat up, closing his eyes and meditating.-

[purple-steven]

He stirred a little when he was picked up, before continuing his nap, waking up after a couple of minutes. He felt the covers on top of him, slowly blinking awake and looking around, grasping his surroundings.

He saw Sonic sitting up, and all of a sudden he felt a weight slowly melt off his chest.

Oh- oh thank god, you're awake...

[rolling-combo]

-Ears flickered off at the sound of Lav's voice. He smiled, opening his eyes to look at his friend. He was just.. emitting this calm aura. Death has seemed to bring some sort of enlightenment to the hedgehog.-

Why wouldn't I be?

...

Sorry for worrying you earlier.

-He recalled his friend's desperation earlier, and how he was pricked by this quills, felt like some apologies were in order. He just couldn't bear having his friend die trying to help him when he wa beyond saving.-

[purple-steven]

Nothing, no reason, don't worry about it. Just... Let me help you, next time. I know my limits.

...are you... Doing alright? You seem to be coping with this a whole lot better than I did. Especially since it's... Well, it's your first death, isn't it...?

[rolling-combo]

You were stabbed in the abdomen, you would've died if you carried me over to the fountain. And I would've died if you moved me anymore.

-He sighed, serious, he knows his limits as well, and by moving to kick Kit that last time he worsened the injury he had made to him. Had no chance of surviving that fight. His expression eased up after saying all that, no worth in stressing over something that already happened.-

And I'm fine! It was just... kind of ominous, heh-

[purple-steven]

Kind of... Ominous...?

I mean, that's one way to describe it, but it doesn't... Seem right at all from his perspective.

...huh. I think... I think we've had very different after-death-experiences then.

He sighed, still letting the relief that Sonic Actually Woke Up wash over him. It was stupid to be worried about in the first place: it's not something that happens often and the likelihood of it ever happening is low, but it did stress him out.

How're you feeling? Sore? Achy? Anything of the sort?

He's still fairly concerned... But if Sonic is completely fine, he should probably just take it as a win.

[rolling-combo]

-Well Lav, you both have very different perspectives regarding death.-

A bit lightheaded, but aside from that, I just picked you up so, I should be fine!

[purple-steven]

Huh... Well, that's good!! Means that it wasn't... Too rough.

He smiled, clearly more relaxed.

You should still probably take it easy... I don't think it's smart to overdo it now.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic hugged Lav, it was a very gentle embrace. He still sorta felt bad for worrying him earlier. Also..-

Thanks, for everything.

-He wanted to thank him. Releasing the hug after saying so, smiling wide.-

We should go with Tails though. He's probably worried, or not. Depends, uh- How long have I been gone?

[purple-steven]

He seemed oddly surprised, before hugging back.

Hey, no need to thank me bud... Besides, what're...

He kinda hesitated, but then smiled a little.

What're friends for?

He then scanned his room for the clock, quickly doing some maths.

It's been... Less than a day. At least 10 hours.

Huh. Didn't keep count this time. That's... Good. He felt oddly proud of himself for not obsessing over something like that.

But yeah, we should go get you to Tails. He'll probably be a bit worried...

[rolling-combo]

-He scratched the back of his head.-

He'll probably scold me for not checking in earlier.

-He sighed, stretched a little before he stood up, he noticed he left some quills on Lav's pillow.-

Ah shoot, sorry about that. Usually happens after a fight-

-He picked them up, getting them out of Lav's pillow.-

[purple-steven]

Eh, don't stress, it's no biggie. Although... Uh... You might want to tell him the truth. At least, with my experience with everyone else, it... Becomes a huge issue when you lie about it. You don't have to tell him now, but... Yknow.

He kinda looked away. He felt bad giving advice for whatever reason??? Gah, hates the way his brain works sometimes.

[rolling-combo]

Gotcha, thanks for the advice!

-He stretched a little bit more, moving his arms and legs. The lightheadedness he felt earlier was mostly gone.-

Yo, y'wanna go running?

[purple-steven]

Uh- yeah! Yeah, we can do, uh- I might be a bit... Slow though, heh.

He got up as well, opening his room door. He's probably gonna shapeshift to catch up. What's fast? Probably a cheetah or something. He'll figure it out. He hasn't shapeshifted for fun in a while, so it'll be nice to let loose.

[rolling-combo]

Don't worry bout that!

Unless ya wanna make it a race.

-That. was definitely an invitation to race. Up to you Lav.-

[purple-steven]

HAH! No way. That's- yeah, I'm asking to lose there, I'm gonna pass you on that one, bud.

He chuckled a little. There was NO WAY IN HELL he was going to race Sonic. At least, not today.

Ready to get goin'?

[rolling-combo]

You're missing out man.

-Sonic chuckled alongside him, making his way out of the library.-

Sure! Let's go.

-And with that, he took off, going at a slow pace, for him, that is. He was going fast, but Lav could definitely catch up if he shapeshifted.-

[purple-steven]

He hadn't even realised they started until a couple seconds afterwards, surprised at the sudden takeoff, running after him. His body became a burst of bright purple light, shifting through different animals. A bird, soaring through the sky, to a horse galloping down, until he stuck with a cheetah, although he couldn't exactly match the speed. He was definitely far faster, and surprisingly, keeping up the pace. You could hear him laugh while shifting, freely running around. He seemed happier.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic laughed too, slowing his pace to match Lav's, feeling the wind on his face, he was grinning wide.-

That's so cool! We definitely should do this more!

-Future invitation to run around sometime! With Sonic! Yay :D-

[purple-steven]

YES!

He smiled widely, still running and shifting as much as he could. He is slowing down though - he hasn't done this in so long, his stamina is Quite Shit.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic didn't mind slowing down a bit for Lav, they were nearby anyways. Besides, they were having fun, and it was nice seeing Lav so happy, it's a nice contrast.-

[rolling-combo]

Surge The Tenrec is brought in to the Clutter Dimension.

//oo this is going to be fun >:D

-The tenrec was running along a path of dirt along a forest, a circle of water along her waist, her sidekick, Kit, holding onto it. They were looking for shelter around the place.-

-None of them noticed when they were teleported, placed at the forest near Beach city. Eventually they found the aforementioned place, stopping abruptly.-

What the-

Ey drippy, this wasn't here before! Where are we?!

-Kitsunami lowered himself to the ground, water going back to his backpack, confused as well.-

We're in the middle of the continent, there isn't supposed to be a beach here.

Something's up here then. I'll ask for directions, you stay hidden.

-The fennec nodded, and Surge grinned, sharp teeth showing themselves. Might as well have some fun with the "gathering information" thing. They both got separated now, Surge just casually strolling until she spotted your muse. In a flash she pinned them against the wall and showed them her hand crackling with strands of glowing electricity.-

Hey there! How about you answer some questions for me?

//open rp! Uhhh I've been gone for a good while and idk who are still active- @purple-steven @corvid-steven @varian-the-unstable-alchemist @lilmetalsonic @anyone! sorry if i didn't tag someone i just genuinely dont remember-

[purple-steven]

Oh god-

This already felt problematic. He's weirded out by the fact he's suddenly pressed against the wall and-

Well. That hand is NOT going to do him any good. Electricity is not his strong suit.

Woah- hey, okay, calm it, put the- put the hand away, what's up? Who are you?

This is. Dangerous. He's got to be careful.

[rolling-combo]

Not your problem is it!? Shut up and answer! Where the fuck is this place!?

Answer me or you won't like what comes next!

-She pointed a finger at him, a little zap burning his nose a bit as she showed her teeth, intimidating him-

[purple-steven]

He flinched at the zap, feeling himself freak out the moment he felt it.

Okay- okay, just- just calm down. You're in the clutter dimension. You're new here, I'm assuming? Look, just- put the hand down, I'm not- not gonna do anything.

[rolling-combo]

The fuck is the Clutter Dimension?! You tryna be funny?! You piece of shit!

-Surge screamed at him, raising her fist in anger, about to beat him up. Before a strong gust of wind came across the alley, a familiar voice for Lav coming along.-

Hey bully! Haven't they told you to not pick on others! Also, go wash your mouth.

-Sonic joked around, crossing his arms. The lightning began acting up, the tenrec growling in anger as she looked down and then glared with all the anger she could muster at him.-

Let him go now, Surge. This is between us.

-His tone turned a bit serious, urgent to make her let go of Lav.-

Heh, what? You ready to put me down now!?

-She let go of Lav, more interested in.. well, beating the shit out of Sonic. Some electricity emanating from her might go to him, but it felt more like a light sting than anything. It's up to you if you're going to help Sonic or not, Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched with each sting, backing up slightly but going towards Sonic. Yeah, he's going to be helping out.

Oookay, so this is- this is a You Thing, I'm assuming? Can I have details??

[rolling-combo]

-Surge ignored Lav completely, launching herself at Sonic, charging towards him at full speed. He almost didn't manage to dodge it, but he did and appeared besides Lav in a flash, getting in a fighting stance as the tenrec crashed onto a random building.-

Uhhh, long story short. She was genetically modified and brainwashed to kill me. I need you to res- Whoa!

-He pushed Lav to the side. She'd thrown a literal wall at them.-

I need you to find a good moment to knock her out or restrain her quic-

-Surge now pounced him, Sonic stopping him with both his hands.-

What!? You think that weak human can pin me down?!

[purple-steven]

Oh SHI-

He just flicked his head, following the wall flying past them. What the fuCK??

Then the snide remark, which quite frankly peeved him off a bit. He pulled out his whip, cracking it for no reason other than dramatic effect, before wrapping it around Surge and attempting to pull her off.

Alright, let's NOT do that, yeah?

[rolling-combo]

-The tenrec actually went flying with that, actually being really light. She hit the ground hard, eyes widening as she was not expecting that at all, a small cloud of dust appearing with the ground cracking with the impact.-

-Sonic quickly incorporated himself, immediately turning to Lav at the sight of the whip, a worried tone in his exclamation.-

Lav! Let go of the-

-And a strong current of energy went through the whip, it would last a good 3 seconds before Sonic cut it off with a homing atack.-

[purple-steven]

He wasn't expecting her to fly off that easily, and the fact she did was sorta concerning to him, especially since he did NOT hold back at all. He looked incredibly worried, before feeling the shock course through him and an expression of pain and distress painted his face. He can't let go of the whip even if he wanted to, his hand clenching the whip tighter.

Oh goodness. He feels like he's seeing those trees again. He needs to stay focused. He can be distressed later. But it's notoriously difficult to concentrate at all when you're being shocked and all you can feel is pain and it doesn't stop and it's not stopping and its-

The relief he felt once it had seized was one he hadn't experienced in a while. He dropped to the floor for a moment, catching his breath, his hand finally letting go of the rope.

Ow.

[rolling-combo]

You alright!?

What! Little guy can't handle a little shock?! Aww, and I just thought things were getting interesting!

-As the cloud of dust dissipated, you could see Surge's fist emanating pure electricity. Sonic tried to stay and check if Lav was alright, but the tenrec charged at him will full speed.-

Alright then! Let's dance!

Sonic ran as as well, a blur of blue and green now going around the place, stopping when Surge managed to punch Sonic, throwing him over to a wall and breaking it on impact.-

Gah!-

-Lav could hear someone walking near him, a blue kit staring him down, tentacles of water emerging from what seemed to be a backpack.-

[purple-steven]

This is. Not looking good for him.

Don't worry about me! Just- be careful!

And he felt the ominous loom of the kit by him, turning around and looking back at him. That looks. Really cool, but right now, he's a bit scared for what's to come. He's bubbling himself already just in case, getting out a new whip, still trying to recover from the shock. More mentally than physically. Hhholy shit this is a lot that he wasn't expecting.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit stared at him for a moment, then looked at Sonic and Kit fighting, assessing the situation, then staring back at Lav. He'd seen his strength back when he threw Surge to the ground. The ends water tentacles turned sharp, repeatedly hitting the bubble now. Nice Lav, you've been deemed a threat.-

You're just a coward, aren't you.

-Meanwhile, the tenrec and the hedgehog were still actively fighting in the background. Sonic this time got the next hit, managing to kick Surge on the side, making her stumble back. He was about to charge a spindash when he saw Kit.-

Lav!

-He remembered their last encounter as clear as day, and he knew well enough what Kit could do when he's protecting Surge. He rushed to go towards Kit, and stop his attack, but he had to stop when Surge appeared in front of him.-

[purple-steven]

Oh goodness, they aren't going to make this easy at ALL are they.

I'm not a coward, I just- I don't want to hurt you!

He's trying to keep his bubble strong, but it's already forming cracks. Holding on to his whip slightly tighter. He doesn't want to fling people about, but it seems like he's running out of options here.

Can't we just- talk this out?

He's flicking his attention back and forth from Kit and to Surge and Sonic just in case they need help. Maybe he could try and intervene if he can slip by? But this may be a case of trusting Sonic to take care of Surge, leaving him to take care of Kit.

Well, regardless, he's trying to stay as aware as possible.

[rolling-combo]

Surge c'mon! Listen to me for a sec!

-Sonic now focused on dodging Surge, just wanted to make her reason. The tenrec kept attacking, eyes glowing as she focused her lightning on her fists and shoes.-

Why should I?! Are you going to start with the "You can be good" shit! Because I ain't buying it!

-Back to Lav, Kit didn't even answer him, all the water merging together and forming one big spike that crashed down on him.-

[purple-steven]

Glad to know that him and sonic were thinking similarly, at least... The spike crashing down on him popped the bubble, giving him time to dodge, albeit slightly weaker. He wrapped his whip around Kit, pulling him down to the ground.

[rolling-combo]

-A water tentacle slashed the whip, but the fennec still fell to the ground. A puddle of water formed around him and spikes of water formed, extending and aiming towards Lav.-

You won't hurt Surge.

-Talking about her, back to Sonic.-

-Sonic kept blocking Surge's punches as he tried to speak to her, eventually answering with a kick to make her stand back.-

Just listen! This isn't our dimension, you're free here!

-The tenrec stared at him. A sinister smile creeping up her face. This is not going the way Sonic wanted, immediately knowing what she was about to say.-

Free you say?

I'm pretty sure that whatever you're thinking right now is wrong. I won't let you cause mayhem.

But then that means...

-Surge's body was covered by electricity now, charging at Sonic once again.-

You don't have anyone to back you up! Do ya!?

-As they clashed, electricity quickly enveloped Sonic, making him scream in pain as his eyes widened.-

[purple-steven]

He quickly summoned 2 more whips to make up for the loss of the first, looking back to hear the sound of Sonic screaming, trying to wrap his whip around Sonic and pull him back towards him. He is paying no mind towards Kit at the moment, instead keeping the other whip spare for any retaliations that he might need to take.

Oh boy. This is going to be difficult to take care of. Maybe they should flee? But that doesn't seem wise either... They just need to try and keep Surge in one place, so maybe bubbling? But his bubbles are useless at times... It'll be fine. They'll figure something out. Just keep fighting somehow.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic stayed on the ground for a moment, a bit of smoke coming from his body. He groaned as he stood up, struggling to do so. Both Kit and Surge stood in front of them.-

Hey kid! Change of plans, we'll just kill off the blue rat. I used almost all my charge on him so he's pretty much dead, you can call dibs on the kill if you get the chance.

-Kit nodded, raising himself with the water and immediately aiming water spikes at Sonic.-

[purple-steven]

He wrapped one whip around Kit and another around Surge, pulling them back to the ground and towards him rather than near Sonic. He needs time to recover by the looks of it, and Lav is going to buy as much time as needed.

[rolling-combo]

I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!

-Kit let himself get pulled, choosing to free Surge. She charged right at Lav, jumping and raising a charged fist, aiming to knock him down on one hit. But before it landed, Sonic spindashed right onto her stomach, sending her flying onto a nearby building.-

SURGE!?

-Kit growled at Sonic, water tentacles shooting over to grab him midair and throw him to the ground with full force.-

Ghk!-

-Sonic landed on the concrete, and a very audible crack could be heard. Making him cough blood. He.. still stood up though, struggling to breathe a bit and putting a hand on his side. He looked at the blood.-

That can't be good.

-He averted his gaze towards Kit, the kid had run off to check on Surge. She seemed to be injured as well, blood dripping down from her forehead as she recovered. Sonic tried to take a deep breath, looking back at Lav with a smile, bright as always, even though he was struggling to stand.-

Yo, Lav. Cover me, 'kay?

-He just has his vibe within him y'know? To make you feel safe, that everything is going to be alright. Just trust him, he's a hero after all.-

[purple-steven]

He glanced at the blood, nervous for Sonic and honestly a bit shaken, considering he had braced himself for a blow that never came to him.

Yeah, alright. Don't do anythin' stupid...

He nodded though, he's ready to cover as best he can, both whips out and ready to strike. He's also preparing himself to bubble something or someone if necessary, although it's hard to tell what's coming next. Out of all the times Lav fails to have fountain water on him... He needs to keep it in his gem more often. You'd think by now he's learnt his lesson, but... He always forgets in the end.

He's going to attack whoever Sonic doesn't go for first. He's just keeping an eye out, focussing on who to target.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, coughing again, his glove staining with a little more blood. Definitely a punctured lung. Don't have time to deal with that right now. He grinned.-

You need to have more faith in me man!

-Sonic assessed the situation, kit was unharmed and Surge was healing from her injury already. Man, this is going to be tough. He was just standing there, before he disappeared from Lav's sight.-

-The other two seemed confused as well, looking around. In a blink of an eyes, the hedgehog appeared over to kick Surge on the back of her head, aiming for her injury. She went face down on the ground, growling as she lunged over to try and tackle Sonic.-

Going for a sucker punch, hero?!

-Sonic dodged, being wary of the water puddle forming nearby, feeling Kit's glare.-

Can't keep up?

-He's a little fed up at this point.-

[purple-steven]

There's a right answer here. He needs to make a decision now on who and what to tackle. Would he rather face suffocating blue, or sparks of pain? Which one is the right answer? Which one is going to help? Which one can he handle more and which one is the right answer?

He'd take them both on, but Sonic is stupidly determined to protect him. He admires the courage, but it's hard when they're both wanting to tank hits for each other.

Surge... Even if it means taking electricity, it's clear that she's the bigger threat and that she appears to be the one who's harder to escape from. The electricity makes you seize in place. That's what hinders them both from doing ANYTHING at all.

Kit. The water is an issue. The fact they're near a beach isn't helping either. Neither of them can swim, but that's not an issue considering they don't need that skill at the moment. Drowning is an obvious risk, but the easy way out is to just sever the water with his whip or thwack Kit out of the way. If that's the case, he can take a second whip out to get rid of him easily.

Surge is better to take hits from. He has the durability as a bigger person in general, and even if the electricity brings back memories, memories aren't going to hurt anyone.

That must be the right decision. Right?

No time for more thinking. You already wasted enough with these few seconds, now you just need to fight. Diving head first into these sorts of things never backfire, right?

He rushed in, wrapping his whip tightly around Surge, each gem divot pushing against the skin enough to hurt, but not enough to pierce it. This trick is getting old, but there's not much he can do other than this. Unless he starts giving her ACTUAL whip lashes, but that feels too harsh. He's tempted to try and throw her far away from here, but that'll become an issue in the future. Might as well deal with it here and now.

Doesn't matter if he dies. Doesn't really bother him much in the long run, does it?

Enough is enough. He's getting tired of this as well. He's desummoned one whip, instead bubbling his fist. He pulls Surge towards him, ready to punch her with his bubbled fist. He's aware the pressure and force may make it burst, but power is needed more at the moment. Plus, he can take a hit like that.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge allowed herself to be pulled, tanking the punch. Definitely didn't expect it the amount of raw strength coming from it though. She then electrified the whip, same as last time.-

You don't learn, do ya.

-Meanwhile, Sonic was fighting Kit, dodging water whips and trying to make him use his water supply as much as he could. Didn't want to hirt the kid, but he was already seeing it hard to win this without doing so.-

-He charged a spindash, going through one of the water whips and bouncing off a street lamp to hit Kit right on his water backpack, the water whips faltering as Sonic barely dodged one coming at him.-

-He was keeping an eye on Lav and Surge, would definitely barge in if things go south.-

[purple-steven]

The bubble burst with the collision, and he seized, unable to think of any sort of witty comeback. Each muscle in his body felt far too tense, but he didn't let go of the whip. Take the hit. You can handle the hit. You can handle this.

His eyes welled up with tears whilst remaining quiet, solely concentrated on trying to stray his focus elsewhere.

Stop thinking about how much it hurts. Think about what to do next. Think about Sonic. Think about what to do next think about your next move think about-

It hurts so much. He's scared. It hurts so much and he's scared, and he isn't sure when it's going to end, and he isn't sure when he'll be able to completely focus again.

The whip instead is desummoned, somewhat unwillingly, freeing Surge to move around a bit more. He bubbled his fists once more, breathing heavily after the current had been broken. He's still out of focus. Out of practice. He'll fight fist to fist if he has to. Shapeshifting is still a skill he possessed, maybe just having a physically Massive Fist might pummel them.

[rolling-combo]

-The tenred stood up, brushing some dust off as her wounds healed. She grinned at the sight of Lav's bubbled fists, squaring up as well.-

Wanna dance, you puny little human? Come at me!

-She taunted, signaling him to come closer with one of her hands, her sharp teeth forming a haunting smile towards him. She wouldn't show mercy at all.-

-Back to Sonic, he was still fighting the water whips, dodging and waiting for another opening. He kicked some of the whips away, sometimes glancing towards Lav. He trusted him, but was starting to get worried. Would have to finish things quickly with Kit.-

[purple-steven]

He ran towards her, preparing to punch her straight in the face if he can, getting ready to shapeshift smaller if he has to dodge quickly. It's going to take some concentration. He's keeping his eyes on Surge's movements, but only Surge.

Get ready. You need to be fast. Land a punch and shapeshift. Not that difficult.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge dodged by ducking down, aiming to land an uppercut and then kicking Lav on the side. She's saving the electricity she has left to finish off Sonic.-

Too slow!

-The hedgehog jumped and landed a homing attack on Kit, making him hit the ground on his back, his backpack taking most of the impact. Something could be heard cracking inside of it, and the fennec's eyes widened.-

Gotcha.

-Kit glared at Sonic, a water blade forming and going towards him, but deforming and disintegrating before even making contact.-

[purple-steven]

Lav staggered, but he didn't back down.

Alright, speed isn't his forte. Let's use something you're good at then.

He raised his hand above his shoulder as if he was going to throw something, before shapeshifting it into a giant fist, almost half his size. He flung his arm in time so that he wouldn't have to worry about lifting it, allowing gravity to do the work, hopefully crushing Surge.

He didn't really want to kill her, but... It'll hurt her enough, surely, if it hits. If it seems fatal, he can take them to the fountain. It should be fine... Yeah, it should be fine.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge stared at the shapeshifting, her reflexes barely managing to get her out of his range. She immediately went to kick him behind the knees, trying to make him fall over and then kick his stomach.-

-On the other side, Kit was trying to punch Sonic, but he was just dodging every hit Kit threw at him. The fennec had a plan in mind, a single line of water slowly making it's way towards Lav. The backpack had enough pressure for one more attack. Sonic was about to knock out Kit, dashing behind him to hit him on the back of his head.-

-But then he saw the fennec's eyes glowing and looking at Lav. A water blade going for his abdomen, it was meant to pierce him all the way, but it stopped before it could do any fatal damage.-

LAV?!

-But Sonic didn't know that, immediately rushing over to Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He groaned in pain, his fist keeping him stuck to the ground before he shapeshifted it away. He heard the yell out, confused, before he saw the water blade.

He put up a bubble, although it seemed weak already and likely wouldn't stop anything that sharp from piercing it through, but it was a last attempt at protecting himself, attempting to roll to the side but...

...Well, speed isn't his forte.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran over towards Lav, but Surge intercepted him. She punched Sonic right on the face, making him fly over to the nearest building.-

Weren't quick enough to save him, were ya.

-She turned over to look at Kit.-

Hey drippy!? Ya good?!

-Kit didn't answer, focused on fixing his backpack. Tinkering away with it, a couple of sparks coming from it. Surge sighed, looking over at Lav, grabbing him by the hair.-

You're weak, but at least you make good bait.

-She whispered to him, before dropping him and looking over where Sonic crashed, just aiming to make him hurt even more. The hedgehog was standing up again, his last injuries coming back to him. He groaned, looking over at Surge grabbing Lav by the hair and hissing.-

[purple-steven]

He was flung towards Sonic, landing roughly and unpleasantly next to him, the harsh pebbles and small stones hidden within the dirt scratching his face. He teared up in pain, not even properly processing the stab wound yet, until he felt something wet on his hand.

His body instinctively already tried to cover the wound, and suddenly, the sting of being stabbed finally stepped in, and he curled in on himself, hissing in pain. He would've tried to scramble up, but from where the wound is, any sort of movement would hurt if he tried to get up.

It felt... Wetter than usual, thanks to the water, but it hurts badly.

He's not sure he can fight through this. He can try, but... It's not looking good for him.

Ugh... It... Keeps hurting more and now he's bleeding more, curling in on himself with tears slowly tracing his face.

He's more than bait. He's stronger than that. He's worth more than that. He's a useful person, he can be useful, he can be worth more than just a distraction. Than just bait.

He isn't weak.

He... He isn't weak.

Right...?

He hissed as well, albeit in pain, breathing heavily.

Shit...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran towards Surge, before a water tentacle grabbed his ankle and launched him up, he managed to block Surge's kick coming at him. He charged a homing attack to hit Surge in the air, but Kit immediately made the hedgehog hit a large mass of water.-

-He was trapped inside it, tried to swim upwards, panicked. But Surge put a hand on the water, using all she had left on her charge to electrify the water. It flashed white, making Sonic scream in the water as his muscles tensed.-

-As soon as it ended, Sonic was dropped onto the ground. He coughed water, he was struggling to breathe earlier and this definitely didn't help his case. His vision was blurry and everything hurt now. But he stood up again.-

That- That's all y-ya ha-

-And then a punch landed right on his stomach, knocking the air out of him. He put his hands on Surge's arm, seemingly supporting himself from the impact, before he grabbed her and slammed her onto the ground.-

-They should've known he wouldn't go down without a fight.-

[purple-steven]

Why is he still fighting? Shouldn't they-

No, he's right, he's... He should keep fighting as well.

You aren't bait. You're more than that.

You aren't useless.

He kept attempting to stagger up, until eventually he got his balance back, stumbling up to his feet. What can he do, what can he do...

Sonic obviously doesn't want to retreat, but if it continues, that might be the only option they have left. He summoned his whip. He'll just... Distract them.

...just... Be bait.

He flung his whip out around Kit, Surge being out of the question considering the electricity issue, wrapping it around before pulling him towards Lav.

...okay, so the backpack is the source. Break the source again. Obliterate it if you have to. You can do that, even in this state, right?

He seethed, closing his eyes and wincing, but it doesn't matter. Sonic needs back up.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit looked back at Lav the moment Sonic smashed Surge on the ground, Water tentacles emerging and shielding him from his whip. Surge, on the other side, growled and hissed at the hedgehog before she tackled him, punching him on the face over and over before he managed to kick her off. He was glad he was facing away from Lav.-

-He stumbled up, and then disappeared, kicking Surge on the stomach, returning the hit from earlier. He almost fell over when he landed on the ground, clearly at his limit.-

[purple-steven]

Shit no... Sonic can't do this any longer.

He wrapped his whip around Sonic, planning to pull him towards himself. They need to get out of here. But he'll loosen it if Sonic struggles against it. He doesn't want to yell it out loud; if they do have to escape, announcing it seemed idiotic.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was still keeping an eye on Lav and, alas, he didn't even allow that whip to go halfway through. A water whip slashing Lav's whip in half. He will support Surge in whatever she wants, and if she wants to fight Sonic one on one, so be it.-

-With that said, Surge was actually really worn out right now. Sonic wasn't pulling any punches now and she could obviously feel that on the kick she just received. She was near her limit, panting.-

-With that said, Sonic was way past his at this point, carrying on by sheer willpower. He still managed to get into a fighting position, and charged at her.-

-Surge attempted to sweep Sonic's legs, but he dashed behind her. Hitting her on the back of her head and then conjoining his two hands and striking down on her back, full force, making a small crater on the ground. Left her unconscious.-

-And then a water spike stabbed him from behind.-

[purple-steven]

His eyes widened, looking for Kit, running towards him with his hand glowing, morphing to be massive again. He looked mad. He swung his arm, sending his hand to swat Kit away, potentially sending him flying, this time with a fairly quick speed. He needs to wait for the water to dissipate. He's going to have to get them to the fountain, even if he's strength is slowly fading.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was keeping himself above the ground with his water tentacles, eyes widening when she saw the massive hand. The water tentacles divided into a massive amount of water spikes, all piercing Lav's hand, leaving just a single water tentacle keeping him above.-

-Sonic kicked Kit on the side of the head, knocked out Kit with the impact. With that the water dissipated, and a couple portals appeared beneath them, taking them away.-

-The hedgehog landed, stumbling and then looking at Lav.-

They're g-gone?.. Good...

[purple-steven]

He was breathing heavily, hand glowing to shift back to normal, the gaping piercings becoming far more apparent. He looked down at his wounds, his hands shaking as well as the stab wound becoming slightly worse and still flowing. Little streams of blood started to fall from the holes in his hand.

We n... We need to go....

He breathed out, hissing in pain, still stumbling and bending over slightly.

...the bending over was likely not helping whatsoever, in fact it likely made it worse, but he didn't have the strength to keep himself upright.

[rolling-combo]

You go, I'm not going to make it.

-Sonic leaned against a wall, and let himself fall down, a trail of blood smearing across the wall. He sighed.-

-He chuckled, holding his side as he winced in pain. The adrenaline was already wearing down, the pain of his injuries making itself more and more intense.-

Man, that sure was a fight.

-He was smiling, definitely afraid of dying.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no. N-no, we're not doing that.

He practically grabbed Sonic, picking him up, hoisting him over his shoulder in the fireman hold. He silently winced, but began quickly walking towards any portal which would be nearby.

Not letting you die on me, mate...

[rolling-combo]

L-Lav, no.

-He coughed, now struggling to breathe even more than before, you could hear how some of the air wasn't reaching his lungs.-

J-just leave m-me. I'll feel worse if y-ya bleed out trying to h-help me.

-He tried to pull away from him, falling onto the ground and grunting, hissing from the pain.-

G-go without me, I'll be fine.

-He could already feel he was going to die soon. No deal in making his corpse wait a little bit more to be healed.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no, let me help you, what're you doing? I can- I can save you, let me help, for fucks sake...

He went to try and pick him up again. He's not going without him. The fountain will save him, and he KNOWS it would. Why fight it when he can just- survive?

It'll save you, Sonic, you're not gonna die if I take you and it'll heal you, why the hell are you fighting that?

[rolling-combo]

-He immediately spiked up, all his quills going up, not letting him touch him. He tried to get in a more comfortable position.-

I-If you take me you'll d-die.

Y-your wounds are g-getting worse.

I d-don't want you to die, you're m-my friend.

-He smiled at him, he already feels lighteaded, cold. Definitely wouldn't make it even if Lav ran towards the fountain right now.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched, flapping his hand wildly, hissing in pain and immediately regretting his sudden movement, groaning slightly.

Argh, fUck-

He looked at Sonic, mildly angry, but mainly just... Frustrated. He could've saved him if he wasn't so stubborn about it. He could've done something.

...sonic, you're an absolute twat, you know that?

He sighed, holding his own hand to soothe it.

...I'll wait until you go. I can hold... I can hold out, but... But god, you're an idiot. I've died before... I can handle it. Why did you take so many hits...? You didn't... You shouldn't've, you idiot.

[rolling-combo]

-He laughed again, coughing more blood out, struggling to stay awake, but he persevered.-

D-didn't know how m-much time they would be stayin'

Y-you saw what they c-could do didn't cha'-

-His blinking was getting slower, each time getting harder and harder to keep himself up. He did manage to look at Lav though, still smiling, as always.-

T-thanks for helping me out man, probably wouldn't have been able t-to get them both alone.

-He was 100% sincere here, probably wouldn't have been able to fight both of them at the same time.-

D-don't let Tails know bout this 'kay?

-And he closed his eyes, of course those would be his last words.-

[purple-steven]

He sighed, nodding.

Yeah, alright.

He bubbled Sonic's body, sending him to his room in the library. It's locked, so it's not like anyone's just gonna wander in. He'll go and grab some healing water to help as well.

But now... He's gotta make the journey without dying, so that's going to be eventful. He probably won't either, but it hurts badly.

Right, let's assess this. We've got a pretty deep stab wound that's gone all the way through his abdomen. That's the main point of concern. Several holes in his hands from multiple piercings of water spikes. Also can't be good. Multiple electricity burns but that's nothing he's not used to. And probably a bunch of bruises that he can't exactly identify right now.

He continued his journey to the fountain, warping himself away, feeling slightly faint. Yeah, he's definitely gonna make it.

He took all the flasks out of his gem, refilling them as well as chugging one down to get rid of anything internal that might be going on. The rest he sorta sprinkled on. He didn't want to deal with any submerging shit right now, especially with the state he's in.

...Sonic died. He couldn't help. It's fully sinking in.

God, is he really only good for bait? Good for distractions? Sonic said he'd helped, but then again, Sonic would say anything to make anyone feel better. He was worried the entire time. Was Lav really incapable of standing his ground that whole time?

Okay, stop that, that's unreasonable thinking. Surely.

Right. Yeah. 'course it is. You're strong. You're strong as hell. You aren't useless.

Are you sure? Because to me, it seemed like you were pretty incompetent. Seemed like you sorta just... Let it happen. You're not exactly the best person, are you? You could've easily just taken all the hits. But instead, you were too scared. Too scared of dying, no matter what you say, and too scared of getting hurt. You hate it. The sensation of it. Isn't that pathetic? That's what cost him his life. Your own fear, your own actions, everything. It was you.

...was he even entirely wrong this time?

He splashed his face with the fountain water, putting each flask except one in his gem. This one he'll use for Sonic. He wiped the water from his face, dragging his hand down his cheeks and sighing.

Is this Sonic's first death? Hopefully he doesn't take too long. He doesn't want to have to hide a body again. He's got too many memories of keeping stupid secrets like that from people.

He warped back home, starting to lead to his room, flask in hand, before unlocking his room door and entering.

...yep. Bloody bubble with a bloody sonic. What else would you expect? He took it over to the tub, bursting the bubble and letting any blood that pooled drain out. Lav let the fountain water clear up the major injuries, obviously unable to help with the internal ones, but Sonic'll cope. He should wake up soon.

...if he wakes up soon.

No, don't think like that. It was one time.

But you don't know that.

...give it a day. If it takes any longer, then you're allowed to panic. For now, you need to calm down. He put Sonic's (now less bloody) body in his bed, tucking him in. At least he won't feel sore, hopefully.

God, sonic, you're such an idiot. You've got someone who cares if you die. You should've just let him help. Lav could've saved you. He really could've saved you if you just let him help.

He brought his knees to his chest, trying his best not to tear up. He's going to come back. He has to.

...he just wish it was him instead. At least then, he wouldn't have to think about it being his first death or anything of the sort.

...now that he thinks about it, Sonic said he was a friend.

Heh. A friend. That's nice to know, at least.

...he's going to have to step up his game if this happens again.

Now it's just a case of waiting. And he'll be right beside him, as he always is. Got nothing else better to do anyways. Maybe he might tidy up in here as well. Seems like every time he does, it always goes back to a tip.

[rolling-combo]

-In the quiet embrace of mortality, Sonic felt the gentle pull of life's final curtain. A profound calm settled over him, like the hushed aftermath of a storm. The weight of the hios struggles, battles fought, and sacrifices made began to lift, replaced by an ethereal lightness.

-As the hedgehog embraced the inevitable, there was a sense of closure and completion. Every scar, both seen and unseen, whispered tales of resilience and valor. In these fleeting moments, the hero just stared at what was his entire existence, and the culmination of it. The darkness engulfed him, but there was an odd feeling on the back of his head, a nagging feeling that this wasn't over yet.-

-His voice whispered that it wasn't his time to sink down further down. The voice turned into a bittersweet melody, his beating heart leading the compass.-

-And then he gasped awake.-

[purple-steven]

Despite the rush of it all earlier, he would find himself in almost silence, shooting up in his bed with Lav still on the floor next to him. He has moved, but he always returned to this spot whenever he was doing nothing. And now he's napping. He does that a lot.

[rolling-combo]

-The hedgehog put a hand on his side, where the piercing wound had been, expecting his gloves to be crimson red. Instead, he just touched his fur, his gloves an inmaculate white.-

-He felt relieved, he had this sort of ethereal sense of clarity at the moment, his ears flickered at the sound of someone breathing, turning over to look at his friend on the ground.-

-A small smile appeared on his lips, the sight of Lav making him happy. He was just recalling everything that happened earlier, all the violence and pain. He tensed, before closing his eyes, expression softening, now wondering how much his revival took.-

-It didn't feel right to look at his friend resting on the ground, very slowly getting off the bed and carrying the human and getting him under the covers, before he got on it as well. They can both rest on the same bed, not that he's especially big or anything.-

-He still felt a little tired, but didn't feel the urge to sleep anymore, so he just sat up, closing his eyes and meditating.-

[purple-steven]

He stirred a little when he was picked up, before continuing his nap, waking up after a couple of minutes. He felt the covers on top of him, slowly blinking awake and looking around, grasping his surroundings.

He saw Sonic sitting up, and all of a sudden he felt a weight slowly melt off his chest.

Oh- oh thank god, you're awake...

[rolling-combo]

-Ears flickered off at the sound of Lav's voice. He smiled, opening his eyes to look at his friend. He was just.. emitting this calm aura. Death has seemed to bring some sort of enlightenment to the hedgehog.-

Why wouldn't I be?

...

Sorry for worrying you earlier.

-He recalled his friend's desperation earlier, and how he was pricked by this quills, felt like some apologies were in order. He just couldn't bear having his friend die trying to help him when he wa beyond saving.-

[purple-steven]

Nothing, no reason, don't worry about it. Just... Let me help you, next time. I know my limits.

...are you... Doing alright? You seem to be coping with this a whole lot better than I did. Especially since it's... Well, it's your first death, isn't it...?

[rolling-combo]

You were stabbed in the abdomen, you would've died if you carried me over to the fountain. And I would've died if you moved me anymore.

-He sighed, serious, he knows his limits as well, and by moving to kick Kit that last time he worsened the injury he had made to him. Had no chance of surviving that fight. His expression eased up after saying all that, no worth in stressing over something that already happened.-

And I'm fine! It was just... kind of ominous, heh-

[purple-steven]

Kind of... Ominous...?

I mean, that's one way to describe it, but it doesn't... Seem right at all from his perspective.

...huh. I think... I think we've had very different after-death-experiences then.

He sighed, still letting the relief that Sonic Actually Woke Up wash over him. It was stupid to be worried about in the first place: it's not something that happens often and the likelihood of it ever happening is low, but it did stress him out.

How're you feeling? Sore? Achy? Anything of the sort?

He's still fairly concerned... But if Sonic is completely fine, he should probably just take it as a win.

[rolling-combo]

-Well Lav, you both have very different perspectives regarding death.-

A bit lightheaded, but aside from that, I just picked you up so, I should be fine!

[purple-steven]

Huh... Well, that's good!! Means that it wasn't... Too rough.

He smiled, clearly more relaxed.

You should still probably take it easy... I don't think it's smart to overdo it now.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic hugged Lav, it was a very gentle embrace. He still sorta felt bad for worrying him earlier. Also..-

Thanks, for everything.

-He wanted to thank him. Releasing the hug after saying so, smiling wide.-

We should go with Tails though. He's probably worried, or not. Depends, uh- How long have I been gone?

[purple-steven]

He seemed oddly surprised, before hugging back.

Hey, no need to thank me bud... Besides, what're...

He kinda hesitated, but then smiled a little.

What're friends for?

He then scanned his room for the clock, quickly doing some maths.

It's been... Less than a day. At least 10 hours.

Huh. Didn't keep count this time. That's... Good. He felt oddly proud of himself for not obsessing over something like that.

But yeah, we should go get you to Tails. He'll probably be a bit worried...

[rolling-combo]

-He scratched the back of his head.-

He'll probably scold me for not checking in earlier.

-He sighed, stretched a little before he stood up, he noticed he left some quills on Lav's pillow.-

Ah shoot, sorry about that. Usually happens after a fight-

-He picked them up, getting them out of Lav's pillow.-

[purple-steven]

Eh, don't stress, it's no biggie. Although... Uh... You might want to tell him the truth. At least, with my experience with everyone else, it... Becomes a huge issue when you lie about it. You don't have to tell him now, but... Yknow.

He kinda looked away. He felt bad giving advice for whatever reason??? Gah, hates the way his brain works sometimes.

[rolling-combo]

Gotcha, thanks for the advice!

-He stretched a little bit more, moving his arms and legs. The lightheadedness he felt earlier was mostly gone.-

Yo, y'wanna go running?

[purple-steven]

Uh- yeah! Yeah, we can do, uh- I might be a bit... Slow though, heh.

He got up as well, opening his room door. He's probably gonna shapeshift to catch up. What's fast? Probably a cheetah or something. He'll figure it out. He hasn't shapeshifted for fun in a while, so it'll be nice to let loose.

[rolling-combo]

Don't worry bout that!

Unless ya wanna make it a race.

-That. was definitely an invitation to race. Up to you Lav.-

[purple-steven]

HAH! No way. That's- yeah, I'm asking to lose there, I'm gonna pass you on that one, bud.

He chuckled a little. There was NO WAY IN HELL he was going to race Sonic. At least, not today.

Ready to get goin'?

[rolling-combo]

You're missing out man.

-Sonic chuckled alongside him, making his way out of the library.-

Sure! Let's go.

-And with that, he took off, going at a slow pace, for him, that is. He was going fast, but Lav could definitely catch up if he shapeshifted.-

[purple-steven]

He hadn't even realised they started until a couple seconds afterwards, surprised at the sudden takeoff, running after him. His body became a burst of bright purple light, shifting through different animals. A bird, soaring through the sky, to a horse galloping down, until he stuck with a cheetah, although he couldn't exactly match the speed. He was definitely far faster, and surprisingly, keeping up the pace. You could hear him laugh while shifting, freely running around. He seemed happier.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic laughed too, slowing his pace to match Lav's, feeling the wind on his face, he was grinning wide.-

That's so cool! We definitely should do this more!

-Future invitation to run around sometime! With Sonic! Yay :D-

[rolling-combo]

Surge The Tenrec is brought in to the Clutter Dimension.

//oo this is going to be fun >:D

-The tenrec was running along a path of dirt along a forest, a circle of water along her waist, her sidekick, Kit, holding onto it. They were looking for shelter around the place.-

-None of them noticed when they were teleported, placed at the forest near Beach city. Eventually they found the aforementioned place, stopping abruptly.-

What the-

Ey drippy, this wasn't here before! Where are we?!

-Kitsunami lowered himself to the ground, water going back to his backpack, confused as well.-

We're in the middle of the continent, there isn't supposed to be a beach here.

Something's up here then. I'll ask for directions, you stay hidden.

-The fennec nodded, and Surge grinned, sharp teeth showing themselves. Might as well have some fun with the "gathering information" thing. They both got separated now, Surge just casually strolling until she spotted your muse. In a flash she pinned them against the wall and showed them her hand crackling with strands of glowing electricity.-

Hey there! How about you answer some questions for me?

//open rp! Uhhh I've been gone for a good while and idk who are still active- @purple-steven @corvid-steven @varian-the-unstable-alchemist @lilmetalsonic @anyone! sorry if i didn't tag someone i just genuinely dont remember-

[purple-steven]

Oh god-

This already felt problematic. He's weirded out by the fact he's suddenly pressed against the wall and-

Well. That hand is NOT going to do him any good. Electricity is not his strong suit.

Woah- hey, okay, calm it, put the- put the hand away, what's up? Who are you?

This is. Dangerous. He's got to be careful.

[rolling-combo]

Not your problem is it!? Shut up and answer! Where the fuck is this place!?

Answer me or you won't like what comes next!

-She pointed a finger at him, a little zap burning his nose a bit as she showed her teeth, intimidating him-

[purple-steven]

He flinched at the zap, feeling himself freak out the moment he felt it.

Okay- okay, just- just calm down. You're in the clutter dimension. You're new here, I'm assuming? Look, just- put the hand down, I'm not- not gonna do anything.

[rolling-combo]

The fuck is the Clutter Dimension?! You tryna be funny?! You piece of shit!

-Surge screamed at him, raising her fist in anger, about to beat him up. Before a strong gust of wind came across the alley, a familiar voice for Lav coming along.-

Hey bully! Haven't they told you to not pick on others! Also, go wash your mouth.

-Sonic joked around, crossing his arms. The lightning began acting up, the tenrec growling in anger as she looked down and then glared with all the anger she could muster at him.-

Let him go now, Surge. This is between us.

-His tone turned a bit serious, urgent to make her let go of Lav.-

Heh, what? You ready to put me down now!?

-She let go of Lav, more interested in.. well, beating the shit out of Sonic. Some electricity emanating from her might go to him, but it felt more like a light sting than anything. It's up to you if you're going to help Sonic or not, Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched with each sting, backing up slightly but going towards Sonic. Yeah, he's going to be helping out.

Oookay, so this is- this is a You Thing, I'm assuming? Can I have details??

[rolling-combo]

-Surge ignored Lav completely, launching herself at Sonic, charging towards him at full speed. He almost didn't manage to dodge it, but he did and appeared besides Lav in a flash, getting in a fighting stance as the tenrec crashed onto a random building.-

Uhhh, long story short. She was genetically modified and brainwashed to kill me. I need you to res- Whoa!

-He pushed Lav to the side. She'd thrown a literal wall at them.-

I need you to find a good moment to knock her out or restrain her quic-

-Surge now pounced him, Sonic stopping him with both his hands.-

What!? You think that weak human can pin me down?!

[purple-steven]

Oh SHI-

He just flicked his head, following the wall flying past them. What the fuCK??

Then the snide remark, which quite frankly peeved him off a bit. He pulled out his whip, cracking it for no reason other than dramatic effect, before wrapping it around Surge and attempting to pull her off.

Alright, let's NOT do that, yeah?

[rolling-combo]

-The tenrec actually went flying with that, actually being really light. She hit the ground hard, eyes widening as she was not expecting that at all, a small cloud of dust appearing with the ground cracking with the impact.-

-Sonic quickly incorporated himself, immediately turning to Lav at the sight of the whip, a worried tone in his exclamation.-

Lav! Let go of the-

-And a strong current of energy went through the whip, it would last a good 3 seconds before Sonic cut it off with a homing atack.-

[purple-steven]

He wasn't expecting her to fly off that easily, and the fact she did was sorta concerning to him, especially since he did NOT hold back at all. He looked incredibly worried, before feeling the shock course through him and an expression of pain and distress painted his face. He can't let go of the whip even if he wanted to, his hand clenching the whip tighter.

Oh goodness. He feels like he's seeing those trees again. He needs to stay focused. He can be distressed later. But it's notoriously difficult to concentrate at all when you're being shocked and all you can feel is pain and it doesn't stop and it's not stopping and its-

The relief he felt once it had seized was one he hadn't experienced in a while. He dropped to the floor for a moment, catching his breath, his hand finally letting go of the rope.

Ow.

[rolling-combo]

You alright!?

What! Little guy can't handle a little shock?! Aww, and I just thought things were getting interesting!

-As the cloud of dust dissipated, you could see Surge's fist emanating pure electricity. Sonic tried to stay and check if Lav was alright, but the tenrec charged at him will full speed.-

Alright then! Let's dance!

Sonic ran as as well, a blur of blue and green now going around the place, stopping when Surge managed to punch Sonic, throwing him over to a wall and breaking it on impact.-

Gah!-

-Lav could hear someone walking near him, a blue kit staring him down, tentacles of water emerging from what seemed to be a backpack.-

[purple-steven]

This is. Not looking good for him.

Don't worry about me! Just- be careful!

And he felt the ominous loom of the kit by him, turning around and looking back at him. That looks. Really cool, but right now, he's a bit scared for what's to come. He's bubbling himself already just in case, getting out a new whip, still trying to recover from the shock. More mentally than physically. Hhholy shit this is a lot that he wasn't expecting.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit stared at him for a moment, then looked at Sonic and Kit fighting, assessing the situation, then staring back at Lav. He'd seen his strength back when he threw Surge to the ground. The ends water tentacles turned sharp, repeatedly hitting the bubble now. Nice Lav, you've been deemed a threat.-

You're just a coward, aren't you.

-Meanwhile, the tenrec and the hedgehog were still actively fighting in the background. Sonic this time got the next hit, managing to kick Surge on the side, making her stumble back. He was about to charge a spindash when he saw Kit.-

Lav!

-He remembered their last encounter as clear as day, and he knew well enough what Kit could do when he's protecting Surge. He rushed to go towards Kit, and stop his attack, but he had to stop when Surge appeared in front of him.-

[purple-steven]

Oh goodness, they aren't going to make this easy at ALL are they.

I'm not a coward, I just- I don't want to hurt you!

He's trying to keep his bubble strong, but it's already forming cracks. Holding on to his whip slightly tighter. He doesn't want to fling people about, but it seems like he's running out of options here.

Can't we just- talk this out?

He's flicking his attention back and forth from Kit and to Surge and Sonic just in case they need help. Maybe he could try and intervene if he can slip by? But this may be a case of trusting Sonic to take care of Surge, leaving him to take care of Kit.

Well, regardless, he's trying to stay as aware as possible.

[rolling-combo]

Surge c'mon! Listen to me for a sec!

-Sonic now focused on dodging Surge, just wanted to make her reason. The tenrec kept attacking, eyes glowing as she focused her lightning on her fists and shoes.-

Why should I?! Are you going to start with the "You can be good" shit! Because I ain't buying it!

-Back to Lav, Kit didn't even answer him, all the water merging together and forming one big spike that crashed down on him.-

[purple-steven]

Glad to know that him and sonic were thinking similarly, at least... The spike crashing down on him popped the bubble, giving him time to dodge, albeit slightly weaker. He wrapped his whip around Kit, pulling him down to the ground.

[rolling-combo]

-A water tentacle slashed the whip, but the fennec still fell to the ground. A puddle of water formed around him and spikes of water formed, extending and aiming towards Lav.-

You won't hurt Surge.

-Talking about her, back to Sonic.-

-Sonic kept blocking Surge's punches as he tried to speak to her, eventually answering with a kick to make her stand back.-

Just listen! This isn't our dimension, you're free here!

-The tenrec stared at him. A sinister smile creeping up her face. This is not going the way Sonic wanted, immediately knowing what she was about to say.-

Free you say?

I'm pretty sure that whatever you're thinking right now is wrong. I won't let you cause mayhem.

But then that means...

-Surge's body was covered by electricity now, charging at Sonic once again.-

You don't have anyone to back you up! Do ya!?

-As they clashed, electricity quickly enveloped Sonic, making him scream in pain as his eyes widened.-

[purple-steven]

He quickly summoned 2 more whips to make up for the loss of the first, looking back to hear the sound of Sonic screaming, trying to wrap his whip around Sonic and pull him back towards him. He is paying no mind towards Kit at the moment, instead keeping the other whip spare for any retaliations that he might need to take.

Oh boy. This is going to be difficult to take care of. Maybe they should flee? But that doesn't seem wise either... They just need to try and keep Surge in one place, so maybe bubbling? But his bubbles are useless at times... It'll be fine. They'll figure something out. Just keep fighting somehow.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic stayed on the ground for a moment, a bit of smoke coming from his body. He groaned as he stood up, struggling to do so. Both Kit and Surge stood in front of them.-

Hey kid! Change of plans, we'll just kill off the blue rat. I used almost all my charge on him so he's pretty much dead, you can call dibs on the kill if you get the chance.

-Kit nodded, raising himself with the water and immediately aiming water spikes at Sonic.-

[purple-steven]

He wrapped one whip around Kit and another around Surge, pulling them back to the ground and towards him rather than near Sonic. He needs time to recover by the looks of it, and Lav is going to buy as much time as needed.

[rolling-combo]

I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!

-Kit let himself get pulled, choosing to free Surge. She charged right at Lav, jumping and raising a charged fist, aiming to knock him down on one hit. But before it landed, Sonic spindashed right onto her stomach, sending her flying onto a nearby building.-

SURGE!?

-Kit growled at Sonic, water tentacles shooting over to grab him midair and throw him to the ground with full force.-

Ghk!-

-Sonic landed on the concrete, and a very audible crack could be heard. Making him cough blood. He.. still stood up though, struggling to breathe a bit and putting a hand on his side. He looked at the blood.-

That can't be good.

-He averted his gaze towards Kit, the kid had run off to check on Surge. She seemed to be injured as well, blood dripping down from her forehead as she recovered. Sonic tried to take a deep breath, looking back at Lav with a smile, bright as always, even though he was struggling to stand.-

Yo, Lav. Cover me, 'kay?

-He just has his vibe within him y'know? To make you feel safe, that everything is going to be alright. Just trust him, he's a hero after all.-

[purple-steven]

He glanced at the blood, nervous for Sonic and honestly a bit shaken, considering he had braced himself for a blow that never came to him.

Yeah, alright. Don't do anythin' stupid...

He nodded though, he's ready to cover as best he can, both whips out and ready to strike. He's also preparing himself to bubble something or someone if necessary, although it's hard to tell what's coming next. Out of all the times Lav fails to have fountain water on him... He needs to keep it in his gem more often. You'd think by now he's learnt his lesson, but... He always forgets in the end.

He's going to attack whoever Sonic doesn't go for first. He's just keeping an eye out, focussing on who to target.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, coughing again, his glove staining with a little more blood. Definitely a punctured lung. Don't have time to deal with that right now. He grinned.-

You need to have more faith in me man!

-Sonic assessed the situation, kit was unharmed and Surge was healing from her injury already. Man, this is going to be tough. He was just standing there, before he disappeared from Lav's sight.-

-The other two seemed confused as well, looking around. In a blink of an eyes, the hedgehog appeared over to kick Surge on the back of her head, aiming for her injury. She went face down on the ground, growling as she lunged over to try and tackle Sonic.-

Going for a sucker punch, hero?!

-Sonic dodged, being wary of the water puddle forming nearby, feeling Kit's glare.-

Can't keep up?

-He's a little fed up at this point.-

[purple-steven]

There's a right answer here. He needs to make a decision now on who and what to tackle. Would he rather face suffocating blue, or sparks of pain? Which one is the right answer? Which one is going to help? Which one can he handle more and which one is the right answer?

He'd take them both on, but Sonic is stupidly determined to protect him. He admires the courage, but it's hard when they're both wanting to tank hits for each other.

Surge... Even if it means taking electricity, it's clear that she's the bigger threat and that she appears to be the one who's harder to escape from. The electricity makes you seize in place. That's what hinders them both from doing ANYTHING at all.

Kit. The water is an issue. The fact they're near a beach isn't helping either. Neither of them can swim, but that's not an issue considering they don't need that skill at the moment. Drowning is an obvious risk, but the easy way out is to just sever the water with his whip or thwack Kit out of the way. If that's the case, he can take a second whip out to get rid of him easily.

Surge is better to take hits from. He has the durability as a bigger person in general, and even if the electricity brings back memories, memories aren't going to hurt anyone.

That must be the right decision. Right?

No time for more thinking. You already wasted enough with these few seconds, now you just need to fight. Diving head first into these sorts of things never backfire, right?

He rushed in, wrapping his whip tightly around Surge, each gem divot pushing against the skin enough to hurt, but not enough to pierce it. This trick is getting old, but there's not much he can do other than this. Unless he starts giving her ACTUAL whip lashes, but that feels too harsh. He's tempted to try and throw her far away from here, but that'll become an issue in the future. Might as well deal with it here and now.

Doesn't matter if he dies. Doesn't really bother him much in the long run, does it?

Enough is enough. He's getting tired of this as well. He's desummoned one whip, instead bubbling his fist. He pulls Surge towards him, ready to punch her with his bubbled fist. He's aware the pressure and force may make it burst, but power is needed more at the moment. Plus, he can take a hit like that.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge allowed herself to be pulled, tanking the punch. Definitely didn't expect it the amount of raw strength coming from it though. She then electrified the whip, same as last time.-

You don't learn, do ya.

-Meanwhile, Sonic was fighting Kit, dodging water whips and trying to make him use his water supply as much as he could. Didn't want to hirt the kid, but he was already seeing it hard to win this without doing so.-

-He charged a spindash, going through one of the water whips and bouncing off a street lamp to hit Kit right on his water backpack, the water whips faltering as Sonic barely dodged one coming at him.-

-He was keeping an eye on Lav and Surge, would definitely barge in if things go south.-

[purple-steven]

The bubble burst with the collision, and he seized, unable to think of any sort of witty comeback. Each muscle in his body felt far too tense, but he didn't let go of the whip. Take the hit. You can handle the hit. You can handle this.

His eyes welled up with tears whilst remaining quiet, solely concentrated on trying to stray his focus elsewhere.

Stop thinking about how much it hurts. Think about what to do next. Think about Sonic. Think about what to do next think about your next move think about-

It hurts so much. He's scared. It hurts so much and he's scared, and he isn't sure when it's going to end, and he isn't sure when he'll be able to completely focus again.

The whip instead is desummoned, somewhat unwillingly, freeing Surge to move around a bit more. He bubbled his fists once more, breathing heavily after the current had been broken. He's still out of focus. Out of practice. He'll fight fist to fist if he has to. Shapeshifting is still a skill he possessed, maybe just having a physically Massive Fist might pummel them.

[rolling-combo]

-The tenred stood up, brushing some dust off as her wounds healed. She grinned at the sight of Lav's bubbled fists, squaring up as well.-

Wanna dance, you puny little human? Come at me!

-She taunted, signaling him to come closer with one of her hands, her sharp teeth forming a haunting smile towards him. She wouldn't show mercy at all.-

-Back to Sonic, he was still fighting the water whips, dodging and waiting for another opening. He kicked some of the whips away, sometimes glancing towards Lav. He trusted him, but was starting to get worried. Would have to finish things quickly with Kit.-

[purple-steven]

He ran towards her, preparing to punch her straight in the face if he can, getting ready to shapeshift smaller if he has to dodge quickly. It's going to take some concentration. He's keeping his eyes on Surge's movements, but only Surge.

Get ready. You need to be fast. Land a punch and shapeshift. Not that difficult.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge dodged by ducking down, aiming to land an uppercut and then kicking Lav on the side. She's saving the electricity she has left to finish off Sonic.-

Too slow!

-The hedgehog jumped and landed a homing attack on Kit, making him hit the ground on his back, his backpack taking most of the impact. Something could be heard cracking inside of it, and the fennec's eyes widened.-

Gotcha.

-Kit glared at Sonic, a water blade forming and going towards him, but deforming and disintegrating before even making contact.-

[purple-steven]

Lav staggered, but he didn't back down.

Alright, speed isn't his forte. Let's use something you're good at then.

He raised his hand above his shoulder as if he was going to throw something, before shapeshifting it into a giant fist, almost half his size. He flung his arm in time so that he wouldn't have to worry about lifting it, allowing gravity to do the work, hopefully crushing Surge.

He didn't really want to kill her, but... It'll hurt her enough, surely, if it hits. If it seems fatal, he can take them to the fountain. It should be fine... Yeah, it should be fine.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge stared at the shapeshifting, her reflexes barely managing to get her out of his range. She immediately went to kick him behind the knees, trying to make him fall over and then kick his stomach.-

-On the other side, Kit was trying to punch Sonic, but he was just dodging every hit Kit threw at him. The fennec had a plan in mind, a single line of water slowly making it's way towards Lav. The backpack had enough pressure for one more attack. Sonic was about to knock out Kit, dashing behind him to hit him on the back of his head.-

-But then he saw the fennec's eyes glowing and looking at Lav. A water blade going for his abdomen, it was meant to pierce him all the way, but it stopped before it could do any fatal damage.-

LAV?!

-But Sonic didn't know that, immediately rushing over to Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He groaned in pain, his fist keeping him stuck to the ground before he shapeshifted it away. He heard the yell out, confused, before he saw the water blade.

He put up a bubble, although it seemed weak already and likely wouldn't stop anything that sharp from piercing it through, but it was a last attempt at protecting himself, attempting to roll to the side but...

...Well, speed isn't his forte.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran over towards Lav, but Surge intercepted him. She punched Sonic right on the face, making him fly over to the nearest building.-

Weren't quick enough to save him, were ya.

-She turned over to look at Kit.-

Hey drippy!? Ya good?!

-Kit didn't answer, focused on fixing his backpack. Tinkering away with it, a couple of sparks coming from it. Surge sighed, looking over at Lav, grabbing him by the hair.-

You're weak, but at least you make good bait.

-She whispered to him, before dropping him and looking over where Sonic crashed, just aiming to make him hurt even more. The hedgehog was standing up again, his last injuries coming back to him. He groaned, looking over at Surge grabbing Lav by the hair and hissing.-

[purple-steven]

He was flung towards Sonic, landing roughly and unpleasantly next to him, the harsh pebbles and small stones hidden within the dirt scratching his face. He teared up in pain, not even properly processing the stab wound yet, until he felt something wet on his hand.

His body instinctively already tried to cover the wound, and suddenly, the sting of being stabbed finally stepped in, and he curled in on himself, hissing in pain. He would've tried to scramble up, but from where the wound is, any sort of movement would hurt if he tried to get up.

It felt... Wetter than usual, thanks to the water, but it hurts badly.

He's not sure he can fight through this. He can try, but... It's not looking good for him.

Ugh... It... Keeps hurting more and now he's bleeding more, curling in on himself with tears slowly tracing his face.

He's more than bait. He's stronger than that. He's worth more than that. He's a useful person, he can be useful, he can be worth more than just a distraction. Than just bait.

He isn't weak.

He... He isn't weak.

Right...?

He hissed as well, albeit in pain, breathing heavily.

Shit...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran towards Surge, before a water tentacle grabbed his ankle and launched him up, he managed to block Surge's kick coming at him. He charged a homing attack to hit Surge in the air, but Kit immediately made the hedgehog hit a large mass of water.-

-He was trapped inside it, tried to swim upwards, panicked. But Surge put a hand on the water, using all she had left on her charge to electrify the water. It flashed white, making Sonic scream in the water as his muscles tensed.-

-As soon as it ended, Sonic was dropped onto the ground. He coughed water, he was struggling to breathe earlier and this definitely didn't help his case. His vision was blurry and everything hurt now. But he stood up again.-

That- That's all y-ya ha-

-And then a punch landed right on his stomach, knocking the air out of him. He put his hands on Surge's arm, seemingly supporting himself from the impact, before he grabbed her and slammed her onto the ground.-

-They should've known he wouldn't go down without a fight.-

[purple-steven]

Why is he still fighting? Shouldn't they-

No, he's right, he's... He should keep fighting as well.

You aren't bait. You're more than that.

You aren't useless.

He kept attempting to stagger up, until eventually he got his balance back, stumbling up to his feet. What can he do, what can he do...

Sonic obviously doesn't want to retreat, but if it continues, that might be the only option they have left. He summoned his whip. He'll just... Distract them.

...just... Be bait.

He flung his whip out around Kit, Surge being out of the question considering the electricity issue, wrapping it around before pulling him towards Lav.

...okay, so the backpack is the source. Break the source again. Obliterate it if you have to. You can do that, even in this state, right?

He seethed, closing his eyes and wincing, but it doesn't matter. Sonic needs back up.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit looked back at Lav the moment Sonic smashed Surge on the ground, Water tentacles emerging and shielding him from his whip. Surge, on the other side, growled and hissed at the hedgehog before she tackled him, punching him on the face over and over before he managed to kick her off. He was glad he was facing away from Lav.-

-He stumbled up, and then disappeared, kicking Surge on the stomach, returning the hit from earlier. He almost fell over when he landed on the ground, clearly at his limit.-

[purple-steven]

Shit no... Sonic can't do this any longer.

He wrapped his whip around Sonic, planning to pull him towards himself. They need to get out of here. But he'll loosen it if Sonic struggles against it. He doesn't want to yell it out loud; if they do have to escape, announcing it seemed idiotic.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was still keeping an eye on Lav and, alas, he didn't even allow that whip to go halfway through. A water whip slashing Lav's whip in half. He will support Surge in whatever she wants, and if she wants to fight Sonic one on one, so be it.-

-With that said, Surge was actually really worn out right now. Sonic wasn't pulling any punches now and she could obviously feel that on the kick she just received. She was near her limit, panting.-

-With that said, Sonic was way past his at this point, carrying on by sheer willpower. He still managed to get into a fighting position, and charged at her.-

-Surge attempted to sweep Sonic's legs, but he dashed behind her. Hitting her on the back of her head and then conjoining his two hands and striking down on her back, full force, making a small crater on the ground. Left her unconscious.-

-And then a water spike stabbed him from behind.-

[purple-steven]

His eyes widened, looking for Kit, running towards him with his hand glowing, morphing to be massive again. He looked mad. He swung his arm, sending his hand to swat Kit away, potentially sending him flying, this time with a fairly quick speed. He needs to wait for the water to dissipate. He's going to have to get them to the fountain, even if he's strength is slowly fading.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was keeping himself above the ground with his water tentacles, eyes widening when she saw the massive hand. The water tentacles divided into a massive amount of water spikes, all piercing Lav's hand, leaving just a single water tentacle keeping him above.-

-Sonic kicked Kit on the side of the head, knocked out Kit with the impact. With that the water dissipated, and a couple portals appeared beneath them, taking them away.-

-The hedgehog landed, stumbling and then looking at Lav.-

They're g-gone?.. Good...

[purple-steven]

He was breathing heavily, hand glowing to shift back to normal, the gaping piercings becoming far more apparent. He looked down at his wounds, his hands shaking as well as the stab wound becoming slightly worse and still flowing. Little streams of blood started to fall from the holes in his hand.

We n... We need to go....

He breathed out, hissing in pain, still stumbling and bending over slightly.

...the bending over was likely not helping whatsoever, in fact it likely made it worse, but he didn't have the strength to keep himself upright.

[rolling-combo]

You go, I'm not going to make it.

-Sonic leaned against a wall, and let himself fall down, a trail of blood smearing across the wall. He sighed.-

-He chuckled, holding his side as he winced in pain. The adrenaline was already wearing down, the pain of his injuries making itself more and more intense.-

Man, that sure was a fight.

-He was smiling, definitely afraid of dying.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no. N-no, we're not doing that.

He practically grabbed Sonic, picking him up, hoisting him over his shoulder in the fireman hold. He silently winced, but began quickly walking towards any portal which would be nearby.

Not letting you die on me, mate...

[rolling-combo]

L-Lav, no.

-He coughed, now struggling to breathe even more than before, you could hear how some of the air wasn't reaching his lungs.-

J-just leave m-me. I'll feel worse if y-ya bleed out trying to h-help me.

-He tried to pull away from him, falling onto the ground and grunting, hissing from the pain.-

G-go without me, I'll be fine.

-He could already feel he was going to die soon. No deal in making his corpse wait a little bit more to be healed.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no, let me help you, what're you doing? I can- I can save you, let me help, for fucks sake...

He went to try and pick him up again. He's not going without him. The fountain will save him, and he KNOWS it would. Why fight it when he can just- survive?

It'll save you, Sonic, you're not gonna die if I take you and it'll heal you, why the hell are you fighting that?

[rolling-combo]

-He immediately spiked up, all his quills going up, not letting him touch him. He tried to get in a more comfortable position.-

I-If you take me you'll d-die.

Y-your wounds are g-getting worse.

I d-don't want you to die, you're m-my friend.

-He smiled at him, he already feels lighteaded, cold. Definitely wouldn't make it even if Lav ran towards the fountain right now.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched, flapping his hand wildly, hissing in pain and immediately regretting his sudden movement, groaning slightly.

Argh, fUck-

He looked at Sonic, mildly angry, but mainly just... Frustrated. He could've saved him if he wasn't so stubborn about it. He could've done something.

...sonic, you're an absolute twat, you know that?

He sighed, holding his own hand to soothe it.

...I'll wait until you go. I can hold... I can hold out, but... But god, you're an idiot. I've died before... I can handle it. Why did you take so many hits...? You didn't... You shouldn't've, you idiot.

[rolling-combo]

-He laughed again, coughing more blood out, struggling to stay awake, but he persevered.-

D-didn't know how m-much time they would be stayin'

Y-you saw what they c-could do didn't cha'-

-His blinking was getting slower, each time getting harder and harder to keep himself up. He did manage to look at Lav though, still smiling, as always.-

T-thanks for helping me out man, probably wouldn't have been able t-to get them both alone.

-He was 100% sincere here, probably wouldn't have been able to fight both of them at the same time.-

D-don't let Tails know bout this 'kay?

-And he closed his eyes, of course those would be his last words.-

[purple-steven]

He sighed, nodding.

Yeah, alright.

He bubbled Sonic's body, sending him to his room in the library. It's locked, so it's not like anyone's just gonna wander in. He'll go and grab some healing water to help as well.

But now... He's gotta make the journey without dying, so that's going to be eventful. He probably won't either, but it hurts badly.

Right, let's assess this. We've got a pretty deep stab wound that's gone all the way through his abdomen. That's the main point of concern. Several holes in his hands from multiple piercings of water spikes. Also can't be good. Multiple electricity burns but that's nothing he's not used to. And probably a bunch of bruises that he can't exactly identify right now.

He continued his journey to the fountain, warping himself away, feeling slightly faint. Yeah, he's definitely gonna make it.

He took all the flasks out of his gem, refilling them as well as chugging one down to get rid of anything internal that might be going on. The rest he sorta sprinkled on. He didn't want to deal with any submerging shit right now, especially with the state he's in.

...Sonic died. He couldn't help. It's fully sinking in.

God, is he really only good for bait? Good for distractions? Sonic said he'd helped, but then again, Sonic would say anything to make anyone feel better. He was worried the entire time. Was Lav really incapable of standing his ground that whole time?

Okay, stop that, that's unreasonable thinking. Surely.

Right. Yeah. 'course it is. You're strong. You're strong as hell. You aren't useless.

Are you sure? Because to me, it seemed like you were pretty incompetent. Seemed like you sorta just... Let it happen. You're not exactly the best person, are you? You could've easily just taken all the hits. But instead, you were too scared. Too scared of dying, no matter what you say, and too scared of getting hurt. You hate it. The sensation of it. Isn't that pathetic? That's what cost him his life. Your own fear, your own actions, everything. It was you.

...was he even entirely wrong this time?

He splashed his face with the fountain water, putting each flask except one in his gem. This one he'll use for Sonic. He wiped the water from his face, dragging his hand down his cheeks and sighing.

Is this Sonic's first death? Hopefully he doesn't take too long. He doesn't want to have to hide a body again. He's got too many memories of keeping stupid secrets like that from people.

He warped back home, starting to lead to his room, flask in hand, before unlocking his room door and entering.

...yep. Bloody bubble with a bloody sonic. What else would you expect? He took it over to the tub, bursting the bubble and letting any blood that pooled drain out. Lav let the fountain water clear up the major injuries, obviously unable to help with the internal ones, but Sonic'll cope. He should wake up soon.

...if he wakes up soon.

No, don't think like that. It was one time.

But you don't know that.

...give it a day. If it takes any longer, then you're allowed to panic. For now, you need to calm down. He put Sonic's (now less bloody) body in his bed, tucking him in. At least he won't feel sore, hopefully.

God, sonic, you're such an idiot. You've got someone who cares if you die. You should've just let him help. Lav could've saved you. He really could've saved you if you just let him help.

He brought his knees to his chest, trying his best not to tear up. He's going to come back. He has to.

...he just wish it was him instead. At least then, he wouldn't have to think about it being his first death or anything of the sort.

...now that he thinks about it, Sonic said he was a friend.

Heh. A friend. That's nice to know, at least.

...he's going to have to step up his game if this happens again.

Now it's just a case of waiting. And he'll be right beside him, as he always is. Got nothing else better to do anyways. Maybe he might tidy up in here as well. Seems like every time he does, it always goes back to a tip.

[rolling-combo]

-In the quiet embrace of mortality, Sonic felt the gentle pull of life's final curtain. A profound calm settled over him, like the hushed aftermath of a storm. The weight of the hios struggles, battles fought, and sacrifices made began to lift, replaced by an ethereal lightness.

-As the hedgehog embraced the inevitable, there was a sense of closure and completion. Every scar, both seen and unseen, whispered tales of resilience and valor. In these fleeting moments, the hero just stared at what was his entire existence, and the culmination of it. The darkness engulfed him, but there was an odd feeling on the back of his head, a nagging feeling that this wasn't over yet.-

-His voice whispered that it wasn't his time to sink down further down. The voice turned into a bittersweet melody, his beating heart leading the compass.-

-And then he gasped awake.-

[purple-steven]

Despite the rush of it all earlier, he would find himself in almost silence, shooting up in his bed with Lav still on the floor next to him. He has moved, but he always returned to this spot whenever he was doing nothing. And now he's napping. He does that a lot.

[rolling-combo]

-The hedgehog put a hand on his side, where the piercing wound had been, expecting his gloves to be crimson red. Instead, he just touched his fur, his gloves an inmaculate white.-

-He felt relieved, he had this sort of ethereal sense of clarity at the moment, his ears flickered at the sound of someone breathing, turning over to look at his friend on the ground.-

-A small smile appeared on his lips, the sight of Lav making him happy. He was just recalling everything that happened earlier, all the violence and pain. He tensed, before closing his eyes, expression softening, now wondering how much his revival took.-

-It didn't feel right to look at his friend resting on the ground, very slowly getting off the bed and carrying the human and getting him under the covers, before he got on it as well. They can both rest on the same bed, not that he's especially big or anything.-

-He still felt a little tired, but didn't feel the urge to sleep anymore, so he just sat up, closing his eyes and meditating.-

[purple-steven]

He stirred a little when he was picked up, before continuing his nap, waking up after a couple of minutes. He felt the covers on top of him, slowly blinking awake and looking around, grasping his surroundings.

He saw Sonic sitting up, and all of a sudden he felt a weight slowly melt off his chest.

Oh- oh thank god, you're awake...

[rolling-combo]

-Ears flickered off at the sound of Lav's voice. He smiled, opening his eyes to look at his friend. He was just.. emitting this calm aura. Death has seemed to bring some sort of enlightenment to the hedgehog.-

Why wouldn't I be?

...

Sorry for worrying you earlier.

-He recalled his friend's desperation earlier, and how he was pricked by this quills, felt like some apologies were in order. He just couldn't bear having his friend die trying to help him when he wa beyond saving.-

[purple-steven]

Nothing, no reason, don't worry about it. Just... Let me help you, next time. I know my limits.

...are you... Doing alright? You seem to be coping with this a whole lot better than I did. Especially since it's... Well, it's your first death, isn't it...?

[rolling-combo]

You were stabbed in the abdomen, you would've died if you carried me over to the fountain. And I would've died if you moved me anymore.

-He sighed, serious, he knows his limits as well, and by moving to kick Kit that last time he worsened the injury he had made to him. Had no chance of surviving that fight. His expression eased up after saying all that, no worth in stressing over something that already happened.-

And I'm fine! It was just... kind of ominous, heh-

[purple-steven]

Kind of... Ominous...?

I mean, that's one way to describe it, but it doesn't... Seem right at all from his perspective.

...huh. I think... I think we've had very different after-death-experiences then.

He sighed, still letting the relief that Sonic Actually Woke Up wash over him. It was stupid to be worried about in the first place: it's not something that happens often and the likelihood of it ever happening is low, but it did stress him out.

How're you feeling? Sore? Achy? Anything of the sort?

He's still fairly concerned... But if Sonic is completely fine, he should probably just take it as a win.

[rolling-combo]

-Well Lav, you both have very different perspectives regarding death.-

A bit lightheaded, but aside from that, I just picked you up so, I should be fine!

[purple-steven]

Huh... Well, that's good!! Means that it wasn't... Too rough.

He smiled, clearly more relaxed.

You should still probably take it easy... I don't think it's smart to overdo it now.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic hugged Lav, it was a very gentle embrace. He still sorta felt bad for worrying him earlier. Also..-

Thanks, for everything.

-He wanted to thank him. Releasing the hug after saying so, smiling wide.-

We should go with Tails though. He's probably worried, or not. Depends, uh- How long have I been gone?

[purple-steven]

He seemed oddly surprised, before hugging back.

Hey, no need to thank me bud... Besides, what're...

He kinda hesitated, but then smiled a little.

What're friends for?

He then scanned his room for the clock, quickly doing some maths.

It's been... Less than a day. At least 10 hours.

Huh. Didn't keep count this time. That's... Good. He felt oddly proud of himself for not obsessing over something like that.

But yeah, we should go get you to Tails. He'll probably be a bit worried...

[rolling-combo]

-He scratched the back of his head.-

He'll probably scold me for not checking in earlier.

-He sighed, stretched a little before he stood up, he noticed he left some quills on Lav's pillow.-

Ah shoot, sorry about that. Usually happens after a fight-

-He picked them up, getting them out of Lav's pillow.-

[purple-steven]

Eh, don't stress, it's no biggie. Although... Uh... You might want to tell him the truth. At least, with my experience with everyone else, it... Becomes a huge issue when you lie about it. You don't have to tell him now, but... Yknow.

He kinda looked away. He felt bad giving advice for whatever reason??? Gah, hates the way his brain works sometimes.

[rolling-combo]

Gotcha, thanks for the advice!

-He stretched a little bit more, moving his arms and legs. The lightheadedness he felt earlier was mostly gone.-

Yo, y'wanna go running?

[purple-steven]

Uh- yeah! Yeah, we can do, uh- I might be a bit... Slow though, heh.

He got up as well, opening his room door. He's probably gonna shapeshift to catch up. What's fast? Probably a cheetah or something. He'll figure it out. He hasn't shapeshifted for fun in a while, so it'll be nice to let loose.

[rolling-combo]

Don't worry bout that!

Unless ya wanna make it a race.

-That. was definitely an invitation to race. Up to you Lav.-

[purple-steven]

HAH! No way. That's- yeah, I'm asking to lose there, I'm gonna pass you on that one, bud.

He chuckled a little. There was NO WAY IN HELL he was going to race Sonic. At least, not today.

Ready to get goin'?

[rolling-combo]

You're missing out man.

-Sonic chuckled alongside him, making his way out of the library.-

Sure! Let's go.

-And with that, he took off, going at a slow pace, for him, that is. He was going fast, but Lav could definitely catch up if he shapeshifted.-

[rolling-combo]

Surge The Tenrec is brought in to the Clutter Dimension.

//oo this is going to be fun >:D

-The tenrec was running along a path of dirt along a forest, a circle of water along her waist, her sidekick, Kit, holding onto it. They were looking for shelter around the place.-

-None of them noticed when they were teleported, placed at the forest near Beach city. Eventually they found the aforementioned place, stopping abruptly.-

What the-

Ey drippy, this wasn't here before! Where are we?!

-Kitsunami lowered himself to the ground, water going back to his backpack, confused as well.-

We're in the middle of the continent, there isn't supposed to be a beach here.

Something's up here then. I'll ask for directions, you stay hidden.

-The fennec nodded, and Surge grinned, sharp teeth showing themselves. Might as well have some fun with the "gathering information" thing. They both got separated now, Surge just casually strolling until she spotted your muse. In a flash she pinned them against the wall and showed them her hand crackling with strands of glowing electricity.-

Hey there! How about you answer some questions for me?

//open rp! Uhhh I've been gone for a good while and idk who are still active- @purple-steven @corvid-steven @varian-the-unstable-alchemist @lilmetalsonic @anyone! sorry if i didn't tag someone i just genuinely dont remember-

[purple-steven]

Oh god-

This already felt problematic. He's weirded out by the fact he's suddenly pressed against the wall and-

Well. That hand is NOT going to do him any good. Electricity is not his strong suit.

Woah- hey, okay, calm it, put the- put the hand away, what's up? Who are you?

This is. Dangerous. He's got to be careful.

[rolling-combo]

Not your problem is it!? Shut up and answer! Where the fuck is this place!?

Answer me or you won't like what comes next!

-She pointed a finger at him, a little zap burning his nose a bit as she showed her teeth, intimidating him-

[purple-steven]

He flinched at the zap, feeling himself freak out the moment he felt it.

Okay- okay, just- just calm down. You're in the clutter dimension. You're new here, I'm assuming? Look, just- put the hand down, I'm not- not gonna do anything.

[rolling-combo]

The fuck is the Clutter Dimension?! You tryna be funny?! You piece of shit!

-Surge screamed at him, raising her fist in anger, about to beat him up. Before a strong gust of wind came across the alley, a familiar voice for Lav coming along.-

Hey bully! Haven't they told you to not pick on others! Also, go wash your mouth.

-Sonic joked around, crossing his arms. The lightning began acting up, the tenrec growling in anger as she looked down and then glared with all the anger she could muster at him.-

Let him go now, Surge. This is between us.

-His tone turned a bit serious, urgent to make her let go of Lav.-

Heh, what? You ready to put me down now!?

-She let go of Lav, more interested in.. well, beating the shit out of Sonic. Some electricity emanating from her might go to him, but it felt more like a light sting than anything. It's up to you if you're going to help Sonic or not, Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched with each sting, backing up slightly but going towards Sonic. Yeah, he's going to be helping out.

Oookay, so this is- this is a You Thing, I'm assuming? Can I have details??

[rolling-combo]

-Surge ignored Lav completely, launching herself at Sonic, charging towards him at full speed. He almost didn't manage to dodge it, but he did and appeared besides Lav in a flash, getting in a fighting stance as the tenrec crashed onto a random building.-

Uhhh, long story short. She was genetically modified and brainwashed to kill me. I need you to res- Whoa!

-He pushed Lav to the side. She'd thrown a literal wall at them.-

I need you to find a good moment to knock her out or restrain her quic-

-Surge now pounced him, Sonic stopping him with both his hands.-

What!? You think that weak human can pin me down?!

[purple-steven]

Oh SHI-

He just flicked his head, following the wall flying past them. What the fuCK??

Then the snide remark, which quite frankly peeved him off a bit. He pulled out his whip, cracking it for no reason other than dramatic effect, before wrapping it around Surge and attempting to pull her off.

Alright, let's NOT do that, yeah?

[rolling-combo]

-The tenrec actually went flying with that, actually being really light. She hit the ground hard, eyes widening as she was not expecting that at all, a small cloud of dust appearing with the ground cracking with the impact.-

-Sonic quickly incorporated himself, immediately turning to Lav at the sight of the whip, a worried tone in his exclamation.-

Lav! Let go of the-

-And a strong current of energy went through the whip, it would last a good 3 seconds before Sonic cut it off with a homing atack.-

[purple-steven]

He wasn't expecting her to fly off that easily, and the fact she did was sorta concerning to him, especially since he did NOT hold back at all. He looked incredibly worried, before feeling the shock course through him and an expression of pain and distress painted his face. He can't let go of the whip even if he wanted to, his hand clenching the whip tighter.

Oh goodness. He feels like he's seeing those trees again. He needs to stay focused. He can be distressed later. But it's notoriously difficult to concentrate at all when you're being shocked and all you can feel is pain and it doesn't stop and it's not stopping and its-

The relief he felt once it had seized was one he hadn't experienced in a while. He dropped to the floor for a moment, catching his breath, his hand finally letting go of the rope.

Ow.

[rolling-combo]

You alright!?

What! Little guy can't handle a little shock?! Aww, and I just thought things were getting interesting!

-As the cloud of dust dissipated, you could see Surge's fist emanating pure electricity. Sonic tried to stay and check if Lav was alright, but the tenrec charged at him will full speed.-

Alright then! Let's dance!

Sonic ran as as well, a blur of blue and green now going around the place, stopping when Surge managed to punch Sonic, throwing him over to a wall and breaking it on impact.-

Gah!-

-Lav could hear someone walking near him, a blue kit staring him down, tentacles of water emerging from what seemed to be a backpack.-

[purple-steven]

This is. Not looking good for him.

Don't worry about me! Just- be careful!

And he felt the ominous loom of the kit by him, turning around and looking back at him. That looks. Really cool, but right now, he's a bit scared for what's to come. He's bubbling himself already just in case, getting out a new whip, still trying to recover from the shock. More mentally than physically. Hhholy shit this is a lot that he wasn't expecting.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit stared at him for a moment, then looked at Sonic and Kit fighting, assessing the situation, then staring back at Lav. He'd seen his strength back when he threw Surge to the ground. The ends water tentacles turned sharp, repeatedly hitting the bubble now. Nice Lav, you've been deemed a threat.-

You're just a coward, aren't you.

-Meanwhile, the tenrec and the hedgehog were still actively fighting in the background. Sonic this time got the next hit, managing to kick Surge on the side, making her stumble back. He was about to charge a spindash when he saw Kit.-

Lav!

-He remembered their last encounter as clear as day, and he knew well enough what Kit could do when he's protecting Surge. He rushed to go towards Kit, and stop his attack, but he had to stop when Surge appeared in front of him.-

[purple-steven]

Oh goodness, they aren't going to make this easy at ALL are they.

I'm not a coward, I just- I don't want to hurt you!

He's trying to keep his bubble strong, but it's already forming cracks. Holding on to his whip slightly tighter. He doesn't want to fling people about, but it seems like he's running out of options here.

Can't we just- talk this out?

He's flicking his attention back and forth from Kit and to Surge and Sonic just in case they need help. Maybe he could try and intervene if he can slip by? But this may be a case of trusting Sonic to take care of Surge, leaving him to take care of Kit.

Well, regardless, he's trying to stay as aware as possible.

[rolling-combo]

Surge c'mon! Listen to me for a sec!

-Sonic now focused on dodging Surge, just wanted to make her reason. The tenrec kept attacking, eyes glowing as she focused her lightning on her fists and shoes.-

Why should I?! Are you going to start with the "You can be good" shit! Because I ain't buying it!

-Back to Lav, Kit didn't even answer him, all the water merging together and forming one big spike that crashed down on him.-

[purple-steven]

Glad to know that him and sonic were thinking similarly, at least... The spike crashing down on him popped the bubble, giving him time to dodge, albeit slightly weaker. He wrapped his whip around Kit, pulling him down to the ground.

[rolling-combo]

-A water tentacle slashed the whip, but the fennec still fell to the ground. A puddle of water formed around him and spikes of water formed, extending and aiming towards Lav.-

You won't hurt Surge.

-Talking about her, back to Sonic.-

-Sonic kept blocking Surge's punches as he tried to speak to her, eventually answering with a kick to make her stand back.-

Just listen! This isn't our dimension, you're free here!

-The tenrec stared at him. A sinister smile creeping up her face. This is not going the way Sonic wanted, immediately knowing what she was about to say.-

Free you say?

I'm pretty sure that whatever you're thinking right now is wrong. I won't let you cause mayhem.

But then that means...

-Surge's body was covered by electricity now, charging at Sonic once again.-

You don't have anyone to back you up! Do ya!?

-As they clashed, electricity quickly enveloped Sonic, making him scream in pain as his eyes widened.-

[purple-steven]

He quickly summoned 2 more whips to make up for the loss of the first, looking back to hear the sound of Sonic screaming, trying to wrap his whip around Sonic and pull him back towards him. He is paying no mind towards Kit at the moment, instead keeping the other whip spare for any retaliations that he might need to take.

Oh boy. This is going to be difficult to take care of. Maybe they should flee? But that doesn't seem wise either... They just need to try and keep Surge in one place, so maybe bubbling? But his bubbles are useless at times... It'll be fine. They'll figure something out. Just keep fighting somehow.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic stayed on the ground for a moment, a bit of smoke coming from his body. He groaned as he stood up, struggling to do so. Both Kit and Surge stood in front of them.-

Hey kid! Change of plans, we'll just kill off the blue rat. I used almost all my charge on him so he's pretty much dead, you can call dibs on the kill if you get the chance.

-Kit nodded, raising himself with the water and immediately aiming water spikes at Sonic.-

[purple-steven]

He wrapped one whip around Kit and another around Surge, pulling them back to the ground and towards him rather than near Sonic. He needs time to recover by the looks of it, and Lav is going to buy as much time as needed.

[rolling-combo]

I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!

-Kit let himself get pulled, choosing to free Surge. She charged right at Lav, jumping and raising a charged fist, aiming to knock him down on one hit. But before it landed, Sonic spindashed right onto her stomach, sending her flying onto a nearby building.-

SURGE!?

-Kit growled at Sonic, water tentacles shooting over to grab him midair and throw him to the ground with full force.-

Ghk!-

-Sonic landed on the concrete, and a very audible crack could be heard. Making him cough blood. He.. still stood up though, struggling to breathe a bit and putting a hand on his side. He looked at the blood.-

That can't be good.

-He averted his gaze towards Kit, the kid had run off to check on Surge. She seemed to be injured as well, blood dripping down from her forehead as she recovered. Sonic tried to take a deep breath, looking back at Lav with a smile, bright as always, even though he was struggling to stand.-

Yo, Lav. Cover me, 'kay?

-He just has his vibe within him y'know? To make you feel safe, that everything is going to be alright. Just trust him, he's a hero after all.-

[purple-steven]

He glanced at the blood, nervous for Sonic and honestly a bit shaken, considering he had braced himself for a blow that never came to him.

Yeah, alright. Don't do anythin' stupid...

He nodded though, he's ready to cover as best he can, both whips out and ready to strike. He's also preparing himself to bubble something or someone if necessary, although it's hard to tell what's coming next. Out of all the times Lav fails to have fountain water on him... He needs to keep it in his gem more often. You'd think by now he's learnt his lesson, but... He always forgets in the end.

He's going to attack whoever Sonic doesn't go for first. He's just keeping an eye out, focussing on who to target.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, coughing again, his glove staining with a little more blood. Definitely a punctured lung. Don't have time to deal with that right now. He grinned.-

You need to have more faith in me man!

-Sonic assessed the situation, kit was unharmed and Surge was healing from her injury already. Man, this is going to be tough. He was just standing there, before he disappeared from Lav's sight.-

-The other two seemed confused as well, looking around. In a blink of an eyes, the hedgehog appeared over to kick Surge on the back of her head, aiming for her injury. She went face down on the ground, growling as she lunged over to try and tackle Sonic.-

Going for a sucker punch, hero?!

-Sonic dodged, being wary of the water puddle forming nearby, feeling Kit's glare.-

Can't keep up?

-He's a little fed up at this point.-

[purple-steven]

There's a right answer here. He needs to make a decision now on who and what to tackle. Would he rather face suffocating blue, or sparks of pain? Which one is the right answer? Which one is going to help? Which one can he handle more and which one is the right answer?

He'd take them both on, but Sonic is stupidly determined to protect him. He admires the courage, but it's hard when they're both wanting to tank hits for each other.

Surge... Even if it means taking electricity, it's clear that she's the bigger threat and that she appears to be the one who's harder to escape from. The electricity makes you seize in place. That's what hinders them both from doing ANYTHING at all.

Kit. The water is an issue. The fact they're near a beach isn't helping either. Neither of them can swim, but that's not an issue considering they don't need that skill at the moment. Drowning is an obvious risk, but the easy way out is to just sever the water with his whip or thwack Kit out of the way. If that's the case, he can take a second whip out to get rid of him easily.

Surge is better to take hits from. He has the durability as a bigger person in general, and even if the electricity brings back memories, memories aren't going to hurt anyone.

That must be the right decision. Right?

No time for more thinking. You already wasted enough with these few seconds, now you just need to fight. Diving head first into these sorts of things never backfire, right?

He rushed in, wrapping his whip tightly around Surge, each gem divot pushing against the skin enough to hurt, but not enough to pierce it. This trick is getting old, but there's not much he can do other than this. Unless he starts giving her ACTUAL whip lashes, but that feels too harsh. He's tempted to try and throw her far away from here, but that'll become an issue in the future. Might as well deal with it here and now.

Doesn't matter if he dies. Doesn't really bother him much in the long run, does it?

Enough is enough. He's getting tired of this as well. He's desummoned one whip, instead bubbling his fist. He pulls Surge towards him, ready to punch her with his bubbled fist. He's aware the pressure and force may make it burst, but power is needed more at the moment. Plus, he can take a hit like that.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge allowed herself to be pulled, tanking the punch. Definitely didn't expect it the amount of raw strength coming from it though. She then electrified the whip, same as last time.-

You don't learn, do ya.

-Meanwhile, Sonic was fighting Kit, dodging water whips and trying to make him use his water supply as much as he could. Didn't want to hirt the kid, but he was already seeing it hard to win this without doing so.-

-He charged a spindash, going through one of the water whips and bouncing off a street lamp to hit Kit right on his water backpack, the water whips faltering as Sonic barely dodged one coming at him.-

-He was keeping an eye on Lav and Surge, would definitely barge in if things go south.-

[purple-steven]

The bubble burst with the collision, and he seized, unable to think of any sort of witty comeback. Each muscle in his body felt far too tense, but he didn't let go of the whip. Take the hit. You can handle the hit. You can handle this.

His eyes welled up with tears whilst remaining quiet, solely concentrated on trying to stray his focus elsewhere.

Stop thinking about how much it hurts. Think about what to do next. Think about Sonic. Think about what to do next think about your next move think about-

It hurts so much. He's scared. It hurts so much and he's scared, and he isn't sure when it's going to end, and he isn't sure when he'll be able to completely focus again.

The whip instead is desummoned, somewhat unwillingly, freeing Surge to move around a bit more. He bubbled his fists once more, breathing heavily after the current had been broken. He's still out of focus. Out of practice. He'll fight fist to fist if he has to. Shapeshifting is still a skill he possessed, maybe just having a physically Massive Fist might pummel them.

[rolling-combo]

-The tenred stood up, brushing some dust off as her wounds healed. She grinned at the sight of Lav's bubbled fists, squaring up as well.-

Wanna dance, you puny little human? Come at me!

-She taunted, signaling him to come closer with one of her hands, her sharp teeth forming a haunting smile towards him. She wouldn't show mercy at all.-

-Back to Sonic, he was still fighting the water whips, dodging and waiting for another opening. He kicked some of the whips away, sometimes glancing towards Lav. He trusted him, but was starting to get worried. Would have to finish things quickly with Kit.-

[purple-steven]

He ran towards her, preparing to punch her straight in the face if he can, getting ready to shapeshift smaller if he has to dodge quickly. It's going to take some concentration. He's keeping his eyes on Surge's movements, but only Surge.

Get ready. You need to be fast. Land a punch and shapeshift. Not that difficult.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge dodged by ducking down, aiming to land an uppercut and then kicking Lav on the side. She's saving the electricity she has left to finish off Sonic.-

Too slow!

-The hedgehog jumped and landed a homing attack on Kit, making him hit the ground on his back, his backpack taking most of the impact. Something could be heard cracking inside of it, and the fennec's eyes widened.-

Gotcha.

-Kit glared at Sonic, a water blade forming and going towards him, but deforming and disintegrating before even making contact.-

[purple-steven]

Lav staggered, but he didn't back down.

Alright, speed isn't his forte. Let's use something you're good at then.

He raised his hand above his shoulder as if he was going to throw something, before shapeshifting it into a giant fist, almost half his size. He flung his arm in time so that he wouldn't have to worry about lifting it, allowing gravity to do the work, hopefully crushing Surge.

He didn't really want to kill her, but... It'll hurt her enough, surely, if it hits. If it seems fatal, he can take them to the fountain. It should be fine... Yeah, it should be fine.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge stared at the shapeshifting, her reflexes barely managing to get her out of his range. She immediately went to kick him behind the knees, trying to make him fall over and then kick his stomach.-

-On the other side, Kit was trying to punch Sonic, but he was just dodging every hit Kit threw at him. The fennec had a plan in mind, a single line of water slowly making it's way towards Lav. The backpack had enough pressure for one more attack. Sonic was about to knock out Kit, dashing behind him to hit him on the back of his head.-

-But then he saw the fennec's eyes glowing and looking at Lav. A water blade going for his abdomen, it was meant to pierce him all the way, but it stopped before it could do any fatal damage.-

LAV?!

-But Sonic didn't know that, immediately rushing over to Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He groaned in pain, his fist keeping him stuck to the ground before he shapeshifted it away. He heard the yell out, confused, before he saw the water blade.

He put up a bubble, although it seemed weak already and likely wouldn't stop anything that sharp from piercing it through, but it was a last attempt at protecting himself, attempting to roll to the side but...

...Well, speed isn't his forte.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran over towards Lav, but Surge intercepted him. She punched Sonic right on the face, making him fly over to the nearest building.-

Weren't quick enough to save him, were ya.

-She turned over to look at Kit.-

Hey drippy!? Ya good?!

-Kit didn't answer, focused on fixing his backpack. Tinkering away with it, a couple of sparks coming from it. Surge sighed, looking over at Lav, grabbing him by the hair.-

You're weak, but at least you make good bait.

-She whispered to him, before dropping him and looking over where Sonic crashed, just aiming to make him hurt even more. The hedgehog was standing up again, his last injuries coming back to him. He groaned, looking over at Surge grabbing Lav by the hair and hissing.-

[purple-steven]

He was flung towards Sonic, landing roughly and unpleasantly next to him, the harsh pebbles and small stones hidden within the dirt scratching his face. He teared up in pain, not even properly processing the stab wound yet, until he felt something wet on his hand.

His body instinctively already tried to cover the wound, and suddenly, the sting of being stabbed finally stepped in, and he curled in on himself, hissing in pain. He would've tried to scramble up, but from where the wound is, any sort of movement would hurt if he tried to get up.

It felt... Wetter than usual, thanks to the water, but it hurts badly.

He's not sure he can fight through this. He can try, but... It's not looking good for him.

Ugh... It... Keeps hurting more and now he's bleeding more, curling in on himself with tears slowly tracing his face.

He's more than bait. He's stronger than that. He's worth more than that. He's a useful person, he can be useful, he can be worth more than just a distraction. Than just bait.

He isn't weak.

He... He isn't weak.

Right...?

He hissed as well, albeit in pain, breathing heavily.

Shit...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran towards Surge, before a water tentacle grabbed his ankle and launched him up, he managed to block Surge's kick coming at him. He charged a homing attack to hit Surge in the air, but Kit immediately made the hedgehog hit a large mass of water.-

-He was trapped inside it, tried to swim upwards, panicked. But Surge put a hand on the water, using all she had left on her charge to electrify the water. It flashed white, making Sonic scream in the water as his muscles tensed.-

-As soon as it ended, Sonic was dropped onto the ground. He coughed water, he was struggling to breathe earlier and this definitely didn't help his case. His vision was blurry and everything hurt now. But he stood up again.-

That- That's all y-ya ha-

-And then a punch landed right on his stomach, knocking the air out of him. He put his hands on Surge's arm, seemingly supporting himself from the impact, before he grabbed her and slammed her onto the ground.-

-They should've known he wouldn't go down without a fight.-

[purple-steven]

Why is he still fighting? Shouldn't they-

No, he's right, he's... He should keep fighting as well.

You aren't bait. You're more than that.

You aren't useless.

He kept attempting to stagger up, until eventually he got his balance back, stumbling up to his feet. What can he do, what can he do...

Sonic obviously doesn't want to retreat, but if it continues, that might be the only option they have left. He summoned his whip. He'll just... Distract them.

...just... Be bait.

He flung his whip out around Kit, Surge being out of the question considering the electricity issue, wrapping it around before pulling him towards Lav.

...okay, so the backpack is the source. Break the source again. Obliterate it if you have to. You can do that, even in this state, right?

He seethed, closing his eyes and wincing, but it doesn't matter. Sonic needs back up.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit looked back at Lav the moment Sonic smashed Surge on the ground, Water tentacles emerging and shielding him from his whip. Surge, on the other side, growled and hissed at the hedgehog before she tackled him, punching him on the face over and over before he managed to kick her off. He was glad he was facing away from Lav.-

-He stumbled up, and then disappeared, kicking Surge on the stomach, returning the hit from earlier. He almost fell over when he landed on the ground, clearly at his limit.-

[purple-steven]

Shit no... Sonic can't do this any longer.

He wrapped his whip around Sonic, planning to pull him towards himself. They need to get out of here. But he'll loosen it if Sonic struggles against it. He doesn't want to yell it out loud; if they do have to escape, announcing it seemed idiotic.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was still keeping an eye on Lav and, alas, he didn't even allow that whip to go halfway through. A water whip slashing Lav's whip in half. He will support Surge in whatever she wants, and if she wants to fight Sonic one on one, so be it.-

-With that said, Surge was actually really worn out right now. Sonic wasn't pulling any punches now and she could obviously feel that on the kick she just received. She was near her limit, panting.-

-With that said, Sonic was way past his at this point, carrying on by sheer willpower. He still managed to get into a fighting position, and charged at her.-

-Surge attempted to sweep Sonic's legs, but he dashed behind her. Hitting her on the back of her head and then conjoining his two hands and striking down on her back, full force, making a small crater on the ground. Left her unconscious.-

-And then a water spike stabbed him from behind.-

[purple-steven]

His eyes widened, looking for Kit, running towards him with his hand glowing, morphing to be massive again. He looked mad. He swung his arm, sending his hand to swat Kit away, potentially sending him flying, this time with a fairly quick speed. He needs to wait for the water to dissipate. He's going to have to get them to the fountain, even if he's strength is slowly fading.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was keeping himself above the ground with his water tentacles, eyes widening when she saw the massive hand. The water tentacles divided into a massive amount of water spikes, all piercing Lav's hand, leaving just a single water tentacle keeping him above.-

-Sonic kicked Kit on the side of the head, knocked out Kit with the impact. With that the water dissipated, and a couple portals appeared beneath them, taking them away.-

-The hedgehog landed, stumbling and then looking at Lav.-

They're g-gone?.. Good...

[purple-steven]

He was breathing heavily, hand glowing to shift back to normal, the gaping piercings becoming far more apparent. He looked down at his wounds, his hands shaking as well as the stab wound becoming slightly worse and still flowing. Little streams of blood started to fall from the holes in his hand.

We n... We need to go....

He breathed out, hissing in pain, still stumbling and bending over slightly.

...the bending over was likely not helping whatsoever, in fact it likely made it worse, but he didn't have the strength to keep himself upright.

[rolling-combo]

You go, I'm not going to make it.

-Sonic leaned against a wall, and let himself fall down, a trail of blood smearing across the wall. He sighed.-

-He chuckled, holding his side as he winced in pain. The adrenaline was already wearing down, the pain of his injuries making itself more and more intense.-

Man, that sure was a fight.

-He was smiling, definitely afraid of dying.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no. N-no, we're not doing that.

He practically grabbed Sonic, picking him up, hoisting him over his shoulder in the fireman hold. He silently winced, but began quickly walking towards any portal which would be nearby.

Not letting you die on me, mate...

[rolling-combo]

L-Lav, no.

-He coughed, now struggling to breathe even more than before, you could hear how some of the air wasn't reaching his lungs.-

J-just leave m-me. I'll feel worse if y-ya bleed out trying to h-help me.

-He tried to pull away from him, falling onto the ground and grunting, hissing from the pain.-

G-go without me, I'll be fine.

-He could already feel he was going to die soon. No deal in making his corpse wait a little bit more to be healed.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no, let me help you, what're you doing? I can- I can save you, let me help, for fucks sake...

He went to try and pick him up again. He's not going without him. The fountain will save him, and he KNOWS it would. Why fight it when he can just- survive?

It'll save you, Sonic, you're not gonna die if I take you and it'll heal you, why the hell are you fighting that?

[rolling-combo]

-He immediately spiked up, all his quills going up, not letting him touch him. He tried to get in a more comfortable position.-

I-If you take me you'll d-die.

Y-your wounds are g-getting worse.

I d-don't want you to die, you're m-my friend.

-He smiled at him, he already feels lighteaded, cold. Definitely wouldn't make it even if Lav ran towards the fountain right now.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched, flapping his hand wildly, hissing in pain and immediately regretting his sudden movement, groaning slightly.

Argh, fUck-

He looked at Sonic, mildly angry, but mainly just... Frustrated. He could've saved him if he wasn't so stubborn about it. He could've done something.

...sonic, you're an absolute twat, you know that?

He sighed, holding his own hand to soothe it.

...I'll wait until you go. I can hold... I can hold out, but... But god, you're an idiot. I've died before... I can handle it. Why did you take so many hits...? You didn't... You shouldn't've, you idiot.

[rolling-combo]

-He laughed again, coughing more blood out, struggling to stay awake, but he persevered.-

D-didn't know how m-much time they would be stayin'

Y-you saw what they c-could do didn't cha'-

-His blinking was getting slower, each time getting harder and harder to keep himself up. He did manage to look at Lav though, still smiling, as always.-

T-thanks for helping me out man, probably wouldn't have been able t-to get them both alone.

-He was 100% sincere here, probably wouldn't have been able to fight both of them at the same time.-

D-don't let Tails know bout this 'kay?

-And he closed his eyes, of course those would be his last words.-

[purple-steven]

He sighed, nodding.

Yeah, alright.

He bubbled Sonic's body, sending him to his room in the library. It's locked, so it's not like anyone's just gonna wander in. He'll go and grab some healing water to help as well.

But now... He's gotta make the journey without dying, so that's going to be eventful. He probably won't either, but it hurts badly.

Right, let's assess this. We've got a pretty deep stab wound that's gone all the way through his abdomen. That's the main point of concern. Several holes in his hands from multiple piercings of water spikes. Also can't be good. Multiple electricity burns but that's nothing he's not used to. And probably a bunch of bruises that he can't exactly identify right now.

He continued his journey to the fountain, warping himself away, feeling slightly faint. Yeah, he's definitely gonna make it.

He took all the flasks out of his gem, refilling them as well as chugging one down to get rid of anything internal that might be going on. The rest he sorta sprinkled on. He didn't want to deal with any submerging shit right now, especially with the state he's in.

...Sonic died. He couldn't help. It's fully sinking in.

God, is he really only good for bait? Good for distractions? Sonic said he'd helped, but then again, Sonic would say anything to make anyone feel better. He was worried the entire time. Was Lav really incapable of standing his ground that whole time?

Okay, stop that, that's unreasonable thinking. Surely.

Right. Yeah. 'course it is. You're strong. You're strong as hell. You aren't useless.

Are you sure? Because to me, it seemed like you were pretty incompetent. Seemed like you sorta just... Let it happen. You're not exactly the best person, are you? You could've easily just taken all the hits. But instead, you were too scared. Too scared of dying, no matter what you say, and too scared of getting hurt. You hate it. The sensation of it. Isn't that pathetic? That's what cost him his life. Your own fear, your own actions, everything. It was you.

...was he even entirely wrong this time?

He splashed his face with the fountain water, putting each flask except one in his gem. This one he'll use for Sonic. He wiped the water from his face, dragging his hand down his cheeks and sighing.

Is this Sonic's first death? Hopefully he doesn't take too long. He doesn't want to have to hide a body again. He's got too many memories of keeping stupid secrets like that from people.

He warped back home, starting to lead to his room, flask in hand, before unlocking his room door and entering.

...yep. Bloody bubble with a bloody sonic. What else would you expect? He took it over to the tub, bursting the bubble and letting any blood that pooled drain out. Lav let the fountain water clear up the major injuries, obviously unable to help with the internal ones, but Sonic'll cope. He should wake up soon.

...if he wakes up soon.

No, don't think like that. It was one time.

But you don't know that.

...give it a day. If it takes any longer, then you're allowed to panic. For now, you need to calm down. He put Sonic's (now less bloody) body in his bed, tucking him in. At least he won't feel sore, hopefully.

God, sonic, you're such an idiot. You've got someone who cares if you die. You should've just let him help. Lav could've saved you. He really could've saved you if you just let him help.

He brought his knees to his chest, trying his best not to tear up. He's going to come back. He has to.

...he just wish it was him instead. At least then, he wouldn't have to think about it being his first death or anything of the sort.

...now that he thinks about it, Sonic said he was a friend.

Heh. A friend. That's nice to know, at least.

...he's going to have to step up his game if this happens again.

Now it's just a case of waiting. And he'll be right beside him, as he always is. Got nothing else better to do anyways. Maybe he might tidy up in here as well. Seems like every time he does, it always goes back to a tip.

[rolling-combo]

-In the quiet embrace of mortality, Sonic felt the gentle pull of life's final curtain. A profound calm settled over him, like the hushed aftermath of a storm. The weight of the hios struggles, battles fought, and sacrifices made began to lift, replaced by an ethereal lightness.

-As the hedgehog embraced the inevitable, there was a sense of closure and completion. Every scar, both seen and unseen, whispered tales of resilience and valor. In these fleeting moments, the hero just stared at what was his entire existence, and the culmination of it. The darkness engulfed him, but there was an odd feeling on the back of his head, a nagging feeling that this wasn't over yet.-

-His voice whispered that it wasn't his time to sink down further down. The voice turned into a bittersweet melody, his beating heart leading the compass.-

-And then he gasped awake.-

[purple-steven]

Despite the rush of it all earlier, he would find himself in almost silence, shooting up in his bed with Lav still on the floor next to him. He has moved, but he always returned to this spot whenever he was doing nothing. And now he's napping. He does that a lot.

[rolling-combo]

-The hedgehog put a hand on his side, where the piercing wound had been, expecting his gloves to be crimson red. Instead, he just touched his fur, his gloves an inmaculate white.-

-He felt relieved, he had this sort of ethereal sense of clarity at the moment, his ears flickered at the sound of someone breathing, turning over to look at his friend on the ground.-

-A small smile appeared on his lips, the sight of Lav making him happy. He was just recalling everything that happened earlier, all the violence and pain. He tensed, before closing his eyes, expression softening, now wondering how much his revival took.-

-It didn't feel right to look at his friend resting on the ground, very slowly getting off the bed and carrying the human and getting him under the covers, before he got on it as well. They can both rest on the same bed, not that he's especially big or anything.-

-He still felt a little tired, but didn't feel the urge to sleep anymore, so he just sat up, closing his eyes and meditating.-

[purple-steven]

He stirred a little when he was picked up, before continuing his nap, waking up after a couple of minutes. He felt the covers on top of him, slowly blinking awake and looking around, grasping his surroundings.

He saw Sonic sitting up, and all of a sudden he felt a weight slowly melt off his chest.

Oh- oh thank god, you're awake...

[rolling-combo]

-Ears flickered off at the sound of Lav's voice. He smiled, opening his eyes to look at his friend. He was just.. emitting this calm aura. Death has seemed to bring some sort of enlightenment to the hedgehog.-

Why wouldn't I be?

...

Sorry for worrying you earlier.

-He recalled his friend's desperation earlier, and how he was pricked by this quills, felt like some apologies were in order. He just couldn't bear having his friend die trying to help him when he wa beyond saving.-

[purple-steven]

Nothing, no reason, don't worry about it. Just... Let me help you, next time. I know my limits.

...are you... Doing alright? You seem to be coping with this a whole lot better than I did. Especially since it's... Well, it's your first death, isn't it...?

[rolling-combo]

You were stabbed in the abdomen, you would've died if you carried me over to the fountain. And I would've died if you moved me anymore.

-He sighed, serious, he knows his limits as well, and by moving to kick Kit that last time he worsened the injury he had made to him. Had no chance of surviving that fight. His expression eased up after saying all that, no worth in stressing over something that already happened.-

And I'm fine! It was just... kind of ominous, heh-

[purple-steven]

Kind of... Ominous...?

I mean, that's one way to describe it, but it doesn't... Seem right at all from his perspective.

...huh. I think... I think we've had very different after-death-experiences then.

He sighed, still letting the relief that Sonic Actually Woke Up wash over him. It was stupid to be worried about in the first place: it's not something that happens often and the likelihood of it ever happening is low, but it did stress him out.

How're you feeling? Sore? Achy? Anything of the sort?

He's still fairly concerned... But if Sonic is completely fine, he should probably just take it as a win.

[rolling-combo]

-Well Lav, you both have very different perspectives regarding death.-

A bit lightheaded, but aside from that, I just picked you up so, I should be fine!

[purple-steven]

Huh... Well, that's good!! Means that it wasn't... Too rough.

He smiled, clearly more relaxed.

You should still probably take it easy... I don't think it's smart to overdo it now.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic hugged Lav, it was a very gentle embrace. He still sorta felt bad for worrying him earlier. Also..-

Thanks, for everything.

-He wanted to thank him. Releasing the hug after saying so, smiling wide.-

We should go with Tails though. He's probably worried, or not. Depends, uh- How long have I been gone?

[purple-steven]

He seemed oddly surprised, before hugging back.

Hey, no need to thank me bud... Besides, what're...

He kinda hesitated, but then smiled a little.

What're friends for?

He then scanned his room for the clock, quickly doing some maths.

It's been... Less than a day. At least 10 hours.

Huh. Didn't keep count this time. That's... Good. He felt oddly proud of himself for not obsessing over something like that.

But yeah, we should go get you to Tails. He'll probably be a bit worried...

[rolling-combo]

-He scratched the back of his head.-

He'll probably scold me for not checking in earlier.

-He sighed, stretched a little before he stood up, he noticed he left some quills on Lav's pillow.-

Ah shoot, sorry about that. Usually happens after a fight-

-He picked them up, getting them out of Lav's pillow.-

[purple-steven]

Eh, don't stress, it's no biggie. Although... Uh... You might want to tell him the truth. At least, with my experience with everyone else, it... Becomes a huge issue when you lie about it. You don't have to tell him now, but... Yknow.

He kinda looked away. He felt bad giving advice for whatever reason??? Gah, hates the way his brain works sometimes.

[rolling-combo]

Gotcha, thanks for the advice!

-He stretched a little bit more, moving his arms and legs. The lightheadedness he felt earlier was mostly gone.-

Yo, y'wanna go running?

[purple-steven]

Uh- yeah! Yeah, we can do, uh- I might be a bit... Slow though, heh.

He got up as well, opening his room door. He's probably gonna shapeshift to catch up. What's fast? Probably a cheetah or something. He'll figure it out. He hasn't shapeshifted for fun in a while, so it'll be nice to let loose.

[rolling-combo]

Don't worry bout that!

Unless ya wanna make it a race.

-That. was definitely an invitation to race. Up to you Lav.-

[rolling-combo]

Surge The Tenrec is brought in to the Clutter Dimension.

//oo this is going to be fun >:D

-The tenrec was running along a path of dirt along a forest, a circle of water along her waist, her sidekick, Kit, holding onto it. They were looking for shelter around the place.-

-None of them noticed when they were teleported, placed at the forest near Beach city. Eventually they found the aforementioned place, stopping abruptly.-

What the-

Ey drippy, this wasn't here before! Where are we?!

-Kitsunami lowered himself to the ground, water going back to his backpack, confused as well.-

We're in the middle of the continent, there isn't supposed to be a beach here.

Something's up here then. I'll ask for directions, you stay hidden.

-The fennec nodded, and Surge grinned, sharp teeth showing themselves. Might as well have some fun with the "gathering information" thing. They both got separated now, Surge just casually strolling until she spotted your muse. In a flash she pinned them against the wall and showed them her hand crackling with strands of glowing electricity.-

Hey there! How about you answer some questions for me?

//open rp! Uhhh I've been gone for a good while and idk who are still active- @purple-steven @corvid-steven @varian-the-unstable-alchemist @lilmetalsonic @anyone! sorry if i didn't tag someone i just genuinely dont remember-

[purple-steven]

Oh god-

This already felt problematic. He's weirded out by the fact he's suddenly pressed against the wall and-

Well. That hand is NOT going to do him any good. Electricity is not his strong suit.

Woah- hey, okay, calm it, put the- put the hand away, what's up? Who are you?

This is. Dangerous. He's got to be careful.

[rolling-combo]

Not your problem is it!? Shut up and answer! Where the fuck is this place!?

Answer me or you won't like what comes next!

-She pointed a finger at him, a little zap burning his nose a bit as she showed her teeth, intimidating him-

[purple-steven]

He flinched at the zap, feeling himself freak out the moment he felt it.

Okay- okay, just- just calm down. You're in the clutter dimension. You're new here, I'm assuming? Look, just- put the hand down, I'm not- not gonna do anything.

[rolling-combo]

The fuck is the Clutter Dimension?! You tryna be funny?! You piece of shit!

-Surge screamed at him, raising her fist in anger, about to beat him up. Before a strong gust of wind came across the alley, a familiar voice for Lav coming along.-

Hey bully! Haven't they told you to not pick on others! Also, go wash your mouth.

-Sonic joked around, crossing his arms. The lightning began acting up, the tenrec growling in anger as she looked down and then glared with all the anger she could muster at him.-

Let him go now, Surge. This is between us.

-His tone turned a bit serious, urgent to make her let go of Lav.-

Heh, what? You ready to put me down now!?

-She let go of Lav, more interested in.. well, beating the shit out of Sonic. Some electricity emanating from her might go to him, but it felt more like a light sting than anything. It's up to you if you're going to help Sonic or not, Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched with each sting, backing up slightly but going towards Sonic. Yeah, he's going to be helping out.

Oookay, so this is- this is a You Thing, I'm assuming? Can I have details??

[rolling-combo]

-Surge ignored Lav completely, launching herself at Sonic, charging towards him at full speed. He almost didn't manage to dodge it, but he did and appeared besides Lav in a flash, getting in a fighting stance as the tenrec crashed onto a random building.-

Uhhh, long story short. She was genetically modified and brainwashed to kill me. I need you to res- Whoa!

-He pushed Lav to the side. She'd thrown a literal wall at them.-

I need you to find a good moment to knock her out or restrain her quic-

-Surge now pounced him, Sonic stopping him with both his hands.-

What!? You think that weak human can pin me down?!

[purple-steven]

Oh SHI-

He just flicked his head, following the wall flying past them. What the fuCK??

Then the snide remark, which quite frankly peeved him off a bit. He pulled out his whip, cracking it for no reason other than dramatic effect, before wrapping it around Surge and attempting to pull her off.

Alright, let's NOT do that, yeah?

[rolling-combo]

-The tenrec actually went flying with that, actually being really light. She hit the ground hard, eyes widening as she was not expecting that at all, a small cloud of dust appearing with the ground cracking with the impact.-

-Sonic quickly incorporated himself, immediately turning to Lav at the sight of the whip, a worried tone in his exclamation.-

Lav! Let go of the-

-And a strong current of energy went through the whip, it would last a good 3 seconds before Sonic cut it off with a homing atack.-

[purple-steven]

He wasn't expecting her to fly off that easily, and the fact she did was sorta concerning to him, especially since he did NOT hold back at all. He looked incredibly worried, before feeling the shock course through him and an expression of pain and distress painted his face. He can't let go of the whip even if he wanted to, his hand clenching the whip tighter.

Oh goodness. He feels like he's seeing those trees again. He needs to stay focused. He can be distressed later. But it's notoriously difficult to concentrate at all when you're being shocked and all you can feel is pain and it doesn't stop and it's not stopping and its-

The relief he felt once it had seized was one he hadn't experienced in a while. He dropped to the floor for a moment, catching his breath, his hand finally letting go of the rope.

Ow.

[rolling-combo]

You alright!?

What! Little guy can't handle a little shock?! Aww, and I just thought things were getting interesting!

-As the cloud of dust dissipated, you could see Surge's fist emanating pure electricity. Sonic tried to stay and check if Lav was alright, but the tenrec charged at him will full speed.-

Alright then! Let's dance!

Sonic ran as as well, a blur of blue and green now going around the place, stopping when Surge managed to punch Sonic, throwing him over to a wall and breaking it on impact.-

Gah!-

-Lav could hear someone walking near him, a blue kit staring him down, tentacles of water emerging from what seemed to be a backpack.-

[purple-steven]

This is. Not looking good for him.

Don't worry about me! Just- be careful!

And he felt the ominous loom of the kit by him, turning around and looking back at him. That looks. Really cool, but right now, he's a bit scared for what's to come. He's bubbling himself already just in case, getting out a new whip, still trying to recover from the shock. More mentally than physically. Hhholy shit this is a lot that he wasn't expecting.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit stared at him for a moment, then looked at Sonic and Kit fighting, assessing the situation, then staring back at Lav. He'd seen his strength back when he threw Surge to the ground. The ends water tentacles turned sharp, repeatedly hitting the bubble now. Nice Lav, you've been deemed a threat.-

You're just a coward, aren't you.

-Meanwhile, the tenrec and the hedgehog were still actively fighting in the background. Sonic this time got the next hit, managing to kick Surge on the side, making her stumble back. He was about to charge a spindash when he saw Kit.-

Lav!

-He remembered their last encounter as clear as day, and he knew well enough what Kit could do when he's protecting Surge. He rushed to go towards Kit, and stop his attack, but he had to stop when Surge appeared in front of him.-

[purple-steven]

Oh goodness, they aren't going to make this easy at ALL are they.

I'm not a coward, I just- I don't want to hurt you!

He's trying to keep his bubble strong, but it's already forming cracks. Holding on to his whip slightly tighter. He doesn't want to fling people about, but it seems like he's running out of options here.

Can't we just- talk this out?

He's flicking his attention back and forth from Kit and to Surge and Sonic just in case they need help. Maybe he could try and intervene if he can slip by? But this may be a case of trusting Sonic to take care of Surge, leaving him to take care of Kit.

Well, regardless, he's trying to stay as aware as possible.

[rolling-combo]

Surge c'mon! Listen to me for a sec!

-Sonic now focused on dodging Surge, just wanted to make her reason. The tenrec kept attacking, eyes glowing as she focused her lightning on her fists and shoes.-

Why should I?! Are you going to start with the "You can be good" shit! Because I ain't buying it!

-Back to Lav, Kit didn't even answer him, all the water merging together and forming one big spike that crashed down on him.-

[purple-steven]

Glad to know that him and sonic were thinking similarly, at least... The spike crashing down on him popped the bubble, giving him time to dodge, albeit slightly weaker. He wrapped his whip around Kit, pulling him down to the ground.

[rolling-combo]

-A water tentacle slashed the whip, but the fennec still fell to the ground. A puddle of water formed around him and spikes of water formed, extending and aiming towards Lav.-

You won't hurt Surge.

-Talking about her, back to Sonic.-

-Sonic kept blocking Surge's punches as he tried to speak to her, eventually answering with a kick to make her stand back.-

Just listen! This isn't our dimension, you're free here!

-The tenrec stared at him. A sinister smile creeping up her face. This is not going the way Sonic wanted, immediately knowing what she was about to say.-

Free you say?

I'm pretty sure that whatever you're thinking right now is wrong. I won't let you cause mayhem.

But then that means...

-Surge's body was covered by electricity now, charging at Sonic once again.-

You don't have anyone to back you up! Do ya!?

-As they clashed, electricity quickly enveloped Sonic, making him scream in pain as his eyes widened.-

[purple-steven]

He quickly summoned 2 more whips to make up for the loss of the first, looking back to hear the sound of Sonic screaming, trying to wrap his whip around Sonic and pull him back towards him. He is paying no mind towards Kit at the moment, instead keeping the other whip spare for any retaliations that he might need to take.

Oh boy. This is going to be difficult to take care of. Maybe they should flee? But that doesn't seem wise either... They just need to try and keep Surge in one place, so maybe bubbling? But his bubbles are useless at times... It'll be fine. They'll figure something out. Just keep fighting somehow.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic stayed on the ground for a moment, a bit of smoke coming from his body. He groaned as he stood up, struggling to do so. Both Kit and Surge stood in front of them.-

Hey kid! Change of plans, we'll just kill off the blue rat. I used almost all my charge on him so he's pretty much dead, you can call dibs on the kill if you get the chance.

-Kit nodded, raising himself with the water and immediately aiming water spikes at Sonic.-

[purple-steven]

He wrapped one whip around Kit and another around Surge, pulling them back to the ground and towards him rather than near Sonic. He needs time to recover by the looks of it, and Lav is going to buy as much time as needed.

[rolling-combo]

I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!

-Kit let himself get pulled, choosing to free Surge. She charged right at Lav, jumping and raising a charged fist, aiming to knock him down on one hit. But before it landed, Sonic spindashed right onto her stomach, sending her flying onto a nearby building.-

SURGE!?

-Kit growled at Sonic, water tentacles shooting over to grab him midair and throw him to the ground with full force.-

Ghk!-

-Sonic landed on the concrete, and a very audible crack could be heard. Making him cough blood. He.. still stood up though, struggling to breathe a bit and putting a hand on his side. He looked at the blood.-

That can't be good.

-He averted his gaze towards Kit, the kid had run off to check on Surge. She seemed to be injured as well, blood dripping down from her forehead as she recovered. Sonic tried to take a deep breath, looking back at Lav with a smile, bright as always, even though he was struggling to stand.-

Yo, Lav. Cover me, 'kay?

-He just has his vibe within him y'know? To make you feel safe, that everything is going to be alright. Just trust him, he's a hero after all.-

[purple-steven]

He glanced at the blood, nervous for Sonic and honestly a bit shaken, considering he had braced himself for a blow that never came to him.

Yeah, alright. Don't do anythin' stupid...

He nodded though, he's ready to cover as best he can, both whips out and ready to strike. He's also preparing himself to bubble something or someone if necessary, although it's hard to tell what's coming next. Out of all the times Lav fails to have fountain water on him... He needs to keep it in his gem more often. You'd think by now he's learnt his lesson, but... He always forgets in the end.

He's going to attack whoever Sonic doesn't go for first. He's just keeping an eye out, focussing on who to target.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, coughing again, his glove staining with a little more blood. Definitely a punctured lung. Don't have time to deal with that right now. He grinned.-

You need to have more faith in me man!

-Sonic assessed the situation, kit was unharmed and Surge was healing from her injury already. Man, this is going to be tough. He was just standing there, before he disappeared from Lav's sight.-

-The other two seemed confused as well, looking around. In a blink of an eyes, the hedgehog appeared over to kick Surge on the back of her head, aiming for her injury. She went face down on the ground, growling as she lunged over to try and tackle Sonic.-

Going for a sucker punch, hero?!

-Sonic dodged, being wary of the water puddle forming nearby, feeling Kit's glare.-

Can't keep up?

-He's a little fed up at this point.-

[purple-steven]

There's a right answer here. He needs to make a decision now on who and what to tackle. Would he rather face suffocating blue, or sparks of pain? Which one is the right answer? Which one is going to help? Which one can he handle more and which one is the right answer?

He'd take them both on, but Sonic is stupidly determined to protect him. He admires the courage, but it's hard when they're both wanting to tank hits for each other.

Surge... Even if it means taking electricity, it's clear that she's the bigger threat and that she appears to be the one who's harder to escape from. The electricity makes you seize in place. That's what hinders them both from doing ANYTHING at all.

Kit. The water is an issue. The fact they're near a beach isn't helping either. Neither of them can swim, but that's not an issue considering they don't need that skill at the moment. Drowning is an obvious risk, but the easy way out is to just sever the water with his whip or thwack Kit out of the way. If that's the case, he can take a second whip out to get rid of him easily.

Surge is better to take hits from. He has the durability as a bigger person in general, and even if the electricity brings back memories, memories aren't going to hurt anyone.

That must be the right decision. Right?

No time for more thinking. You already wasted enough with these few seconds, now you just need to fight. Diving head first into these sorts of things never backfire, right?

He rushed in, wrapping his whip tightly around Surge, each gem divot pushing against the skin enough to hurt, but not enough to pierce it. This trick is getting old, but there's not much he can do other than this. Unless he starts giving her ACTUAL whip lashes, but that feels too harsh. He's tempted to try and throw her far away from here, but that'll become an issue in the future. Might as well deal with it here and now.

Doesn't matter if he dies. Doesn't really bother him much in the long run, does it?

Enough is enough. He's getting tired of this as well. He's desummoned one whip, instead bubbling his fist. He pulls Surge towards him, ready to punch her with his bubbled fist. He's aware the pressure and force may make it burst, but power is needed more at the moment. Plus, he can take a hit like that.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge allowed herself to be pulled, tanking the punch. Definitely didn't expect it the amount of raw strength coming from it though. She then electrified the whip, same as last time.-

You don't learn, do ya.

-Meanwhile, Sonic was fighting Kit, dodging water whips and trying to make him use his water supply as much as he could. Didn't want to hirt the kid, but he was already seeing it hard to win this without doing so.-

-He charged a spindash, going through one of the water whips and bouncing off a street lamp to hit Kit right on his water backpack, the water whips faltering as Sonic barely dodged one coming at him.-

-He was keeping an eye on Lav and Surge, would definitely barge in if things go south.-

[purple-steven]

The bubble burst with the collision, and he seized, unable to think of any sort of witty comeback. Each muscle in his body felt far too tense, but he didn't let go of the whip. Take the hit. You can handle the hit. You can handle this.

His eyes welled up with tears whilst remaining quiet, solely concentrated on trying to stray his focus elsewhere.

Stop thinking about how much it hurts. Think about what to do next. Think about Sonic. Think about what to do next think about your next move think about-

It hurts so much. He's scared. It hurts so much and he's scared, and he isn't sure when it's going to end, and he isn't sure when he'll be able to completely focus again.

The whip instead is desummoned, somewhat unwillingly, freeing Surge to move around a bit more. He bubbled his fists once more, breathing heavily after the current had been broken. He's still out of focus. Out of practice. He'll fight fist to fist if he has to. Shapeshifting is still a skill he possessed, maybe just having a physically Massive Fist might pummel them.

[rolling-combo]

-The tenred stood up, brushing some dust off as her wounds healed. She grinned at the sight of Lav's bubbled fists, squaring up as well.-

Wanna dance, you puny little human? Come at me!

-She taunted, signaling him to come closer with one of her hands, her sharp teeth forming a haunting smile towards him. She wouldn't show mercy at all.-

-Back to Sonic, he was still fighting the water whips, dodging and waiting for another opening. He kicked some of the whips away, sometimes glancing towards Lav. He trusted him, but was starting to get worried. Would have to finish things quickly with Kit.-

[purple-steven]

He ran towards her, preparing to punch her straight in the face if he can, getting ready to shapeshift smaller if he has to dodge quickly. It's going to take some concentration. He's keeping his eyes on Surge's movements, but only Surge.

Get ready. You need to be fast. Land a punch and shapeshift. Not that difficult.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge dodged by ducking down, aiming to land an uppercut and then kicking Lav on the side. She's saving the electricity she has left to finish off Sonic.-

Too slow!

-The hedgehog jumped and landed a homing attack on Kit, making him hit the ground on his back, his backpack taking most of the impact. Something could be heard cracking inside of it, and the fennec's eyes widened.-

Gotcha.

-Kit glared at Sonic, a water blade forming and going towards him, but deforming and disintegrating before even making contact.-

[purple-steven]

Lav staggered, but he didn't back down.

Alright, speed isn't his forte. Let's use something you're good at then.

He raised his hand above his shoulder as if he was going to throw something, before shapeshifting it into a giant fist, almost half his size. He flung his arm in time so that he wouldn't have to worry about lifting it, allowing gravity to do the work, hopefully crushing Surge.

He didn't really want to kill her, but... It'll hurt her enough, surely, if it hits. If it seems fatal, he can take them to the fountain. It should be fine... Yeah, it should be fine.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge stared at the shapeshifting, her reflexes barely managing to get her out of his range. She immediately went to kick him behind the knees, trying to make him fall over and then kick his stomach.-

-On the other side, Kit was trying to punch Sonic, but he was just dodging every hit Kit threw at him. The fennec had a plan in mind, a single line of water slowly making it's way towards Lav. The backpack had enough pressure for one more attack. Sonic was about to knock out Kit, dashing behind him to hit him on the back of his head.-

-But then he saw the fennec's eyes glowing and looking at Lav. A water blade going for his abdomen, it was meant to pierce him all the way, but it stopped before it could do any fatal damage.-

LAV?!

-But Sonic didn't know that, immediately rushing over to Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He groaned in pain, his fist keeping him stuck to the ground before he shapeshifted it away. He heard the yell out, confused, before he saw the water blade.

He put up a bubble, although it seemed weak already and likely wouldn't stop anything that sharp from piercing it through, but it was a last attempt at protecting himself, attempting to roll to the side but...

...Well, speed isn't his forte.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran over towards Lav, but Surge intercepted him. She punched Sonic right on the face, making him fly over to the nearest building.-

Weren't quick enough to save him, were ya.

-She turned over to look at Kit.-

Hey drippy!? Ya good?!

-Kit didn't answer, focused on fixing his backpack. Tinkering away with it, a couple of sparks coming from it. Surge sighed, looking over at Lav, grabbing him by the hair.-

You're weak, but at least you make good bait.

-She whispered to him, before dropping him and looking over where Sonic crashed, just aiming to make him hurt even more. The hedgehog was standing up again, his last injuries coming back to him. He groaned, looking over at Surge grabbing Lav by the hair and hissing.-

[purple-steven]

He was flung towards Sonic, landing roughly and unpleasantly next to him, the harsh pebbles and small stones hidden within the dirt scratching his face. He teared up in pain, not even properly processing the stab wound yet, until he felt something wet on his hand.

His body instinctively already tried to cover the wound, and suddenly, the sting of being stabbed finally stepped in, and he curled in on himself, hissing in pain. He would've tried to scramble up, but from where the wound is, any sort of movement would hurt if he tried to get up.

It felt... Wetter than usual, thanks to the water, but it hurts badly.

He's not sure he can fight through this. He can try, but... It's not looking good for him.

Ugh... It... Keeps hurting more and now he's bleeding more, curling in on himself with tears slowly tracing his face.

He's more than bait. He's stronger than that. He's worth more than that. He's a useful person, he can be useful, he can be worth more than just a distraction. Than just bait.

He isn't weak.

He... He isn't weak.

Right...?

He hissed as well, albeit in pain, breathing heavily.

Shit...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran towards Surge, before a water tentacle grabbed his ankle and launched him up, he managed to block Surge's kick coming at him. He charged a homing attack to hit Surge in the air, but Kit immediately made the hedgehog hit a large mass of water.-

-He was trapped inside it, tried to swim upwards, panicked. But Surge put a hand on the water, using all she had left on her charge to electrify the water. It flashed white, making Sonic scream in the water as his muscles tensed.-

-As soon as it ended, Sonic was dropped onto the ground. He coughed water, he was struggling to breathe earlier and this definitely didn't help his case. His vision was blurry and everything hurt now. But he stood up again.-

That- That's all y-ya ha-

-And then a punch landed right on his stomach, knocking the air out of him. He put his hands on Surge's arm, seemingly supporting himself from the impact, before he grabbed her and slammed her onto the ground.-

-They should've known he wouldn't go down without a fight.-

[purple-steven]

Why is he still fighting? Shouldn't they-

No, he's right, he's... He should keep fighting as well.

You aren't bait. You're more than that.

You aren't useless.

He kept attempting to stagger up, until eventually he got his balance back, stumbling up to his feet. What can he do, what can he do...

Sonic obviously doesn't want to retreat, but if it continues, that might be the only option they have left. He summoned his whip. He'll just... Distract them.

...just... Be bait.

He flung his whip out around Kit, Surge being out of the question considering the electricity issue, wrapping it around before pulling him towards Lav.

...okay, so the backpack is the source. Break the source again. Obliterate it if you have to. You can do that, even in this state, right?

He seethed, closing his eyes and wincing, but it doesn't matter. Sonic needs back up.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit looked back at Lav the moment Sonic smashed Surge on the ground, Water tentacles emerging and shielding him from his whip. Surge, on the other side, growled and hissed at the hedgehog before she tackled him, punching him on the face over and over before he managed to kick her off. He was glad he was facing away from Lav.-

-He stumbled up, and then disappeared, kicking Surge on the stomach, returning the hit from earlier. He almost fell over when he landed on the ground, clearly at his limit.-

[purple-steven]

Shit no... Sonic can't do this any longer.

He wrapped his whip around Sonic, planning to pull him towards himself. They need to get out of here. But he'll loosen it if Sonic struggles against it. He doesn't want to yell it out loud; if they do have to escape, announcing it seemed idiotic.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was still keeping an eye on Lav and, alas, he didn't even allow that whip to go halfway through. A water whip slashing Lav's whip in half. He will support Surge in whatever she wants, and if she wants to fight Sonic one on one, so be it.-

-With that said, Surge was actually really worn out right now. Sonic wasn't pulling any punches now and she could obviously feel that on the kick she just received. She was near her limit, panting.-

-With that said, Sonic was way past his at this point, carrying on by sheer willpower. He still managed to get into a fighting position, and charged at her.-

-Surge attempted to sweep Sonic's legs, but he dashed behind her. Hitting her on the back of her head and then conjoining his two hands and striking down on her back, full force, making a small crater on the ground. Left her unconscious.-

-And then a water spike stabbed him from behind.-

[purple-steven]

His eyes widened, looking for Kit, running towards him with his hand glowing, morphing to be massive again. He looked mad. He swung his arm, sending his hand to swat Kit away, potentially sending him flying, this time with a fairly quick speed. He needs to wait for the water to dissipate. He's going to have to get them to the fountain, even if he's strength is slowly fading.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was keeping himself above the ground with his water tentacles, eyes widening when she saw the massive hand. The water tentacles divided into a massive amount of water spikes, all piercing Lav's hand, leaving just a single water tentacle keeping him above.-

-Sonic kicked Kit on the side of the head, knocked out Kit with the impact. With that the water dissipated, and a couple portals appeared beneath them, taking them away.-

-The hedgehog landed, stumbling and then looking at Lav.-

They're g-gone?.. Good...

[purple-steven]

He was breathing heavily, hand glowing to shift back to normal, the gaping piercings becoming far more apparent. He looked down at his wounds, his hands shaking as well as the stab wound becoming slightly worse and still flowing. Little streams of blood started to fall from the holes in his hand.

We n... We need to go....

He breathed out, hissing in pain, still stumbling and bending over slightly.

...the bending over was likely not helping whatsoever, in fact it likely made it worse, but he didn't have the strength to keep himself upright.

[rolling-combo]

You go, I'm not going to make it.

-Sonic leaned against a wall, and let himself fall down, a trail of blood smearing across the wall. He sighed.-

-He chuckled, holding his side as he winced in pain. The adrenaline was already wearing down, the pain of his injuries making itself more and more intense.-

Man, that sure was a fight.

-He was smiling, definitely afraid of dying.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no. N-no, we're not doing that.

He practically grabbed Sonic, picking him up, hoisting him over his shoulder in the fireman hold. He silently winced, but began quickly walking towards any portal which would be nearby.

Not letting you die on me, mate...

[rolling-combo]

L-Lav, no.

-He coughed, now struggling to breathe even more than before, you could hear how some of the air wasn't reaching his lungs.-

J-just leave m-me. I'll feel worse if y-ya bleed out trying to h-help me.

-He tried to pull away from him, falling onto the ground and grunting, hissing from the pain.-

G-go without me, I'll be fine.

-He could already feel he was going to die soon. No deal in making his corpse wait a little bit more to be healed.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no, let me help you, what're you doing? I can- I can save you, let me help, for fucks sake...

He went to try and pick him up again. He's not going without him. The fountain will save him, and he KNOWS it would. Why fight it when he can just- survive?

It'll save you, Sonic, you're not gonna die if I take you and it'll heal you, why the hell are you fighting that?

[rolling-combo]

-He immediately spiked up, all his quills going up, not letting him touch him. He tried to get in a more comfortable position.-

I-If you take me you'll d-die.

Y-your wounds are g-getting worse.

I d-don't want you to die, you're m-my friend.

-He smiled at him, he already feels lighteaded, cold. Definitely wouldn't make it even if Lav ran towards the fountain right now.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched, flapping his hand wildly, hissing in pain and immediately regretting his sudden movement, groaning slightly.

Argh, fUck-

He looked at Sonic, mildly angry, but mainly just... Frustrated. He could've saved him if he wasn't so stubborn about it. He could've done something.

...sonic, you're an absolute twat, you know that?

He sighed, holding his own hand to soothe it.

...I'll wait until you go. I can hold... I can hold out, but... But god, you're an idiot. I've died before... I can handle it. Why did you take so many hits...? You didn't... You shouldn't've, you idiot.

[rolling-combo]

-He laughed again, coughing more blood out, struggling to stay awake, but he persevered.-

D-didn't know how m-much time they would be stayin'

Y-you saw what they c-could do didn't cha'-

-His blinking was getting slower, each time getting harder and harder to keep himself up. He did manage to look at Lav though, still smiling, as always.-

T-thanks for helping me out man, probably wouldn't have been able t-to get them both alone.

-He was 100% sincere here, probably wouldn't have been able to fight both of them at the same time.-

D-don't let Tails know bout this 'kay?

-And he closed his eyes, of course those would be his last words.-

[purple-steven]

He sighed, nodding.

Yeah, alright.

He bubbled Sonic's body, sending him to his room in the library. It's locked, so it's not like anyone's just gonna wander in. He'll go and grab some healing water to help as well.

But now... He's gotta make the journey without dying, so that's going to be eventful. He probably won't either, but it hurts badly.

Right, let's assess this. We've got a pretty deep stab wound that's gone all the way through his abdomen. That's the main point of concern. Several holes in his hands from multiple piercings of water spikes. Also can't be good. Multiple electricity burns but that's nothing he's not used to. And probably a bunch of bruises that he can't exactly identify right now.

He continued his journey to the fountain, warping himself away, feeling slightly faint. Yeah, he's definitely gonna make it.

He took all the flasks out of his gem, refilling them as well as chugging one down to get rid of anything internal that might be going on. The rest he sorta sprinkled on. He didn't want to deal with any submerging shit right now, especially with the state he's in.

...Sonic died. He couldn't help. It's fully sinking in.

God, is he really only good for bait? Good for distractions? Sonic said he'd helped, but then again, Sonic would say anything to make anyone feel better. He was worried the entire time. Was Lav really incapable of standing his ground that whole time?

Okay, stop that, that's unreasonable thinking. Surely.

Right. Yeah. 'course it is. You're strong. You're strong as hell. You aren't useless.

Are you sure? Because to me, it seemed like you were pretty incompetent. Seemed like you sorta just... Let it happen. You're not exactly the best person, are you? You could've easily just taken all the hits. But instead, you were too scared. Too scared of dying, no matter what you say, and too scared of getting hurt. You hate it. The sensation of it. Isn't that pathetic? That's what cost him his life. Your own fear, your own actions, everything. It was you.

...was he even entirely wrong this time?

He splashed his face with the fountain water, putting each flask except one in his gem. This one he'll use for Sonic. He wiped the water from his face, dragging his hand down his cheeks and sighing.

Is this Sonic's first death? Hopefully he doesn't take too long. He doesn't want to have to hide a body again. He's got too many memories of keeping stupid secrets like that from people.

He warped back home, starting to lead to his room, flask in hand, before unlocking his room door and entering.

...yep. Bloody bubble with a bloody sonic. What else would you expect? He took it over to the tub, bursting the bubble and letting any blood that pooled drain out. Lav let the fountain water clear up the major injuries, obviously unable to help with the internal ones, but Sonic'll cope. He should wake up soon.

...if he wakes up soon.

No, don't think like that. It was one time.

But you don't know that.

...give it a day. If it takes any longer, then you're allowed to panic. For now, you need to calm down. He put Sonic's (now less bloody) body in his bed, tucking him in. At least he won't feel sore, hopefully.

God, sonic, you're such an idiot. You've got someone who cares if you die. You should've just let him help. Lav could've saved you. He really could've saved you if you just let him help.

He brought his knees to his chest, trying his best not to tear up. He's going to come back. He has to.

...he just wish it was him instead. At least then, he wouldn't have to think about it being his first death or anything of the sort.

...now that he thinks about it, Sonic said he was a friend.

Heh. A friend. That's nice to know, at least.

...he's going to have to step up his game if this happens again.

Now it's just a case of waiting. And he'll be right beside him, as he always is. Got nothing else better to do anyways. Maybe he might tidy up in here as well. Seems like every time he does, it always goes back to a tip.

[rolling-combo]

-In the quiet embrace of mortality, Sonic felt the gentle pull of life's final curtain. A profound calm settled over him, like the hushed aftermath of a storm. The weight of the hios struggles, battles fought, and sacrifices made began to lift, replaced by an ethereal lightness.

-As the hedgehog embraced the inevitable, there was a sense of closure and completion. Every scar, both seen and unseen, whispered tales of resilience and valor. In these fleeting moments, the hero just stared at what was his entire existence, and the culmination of it. The darkness engulfed him, but there was an odd feeling on the back of his head, a nagging feeling that this wasn't over yet.-

-His voice whispered that it wasn't his time to sink down further down. The voice turned into a bittersweet melody, his beating heart leading the compass.-

-And then he gasped awake.-

[purple-steven]

Despite the rush of it all earlier, he would find himself in almost silence, shooting up in his bed with Lav still on the floor next to him. He has moved, but he always returned to this spot whenever he was doing nothing. And now he's napping. He does that a lot.

[rolling-combo]

-The hedgehog put a hand on his side, where the piercing wound had been, expecting his gloves to be crimson red. Instead, he just touched his fur, his gloves an inmaculate white.-

-He felt relieved, he had this sort of ethereal sense of clarity at the moment, his ears flickered at the sound of someone breathing, turning over to look at his friend on the ground.-

-A small smile appeared on his lips, the sight of Lav making him happy. He was just recalling everything that happened earlier, all the violence and pain. He tensed, before closing his eyes, expression softening, now wondering how much his revival took.-

-It didn't feel right to look at his friend resting on the ground, very slowly getting off the bed and carrying the human and getting him under the covers, before he got on it as well. They can both rest on the same bed, not that he's especially big or anything.-

-He still felt a little tired, but didn't feel the urge to sleep anymore, so he just sat up, closing his eyes and meditating.-

[purple-steven]

He stirred a little when he was picked up, before continuing his nap, waking up after a couple of minutes. He felt the covers on top of him, slowly blinking awake and looking around, grasping his surroundings.

He saw Sonic sitting up, and all of a sudden he felt a weight slowly melt off his chest.

Oh- oh thank god, you're awake...

[rolling-combo]

-Ears flickered off at the sound of Lav's voice. He smiled, opening his eyes to look at his friend. He was just.. emitting this calm aura. Death has seemed to bring some sort of enlightenment to the hedgehog.-

Why wouldn't I be?

...

Sorry for worrying you earlier.

-He recalled his friend's desperation earlier, and how he was pricked by this quills, felt like some apologies were in order. He just couldn't bear having his friend die trying to help him when he wa beyond saving.-

[purple-steven]

Nothing, no reason, don't worry about it. Just... Let me help you, next time. I know my limits.

...are you... Doing alright? You seem to be coping with this a whole lot better than I did. Especially since it's... Well, it's your first death, isn't it...?

[rolling-combo]

You were stabbed in the abdomen, you would've died if you carried me over to the fountain. And I would've died if you moved me anymore.

-He sighed, serious, he knows his limits as well, and by moving to kick Kit that last time he worsened the injury he had made to him. Had no chance of surviving that fight. His expression eased up after saying all that, no worth in stressing over something that already happened.-

And I'm fine! It was just... kind of ominous, heh-

[purple-steven]

Kind of... Ominous...?

I mean, that's one way to describe it, but it doesn't... Seem right at all from his perspective.

...huh. I think... I think we've had very different after-death-experiences then.

He sighed, still letting the relief that Sonic Actually Woke Up wash over him. It was stupid to be worried about in the first place: it's not something that happens often and the likelihood of it ever happening is low, but it did stress him out.

How're you feeling? Sore? Achy? Anything of the sort?

He's still fairly concerned... But if Sonic is completely fine, he should probably just take it as a win.

[rolling-combo]

-Well Lav, you both have very different perspectives regarding death.-

A bit lightheaded, but aside from that, I just picked you up so, I should be fine!

[purple-steven]

Huh... Well, that's good!! Means that it wasn't... Too rough.

He smiled, clearly more relaxed.

You should still probably take it easy... I don't think it's smart to overdo it now.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic hugged Lav, it was a very gentle embrace. He still sorta felt bad for worrying him earlier. Also..-

Thanks, for everything.

-He wanted to thank him. Releasing the hug after saying so, smiling wide.-

We should go with Tails though. He's probably worried, or not. Depends, uh- How long have I been gone?

[purple-steven]

He seemed oddly surprised, before hugging back.

Hey, no need to thank me bud... Besides, what're...

He kinda hesitated, but then smiled a little.

What're friends for?

He then scanned his room for the clock, quickly doing some maths.

It's been... Less than a day. At least 10 hours.

Huh. Didn't keep count this time. That's... Good. He felt oddly proud of himself for not obsessing over something like that.

But yeah, we should go get you to Tails. He'll probably be a bit worried...

[rolling-combo]

-He scratched the back of his head.-

He'll probably scold me for not checking in earlier.

-He sighed, stretched a little before he stood up, he noticed he left some quills on Lav's pillow.-

Ah shoot, sorry about that. Usually happens after a fight-

-He picked them up, getting them out of Lav's pillow.-

[purple-steven]

Eh, don't stress, it's no biggie. Although... Uh... You might want to tell him the truth. At least, with my experience with everyone else, it... Becomes a huge issue when you lie about it. You don't have to tell him now, but... Yknow.

He kinda looked away. He felt bad giving advice for whatever reason??? Gah, hates the way his brain works sometimes.

[rolling-combo]

Gotcha, thanks for the advice!

-He stretched a little bit more, moving his arms and legs. The lightheadedness he felt earlier was mostly gone.-

Yo, y'wanna go running?

[rolling-combo]

Surge The Tenrec is brought in to the Clutter Dimension.

//oo this is going to be fun >:D

-The tenrec was running along a path of dirt along a forest, a circle of water along her waist, her sidekick, Kit, holding onto it. They were looking for shelter around the place.-

-None of them noticed when they were teleported, placed at the forest near Beach city. Eventually they found the aforementioned place, stopping abruptly.-

What the-

Ey drippy, this wasn't here before! Where are we?!

-Kitsunami lowered himself to the ground, water going back to his backpack, confused as well.-

We're in the middle of the continent, there isn't supposed to be a beach here.

Something's up here then. I'll ask for directions, you stay hidden.

-The fennec nodded, and Surge grinned, sharp teeth showing themselves. Might as well have some fun with the "gathering information" thing. They both got separated now, Surge just casually strolling until she spotted your muse. In a flash she pinned them against the wall and showed them her hand crackling with strands of glowing electricity.-

Hey there! How about you answer some questions for me?

//open rp! Uhhh I've been gone for a good while and idk who are still active- @purple-steven @corvid-steven @varian-the-unstable-alchemist @lilmetalsonic @anyone! sorry if i didn't tag someone i just genuinely dont remember-

[purple-steven]

Oh god-

This already felt problematic. He's weirded out by the fact he's suddenly pressed against the wall and-

Well. That hand is NOT going to do him any good. Electricity is not his strong suit.

Woah- hey, okay, calm it, put the- put the hand away, what's up? Who are you?

This is. Dangerous. He's got to be careful.

[rolling-combo]

Not your problem is it!? Shut up and answer! Where the fuck is this place!?

Answer me or you won't like what comes next!

-She pointed a finger at him, a little zap burning his nose a bit as she showed her teeth, intimidating him-

[purple-steven]

He flinched at the zap, feeling himself freak out the moment he felt it.

Okay- okay, just- just calm down. You're in the clutter dimension. You're new here, I'm assuming? Look, just- put the hand down, I'm not- not gonna do anything.

[rolling-combo]

The fuck is the Clutter Dimension?! You tryna be funny?! You piece of shit!

-Surge screamed at him, raising her fist in anger, about to beat him up. Before a strong gust of wind came across the alley, a familiar voice for Lav coming along.-

Hey bully! Haven't they told you to not pick on others! Also, go wash your mouth.

-Sonic joked around, crossing his arms. The lightning began acting up, the tenrec growling in anger as she looked down and then glared with all the anger she could muster at him.-

Let him go now, Surge. This is between us.

-His tone turned a bit serious, urgent to make her let go of Lav.-

Heh, what? You ready to put me down now!?

-She let go of Lav, more interested in.. well, beating the shit out of Sonic. Some electricity emanating from her might go to him, but it felt more like a light sting than anything. It's up to you if you're going to help Sonic or not, Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched with each sting, backing up slightly but going towards Sonic. Yeah, he's going to be helping out.

Oookay, so this is- this is a You Thing, I'm assuming? Can I have details??

[rolling-combo]

-Surge ignored Lav completely, launching herself at Sonic, charging towards him at full speed. He almost didn't manage to dodge it, but he did and appeared besides Lav in a flash, getting in a fighting stance as the tenrec crashed onto a random building.-

Uhhh, long story short. She was genetically modified and brainwashed to kill me. I need you to res- Whoa!

-He pushed Lav to the side. She'd thrown a literal wall at them.-

I need you to find a good moment to knock her out or restrain her quic-

-Surge now pounced him, Sonic stopping him with both his hands.-

What!? You think that weak human can pin me down?!

[purple-steven]

Oh SHI-

He just flicked his head, following the wall flying past them. What the fuCK??

Then the snide remark, which quite frankly peeved him off a bit. He pulled out his whip, cracking it for no reason other than dramatic effect, before wrapping it around Surge and attempting to pull her off.

Alright, let's NOT do that, yeah?

[rolling-combo]

-The tenrec actually went flying with that, actually being really light. She hit the ground hard, eyes widening as she was not expecting that at all, a small cloud of dust appearing with the ground cracking with the impact.-

-Sonic quickly incorporated himself, immediately turning to Lav at the sight of the whip, a worried tone in his exclamation.-

Lav! Let go of the-

-And a strong current of energy went through the whip, it would last a good 3 seconds before Sonic cut it off with a homing atack.-

[purple-steven]

He wasn't expecting her to fly off that easily, and the fact she did was sorta concerning to him, especially since he did NOT hold back at all. He looked incredibly worried, before feeling the shock course through him and an expression of pain and distress painted his face. He can't let go of the whip even if he wanted to, his hand clenching the whip tighter.

Oh goodness. He feels like he's seeing those trees again. He needs to stay focused. He can be distressed later. But it's notoriously difficult to concentrate at all when you're being shocked and all you can feel is pain and it doesn't stop and it's not stopping and its-

The relief he felt once it had seized was one he hadn't experienced in a while. He dropped to the floor for a moment, catching his breath, his hand finally letting go of the rope.

Ow.

[rolling-combo]

You alright!?

What! Little guy can't handle a little shock?! Aww, and I just thought things were getting interesting!

-As the cloud of dust dissipated, you could see Surge's fist emanating pure electricity. Sonic tried to stay and check if Lav was alright, but the tenrec charged at him will full speed.-

Alright then! Let's dance!

Sonic ran as as well, a blur of blue and green now going around the place, stopping when Surge managed to punch Sonic, throwing him over to a wall and breaking it on impact.-

Gah!-

-Lav could hear someone walking near him, a blue kit staring him down, tentacles of water emerging from what seemed to be a backpack.-

[purple-steven]

This is. Not looking good for him.

Don't worry about me! Just- be careful!

And he felt the ominous loom of the kit by him, turning around and looking back at him. That looks. Really cool, but right now, he's a bit scared for what's to come. He's bubbling himself already just in case, getting out a new whip, still trying to recover from the shock. More mentally than physically. Hhholy shit this is a lot that he wasn't expecting.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit stared at him for a moment, then looked at Sonic and Kit fighting, assessing the situation, then staring back at Lav. He'd seen his strength back when he threw Surge to the ground. The ends water tentacles turned sharp, repeatedly hitting the bubble now. Nice Lav, you've been deemed a threat.-

You're just a coward, aren't you.

-Meanwhile, the tenrec and the hedgehog were still actively fighting in the background. Sonic this time got the next hit, managing to kick Surge on the side, making her stumble back. He was about to charge a spindash when he saw Kit.-

Lav!

-He remembered their last encounter as clear as day, and he knew well enough what Kit could do when he's protecting Surge. He rushed to go towards Kit, and stop his attack, but he had to stop when Surge appeared in front of him.-

[purple-steven]

Oh goodness, they aren't going to make this easy at ALL are they.

I'm not a coward, I just- I don't want to hurt you!

He's trying to keep his bubble strong, but it's already forming cracks. Holding on to his whip slightly tighter. He doesn't want to fling people about, but it seems like he's running out of options here.

Can't we just- talk this out?

He's flicking his attention back and forth from Kit and to Surge and Sonic just in case they need help. Maybe he could try and intervene if he can slip by? But this may be a case of trusting Sonic to take care of Surge, leaving him to take care of Kit.

Well, regardless, he's trying to stay as aware as possible.

[rolling-combo]

Surge c'mon! Listen to me for a sec!

-Sonic now focused on dodging Surge, just wanted to make her reason. The tenrec kept attacking, eyes glowing as she focused her lightning on her fists and shoes.-

Why should I?! Are you going to start with the "You can be good" shit! Because I ain't buying it!

-Back to Lav, Kit didn't even answer him, all the water merging together and forming one big spike that crashed down on him.-

[purple-steven]

Glad to know that him and sonic were thinking similarly, at least... The spike crashing down on him popped the bubble, giving him time to dodge, albeit slightly weaker. He wrapped his whip around Kit, pulling him down to the ground.

[rolling-combo]

-A water tentacle slashed the whip, but the fennec still fell to the ground. A puddle of water formed around him and spikes of water formed, extending and aiming towards Lav.-

You won't hurt Surge.

-Talking about her, back to Sonic.-

-Sonic kept blocking Surge's punches as he tried to speak to her, eventually answering with a kick to make her stand back.-

Just listen! This isn't our dimension, you're free here!

-The tenrec stared at him. A sinister smile creeping up her face. This is not going the way Sonic wanted, immediately knowing what she was about to say.-

Free you say?

I'm pretty sure that whatever you're thinking right now is wrong. I won't let you cause mayhem.

But then that means...

-Surge's body was covered by electricity now, charging at Sonic once again.-

You don't have anyone to back you up! Do ya!?

-As they clashed, electricity quickly enveloped Sonic, making him scream in pain as his eyes widened.-

[purple-steven]

He quickly summoned 2 more whips to make up for the loss of the first, looking back to hear the sound of Sonic screaming, trying to wrap his whip around Sonic and pull him back towards him. He is paying no mind towards Kit at the moment, instead keeping the other whip spare for any retaliations that he might need to take.

Oh boy. This is going to be difficult to take care of. Maybe they should flee? But that doesn't seem wise either... They just need to try and keep Surge in one place, so maybe bubbling? But his bubbles are useless at times... It'll be fine. They'll figure something out. Just keep fighting somehow.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic stayed on the ground for a moment, a bit of smoke coming from his body. He groaned as he stood up, struggling to do so. Both Kit and Surge stood in front of them.-

Hey kid! Change of plans, we'll just kill off the blue rat. I used almost all my charge on him so he's pretty much dead, you can call dibs on the kill if you get the chance.

-Kit nodded, raising himself with the water and immediately aiming water spikes at Sonic.-

[purple-steven]

He wrapped one whip around Kit and another around Surge, pulling them back to the ground and towards him rather than near Sonic. He needs time to recover by the looks of it, and Lav is going to buy as much time as needed.

[rolling-combo]

I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!

-Kit let himself get pulled, choosing to free Surge. She charged right at Lav, jumping and raising a charged fist, aiming to knock him down on one hit. But before it landed, Sonic spindashed right onto her stomach, sending her flying onto a nearby building.-

SURGE!?

-Kit growled at Sonic, water tentacles shooting over to grab him midair and throw him to the ground with full force.-

Ghk!-

-Sonic landed on the concrete, and a very audible crack could be heard. Making him cough blood. He.. still stood up though, struggling to breathe a bit and putting a hand on his side. He looked at the blood.-

That can't be good.

-He averted his gaze towards Kit, the kid had run off to check on Surge. She seemed to be injured as well, blood dripping down from her forehead as she recovered. Sonic tried to take a deep breath, looking back at Lav with a smile, bright as always, even though he was struggling to stand.-

Yo, Lav. Cover me, 'kay?

-He just has his vibe within him y'know? To make you feel safe, that everything is going to be alright. Just trust him, he's a hero after all.-

[purple-steven]

He glanced at the blood, nervous for Sonic and honestly a bit shaken, considering he had braced himself for a blow that never came to him.

Yeah, alright. Don't do anythin' stupid...

He nodded though, he's ready to cover as best he can, both whips out and ready to strike. He's also preparing himself to bubble something or someone if necessary, although it's hard to tell what's coming next. Out of all the times Lav fails to have fountain water on him... He needs to keep it in his gem more often. You'd think by now he's learnt his lesson, but... He always forgets in the end.

He's going to attack whoever Sonic doesn't go for first. He's just keeping an eye out, focussing on who to target.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, coughing again, his glove staining with a little more blood. Definitely a punctured lung. Don't have time to deal with that right now. He grinned.-

You need to have more faith in me man!

-Sonic assessed the situation, kit was unharmed and Surge was healing from her injury already. Man, this is going to be tough. He was just standing there, before he disappeared from Lav's sight.-

-The other two seemed confused as well, looking around. In a blink of an eyes, the hedgehog appeared over to kick Surge on the back of her head, aiming for her injury. She went face down on the ground, growling as she lunged over to try and tackle Sonic.-

Going for a sucker punch, hero?!

-Sonic dodged, being wary of the water puddle forming nearby, feeling Kit's glare.-

Can't keep up?

-He's a little fed up at this point.-

[purple-steven]

There's a right answer here. He needs to make a decision now on who and what to tackle. Would he rather face suffocating blue, or sparks of pain? Which one is the right answer? Which one is going to help? Which one can he handle more and which one is the right answer?

He'd take them both on, but Sonic is stupidly determined to protect him. He admires the courage, but it's hard when they're both wanting to tank hits for each other.

Surge... Even if it means taking electricity, it's clear that she's the bigger threat and that she appears to be the one who's harder to escape from. The electricity makes you seize in place. That's what hinders them both from doing ANYTHING at all.

Kit. The water is an issue. The fact they're near a beach isn't helping either. Neither of them can swim, but that's not an issue considering they don't need that skill at the moment. Drowning is an obvious risk, but the easy way out is to just sever the water with his whip or thwack Kit out of the way. If that's the case, he can take a second whip out to get rid of him easily.

Surge is better to take hits from. He has the durability as a bigger person in general, and even if the electricity brings back memories, memories aren't going to hurt anyone.

That must be the right decision. Right?

No time for more thinking. You already wasted enough with these few seconds, now you just need to fight. Diving head first into these sorts of things never backfire, right?

He rushed in, wrapping his whip tightly around Surge, each gem divot pushing against the skin enough to hurt, but not enough to pierce it. This trick is getting old, but there's not much he can do other than this. Unless he starts giving her ACTUAL whip lashes, but that feels too harsh. He's tempted to try and throw her far away from here, but that'll become an issue in the future. Might as well deal with it here and now.

Doesn't matter if he dies. Doesn't really bother him much in the long run, does it?

Enough is enough. He's getting tired of this as well. He's desummoned one whip, instead bubbling his fist. He pulls Surge towards him, ready to punch her with his bubbled fist. He's aware the pressure and force may make it burst, but power is needed more at the moment. Plus, he can take a hit like that.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge allowed herself to be pulled, tanking the punch. Definitely didn't expect it the amount of raw strength coming from it though. She then electrified the whip, same as last time.-

You don't learn, do ya.

-Meanwhile, Sonic was fighting Kit, dodging water whips and trying to make him use his water supply as much as he could. Didn't want to hirt the kid, but he was already seeing it hard to win this without doing so.-

-He charged a spindash, going through one of the water whips and bouncing off a street lamp to hit Kit right on his water backpack, the water whips faltering as Sonic barely dodged one coming at him.-

-He was keeping an eye on Lav and Surge, would definitely barge in if things go south.-

[purple-steven]

The bubble burst with the collision, and he seized, unable to think of any sort of witty comeback. Each muscle in his body felt far too tense, but he didn't let go of the whip. Take the hit. You can handle the hit. You can handle this.

His eyes welled up with tears whilst remaining quiet, solely concentrated on trying to stray his focus elsewhere.

Stop thinking about how much it hurts. Think about what to do next. Think about Sonic. Think about what to do next think about your next move think about-

It hurts so much. He's scared. It hurts so much and he's scared, and he isn't sure when it's going to end, and he isn't sure when he'll be able to completely focus again.

The whip instead is desummoned, somewhat unwillingly, freeing Surge to move around a bit more. He bubbled his fists once more, breathing heavily after the current had been broken. He's still out of focus. Out of practice. He'll fight fist to fist if he has to. Shapeshifting is still a skill he possessed, maybe just having a physically Massive Fist might pummel them.

[rolling-combo]

-The tenred stood up, brushing some dust off as her wounds healed. She grinned at the sight of Lav's bubbled fists, squaring up as well.-

Wanna dance, you puny little human? Come at me!

-She taunted, signaling him to come closer with one of her hands, her sharp teeth forming a haunting smile towards him. She wouldn't show mercy at all.-

-Back to Sonic, he was still fighting the water whips, dodging and waiting for another opening. He kicked some of the whips away, sometimes glancing towards Lav. He trusted him, but was starting to get worried. Would have to finish things quickly with Kit.-

[purple-steven]

He ran towards her, preparing to punch her straight in the face if he can, getting ready to shapeshift smaller if he has to dodge quickly. It's going to take some concentration. He's keeping his eyes on Surge's movements, but only Surge.

Get ready. You need to be fast. Land a punch and shapeshift. Not that difficult.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge dodged by ducking down, aiming to land an uppercut and then kicking Lav on the side. She's saving the electricity she has left to finish off Sonic.-

Too slow!

-The hedgehog jumped and landed a homing attack on Kit, making him hit the ground on his back, his backpack taking most of the impact. Something could be heard cracking inside of it, and the fennec's eyes widened.-

Gotcha.

-Kit glared at Sonic, a water blade forming and going towards him, but deforming and disintegrating before even making contact.-

[purple-steven]

Lav staggered, but he didn't back down.

Alright, speed isn't his forte. Let's use something you're good at then.

He raised his hand above his shoulder as if he was going to throw something, before shapeshifting it into a giant fist, almost half his size. He flung his arm in time so that he wouldn't have to worry about lifting it, allowing gravity to do the work, hopefully crushing Surge.

He didn't really want to kill her, but... It'll hurt her enough, surely, if it hits. If it seems fatal, he can take them to the fountain. It should be fine... Yeah, it should be fine.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge stared at the shapeshifting, her reflexes barely managing to get her out of his range. She immediately went to kick him behind the knees, trying to make him fall over and then kick his stomach.-

-On the other side, Kit was trying to punch Sonic, but he was just dodging every hit Kit threw at him. The fennec had a plan in mind, a single line of water slowly making it's way towards Lav. The backpack had enough pressure for one more attack. Sonic was about to knock out Kit, dashing behind him to hit him on the back of his head.-

-But then he saw the fennec's eyes glowing and looking at Lav. A water blade going for his abdomen, it was meant to pierce him all the way, but it stopped before it could do any fatal damage.-

LAV?!

-But Sonic didn't know that, immediately rushing over to Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He groaned in pain, his fist keeping him stuck to the ground before he shapeshifted it away. He heard the yell out, confused, before he saw the water blade.

He put up a bubble, although it seemed weak already and likely wouldn't stop anything that sharp from piercing it through, but it was a last attempt at protecting himself, attempting to roll to the side but...

...Well, speed isn't his forte.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran over towards Lav, but Surge intercepted him. She punched Sonic right on the face, making him fly over to the nearest building.-

Weren't quick enough to save him, were ya.

-She turned over to look at Kit.-

Hey drippy!? Ya good?!

-Kit didn't answer, focused on fixing his backpack. Tinkering away with it, a couple of sparks coming from it. Surge sighed, looking over at Lav, grabbing him by the hair.-

You're weak, but at least you make good bait.

-She whispered to him, before dropping him and looking over where Sonic crashed, just aiming to make him hurt even more. The hedgehog was standing up again, his last injuries coming back to him. He groaned, looking over at Surge grabbing Lav by the hair and hissing.-

[purple-steven]

He was flung towards Sonic, landing roughly and unpleasantly next to him, the harsh pebbles and small stones hidden within the dirt scratching his face. He teared up in pain, not even properly processing the stab wound yet, until he felt something wet on his hand.

His body instinctively already tried to cover the wound, and suddenly, the sting of being stabbed finally stepped in, and he curled in on himself, hissing in pain. He would've tried to scramble up, but from where the wound is, any sort of movement would hurt if he tried to get up.

It felt... Wetter than usual, thanks to the water, but it hurts badly.

He's not sure he can fight through this. He can try, but... It's not looking good for him.

Ugh... It... Keeps hurting more and now he's bleeding more, curling in on himself with tears slowly tracing his face.

He's more than bait. He's stronger than that. He's worth more than that. He's a useful person, he can be useful, he can be worth more than just a distraction. Than just bait.

He isn't weak.

He... He isn't weak.

Right...?

He hissed as well, albeit in pain, breathing heavily.

Shit...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran towards Surge, before a water tentacle grabbed his ankle and launched him up, he managed to block Surge's kick coming at him. He charged a homing attack to hit Surge in the air, but Kit immediately made the hedgehog hit a large mass of water.-

-He was trapped inside it, tried to swim upwards, panicked. But Surge put a hand on the water, using all she had left on her charge to electrify the water. It flashed white, making Sonic scream in the water as his muscles tensed.-

-As soon as it ended, Sonic was dropped onto the ground. He coughed water, he was struggling to breathe earlier and this definitely didn't help his case. His vision was blurry and everything hurt now. But he stood up again.-

That- That's all y-ya ha-

-And then a punch landed right on his stomach, knocking the air out of him. He put his hands on Surge's arm, seemingly supporting himself from the impact, before he grabbed her and slammed her onto the ground.-

-They should've known he wouldn't go down without a fight.-

[purple-steven]

Why is he still fighting? Shouldn't they-

No, he's right, he's... He should keep fighting as well.

You aren't bait. You're more than that.

You aren't useless.

He kept attempting to stagger up, until eventually he got his balance back, stumbling up to his feet. What can he do, what can he do...

Sonic obviously doesn't want to retreat, but if it continues, that might be the only option they have left. He summoned his whip. He'll just... Distract them.

...just... Be bait.

He flung his whip out around Kit, Surge being out of the question considering the electricity issue, wrapping it around before pulling him towards Lav.

...okay, so the backpack is the source. Break the source again. Obliterate it if you have to. You can do that, even in this state, right?

He seethed, closing his eyes and wincing, but it doesn't matter. Sonic needs back up.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit looked back at Lav the moment Sonic smashed Surge on the ground, Water tentacles emerging and shielding him from his whip. Surge, on the other side, growled and hissed at the hedgehog before she tackled him, punching him on the face over and over before he managed to kick her off. He was glad he was facing away from Lav.-

-He stumbled up, and then disappeared, kicking Surge on the stomach, returning the hit from earlier. He almost fell over when he landed on the ground, clearly at his limit.-

[purple-steven]

Shit no... Sonic can't do this any longer.

He wrapped his whip around Sonic, planning to pull him towards himself. They need to get out of here. But he'll loosen it if Sonic struggles against it. He doesn't want to yell it out loud; if they do have to escape, announcing it seemed idiotic.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was still keeping an eye on Lav and, alas, he didn't even allow that whip to go halfway through. A water whip slashing Lav's whip in half. He will support Surge in whatever she wants, and if she wants to fight Sonic one on one, so be it.-

-With that said, Surge was actually really worn out right now. Sonic wasn't pulling any punches now and she could obviously feel that on the kick she just received. She was near her limit, panting.-

-With that said, Sonic was way past his at this point, carrying on by sheer willpower. He still managed to get into a fighting position, and charged at her.-

-Surge attempted to sweep Sonic's legs, but he dashed behind her. Hitting her on the back of her head and then conjoining his two hands and striking down on her back, full force, making a small crater on the ground. Left her unconscious.-

-And then a water spike stabbed him from behind.-

[purple-steven]

His eyes widened, looking for Kit, running towards him with his hand glowing, morphing to be massive again. He looked mad. He swung his arm, sending his hand to swat Kit away, potentially sending him flying, this time with a fairly quick speed. He needs to wait for the water to dissipate. He's going to have to get them to the fountain, even if he's strength is slowly fading.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was keeping himself above the ground with his water tentacles, eyes widening when she saw the massive hand. The water tentacles divided into a massive amount of water spikes, all piercing Lav's hand, leaving just a single water tentacle keeping him above.-

-Sonic kicked Kit on the side of the head, knocked out Kit with the impact. With that the water dissipated, and a couple portals appeared beneath them, taking them away.-

-The hedgehog landed, stumbling and then looking at Lav.-

They're g-gone?.. Good...

[purple-steven]

He was breathing heavily, hand glowing to shift back to normal, the gaping piercings becoming far more apparent. He looked down at his wounds, his hands shaking as well as the stab wound becoming slightly worse and still flowing. Little streams of blood started to fall from the holes in his hand.

We n... We need to go....

He breathed out, hissing in pain, still stumbling and bending over slightly.

...the bending over was likely not helping whatsoever, in fact it likely made it worse, but he didn't have the strength to keep himself upright.

[rolling-combo]

You go, I'm not going to make it.

-Sonic leaned against a wall, and let himself fall down, a trail of blood smearing across the wall. He sighed.-

-He chuckled, holding his side as he winced in pain. The adrenaline was already wearing down, the pain of his injuries making itself more and more intense.-

Man, that sure was a fight.

-He was smiling, definitely afraid of dying.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no. N-no, we're not doing that.

He practically grabbed Sonic, picking him up, hoisting him over his shoulder in the fireman hold. He silently winced, but began quickly walking towards any portal which would be nearby.

Not letting you die on me, mate...

[rolling-combo]

L-Lav, no.

-He coughed, now struggling to breathe even more than before, you could hear how some of the air wasn't reaching his lungs.-

J-just leave m-me. I'll feel worse if y-ya bleed out trying to h-help me.

-He tried to pull away from him, falling onto the ground and grunting, hissing from the pain.-

G-go without me, I'll be fine.

-He could already feel he was going to die soon. No deal in making his corpse wait a little bit more to be healed.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no, let me help you, what're you doing? I can- I can save you, let me help, for fucks sake...

He went to try and pick him up again. He's not going without him. The fountain will save him, and he KNOWS it would. Why fight it when he can just- survive?

It'll save you, Sonic, you're not gonna die if I take you and it'll heal you, why the hell are you fighting that?

[rolling-combo]

-He immediately spiked up, all his quills going up, not letting him touch him. He tried to get in a more comfortable position.-

I-If you take me you'll d-die.

Y-your wounds are g-getting worse.

I d-don't want you to die, you're m-my friend.

-He smiled at him, he already feels lighteaded, cold. Definitely wouldn't make it even if Lav ran towards the fountain right now.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched, flapping his hand wildly, hissing in pain and immediately regretting his sudden movement, groaning slightly.

Argh, fUck-

He looked at Sonic, mildly angry, but mainly just... Frustrated. He could've saved him if he wasn't so stubborn about it. He could've done something.

...sonic, you're an absolute twat, you know that?

He sighed, holding his own hand to soothe it.

...I'll wait until you go. I can hold... I can hold out, but... But god, you're an idiot. I've died before... I can handle it. Why did you take so many hits...? You didn't... You shouldn't've, you idiot.

[rolling-combo]

-He laughed again, coughing more blood out, struggling to stay awake, but he persevered.-

D-didn't know how m-much time they would be stayin'

Y-you saw what they c-could do didn't cha'-

-His blinking was getting slower, each time getting harder and harder to keep himself up. He did manage to look at Lav though, still smiling, as always.-

T-thanks for helping me out man, probably wouldn't have been able t-to get them both alone.

-He was 100% sincere here, probably wouldn't have been able to fight both of them at the same time.-

D-don't let Tails know bout this 'kay?

-And he closed his eyes, of course those would be his last words.-

[purple-steven]

He sighed, nodding.

Yeah, alright.

He bubbled Sonic's body, sending him to his room in the library. It's locked, so it's not like anyone's just gonna wander in. He'll go and grab some healing water to help as well.

But now... He's gotta make the journey without dying, so that's going to be eventful. He probably won't either, but it hurts badly.

Right, let's assess this. We've got a pretty deep stab wound that's gone all the way through his abdomen. That's the main point of concern. Several holes in his hands from multiple piercings of water spikes. Also can't be good. Multiple electricity burns but that's nothing he's not used to. And probably a bunch of bruises that he can't exactly identify right now.

He continued his journey to the fountain, warping himself away, feeling slightly faint. Yeah, he's definitely gonna make it.

He took all the flasks out of his gem, refilling them as well as chugging one down to get rid of anything internal that might be going on. The rest he sorta sprinkled on. He didn't want to deal with any submerging shit right now, especially with the state he's in.

...Sonic died. He couldn't help. It's fully sinking in.

God, is he really only good for bait? Good for distractions? Sonic said he'd helped, but then again, Sonic would say anything to make anyone feel better. He was worried the entire time. Was Lav really incapable of standing his ground that whole time?

Okay, stop that, that's unreasonable thinking. Surely.

Right. Yeah. 'course it is. You're strong. You're strong as hell. You aren't useless.

Are you sure? Because to me, it seemed like you were pretty incompetent. Seemed like you sorta just... Let it happen. You're not exactly the best person, are you? You could've easily just taken all the hits. But instead, you were too scared. Too scared of dying, no matter what you say, and too scared of getting hurt. You hate it. The sensation of it. Isn't that pathetic? That's what cost him his life. Your own fear, your own actions, everything. It was you.

...was he even entirely wrong this time?

He splashed his face with the fountain water, putting each flask except one in his gem. This one he'll use for Sonic. He wiped the water from his face, dragging his hand down his cheeks and sighing.

Is this Sonic's first death? Hopefully he doesn't take too long. He doesn't want to have to hide a body again. He's got too many memories of keeping stupid secrets like that from people.

He warped back home, starting to lead to his room, flask in hand, before unlocking his room door and entering.

...yep. Bloody bubble with a bloody sonic. What else would you expect? He took it over to the tub, bursting the bubble and letting any blood that pooled drain out. Lav let the fountain water clear up the major injuries, obviously unable to help with the internal ones, but Sonic'll cope. He should wake up soon.

...if he wakes up soon.

No, don't think like that. It was one time.

But you don't know that.

...give it a day. If it takes any longer, then you're allowed to panic. For now, you need to calm down. He put Sonic's (now less bloody) body in his bed, tucking him in. At least he won't feel sore, hopefully.

God, sonic, you're such an idiot. You've got someone who cares if you die. You should've just let him help. Lav could've saved you. He really could've saved you if you just let him help.

He brought his knees to his chest, trying his best not to tear up. He's going to come back. He has to.

...he just wish it was him instead. At least then, he wouldn't have to think about it being his first death or anything of the sort.

...now that he thinks about it, Sonic said he was a friend.

Heh. A friend. That's nice to know, at least.

...he's going to have to step up his game if this happens again.

Now it's just a case of waiting. And he'll be right beside him, as he always is. Got nothing else better to do anyways. Maybe he might tidy up in here as well. Seems like every time he does, it always goes back to a tip.

[rolling-combo]

-In the quiet embrace of mortality, Sonic felt the gentle pull of life's final curtain. A profound calm settled over him, like the hushed aftermath of a storm. The weight of the hios struggles, battles fought, and sacrifices made began to lift, replaced by an ethereal lightness.

-As the hedgehog embraced the inevitable, there was a sense of closure and completion. Every scar, both seen and unseen, whispered tales of resilience and valor. In these fleeting moments, the hero just stared at what was his entire existence, and the culmination of it. The darkness engulfed him, but there was an odd feeling on the back of his head, a nagging feeling that this wasn't over yet.-

-His voice whispered that it wasn't his time to sink down further down. The voice turned into a bittersweet melody, his beating heart leading the compass.-

-And then he gasped awake.-

[purple-steven]

Despite the rush of it all earlier, he would find himself in almost silence, shooting up in his bed with Lav still on the floor next to him. He has moved, but he always returned to this spot whenever he was doing nothing. And now he's napping. He does that a lot.

[rolling-combo]

-The hedgehog put a hand on his side, where the piercing wound had been, expecting his gloves to be crimson red. Instead, he just touched his fur, his gloves an inmaculate white.-

-He felt relieved, he had this sort of ethereal sense of clarity at the moment, his ears flickered at the sound of someone breathing, turning over to look at his friend on the ground.-

-A small smile appeared on his lips, the sight of Lav making him happy. He was just recalling everything that happened earlier, all the violence and pain. He tensed, before closing his eyes, expression softening, now wondering how much his revival took.-

-It didn't feel right to look at his friend resting on the ground, very slowly getting off the bed and carrying the human and getting him under the covers, before he got on it as well. They can both rest on the same bed, not that he's especially big or anything.-

-He still felt a little tired, but didn't feel the urge to sleep anymore, so he just sat up, closing his eyes and meditating.-

[purple-steven]

He stirred a little when he was picked up, before continuing his nap, waking up after a couple of minutes. He felt the covers on top of him, slowly blinking awake and looking around, grasping his surroundings.

He saw Sonic sitting up, and all of a sudden he felt a weight slowly melt off his chest.

Oh- oh thank god, you're awake...

[rolling-combo]

-Ears flickered off at the sound of Lav's voice. He smiled, opening his eyes to look at his friend. He was just.. emitting this calm aura. Death has seemed to bring some sort of enlightenment to the hedgehog.-

Why wouldn't I be?

...

Sorry for worrying you earlier.

-He recalled his friend's desperation earlier, and how he was pricked by this quills, felt like some apologies were in order. He just couldn't bear having his friend die trying to help him when he wa beyond saving.-

[purple-steven]

Nothing, no reason, don't worry about it. Just... Let me help you, next time. I know my limits.

...are you... Doing alright? You seem to be coping with this a whole lot better than I did. Especially since it's... Well, it's your first death, isn't it...?

[rolling-combo]

You were stabbed in the abdomen, you would've died if you carried me over to the fountain. And I would've died if you moved me anymore.

-He sighed, serious, he knows his limits as well, and by moving to kick Kit that last time he worsened the injury he had made to him. Had no chance of surviving that fight. His expression eased up after saying all that, no worth in stressing over something that already happened.-

And I'm fine! It was just... kind of ominous, heh-

[purple-steven]

Kind of... Ominous...?

I mean, that's one way to describe it, but it doesn't... Seem right at all from his perspective.

...huh. I think... I think we've had very different after-death-experiences then.

He sighed, still letting the relief that Sonic Actually Woke Up wash over him. It was stupid to be worried about in the first place: it's not something that happens often and the likelihood of it ever happening is low, but it did stress him out.

How're you feeling? Sore? Achy? Anything of the sort?

He's still fairly concerned... But if Sonic is completely fine, he should probably just take it as a win.

[rolling-combo]

-Well Lav, you both have very different perspectives regarding death.-

A bit lightheaded, but aside from that, I just picked you up so, I should be fine!

[purple-steven]

Huh... Well, that's good!! Means that it wasn't... Too rough.

He smiled, clearly more relaxed.

You should still probably take it easy... I don't think it's smart to overdo it now.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic hugged Lav, it was a very gentle embrace. He still sorta felt bad for worrying him earlier. Also..-

Thanks, for everything.

-He wanted to thank him. Releasing the hug after saying so, smiling wide.-

We should go with Tails though. He's probably worried, or not. Depends, uh- How long have I been gone?

[purple-steven]

He seemed oddly surprised, before hugging back.

Hey, no need to thank me bud... Besides, what're...

He kinda hesitated, but then smiled a little.

What're friends for?

He then scanned his room for the clock, quickly doing some maths.

It's been... Less than a day. At least 10 hours.

Huh. Didn't keep count this time. That's... Good. He felt oddly proud of himself for not obsessing over something like that.

But yeah, we should go get you to Tails. He'll probably be a bit worried...

[rolling-combo]

-He scratched the back of his head.-

He'll probably scold me for not checking in earlier.

-He sighed, stretched a little before he stood up, he noticed he left some quills on Lav's pillow.-

Ah shoot, sorry about that. Usually happens after a fight-

-He picked them up, getting them out of Lav's pillow.-

[rolling-combo]

Surge The Tenrec is brought in to the Clutter Dimension.

//oo this is going to be fun >:D

-The tenrec was running along a path of dirt along a forest, a circle of water along her waist, her sidekick, Kit, holding onto it. They were looking for shelter around the place.-

-None of them noticed when they were teleported, placed at the forest near Beach city. Eventually they found the aforementioned place, stopping abruptly.-

What the-

Ey drippy, this wasn't here before! Where are we?!

-Kitsunami lowered himself to the ground, water going back to his backpack, confused as well.-

We're in the middle of the continent, there isn't supposed to be a beach here.

Something's up here then. I'll ask for directions, you stay hidden.

-The fennec nodded, and Surge grinned, sharp teeth showing themselves. Might as well have some fun with the "gathering information" thing. They both got separated now, Surge just casually strolling until she spotted your muse. In a flash she pinned them against the wall and showed them her hand crackling with strands of glowing electricity.-

Hey there! How about you answer some questions for me?

//open rp! Uhhh I've been gone for a good while and idk who are still active- @purple-steven @corvid-steven @varian-the-unstable-alchemist @lilmetalsonic @anyone! sorry if i didn't tag someone i just genuinely dont remember-

[purple-steven]

Oh god-

This already felt problematic. He's weirded out by the fact he's suddenly pressed against the wall and-

Well. That hand is NOT going to do him any good. Electricity is not his strong suit.

Woah- hey, okay, calm it, put the- put the hand away, what's up? Who are you?

This is. Dangerous. He's got to be careful.

[rolling-combo]

Not your problem is it!? Shut up and answer! Where the fuck is this place!?

Answer me or you won't like what comes next!

-She pointed a finger at him, a little zap burning his nose a bit as she showed her teeth, intimidating him-

[purple-steven]

He flinched at the zap, feeling himself freak out the moment he felt it.

Okay- okay, just- just calm down. You're in the clutter dimension. You're new here, I'm assuming? Look, just- put the hand down, I'm not- not gonna do anything.

[rolling-combo]

The fuck is the Clutter Dimension?! You tryna be funny?! You piece of shit!

-Surge screamed at him, raising her fist in anger, about to beat him up. Before a strong gust of wind came across the alley, a familiar voice for Lav coming along.-

Hey bully! Haven't they told you to not pick on others! Also, go wash your mouth.

-Sonic joked around, crossing his arms. The lightning began acting up, the tenrec growling in anger as she looked down and then glared with all the anger she could muster at him.-

Let him go now, Surge. This is between us.

-His tone turned a bit serious, urgent to make her let go of Lav.-

Heh, what? You ready to put me down now!?

-She let go of Lav, more interested in.. well, beating the shit out of Sonic. Some electricity emanating from her might go to him, but it felt more like a light sting than anything. It's up to you if you're going to help Sonic or not, Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched with each sting, backing up slightly but going towards Sonic. Yeah, he's going to be helping out.

Oookay, so this is- this is a You Thing, I'm assuming? Can I have details??

[rolling-combo]

-Surge ignored Lav completely, launching herself at Sonic, charging towards him at full speed. He almost didn't manage to dodge it, but he did and appeared besides Lav in a flash, getting in a fighting stance as the tenrec crashed onto a random building.-

Uhhh, long story short. She was genetically modified and brainwashed to kill me. I need you to res- Whoa!

-He pushed Lav to the side. She'd thrown a literal wall at them.-

I need you to find a good moment to knock her out or restrain her quic-

-Surge now pounced him, Sonic stopping him with both his hands.-

What!? You think that weak human can pin me down?!

[purple-steven]

Oh SHI-

He just flicked his head, following the wall flying past them. What the fuCK??

Then the snide remark, which quite frankly peeved him off a bit. He pulled out his whip, cracking it for no reason other than dramatic effect, before wrapping it around Surge and attempting to pull her off.

Alright, let's NOT do that, yeah?

[rolling-combo]

-The tenrec actually went flying with that, actually being really light. She hit the ground hard, eyes widening as she was not expecting that at all, a small cloud of dust appearing with the ground cracking with the impact.-

-Sonic quickly incorporated himself, immediately turning to Lav at the sight of the whip, a worried tone in his exclamation.-

Lav! Let go of the-

-And a strong current of energy went through the whip, it would last a good 3 seconds before Sonic cut it off with a homing atack.-

[purple-steven]

He wasn't expecting her to fly off that easily, and the fact she did was sorta concerning to him, especially since he did NOT hold back at all. He looked incredibly worried, before feeling the shock course through him and an expression of pain and distress painted his face. He can't let go of the whip even if he wanted to, his hand clenching the whip tighter.

Oh goodness. He feels like he's seeing those trees again. He needs to stay focused. He can be distressed later. But it's notoriously difficult to concentrate at all when you're being shocked and all you can feel is pain and it doesn't stop and it's not stopping and its-

The relief he felt once it had seized was one he hadn't experienced in a while. He dropped to the floor for a moment, catching his breath, his hand finally letting go of the rope.

Ow.

[rolling-combo]

You alright!?

What! Little guy can't handle a little shock?! Aww, and I just thought things were getting interesting!

-As the cloud of dust dissipated, you could see Surge's fist emanating pure electricity. Sonic tried to stay and check if Lav was alright, but the tenrec charged at him will full speed.-

Alright then! Let's dance!

Sonic ran as as well, a blur of blue and green now going around the place, stopping when Surge managed to punch Sonic, throwing him over to a wall and breaking it on impact.-

Gah!-

-Lav could hear someone walking near him, a blue kit staring him down, tentacles of water emerging from what seemed to be a backpack.-

[purple-steven]

This is. Not looking good for him.

Don't worry about me! Just- be careful!

And he felt the ominous loom of the kit by him, turning around and looking back at him. That looks. Really cool, but right now, he's a bit scared for what's to come. He's bubbling himself already just in case, getting out a new whip, still trying to recover from the shock. More mentally than physically. Hhholy shit this is a lot that he wasn't expecting.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit stared at him for a moment, then looked at Sonic and Kit fighting, assessing the situation, then staring back at Lav. He'd seen his strength back when he threw Surge to the ground. The ends water tentacles turned sharp, repeatedly hitting the bubble now. Nice Lav, you've been deemed a threat.-

You're just a coward, aren't you.

-Meanwhile, the tenrec and the hedgehog were still actively fighting in the background. Sonic this time got the next hit, managing to kick Surge on the side, making her stumble back. He was about to charge a spindash when he saw Kit.-

Lav!

-He remembered their last encounter as clear as day, and he knew well enough what Kit could do when he's protecting Surge. He rushed to go towards Kit, and stop his attack, but he had to stop when Surge appeared in front of him.-

[purple-steven]

Oh goodness, they aren't going to make this easy at ALL are they.

I'm not a coward, I just- I don't want to hurt you!

He's trying to keep his bubble strong, but it's already forming cracks. Holding on to his whip slightly tighter. He doesn't want to fling people about, but it seems like he's running out of options here.

Can't we just- talk this out?

He's flicking his attention back and forth from Kit and to Surge and Sonic just in case they need help. Maybe he could try and intervene if he can slip by? But this may be a case of trusting Sonic to take care of Surge, leaving him to take care of Kit.

Well, regardless, he's trying to stay as aware as possible.

[rolling-combo]

Surge c'mon! Listen to me for a sec!

-Sonic now focused on dodging Surge, just wanted to make her reason. The tenrec kept attacking, eyes glowing as she focused her lightning on her fists and shoes.-

Why should I?! Are you going to start with the "You can be good" shit! Because I ain't buying it!

-Back to Lav, Kit didn't even answer him, all the water merging together and forming one big spike that crashed down on him.-

[purple-steven]

Glad to know that him and sonic were thinking similarly, at least... The spike crashing down on him popped the bubble, giving him time to dodge, albeit slightly weaker. He wrapped his whip around Kit, pulling him down to the ground.

[rolling-combo]

-A water tentacle slashed the whip, but the fennec still fell to the ground. A puddle of water formed around him and spikes of water formed, extending and aiming towards Lav.-

You won't hurt Surge.

-Talking about her, back to Sonic.-

-Sonic kept blocking Surge's punches as he tried to speak to her, eventually answering with a kick to make her stand back.-

Just listen! This isn't our dimension, you're free here!

-The tenrec stared at him. A sinister smile creeping up her face. This is not going the way Sonic wanted, immediately knowing what she was about to say.-

Free you say?

I'm pretty sure that whatever you're thinking right now is wrong. I won't let you cause mayhem.

But then that means...

-Surge's body was covered by electricity now, charging at Sonic once again.-

You don't have anyone to back you up! Do ya!?

-As they clashed, electricity quickly enveloped Sonic, making him scream in pain as his eyes widened.-

[purple-steven]

He quickly summoned 2 more whips to make up for the loss of the first, looking back to hear the sound of Sonic screaming, trying to wrap his whip around Sonic and pull him back towards him. He is paying no mind towards Kit at the moment, instead keeping the other whip spare for any retaliations that he might need to take.

Oh boy. This is going to be difficult to take care of. Maybe they should flee? But that doesn't seem wise either... They just need to try and keep Surge in one place, so maybe bubbling? But his bubbles are useless at times... It'll be fine. They'll figure something out. Just keep fighting somehow.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic stayed on the ground for a moment, a bit of smoke coming from his body. He groaned as he stood up, struggling to do so. Both Kit and Surge stood in front of them.-

Hey kid! Change of plans, we'll just kill off the blue rat. I used almost all my charge on him so he's pretty much dead, you can call dibs on the kill if you get the chance.

-Kit nodded, raising himself with the water and immediately aiming water spikes at Sonic.-

[purple-steven]

He wrapped one whip around Kit and another around Surge, pulling them back to the ground and towards him rather than near Sonic. He needs time to recover by the looks of it, and Lav is going to buy as much time as needed.

[rolling-combo]

I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!

-Kit let himself get pulled, choosing to free Surge. She charged right at Lav, jumping and raising a charged fist, aiming to knock him down on one hit. But before it landed, Sonic spindashed right onto her stomach, sending her flying onto a nearby building.-

SURGE!?

-Kit growled at Sonic, water tentacles shooting over to grab him midair and throw him to the ground with full force.-

Ghk!-

-Sonic landed on the concrete, and a very audible crack could be heard. Making him cough blood. He.. still stood up though, struggling to breathe a bit and putting a hand on his side. He looked at the blood.-

That can't be good.

-He averted his gaze towards Kit, the kid had run off to check on Surge. She seemed to be injured as well, blood dripping down from her forehead as she recovered. Sonic tried to take a deep breath, looking back at Lav with a smile, bright as always, even though he was struggling to stand.-

Yo, Lav. Cover me, 'kay?

-He just has his vibe within him y'know? To make you feel safe, that everything is going to be alright. Just trust him, he's a hero after all.-

[purple-steven]

He glanced at the blood, nervous for Sonic and honestly a bit shaken, considering he had braced himself for a blow that never came to him.

Yeah, alright. Don't do anythin' stupid...

He nodded though, he's ready to cover as best he can, both whips out and ready to strike. He's also preparing himself to bubble something or someone if necessary, although it's hard to tell what's coming next. Out of all the times Lav fails to have fountain water on him... He needs to keep it in his gem more often. You'd think by now he's learnt his lesson, but... He always forgets in the end.

He's going to attack whoever Sonic doesn't go for first. He's just keeping an eye out, focussing on who to target.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, coughing again, his glove staining with a little more blood. Definitely a punctured lung. Don't have time to deal with that right now. He grinned.-

You need to have more faith in me man!

-Sonic assessed the situation, kit was unharmed and Surge was healing from her injury already. Man, this is going to be tough. He was just standing there, before he disappeared from Lav's sight.-

-The other two seemed confused as well, looking around. In a blink of an eyes, the hedgehog appeared over to kick Surge on the back of her head, aiming for her injury. She went face down on the ground, growling as she lunged over to try and tackle Sonic.-

Going for a sucker punch, hero?!

-Sonic dodged, being wary of the water puddle forming nearby, feeling Kit's glare.-

Can't keep up?

-He's a little fed up at this point.-

[purple-steven]

There's a right answer here. He needs to make a decision now on who and what to tackle. Would he rather face suffocating blue, or sparks of pain? Which one is the right answer? Which one is going to help? Which one can he handle more and which one is the right answer?

He'd take them both on, but Sonic is stupidly determined to protect him. He admires the courage, but it's hard when they're both wanting to tank hits for each other.

Surge... Even if it means taking electricity, it's clear that she's the bigger threat and that she appears to be the one who's harder to escape from. The electricity makes you seize in place. That's what hinders them both from doing ANYTHING at all.

Kit. The water is an issue. The fact they're near a beach isn't helping either. Neither of them can swim, but that's not an issue considering they don't need that skill at the moment. Drowning is an obvious risk, but the easy way out is to just sever the water with his whip or thwack Kit out of the way. If that's the case, he can take a second whip out to get rid of him easily.

Surge is better to take hits from. He has the durability as a bigger person in general, and even if the electricity brings back memories, memories aren't going to hurt anyone.

That must be the right decision. Right?

No time for more thinking. You already wasted enough with these few seconds, now you just need to fight. Diving head first into these sorts of things never backfire, right?

He rushed in, wrapping his whip tightly around Surge, each gem divot pushing against the skin enough to hurt, but not enough to pierce it. This trick is getting old, but there's not much he can do other than this. Unless he starts giving her ACTUAL whip lashes, but that feels too harsh. He's tempted to try and throw her far away from here, but that'll become an issue in the future. Might as well deal with it here and now.

Doesn't matter if he dies. Doesn't really bother him much in the long run, does it?

Enough is enough. He's getting tired of this as well. He's desummoned one whip, instead bubbling his fist. He pulls Surge towards him, ready to punch her with his bubbled fist. He's aware the pressure and force may make it burst, but power is needed more at the moment. Plus, he can take a hit like that.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge allowed herself to be pulled, tanking the punch. Definitely didn't expect it the amount of raw strength coming from it though. She then electrified the whip, same as last time.-

You don't learn, do ya.

-Meanwhile, Sonic was fighting Kit, dodging water whips and trying to make him use his water supply as much as he could. Didn't want to hirt the kid, but he was already seeing it hard to win this without doing so.-

-He charged a spindash, going through one of the water whips and bouncing off a street lamp to hit Kit right on his water backpack, the water whips faltering as Sonic barely dodged one coming at him.-

-He was keeping an eye on Lav and Surge, would definitely barge in if things go south.-

[purple-steven]

The bubble burst with the collision, and he seized, unable to think of any sort of witty comeback. Each muscle in his body felt far too tense, but he didn't let go of the whip. Take the hit. You can handle the hit. You can handle this.

His eyes welled up with tears whilst remaining quiet, solely concentrated on trying to stray his focus elsewhere.

Stop thinking about how much it hurts. Think about what to do next. Think about Sonic. Think about what to do next think about your next move think about-

It hurts so much. He's scared. It hurts so much and he's scared, and he isn't sure when it's going to end, and he isn't sure when he'll be able to completely focus again.

The whip instead is desummoned, somewhat unwillingly, freeing Surge to move around a bit more. He bubbled his fists once more, breathing heavily after the current had been broken. He's still out of focus. Out of practice. He'll fight fist to fist if he has to. Shapeshifting is still a skill he possessed, maybe just having a physically Massive Fist might pummel them.

[rolling-combo]

-The tenred stood up, brushing some dust off as her wounds healed. She grinned at the sight of Lav's bubbled fists, squaring up as well.-

Wanna dance, you puny little human? Come at me!

-She taunted, signaling him to come closer with one of her hands, her sharp teeth forming a haunting smile towards him. She wouldn't show mercy at all.-

-Back to Sonic, he was still fighting the water whips, dodging and waiting for another opening. He kicked some of the whips away, sometimes glancing towards Lav. He trusted him, but was starting to get worried. Would have to finish things quickly with Kit.-

[purple-steven]

He ran towards her, preparing to punch her straight in the face if he can, getting ready to shapeshift smaller if he has to dodge quickly. It's going to take some concentration. He's keeping his eyes on Surge's movements, but only Surge.

Get ready. You need to be fast. Land a punch and shapeshift. Not that difficult.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge dodged by ducking down, aiming to land an uppercut and then kicking Lav on the side. She's saving the electricity she has left to finish off Sonic.-

Too slow!

-The hedgehog jumped and landed a homing attack on Kit, making him hit the ground on his back, his backpack taking most of the impact. Something could be heard cracking inside of it, and the fennec's eyes widened.-

Gotcha.

-Kit glared at Sonic, a water blade forming and going towards him, but deforming and disintegrating before even making contact.-

[purple-steven]

Lav staggered, but he didn't back down.

Alright, speed isn't his forte. Let's use something you're good at then.

He raised his hand above his shoulder as if he was going to throw something, before shapeshifting it into a giant fist, almost half his size. He flung his arm in time so that he wouldn't have to worry about lifting it, allowing gravity to do the work, hopefully crushing Surge.

He didn't really want to kill her, but... It'll hurt her enough, surely, if it hits. If it seems fatal, he can take them to the fountain. It should be fine... Yeah, it should be fine.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge stared at the shapeshifting, her reflexes barely managing to get her out of his range. She immediately went to kick him behind the knees, trying to make him fall over and then kick his stomach.-

-On the other side, Kit was trying to punch Sonic, but he was just dodging every hit Kit threw at him. The fennec had a plan in mind, a single line of water slowly making it's way towards Lav. The backpack had enough pressure for one more attack. Sonic was about to knock out Kit, dashing behind him to hit him on the back of his head.-

-But then he saw the fennec's eyes glowing and looking at Lav. A water blade going for his abdomen, it was meant to pierce him all the way, but it stopped before it could do any fatal damage.-

LAV?!

-But Sonic didn't know that, immediately rushing over to Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He groaned in pain, his fist keeping him stuck to the ground before he shapeshifted it away. He heard the yell out, confused, before he saw the water blade.

He put up a bubble, although it seemed weak already and likely wouldn't stop anything that sharp from piercing it through, but it was a last attempt at protecting himself, attempting to roll to the side but...

...Well, speed isn't his forte.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran over towards Lav, but Surge intercepted him. She punched Sonic right on the face, making him fly over to the nearest building.-

Weren't quick enough to save him, were ya.

-She turned over to look at Kit.-

Hey drippy!? Ya good?!

-Kit didn't answer, focused on fixing his backpack. Tinkering away with it, a couple of sparks coming from it. Surge sighed, looking over at Lav, grabbing him by the hair.-

You're weak, but at least you make good bait.

-She whispered to him, before dropping him and looking over where Sonic crashed, just aiming to make him hurt even more. The hedgehog was standing up again, his last injuries coming back to him. He groaned, looking over at Surge grabbing Lav by the hair and hissing.-

[purple-steven]

He was flung towards Sonic, landing roughly and unpleasantly next to him, the harsh pebbles and small stones hidden within the dirt scratching his face. He teared up in pain, not even properly processing the stab wound yet, until he felt something wet on his hand.

His body instinctively already tried to cover the wound, and suddenly, the sting of being stabbed finally stepped in, and he curled in on himself, hissing in pain. He would've tried to scramble up, but from where the wound is, any sort of movement would hurt if he tried to get up.

It felt... Wetter than usual, thanks to the water, but it hurts badly.

He's not sure he can fight through this. He can try, but... It's not looking good for him.

Ugh... It... Keeps hurting more and now he's bleeding more, curling in on himself with tears slowly tracing his face.

He's more than bait. He's stronger than that. He's worth more than that. He's a useful person, he can be useful, he can be worth more than just a distraction. Than just bait.

He isn't weak.

He... He isn't weak.

Right...?

He hissed as well, albeit in pain, breathing heavily.

Shit...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran towards Surge, before a water tentacle grabbed his ankle and launched him up, he managed to block Surge's kick coming at him. He charged a homing attack to hit Surge in the air, but Kit immediately made the hedgehog hit a large mass of water.-

-He was trapped inside it, tried to swim upwards, panicked. But Surge put a hand on the water, using all she had left on her charge to electrify the water. It flashed white, making Sonic scream in the water as his muscles tensed.-

-As soon as it ended, Sonic was dropped onto the ground. He coughed water, he was struggling to breathe earlier and this definitely didn't help his case. His vision was blurry and everything hurt now. But he stood up again.-

That- That's all y-ya ha-

-And then a punch landed right on his stomach, knocking the air out of him. He put his hands on Surge's arm, seemingly supporting himself from the impact, before he grabbed her and slammed her onto the ground.-

-They should've known he wouldn't go down without a fight.-

[purple-steven]

Why is he still fighting? Shouldn't they-

No, he's right, he's... He should keep fighting as well.

You aren't bait. You're more than that.

You aren't useless.

He kept attempting to stagger up, until eventually he got his balance back, stumbling up to his feet. What can he do, what can he do...

Sonic obviously doesn't want to retreat, but if it continues, that might be the only option they have left. He summoned his whip. He'll just... Distract them.

...just... Be bait.

He flung his whip out around Kit, Surge being out of the question considering the electricity issue, wrapping it around before pulling him towards Lav.

...okay, so the backpack is the source. Break the source again. Obliterate it if you have to. You can do that, even in this state, right?

He seethed, closing his eyes and wincing, but it doesn't matter. Sonic needs back up.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit looked back at Lav the moment Sonic smashed Surge on the ground, Water tentacles emerging and shielding him from his whip. Surge, on the other side, growled and hissed at the hedgehog before she tackled him, punching him on the face over and over before he managed to kick her off. He was glad he was facing away from Lav.-

-He stumbled up, and then disappeared, kicking Surge on the stomach, returning the hit from earlier. He almost fell over when he landed on the ground, clearly at his limit.-

[purple-steven]

Shit no... Sonic can't do this any longer.

He wrapped his whip around Sonic, planning to pull him towards himself. They need to get out of here. But he'll loosen it if Sonic struggles against it. He doesn't want to yell it out loud; if they do have to escape, announcing it seemed idiotic.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was still keeping an eye on Lav and, alas, he didn't even allow that whip to go halfway through. A water whip slashing Lav's whip in half. He will support Surge in whatever she wants, and if she wants to fight Sonic one on one, so be it.-

-With that said, Surge was actually really worn out right now. Sonic wasn't pulling any punches now and she could obviously feel that on the kick she just received. She was near her limit, panting.-

-With that said, Sonic was way past his at this point, carrying on by sheer willpower. He still managed to get into a fighting position, and charged at her.-

-Surge attempted to sweep Sonic's legs, but he dashed behind her. Hitting her on the back of her head and then conjoining his two hands and striking down on her back, full force, making a small crater on the ground. Left her unconscious.-

-And then a water spike stabbed him from behind.-

[purple-steven]

His eyes widened, looking for Kit, running towards him with his hand glowing, morphing to be massive again. He looked mad. He swung his arm, sending his hand to swat Kit away, potentially sending him flying, this time with a fairly quick speed. He needs to wait for the water to dissipate. He's going to have to get them to the fountain, even if he's strength is slowly fading.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was keeping himself above the ground with his water tentacles, eyes widening when she saw the massive hand. The water tentacles divided into a massive amount of water spikes, all piercing Lav's hand, leaving just a single water tentacle keeping him above.-

-Sonic kicked Kit on the side of the head, knocked out Kit with the impact. With that the water dissipated, and a couple portals appeared beneath them, taking them away.-

-The hedgehog landed, stumbling and then looking at Lav.-

They're g-gone?.. Good...

[purple-steven]

He was breathing heavily, hand glowing to shift back to normal, the gaping piercings becoming far more apparent. He looked down at his wounds, his hands shaking as well as the stab wound becoming slightly worse and still flowing. Little streams of blood started to fall from the holes in his hand.

We n... We need to go....

He breathed out, hissing in pain, still stumbling and bending over slightly.

...the bending over was likely not helping whatsoever, in fact it likely made it worse, but he didn't have the strength to keep himself upright.

[rolling-combo]

You go, I'm not going to make it.

-Sonic leaned against a wall, and let himself fall down, a trail of blood smearing across the wall. He sighed.-

-He chuckled, holding his side as he winced in pain. The adrenaline was already wearing down, the pain of his injuries making itself more and more intense.-

Man, that sure was a fight.

-He was smiling, definitely afraid of dying.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no. N-no, we're not doing that.

He practically grabbed Sonic, picking him up, hoisting him over his shoulder in the fireman hold. He silently winced, but began quickly walking towards any portal which would be nearby.

Not letting you die on me, mate...

[rolling-combo]

L-Lav, no.

-He coughed, now struggling to breathe even more than before, you could hear how some of the air wasn't reaching his lungs.-

J-just leave m-me. I'll feel worse if y-ya bleed out trying to h-help me.

-He tried to pull away from him, falling onto the ground and grunting, hissing from the pain.-

G-go without me, I'll be fine.

-He could already feel he was going to die soon. No deal in making his corpse wait a little bit more to be healed.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no, let me help you, what're you doing? I can- I can save you, let me help, for fucks sake...

He went to try and pick him up again. He's not going without him. The fountain will save him, and he KNOWS it would. Why fight it when he can just- survive?

It'll save you, Sonic, you're not gonna die if I take you and it'll heal you, why the hell are you fighting that?

[rolling-combo]

-He immediately spiked up, all his quills going up, not letting him touch him. He tried to get in a more comfortable position.-

I-If you take me you'll d-die.

Y-your wounds are g-getting worse.

I d-don't want you to die, you're m-my friend.

-He smiled at him, he already feels lighteaded, cold. Definitely wouldn't make it even if Lav ran towards the fountain right now.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched, flapping his hand wildly, hissing in pain and immediately regretting his sudden movement, groaning slightly.

Argh, fUck-

He looked at Sonic, mildly angry, but mainly just... Frustrated. He could've saved him if he wasn't so stubborn about it. He could've done something.

...sonic, you're an absolute twat, you know that?

He sighed, holding his own hand to soothe it.

...I'll wait until you go. I can hold... I can hold out, but... But god, you're an idiot. I've died before... I can handle it. Why did you take so many hits...? You didn't... You shouldn't've, you idiot.

[rolling-combo]

-He laughed again, coughing more blood out, struggling to stay awake, but he persevered.-

D-didn't know how m-much time they would be stayin'

Y-you saw what they c-could do didn't cha'-

-His blinking was getting slower, each time getting harder and harder to keep himself up. He did manage to look at Lav though, still smiling, as always.-

T-thanks for helping me out man, probably wouldn't have been able t-to get them both alone.

-He was 100% sincere here, probably wouldn't have been able to fight both of them at the same time.-

D-don't let Tails know bout this 'kay?

-And he closed his eyes, of course those would be his last words.-

[purple-steven]

He sighed, nodding.

Yeah, alright.

He bubbled Sonic's body, sending him to his room in the library. It's locked, so it's not like anyone's just gonna wander in. He'll go and grab some healing water to help as well.

But now... He's gotta make the journey without dying, so that's going to be eventful. He probably won't either, but it hurts badly.

Right, let's assess this. We've got a pretty deep stab wound that's gone all the way through his abdomen. That's the main point of concern. Several holes in his hands from multiple piercings of water spikes. Also can't be good. Multiple electricity burns but that's nothing he's not used to. And probably a bunch of bruises that he can't exactly identify right now.

He continued his journey to the fountain, warping himself away, feeling slightly faint. Yeah, he's definitely gonna make it.

He took all the flasks out of his gem, refilling them as well as chugging one down to get rid of anything internal that might be going on. The rest he sorta sprinkled on. He didn't want to deal with any submerging shit right now, especially with the state he's in.

...Sonic died. He couldn't help. It's fully sinking in.

God, is he really only good for bait? Good for distractions? Sonic said he'd helped, but then again, Sonic would say anything to make anyone feel better. He was worried the entire time. Was Lav really incapable of standing his ground that whole time?

Okay, stop that, that's unreasonable thinking. Surely.

Right. Yeah. 'course it is. You're strong. You're strong as hell. You aren't useless.

Are you sure? Because to me, it seemed like you were pretty incompetent. Seemed like you sorta just... Let it happen. You're not exactly the best person, are you? You could've easily just taken all the hits. But instead, you were too scared. Too scared of dying, no matter what you say, and too scared of getting hurt. You hate it. The sensation of it. Isn't that pathetic? That's what cost him his life. Your own fear, your own actions, everything. It was you.

...was he even entirely wrong this time?

He splashed his face with the fountain water, putting each flask except one in his gem. This one he'll use for Sonic. He wiped the water from his face, dragging his hand down his cheeks and sighing.

Is this Sonic's first death? Hopefully he doesn't take too long. He doesn't want to have to hide a body again. He's got too many memories of keeping stupid secrets like that from people.

He warped back home, starting to lead to his room, flask in hand, before unlocking his room door and entering.

...yep. Bloody bubble with a bloody sonic. What else would you expect? He took it over to the tub, bursting the bubble and letting any blood that pooled drain out. Lav let the fountain water clear up the major injuries, obviously unable to help with the internal ones, but Sonic'll cope. He should wake up soon.

...if he wakes up soon.

No, don't think like that. It was one time.

But you don't know that.

...give it a day. If it takes any longer, then you're allowed to panic. For now, you need to calm down. He put Sonic's (now less bloody) body in his bed, tucking him in. At least he won't feel sore, hopefully.

God, sonic, you're such an idiot. You've got someone who cares if you die. You should've just let him help. Lav could've saved you. He really could've saved you if you just let him help.

He brought his knees to his chest, trying his best not to tear up. He's going to come back. He has to.

...he just wish it was him instead. At least then, he wouldn't have to think about it being his first death or anything of the sort.

...now that he thinks about it, Sonic said he was a friend.

Heh. A friend. That's nice to know, at least.

...he's going to have to step up his game if this happens again.

Now it's just a case of waiting. And he'll be right beside him, as he always is. Got nothing else better to do anyways. Maybe he might tidy up in here as well. Seems like every time he does, it always goes back to a tip.

[rolling-combo]

-In the quiet embrace of mortality, Sonic felt the gentle pull of life's final curtain. A profound calm settled over him, like the hushed aftermath of a storm. The weight of the hios struggles, battles fought, and sacrifices made began to lift, replaced by an ethereal lightness.

-As the hedgehog embraced the inevitable, there was a sense of closure and completion. Every scar, both seen and unseen, whispered tales of resilience and valor. In these fleeting moments, the hero just stared at what was his entire existence, and the culmination of it. The darkness engulfed him, but there was an odd feeling on the back of his head, a nagging feeling that this wasn't over yet.-

-His voice whispered that it wasn't his time to sink down further down. The voice turned into a bittersweet melody, his beating heart leading the compass.-

-And then he gasped awake.-

[purple-steven]

Despite the rush of it all earlier, he would find himself in almost silence, shooting up in his bed with Lav still on the floor next to him. He has moved, but he always returned to this spot whenever he was doing nothing. And now he's napping. He does that a lot.

[rolling-combo]

-The hedgehog put a hand on his side, where the piercing wound had been, expecting his gloves to be crimson red. Instead, he just touched his fur, his gloves an inmaculate white.-

-He felt relieved, he had this sort of ethereal sense of clarity at the moment, his ears flickered at the sound of someone breathing, turning over to look at his friend on the ground.-

-A small smile appeared on his lips, the sight of Lav making him happy. He was just recalling everything that happened earlier, all the violence and pain. He tensed, before closing his eyes, expression softening, now wondering how much his revival took.-

-It didn't feel right to look at his friend resting on the ground, very slowly getting off the bed and carrying the human and getting him under the covers, before he got on it as well. They can both rest on the same bed, not that he's especially big or anything.-

-He still felt a little tired, but didn't feel the urge to sleep anymore, so he just sat up, closing his eyes and meditating.-

[purple-steven]

He stirred a little when he was picked up, before continuing his nap, waking up after a couple of minutes. He felt the covers on top of him, slowly blinking awake and looking around, grasping his surroundings.

He saw Sonic sitting up, and all of a sudden he felt a weight slowly melt off his chest.

Oh- oh thank god, you're awake...

[rolling-combo]

-Ears flickered off at the sound of Lav's voice. He smiled, opening his eyes to look at his friend. He was just.. emitting this calm aura. Death has seemed to bring some sort of enlightenment to the hedgehog.-

Why wouldn't I be?

...

Sorry for worrying you earlier.

-He recalled his friend's desperation earlier, and how he was pricked by this quills, felt like some apologies were in order. He just couldn't bear having his friend die trying to help him when he wa beyond saving.-

[purple-steven]

Nothing, no reason, don't worry about it. Just... Let me help you, next time. I know my limits.

...are you... Doing alright? You seem to be coping with this a whole lot better than I did. Especially since it's... Well, it's your first death, isn't it...?

[rolling-combo]

You were stabbed in the abdomen, you would've died if you carried me over to the fountain. And I would've died if you moved me anymore.

-He sighed, serious, he knows his limits as well, and by moving to kick Kit that last time he worsened the injury he had made to him. Had no chance of surviving that fight. His expression eased up after saying all that, no worth in stressing over something that already happened.-

And I'm fine! It was just... kind of ominous, heh-

[purple-steven]

Kind of... Ominous...?

I mean, that's one way to describe it, but it doesn't... Seem right at all from his perspective.

...huh. I think... I think we've had very different after-death-experiences then.

He sighed, still letting the relief that Sonic Actually Woke Up wash over him. It was stupid to be worried about in the first place: it's not something that happens often and the likelihood of it ever happening is low, but it did stress him out.

How're you feeling? Sore? Achy? Anything of the sort?

He's still fairly concerned... But if Sonic is completely fine, he should probably just take it as a win.

[rolling-combo]

-Well Lav, you both have very different perspectives regarding death.-

A bit lightheaded, but aside from that, I just picked you up so, I should be fine!

[purple-steven]

Huh... Well, that's good!! Means that it wasn't... Too rough.

He smiled, clearly more relaxed.

You should still probably take it easy... I don't think it's smart to overdo it now.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic hugged Lav, it was a very gentle embrace. He still sorta felt bad for worrying him earlier. Also..-

Thanks, for everything.

-He wanted to thank him. Releasing the hug after saying so, smiling wide.-

We should go with Tails though. He's probably worried, or not. Depends, uh- How long have I been gone?

[rolling-combo]

Surge The Tenrec is brought in to the Clutter Dimension.

//oo this is going to be fun >:D

-The tenrec was running along a path of dirt along a forest, a circle of water along her waist, her sidekick, Kit, holding onto it. They were looking for shelter around the place.-

-None of them noticed when they were teleported, placed at the forest near Beach city. Eventually they found the aforementioned place, stopping abruptly.-

What the-

Ey drippy, this wasn't here before! Where are we?!

-Kitsunami lowered himself to the ground, water going back to his backpack, confused as well.-

We're in the middle of the continent, there isn't supposed to be a beach here.

Something's up here then. I'll ask for directions, you stay hidden.

-The fennec nodded, and Surge grinned, sharp teeth showing themselves. Might as well have some fun with the "gathering information" thing. They both got separated now, Surge just casually strolling until she spotted your muse. In a flash she pinned them against the wall and showed them her hand crackling with strands of glowing electricity.-

Hey there! How about you answer some questions for me?

//open rp! Uhhh I've been gone for a good while and idk who are still active- @purple-steven @corvid-steven @varian-the-unstable-alchemist @lilmetalsonic @anyone! sorry if i didn't tag someone i just genuinely dont remember-

[purple-steven]

Oh god-

This already felt problematic. He's weirded out by the fact he's suddenly pressed against the wall and-

Well. That hand is NOT going to do him any good. Electricity is not his strong suit.

Woah- hey, okay, calm it, put the- put the hand away, what's up? Who are you?

This is. Dangerous. He's got to be careful.

[rolling-combo]

Not your problem is it!? Shut up and answer! Where the fuck is this place!?

Answer me or you won't like what comes next!

-She pointed a finger at him, a little zap burning his nose a bit as she showed her teeth, intimidating him-

[purple-steven]

He flinched at the zap, feeling himself freak out the moment he felt it.

Okay- okay, just- just calm down. You're in the clutter dimension. You're new here, I'm assuming? Look, just- put the hand down, I'm not- not gonna do anything.

[rolling-combo]

The fuck is the Clutter Dimension?! You tryna be funny?! You piece of shit!

-Surge screamed at him, raising her fist in anger, about to beat him up. Before a strong gust of wind came across the alley, a familiar voice for Lav coming along.-

Hey bully! Haven't they told you to not pick on others! Also, go wash your mouth.

-Sonic joked around, crossing his arms. The lightning began acting up, the tenrec growling in anger as she looked down and then glared with all the anger she could muster at him.-

Let him go now, Surge. This is between us.

-His tone turned a bit serious, urgent to make her let go of Lav.-

Heh, what? You ready to put me down now!?

-She let go of Lav, more interested in.. well, beating the shit out of Sonic. Some electricity emanating from her might go to him, but it felt more like a light sting than anything. It's up to you if you're going to help Sonic or not, Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched with each sting, backing up slightly but going towards Sonic. Yeah, he's going to be helping out.

Oookay, so this is- this is a You Thing, I'm assuming? Can I have details??

[rolling-combo]

-Surge ignored Lav completely, launching herself at Sonic, charging towards him at full speed. He almost didn't manage to dodge it, but he did and appeared besides Lav in a flash, getting in a fighting stance as the tenrec crashed onto a random building.-

Uhhh, long story short. She was genetically modified and brainwashed to kill me. I need you to res- Whoa!

-He pushed Lav to the side. She'd thrown a literal wall at them.-

I need you to find a good moment to knock her out or restrain her quic-

-Surge now pounced him, Sonic stopping him with both his hands.-

What!? You think that weak human can pin me down?!

[purple-steven]

Oh SHI-

He just flicked his head, following the wall flying past them. What the fuCK??

Then the snide remark, which quite frankly peeved him off a bit. He pulled out his whip, cracking it for no reason other than dramatic effect, before wrapping it around Surge and attempting to pull her off.

Alright, let's NOT do that, yeah?

[rolling-combo]

-The tenrec actually went flying with that, actually being really light. She hit the ground hard, eyes widening as she was not expecting that at all, a small cloud of dust appearing with the ground cracking with the impact.-

-Sonic quickly incorporated himself, immediately turning to Lav at the sight of the whip, a worried tone in his exclamation.-

Lav! Let go of the-

-And a strong current of energy went through the whip, it would last a good 3 seconds before Sonic cut it off with a homing atack.-

[purple-steven]

He wasn't expecting her to fly off that easily, and the fact she did was sorta concerning to him, especially since he did NOT hold back at all. He looked incredibly worried, before feeling the shock course through him and an expression of pain and distress painted his face. He can't let go of the whip even if he wanted to, his hand clenching the whip tighter.

Oh goodness. He feels like he's seeing those trees again. He needs to stay focused. He can be distressed later. But it's notoriously difficult to concentrate at all when you're being shocked and all you can feel is pain and it doesn't stop and it's not stopping and its-

The relief he felt once it had seized was one he hadn't experienced in a while. He dropped to the floor for a moment, catching his breath, his hand finally letting go of the rope.

Ow.

[rolling-combo]

You alright!?

What! Little guy can't handle a little shock?! Aww, and I just thought things were getting interesting!

-As the cloud of dust dissipated, you could see Surge's fist emanating pure electricity. Sonic tried to stay and check if Lav was alright, but the tenrec charged at him will full speed.-

Alright then! Let's dance!

Sonic ran as as well, a blur of blue and green now going around the place, stopping when Surge managed to punch Sonic, throwing him over to a wall and breaking it on impact.-

Gah!-

-Lav could hear someone walking near him, a blue kit staring him down, tentacles of water emerging from what seemed to be a backpack.-

[purple-steven]

This is. Not looking good for him.

Don't worry about me! Just- be careful!

And he felt the ominous loom of the kit by him, turning around and looking back at him. That looks. Really cool, but right now, he's a bit scared for what's to come. He's bubbling himself already just in case, getting out a new whip, still trying to recover from the shock. More mentally than physically. Hhholy shit this is a lot that he wasn't expecting.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit stared at him for a moment, then looked at Sonic and Kit fighting, assessing the situation, then staring back at Lav. He'd seen his strength back when he threw Surge to the ground. The ends water tentacles turned sharp, repeatedly hitting the bubble now. Nice Lav, you've been deemed a threat.-

You're just a coward, aren't you.

-Meanwhile, the tenrec and the hedgehog were still actively fighting in the background. Sonic this time got the next hit, managing to kick Surge on the side, making her stumble back. He was about to charge a spindash when he saw Kit.-

Lav!

-He remembered their last encounter as clear as day, and he knew well enough what Kit could do when he's protecting Surge. He rushed to go towards Kit, and stop his attack, but he had to stop when Surge appeared in front of him.-

[purple-steven]

Oh goodness, they aren't going to make this easy at ALL are they.

I'm not a coward, I just- I don't want to hurt you!

He's trying to keep his bubble strong, but it's already forming cracks. Holding on to his whip slightly tighter. He doesn't want to fling people about, but it seems like he's running out of options here.

Can't we just- talk this out?

He's flicking his attention back and forth from Kit and to Surge and Sonic just in case they need help. Maybe he could try and intervene if he can slip by? But this may be a case of trusting Sonic to take care of Surge, leaving him to take care of Kit.

Well, regardless, he's trying to stay as aware as possible.

[rolling-combo]

Surge c'mon! Listen to me for a sec!

-Sonic now focused on dodging Surge, just wanted to make her reason. The tenrec kept attacking, eyes glowing as she focused her lightning on her fists and shoes.-

Why should I?! Are you going to start with the "You can be good" shit! Because I ain't buying it!

-Back to Lav, Kit didn't even answer him, all the water merging together and forming one big spike that crashed down on him.-

[purple-steven]

Glad to know that him and sonic were thinking similarly, at least... The spike crashing down on him popped the bubble, giving him time to dodge, albeit slightly weaker. He wrapped his whip around Kit, pulling him down to the ground.

[rolling-combo]

-A water tentacle slashed the whip, but the fennec still fell to the ground. A puddle of water formed around him and spikes of water formed, extending and aiming towards Lav.-

You won't hurt Surge.

-Talking about her, back to Sonic.-

-Sonic kept blocking Surge's punches as he tried to speak to her, eventually answering with a kick to make her stand back.-

Just listen! This isn't our dimension, you're free here!

-The tenrec stared at him. A sinister smile creeping up her face. This is not going the way Sonic wanted, immediately knowing what she was about to say.-

Free you say?

I'm pretty sure that whatever you're thinking right now is wrong. I won't let you cause mayhem.

But then that means...

-Surge's body was covered by electricity now, charging at Sonic once again.-

You don't have anyone to back you up! Do ya!?

-As they clashed, electricity quickly enveloped Sonic, making him scream in pain as his eyes widened.-

[purple-steven]

He quickly summoned 2 more whips to make up for the loss of the first, looking back to hear the sound of Sonic screaming, trying to wrap his whip around Sonic and pull him back towards him. He is paying no mind towards Kit at the moment, instead keeping the other whip spare for any retaliations that he might need to take.

Oh boy. This is going to be difficult to take care of. Maybe they should flee? But that doesn't seem wise either... They just need to try and keep Surge in one place, so maybe bubbling? But his bubbles are useless at times... It'll be fine. They'll figure something out. Just keep fighting somehow.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic stayed on the ground for a moment, a bit of smoke coming from his body. He groaned as he stood up, struggling to do so. Both Kit and Surge stood in front of them.-

Hey kid! Change of plans, we'll just kill off the blue rat. I used almost all my charge on him so he's pretty much dead, you can call dibs on the kill if you get the chance.

-Kit nodded, raising himself with the water and immediately aiming water spikes at Sonic.-

[purple-steven]

He wrapped one whip around Kit and another around Surge, pulling them back to the ground and towards him rather than near Sonic. He needs time to recover by the looks of it, and Lav is going to buy as much time as needed.

[rolling-combo]

I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!

-Kit let himself get pulled, choosing to free Surge. She charged right at Lav, jumping and raising a charged fist, aiming to knock him down on one hit. But before it landed, Sonic spindashed right onto her stomach, sending her flying onto a nearby building.-

SURGE!?

-Kit growled at Sonic, water tentacles shooting over to grab him midair and throw him to the ground with full force.-

Ghk!-

-Sonic landed on the concrete, and a very audible crack could be heard. Making him cough blood. He.. still stood up though, struggling to breathe a bit and putting a hand on his side. He looked at the blood.-

That can't be good.

-He averted his gaze towards Kit, the kid had run off to check on Surge. She seemed to be injured as well, blood dripping down from her forehead as she recovered. Sonic tried to take a deep breath, looking back at Lav with a smile, bright as always, even though he was struggling to stand.-

Yo, Lav. Cover me, 'kay?

-He just has his vibe within him y'know? To make you feel safe, that everything is going to be alright. Just trust him, he's a hero after all.-

[purple-steven]

He glanced at the blood, nervous for Sonic and honestly a bit shaken, considering he had braced himself for a blow that never came to him.

Yeah, alright. Don't do anythin' stupid...

He nodded though, he's ready to cover as best he can, both whips out and ready to strike. He's also preparing himself to bubble something or someone if necessary, although it's hard to tell what's coming next. Out of all the times Lav fails to have fountain water on him... He needs to keep it in his gem more often. You'd think by now he's learnt his lesson, but... He always forgets in the end.

He's going to attack whoever Sonic doesn't go for first. He's just keeping an eye out, focussing on who to target.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, coughing again, his glove staining with a little more blood. Definitely a punctured lung. Don't have time to deal with that right now. He grinned.-

You need to have more faith in me man!

-Sonic assessed the situation, kit was unharmed and Surge was healing from her injury already. Man, this is going to be tough. He was just standing there, before he disappeared from Lav's sight.-

-The other two seemed confused as well, looking around. In a blink of an eyes, the hedgehog appeared over to kick Surge on the back of her head, aiming for her injury. She went face down on the ground, growling as she lunged over to try and tackle Sonic.-

Going for a sucker punch, hero?!

-Sonic dodged, being wary of the water puddle forming nearby, feeling Kit's glare.-

Can't keep up?

-He's a little fed up at this point.-

[purple-steven]

There's a right answer here. He needs to make a decision now on who and what to tackle. Would he rather face suffocating blue, or sparks of pain? Which one is the right answer? Which one is going to help? Which one can he handle more and which one is the right answer?

He'd take them both on, but Sonic is stupidly determined to protect him. He admires the courage, but it's hard when they're both wanting to tank hits for each other.

Surge... Even if it means taking electricity, it's clear that she's the bigger threat and that she appears to be the one who's harder to escape from. The electricity makes you seize in place. That's what hinders them both from doing ANYTHING at all.

Kit. The water is an issue. The fact they're near a beach isn't helping either. Neither of them can swim, but that's not an issue considering they don't need that skill at the moment. Drowning is an obvious risk, but the easy way out is to just sever the water with his whip or thwack Kit out of the way. If that's the case, he can take a second whip out to get rid of him easily.

Surge is better to take hits from. He has the durability as a bigger person in general, and even if the electricity brings back memories, memories aren't going to hurt anyone.

That must be the right decision. Right?

No time for more thinking. You already wasted enough with these few seconds, now you just need to fight. Diving head first into these sorts of things never backfire, right?

He rushed in, wrapping his whip tightly around Surge, each gem divot pushing against the skin enough to hurt, but not enough to pierce it. This trick is getting old, but there's not much he can do other than this. Unless he starts giving her ACTUAL whip lashes, but that feels too harsh. He's tempted to try and throw her far away from here, but that'll become an issue in the future. Might as well deal with it here and now.

Doesn't matter if he dies. Doesn't really bother him much in the long run, does it?

Enough is enough. He's getting tired of this as well. He's desummoned one whip, instead bubbling his fist. He pulls Surge towards him, ready to punch her with his bubbled fist. He's aware the pressure and force may make it burst, but power is needed more at the moment. Plus, he can take a hit like that.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge allowed herself to be pulled, tanking the punch. Definitely didn't expect it the amount of raw strength coming from it though. She then electrified the whip, same as last time.-

You don't learn, do ya.

-Meanwhile, Sonic was fighting Kit, dodging water whips and trying to make him use his water supply as much as he could. Didn't want to hirt the kid, but he was already seeing it hard to win this without doing so.-

-He charged a spindash, going through one of the water whips and bouncing off a street lamp to hit Kit right on his water backpack, the water whips faltering as Sonic barely dodged one coming at him.-

-He was keeping an eye on Lav and Surge, would definitely barge in if things go south.-

[purple-steven]

The bubble burst with the collision, and he seized, unable to think of any sort of witty comeback. Each muscle in his body felt far too tense, but he didn't let go of the whip. Take the hit. You can handle the hit. You can handle this.

His eyes welled up with tears whilst remaining quiet, solely concentrated on trying to stray his focus elsewhere.

Stop thinking about how much it hurts. Think about what to do next. Think about Sonic. Think about what to do next think about your next move think about-

It hurts so much. He's scared. It hurts so much and he's scared, and he isn't sure when it's going to end, and he isn't sure when he'll be able to completely focus again.

The whip instead is desummoned, somewhat unwillingly, freeing Surge to move around a bit more. He bubbled his fists once more, breathing heavily after the current had been broken. He's still out of focus. Out of practice. He'll fight fist to fist if he has to. Shapeshifting is still a skill he possessed, maybe just having a physically Massive Fist might pummel them.

[rolling-combo]

-The tenred stood up, brushing some dust off as her wounds healed. She grinned at the sight of Lav's bubbled fists, squaring up as well.-

Wanna dance, you puny little human? Come at me!

-She taunted, signaling him to come closer with one of her hands, her sharp teeth forming a haunting smile towards him. She wouldn't show mercy at all.-

-Back to Sonic, he was still fighting the water whips, dodging and waiting for another opening. He kicked some of the whips away, sometimes glancing towards Lav. He trusted him, but was starting to get worried. Would have to finish things quickly with Kit.-

[purple-steven]

He ran towards her, preparing to punch her straight in the face if he can, getting ready to shapeshift smaller if he has to dodge quickly. It's going to take some concentration. He's keeping his eyes on Surge's movements, but only Surge.

Get ready. You need to be fast. Land a punch and shapeshift. Not that difficult.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge dodged by ducking down, aiming to land an uppercut and then kicking Lav on the side. She's saving the electricity she has left to finish off Sonic.-

Too slow!

-The hedgehog jumped and landed a homing attack on Kit, making him hit the ground on his back, his backpack taking most of the impact. Something could be heard cracking inside of it, and the fennec's eyes widened.-

Gotcha.

-Kit glared at Sonic, a water blade forming and going towards him, but deforming and disintegrating before even making contact.-

[purple-steven]

Lav staggered, but he didn't back down.

Alright, speed isn't his forte. Let's use something you're good at then.

He raised his hand above his shoulder as if he was going to throw something, before shapeshifting it into a giant fist, almost half his size. He flung his arm in time so that he wouldn't have to worry about lifting it, allowing gravity to do the work, hopefully crushing Surge.

He didn't really want to kill her, but... It'll hurt her enough, surely, if it hits. If it seems fatal, he can take them to the fountain. It should be fine... Yeah, it should be fine.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge stared at the shapeshifting, her reflexes barely managing to get her out of his range. She immediately went to kick him behind the knees, trying to make him fall over and then kick his stomach.-

-On the other side, Kit was trying to punch Sonic, but he was just dodging every hit Kit threw at him. The fennec had a plan in mind, a single line of water slowly making it's way towards Lav. The backpack had enough pressure for one more attack. Sonic was about to knock out Kit, dashing behind him to hit him on the back of his head.-

-But then he saw the fennec's eyes glowing and looking at Lav. A water blade going for his abdomen, it was meant to pierce him all the way, but it stopped before it could do any fatal damage.-

LAV?!

-But Sonic didn't know that, immediately rushing over to Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He groaned in pain, his fist keeping him stuck to the ground before he shapeshifted it away. He heard the yell out, confused, before he saw the water blade.

He put up a bubble, although it seemed weak already and likely wouldn't stop anything that sharp from piercing it through, but it was a last attempt at protecting himself, attempting to roll to the side but...

...Well, speed isn't his forte.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran over towards Lav, but Surge intercepted him. She punched Sonic right on the face, making him fly over to the nearest building.-

Weren't quick enough to save him, were ya.

-She turned over to look at Kit.-

Hey drippy!? Ya good?!

-Kit didn't answer, focused on fixing his backpack. Tinkering away with it, a couple of sparks coming from it. Surge sighed, looking over at Lav, grabbing him by the hair.-

You're weak, but at least you make good bait.

-She whispered to him, before dropping him and looking over where Sonic crashed, just aiming to make him hurt even more. The hedgehog was standing up again, his last injuries coming back to him. He groaned, looking over at Surge grabbing Lav by the hair and hissing.-

[purple-steven]

He was flung towards Sonic, landing roughly and unpleasantly next to him, the harsh pebbles and small stones hidden within the dirt scratching his face. He teared up in pain, not even properly processing the stab wound yet, until he felt something wet on his hand.

His body instinctively already tried to cover the wound, and suddenly, the sting of being stabbed finally stepped in, and he curled in on himself, hissing in pain. He would've tried to scramble up, but from where the wound is, any sort of movement would hurt if he tried to get up.

It felt... Wetter than usual, thanks to the water, but it hurts badly.

He's not sure he can fight through this. He can try, but... It's not looking good for him.

Ugh... It... Keeps hurting more and now he's bleeding more, curling in on himself with tears slowly tracing his face.

He's more than bait. He's stronger than that. He's worth more than that. He's a useful person, he can be useful, he can be worth more than just a distraction. Than just bait.

He isn't weak.

He... He isn't weak.

Right...?

He hissed as well, albeit in pain, breathing heavily.

Shit...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran towards Surge, before a water tentacle grabbed his ankle and launched him up, he managed to block Surge's kick coming at him. He charged a homing attack to hit Surge in the air, but Kit immediately made the hedgehog hit a large mass of water.-

-He was trapped inside it, tried to swim upwards, panicked. But Surge put a hand on the water, using all she had left on her charge to electrify the water. It flashed white, making Sonic scream in the water as his muscles tensed.-

-As soon as it ended, Sonic was dropped onto the ground. He coughed water, he was struggling to breathe earlier and this definitely didn't help his case. His vision was blurry and everything hurt now. But he stood up again.-

That- That's all y-ya ha-

-And then a punch landed right on his stomach, knocking the air out of him. He put his hands on Surge's arm, seemingly supporting himself from the impact, before he grabbed her and slammed her onto the ground.-

-They should've known he wouldn't go down without a fight.-

[purple-steven]

Why is he still fighting? Shouldn't they-

No, he's right, he's... He should keep fighting as well.

You aren't bait. You're more than that.

You aren't useless.

He kept attempting to stagger up, until eventually he got his balance back, stumbling up to his feet. What can he do, what can he do...

Sonic obviously doesn't want to retreat, but if it continues, that might be the only option they have left. He summoned his whip. He'll just... Distract them.

...just... Be bait.

He flung his whip out around Kit, Surge being out of the question considering the electricity issue, wrapping it around before pulling him towards Lav.

...okay, so the backpack is the source. Break the source again. Obliterate it if you have to. You can do that, even in this state, right?

He seethed, closing his eyes and wincing, but it doesn't matter. Sonic needs back up.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit looked back at Lav the moment Sonic smashed Surge on the ground, Water tentacles emerging and shielding him from his whip. Surge, on the other side, growled and hissed at the hedgehog before she tackled him, punching him on the face over and over before he managed to kick her off. He was glad he was facing away from Lav.-

-He stumbled up, and then disappeared, kicking Surge on the stomach, returning the hit from earlier. He almost fell over when he landed on the ground, clearly at his limit.-

[purple-steven]

Shit no... Sonic can't do this any longer.

He wrapped his whip around Sonic, planning to pull him towards himself. They need to get out of here. But he'll loosen it if Sonic struggles against it. He doesn't want to yell it out loud; if they do have to escape, announcing it seemed idiotic.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was still keeping an eye on Lav and, alas, he didn't even allow that whip to go halfway through. A water whip slashing Lav's whip in half. He will support Surge in whatever she wants, and if she wants to fight Sonic one on one, so be it.-

-With that said, Surge was actually really worn out right now. Sonic wasn't pulling any punches now and she could obviously feel that on the kick she just received. She was near her limit, panting.-

-With that said, Sonic was way past his at this point, carrying on by sheer willpower. He still managed to get into a fighting position, and charged at her.-

-Surge attempted to sweep Sonic's legs, but he dashed behind her. Hitting her on the back of her head and then conjoining his two hands and striking down on her back, full force, making a small crater on the ground. Left her unconscious.-

-And then a water spike stabbed him from behind.-

[purple-steven]

His eyes widened, looking for Kit, running towards him with his hand glowing, morphing to be massive again. He looked mad. He swung his arm, sending his hand to swat Kit away, potentially sending him flying, this time with a fairly quick speed. He needs to wait for the water to dissipate. He's going to have to get them to the fountain, even if he's strength is slowly fading.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was keeping himself above the ground with his water tentacles, eyes widening when she saw the massive hand. The water tentacles divided into a massive amount of water spikes, all piercing Lav's hand, leaving just a single water tentacle keeping him above.-

-Sonic kicked Kit on the side of the head, knocked out Kit with the impact. With that the water dissipated, and a couple portals appeared beneath them, taking them away.-

-The hedgehog landed, stumbling and then looking at Lav.-

They're g-gone?.. Good...

[purple-steven]

He was breathing heavily, hand glowing to shift back to normal, the gaping piercings becoming far more apparent. He looked down at his wounds, his hands shaking as well as the stab wound becoming slightly worse and still flowing. Little streams of blood started to fall from the holes in his hand.

We n... We need to go....

He breathed out, hissing in pain, still stumbling and bending over slightly.

...the bending over was likely not helping whatsoever, in fact it likely made it worse, but he didn't have the strength to keep himself upright.

[rolling-combo]

You go, I'm not going to make it.

-Sonic leaned against a wall, and let himself fall down, a trail of blood smearing across the wall. He sighed.-

-He chuckled, holding his side as he winced in pain. The adrenaline was already wearing down, the pain of his injuries making itself more and more intense.-

Man, that sure was a fight.

-He was smiling, definitely afraid of dying.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no. N-no, we're not doing that.

He practically grabbed Sonic, picking him up, hoisting him over his shoulder in the fireman hold. He silently winced, but began quickly walking towards any portal which would be nearby.

Not letting you die on me, mate...

[rolling-combo]

L-Lav, no.

-He coughed, now struggling to breathe even more than before, you could hear how some of the air wasn't reaching his lungs.-

J-just leave m-me. I'll feel worse if y-ya bleed out trying to h-help me.

-He tried to pull away from him, falling onto the ground and grunting, hissing from the pain.-

G-go without me, I'll be fine.

-He could already feel he was going to die soon. No deal in making his corpse wait a little bit more to be healed.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no, let me help you, what're you doing? I can- I can save you, let me help, for fucks sake...

He went to try and pick him up again. He's not going without him. The fountain will save him, and he KNOWS it would. Why fight it when he can just- survive?

It'll save you, Sonic, you're not gonna die if I take you and it'll heal you, why the hell are you fighting that?

[rolling-combo]

-He immediately spiked up, all his quills going up, not letting him touch him. He tried to get in a more comfortable position.-

I-If you take me you'll d-die.

Y-your wounds are g-getting worse.

I d-don't want you to die, you're m-my friend.

-He smiled at him, he already feels lighteaded, cold. Definitely wouldn't make it even if Lav ran towards the fountain right now.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched, flapping his hand wildly, hissing in pain and immediately regretting his sudden movement, groaning slightly.

Argh, fUck-

He looked at Sonic, mildly angry, but mainly just... Frustrated. He could've saved him if he wasn't so stubborn about it. He could've done something.

...sonic, you're an absolute twat, you know that?

He sighed, holding his own hand to soothe it.

...I'll wait until you go. I can hold... I can hold out, but... But god, you're an idiot. I've died before... I can handle it. Why did you take so many hits...? You didn't... You shouldn't've, you idiot.

[rolling-combo]

-He laughed again, coughing more blood out, struggling to stay awake, but he persevered.-

D-didn't know how m-much time they would be stayin'

Y-you saw what they c-could do didn't cha'-

-His blinking was getting slower, each time getting harder and harder to keep himself up. He did manage to look at Lav though, still smiling, as always.-

T-thanks for helping me out man, probably wouldn't have been able t-to get them both alone.

-He was 100% sincere here, probably wouldn't have been able to fight both of them at the same time.-

D-don't let Tails know bout this 'kay?

-And he closed his eyes, of course those would be his last words.-

[purple-steven]

He sighed, nodding.

Yeah, alright.

He bubbled Sonic's body, sending him to his room in the library. It's locked, so it's not like anyone's just gonna wander in. He'll go and grab some healing water to help as well.

But now... He's gotta make the journey without dying, so that's going to be eventful. He probably won't either, but it hurts badly.

Right, let's assess this. We've got a pretty deep stab wound that's gone all the way through his abdomen. That's the main point of concern. Several holes in his hands from multiple piercings of water spikes. Also can't be good. Multiple electricity burns but that's nothing he's not used to. And probably a bunch of bruises that he can't exactly identify right now.

He continued his journey to the fountain, warping himself away, feeling slightly faint. Yeah, he's definitely gonna make it.

He took all the flasks out of his gem, refilling them as well as chugging one down to get rid of anything internal that might be going on. The rest he sorta sprinkled on. He didn't want to deal with any submerging shit right now, especially with the state he's in.

...Sonic died. He couldn't help. It's fully sinking in.

God, is he really only good for bait? Good for distractions? Sonic said he'd helped, but then again, Sonic would say anything to make anyone feel better. He was worried the entire time. Was Lav really incapable of standing his ground that whole time?

Okay, stop that, that's unreasonable thinking. Surely.

Right. Yeah. 'course it is. You're strong. You're strong as hell. You aren't useless.

Are you sure? Because to me, it seemed like you were pretty incompetent. Seemed like you sorta just... Let it happen. You're not exactly the best person, are you? You could've easily just taken all the hits. But instead, you were too scared. Too scared of dying, no matter what you say, and too scared of getting hurt. You hate it. The sensation of it. Isn't that pathetic? That's what cost him his life. Your own fear, your own actions, everything. It was you.

...was he even entirely wrong this time?

He splashed his face with the fountain water, putting each flask except one in his gem. This one he'll use for Sonic. He wiped the water from his face, dragging his hand down his cheeks and sighing.

Is this Sonic's first death? Hopefully he doesn't take too long. He doesn't want to have to hide a body again. He's got too many memories of keeping stupid secrets like that from people.

He warped back home, starting to lead to his room, flask in hand, before unlocking his room door and entering.

...yep. Bloody bubble with a bloody sonic. What else would you expect? He took it over to the tub, bursting the bubble and letting any blood that pooled drain out. Lav let the fountain water clear up the major injuries, obviously unable to help with the internal ones, but Sonic'll cope. He should wake up soon.

...if he wakes up soon.

No, don't think like that. It was one time.

But you don't know that.

...give it a day. If it takes any longer, then you're allowed to panic. For now, you need to calm down. He put Sonic's (now less bloody) body in his bed, tucking him in. At least he won't feel sore, hopefully.

God, sonic, you're such an idiot. You've got someone who cares if you die. You should've just let him help. Lav could've saved you. He really could've saved you if you just let him help.

He brought his knees to his chest, trying his best not to tear up. He's going to come back. He has to.

...he just wish it was him instead. At least then, he wouldn't have to think about it being his first death or anything of the sort.

...now that he thinks about it, Sonic said he was a friend.

Heh. A friend. That's nice to know, at least.

...he's going to have to step up his game if this happens again.

Now it's just a case of waiting. And he'll be right beside him, as he always is. Got nothing else better to do anyways. Maybe he might tidy up in here as well. Seems like every time he does, it always goes back to a tip.

[rolling-combo]

-In the quiet embrace of mortality, Sonic felt the gentle pull of life's final curtain. A profound calm settled over him, like the hushed aftermath of a storm. The weight of the hios struggles, battles fought, and sacrifices made began to lift, replaced by an ethereal lightness.

-As the hedgehog embraced the inevitable, there was a sense of closure and completion. Every scar, both seen and unseen, whispered tales of resilience and valor. In these fleeting moments, the hero just stared at what was his entire existence, and the culmination of it. The darkness engulfed him, but there was an odd feeling on the back of his head, a nagging feeling that this wasn't over yet.-

-His voice whispered that it wasn't his time to sink down further down. The voice turned into a bittersweet melody, his beating heart leading the compass.-

-And then he gasped awake.-

[purple-steven]

Despite the rush of it all earlier, he would find himself in almost silence, shooting up in his bed with Lav still on the floor next to him. He has moved, but he always returned to this spot whenever he was doing nothing. And now he's napping. He does that a lot.

[rolling-combo]

-The hedgehog put a hand on his side, where the piercing wound had been, expecting his gloves to be crimson red. Instead, he just touched his fur, his gloves an inmaculate white.-

-He felt relieved, he had this sort of ethereal sense of clarity at the moment, his ears flickered at the sound of someone breathing, turning over to look at his friend on the ground.-

-A small smile appeared on his lips, the sight of Lav making him happy. He was just recalling everything that happened earlier, all the violence and pain. He tensed, before closing his eyes, expression softening, now wondering how much his revival took.-

-It didn't feel right to look at his friend resting on the ground, very slowly getting off the bed and carrying the human and getting him under the covers, before he got on it as well. They can both rest on the same bed, not that he's especially big or anything.-

-He still felt a little tired, but didn't feel the urge to sleep anymore, so he just sat up, closing his eyes and meditating.-

[purple-steven]

He stirred a little when he was picked up, before continuing his nap, waking up after a couple of minutes. He felt the covers on top of him, slowly blinking awake and looking around, grasping his surroundings.

He saw Sonic sitting up, and all of a sudden he felt a weight slowly melt off his chest.

Oh- oh thank god, you're awake...

[rolling-combo]

-Ears flickered off at the sound of Lav's voice. He smiled, opening his eyes to look at his friend. He was just.. emitting this calm aura. Death has seemed to bring some sort of enlightenment to the hedgehog.-

Why wouldn't I be?

...

Sorry for worrying you earlier.

-He recalled his friend's desperation earlier, and how he was pricked by this quills, felt like some apologies were in order. He just couldn't bear having his friend die trying to help him when he wa beyond saving.-

[purple-steven]

Nothing, no reason, don't worry about it. Just... Let me help you, next time. I know my limits.

...are you... Doing alright? You seem to be coping with this a whole lot better than I did. Especially since it's... Well, it's your first death, isn't it...?

[rolling-combo]

You were stabbed in the abdomen, you would've died if you carried me over to the fountain. And I would've died if you moved me anymore.

-He sighed, serious, he knows his limits as well, and by moving to kick Kit that last time he worsened the injury he had made to him. Had no chance of surviving that fight. His expression eased up after saying all that, no worth in stressing over something that already happened.-

And I'm fine! It was just... kind of ominous, heh-

[purple-steven]

Kind of... Ominous...?

I mean, that's one way to describe it, but it doesn't... Seem right at all from his perspective.

...huh. I think... I think we've had very different after-death-experiences then.

He sighed, still letting the relief that Sonic Actually Woke Up wash over him. It was stupid to be worried about in the first place: it's not something that happens often and the likelihood of it ever happening is low, but it did stress him out.

How're you feeling? Sore? Achy? Anything of the sort?

He's still fairly concerned... But if Sonic is completely fine, he should probably just take it as a win.

[rolling-combo]

-Well Lav, you both have very different perspectives regarding death.-

A bit lightheaded, but aside from that, I just picked you up so, I should be fine!

[rolling-combo]

Surge The Tenrec is brought in to the Clutter Dimension.

//oo this is going to be fun >:D

-The tenrec was running along a path of dirt along a forest, a circle of water along her waist, her sidekick, Kit, holding onto it. They were looking for shelter around the place.-

-None of them noticed when they were teleported, placed at the forest near Beach city. Eventually they found the aforementioned place, stopping abruptly.-

What the-

Ey drippy, this wasn't here before! Where are we?!

-Kitsunami lowered himself to the ground, water going back to his backpack, confused as well.-

We're in the middle of the continent, there isn't supposed to be a beach here.

Something's up here then. I'll ask for directions, you stay hidden.

-The fennec nodded, and Surge grinned, sharp teeth showing themselves. Might as well have some fun with the "gathering information" thing. They both got separated now, Surge just casually strolling until she spotted your muse. In a flash she pinned them against the wall and showed them her hand crackling with strands of glowing electricity.-

Hey there! How about you answer some questions for me?

//open rp! Uhhh I've been gone for a good while and idk who are still active- @purple-steven @corvid-steven @varian-the-unstable-alchemist @lilmetalsonic @anyone! sorry if i didn't tag someone i just genuinely dont remember-

[purple-steven]

Oh god-

This already felt problematic. He's weirded out by the fact he's suddenly pressed against the wall and-

Well. That hand is NOT going to do him any good. Electricity is not his strong suit.

Woah- hey, okay, calm it, put the- put the hand away, what's up? Who are you?

This is. Dangerous. He's got to be careful.

[rolling-combo]

Not your problem is it!? Shut up and answer! Where the fuck is this place!?

Answer me or you won't like what comes next!

-She pointed a finger at him, a little zap burning his nose a bit as she showed her teeth, intimidating him-

[purple-steven]

He flinched at the zap, feeling himself freak out the moment he felt it.

Okay- okay, just- just calm down. You're in the clutter dimension. You're new here, I'm assuming? Look, just- put the hand down, I'm not- not gonna do anything.

[rolling-combo]

The fuck is the Clutter Dimension?! You tryna be funny?! You piece of shit!

-Surge screamed at him, raising her fist in anger, about to beat him up. Before a strong gust of wind came across the alley, a familiar voice for Lav coming along.-

Hey bully! Haven't they told you to not pick on others! Also, go wash your mouth.

-Sonic joked around, crossing his arms. The lightning began acting up, the tenrec growling in anger as she looked down and then glared with all the anger she could muster at him.-

Let him go now, Surge. This is between us.

-His tone turned a bit serious, urgent to make her let go of Lav.-

Heh, what? You ready to put me down now!?

-She let go of Lav, more interested in.. well, beating the shit out of Sonic. Some electricity emanating from her might go to him, but it felt more like a light sting than anything. It's up to you if you're going to help Sonic or not, Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched with each sting, backing up slightly but going towards Sonic. Yeah, he's going to be helping out.

Oookay, so this is- this is a You Thing, I'm assuming? Can I have details??

[rolling-combo]

-Surge ignored Lav completely, launching herself at Sonic, charging towards him at full speed. He almost didn't manage to dodge it, but he did and appeared besides Lav in a flash, getting in a fighting stance as the tenrec crashed onto a random building.-

Uhhh, long story short. She was genetically modified and brainwashed to kill me. I need you to res- Whoa!

-He pushed Lav to the side. She'd thrown a literal wall at them.-

I need you to find a good moment to knock her out or restrain her quic-

-Surge now pounced him, Sonic stopping him with both his hands.-

What!? You think that weak human can pin me down?!

[purple-steven]

Oh SHI-

He just flicked his head, following the wall flying past them. What the fuCK??

Then the snide remark, which quite frankly peeved him off a bit. He pulled out his whip, cracking it for no reason other than dramatic effect, before wrapping it around Surge and attempting to pull her off.

Alright, let's NOT do that, yeah?

[rolling-combo]

-The tenrec actually went flying with that, actually being really light. She hit the ground hard, eyes widening as she was not expecting that at all, a small cloud of dust appearing with the ground cracking with the impact.-

-Sonic quickly incorporated himself, immediately turning to Lav at the sight of the whip, a worried tone in his exclamation.-

Lav! Let go of the-

-And a strong current of energy went through the whip, it would last a good 3 seconds before Sonic cut it off with a homing atack.-

[purple-steven]

He wasn't expecting her to fly off that easily, and the fact she did was sorta concerning to him, especially since he did NOT hold back at all. He looked incredibly worried, before feeling the shock course through him and an expression of pain and distress painted his face. He can't let go of the whip even if he wanted to, his hand clenching the whip tighter.

Oh goodness. He feels like he's seeing those trees again. He needs to stay focused. He can be distressed later. But it's notoriously difficult to concentrate at all when you're being shocked and all you can feel is pain and it doesn't stop and it's not stopping and its-

The relief he felt once it had seized was one he hadn't experienced in a while. He dropped to the floor for a moment, catching his breath, his hand finally letting go of the rope.

Ow.

[rolling-combo]

You alright!?

What! Little guy can't handle a little shock?! Aww, and I just thought things were getting interesting!

-As the cloud of dust dissipated, you could see Surge's fist emanating pure electricity. Sonic tried to stay and check if Lav was alright, but the tenrec charged at him will full speed.-

Alright then! Let's dance!

Sonic ran as as well, a blur of blue and green now going around the place, stopping when Surge managed to punch Sonic, throwing him over to a wall and breaking it on impact.-

Gah!-

-Lav could hear someone walking near him, a blue kit staring him down, tentacles of water emerging from what seemed to be a backpack.-

[purple-steven]

This is. Not looking good for him.

Don't worry about me! Just- be careful!

And he felt the ominous loom of the kit by him, turning around and looking back at him. That looks. Really cool, but right now, he's a bit scared for what's to come. He's bubbling himself already just in case, getting out a new whip, still trying to recover from the shock. More mentally than physically. Hhholy shit this is a lot that he wasn't expecting.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit stared at him for a moment, then looked at Sonic and Kit fighting, assessing the situation, then staring back at Lav. He'd seen his strength back when he threw Surge to the ground. The ends water tentacles turned sharp, repeatedly hitting the bubble now. Nice Lav, you've been deemed a threat.-

You're just a coward, aren't you.

-Meanwhile, the tenrec and the hedgehog were still actively fighting in the background. Sonic this time got the next hit, managing to kick Surge on the side, making her stumble back. He was about to charge a spindash when he saw Kit.-

Lav!

-He remembered their last encounter as clear as day, and he knew well enough what Kit could do when he's protecting Surge. He rushed to go towards Kit, and stop his attack, but he had to stop when Surge appeared in front of him.-

[purple-steven]

Oh goodness, they aren't going to make this easy at ALL are they.

I'm not a coward, I just- I don't want to hurt you!

He's trying to keep his bubble strong, but it's already forming cracks. Holding on to his whip slightly tighter. He doesn't want to fling people about, but it seems like he's running out of options here.

Can't we just- talk this out?

He's flicking his attention back and forth from Kit and to Surge and Sonic just in case they need help. Maybe he could try and intervene if he can slip by? But this may be a case of trusting Sonic to take care of Surge, leaving him to take care of Kit.

Well, regardless, he's trying to stay as aware as possible.

[rolling-combo]

Surge c'mon! Listen to me for a sec!

-Sonic now focused on dodging Surge, just wanted to make her reason. The tenrec kept attacking, eyes glowing as she focused her lightning on her fists and shoes.-

Why should I?! Are you going to start with the "You can be good" shit! Because I ain't buying it!

-Back to Lav, Kit didn't even answer him, all the water merging together and forming one big spike that crashed down on him.-

[purple-steven]

Glad to know that him and sonic were thinking similarly, at least... The spike crashing down on him popped the bubble, giving him time to dodge, albeit slightly weaker. He wrapped his whip around Kit, pulling him down to the ground.

[rolling-combo]

-A water tentacle slashed the whip, but the fennec still fell to the ground. A puddle of water formed around him and spikes of water formed, extending and aiming towards Lav.-

You won't hurt Surge.

-Talking about her, back to Sonic.-

-Sonic kept blocking Surge's punches as he tried to speak to her, eventually answering with a kick to make her stand back.-

Just listen! This isn't our dimension, you're free here!

-The tenrec stared at him. A sinister smile creeping up her face. This is not going the way Sonic wanted, immediately knowing what she was about to say.-

Free you say?

I'm pretty sure that whatever you're thinking right now is wrong. I won't let you cause mayhem.

But then that means...

-Surge's body was covered by electricity now, charging at Sonic once again.-

You don't have anyone to back you up! Do ya!?

-As they clashed, electricity quickly enveloped Sonic, making him scream in pain as his eyes widened.-

[purple-steven]

He quickly summoned 2 more whips to make up for the loss of the first, looking back to hear the sound of Sonic screaming, trying to wrap his whip around Sonic and pull him back towards him. He is paying no mind towards Kit at the moment, instead keeping the other whip spare for any retaliations that he might need to take.

Oh boy. This is going to be difficult to take care of. Maybe they should flee? But that doesn't seem wise either... They just need to try and keep Surge in one place, so maybe bubbling? But his bubbles are useless at times... It'll be fine. They'll figure something out. Just keep fighting somehow.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic stayed on the ground for a moment, a bit of smoke coming from his body. He groaned as he stood up, struggling to do so. Both Kit and Surge stood in front of them.-

Hey kid! Change of plans, we'll just kill off the blue rat. I used almost all my charge on him so he's pretty much dead, you can call dibs on the kill if you get the chance.

-Kit nodded, raising himself with the water and immediately aiming water spikes at Sonic.-

[purple-steven]

He wrapped one whip around Kit and another around Surge, pulling them back to the ground and towards him rather than near Sonic. He needs time to recover by the looks of it, and Lav is going to buy as much time as needed.

[rolling-combo]

I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!

-Kit let himself get pulled, choosing to free Surge. She charged right at Lav, jumping and raising a charged fist, aiming to knock him down on one hit. But before it landed, Sonic spindashed right onto her stomach, sending her flying onto a nearby building.-

SURGE!?

-Kit growled at Sonic, water tentacles shooting over to grab him midair and throw him to the ground with full force.-

Ghk!-

-Sonic landed on the concrete, and a very audible crack could be heard. Making him cough blood. He.. still stood up though, struggling to breathe a bit and putting a hand on his side. He looked at the blood.-

That can't be good.

-He averted his gaze towards Kit, the kid had run off to check on Surge. She seemed to be injured as well, blood dripping down from her forehead as she recovered. Sonic tried to take a deep breath, looking back at Lav with a smile, bright as always, even though he was struggling to stand.-

Yo, Lav. Cover me, 'kay?

-He just has his vibe within him y'know? To make you feel safe, that everything is going to be alright. Just trust him, he's a hero after all.-

[purple-steven]

He glanced at the blood, nervous for Sonic and honestly a bit shaken, considering he had braced himself for a blow that never came to him.

Yeah, alright. Don't do anythin' stupid...

He nodded though, he's ready to cover as best he can, both whips out and ready to strike. He's also preparing himself to bubble something or someone if necessary, although it's hard to tell what's coming next. Out of all the times Lav fails to have fountain water on him... He needs to keep it in his gem more often. You'd think by now he's learnt his lesson, but... He always forgets in the end.

He's going to attack whoever Sonic doesn't go for first. He's just keeping an eye out, focussing on who to target.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, coughing again, his glove staining with a little more blood. Definitely a punctured lung. Don't have time to deal with that right now. He grinned.-

You need to have more faith in me man!

-Sonic assessed the situation, kit was unharmed and Surge was healing from her injury already. Man, this is going to be tough. He was just standing there, before he disappeared from Lav's sight.-

-The other two seemed confused as well, looking around. In a blink of an eyes, the hedgehog appeared over to kick Surge on the back of her head, aiming for her injury. She went face down on the ground, growling as she lunged over to try and tackle Sonic.-

Going for a sucker punch, hero?!

-Sonic dodged, being wary of the water puddle forming nearby, feeling Kit's glare.-

Can't keep up?

-He's a little fed up at this point.-

[purple-steven]

There's a right answer here. He needs to make a decision now on who and what to tackle. Would he rather face suffocating blue, or sparks of pain? Which one is the right answer? Which one is going to help? Which one can he handle more and which one is the right answer?

He'd take them both on, but Sonic is stupidly determined to protect him. He admires the courage, but it's hard when they're both wanting to tank hits for each other.

Surge... Even if it means taking electricity, it's clear that she's the bigger threat and that she appears to be the one who's harder to escape from. The electricity makes you seize in place. That's what hinders them both from doing ANYTHING at all.

Kit. The water is an issue. The fact they're near a beach isn't helping either. Neither of them can swim, but that's not an issue considering they don't need that skill at the moment. Drowning is an obvious risk, but the easy way out is to just sever the water with his whip or thwack Kit out of the way. If that's the case, he can take a second whip out to get rid of him easily.

Surge is better to take hits from. He has the durability as a bigger person in general, and even if the electricity brings back memories, memories aren't going to hurt anyone.

That must be the right decision. Right?

No time for more thinking. You already wasted enough with these few seconds, now you just need to fight. Diving head first into these sorts of things never backfire, right?

He rushed in, wrapping his whip tightly around Surge, each gem divot pushing against the skin enough to hurt, but not enough to pierce it. This trick is getting old, but there's not much he can do other than this. Unless he starts giving her ACTUAL whip lashes, but that feels too harsh. He's tempted to try and throw her far away from here, but that'll become an issue in the future. Might as well deal with it here and now.

Doesn't matter if he dies. Doesn't really bother him much in the long run, does it?

Enough is enough. He's getting tired of this as well. He's desummoned one whip, instead bubbling his fist. He pulls Surge towards him, ready to punch her with his bubbled fist. He's aware the pressure and force may make it burst, but power is needed more at the moment. Plus, he can take a hit like that.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge allowed herself to be pulled, tanking the punch. Definitely didn't expect it the amount of raw strength coming from it though. She then electrified the whip, same as last time.-

You don't learn, do ya.

-Meanwhile, Sonic was fighting Kit, dodging water whips and trying to make him use his water supply as much as he could. Didn't want to hirt the kid, but he was already seeing it hard to win this without doing so.-

-He charged a spindash, going through one of the water whips and bouncing off a street lamp to hit Kit right on his water backpack, the water whips faltering as Sonic barely dodged one coming at him.-

-He was keeping an eye on Lav and Surge, would definitely barge in if things go south.-

[purple-steven]

The bubble burst with the collision, and he seized, unable to think of any sort of witty comeback. Each muscle in his body felt far too tense, but he didn't let go of the whip. Take the hit. You can handle the hit. You can handle this.

His eyes welled up with tears whilst remaining quiet, solely concentrated on trying to stray his focus elsewhere.

Stop thinking about how much it hurts. Think about what to do next. Think about Sonic. Think about what to do next think about your next move think about-

It hurts so much. He's scared. It hurts so much and he's scared, and he isn't sure when it's going to end, and he isn't sure when he'll be able to completely focus again.

The whip instead is desummoned, somewhat unwillingly, freeing Surge to move around a bit more. He bubbled his fists once more, breathing heavily after the current had been broken. He's still out of focus. Out of practice. He'll fight fist to fist if he has to. Shapeshifting is still a skill he possessed, maybe just having a physically Massive Fist might pummel them.

[rolling-combo]

-The tenred stood up, brushing some dust off as her wounds healed. She grinned at the sight of Lav's bubbled fists, squaring up as well.-

Wanna dance, you puny little human? Come at me!

-She taunted, signaling him to come closer with one of her hands, her sharp teeth forming a haunting smile towards him. She wouldn't show mercy at all.-

-Back to Sonic, he was still fighting the water whips, dodging and waiting for another opening. He kicked some of the whips away, sometimes glancing towards Lav. He trusted him, but was starting to get worried. Would have to finish things quickly with Kit.-

[purple-steven]

He ran towards her, preparing to punch her straight in the face if he can, getting ready to shapeshift smaller if he has to dodge quickly. It's going to take some concentration. He's keeping his eyes on Surge's movements, but only Surge.

Get ready. You need to be fast. Land a punch and shapeshift. Not that difficult.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge dodged by ducking down, aiming to land an uppercut and then kicking Lav on the side. She's saving the electricity she has left to finish off Sonic.-

Too slow!

-The hedgehog jumped and landed a homing attack on Kit, making him hit the ground on his back, his backpack taking most of the impact. Something could be heard cracking inside of it, and the fennec's eyes widened.-

Gotcha.

-Kit glared at Sonic, a water blade forming and going towards him, but deforming and disintegrating before even making contact.-

[purple-steven]

Lav staggered, but he didn't back down.

Alright, speed isn't his forte. Let's use something you're good at then.

He raised his hand above his shoulder as if he was going to throw something, before shapeshifting it into a giant fist, almost half his size. He flung his arm in time so that he wouldn't have to worry about lifting it, allowing gravity to do the work, hopefully crushing Surge.

He didn't really want to kill her, but... It'll hurt her enough, surely, if it hits. If it seems fatal, he can take them to the fountain. It should be fine... Yeah, it should be fine.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge stared at the shapeshifting, her reflexes barely managing to get her out of his range. She immediately went to kick him behind the knees, trying to make him fall over and then kick his stomach.-

-On the other side, Kit was trying to punch Sonic, but he was just dodging every hit Kit threw at him. The fennec had a plan in mind, a single line of water slowly making it's way towards Lav. The backpack had enough pressure for one more attack. Sonic was about to knock out Kit, dashing behind him to hit him on the back of his head.-

-But then he saw the fennec's eyes glowing and looking at Lav. A water blade going for his abdomen, it was meant to pierce him all the way, but it stopped before it could do any fatal damage.-

LAV?!

-But Sonic didn't know that, immediately rushing over to Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He groaned in pain, his fist keeping him stuck to the ground before he shapeshifted it away. He heard the yell out, confused, before he saw the water blade.

He put up a bubble, although it seemed weak already and likely wouldn't stop anything that sharp from piercing it through, but it was a last attempt at protecting himself, attempting to roll to the side but...

...Well, speed isn't his forte.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran over towards Lav, but Surge intercepted him. She punched Sonic right on the face, making him fly over to the nearest building.-

Weren't quick enough to save him, were ya.

-She turned over to look at Kit.-

Hey drippy!? Ya good?!

-Kit didn't answer, focused on fixing his backpack. Tinkering away with it, a couple of sparks coming from it. Surge sighed, looking over at Lav, grabbing him by the hair.-

You're weak, but at least you make good bait.

-She whispered to him, before dropping him and looking over where Sonic crashed, just aiming to make him hurt even more. The hedgehog was standing up again, his last injuries coming back to him. He groaned, looking over at Surge grabbing Lav by the hair and hissing.-

[purple-steven]

He was flung towards Sonic, landing roughly and unpleasantly next to him, the harsh pebbles and small stones hidden within the dirt scratching his face. He teared up in pain, not even properly processing the stab wound yet, until he felt something wet on his hand.

His body instinctively already tried to cover the wound, and suddenly, the sting of being stabbed finally stepped in, and he curled in on himself, hissing in pain. He would've tried to scramble up, but from where the wound is, any sort of movement would hurt if he tried to get up.

It felt... Wetter than usual, thanks to the water, but it hurts badly.

He's not sure he can fight through this. He can try, but... It's not looking good for him.

Ugh... It... Keeps hurting more and now he's bleeding more, curling in on himself with tears slowly tracing his face.

He's more than bait. He's stronger than that. He's worth more than that. He's a useful person, he can be useful, he can be worth more than just a distraction. Than just bait.

He isn't weak.

He... He isn't weak.

Right...?

He hissed as well, albeit in pain, breathing heavily.

Shit...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran towards Surge, before a water tentacle grabbed his ankle and launched him up, he managed to block Surge's kick coming at him. He charged a homing attack to hit Surge in the air, but Kit immediately made the hedgehog hit a large mass of water.-

-He was trapped inside it, tried to swim upwards, panicked. But Surge put a hand on the water, using all she had left on her charge to electrify the water. It flashed white, making Sonic scream in the water as his muscles tensed.-

-As soon as it ended, Sonic was dropped onto the ground. He coughed water, he was struggling to breathe earlier and this definitely didn't help his case. His vision was blurry and everything hurt now. But he stood up again.-

That- That's all y-ya ha-

-And then a punch landed right on his stomach, knocking the air out of him. He put his hands on Surge's arm, seemingly supporting himself from the impact, before he grabbed her and slammed her onto the ground.-

-They should've known he wouldn't go down without a fight.-

[purple-steven]

Why is he still fighting? Shouldn't they-

No, he's right, he's... He should keep fighting as well.

You aren't bait. You're more than that.

You aren't useless.

He kept attempting to stagger up, until eventually he got his balance back, stumbling up to his feet. What can he do, what can he do...

Sonic obviously doesn't want to retreat, but if it continues, that might be the only option they have left. He summoned his whip. He'll just... Distract them.

...just... Be bait.

He flung his whip out around Kit, Surge being out of the question considering the electricity issue, wrapping it around before pulling him towards Lav.

...okay, so the backpack is the source. Break the source again. Obliterate it if you have to. You can do that, even in this state, right?

He seethed, closing his eyes and wincing, but it doesn't matter. Sonic needs back up.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit looked back at Lav the moment Sonic smashed Surge on the ground, Water tentacles emerging and shielding him from his whip. Surge, on the other side, growled and hissed at the hedgehog before she tackled him, punching him on the face over and over before he managed to kick her off. He was glad he was facing away from Lav.-

-He stumbled up, and then disappeared, kicking Surge on the stomach, returning the hit from earlier. He almost fell over when he landed on the ground, clearly at his limit.-

[purple-steven]

Shit no... Sonic can't do this any longer.

He wrapped his whip around Sonic, planning to pull him towards himself. They need to get out of here. But he'll loosen it if Sonic struggles against it. He doesn't want to yell it out loud; if they do have to escape, announcing it seemed idiotic.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was still keeping an eye on Lav and, alas, he didn't even allow that whip to go halfway through. A water whip slashing Lav's whip in half. He will support Surge in whatever she wants, and if she wants to fight Sonic one on one, so be it.-

-With that said, Surge was actually really worn out right now. Sonic wasn't pulling any punches now and she could obviously feel that on the kick she just received. She was near her limit, panting.-

-With that said, Sonic was way past his at this point, carrying on by sheer willpower. He still managed to get into a fighting position, and charged at her.-

-Surge attempted to sweep Sonic's legs, but he dashed behind her. Hitting her on the back of her head and then conjoining his two hands and striking down on her back, full force, making a small crater on the ground. Left her unconscious.-

-And then a water spike stabbed him from behind.-

[purple-steven]

His eyes widened, looking for Kit, running towards him with his hand glowing, morphing to be massive again. He looked mad. He swung his arm, sending his hand to swat Kit away, potentially sending him flying, this time with a fairly quick speed. He needs to wait for the water to dissipate. He's going to have to get them to the fountain, even if he's strength is slowly fading.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was keeping himself above the ground with his water tentacles, eyes widening when she saw the massive hand. The water tentacles divided into a massive amount of water spikes, all piercing Lav's hand, leaving just a single water tentacle keeping him above.-

-Sonic kicked Kit on the side of the head, knocked out Kit with the impact. With that the water dissipated, and a couple portals appeared beneath them, taking them away.-

-The hedgehog landed, stumbling and then looking at Lav.-

They're g-gone?.. Good...

[purple-steven]

He was breathing heavily, hand glowing to shift back to normal, the gaping piercings becoming far more apparent. He looked down at his wounds, his hands shaking as well as the stab wound becoming slightly worse and still flowing. Little streams of blood started to fall from the holes in his hand.

We n... We need to go....

He breathed out, hissing in pain, still stumbling and bending over slightly.

...the bending over was likely not helping whatsoever, in fact it likely made it worse, but he didn't have the strength to keep himself upright.

[rolling-combo]

You go, I'm not going to make it.

-Sonic leaned against a wall, and let himself fall down, a trail of blood smearing across the wall. He sighed.-

-He chuckled, holding his side as he winced in pain. The adrenaline was already wearing down, the pain of his injuries making itself more and more intense.-

Man, that sure was a fight.

-He was smiling, definitely afraid of dying.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no. N-no, we're not doing that.

He practically grabbed Sonic, picking him up, hoisting him over his shoulder in the fireman hold. He silently winced, but began quickly walking towards any portal which would be nearby.

Not letting you die on me, mate...

[rolling-combo]

L-Lav, no.

-He coughed, now struggling to breathe even more than before, you could hear how some of the air wasn't reaching his lungs.-

J-just leave m-me. I'll feel worse if y-ya bleed out trying to h-help me.

-He tried to pull away from him, falling onto the ground and grunting, hissing from the pain.-

G-go without me, I'll be fine.

-He could already feel he was going to die soon. No deal in making his corpse wait a little bit more to be healed.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no, let me help you, what're you doing? I can- I can save you, let me help, for fucks sake...

He went to try and pick him up again. He's not going without him. The fountain will save him, and he KNOWS it would. Why fight it when he can just- survive?

It'll save you, Sonic, you're not gonna die if I take you and it'll heal you, why the hell are you fighting that?

[rolling-combo]

-He immediately spiked up, all his quills going up, not letting him touch him. He tried to get in a more comfortable position.-

I-If you take me you'll d-die.

Y-your wounds are g-getting worse.

I d-don't want you to die, you're m-my friend.

-He smiled at him, he already feels lighteaded, cold. Definitely wouldn't make it even if Lav ran towards the fountain right now.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched, flapping his hand wildly, hissing in pain and immediately regretting his sudden movement, groaning slightly.

Argh, fUck-

He looked at Sonic, mildly angry, but mainly just... Frustrated. He could've saved him if he wasn't so stubborn about it. He could've done something.

...sonic, you're an absolute twat, you know that?

He sighed, holding his own hand to soothe it.

...I'll wait until you go. I can hold... I can hold out, but... But god, you're an idiot. I've died before... I can handle it. Why did you take so many hits...? You didn't... You shouldn't've, you idiot.

[rolling-combo]

-He laughed again, coughing more blood out, struggling to stay awake, but he persevered.-

D-didn't know how m-much time they would be stayin'

Y-you saw what they c-could do didn't cha'-

-His blinking was getting slower, each time getting harder and harder to keep himself up. He did manage to look at Lav though, still smiling, as always.-

T-thanks for helping me out man, probably wouldn't have been able t-to get them both alone.

-He was 100% sincere here, probably wouldn't have been able to fight both of them at the same time.-

D-don't let Tails know bout this 'kay?

-And he closed his eyes, of course those would be his last words.-

[purple-steven]

He sighed, nodding.

Yeah, alright.

He bubbled Sonic's body, sending him to his room in the library. It's locked, so it's not like anyone's just gonna wander in. He'll go and grab some healing water to help as well.

But now... He's gotta make the journey without dying, so that's going to be eventful. He probably won't either, but it hurts badly.

Right, let's assess this. We've got a pretty deep stab wound that's gone all the way through his abdomen. That's the main point of concern. Several holes in his hands from multiple piercings of water spikes. Also can't be good. Multiple electricity burns but that's nothing he's not used to. And probably a bunch of bruises that he can't exactly identify right now.

He continued his journey to the fountain, warping himself away, feeling slightly faint. Yeah, he's definitely gonna make it.

He took all the flasks out of his gem, refilling them as well as chugging one down to get rid of anything internal that might be going on. The rest he sorta sprinkled on. He didn't want to deal with any submerging shit right now, especially with the state he's in.

...Sonic died. He couldn't help. It's fully sinking in.

God, is he really only good for bait? Good for distractions? Sonic said he'd helped, but then again, Sonic would say anything to make anyone feel better. He was worried the entire time. Was Lav really incapable of standing his ground that whole time?

Okay, stop that, that's unreasonable thinking. Surely.

Right. Yeah. 'course it is. You're strong. You're strong as hell. You aren't useless.

Are you sure? Because to me, it seemed like you were pretty incompetent. Seemed like you sorta just... Let it happen. You're not exactly the best person, are you? You could've easily just taken all the hits. But instead, you were too scared. Too scared of dying, no matter what you say, and too scared of getting hurt. You hate it. The sensation of it. Isn't that pathetic? That's what cost him his life. Your own fear, your own actions, everything. It was you.

...was he even entirely wrong this time?

He splashed his face with the fountain water, putting each flask except one in his gem. This one he'll use for Sonic. He wiped the water from his face, dragging his hand down his cheeks and sighing.

Is this Sonic's first death? Hopefully he doesn't take too long. He doesn't want to have to hide a body again. He's got too many memories of keeping stupid secrets like that from people.

He warped back home, starting to lead to his room, flask in hand, before unlocking his room door and entering.

...yep. Bloody bubble with a bloody sonic. What else would you expect? He took it over to the tub, bursting the bubble and letting any blood that pooled drain out. Lav let the fountain water clear up the major injuries, obviously unable to help with the internal ones, but Sonic'll cope. He should wake up soon.

...if he wakes up soon.

No, don't think like that. It was one time.

But you don't know that.

...give it a day. If it takes any longer, then you're allowed to panic. For now, you need to calm down. He put Sonic's (now less bloody) body in his bed, tucking him in. At least he won't feel sore, hopefully.

God, sonic, you're such an idiot. You've got someone who cares if you die. You should've just let him help. Lav could've saved you. He really could've saved you if you just let him help.

He brought his knees to his chest, trying his best not to tear up. He's going to come back. He has to.

...he just wish it was him instead. At least then, he wouldn't have to think about it being his first death or anything of the sort.

...now that he thinks about it, Sonic said he was a friend.

Heh. A friend. That's nice to know, at least.

...he's going to have to step up his game if this happens again.

Now it's just a case of waiting. And he'll be right beside him, as he always is. Got nothing else better to do anyways. Maybe he might tidy up in here as well. Seems like every time he does, it always goes back to a tip.

[rolling-combo]

-In the quiet embrace of mortality, Sonic felt the gentle pull of life's final curtain. A profound calm settled over him, like the hushed aftermath of a storm. The weight of the hios struggles, battles fought, and sacrifices made began to lift, replaced by an ethereal lightness.

-As the hedgehog embraced the inevitable, there was a sense of closure and completion. Every scar, both seen and unseen, whispered tales of resilience and valor. In these fleeting moments, the hero just stared at what was his entire existence, and the culmination of it. The darkness engulfed him, but there was an odd feeling on the back of his head, a nagging feeling that this wasn't over yet.-

-His voice whispered that it wasn't his time to sink down further down. The voice turned into a bittersweet melody, his beating heart leading the compass.-

-And then he gasped awake.-

[purple-steven]

Despite the rush of it all earlier, he would find himself in almost silence, shooting up in his bed with Lav still on the floor next to him. He has moved, but he always returned to this spot whenever he was doing nothing. And now he's napping. He does that a lot.

[rolling-combo]

-The hedgehog put a hand on his side, where the piercing wound had been, expecting his gloves to be crimson red. Instead, he just touched his fur, his gloves an inmaculate white.-

-He felt relieved, he had this sort of ethereal sense of clarity at the moment, his ears flickered at the sound of someone breathing, turning over to look at his friend on the ground.-

-A small smile appeared on his lips, the sight of Lav making him happy. He was just recalling everything that happened earlier, all the violence and pain. He tensed, before closing his eyes, expression softening, now wondering how much his revival took.-

-It didn't feel right to look at his friend resting on the ground, very slowly getting off the bed and carrying the human and getting him under the covers, before he got on it as well. They can both rest on the same bed, not that he's especially big or anything.-

-He still felt a little tired, but didn't feel the urge to sleep anymore, so he just sat up, closing his eyes and meditating.-

[purple-steven]

He stirred a little when he was picked up, before continuing his nap, waking up after a couple of minutes. He felt the covers on top of him, slowly blinking awake and looking around, grasping his surroundings.

He saw Sonic sitting up, and all of a sudden he felt a weight slowly melt off his chest.

Oh- oh thank god, you're awake...

[rolling-combo]

-Ears flickered off at the sound of Lav's voice. He smiled, opening his eyes to look at his friend. He was just.. emitting this calm aura. Death has seemed to bring some sort of enlightenment to the hedgehog.-

Why wouldn't I be?

...

Sorry for worrying you earlier.

-He recalled his friend's desperation earlier, and how he was pricked by this quills, felt like some apologies were in order. He just couldn't bear having his friend die trying to help him when he wa beyond saving.-

[purple-steven]

Nothing, no reason, don't worry about it. Just... Let me help you, next time. I know my limits.

...are you... Doing alright? You seem to be coping with this a whole lot better than I did. Especially since it's... Well, it's your first death, isn't it...?

[rolling-combo]

You were stabbed in the abdomen, you would've died if you carried me over to the fountain. And I would've died if you moved me anymore.

-He sighed, serious, he knows his limits as well, and by moving to kick Kit that last time he worsened the injury he had made to him. Had no chance of surviving that fight. His expression eased up after saying all that, no worth in stressing over something that already happened.-

And I'm fine! It was just... kind of ominous, heh-

[rolling-combo]

Surge The Tenrec is brought in to the Clutter Dimension.

//oo this is going to be fun >:D

-The tenrec was running along a path of dirt along a forest, a circle of water along her waist, her sidekick, Kit, holding onto it. They were looking for shelter around the place.-

-None of them noticed when they were teleported, placed at the forest near Beach city. Eventually they found the aforementioned place, stopping abruptly.-

What the-

Ey drippy, this wasn't here before! Where are we?!

-Kitsunami lowered himself to the ground, water going back to his backpack, confused as well.-

We're in the middle of the continent, there isn't supposed to be a beach here.

Something's up here then. I'll ask for directions, you stay hidden.

-The fennec nodded, and Surge grinned, sharp teeth showing themselves. Might as well have some fun with the "gathering information" thing. They both got separated now, Surge just casually strolling until she spotted your muse. In a flash she pinned them against the wall and showed them her hand crackling with strands of glowing electricity.-

Hey there! How about you answer some questions for me?

//open rp! Uhhh I've been gone for a good while and idk who are still active- @purple-steven @corvid-steven @varian-the-unstable-alchemist @lilmetalsonic @anyone! sorry if i didn't tag someone i just genuinely dont remember-

[purple-steven]

Oh god-

This already felt problematic. He's weirded out by the fact he's suddenly pressed against the wall and-

Well. That hand is NOT going to do him any good. Electricity is not his strong suit.

Woah- hey, okay, calm it, put the- put the hand away, what's up? Who are you?

This is. Dangerous. He's got to be careful.

[rolling-combo]

Not your problem is it!? Shut up and answer! Where the fuck is this place!?

Answer me or you won't like what comes next!

-She pointed a finger at him, a little zap burning his nose a bit as she showed her teeth, intimidating him-

[purple-steven]

He flinched at the zap, feeling himself freak out the moment he felt it.

Okay- okay, just- just calm down. You're in the clutter dimension. You're new here, I'm assuming? Look, just- put the hand down, I'm not- not gonna do anything.

[rolling-combo]

The fuck is the Clutter Dimension?! You tryna be funny?! You piece of shit!

-Surge screamed at him, raising her fist in anger, about to beat him up. Before a strong gust of wind came across the alley, a familiar voice for Lav coming along.-

Hey bully! Haven't they told you to not pick on others! Also, go wash your mouth.

-Sonic joked around, crossing his arms. The lightning began acting up, the tenrec growling in anger as she looked down and then glared with all the anger she could muster at him.-

Let him go now, Surge. This is between us.

-His tone turned a bit serious, urgent to make her let go of Lav.-

Heh, what? You ready to put me down now!?

-She let go of Lav, more interested in.. well, beating the shit out of Sonic. Some electricity emanating from her might go to him, but it felt more like a light sting than anything. It's up to you if you're going to help Sonic or not, Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched with each sting, backing up slightly but going towards Sonic. Yeah, he's going to be helping out.

Oookay, so this is- this is a You Thing, I'm assuming? Can I have details??

[rolling-combo]

-Surge ignored Lav completely, launching herself at Sonic, charging towards him at full speed. He almost didn't manage to dodge it, but he did and appeared besides Lav in a flash, getting in a fighting stance as the tenrec crashed onto a random building.-

Uhhh, long story short. She was genetically modified and brainwashed to kill me. I need you to res- Whoa!

-He pushed Lav to the side. She'd thrown a literal wall at them.-

I need you to find a good moment to knock her out or restrain her quic-

-Surge now pounced him, Sonic stopping him with both his hands.-

What!? You think that weak human can pin me down?!

[purple-steven]

Oh SHI-

He just flicked his head, following the wall flying past them. What the fuCK??

Then the snide remark, which quite frankly peeved him off a bit. He pulled out his whip, cracking it for no reason other than dramatic effect, before wrapping it around Surge and attempting to pull her off.

Alright, let's NOT do that, yeah?

[rolling-combo]

-The tenrec actually went flying with that, actually being really light. She hit the ground hard, eyes widening as she was not expecting that at all, a small cloud of dust appearing with the ground cracking with the impact.-

-Sonic quickly incorporated himself, immediately turning to Lav at the sight of the whip, a worried tone in his exclamation.-

Lav! Let go of the-

-And a strong current of energy went through the whip, it would last a good 3 seconds before Sonic cut it off with a homing atack.-

[purple-steven]

He wasn't expecting her to fly off that easily, and the fact she did was sorta concerning to him, especially since he did NOT hold back at all. He looked incredibly worried, before feeling the shock course through him and an expression of pain and distress painted his face. He can't let go of the whip even if he wanted to, his hand clenching the whip tighter.

Oh goodness. He feels like he's seeing those trees again. He needs to stay focused. He can be distressed later. But it's notoriously difficult to concentrate at all when you're being shocked and all you can feel is pain and it doesn't stop and it's not stopping and its-

The relief he felt once it had seized was one he hadn't experienced in a while. He dropped to the floor for a moment, catching his breath, his hand finally letting go of the rope.

Ow.

[rolling-combo]

You alright!?

What! Little guy can't handle a little shock?! Aww, and I just thought things were getting interesting!

-As the cloud of dust dissipated, you could see Surge's fist emanating pure electricity. Sonic tried to stay and check if Lav was alright, but the tenrec charged at him will full speed.-

Alright then! Let's dance!

Sonic ran as as well, a blur of blue and green now going around the place, stopping when Surge managed to punch Sonic, throwing him over to a wall and breaking it on impact.-

Gah!-

-Lav could hear someone walking near him, a blue kit staring him down, tentacles of water emerging from what seemed to be a backpack.-

[purple-steven]

This is. Not looking good for him.

Don't worry about me! Just- be careful!

And he felt the ominous loom of the kit by him, turning around and looking back at him. That looks. Really cool, but right now, he's a bit scared for what's to come. He's bubbling himself already just in case, getting out a new whip, still trying to recover from the shock. More mentally than physically. Hhholy shit this is a lot that he wasn't expecting.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit stared at him for a moment, then looked at Sonic and Kit fighting, assessing the situation, then staring back at Lav. He'd seen his strength back when he threw Surge to the ground. The ends water tentacles turned sharp, repeatedly hitting the bubble now. Nice Lav, you've been deemed a threat.-

You're just a coward, aren't you.

-Meanwhile, the tenrec and the hedgehog were still actively fighting in the background. Sonic this time got the next hit, managing to kick Surge on the side, making her stumble back. He was about to charge a spindash when he saw Kit.-

Lav!

-He remembered their last encounter as clear as day, and he knew well enough what Kit could do when he's protecting Surge. He rushed to go towards Kit, and stop his attack, but he had to stop when Surge appeared in front of him.-

[purple-steven]

Oh goodness, they aren't going to make this easy at ALL are they.

I'm not a coward, I just- I don't want to hurt you!

He's trying to keep his bubble strong, but it's already forming cracks. Holding on to his whip slightly tighter. He doesn't want to fling people about, but it seems like he's running out of options here.

Can't we just- talk this out?

He's flicking his attention back and forth from Kit and to Surge and Sonic just in case they need help. Maybe he could try and intervene if he can slip by? But this may be a case of trusting Sonic to take care of Surge, leaving him to take care of Kit.

Well, regardless, he's trying to stay as aware as possible.

[rolling-combo]

Surge c'mon! Listen to me for a sec!

-Sonic now focused on dodging Surge, just wanted to make her reason. The tenrec kept attacking, eyes glowing as she focused her lightning on her fists and shoes.-

Why should I?! Are you going to start with the "You can be good" shit! Because I ain't buying it!

-Back to Lav, Kit didn't even answer him, all the water merging together and forming one big spike that crashed down on him.-

[purple-steven]

Glad to know that him and sonic were thinking similarly, at least... The spike crashing down on him popped the bubble, giving him time to dodge, albeit slightly weaker. He wrapped his whip around Kit, pulling him down to the ground.

[rolling-combo]

-A water tentacle slashed the whip, but the fennec still fell to the ground. A puddle of water formed around him and spikes of water formed, extending and aiming towards Lav.-

You won't hurt Surge.

-Talking about her, back to Sonic.-

-Sonic kept blocking Surge's punches as he tried to speak to her, eventually answering with a kick to make her stand back.-

Just listen! This isn't our dimension, you're free here!

-The tenrec stared at him. A sinister smile creeping up her face. This is not going the way Sonic wanted, immediately knowing what she was about to say.-

Free you say?

I'm pretty sure that whatever you're thinking right now is wrong. I won't let you cause mayhem.

But then that means...

-Surge's body was covered by electricity now, charging at Sonic once again.-

You don't have anyone to back you up! Do ya!?

-As they clashed, electricity quickly enveloped Sonic, making him scream in pain as his eyes widened.-

[purple-steven]

He quickly summoned 2 more whips to make up for the loss of the first, looking back to hear the sound of Sonic screaming, trying to wrap his whip around Sonic and pull him back towards him. He is paying no mind towards Kit at the moment, instead keeping the other whip spare for any retaliations that he might need to take.

Oh boy. This is going to be difficult to take care of. Maybe they should flee? But that doesn't seem wise either... They just need to try and keep Surge in one place, so maybe bubbling? But his bubbles are useless at times... It'll be fine. They'll figure something out. Just keep fighting somehow.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic stayed on the ground for a moment, a bit of smoke coming from his body. He groaned as he stood up, struggling to do so. Both Kit and Surge stood in front of them.-

Hey kid! Change of plans, we'll just kill off the blue rat. I used almost all my charge on him so he's pretty much dead, you can call dibs on the kill if you get the chance.

-Kit nodded, raising himself with the water and immediately aiming water spikes at Sonic.-

[purple-steven]

He wrapped one whip around Kit and another around Surge, pulling them back to the ground and towards him rather than near Sonic. He needs time to recover by the looks of it, and Lav is going to buy as much time as needed.

[rolling-combo]

I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!

-Kit let himself get pulled, choosing to free Surge. She charged right at Lav, jumping and raising a charged fist, aiming to knock him down on one hit. But before it landed, Sonic spindashed right onto her stomach, sending her flying onto a nearby building.-

SURGE!?

-Kit growled at Sonic, water tentacles shooting over to grab him midair and throw him to the ground with full force.-

Ghk!-

-Sonic landed on the concrete, and a very audible crack could be heard. Making him cough blood. He.. still stood up though, struggling to breathe a bit and putting a hand on his side. He looked at the blood.-

That can't be good.

-He averted his gaze towards Kit, the kid had run off to check on Surge. She seemed to be injured as well, blood dripping down from her forehead as she recovered. Sonic tried to take a deep breath, looking back at Lav with a smile, bright as always, even though he was struggling to stand.-

Yo, Lav. Cover me, 'kay?

-He just has his vibe within him y'know? To make you feel safe, that everything is going to be alright. Just trust him, he's a hero after all.-

[purple-steven]

He glanced at the blood, nervous for Sonic and honestly a bit shaken, considering he had braced himself for a blow that never came to him.

Yeah, alright. Don't do anythin' stupid...

He nodded though, he's ready to cover as best he can, both whips out and ready to strike. He's also preparing himself to bubble something or someone if necessary, although it's hard to tell what's coming next. Out of all the times Lav fails to have fountain water on him... He needs to keep it in his gem more often. You'd think by now he's learnt his lesson, but... He always forgets in the end.

He's going to attack whoever Sonic doesn't go for first. He's just keeping an eye out, focussing on who to target.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic chuckled, coughing again, his glove staining with a little more blood. Definitely a punctured lung. Don't have time to deal with that right now. He grinned.-

You need to have more faith in me man!

-Sonic assessed the situation, kit was unharmed and Surge was healing from her injury already. Man, this is going to be tough. He was just standing there, before he disappeared from Lav's sight.-

-The other two seemed confused as well, looking around. In a blink of an eyes, the hedgehog appeared over to kick Surge on the back of her head, aiming for her injury. She went face down on the ground, growling as she lunged over to try and tackle Sonic.-

Going for a sucker punch, hero?!

-Sonic dodged, being wary of the water puddle forming nearby, feeling Kit's glare.-

Can't keep up?

-He's a little fed up at this point.-

[purple-steven]

There's a right answer here. He needs to make a decision now on who and what to tackle. Would he rather face suffocating blue, or sparks of pain? Which one is the right answer? Which one is going to help? Which one can he handle more and which one is the right answer?

He'd take them both on, but Sonic is stupidly determined to protect him. He admires the courage, but it's hard when they're both wanting to tank hits for each other.

Surge... Even if it means taking electricity, it's clear that she's the bigger threat and that she appears to be the one who's harder to escape from. The electricity makes you seize in place. That's what hinders them both from doing ANYTHING at all.

Kit. The water is an issue. The fact they're near a beach isn't helping either. Neither of them can swim, but that's not an issue considering they don't need that skill at the moment. Drowning is an obvious risk, but the easy way out is to just sever the water with his whip or thwack Kit out of the way. If that's the case, he can take a second whip out to get rid of him easily.

Surge is better to take hits from. He has the durability as a bigger person in general, and even if the electricity brings back memories, memories aren't going to hurt anyone.

That must be the right decision. Right?

No time for more thinking. You already wasted enough with these few seconds, now you just need to fight. Diving head first into these sorts of things never backfire, right?

He rushed in, wrapping his whip tightly around Surge, each gem divot pushing against the skin enough to hurt, but not enough to pierce it. This trick is getting old, but there's not much he can do other than this. Unless he starts giving her ACTUAL whip lashes, but that feels too harsh. He's tempted to try and throw her far away from here, but that'll become an issue in the future. Might as well deal with it here and now.

Doesn't matter if he dies. Doesn't really bother him much in the long run, does it?

Enough is enough. He's getting tired of this as well. He's desummoned one whip, instead bubbling his fist. He pulls Surge towards him, ready to punch her with his bubbled fist. He's aware the pressure and force may make it burst, but power is needed more at the moment. Plus, he can take a hit like that.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge allowed herself to be pulled, tanking the punch. Definitely didn't expect it the amount of raw strength coming from it though. She then electrified the whip, same as last time.-

You don't learn, do ya.

-Meanwhile, Sonic was fighting Kit, dodging water whips and trying to make him use his water supply as much as he could. Didn't want to hirt the kid, but he was already seeing it hard to win this without doing so.-

-He charged a spindash, going through one of the water whips and bouncing off a street lamp to hit Kit right on his water backpack, the water whips faltering as Sonic barely dodged one coming at him.-

-He was keeping an eye on Lav and Surge, would definitely barge in if things go south.-

[purple-steven]

The bubble burst with the collision, and he seized, unable to think of any sort of witty comeback. Each muscle in his body felt far too tense, but he didn't let go of the whip. Take the hit. You can handle the hit. You can handle this.

His eyes welled up with tears whilst remaining quiet, solely concentrated on trying to stray his focus elsewhere.

Stop thinking about how much it hurts. Think about what to do next. Think about Sonic. Think about what to do next think about your next move think about-

It hurts so much. He's scared. It hurts so much and he's scared, and he isn't sure when it's going to end, and he isn't sure when he'll be able to completely focus again.

The whip instead is desummoned, somewhat unwillingly, freeing Surge to move around a bit more. He bubbled his fists once more, breathing heavily after the current had been broken. He's still out of focus. Out of practice. He'll fight fist to fist if he has to. Shapeshifting is still a skill he possessed, maybe just having a physically Massive Fist might pummel them.

[rolling-combo]

-The tenred stood up, brushing some dust off as her wounds healed. She grinned at the sight of Lav's bubbled fists, squaring up as well.-

Wanna dance, you puny little human? Come at me!

-She taunted, signaling him to come closer with one of her hands, her sharp teeth forming a haunting smile towards him. She wouldn't show mercy at all.-

-Back to Sonic, he was still fighting the water whips, dodging and waiting for another opening. He kicked some of the whips away, sometimes glancing towards Lav. He trusted him, but was starting to get worried. Would have to finish things quickly with Kit.-

[purple-steven]

He ran towards her, preparing to punch her straight in the face if he can, getting ready to shapeshift smaller if he has to dodge quickly. It's going to take some concentration. He's keeping his eyes on Surge's movements, but only Surge.

Get ready. You need to be fast. Land a punch and shapeshift. Not that difficult.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge dodged by ducking down, aiming to land an uppercut and then kicking Lav on the side. She's saving the electricity she has left to finish off Sonic.-

Too slow!

-The hedgehog jumped and landed a homing attack on Kit, making him hit the ground on his back, his backpack taking most of the impact. Something could be heard cracking inside of it, and the fennec's eyes widened.-

Gotcha.

-Kit glared at Sonic, a water blade forming and going towards him, but deforming and disintegrating before even making contact.-

[purple-steven]

Lav staggered, but he didn't back down.

Alright, speed isn't his forte. Let's use something you're good at then.

He raised his hand above his shoulder as if he was going to throw something, before shapeshifting it into a giant fist, almost half his size. He flung his arm in time so that he wouldn't have to worry about lifting it, allowing gravity to do the work, hopefully crushing Surge.

He didn't really want to kill her, but... It'll hurt her enough, surely, if it hits. If it seems fatal, he can take them to the fountain. It should be fine... Yeah, it should be fine.

[rolling-combo]

-Surge stared at the shapeshifting, her reflexes barely managing to get her out of his range. She immediately went to kick him behind the knees, trying to make him fall over and then kick his stomach.-

-On the other side, Kit was trying to punch Sonic, but he was just dodging every hit Kit threw at him. The fennec had a plan in mind, a single line of water slowly making it's way towards Lav. The backpack had enough pressure for one more attack. Sonic was about to knock out Kit, dashing behind him to hit him on the back of his head.-

-But then he saw the fennec's eyes glowing and looking at Lav. A water blade going for his abdomen, it was meant to pierce him all the way, but it stopped before it could do any fatal damage.-

LAV?!

-But Sonic didn't know that, immediately rushing over to Lav.-

[purple-steven]

He groaned in pain, his fist keeping him stuck to the ground before he shapeshifted it away. He heard the yell out, confused, before he saw the water blade.

He put up a bubble, although it seemed weak already and likely wouldn't stop anything that sharp from piercing it through, but it was a last attempt at protecting himself, attempting to roll to the side but...

...Well, speed isn't his forte.

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran over towards Lav, but Surge intercepted him. She punched Sonic right on the face, making him fly over to the nearest building.-

Weren't quick enough to save him, were ya.

-She turned over to look at Kit.-

Hey drippy!? Ya good?!

-Kit didn't answer, focused on fixing his backpack. Tinkering away with it, a couple of sparks coming from it. Surge sighed, looking over at Lav, grabbing him by the hair.-

You're weak, but at least you make good bait.

-She whispered to him, before dropping him and looking over where Sonic crashed, just aiming to make him hurt even more. The hedgehog was standing up again, his last injuries coming back to him. He groaned, looking over at Surge grabbing Lav by the hair and hissing.-

[purple-steven]

He was flung towards Sonic, landing roughly and unpleasantly next to him, the harsh pebbles and small stones hidden within the dirt scratching his face. He teared up in pain, not even properly processing the stab wound yet, until he felt something wet on his hand.

His body instinctively already tried to cover the wound, and suddenly, the sting of being stabbed finally stepped in, and he curled in on himself, hissing in pain. He would've tried to scramble up, but from where the wound is, any sort of movement would hurt if he tried to get up.

It felt... Wetter than usual, thanks to the water, but it hurts badly.

He's not sure he can fight through this. He can try, but... It's not looking good for him.

Ugh... It... Keeps hurting more and now he's bleeding more, curling in on himself with tears slowly tracing his face.

He's more than bait. He's stronger than that. He's worth more than that. He's a useful person, he can be useful, he can be worth more than just a distraction. Than just bait.

He isn't weak.

He... He isn't weak.

Right...?

He hissed as well, albeit in pain, breathing heavily.

Shit...

[rolling-combo]

-Sonic ran towards Surge, before a water tentacle grabbed his ankle and launched him up, he managed to block Surge's kick coming at him. He charged a homing attack to hit Surge in the air, but Kit immediately made the hedgehog hit a large mass of water.-

-He was trapped inside it, tried to swim upwards, panicked. But Surge put a hand on the water, using all she had left on her charge to electrify the water. It flashed white, making Sonic scream in the water as his muscles tensed.-

-As soon as it ended, Sonic was dropped onto the ground. He coughed water, he was struggling to breathe earlier and this definitely didn't help his case. His vision was blurry and everything hurt now. But he stood up again.-

That- That's all y-ya ha-

-And then a punch landed right on his stomach, knocking the air out of him. He put his hands on Surge's arm, seemingly supporting himself from the impact, before he grabbed her and slammed her onto the ground.-

-They should've known he wouldn't go down without a fight.-

[purple-steven]

Why is he still fighting? Shouldn't they-

No, he's right, he's... He should keep fighting as well.

You aren't bait. You're more than that.

You aren't useless.

He kept attempting to stagger up, until eventually he got his balance back, stumbling up to his feet. What can he do, what can he do...

Sonic obviously doesn't want to retreat, but if it continues, that might be the only option they have left. He summoned his whip. He'll just... Distract them.

...just... Be bait.

He flung his whip out around Kit, Surge being out of the question considering the electricity issue, wrapping it around before pulling him towards Lav.

...okay, so the backpack is the source. Break the source again. Obliterate it if you have to. You can do that, even in this state, right?

He seethed, closing his eyes and wincing, but it doesn't matter. Sonic needs back up.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit looked back at Lav the moment Sonic smashed Surge on the ground, Water tentacles emerging and shielding him from his whip. Surge, on the other side, growled and hissed at the hedgehog before she tackled him, punching him on the face over and over before he managed to kick her off. He was glad he was facing away from Lav.-

-He stumbled up, and then disappeared, kicking Surge on the stomach, returning the hit from earlier. He almost fell over when he landed on the ground, clearly at his limit.-

[purple-steven]

Shit no... Sonic can't do this any longer.

He wrapped his whip around Sonic, planning to pull him towards himself. They need to get out of here. But he'll loosen it if Sonic struggles against it. He doesn't want to yell it out loud; if they do have to escape, announcing it seemed idiotic.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was still keeping an eye on Lav and, alas, he didn't even allow that whip to go halfway through. A water whip slashing Lav's whip in half. He will support Surge in whatever she wants, and if she wants to fight Sonic one on one, so be it.-

-With that said, Surge was actually really worn out right now. Sonic wasn't pulling any punches now and she could obviously feel that on the kick she just received. She was near her limit, panting.-

-With that said, Sonic was way past his at this point, carrying on by sheer willpower. He still managed to get into a fighting position, and charged at her.-

-Surge attempted to sweep Sonic's legs, but he dashed behind her. Hitting her on the back of her head and then conjoining his two hands and striking down on her back, full force, making a small crater on the ground. Left her unconscious.-

-And then a water spike stabbed him from behind.-

[purple-steven]

His eyes widened, looking for Kit, running towards him with his hand glowing, morphing to be massive again. He looked mad. He swung his arm, sending his hand to swat Kit away, potentially sending him flying, this time with a fairly quick speed. He needs to wait for the water to dissipate. He's going to have to get them to the fountain, even if he's strength is slowly fading.

[rolling-combo]

-Kit was keeping himself above the ground with his water tentacles, eyes widening when she saw the massive hand. The water tentacles divided into a massive amount of water spikes, all piercing Lav's hand, leaving just a single water tentacle keeping him above.-

-Sonic kicked Kit on the side of the head, knocked out Kit with the impact. With that the water dissipated, and a couple portals appeared beneath them, taking them away.-

-The hedgehog landed, stumbling and then looking at Lav.-

They're g-gone?.. Good...

[purple-steven]

He was breathing heavily, hand glowing to shift back to normal, the gaping piercings becoming far more apparent. He looked down at his wounds, his hands shaking as well as the stab wound becoming slightly worse and still flowing. Little streams of blood started to fall from the holes in his hand.

We n... We need to go....

He breathed out, hissing in pain, still stumbling and bending over slightly.

...the bending over was likely not helping whatsoever, in fact it likely made it worse, but he didn't have the strength to keep himself upright.

[rolling-combo]

You go, I'm not going to make it.

-Sonic leaned against a wall, and let himself fall down, a trail of blood smearing across the wall. He sighed.-

-He chuckled, holding his side as he winced in pain. The adrenaline was already wearing down, the pain of his injuries making itself more and more intense.-

Man, that sure was a fight.

-He was smiling, definitely afraid of dying.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no. N-no, we're not doing that.

He practically grabbed Sonic, picking him up, hoisting him over his shoulder in the fireman hold. He silently winced, but began quickly walking towards any portal which would be nearby.

Not letting you die on me, mate...

[rolling-combo]

L-Lav, no.

-He coughed, now struggling to breathe even more than before, you could hear how some of the air wasn't reaching his lungs.-

J-just leave m-me. I'll feel worse if y-ya bleed out trying to h-help me.

-He tried to pull away from him, falling onto the ground and grunting, hissing from the pain.-

G-go without me, I'll be fine.

-He could already feel he was going to die soon. No deal in making his corpse wait a little bit more to be healed.-

[purple-steven]

Wh- no, let me help you, what're you doing? I can- I can save you, let me help, for fucks sake...

He went to try and pick him up again. He's not going without him. The fountain will save him, and he KNOWS it would. Why fight it when he can just- survive?

It'll save you, Sonic, you're not gonna die if I take you and it'll heal you, why the hell are you fighting that?

[rolling-combo]

-He immediately spiked up, all his quills going up, not letting him touch him. He tried to get in a more comfortable position.-

I-If you take me you'll d-die.

Y-your wounds are g-getting worse.

I d-don't want you to die, you're m-my friend.

-He smiled at him, he already feels lighteaded, cold. Definitely wouldn't make it even if Lav ran towards the fountain right now.-

[purple-steven]

He flinched, flapping his hand wildly, hissing in pain and immediately regretting his sudden movement, groaning slightly.

Argh, fUck-

He looked at Sonic, mildly angry, but mainly just... Frustrated. He could've saved him if he wasn't so stubborn about it. He could've done something.

...sonic, you're an absolute twat, you know that?

He sighed, holding his own hand to soothe it.

...I'll wait until you go. I can hold... I can hold out, but... But god, you're an idiot. I've died before... I can handle it. Why did you take so many hits...? You didn't... You shouldn't've, you idiot.

[rolling-combo]

-He laughed again, coughing more blood out, struggling to stay awake, but he persevered.-

D-didn't know how m-much time they would be stayin'

Y-you saw what they c-could do didn't cha'-

-His blinking was getting slower, each time getting harder and harder to keep himself up. He did manage to look at Lav though, still smiling, as always.-

T-thanks for helping me out man, probably wouldn't have been able t-to get them both alone.

-He was 100% sincere here, probably wouldn't have been able to fight both of them at the same time.-

D-don't let Tails know bout this 'kay?

-And he closed his eyes, of course those would be his last words.-

[purple-steven]

He sighed, nodding.

Yeah, alright.

He bubbled Sonic's body, sending him to his room in the library. It's locked, so it's not like anyone's just gonna wander in. He'll go and grab some healing water to help as well.

But now... He's gotta make the journey without dying, so that's going to be eventful. He probably won't either, but it hurts badly.

Right, let's assess this. We've got a pretty deep stab wound that's gone all the way through his abdomen. That's the main point of concern. Several holes in his hands from multiple piercings of water spikes. Also can't be good. Multiple electricity burns but that's nothing he's not used to. And probably a bunch of bruises that he can't exactly identify right now.

He continued his journey to the fountain, warping himself away, feeling slightly faint. Yeah, he's definitely gonna make it.

He took all the flasks out of his gem, refilling them as well as chugging one down to get rid of anything internal that might be going on. The rest he sorta sprinkled on. He didn't want to deal with any submerging shit right now, especially with the state he's in.

...Sonic died. He couldn't help. It's fully sinking in.

God, is he really only good for bait? Good for distractions? Sonic said he'd helped, but then again, Sonic would say anything to make anyone feel better. He was worried the entire time. Was Lav really incapable of standing his ground that whole time?

Okay, stop that, that's unreasonable thinking. Surely.

Right. Yeah. 'course it is. You're strong. You're strong as hell. You aren't useless.

Are you sure? Because to me, it seemed like you were pretty incompetent. Seemed like you sorta just... Let it happen. You're not exactly the best person, are you? You could've easily just taken all the hits. But instead, you were too scared. Too scared of dying, no matter what you say, and too scared of getting hurt. You hate it. The sensation of it. Isn't that pathetic? That's what cost him his life. Your own fear, your own actions, everything. It was you.

...was he even entirely wrong this time?

He splashed his face with the fountain water, putting each flask except one in his gem. This one he'll use for Sonic. He wiped the water from his face, dragging his hand down his cheeks and sighing.

Is this Sonic's first death? Hopefully he doesn't take too long. He doesn't want to have to hide a body again. He's got too many memories of keeping stupid secrets like that from people.

He warped back home, starting to lead to his room, flask in hand, before unlocking his room door and entering.

...yep. Bloody bubble with a bloody sonic. What else would you expect? He took it over to the tub, bursting the bubble and letting any blood that pooled drain out. Lav let the fountain water clear up the major injuries, obviously unable to help with the internal ones, but Sonic'll cope. He should wake up soon.

...if he wakes up soon.

No, don't think like that. It was one time.

But you don't know that.

...give it a day. If it takes any longer, then you're allowed to panic. For now, you need to calm down. He put Sonic's (now less bloody) body in his bed, tucking him in. At least he won't feel sore, hopefully.

God, sonic, you're such an idiot. You've got someone who cares if you die. You should've just let him help. Lav could've saved you. He really could've saved you if you just let him help.

He brought his knees to his chest, trying his best not to tear up. He's going to come back. He has to.

...he just wish it was him instead. At least then, he wouldn't have to think about it being his first death or anything of the sort.

...now that he thinks about it, Sonic said he was a friend.

Heh. A friend. That's nice to know, at least.

...he's going to have to step up his game if this happens again.

Now it's just a case of waiting. And he'll be right beside him, as he always is. Got nothing else better to do anyways. Maybe he might tidy up in here as well. Seems like every time he does, it always goes back to a tip.

[rolling-combo]

-In the quiet embrace of mortality, Sonic felt the gentle pull of life's final curtain. A profound calm settled over him, like the hushed aftermath of a storm. The weight of the hios struggles, battles fought, and sacrifices made began to lift, replaced by an ethereal lightness.

-As the hedgehog embraced the inevitable, there was a sense of closure and completion. Every scar, both seen and unseen, whispered tales of resilience and valor. In these fleeting moments, the hero just stared at what was his entire existence, and the culmination of it. The darkness engulfed him, but there was an odd feeling on the back of his head, a nagging feeling that this wasn't over yet.-

-His voice whispered that it wasn't his time to sink down further down. The voice turned into a bittersweet melody, his beating heart leading the compass.-

-And then he gasped awake.-

[purple-steven]

Despite the rush of it all earlier, he would find himself in almost silence, shooting up in his bed with Lav still on the floor next to him. He has moved, but he always returned to this spot whenever he was doing nothing. And now he's napping. He does that a lot.

[rolling-combo]

-The hedgehog put a hand on his side, where the piercing wound had been, expecting his gloves to be crimson red. Instead, he just touched his fur, his gloves an inmaculate white.-

-He felt relieved, he had this sort of ethereal sense of clarity at the moment, his ears flickered at the sound of someone breathing, turning over to look at his friend on the ground.-

-A small smile appeared on his lips, the sight of Lav making him happy. He was just recalling everything that happened earlier, all the violence and pain. He tensed, before closing his eyes, expression softening, now wondering how much his revival took.-

-It didn't feel right to look at his friend resting on the ground, very slowly getting off the bed and carrying the human and getting him under the covers, before he got on it as well. They can both rest on the same bed, not that he's especially big or anything.-

-He still felt a little tired, but didn't feel the urge to sleep anymore, so he just sat up, closing his eyes and meditating.-

[purple-steven]

He stirred a little when he was picked up, before continuing his nap, waking up after a couple of minutes. He felt the covers on top of him, slowly blinking awake and looking around, grasping his surroundings.

He saw Sonic sitting up, and all of a sudden he felt a weight slowly melt off his chest.

Oh- oh thank god, you're awake...

[rolling-combo]

-Ears flickered off at the sound of Lav's voice. He smiled, opening his eyes to look at his friend. He was just.. emitting this calm aura. Death has seemed to bring some sort of enlightenment to the hedgehog.-

Why wouldn't I be?

...

Sorry for worrying you earlier.

-He recalled his friend's desperation earlier, and how he was pricked by this quills, felt like some apologies were in order. He just couldn't bear having his friend die trying to help him when he wa beyond saving.-