Act 3: No speed limit

[768mph]

[Action 1: Phone]

Uhhh...hey. Anyone that ran into me over the weekend...especially Shadow...I'm really sorry. Anything that I said was pretty messed up.

[Action 2: 1333 Benny - Outside]

Now who left this box here?

[Sonic doesn't often check his doghouse very often, but a small shoebox randomly appearing there is enough to garner his attention. Plus...it has his name on it.]

Might as well open her up.

[And he'll do this carefully. Though, his careful stare will turn into a giant grin as he yanks out the contents....]

[Action 3: Anywhere in town]

[Windows will rattle as a blue blur streaks down the streets of Mayfield. He's not creating any boost shockwaves, or doing any of his fancy tricks, as he can't seem to garner the energy for them, but he's still ridiculously fast. Yell out to him if you want to catch his attention.]

Comments

[3]

[thegoddamnhedgehog]

[Look out, Sonic. A certain dark hedgehog seems to have just teleported himself onto the scene. He may be roughly fifty yards or so away, but there he is.

Standing right in your path.]

Re: [3]

[768mph]

[Sonic screeches to a halt in front of Shadow. He's still getting used to stopping at this speed after a month, so he's pretty near to hitting him. And due to this proximity, he'll fall backwards onto his butt.]

Geez Shadow...you might try saying something...

[thegoddamnhedgehog]

[Shadow doesn't even flinch in the face of all this.]

You might try paying closer attention to your surroundings.

[The usual glare is on his face as he leers down at Sonic. But after a moment or so, he'll offer a hand to help the hedgehog back up to his feet.]

[768mph]

[He'll grab the hand.]

Hey...I'm still getting back in the groove. You have NO idea how much being speedless was getting to me.

[thegoddamnhedgehog]

Don't I?

[You aren't the only speedster hedgehog in town, Blue.]

[768mph]

Maybe slightly...but I got this sorta weird thing about it. I've been fast for so long it's engrained into my nature. It feels like a piece of me is gone when I'm not fast.

[thegoddamnhedgehog]

I suppose I understand. To have lost all the Chaos Energy in my body... To have it all sealed away for so long...

[He frowns. That wasn't exactly a fun time for him.]

But I managed, as I always have.

[768mph]

You're right. I should've thought about it from that angle.

[But he'll flash a thumbs up to Shadow.]

And you're great at that.

[So much stuff that Shadow's dealt with that Sonic couldn't even picture.]

[thegoddamnhedgehog]

[Flatly:]

You flatter me.

[768mph]

Heh. I try.

[His smile will go flat a bit.]

L-look...about the other day...

[thegoddamnhedgehog]

[Shadow's frown doesn't disappear, but at the very least, he doesn't appear to be angry with Sonic.]

That wasn't you.

[768mph]

I know...but what I said was still WAY outta line. I wouldn't feel right not apologizing for that...jerk.

[Swearing? What's that?]

[thegoddamnhedgehog]

[Not something that's foreign to Shadow, that's for sure.]

You owe me nothing, Sonic. Least of all, an apology. [He hesitates. Then...] If anything, you deserve one far more than I do.

Had I not stopped myself...

[He trails off, but Sonic can fill in the blanks on his own.]

[768mph]

Hey...don't worry about it. Even if that HAD happened, I still wouldn't have held it against you. I would've just counted it as killing him...not me.

[thegoddamnhedgehog]

[Shadow would rather not consider that outcome at all, so the only real response he'll get there is something akin to a "Hmm." Which could honestly mean anything, really. Finally, a weary smile.]

You'd be damn near impossible to kill, regardless.

[768mph]

Heh. Don't you know it.

[Sonic's full cocky smile will be back in full force with that.]

[thegoddamnhedgehog]

So. This is what they're capable of. Not only can our captors alter our bodies or our abilities, but they can also twist our memories and turn them against us.

[768mph]

It's like if one of Eggman's mind control schemes actually worked. And this town is the equivalent to the eventual amusement park.

Makes you worry about what else they can do.

[misterunsmiley]

I almost thought it was one of the Doctor's schemes. Then I thought better of it.

In any case, Sonic, don't let your guard down in the weeks to come. There's no telling what could happen next.

[768mph]

You got it.

[He'll tap his foot for a second.]

With this though, I'll be able at least have some kind of upper hand.

[misterunsmiley]

Your feet will only carry you so far, you realize?

[Says the spiky raincloud, hovering to the side with his arms crossed.]

Even as we regain our abilities, there are still countless others our captors have sealed away. And as quickly as we're able to regain them, they can easily take them away.

We'll have to prepare ourselves for any possibility.

[768mph]

That sounds like a plan. I'm back to when I first met Eggman, skill-wise.

What'd you have in mind?

[thegoddamnhedgehog]

If we're to have any chance of survival here, then we're going to have to keep ourselves sharp. You have your speed again. But any fighter should rely more on this to win his battles.

[Shadow taps an index finger to the side of his head.]

So. Let's not allow our bodies or our minds to go to waste.

We'll start training. Together.

[768mph]

What makes you think I don't use it? Some of us just like to think on the fly.

But that sounds good in any case.

[misterunsmiley]

[Hmm. Shadow allows himself another smirk at Sonic's defense.]

Excellent.

Action 3

[downtoearthpony]

[Applejack was really just out doing odds and ends, minding her own business on this nice summer day. Then something blazes on by and the resulting rush of wind will send her hat flying.]

What in tarnation- MAH HAT!!

Re: Action 3

[768mph]

[The blur skids to a quick halt and back the way it came. It then stops in front of Applejack, hat in gloved hand.]

Whoops. Sorry about that. Here ya go.

[downtoearthpony]

[Applejack snatches the hat by hooking her hoof around it and moves it onto her head. She's not mad or anything, though the sudden motion might seem rather terse. It's just the quickest way to get it back on her head.]

Thanks, this hat means a lot to me...

...Wait, Ah've seen you around before right? You and that black hedgehog one.

[768mph]

Probably. I've been all over this place. Shadow too.

I'm Sonic. What's your name?

[downtoearthpony]

[She holds out a hoof to shake as hello.]

The name's Applejack!

So that was you just running by then? That's pretty impressive being able to go that fast. Though Ah've always wondered how folks like you could avoid something like a person suddenly walking into the middle of the street...

[768mph]

Pleased to meet you!

[He'll eagerly shake her hoof.]

Yep. Just got my speed back today. It's so refreshing to feel the wind in my quills again.

Years of practice. It takes quick feet and good senses to keep from turning everything in front of you into pancakes.

[downtoearthpony]

Lots of practice huh? So you've never, say, clipped a barrel or tripped over a rock lately?

Ah've done rodeos before, but you usually know what kinda obstacles you will get thrown at you in those type of situations.

[768mph]

Not lately. But that's always a threat. Just another reason to keep the old eyes and ears sharp.

[Especially when said rocks happen to be boulder sized and sometimes on fire.]

But the surprise is what keeps things nice and exciting.

[downtoearthpony]

True, does sound like a bit of a challenge, alright. Not to say rodeo courses aren't, just a different type.

But that also makes you sound like you're a bit of a thrill-seeker. Kinda like mah friend Dash, now that Ah think about it.

[768mph]

Heh...a little bit. I've gone into some pretty dangerous situations before without really thinking too hard about them.

[Sonic remembers to keep his lip buttoned about Dash and a certain black hedgehog...]

I've met her. She's nice.

[downtoearthpony]

Well sometimes you can't sweat the details, especially when things call for action. 'Course that doesn't mean things will always turn out okay with that kind of attitude...

But yeah, Dash is a pretty good friend! And loyal too.

[768mph]

That's why I believe everything's gonna work out. If you start thinkin' otherwise, it might just happen. So, like you said, why sweat the small stuff?

[Loyal. Loyal's a good thing. So, he'll just nod to that. Anything more and something might slip out.]

Do you know Rarity too?

[downtoearthpony]

Oh yeah, Rarity's a good friend of mine from back home too! A bit nit-picky at times, but she's pretty nice. Definitely one to sweat the small stuff though. But sometimes that's really helpful, ya know?

[768mph]

Yeah. My friend Tails takes care of any details for me. It's kinda his thing. He insists on it mosta the time.

[Like translating for aliens...despite the obvious fact that they need to be saved.]

She made me these gloves. She did an amazing job.

[downtoearthpony]

Yeah, if it has to do with clothes, don't know anybody better at it then Rarity.

...'Course Ah don't know much about clothes mahself, but she's a hard worker when it comes to style, so Ah gotta respect that. Even if some of those dresses are a little...fru-fru...

[768mph]

They are fancy...I'll give ya that.

I'm guessing I'm lucky I didn't request anything other than shoes and gloves, huh?

[downtoearthpony]

Heh, probably, but leave an opening and it probably won't matter. She enjoys doing makeovers if an idea hits her. Just ask mah friend Twilight. Probably a good thing you're a fast runner.