(X) Sonic: So Vanilla said she saw Blaze and Cream go this way right?
CHZ Cosmo nodded
(CHZ) Cosmo: Yep, I suggest we split up to cover more ground. You never know what else we may find here! C’mon! Let’s go, boys!
Cosmo’s about to start running when suddenly, Tails grabs her by the hand.
(X) Tails: Cosmo, wait! Are you sure… that it’s safe for you to just go ahead like that?
Sonic nods
(X) Sonic: Yeah, from the looks of things this place is infested with Eggman’s robots. You might want to stay with us. We’ll protect you… right, Tails? winks
(X) Tails: Yes, of course! (She may not be my Cosmo, but I’m not going to let her be hurt. Not ever again…)
Although the unbreakable duo are surprised when Cosmo seems to look more offended then she was gracious. She puts both hands on her hips and puffs her cheeks
(CHZ) Cosmo: Well, I never… the both of you think just because I’m a dainty little flower girl that I can’t defend myself? Hmmmph… do you two treat Amy like this in this universe too?
Both Sonic and Tails wave their hands and frown
(X) Tails: Aaa… Cosmo! I promise we didn’t mean it like that!
(X) Sonic: Trust us, we know Amy and Cream as well are both quite capable fighters here!
(X) Tails: We’re just… uh…. projecting a bit of… the other you… onto you…
(CHZ) Cosmo: Did… the other me never fight? Not even during the war against the Metarex you spoke of?
Tails shakes his head
(X) Tails: That’s right… she never showed an ounce of fighting ability. The closest she got to defending herself was when she was dodging Vector, and/or when the planet egg allowed her to summon vines on this forest planet we were on for a time. But otherwise she didn’t seem at all like the type of person to fight…
(CHZ) Cosmo: Oh I see now… I guess the other me in fact was a delicate flower… I apologize for accusing the both of you of being a little bit sexist then.
I guess to be fair, there was once a time I wasn’t much of a fighter. But I did have some self-defense classes on Green Gate, plus I got training from my universe's version of the both of you, Knuckles, and more. So please trust me, I know what I’m doing. I have been fully capable of taking down plenty of Eggman’s robots back in my universe.
Sonic and Tails looked at eachother, still a bit surprised to hear Cosmo say she has experience in fighting Eggman’s robots.
(X) Tails: Well… just in case. Would it be alright if you proved it to us? We’ll find a singular robot. And we’ll let you destroy it.
CHZ Cosmo deadpanned
(CHZ) Cosmo: Psh… just one…? C’mon the both of you, give me a challenge! I don’t believe for a second that one measly robot is really going to convince the both of you that I’m tougher than I look…
X Sonic leans on over to X Tails
(X) Sonic: Whew, this Cosmo’s quite a bit sassier then the one we knew…
(X) Tails: No kidding… although from the sounds of things she’s known the alternate versions of us over a longer period of time then we knew our Cosmo. And her upbringing was a lot happier than our Cosmo’s… it’s possible some of that bravado of yours and Knuckles rubbed off on her, heh
(X) Sonic: Hehehe, maybe!
X Sonic walks up closer to CHZ Cosmo.
(X) Sonic: Alright, I’ll find an area full of traps and Eggman robots for you to show us what you can do. We’ll stand by to assist if you get hurt though, ok?
She nods
(CHZ) Cosmo: It shouldn’t be necessary, but thanks for the opportunity to prove myself to the both of you.
X Sonic takes CHZ Cosmo that looks particularly full of Egg Pawns and other sorts of hazards. X Tails gulps, looking over to her
(X) Tails: Are… are you sure you want to do this?
(CHZ) Cosmo: If it will stop you and Sonic worrying about me everytime I take a single step towards somewhere potentially dangerous, then of course. I may look like her, but I need you to understand for sure that I’m not the Cosmo you knew in more ways than just our separate universes. All I need for you is to trust in my experience. Trust that the other you that I love made sure I’d be ready for almost anything.
X Tails nods, but CHZ Cosmo can still tell he’s a little nervous.
(CHZ) Cosmo: I’m very flattered that you’re worried about me, it tells me you truly cared about the other me very much. It kind of reminds me of the early days of my friendship with my universe’s Tails. It’s… kind of nostalgic in a way.
But without further adieu… let’s do this… Go ahead and give me a countdown, Sonic!
X Sonic nods and gives a thumbs up
(X) Sonic: Alright, Cosmo… 3, 2, 1…. GOOOO!
Almost immediately, CHZ Cosmo rolls down a slope, looking like a really fast green and white tumbleweed as she accelerates into the heavily guarded area. Instantly impressing X Sonic and Tails with her speed.
She smashes past many Egg Pawns in a row just by continuously rolling until she jumps up in the air, in which she starts using her vines to swing from several angles avoiding spike pits and other traps. X Tails’ jaws drop to the floor, as he witnesses Cosmo not only swing like a pro. But demolishes several of the enemies in her way, using the vines like whips. X Sonic looked rather shocked to see this display as well, he had expected that Cosmo wasn’t lying and wasn't as nervous about letting her do this as Tails was. But he didn’t quite expect her to be THIS good, neither of the two would have expected such feats from the Cosmo they knew even if she had a decade of preparation. Clearly a life not entirely spent on the run from the Metarex has allowed this Cosmo to learn skills that helped her keep up with some of the faster characters in their crew.
Within moments, the area is cleared out. CHZ Cosmo flourishes her performance by doing multiple graceful flips in the air with assistance from her petals. She lands gracefully with one foot in a yoga tree pose in front of X Sonic and Tails. Her eyes closed with a smug smile, she then curtsies before the two.
(CHZ) Cosmo: So… what’d you think, boys?~
X Sonic and Tails were speechless for a little while. Though X Sonic is soon quick to begin clapping and gives a thumbs up, while X Tails remains stunned on what he just saw.
(X) Sonic: Way to go, Cosmo! How about that, Tails! Just think, maybe we’ll get our Cosmo up to speed like that one day after she regenerates! …Tails?
X Tails continued to stare wide-eyed, occasionally blinking, after what he just saw.
(X) Sonic: Ahehhehheh, it looks like you maaaaaay have broken him, Cosmo…
CHZ Cosmo giggles
(CHZ) Cosmo: Ha, if he was that impressed. He should see me in the cockpit! Believe it or not? I’m even more capable in a plane and/or a mech. And that’s all thanks to the other you, Tails wink
In a moment or two, X Tails finally speaks.
(X) Tails: I… I think… my… head’s… spinning…
X Tails goes woozy and faints with spirals in his eyes. CHZ Cosmo covers her mouth with both hands, while X Sonic sighs.
(X) Sonic: …Yeah I think he’s going to need a moment to recover.
A little later, X Tails comes back to his senses and the three of them get back to where they were before this different Cosmo needed to prove to Sonic and Tails she does not need to be escorted and defended in the same way the Cosmo they knew was.
(CHZ) Cosmo: Alright, as I was saying. I think Sonic should go in one direction, while me and Tails go another way to cover more ground. I don’t know if we’ll find Blaze or Cream here, they could very well have already moved elsewhere. But that doesn’t mean we won’t find something else worth our time!
(X) Sonic: Got it, Cosmo! If I find something I’ll quickly find you two! Seeya!
Sonic speeds off, getting into the action as he destroys enemies, boosts with his signature speed, and more. X Tails and CHZ Cosmo go on their path, sometimes fighting their share of robots too. Though they have a bit more of a quieter path then Sonic’s. Giving them an opportunity to speak between the two of them.
(X) Tails: So… while we’re here. Any chance you can tell me more about your species? It… it might be important for whenever my Cosmo fully regenerates.
(CHZ) Cosmo: I’d be happy to! Though again I must stress because I’m from a different universe. Not everything’s going to be the same between me and the other you. As… my demonstration earlier must have showed you
(X) Tails: It will still provide some great basis, even if there’s a vast difference at least we’d be learning what is and isn’t the same.
(CHZ) Cosmo: Gotcha, though I recall you said “your species”... did… she not even tell you what the name of our kind was?
X Tails nods
(X) Tails: …Yeah, come to think of it. The closest we ever got to describing her kind was either “Cosmo’s species” or she’d sometimes refer to them as the “Cosmo tribe”. She did at least tell us what her planet’s name is, which IS still the same. But strangely we didn’t get the name of her people.
(CHZ) Cosmo: Well then, allow me to change that at least for my universe. Back where I’m from, we’re known as the Seedrians.
(X) Tails: Seed…rians… hm, so… that does bring to mind. Just how plantlike are you? Before I met the other you, I had never seen anthropomorphic plants in our world. I almost think that’s what intrigued me before I started to fall in love. The scientist in me wanted to know everything, but I also didn’t want to push too hard because she had been through a lot of trauma. Asking questions that just reminded her of her people would have likely been a mistake.
So I set aside any biological questions until well after the Metarex was defeated… because I assumed there would be a lot of time to speak and learn all about her… before… you know what happened…
X Tails sighed, even if he’s been given hope again that the Cosmo he knew isn’t gone. The memory of her near sacrifice still bothers him.
CHZ Cosmo put a comforting hand on his shoulder
(CHZ) Cosmo: There, there… I think you did the right thing not to bring up what could have been a sore subject. And there was no way for you to know what happened to her would happen.
As for your question on how plantlike Seedrians are. It’d take a lot of time to explain everything, probably more time than we do as we focus on finding Blaze, Cream, and stopping both of the Eggmen. But I’ll say that us Seedrians evolved much the same way other kinds of intelligent life had. Just on Greengate, enough plants achieved mobility, advanced body structures, and more before the animals did. We’re still very much plants, we photosynthesize, we breathe in carbon dioxide, and we breathe out oxygen. But we’re also very much capable of doing the same things some of you and your friends do.
(X) Tails: Does… does that include diet? Or would you be revolted if you watched us eat fruits or vegetables for instance?
CHZ Cosmo shakes her head
(CHZ) Cosmo: Nah, I’m usually ok around anyone eating their veggies. They’re good for their health after all! …Though I will admit I usually leave the room if Pancakes or Waffles are being served…
X Tails tilted his head
(X) Tails: Why would pancakes or waffles of all things bother you?
(CHZ) Cosmo: Well it’s not the pancakes or waffles themselves. More like… the syrup… cause to me, it’s not too far off from looking like our blood…
X Tails grimaced
(X) Tails: Oh… well, just in case the other you has the same feeling about syrup. I’ll be careful if I’m having either for breakfast…
(CHZ) Cosmo: I understand, the other you also likes Pancakes and Waffles a lot. He’s gracious enough to warn me that is what he’s craving and I’ll just walk outside for a while until he’s done eating.
Though uh… while we’re still speaking. Is it ok if I ask you a question from something you mentioned during your recap of the war with the Metarex? I would have asked when we were talking but I was so horrified about hearing the fate of this universe’s incarnations of my family and my planet…
(X) Tails: Uh, sure thing.
(CHZ) Cosmo: I recall you mentioning that the Metarex drained planets by… taking something called a planet egg. What even are those?
(X) Tails: …Wait, planet eggs don’t exist in your universe? Are most planets still relatively healthy without them?!
(CHZ) Cosmo: …Of course they would be, what keeps planets alive and sustaining life in our universe isn’t some growing egg/crystal that’s in a random location in the ground. Planets have cores, atmosphere, magnetic fields, existence of water, and so much more that determine the viability for life. It’s even practically my kinds’ purpose in the galaxy to study each and every planet with life.
The reason I even met the other you is I was shot down by Dr. Eggman’s Egg Carrier while I was sent to the Earth to monitor its health.
Tails eyes go wide
(X) Tails: …Wait, the Egg Carrier?! And Earth? …Hold on a moment. Did the Egg Carrier occur at the same time a water beast named Chaos was around…?
CHZ Cosmo blinked
(CHZ) Cosmo: Well yes, from what I heard… did those events happen just about the same way just without the other me crash landing here?
(X) Tails: Well the other you DID crash land here, but that was well after the Egg Carrier threatened what was Chris’ world.
CHZ Cosmo tilted her head with a confused look
(CHZ) Cosmo: …Who’s Chris?
(X) Tails: OH, uh… he was a human boy that befriended us after a strange chaos control incident teleported many of us to Earth.
(CHZ) Cosmo: …Wait, teleported TO Earth? Like… the planet we’re on ISN’T Earth?
(X) Tails: Uh… well actually it is! …I guess both are Earth in a way?
(CHZ) Cosmo: …Now I’m confused, so there’s like… TWO earths?!
X Tails rubs the back of his head
(X) Tails: Listen, it’s very complicated stuff that not even I can figure it out without getting my brain scrambled. So I’ll just say that the events with the Egg Carrier and Chaos while we were on Chris’ Earth and the other you crash landed sometime when we came back to ‘our’ Earth. I think it isn’t the case that there are two earth’s in one galaxy. But a parallel dimension… come to think of it… it’s almost starting to sound very similar to what’s going on with Blaze and the other Eggman. You did mention a Sol Dimension right?
(CHZ) Cosmo: Uh huh…
(X) Tails: And if that’s the case… GASPS …oh no. Are… are we in danger of a time suspension phenomenon if Blaze and Eggman Nega don’t return to their worlds?!
CHZ Cosmo gasped
(CHZ) Cosmo: Time suspension phenomenon?! What is that?
X Tails face turned serious
(X) Tails: Back when we were on Chris’ Earth. It eventually came out that we had to return to our planet otherwise we’d all end up in a time loop. Meaning while no one would age, every day would be the exact same, with no progress whatsoever… I’m unsure if the Sol Dimension and our world are on a similar collision course. But we probably shouldn’t take any chances!
CHZ Cosmo covered her mouth just processing how serious this could be.
(CHZ) Cosmo: Then let’s not waste any more time.
Both nod to each other as they continue going down the Night Carnival. Eventually however, Sonic catches up to them.
(X) Sonic: Hey there! Did you two find anything?
Both of them shake their heads
(X) Tails: We didn’t find anything… but we may have possibly figured something out while talking. And it could be quite serious… Remember the situation we had to deal with Chris’ world regarding the time suspension? We have to wonder if Blaze and Eggman Nega as well as the Sol Emeralds being here for too long could cause a similar phenomenon if not something worse…
X Sonic frowned
(X) Sonic: That does sound serious, man, we can’t catch a break lately can we? First the chaos control to Chris’ world, the looming time suspension between his and our worlds, the intergalactic war against the Metarex, and now yet another potential interdimensional collision? I guess I’ll say at least I haven’t been bored in a long time but I’m starting to feel like we could use a break…
Regardless, while you two may have not found something… I did!
Sonic pulls out the green Chaos Emerald, putting a smile on X Tails and CHZ Cosmo’s face
(X) Tails: Alright! A Chaos emerald! That means we have only 3 more to go!
(CHZ) Cosmo: Yes, having all seven will most assuredly help us save the day!
(X) Sonic: Hehe, if there’s one thing I’m glad that’s back to normal. Finding the emeralds only requires searching around one planet again rather than an entire galaxy! This may be a walk in the park compared to the Metarex!
???: Don’t be so sure, hedgehog! HOHOHOHOHOOOOO!
???: HEE HEE HEE HEE HEEEEEE
Eggman Nega comes out with a Libra shaped mech while Eggman is not there in person, rather a mobile TV screen drone with a satellite on top. Indicating Eggman is somewhere far off from here.
(X) Eggman: We might not be the Metarex, Sonic. But now you’ve got double the brain power to deal with this time!
(X) Sonic: Heh, two egg heads to crack is simply just a balanced part of my daily breakfast!
(X) Eggman Nega: Hmmm, I have heard you talk about the Metarex. Still a bit disappointed that you had to team with these fools to beat them
(X) Eggman: Hey, it was that or nothing to rule over but trees… Dark Oak’s “tranquility and order” turned out to be code for a silent, boring, and quite literally wooden galaxy
(X) Eggman Nega: Hmmmph, I guess you have a point there… I care nothing for tranquility and order. Where’s the chaos? Where’s the SCREAMS?
(X) Eggman: Exactly, my brethren! But speaking of chaos… how about you hand over that Chaos Emerald, Sonic? Or else Nega here will force it out of you!
(X) Tails: Fat chance, Eggman!
Eggman actually gasps seeing Tails
(X) Eggman: Tails?! I hardly saw you there… beginning to wonder if I’d even see you again given erm… certain unfortunate even-
X Eggman’s screen then looks down next to Tails to see what seems to be…
(X) Eggman: SPITTAKE COSMO?! You’re alive?!
The monitor swoops down to get a closer look at her
CHZ Cosmo just narrows her eyes, assuming this Eggman is anything like the Eggman she knew. She is not amused to see him
(CHZ) Cosmo: Very much so, doctor… but things are a little more complicated than that.
Eggman is taken aback by this different demeanor
(X) Eggman: Hmmm, either getting blown to smithereens by the cannon has completely reshaped your personality… or this isn’t the same Cosmo.
(X) Tails: The latter is actually correct.
(X) Eggman: …Nega, did the Sol Dimension have its own Cosmo or something? We don’t have a Cosmo Nega here, do we?
(X) Eggman Nega: Not that I can recall.
(X) Eggman: So… do we have a 3rd party dimension in play then? I don’t know if this complicates our plans…
(CHZ) Cosmo: Me being here won’t change that you and Nega pose a threat to this world! Your plan is already doomed to failure!
(X) Eggman: …You are quite different from the other Cosmo. I don’t remember her having such disdain in her face.
(CHZ) Cosmo: Cause I’ve seen what you do to try and ruin a perfectly healthy planet where I’m from…
(X) Eggman: Heh, sounds like the Eggman you know is quite the guy! Maybe if Nega and I can figure out dimensional traveling. Which with our superior intellect could happen one day! We could start a trio OHOHOHOHO
(X) Sonic: Hey wait a minute, egghead. Why aren’t you here in person? I thought you loved losing to me, heh!
(X) Eggman: Don’t misunderstand me, hedgehog! There’s nothing more that I enjoy than wiping that smirk off your face! …But I have other fish to fry.
A certain cat burnt down my base to the ground, and lost many of my loyal servants… Decoe, Bocoe, and Bokkun were likely consumed by the flames. …Not that they were any use to me, but the destruction of my lab will not go unpunished!
So just call me curiosity, because I’m going to kill that cat! If my calculations are correct, I should be able to cut them off at the water palace. Tough luck for our little kitty cat, she’s going to get more than a bath when I’m done with her! BAHAHAHAHA! Seeya later, losers! And show them your stuff, Nega Me!
(X) Eggman Nega: With pleasure~
The screen turns off and floats into Eggman Nega’s cockpit. As he begins to prepare to fight Sonic again. He starts swinging the Libra.
(X) Sonic: Tails and Cosmo, go on ahead and get out of here and keep the emeralds safe. I’ll take care of this Egghead…
X Tails and CHZ Cosmo nod, trusting that Sonic can very well take on the Egg Libra on his own. Sonic manages to pretty easily dodge the Libra’s electric ball, low sweeps, and ground slams.
(X) Sonic: I thought the other Egghead said you had double the brainpower. Surely the two of you could have realized a simple contraption like this wasn’t going to beat me!
X Sonic makes quick work of the libra, being able to hit it about anytime he wants. With a few more blows he cuts off both sides of the Libra. Leaving Eggman Nega no choice but to retreat.
(X) Eggman Nega: Grrrr, I won’t forget this! (Why did I let that idiot leave me with such a pathetic machine…)
X Sonic smiles and then speeds off to catch up with X Tails and CHZ Cosmo to their next destination
