WON'T STOP, JUST GO!

 

[speedkeed]

Welcome to Speedkeed’s pinned post! Written by Aaron~

Carrd - Character information and rules can be found there. Everything you’ll need before following and or interaction! Other Blogs - Links to a post showing just where my attention might be if it isn’t on Sonic.

[speedkeed]

truly the funniest thing about that ffxiv verse is sonic being a substitute WoL. i love the idea of sonic interacting with actual ffxiv characters and him explaining that, yeah no he's not Actually the warrior of light. he's barely even supposed to be here. louisoix just saw that the world was gonna be super fucked forever if he didn't grab someone to fix it and sonic just drew the shortest end of the stick.

it wouldn't technically fit with the lore since time travel bullshit, but i really want hydaelyn to do the initial "hear, feel, think" thing do go "hear... feel... thi— ...who the fuck is this guy?" sonic Not being the guy who's supposed to be in the plot And The Plot Knowing This is very funny to me.

[speedkeed]

This post is for virtually no one. This is the post where I yammer on about the theoretical FFXIV verse I'd make for Sonic if I actually wrote verses. Which I barely do! This is @fortruechaos 's fault, not mine. Remember that! Oh, and general FFXIV spoilers down below, but mainly for Shadowbringers and Stormblood. Like any of my followers are actually playing this game.

So the entire consensus behind what I'd like to do for this verse is... what if it were set up like one of the storybook games? Sonic in this verse is the same Sonic as we know him— he's been isekai'd from his universe into the realm of Eorzea, called forth by the great Louisoix in times transcending calamity. The spin is this: the reason he takes the place of the traditional Warrior of Light is that... in this universe, they were oddly lacking one when they needed them most.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is not the first version of the game. It had an original iteration that is colloquially referred to as 1.0, and in this is the real back-half of the story we resume in ARR. Think of it as... the original Dragon Ball to the continuation of Dragon Ball Z. You can watch Dragon Ball Z by itself, but you gain greater context if you know where certain plot elements came from in Dragon Ball.

The skinny on 1.0 is this: there was a second, smaller red moon called Dalamud, and our bad guys, the Garleans, were bringing it down to use it like a meteor to wipe us out. The thing is, 1.0 was actually a really bad game, and instead of having a game where we beat the bad guys, they used this as a catalyst to have the good guys lose so that they can sort of soft-reboot the series with A Realm Reborn! The red moon comes down, a big dragon called Bahamut emerges from it, as it turns out the red moon was serving as a prison for it, and then all hell breaks loose.

Louisoix is the savior of the day. He reseals Bahamut, but not without dying in the process. He is, fortunately, able to teleport your player character five years in the future, so that they can continue the adventure in ARR. ...This is where things split a little. Instead of Louisoix teleporting the player character, it was actually him summoning Sonic in the missing hero's place. Imagine 1.0 as a sort of... wrong end. It wasn't supposed to be like this, there's something wrong with this timeline. So Louisoix sought a fill-in that could heal the universe and set this world back on the right path.

Sonic the Hedgehog is the substitute teacher of this adventure. And with his appearance comes differences in this reflection. It's a pocket dimension where characters are a little different, and some events differ from the usual circumstances that happen in-game. The largest change is the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. The crew you run with for the grand majority of the game. Keeping with the tone of Sonic's Storybook adventures, these major characters have been changed to appear as some of Sonic's friends! Here are the casting changes I thought up.

Tails the Fox fills the role of Alphinaud Leveilleur, a rather no-brainer concept to anyone familiar with the original characters. He's a rather intelligent character who is well-spoken and has the best intentions for all of those around him. Even if a lack of field experience and general naivety can lead to those aspirations putting people in hot water.

Throughout the course of the story, he learns to grow and shape his desires into something more actionable, and becomes a dependable healer besides. He's probably the Scion we spend the most time with throughout all of the expansions, so it makes sense that Sonic's right hand would be Tails.

Amy Rose fills the role of Alisaie Leveilleur, the hot-blooded twin sister of Alpinaud. Amy seems a touch more even-keeled than Alisaie in some regards, but I still think that a version of Amy can fit the bill well enough. She's a magical practitioner, a Red Mage specifically, and becomes a hefty boon when it comes to ridding NPCs of illnesses and diseases.

Though she's prickly at times, and isn't afraid to let her mind be very much known, she has a heart that rivals any and all. She cares unendingly for those she comes across, and never lets the Warrior of Light go too far without her. She'll find enough of her own strength to rival even the likes of you! And I think that personally goes hand-in-hand with Amy's unstoppable nature. After all, a rose must have its thorns!

Blaze the Cat fills the role of Y'shtola Rhul, the well-poised, well-spoken, and full-well formidable Black Mage of the group. Her intellect and drive know no bounds, a stoic and no-nonsense demeanor setting her up as one of the more reliable teammates at your back. She's set to get things done, full stop.

She also oftentimes serves as the team mom... yet not in the jovial, lighthearted way. More of a stern "Eat your greens, lest you go to bed without your dessert." type of mom. Catty, if you'll pardon the pun. I think the personality fits well, and pair that with the fact that both Blaze and Y'shtola are fire-wielding cat women, and I think you get some rather amazing overlap.

Silver the Hedgehog fills the role of G'raha Tia, the late addition to the team after sizeable assistance elsewhere in the story. One word: protector. G'raha is eventually revealed to be the Crystal Exarch, the defender of the Crystal Tower and all of his people within the First.

Silver fits so oddly well in G'raha's spot... Funnily enough, G'raha Tia's storyline actually involves time travel! To make a long story short, he's a descendant of ancient blood who holed himself in the ancient Crystal Tower, only to be awakened two-hundred years later to the eighth worldwide calamity. He and some descendants of characters we, the player are familiar with, seek to send the mighty Crystal Tower back to the past to prevent this eighth calamity from ever happening.

He's literally going back to the past to prevent a doomed future! If that doesn't line up with Silver's character, I don't know what does.

So, too, does G'raha's personality fit with Silver's! He composes himself as this mysterious individual that holds duty above all else. But in the end, when we find out the Crystal Exarch's true identity and see that it was G'raha Tia the entire time, we come to find that, due to his time existing in a timeline where the Scions no longer existed, he's a huge buff to our crew and us. He's a history buff who is living for finally meeting his heroes! He simply wants to go on adventures with us, to exist alongside and finally aid the heroes he sought for time beyond. It's incredibly in line with Silver, and I believe this is one of the best fits.

Now, this is where my picks for the characters wane a bit. Those who still remain are Thancred Waters, Urianger Augurelt, Minfilia Warde/Ryne Waters, Estinien Varlineau, Papalymo Totolymo, Lyse Hext, and Krile Maya Baldesion. I wondered if Thancred could be Espio, since they're both espionage personnel, but Espio's personality doesn't align well with Thancred's.

In the same vein, Knuckles and Estinien... Close, but not quite in my eyes. Then there's Lyse, whom I bet Tangle could fit; I just haven't done much thinking on. And for Minfilia, I was thinking Sally, since they both serve as leaders for the group. But beyond that, there isn't much else to go on.

Then there are those whom I have very little idea for. Ryne? Papalymo? Krile? Urianger? Brother... I haven't the foggiest idea who could fit the bill for Urianger. That, and... wow this post is long. And I've just been rambling! So here's a tl;dr on the verse just to get my idea across.

Sonic Storybook game that takes place in Final Fantasy XIV. Sonic is called forth in the place of a missing Warrior of Light post-1.0/forefront of ARR. He serves as the substitute WoL, tasked with finding out what has gone wrong with this version of the Shard in order to put it back on track. It's probably Ascian tomfoolery, like always.

In this pocket-reflection, some of the characters have been subbed in by Sonic's friends, ala Black Knight and Secret Rings. Though, some events happen differently, and some are brand new. It goes up until Endwalker! Sonic doesn't experience Dawntrail and beyond, as the story wraps up by Endwalker. By now, some of the characters are actually aware of the nature of this Shard!

Then, the story sort of Genesis Waves itself, warping back and sending Sonic home so that the real events of FFXIV can start with the real WoL.

[maruki]

Visit Original Link

i'm on fire, burning brighter than anyone alive! i'm way too hot to touch, so just remember if you try everything burns

[speedkeed]

     I have to make a side-post to this ask answer because I just realized how much Sonic hates Erazor Djinn.

     Like, Eggman? All the fucked up shit he's done? Sonic still would love to see a world where Eggman realizes the errors of his ways and uses his genius for good instead of ill. He doesn't wanna kill Eggman. He doesn't wanna kill anyone!

     Infinite? Horrible, terrible, no good, very bad individual who was set on a path due to his horrid insecurities and overwhelming pursuit for power. But, yup! He'd still like to see and help Infinite should the chance ever arise.

     The Zeti? They are literally demons. It is in their nature to be awful world-conquering monsters. But if there was some way for them to see that this wasn't the only way to live life, he'd be glad to befriend each and every single one of them.

     Man, but when it comes to Erazor Djinn? That shit is on sight, that bitch is BLOCKED from redemption. And I think it stems from the way he speaks to Shahra. It gives 'controlling boyfriend who sees his partner as an item that shall do whatever he pleases, lest there be due punishment.' Despite Erazor Djinn's honeyed words toward Shahra, he does not see her as a person, and... nope! That's a step way too far for Sonic! That bastard will get no sympathy from him.

     It's not just world domination or a monster being born to exist in one such way. It's such a human level of awful that he cannot abide by. The ending scene where Sonic vacuums Erazor Djinn up? That shit was vindictive. Say what you will about Sonic, but he's not vouching for an abuser! I headcanon that that end cutscene is the angriest you've ever seen Sonic in the entire franchise.

[speedkeed]

[ 🎱 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat kind of future do they crave, and who’s in it ?

Q&A || Prompt

     Oh, what a question... To look upon the future with desire isn't quite Sonic-like, but the answer isn't as simple as saying 'world peace'. Frankly, if he had his most selfish desires, he wouldn't want much to change from how it is now.

     A life full of danger and experience. Threats to overcome, limits to break, and a world of mysteries to unendingly explore! He's a thrill-seeker through and through; world peace would just be too boring for him. There has to be something to chase— or something chasing him. Something to challenge him. It can't be too stagnant, even though he ultimately fights for peace. There's just... there's genuinely no one answer to this question for Sonic. He desires excitement, fun, yet the safety and sanctity of his friends and the planet at large. For everything to be one-hundred percent unassailable, he'd sooner leave to find his next great tale to tell.

     To state a future in which it is locked to one single concept is unendingly dull for him. He wants it to be ever-changing, ebbing and flowing between quiet times and pure pandemonium. He wants the good and the bad, the highs and the lows. He craves a future of activity, of... adventure! After all, what you see is what you get!

     Though, the second half of this question is plenty easy. Everyone is in the future he craves. And I mean everyone. Eggman, Infinite, the Zeti, Sage, Metal, Surge and Kit, Merlina, Shahra, and... well. He actually REALLY hates Erazor Djinn, so. Maybe not him. But pretty much everyone! He knows it's a future that most likely will never come to pass, but it's a lovely thought, isn't it? That as we fight for what we believe in, we can eventually put our differences aside and agree that existence is a better experience when we all find ways to co-exist? We'll never all be truly entirely simpatico, but it's a lovely thought to him.

[speedkeed]

As much as I want to, I know my ass ain't writing any starters right now. So mutuals, like this post for me to send you an ask. I'll probably turn your response into a thread at some point, so you have been warned.

[speedkeed]

❝ I have been working on my speed, for the record. ❞ // silver !

Friendly Competition || Unprompted

     —He's not laughing at you, he promises. Though from a brilliant grin does a small, nasally chuckle fall forward. It's the simple act of unprompted doubling down from the other hedgehog that makes bluer hues snicker. It sounded like it came from a place of insecurity— like you had to prove to the fastest thing alive that you can, indeed, keep pace. "Don't need 'ta tell me twice, I can see 'yer gettin' better." Limbs stretch, arms cross, pull, and pop; body stretches to keep muscles loose and primed.

     It is worth noting that the true blue speedster makes for a wonderful cardio trainer. The hedgehog didn't know when to quit! If you were looking to lower your personal best on a jog, look no further than Sonic the Hedgehog! It's a small slap to the back that's administered to the time traveler, off-hand giving a thumbs up all the while. "Can't say I really get what goes into makin' you fly faster, but whatever you're doin', it's workin'!" Stretch, stretch...

     "So, we goin' another lap? Or d'you wanna call it quits for the time being? I'd say keep it movin' while the engine's still hot, but it's your call, ultimately. At this rate, y'might even beat me in this century~!" ...Okay, he can't help but rib a little. It's his accursed competitive spirit! Blame Knuckles, or Shadow, or Jet, or Metal, or... something.

[speedkeed]

[ 📿 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat superstition or ritual do they cling to ?

Q&A || Prompt

     Hm! That's actually kind of a hard one. Sonic is, far and away, not a superstitious guy, nor does he own something as rigid as a ritual that he'd do reliably due to believing one thing will happen if he doesn't. The thing that comes to my mind is, he believes in simple comeuppance! What goes around, comes back around again. Though, I struggle to categorize this in the same vein as superstitions or rituals... Alas, it's the best I've got for the guy.

     It's a belief that relies not on supernatural superstition, but on the sentiment that if people are acted upon, they are likely to do something in response. It's just a matter of what you put in the world. It's a belief in people! Kindness begets kindness, and he believes this with the very core of his being. On the flipside, harming others will only increase the likelihood that they will seek out some form of revenge, or even harm those uninvolved with their initial plight.

     If you're rude, mean, or do something harmful, you're putting that into the world, and it's going to loop back to you in some way, shape, or form. Perhaps not directly, but the earth will find a way to make you feel it. And if you're kind, compassion is more likely to find you as those you've assisted seek to do the same for you!

     That's... not always true, which is why I'm kinda cheating in calling it a superstition? But he firmly believes that if you're mean, something will come and slap you across the back of the head for it. And if you're nice, the seeds of goodwill you've spread within this world will more often than not loop back around and heighten your existence in some fashion. Whether it's big or small, existence will remember your kindness, and it will be paid forward somewhere, at some time. Even if you are not the direct recipient of said kindness.

[aedearly]

✎ㅤ. . .ㅤ𝑯𝑬𝑨𝑫𝑪𝑨𝑵𝑶𝑵 𝑸𝑼𝑬𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑺.

₊˚⊹ ㅤa collection of character analysis/headcanon questions to learn more about your character and your partners'! writing/headcanon prompts requested by anonymous. feel free to edit these as you see fit.

[ 🖐️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat do their hands feel like: soft, calloused, trembling ? [ ☂️ ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they crave touch or fear it ? [ 🎐 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they have a sound, like a song or voice, that they associate with peace ? [ 🕊️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhen did they feel the safest ? [ 💤 ]ㅤ.ㅤhow do they sleep ? curled up, sprawled, holding onto something ? [ 🦇 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat is a fear they never talk about ? [ 🔒 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat is a secret they’ve sworn never to tell ? [ 🪢 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhen was the last time they broke a promise ? [ 🫳 ]ㅤ.ㅤwho do they feel they owe, but never paid back ? [ 💼 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat do they always carry with them ? [ 🧨 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat’s the quickest way to set them off, even if they hide it well ? [ ⛓️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat does guilt feel like to them ? [ 💢 ]ㅤ.ㅤwho have they never forgiven and never will ? [ 🩸 ]ㅤ.ㅤis there something or someone that, if lost, would break them ? [ 🌧️ ]ㅤ.ㅤis there a pain they refuse to heal from ? [ 🪞 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhen have they looked at their reflection and hated what they saw ? [ 📿 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat superstition or ritual do they cling to ? [ 🌊 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhen was the last time they cried ? [ 🐾 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo animals like them instinctively ? [ 🪶 ]ㅤ.ㅤhow do they laugh ? [ 🫀 ]ㅤ.ㅤwho taught them what love is ? did it hurt ? [ 💭 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they believe they’re worthy of being loved ? [ 🎀 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat is their main love language ? [ 🔦 ]ㅤ.ㅤwho do they search for ? [ 📜 ]ㅤ.ㅤis there a story they love sharing with others ? [ 🌒 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they have a dream or goal they have given up on ? [ 🕯️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat memory do they replay when they’re alone ? [ 🌪️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat’s the one choice they regret (not) making ? [ 🧩 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat’s a truth about themselves they refuse to admit ? [ 🍻 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat kind of drunk are they ? [ ✉️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat kind of letter would they write but never send ? [ 🗡️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat is a scar that they have but never talk about ? [ 🕸️ ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they have a favourite lie they like to hear ? [ 🪦 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat would they want on their gravestone but never admit aloud ? [ 🎱 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat kind of future do they crave, and who’s in it ? [ 🌀 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they have a recurring dream or nightmare ? [ 🍃 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they feel like they belong ? [ ⚓ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat does “home” mean to them ? [ 🧭 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhere would they go if they could disappear tomorrow ?

[speedkeed]

man, i should, like. write. alas, the ffxiv brainrot beckons. i'll see you all in therapy.

[speedkeed]

Pssst. Between you and me, I wore it better.

     "Tsk, tsk, tsk..." Oh, the stink on that grin could down a cow. It brought about a simper— the beginnings of laughter— the wordless insinuation that something funny had been said. Below the nose will a gloved index finger stroke, ruby-red sneakers striding forward with that cool, confident, and nonchalant gait. "C'mon, pal! You sayin' it out loud ain't makin' it any truer. You can wear it all 'ya like, but I wouldn't exactly call this 'pulling it off'."

     Blink. One second passes. The hedgehog, he... he vanishes. "The fact you gotta say it at all just shows it ain't right!" —Ah. Behind the other. Wind whips and jostles. It berates at his beck and call. Faster than the speed of sound, right. His strides don't miss a beat. "I could show you how it's done, but... this isn't really something you can teach. And even if it was, well... I ain't a fan of it, but I guess the word 'hopeless' is what fits best?"

     Blink. Two seconds pass. He fusses with a pointed ear before arms rest behind the head, walking in from the side this time. "You've got somethin' going on, sure, but I'm in a whole different class!" Faster. Faster! "I mean, come on! I'm Sonic the Hedgehog! The competition just doesn't measure up!" Faster, yet faster still! It's a blue-wind tornado around the imposter at his front. You think this is the first time he's had to deal with someone jacking his style? Talk about being full of yourself!

     Around the other will the hedgehog blaze, the world at large falling away to nothing but obfuscation of smeared blue and a surround-sound voice that nigh resounded from the earth itself.

     "They must've changed the definition since last I looked!"      "Wore it better? You're barely wearin' it at all!"      "All those eyes and 'ya can't see when your style's out the window!"      "Thinkin' yourself funny? Yeah, you sure look the part!"

     ...Hold. The cyclone, it dissipates. The wind and all its howling, it becomes nothing more than a tepid breeze. Some loose stones thud to the ground like heavy rain, leaves spinning, twigs tumbling. And from it all, a voice rings upward, body resting in the lengths of a wooden branch.

     "Too bad, little blue. You ain't got what it takes t'back up my look! Maybe cop someone else's style, I've been told I'm a tough act t'follow~!"

[speedkeed]

i remember when i first started on tumblr and i felt so bad about writing so much. i had a hard limit of, like. five, six paragraphs at most, and no more than three icons to a post. i didn't wanna do too much, it felt too extra and i didn't wanna feel like a bother.

man? so glad i dropped that shit, it is so fun to just write as much as you want. if it's not fun for both parties, then why even bother. i just have it in my rules that i like to write long and that it is in no way, shape, or form a requirement to match lengths. i'm here to have fun, and boy am i having it~.

[speedkeed]

     "Hey! Get back here! You can't lock me up in these conditions! I know my rights! An' I ain't doin' nothin' without my lawyer present!"

     "Aw, come on! You're gonna put me in the pokey without so much as a harmonica 'ta play? This is cruel and unusual punishment!"

     "If I had a nickel for every time I was stuffed in a cell for not doin' absolutely nothin', I'd have two real crummy ol' nickels!"

     A crowd of rustling footsteps shambles off and out of sight. The jingling of keys tickles the twitching ear, all before a decrepit door's groan. Dim light scattered across the floor for the fraction it's open, all before a window-shuddering slam upon its closing. Nothing is left, save a shoddy, half-flickering lightbulb swaying and bouncing from the thunderous reverberation.

     ...      ...

     "Well, this stinks." And he was technically wrong about the 'two nickels' thing. He had damaged G.U.N. property by the time they stuffed him in a cell on Prison Island, but they only did so because those dolts love jumping to conclusions. So... it wasn't technically nothing, even if they were wrong in the end.

   ...

     —Oh, a head lolls on its neck as arms slump to his sides. Jails were the worst. Under any better circumstances, he could bust right out of here! But... no space to gain momentum. The speedster did his best work when he could gain... well, speed. Though he's not out. Let's try a... super peel-out to homing attack combo! Cerulean form lurches back, gaining all the 'distance' he can. It's a hearty seven feet, but something is better than nothing. Dust plumes from revving— a steam engine ready to leave the station. A plane on the runway, a car that's just turned on the ignition!

     "Ready...!         "GO!"

     Wind cracks like thunder! Air flows like water, a surge of freedom embodied! He's an acceleration machine... AN UNSTOPPABLE FORCE! He'd punch through these bars like a hot knife through butter! Tuck and roll, hedgehog! It's time to bust outta—

     "ACK—!" ...Or not. It's a rather sorrowful attempt, the slight scuff it makes in thick steel bars. Despite the shoddy atmosphere, they didn't seem to skimp on the quality of their holding cell's make and model. A fact made quite clear to a certain blue hedgehog and the dull pain his head now pulsed with. "Tch—! I'm not givin' up that easy!" Again. Again! Raucous thuds roared, bass hits punching eardrums, rattling the stones, a quilled cannon releasing volley after volley of himself against that which keeps him rooted.

     ...Yet, his station refused to change. By the twenty-fifth thud or so, a body simply stops to tap its foot. What gives?! That usually works... Okay, okay. He knew when something wasn't working. New idea. If lone strength won't get it done, he'll at least check his options. The hedgehog, he drops to his chest, body positioned like a donkey ready to kick at the door. "Couldn't begin t'tell 'ya where I am, but hopefully there's someone out there..."

     SLA-SLA-SLAM! ... SLAM! SLAM! SLAM! ... SLA-SLA-SLAM!      ...A pause.      SLA-SLA-SLAM! ... SLAM! SLAM! SLAM! ... SLA-SLA-SLAM!

     Perhaps it was an odd way to convey it, but anyone with even a little bit of knowledge could interpret his brutish hammerings as morse code. A simple signal for help. S.O.S., to be precise. Three short, three long, three short. Legs could kick a football to space, so they should hopefully be enough to reverberate a message deep throughout wherever he resides. Should he only be lucky enough for someone handy to hear it.

@bloomstead (Leon)

[speedkeed]

Ping...! Ping...! Ping...! Ping...!

     A radar's steady call makes itself known off reverberating walls. Footsteps, too, walk earthen lengths, slow and steady as emerald eyes take in the sights. ...Or, well. What sights there are to take in, at least. Dark and craggy is the environment, stagnant and musty is the air that resides. Far within a cavernous maw shall the hedgehog now delve, all in search for another one of those mystical miracle gems. A straightforward tunnel. No loops, no corkscrews, no nothin'.

     "Hope your end has been more eventful than mine, I've got nothin' but stones and rocks... And not even the one we're lookin' for!" Lone strides walk, yet the voice chimes to someone unseen. So, too, does a separate individual respond. 《 "That's a good thing, Sonic. We're just collecting the Chaos Emeralds for an emergency's sake. If it's as simple as walking around, picking them up, and taking them home, then we'll take that easy win!" 》

Ping...! Ping...! Ping...! Ping...!

     "...If'n 'ya say so, Tails. The frantic sprint for'em right when they're needed is half the fun! Bu—ut this is certainly more practical. For whatever that's worth." A languid sigh into his end of the transceiver, all to a young-sounding small chuckle in response from the other side. 《 "Sorry, Sonic. Maybe you'll get your death-defying cave spelunking some othe— SHZZZZ—" 》

     ...Static. Interference. A knuckle absent-mindedly knocks on a fuzzy screen. "Uh, little buddy? Think you're breakin' up there, pal. Does that mean I'm missin' some action over there, or...?" Filmy image reverts to a clean screen after a moment to straighten itself out. The yellow fox's face returns, all while looking none the worse for wear. 《 "Nah, I think you're just getting deeper into that cave. Signa— BZZZZT —pretty weak. Call might drop in a few." 》

     An exaggerated, theatric, and overblown groan. "Augh! You're tellin' me I'm gonna be walkin' through this damp ol' cave without you t'talk to? But our little podcast was the last thing keepin' me goin'! At this rate, the only threat that's gonna kill me down here is the boredom! That's it— we're stormin' an Eggman base the second I get outta here, no ifs, ands, or buts about it! I'll need it t'shock myself back t'health!"

     He hears his brother laugh once more, though choppy and interrupted. Yet even still, it shines a brilliant smile across the hedgehog's face.

     《 "Heh-heh! Oh, alright! What— BZZZT —say, you big blue baby. Good lu— FZZZZT —onic! Make su— SHZZZZZT —are of yourself!" 》

     ...Static. Unending static. The kit's face falls to nothing but shuddering gray lines. A tongue clicks against teeth as the wrist communicator is powered down with a flick of a switch. Thumb and index yank a glove's white cuff, pulling it down and over the small yellow gadget. "Catch 'ya on the flip-side, little buddy." Emerald eyes, they glance up from the darkened screen, only as sights stick to their view of... water? Oh no... Don't tell him...

     Shoulders sink at the sight of a flooded cavern residing in a deep well below. Far below. Darkness disallows the grand use of eyesight. The murky cave waters below weren't helping matters much, either. Water meant reduced movement! Water meant a detrimental lack of air. Criminy... As if things weren't fun enough.

     "...Ugh. This is gonna be super lame."

PING! PING! PING! PING! PING! PING!

     "Yeah, yeah, I get it, I know! Emerald's down there, y'don't have 'ta shout." Dark and alone in a cramped, waterlogged cave. Sheesh. He's seen Eggman lairs with more of a welcome mat. At least he knew there'd be sawblades or flamethrowers with those. But! There's no time like the present. Crying about it only made it take longer.

     Shoulders roll, neck pops, joints flex, and lungs fill themselves deep with air. With a loud splash that echoes for miles, the quickster vanishes from the surface, sinking like a stone into the inky-black depths. The sooner he got this over with, the sooner he could do something fun...

@killjoysnoise (Pennywise)

[speedkeed]

no, 10ish paragraph sonic and jet reply was not on my bingo card. yet here we are.

[typejiota]

@speedkeed / cont!

The hawk’s eye twitches, shooting a sharp glare in the hedgehog’s direction. This is already humiliating as it is; the jokes are just adding salt to the wound. If it were up to him, he’d be making his own way back home. Don’t ask him how—he’d figure it out!

Jet just wanted out of here already. The faster, the better! That, and whatever that was… had him uneasy. Eugh, it’s going to be an embarrassment to go ask someone to retrieve his board. He’s never going to live it down.

“ HEY! I NEVER said I needed your help. I was just fine! “ he snaps, folding his arms tightly against his chest and puffing it with disdain. “ You think the Babylon Rogues aren’t built for this kind of stuff? We’ve been through worse! And I know what a lucky star is, hedgehog—it ain’t you! So how about you quit letting this go to your head?! “

That was a mouthful, and his voice is hoarse, the hacking indicating he needed to shut up. Or maybe it was just the bugs in the wind. He goes uncomfortably silent when Sonic interrogates him about how he even got into this mess, blue hues darting back across the horizon.

“ I wasn’t showboating, “ it’s a bitter honesty that hides something else.

[speedkeed]

     If annoyance was the name of the game, then it was yet another competition Sonic sought to best his greener counterpart in. The hedgehog wore it well: the hook caught in his sneer of a lip, eyes half-lidded in blatant irritation. Thank goodness he was such a good soul, he'd drop the bird's sorry self off a sheer cliff if he wasn't.

     Never did the hedgehog require praise for his actions, but cooperation went a long way, y'know! Didn't anyone ever tell you that you're not supposed to thrash around if the lifeguard is saving you from drowning?! You'll just make everyone's day worse with behavior like that! He was doing this for Jet's sake, not his! But no, everything has to be a fight with the guy. Doesn't even know the meaning of the word 'relax'!

     "'Just fine,'" he parrots. "That's rich," eyes roll. "You'd play a pretty mean game'a one-legged hopscotch from what I saw, but that's ALL I saw! Actin' all high and mighty... and for what?! Unless the power'a spite makes you capable of walkin' off a broken leg, I don't see what good it's doin' you! Maybe you could lift yourself up with all'a the hot air you love spewin'! If you didn't need my help, then I don't know WHAT you need!"

     'Go to his head,' the ears ring. It makes him want to spit. It's not about him or his ego; don't you dare project your own perspectives like that! You think he's doing this because he needs another win under his belt to feel better about himself? No! He's doing this because he's not about to let someone he cares about hobble on a shattered ankle in the middle of nowhere!

     Pointed ears flatten. ...An attitude gets the best of him. But how couldn't it? It just didn't make sense to him. Why go through all of the effort? You're hurt, it's obvious. Why pretend? What good did it get that bull-headed bird? When has it ever served him? Ignorance grates against the brain, and it's a nasty growl that leaves his gnarled lips.

     ...Silence falls between both parties. The air is filled with but wind, hurried footsteps, and a flurried beating of the heart. No... the soul knew itself too well. He knew why it got under his skin so much. Somewhere, someplace, the roles would reverse too easily. A sense of self too stalwart, too strong to place its bloodied and beaten self in the hands of another. 'I CAN DO IT BY MYSELF.' Perhaps the reasoning was different, but he's lived in this place before.

     Just because you can doesn't mean you should.      ...      ...      So why do you?

     —Ruby-red sneakers bank left. They slide down a dune, a cloud of dust and sand kicking up as gravity pulls at the stomach. A sudden deviation, this wasn't the way to healing. Steps now pound through a seasalt breeze, a setting sun painting oceans orange as it dips itself into the tide. Motions move faster, they leave the fading heat for a sudden shot of cool air. A sea cave... somewhere quiet, somewhere comfortable.

     By an earthen wall will Jet be gently released. Propped up, where leaning should be easier. Weight can be offset, pain can be relieved. Finally, the blue-quilled courier steps back. Arms fold behind his back. Sights shut, mouth closes.

     He paces. Shoulders so tense... they fall with a stiff breath from the nose. "Alright, Jet. What happened. Don't short-change me, man. What happened. Call me desperate, call me annoying, call me egotistical. Say I have a big head, tell me for the umpteenth time that you don't want anything t'do with me. Call me whatever you want. But if there's somethin' dangerous that's makin' itself known as a threat, I wanna know about it. You know I don't play about people gettin' hurt. Stoppin' the bad thing from happenin' is one thing, but the bad thing already happened."

     It's what's not said that says it all. 'I see it in your eyes. You're not the type to balk at adversities. Fear is what sets hearts like ours ablaze. So to shiver when it finds us...'

     "I need you here, Jet. If there's somethin' kickin' down sandcastles where we can't see'em, it's gonna keep doin' what it does best until we find it. You saw it, I didn't."