etrayalogs | APRIL MINGLE

APRIL MINGLE

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: April 25th - Early May
WHERE: Etraya
WHAT: The arrival of newcomers, spring activities, and feathered friends!
NOTES\WARNINGS:

⏵ arrival ⏴
Welcome to Etraya!

Arrival goes as expected - characters awaken on hospital beds and are offered an explanation of their situation: that they have arrived in the city of Etraya, and they are their world's only hope. They are welcome to wander the hospital if they would like to - the upper floors are mostly empty, full of pristine hallways and numerous rooms filled with supplies, cots, and things one would expect from a relatively average 21st-century hospital.

However, if they are arriving from Aphaia, it's a little different, though mostly through means and familiarity. They will still show up in the hospital of course, but how can vary. Either through Aurora offering a portal for escape, their own demise (however it might have happened), or even a simple blink of their eyes and they're in the hospital. They had been given the briefest explanation last time they were here, but at least Aurora can better answer their questions now. No time constraints nor rushing them off to a dying world, this time!

In the hospital's lobby are several party tables set out with miscellaneous baked goods: croissants, cookies, breads, cake slices, as well as tea and coffee to accompany them - or hot chocolate, for those who are opposed to the other offerings.

Outside the hospital, spring is sprung, it is warm and comfortable. Flowers have bloomed, and everything is in a sharp contrast to Aphaia—there is life within the bubble, and even the myriad wildlife seems to be basking in the glow of it all. Almost as if a celebration of that life itself.

Bees are buzzing, birds are—warking?

⏵ Birds of a Feather ⏴

Etraya has always had its interesting assortment of critters, but there seems to be a particularly colorful array of birds wandering around. Those familiar would know they are named Chocobos, those less so familiar, well, these are some strange looking ostriches, or whatever large bipedal bird equivalent fits. While the birds all seem to be of the same species, there are certainly some variety in their features. Some with friendlier faces and others looking a bit more eagle-like.

They are not particularly congregated in any one spot within Etraya, seeming to stick to groups, while others don't, yet even some are accompanied by newly hatched chicks. The observant might be quick to notice that their colors dictate some level of behavior, or even where their little groups mingle:

Colors	Behavior and habitat
Yellow	Can be found just about anywhere in Etraya, they don't necessarily stick to self-made groups, and typically are more likely to be friendly to people. However, if they are in the company of a newly hatched chick, they can become wary, though easily won over with some greens.
Green	These Chocobos are mostly found in grassy or woodsy areas, almost always in pairs, and sometimes found in the trees themselves. They are more wary than their yellow brethren, though if they see someone struggling or in danger, they are quick to offer assistance in what way they can. Doting like motherhens.
Blue	Most often found by bodies of water, these Chocobo seem content to keep to themselves. Three to a group, they are not so easy to approach without being noticed. Their skill and love of water is clear, however, and it's not unusual to find them flapping about or swimming. Though they may flee to the water if you spook them.
Brown	The most skiddish of the Chocobo, they can be found throughout Etraya, though further away from anything occupied by people. They stick to groups of four, though they have a clear leader who sports blue and green feathers, but seemingly is not of the other two types. Should they catch sight or sound of someone approaching they are like to run off, or they might attempt to defend themselves.
Red	There seems to be only one of these running around. Highly aggressive to anyone who dares to approach it. Best to avoid it. Very likely to hurl comet-like balls of fire your way. Untamable.

The birds all favor these strange cabbage looking plants that can be found out and about in the wilds of Etraya. Some proving a little overeager in their voracity to eat the leafy greens. One should be careful, with those large beaks of theirs.

⏵ Gift Hunt ⏴

It isn't only the birds that have shown up out of nowhere. Small to medium sized boxes, wrapped as if they should be under a tree, and maybe not hidden in a tree, have also appeared. For whatever reason (possibly the same reason eggs were given out over winter) there seems to be gifts hidden all over Etraya! Some in more difficult to find locations (in trees, on top of a roof, on snake island), while others look as though whoever "hid" it gave up halfway through and simply dropped it on the ground and put a leaf over it.

For those who need a little extra help, well, certainly your fellow Etrayans could lend a hand, however there are also perfectly capable birds about for those still left wanting. Certainly that blue chocobo could assist with crossing the river to obtain that perfectly balanced gift on a rock! Or what about that green chocobo roosting in a tree not too far from that gift stuck in the branches because it has entirely too many ribbons?

With that said, there might also be some dangers in trying to take one of the myriad gifts from a chocobo's nest, especially if there's a chick presently sleeping next to it. Perhaps befriending them would be a good idea first, besides, isn't friendship with a big bird the truest gift of all?

On the tag of each and every gift box says the same thing:

To: You
Love: 💋

Each gift has a random assortment within. Some contain candy, others contain alcohol, make-up...maybe even a pair of socks, very perfunctory gifts with very little thought or feeling put into them. However, there is at least one gift that is personally relevant to each character in Etraya. This item will be the equivalent of a 5 point AC reward, and does not have to be found by the person it is intended for.

What better way to break the ice than to give someone their gift which you opened!

⏵ NOTES ⏴

Welcome to Etraya newcomers and happy spring to everyone!

It appears that someone is trying to correct her previous mistake of handing out eggs during the winter holidays, and now there's a hunt for gifts accompanied by a bunch of lovely birds to help out!

Some notes in regard to Chocobos:

-Each color can be tamed except for the red one, he's a free spirit. Should someone wish to harm or attack this chocobo, let us mods know. There is only one of him, after all.

-The others will just take various amounts of work to win over, however, but they are loving and cute companions for those who are willing to put in the effort! And who knows, maybe more colors could arise with time and patience...

-Feel free to pull from all the designs of chocobos throughout the Final Fantasy series. If you fancy FFXII's, for example, there are some that look like that. Variety is the spice of life!

Concerning the personal item, be sure to plot out and get permission when finding someone else's item. This is meant to encourage possible new CR and mingling, but the choice of the item should ultimately be within the hands of the player who is receiving it.

If you are uncertain if your item is appropriate for the reward cost, feel free to ask here!

For all questions relating to this log, please refer to the mod queries comment. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ.

⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ does he regret his previous actions. no. never. he will always think he's right, he simply did not do enough. what that entails is million of things, and even previous words aren't able to harm him because he acknowledged it. the other's words were nothing more than a small bite to capture his attention.

it didn't last long.

what remains is the question of what didn't he do enough of. the other hedgehog did as told, he stayed with her, kept her safe. shadow didn't ask for anything more or anything less, he did what he had to do. him, however? if anything, he shouldn't be here, he should have did more to leave with her. did it hurt? is she alone? there's a lot on his mind, but removing himself from society to clear his head works best.

he tries to close his eyes to think everything over, but...

wark, wark, waaark.

it's a familiar sound, an annoying one, especially when he can hear pecking in the tree that he's trying to relax in. he doesn't know where this small batch of chocobos hailed from, but they're surrounding the tree in interest, scratching at it with their feet in any attempt to try and break it down. why? they're hungry, and the smell that comes from him is good enough.

normally these group of birds watch the other hedgehog as he attempts some trick with curling his body into various trees. even though he fought their chocobo-in-charge, they don't hate him, instead they're too separated from that fight to even know what the issue is. all of them watch the younger hedgehog attempt his tricks, but he'll see that one by one by one, they get up, looking at each other, and make their way deeper into the forest to see what meal is being prepared.

one chocobo remains as it watches the younger hedgehog, trilling to catch his attention and reminding him that it's dinner time. time to hunt! ]

[He probably should have given himself another day before coming back to it after everything that went down last night. His head just wasn't in it today to try and learn how to strike as a spinning ball. She isn't here, the other coming with that one question put a sense of finality to it.

He tumbles once more, nearly into the one chocobo that remains. He's stuck here, to deal with that asshole instead. Whether he wants it or not, he has a feeling their paths will keep crossing in the future. The driving force to get better for the next encounter. Then again...he looks at his hand for a moment. A great power still rest within him. A power he doesn't want the other to know. He wonders if they had something like it in their world. What if they could already do the same? ...He needs to get better without relying on it. He can already guess what snide remark they say if he couldn't stand up to him like this.

The brown chocobo gives him a nudge, by which Shadow pushes their beak away.]

Go yourself. [He doesn't need to eat, and these birds are fully capable of foraging for their own food. A sad warble comes from the chocobo. He's not joining them. He never does no matter their insistence. He turns around, getting back to it. Maybe he should just...try rolling in a direction for now, for as long as he can hold the form. Trying to aim himself has not been very fruitful.

And so he gives himself some speed before curling up, and starts rolling along the forest floor. The chocobo flaps it's wings as he spins pass them. Thinking it were a game, they give chase, following along behind him. This was better. Weaving around along the ground, something to keep him anchored while he learns to steer-] -!! [Well he found where the herd had gone, along with one murder happy hedgehog. And he's heading right for them. Turn? Stop? Bounce? Shit. He curves slightly left, right, then bounces above the other and slams into the tree the chocobos had been pecking at. Unfurled, sprawled out against the tree. Dammit. The chocobos back away as the trees starts to fall backwards him going along with it.]

[ and the tree shakes from the extra added force, it trembles, and with the chocobos beneath that are pecking (and trill in happiness for the younger hedgehog also "pecked"), the tree tumbles down. the difference is that shadow doesn't remain, instead jumping out and rolling along the ground and right into the feet of another chocobo.

which does shift downwards, poking at his back and stealing a few pieces of fur. the older hedgehog glares as the bird trots away, running over to their hedgehog to check on him. making sure that he isn't hurt, other chocobos come closer to shadow, surrounding him as if they need to peck him for what he's worth. with a click of his tongue, his irritation only growing as he summons a chaos spear, it crackling in his hold as he watches the five that holds their ground. they don't back away, no, they take it as a challenge, warking and snapping in his direction. in response, he swipes his weapon indicating he'll attack if they continue, there isn't anything to say, nothing at all.

he's already in a bad mood considering everything thus far.

if the younger hedgehog isn't up by now, they'll drop the fur that they plucked onto the ground near his mouth indicating that they should eat. it's not actual fur, but there's a distinct smell that wafts from it. the birds sit down beside their comrade, bringing their head down and rubbing against them to make sure that they're fine. they're proud of them though, that peck of theirs was perfect to bringing down lunch!

one hedgehog is being babied, and the other is being looked at like prey. ]

[This sucks, these ~~wisps~~ birds are stupid.]

Quit it! [He waves off their attempts to comfort him. He is fine. He is always fine. They are in danger dammit. As he moves to sit up and prove his point, something pleasant reaches his nose. A beak full of black fur in his face. What in the-

Green light reflects in his eyes. That familiar glow of chaos energy that the other likes likes to sport, some distance from him. A few browns, along with their leader hover around, trying to peck at the older hedgehog. Why? These birds deserve death honestly. Bringing his middle and index fingers to his mouth, he whistles for their attention. They all stop their pecking assault to look at him. Don't ask where he hid it, but he shows some greens he still had on him. The birds that were trying to comfort him, suddenly back on their feet and dropping the nice smelling fur all over him. He tosses the cabbage to get them all away. Won't be enough to feed them all, but it's a moment of distraction.

Enough for him to get back on his feet, brushing off what he's assuming was the other's fur they brought.

...

Why do they smell strongly like flowers? Not a scent he was expecting from the older hedgehog. Whatever, his eyes are locked on the other now. Here. Again. Too soon to be seeing each other for his liking. Mockingly.]

I suggest masking your scent. [He'd find this amusing, if he didn't hate the other and be concern for his own life around them.]

[ it won't feed them all with how they run over and peck at the leafy greens, chewing them down alongside some fur of shadow's as a good mix. doesn't feel like lavender, but smells like it so they're able to get over the taste of it. not one stays behind to peck at him, and this freedom that he has only results in the hedgehog taking a step back and looking over the situation. ]

Control your hoard.

[ they listen to them by some degree, even follows them, so how are they unable to keep these chocobos from bothering other hogs like himself? even if the creatures can't understand what they're saying, from what shadow sees, the other hedgehog has some control because they do flock to them when they aren't focused on the older hedgehog.

as for his scent, he doesn't say anything about it, there's nothing he can do about it. if anything, it's probably his years upon the ark sticking to his fur, the amount of effort they went through to find a cure, and so all sorts of flowers were used towards making an antidote. none of them stuck, he can't even remember if what he smells like was one of them, but having been around it does leave a lingering scent. ]

Send them away, I cannot confirm their safety.

[ because with what happened with the last one, he may just get rid of another if they dare try him again. ]

[...Send them away? That gets a raised brow from him. Why doesn't the other just leave while the opportunity is open to them? He'd like to correct them that they aren't his "hoard". They just decided they wanted to stick with him. For safety? Who knows. At this point, if they're going to keep sticking around, he may as well make use of them. Unfortunately when they're hungry, food is the only thing on their minds.

His eyes stay on the older hedgehog as he starts to walk over to the birds. The one time he has to look away is to pat one of the chocobos to get their attention. When the light shines onto this particular bird's feathers, they had a greenish bluish hue to them. The others did not have this. This was the actual leader of this herd.] Go. [He pushes their beak roughly when they lower their head. His arms extend when there's some pushback. Go hunt elsewhere. The leader at least knows better not to challenge him. It did not go well for the bird last time.

A few warble reluctantly, but once the leader finally steps in, they all follow suit and start to walk away. They don't wander far, still visibly seen within the thick underbrush of the forest, but they are keeping their distance. They really think they can do something to the other one with his face? Which...he turns to look at them, wary. Why are they staying? What do they want this time?]

[ as they leave, shadow wastes no time, he's already walking away from where he was to another tree opposite of where the birds are. jumping up, he successfully lands on a limb that's thick enough to hold him up, and he's hidden within the trees.

if this area belongs to the other and his herd then that's a them problem, the hedgehog doesn't make any effort to leave again despite them being able to make the group of chocobos leave and the chances of them returning are high.

he's quiet at first, thinking, realizing that here he's unable to sleep. the look in his eyes shows that he hasn't slept, he has no reason to, he's the ultimate lifeform so these luxuries are not something he's interested in. how long can he go without sleeping, well, since he's been here, and the birds allow him no rest.

most times, he's the prey, it results in him having to be in guard. it is surprising that the other hedgehog has managed to hold onto them, with an attitude, keeping anything close is beyond the older one.

as long as he keeps them at bay, there's nothing calling for him to respond violently. ]

[His ears twitch at the sound of movement from the other. Whatever they do that doesn't involve coming at him, he doesn't care. He doesn't like that they're here though. Puts him on edge, even when the other is seemingly leaving him alone. He doesn't trust that.

...They looked tired. Or was he imagining it?

Shaking his head. Who cares. He glances at the birds behind him, to the tree he saw the other perched himself in. He groans under his breath. What is he supposed to do now? As if one of them could sense his uneasiness, one of the chocobo comes over to check on him. He instinctively pushes their beak away without looking.

He starts to walk away from the area, the birds following after. Their chirps becoming distant. It seem like the older hedgehog finally had some peace.

That is, until the younger suddenly appears in the same tree as the other, gripping onto a branch above them. Pardon has he invites himself, because he doesn't like that you're here. Being this close, he visibly looks a little disheveled himself. Maybe it's from all the rolling around, but there are patches of dirt and uneven fur, some of his quills sticking out in places. Eyes were focused on them, but visibly tired. There was some redness and puffness around his eyes, signs of ongoing troubled rest.]

[ peace, it's not something he's afforded often, but it still doesn't comfortably sit well with him. his body is still tense, he's unable to relax, his eyes close then open after moments because he's not able to rest. after his constant search which led him to finding no one, all energy that was once there has depleted instantly.

needing to do anything at all that isn't thinking isn't worth it.

...

and then they appear.

figures, territorial, is he? when he thought he knew how to keep his distance, he's managed to come here anyway. a poor attempt of telling him to fuck off or keeping his enemies closer to ensure he isn't the one struck if shadow changes his mind all of a sudden. ]

What do you want?

[ unlike the look in his eyes, his voice remains strong, very little change in cadence. it's questioning, wary, not sure what to make of the other, but acknowledgement all the same.

with how the other looks, his fur disheveled and a mess, he's been in this forest with these birds since they got here. perfect place to stay out of the way, shadow won't say it though, not with that burning look in the other's eyes. is it anger or wear? the pieces of dirt that trickle off the other when he moves do briefly hit at shadow, bouncing off him in time, but aside from that he can tell the other has been moving around. ]

I have nothing for you.

[He wants a number of things. For them to go away, beat them stupid, why are they like this, who are they? His hand squeezes the branch he was holding onto. He wants them to hurt, after the pain they put him through. Just because he exists.] Just don't get in my way.

[That's all he could say. They're just laying there, leaving him be. There's no satisfaction in striking them now. He needs to get better anyway. He disappears once more, the distant sound of jets when he reappears elsewhere as he leaves the area to the other.

Once he's put himself some distance, he's back at it again. Spinning and slamming into trees and whatever else. The birds linger with him, foraging in the area, even though some try to sneak back to where the older hedgehog was resting. They make good moving targets while he's practicing at least. The practice session doesn't last for very long though and soon, there's no more sounds of a hedgehog spindashing around. The older hedgehog isn't the only one lacking in much rest. It comes to a point when it was useless to keep going when he could no longer focus. Head quite empty. He doesn't recall when or how it happened, but he'll end up passing out on top of a chocobo pile, using them as a bed. Who knew choco feathers and fluff makes the comfiest bed? Certainly better than sleeping inside a tank. The chocobos don't seem to mind this at least, all of them huddled up together beneath a tree to rest themselves.

There is never rest for a Shadow though. Their sleep constantly wrecked with nightmares, of memories of a past long gone. They always start the same, him with Maria, the one he knows, laying inside the pillow fort, or beneath the night sky. All is peaceful, full of laughter and joy, watching or talking about things that have little relevance on the grand scale of things. They're watching the stars this time, and Maria would point at something orbiting the earth. Something large and manmade, moving across the sky...that wasn't there before. Something starts to light up from it. Alarms start to blare and they were suddenly running through the base. His hand gripping onto Maria's tightly.

Something's wrong. A GUN soldier appears to stop them ahead. It'll be different this time. He'll do something about it. He lets go of Maria's hand, rushing at the soldier to knock them down. He'll save her this time. The soldier didn't stand a chance, falling backwards. Their helmet slips off and it was--that man. The one Sonic cared dearly for, now laying lifeless on the ground. What...? He turns as there's a shout, Maria was no longer there. There was nothing. Lights continue to flash in the darkness, a girl yelling his name. Shadow runs in desperation, calling for her. Follow his voice! Come back to him!

There was a scream, nearly deafen by an explosion. The place suddenly goes white, and then...nothing. No sound, just a white space and...two bodies laying on the floor. Lifeless, dead. He didn't want to go over there, he knew what was waiting for him and he couldn't. But a voice whispers his name, her voice. His feet start to move, as if the voice commands them. It'll be ok...don't worry. But it wasn't. His breathing gets caught in his throat, seeing her body lay there once more, unresponsive, gone. The one next to her, the one Sonic called Tom laying dead with her. The distant sound of a fire burning. Echoes.

Don't let it get away!
We have our orders!
I did what I had to.
It's what they deserve.

Nothing good comes from another one.

The area abruptly shifts before him, fires, broken canisters that once held chaos energy, the eclipse cannon above ready to fire. Maria's head suddenly turns to Shadow, eyes wide open. A silouette of another, standing behind her.

How could you let this happen?

The nightmare abruptly ends with the Eclipse Cannon firing, Shadow screaming. In the dream, in the waking world. There came the panic wails and squawks from the chocobos that were rest with him. One of them unable to get free as Shadow grips their wing. It's as good as broken. Without any awareness of his actions, the bird is suddenly tossed, slaming into a tree. The other chocobos start to flee in a panic. The one that hit the tree will not be so lucky, becoming Shadow's victim for his uncontrolled rage and despair.

It's not his fault. It's not his fault. Didn't he do everything as they wanted? Wasn't he a good test subject? He wasn't supposed to be there. Why did she have to die instead? It's all his fault.

There's blood everywhere, the bird before him, already beaten to death. Yet he still brings down his fists onto it, over and over. Until his head felt like it wanted to explode, sparks coming off his body. It's all his fault, for existing. He press his fists against his head, blood staining his fur, screaming, sobbing. It all hurt.]

Pathetic.

[ they can't let things go, can they? shadow has mastered the art of being alone, allowing people their freedom as long as it doesn't get in his way, and showing his disinterest initially didn't seem to get through that thick skull of theirs. he doesn't have anything worthwhile to offer ever, the extent of their relationship is only they know each other exist, and to move on. even with maria's request, he's doing just as she asked.

as long as he doesn't attack him then that should be enough.

rather than rest, his eyes look up through the gaps between the leaves, what dappled sunlight slips through, and how the shadows of the leaves dance along himself that he can see. it kills time, it gives him time to think, when the breeze pushes against the limbs of the tree, there's only one visible gap for the sunlight to peek through. above his chest, in a familiar spot, and his hand raises to touch the area thinking something is wrong. it's fine, he's thinking too hard, it's only because he has her on his mind.

time passes, he never attempts to sleep, there's no need considering the other hedgehog is around somewhere. whatever sounds came from him had ceased before, maybe he left, or maybe he's watching him from somewhere else. either way, the hedgehog doesn't move from the limb he's laying on.

he doesn't move at all. if he could stay right here the entire time, then he would. it's like this every time, he starts to detach himself from this world, his thoughts are primarily of her. he remembers her face, the way she cried, how she was scared, those curious, blue eyes of her filled with pain because he acted unlike himself. things have changed, is he so different from what he used to be. on the ark, yes, he would rather flee than fight, he didn't want her hurt, but... now to keep her promise, to keep her memories safe from anyone or anything at all. he has to fight.

his hands have been covered in blood many times. it won't change. even if he has to kill himself, it'll never change.

there's something, a tremble, the sound of something coming, and the sound grows louder and louder as familiar birds run through. they screech, they sound afraid, they stomp their feet as they run, but there's one that pecks against the bark of the tree. one leg lifts to scratch claws against it, and shadow ignores whatever this is. as long as he's up here, or so he thought, he'd be safe. unfortunately, these things would climb, it would hop up, beak pulling at his glove to tug him down. shadow yanks his arm away, an annoyed expression written over his face as he glares down at the bird.

upon close inspection, the feathers are a color off, a light shade is colored red, and even the smell is starting to hit his nose. whatever this is, he wants no parts, and he shows that by ignoring it again. unfortunately the bird doesn't let up, it uses it's upper body strength and rams into the tree, hoping to shake him out or break it down. the latter hopes come, the hedgehog jumping out of the tree with ease, and he watches waiting for it to leave.

unfortunately, staring at the bird, the way it warbles and cries, it looks almost familiar as it tries to get his attention. it runs up to him, catching shadow by the scruff with its beak to bring him along. initially his eyes widen briefly before he brings a hand to the creature's beak, pulling himself out of its grasp until another chocobo appears, hopping in place to show them where they need to go. it's with a click of his tongue that smacks away one of those overeager beaks that come close, only to move forward. the smell of blood grows stronger in the air.

as he moves forward to break the foliage to see what it is, there's the sound of something wet being beat into. the sound of something cracking, and what he stumbles upon is what he should have expected, even the look on his face shows some disappointment. not because of the scene, but because what else could it be, who else could it be? he thinks to turn away, this isn't his battle, this isn't anything he's part of.

"just don't get in my way."

and shadow will do just that. he turns heel, ready to leave, but one chocobo stands in the way with its feathery chest keeping the older from leaving. the creature cries, it's afraid, scared for the other one as they haven't snapped out of it. a comrade dead from fear. not like shadow cares. it's still not his battle, not his war, it's nothing to him.

"he deserves to live and be happy, just like you do."
words linger at the back of his head. nothing he needs to worry about. nothing that has anything to do with him. he can have his own life, maria. what he chooses to do is how he wishes to live, and how he will be happy.

"the two of you are your own beings, but you are both shadow and i deeply care for you both."
and why is that as he thinks back, his movements slow down as he already regrets his future actions. it's with a golden flash that he bridges the gap between him and the younger hedgehog, from behind, he pins their wrist against the tree from behind, blood staining his own white glove from the assault the other displayed. she wouldn't want this, this isn't something she'd want for him either, but... as shadow, he finds the display chaotic and unneeded. it's violence that he knows so well.

this isn't them, or whatever caused this, then he'll figure it out to put a stop to it. ]

Enough.

-!? [It happened so quickly that he had no time to react. He left himself open, had forgotten for a moment who else was here in this forest. Now he's paying the price.]

You! [He snarls something feral in that voice. He told them to stay out of his way. They're attacking him again. Giving orders. Catching him like this. Ignorant of his existence. It's their fault he's hurting. He hops slightly to press his shoes against the tree, jets going off at full power to force the other hedgehog flying backwards. Where? To pin them to a different tree. If not, angle himself in a way so he flys above them and tosses them back with a flip.]

[ what a damn child.

he's been left with this. shadow's quick, allowing for the younger hedgehog to move at top speed to try and force him back into a tree. luckily, since the other doesn't hold onto him, he's able to activate his own shoes to go up and over, making it so they collide into a tree by themselves.

maybe it'll be a wake up call, or maybe it'll make him angrier. ]

Hmph. Is that all you have for me?

[ he returns to the ground, standing in the center with the chocobo behind him some feet away, at this point he's waiting for the other to appear. if anything, he has to keep him here, he can't go anywhere like that. ]

[Angry. Definitely angrier. Even while the other speaks, Shadow is already gone and reappearing behind them. His quills are lit, his movements quicker, aggressive. A chaos spear forms as his arms move to swing it into the other. He's looking for more blood, their blood.]

[ his ears twitch, that brief change in the air quickly calls for him to turn, and jump back to avoid the spear's tip. he can tell the other is angry, his feelings all over the place, and possibly for good reasons.

what happened with the bird, however? ]

...I'm not here to fight you.

[ shocking, really, as much as he's always prepared to fight. this one doesn't call for his attention as something he needs to win. ]

Calm down.

Shut up and die! [He wants anything else, but to calm down. That they would continue to act like they're above him. He wants them to hurt, bleed, kill. Make them pay. Know what he had put him through.

He doesn't miss a beat, chasing along with them they jumped away. His arm outstretch to catch them around the neck, continuing his forward momentum to send them slamming back into the ground.]

[ he acts as if he's going to dodge, but allows the other to believe he's caught him before he had time to move. hand around the neck, pressure applied, and shadow is sent towards the ground with heavy impact, he shrugs it off at best, one foot brought against their chest to push them off.

as long as they're off, the hedgehog flips back onto his feet, one foot faced forward, and his fists tight before his chest in case he needs to block. ears twitch... listening.

how annoying. annoying in the way that they keep coming after him despite shadow's unwillingness to fully engage in what they want. all it'll do is cause the other to feel worse because between the two, the older hedgehog knows he can win, the other is naive and uncoordinated. his control over his body is lacking, all he does is hunt and throw punches with no strategy behind it. ]

What are you fighting for?

[ what is there to achieve. ]

[All manner of logic had left this hedgehog. His actions were powered only by hatred and pain. Feelings he never took a moment to understand, when everything just kept happening all around him. All he could do was bottle it up, kept too long and it got shaken up one too many times the moment these two met. And he could never really close it back up since.] What does it matter to you!?

[Just as the other kicks him off, he's grabbing them by the head to bring them along with.] Don't act like you give a damn! [He proceeds to toss them back into the ground.]

You're wasting time fighting me.

[ could the same be said about his previous advances, probably, but to him there are circumstances that have led him to be the person that he is. the look in their eyes could never match the one he's had himself. he hasn't experienced the true horrors.

one hand switches to grabbing their wrist, holding on tightly to try and pull it from his head. what he finds is that they won't let him up from the ground, maybe they enjoy looking down on him, but even though his own crimson eyes stare up, there is a bit of annoyance as though the other has one more time to make the same mistake. ]

Is this what makes you happy?

[ he knows asking these questions won't help, that it'll only make the other even more upset, but its not like they see what they're doing.

blinded by rage. ]

Am I, when I know you rather see me dead!? [He remembers those words. He said them himself to the one staring up at him now. It hardly stopped them. So why would that work on him? The grip on their head tightens. Fine, if they don't want to get up, he'll just push their head into the ground and smash their damn skull instead.]

Don't act like you didn't say those things. When I didn't do anything, did what you asked and took care of the girl that should have been your responsibility! [He completely ignores the question once again. They mean nothing coming from the one who wanted to kill him, wouldn't acknowledge him as anything but a fake. It hurts more when they have his damn face. He grits his teeth, quills flaring up, further pressure being applied to their head, squeezing, pushing.]

For just existing! [Kill them before they kill him.]

[ what a terrible tantrum.

why get up when the other wants to see him down, maybe he wants to see shadow fight back. it's not like the other is winning when shadow doesn't do anything in return, but he can feel the way his head slams back against the ground, and there's a brief moment where his vision blurs then returns back to normal.

his body can take so much more damage, he'll have to work harder. especially if he wants this hedgehog to resemble the waste of a chocobo against that tree. he's not gentle when his hand tightens around the other's wrist, pulling them forward to ram his own forehead into the other.

they can share the headache. ]

I know what I said.

[ it comes out as a growl, and rather than pull the other in to punch him right in his face, the hedgehog pushes him back. ]

I don't know what you know, but it's telling you haven't seen what I've seen.

[ all he knows is that this hedgehog has a maria, how far their lives share similarities are not known to him. the plethora of robots that share his face, the mistakes he's made not knowing who he is, how shadow the hedgehog can be a curse within itself. a friend, a pawn, a monster, a mistake, a cure, a failure.

which one is the hedgehog before him? ]

You can see now. I am your target.

[He wishes they would fight back, because them refusing to only angers him further. Like he's just being toyed with. Not taken seriously by the other again. He felt a sudden tug and their heads colliding. The force is enough to make his head spin and nearly have an out of body experience. It's enough to allow the other to push him off. A head pressed against his head as pushes himself to sit back up. His vision is blurred, but he keeps glaring in the direction of where the other is. The strike at least stops him from going a gazillion miles an hour and start to process what the other is actually saying.

They are...acknowledging what they did, what they didn't do.

He was never given a chance to explain himself. Wasn't given a chance to understand. Even with Maria's intervention, the other's mind was already set on what they thought he was. So he did the same to them.

He might have had a glimpse of what the other must have experienced at the colosseum, but still...Bitterly.] I didn't want it to be. [Are they really that surprised things turned out this way? With their behavior towards him?]

[ he is not surprised, he didn't know the other's circumstances. shadow faces what's before him like everything else, he remains suspicious and wary, but to meet someone with his face? how is he to trust that, he knew what he knew, but not what the other knew. how he saw things? that didn't matter to shadow, but he knows that he didn't give the other a chance to strike.

he didn't give the other a chance to even attempt.

shadow's good at that, cutting off advances, backing individuals into a corner, looking down on them. he knows actually what he did to the other. ]

I didn't trust you.

[ how could he? he's not asking for forgiveness, why would he do that when he knows what he did? ] I didn't know who "you" were, I knew what I thought of you.

[ he still doesn't know who they are, but one thing's for certain. ]

From her perspective, this isn't you either.

[ and how is he to know who "they" are? not his place at this point anymore, the amount of attempts to get rid of him has been met with realization or interruption.

they learn what they see, but they fail upon execution and try again. ]

Tch. Show me who you are. I'm not moving.

[ the unfortunate fate that he too has taken part in once before, but not like this. those replicas didn't feel pain, didn't bleed, nor could relate to him. this hedgehog won't be able to find himself out unless he can clear this fog before his eyes.

a hand comes to his own chest as he stands properly. ]

Again, I am your target.

[Quite the contrast when this one would rather avoid initiating unless forced. It's only been with the other that he felt compelled to take action before they do. For obvious reasons. Why is that? What else have they gone through to be who they are? ...Did he want to know, after everything he's seen and experienced?

Doesn't trust him, yet that's not what he was seeking. That be demanding a lot from a Shadow. He wanted something that wasn't fighting, or an immediate attempt at taking his life at least. Even as they say that, they left him with the one person the other would do anything to keep her safe. She believed he's not like this, the other says, but not how they feel. Even he thinks her faith is misplaced. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the chocobo that had initially led the other here, hovering over their beaten comrade. Hardly recognizable anymore. Why do Marias carry such confidence they know who a Shadow is, when he hardly knows what that means. Only that pain and death follows him.

The other tells him to show who he is. No retaliation, no insults. They stand ready for him, whatever may come of this. But there is a problem. The overflow of energy from him starts to calm, the intensity from him feeling less than before. Coming at them isn't going to give that answer. They tell him to show who he is...well, if they really mean that, if they're ready to listen then...]

...I don't know. [He has no answer to give. He moves to stand along with the other, unable to look directly at them. The urge to fight slowly going away. That was never what he wanted when he first saw the other with his face.] I was trying to find out.

[ he's unable to help them. he cannot help them figure out who they are if they haven't learned yet. if that's the case, then whatever route the other has chose hasn't picked up the pieces. the truth? or the lies? from the way they sounds, from how their energy begins to fizzle out to show shadow he's found some topic to sway their anger, he wonders if they'll snap again despite calming down.

or maybe they're concerned about who they are and having an answer. ]

...

[ he watches them with a trained eye, waiting for if they'll strike, but they stand there still. they just don't know.

they really don't know.

one brow lifts unsure what to make of this. he didn't expect to be standing as long as he has, he thought they would take advantage of this, direct their anger towards something. they don't. in return, the hedgehog crosses his arms waiting for the other to continue speaking. it shows that they have his attention, that if they have anything else to say they can say it. ]

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