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WHO: Sonic Wachowski and Chipp
WHAT: Ice Cream Meeting
WHEN: After IC Anon Confessions
WHERE: Ice cream shop in Blossomcrown
WARNINGS: Talk of loneliness and isolation probably.

The plan had been to get some advice on a problem Sonic had been having without having to out his damage to the people he was close to. Its not...its not like Sonic doesn't trust them or anything like that. Like gun to his head, Sonic would admit to his damage in a second to those people he's close to because its really not about trust.

Its because he doesn't like people being sad.

He doesn't like being sad.

He prefers to think of the happier things. The good things he had in his life now. He doesn't want to bring the people who make him happy down by talking about things no one can change now.

Its just sometimes those sad things catch up, one way or another.

Back home, Tom and Maddie were smart. They could put together the clues. The fact he hadn't seen Longclaw since he was a kid. Living in a cave. All the reports of the Blue Devil and weird, unsolved petty crimes.

They're not stupid, and they could put enough together to try and help some of his worst struggles without having to really...TALK about it. Not often anyway. Sometimes things would slip and they would talk, and he hated it. Hated seeing them sad. Hated seeing how hurt they were he had to suffer like that.

Because they cared and loved him and he understood that they didn't begrudge learning this about him, but it still wasn't something he enjoyed.

But if there was one thing he hated more than anything else, it was someone feeling resigned to loneliness.

There was nothing stronger. It was that same feeling of empathy that had made him forgive Shadow when his blinding rage cooled. It was what made him think he could connect with Knuckles. The same thing that made him reach out to Rinku and Evangeline in different ways.

Loneliness was terrible.

Feeling trapped in it was worse.

So even if it meant someone would be sad for him, it was worth it if he could help someone who had that same feeling.

So he ran to the ice cream shop. Thought about it for a bit, before getting praline and butter pecan. And then it was lemon sorbet and strawberry for him. Then he would wait at a table, starting to eat his.

Because hey, he's hungry.

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Sure! I don't know how much about robotics, but I can follow instructions pretty well.

[A pause.]

As long as I don't need to stand completely still for like two minutes. Gotta be doing something with my hands or feet, or my attention just likes to fly out the window. I try my best! Just...you know. Consistency not guaranteed.

But I'm great at copying people motions and stuff! Tails won't let me do any of the soldering stuff, but putting together shells, tab A into slot B stuff, I'm great.

And helper bots can be great.

[He tilts his head. Looks to his face, looks to the helmet, another spoonful of ice cream in his mouth.]

But you have a face?

I'm bein' metaphorical, hun. Philosophical. I gotta face, but it don't work too good -
So I built me a better one. And it's so good, sometimes the talkin' part o' my brain won't work without it.
That make any sense?

[He sure hopes it makes sense, because honestly, he's not sure how else to explain it?
There's all sorts of terms for what he goes through, but it's not like he remembers them. Whatever his brain is doing is a mystery to him even on a good day, he doesn't need big fancy textbook terminology to make it even harder to follow??]

That said... you ain't gotta worry 'bout puttin' things together. The chips they need, those're delicate stuff.
I gott go in with my magic to do it, me. Hands're too big otherwise.
I just wanna show'em to ya.

But it ain't like I got nothin' for you to do in there. You like music?
I'll letcha fuck 'round with my keyboard 'n shit. Got guitars, too.

Edited (forgot like, an entire part of his thought process there) 2025-05-09 17:27 (UTC)

It doesn't work? [He blinks. Studies his face.] Do people get on you about that?

[He frowns.] Because your face reminds me a lot of Shadow's face. Like he doesn't emote a lot, but I mean... [He shrugs.] Its just how his face is.

Ooooh, so that is magic. I thought it was like magnets or something.

But yeah! I'd love to see them. Robots are only a problem if I'm really not expecting them.

[He nods.] I love music! Music's great. [Gasp.] You have actual instruments? Only one I've really gotten to see was this acoustic guitar dad has.

Edited 2025-05-09 23:42 (UTC)

Folks don't get on me 'bout it, no. But 's just 'cause they usually scared o' me without it.
Don't help that I can't smile.
Prolly don't seem like it, but I'm in a great mood right now.

[But! That's kind of depressing, isn't it? Even though he's not completely sure... he feels like it's gotta be.
The few friends he's made here don't usually like hearing him talk like this, after all, even if it's the truth...

But Sonic's apparent excitement does give him an idea for a better topic.]

Hmm... I mean, you wanna get all technical 'bout it, I actually gotta instrument with me right now.
Magic one, even.

You wanna see it? It'll be too heavy for you to lift... but hell, most people think it's cool to look at.
Or interestin', at least.

[His ears perk up.] Really? [He leans closer then, studying his face intently. Sonic is great at general observations, but its important to figure out the personal things. its what he does with Shadow. Anything like an actual smile on his face is rare, but the way his ears perk up, or how much attention he pays to something, or other things like that are also helpful indicators.]

I mean, I assumed there was positive going on, but it takes a while to refine the ability to read specific people, you know?

And sometimes its just about meeting the right people. Knuckles doesn't smile a ton. He can, but like....okay, Shadow I think just doesn't know how to emote so much. Knuckles wants to look serious and intimidating most of the time, so he's scowly in that way.

But people do get used to Knuckles and realize that's just his face. I think Shadow has much the same, its just everyone is also used to the older Shadow, who even if he emotes a bit better, is still really scowly.

People just gotta get used to your face.

[He chuckles.] Well, now I wanna try lifting it. I'm stronger than I look. [A lot stronger.]

But I totally want to see it!

[Chipp will go ahead and let Sonic lean in, do his observing - once he catches on that that's what the other's doing, he'll even lean in a little bit to match.
Like it'll make the smile that isn't there somehow more visible.

... But after a moment, he'll go ahead and reach up with both of his hands, purely so he can use his index fingers to push the corners of his mouth up into a "smile".
It looks incredibly goofy on him.]

Good luck gettin' used to this mess. Only one person here ever managed it, 'n... they ain't here no more.

Anyway, though... lemme pull it out for ya, then.

[His instrument, he means. It entails holding his hand out to the side, away from Sonic and away from the table - his palm faces upward, and after just a second, a little bit of violet-colored light starts to gather above it.
Only for that light to suddenly spread and take the form of...

A tombstone? A guitar? A banjo? A buzzsaw??
It's hard to say, just looking at it.

But once he's got it summoned, he'll go ahead and plunk it on the table between them. It... it definitely sounds heavy.
Looks heavy, too - like it's made of cast iron and steel.
The eye on its body blinks, looking up at Sonic.]

... This here's Spin Jockey. You free to touch it, try 'n lift it -
Just be a li'l careful. Li'l guy's a part o' me.

Edited 2025-05-10 00:17 (UTC)

[Sometimes its not about the mouth, its about all the rest. He will observe things until he understands.]

[When people watching is the closest thing you've had to social interaction, trying to figure out how people tick becomes an important interest.]

[He chuckles a bit at the smile.] You don't have to force yourself to smile. I want to learn what your smile looks like.

[Though his expression sombers at that.] Well...there's still new people to learn.

Shadow's newer in my life. But he's pretty important to me already. You always have a chance to have new important people to understand you.

[He shifts things away to make room for the instrument, looking it over with a whistle.] Ooooh, very Hot Topic.

[He stares at the eye.]

[There's a memory at the back of his head, the dream, with far too much meat and green blood-]

[He shakes his head. That's not a now issue, even if that curiosity keeps nagging at him.]

Yeah, don't worry! I'm real careful.

[He reaches out to touch it. He does a test shift and then he nods. Had to be sure it wasn't abnormally heavy, but if its just cast iron and steel?]

[That he can lift.]

[Little guy is A Lot stronger than he looks.]

[He might not lift cars one handed like Knuckles, but he's still got a lot of power in that little body.]

["I want to learn what your smile looks like." What a hell of a sentiment - he almost looks surprised to hear it, those perpetually scrunched brows of his lifting just a little.
It's not a new sentiment, though; just... rare. Impossibly rare. Something he's only heard from one other person - the one who went and disappeared while Chipp was away from Ellipsa.

There Sonic goes again, managing to punch the big guy right in the gut.]

Ahh... J'ai gros coeur.

[It's half muttered to himself, and despite what it means - "I'm gonna cry", more or less - there's little to no change in his tone of voice at all.
As for the weight?
It's cast iron and steel, sure; Sonic's going to be able to lift it just fine, either way. But there's just something... a little heavier in there, too.
Or maybe it's more like something's pulling on it from below - almost as if it wants to be dropped.
Weird!!

Either way, Chipp's crossing his arms on the table again, leaning forward as he watches Sonic heft up his soul just fine.]

Mais, you got some real power to ya. Last time I let someone hold Spin Jockey, they fell right over the moment I stopped holdin' onto it.
You a fighter? Or you just lucky, born strong like that?

[As Shadow puts it, ninety-nine percent is nonsense out of his mouth, but that 1 percent will get you.]

[He does offer a smile at those raised brows. He isn't sure the full reaction, but he knows raised brows means he said something with an impact. An impact is usually good.]

No habla espanol. [It probably wasn't Spanish? Either way, he really doesn't know what he said.]

Huh. [He adjusts it. Like it wants to be dropped.] Some kinda gravity thing...? [The closest sensation he can think of is being in that gravity trap, except its just the instrument.]

[Still, he is handling it with care, carefully balancing it with the help of the chair and plucking the strings.]

Born lucky, getting more experience with the fighter thing.

[And....well. There was a reason to this meeting.]

That's why I ended up on my own. When you're born special, people want to use you. [The plucking is slow, delicate. Not really a tune, he doesn't know how to play, just hearing the noise.] I had a guardian. She tried to keep me from those people, until she finally had to send me so far away, no one would have an inkling about me. They weren't looking for my kind of energy, and anyone who talked about three foot tall blue hedgehogs would be called crazy. As long as I didn't let people see me, no one would even think to look for me, let alone use me.

Well...

In theory.

Kiiiiind of caused a massive power outage that got the government's attention, so they knew where I was, and then shenanigans happened that led to the found family situation.

Edited 2025-05-10 03:20 (UTC)

[When plucked like that, the strings do, in fact... sound like a banjo. A tinny one, almost like there's the sound of a running saw over top - but a banjo nonetheless.
And that eye on its body stares up at Sonic, as if it's studying him.
(Jury's still out on if it's sentient or not.)]

... Mm; now, see, thing is... you ain't even gotta be born special for shit like that, neither.
I mean, I was just a measly li'l human while I was still alive. Stronger than most; lot stronger.
But still just a human.
Folks found a way to wring a use outta me, anyhow.

Glad you got yourself a family outta the whole thing, at least. You seem like a good kid... even if you covered in fur.

True. True. [He nods. He's certainly seen people used.]

Though from what I've got of alien hedgehogs, I dunno how much different I am. Being a lot stronger isn't anything to sneeze at.

Like....sure, being an alien hedgehog meant the humans wanted to study me just for being an alien, but where I was, I wasn't an alien. Just special powers. Just special enough to be a problem.

[He shrugged.] Wherever there's a big enough group of people, there'll be people who want to control power. If you stand out, they'll make it a problem.

Unfortunately.

And its a process to get that to not be a thing. Well...eventually be a thing. Hopefully.

Hate trying to get it to stop, but if it means keeping my family, I'll keep working at it.

[He looks up.] Did you ever get away? From the people trying to use you?

Kid after my own heart, puttin' your family first like that. It'll hurt, holdin' yourself back so you don't lose'em...
But take it from me.
Don't lose'em.

[... At this point, though, he can feel it - some eerie, metaphorical thing crawling up his back, as he thinks about how to answer Sonic's question.
He ends up having to take in a deep breath, hold it... and let it out as a sigh as he moves to put his helmet back on.

It's his safety blanket.]

I did, ouais. Took me dyin' to make it happen.
But I did.

Its....not so much holding back, as its...

I could destroy GUN if I wanted. I could, if I was that ruthless. But I'm not. I could run. I do have options. But then I would lose my family. So I have to play politics. Find the ways to manipulate GUN.

Find the ways where our cooperation is necessary for them to get what they want out of us, versus what they can just take. And hope over time I can win enough agents on my side to change things.

Its exhausting.

[He breathes in sharply.]

....literal or fake dying....?

[Well... now that he's wearing his helmet, at least Sonic can see the little smile that breaks out underneath its usual, glowing eye.
It's a soft one.]

Aw, hun...
You don't get a soul that heavy [- pointing a metal claw at Spin Jockey -] from just fakin' your death.

You a smart one, though, bein' diplomatic 'bout it all where you can. 'Cause me, that's how I died.
I weren't bein' used as a tool or nothin'... I was a weapon. Aimed at the folks who kept gettin' away with hurtin' others.
And when the day came I got caught, y'know...
Governments don't like keepin' 'round folks who destroy, even if you had a good reason.

So... 's good that you takin' the good-hearted path. Real good.
You savin' folks, that way.

[He's trying very hard to sidestep the obvious, here - he doesn't want to say what all he's done outright and scare the poor kid.
But at the same time... what other crimes are there where the punishment is death?]

Edited (✨accent stuff✨) 2025-05-10 05:41 (UTC)

[Sonic looks down.]

[He squeaks.] Its your soul?! Should I be touching it?! [Immediate concern! He can't like...break it, can he?!]

[Oh.]

So used by another group until the government found you....?

[Also doing some MATH from those words.]

....the good path is more sustainable if I get it to work. If GUN could recognize us as people, it means other people can't replace them, and it means we could have allies against other groups. I can do a lot when it comes to a fight, but like....logistical stuff, or finding people, and anything that isn't just straight fight gets a lot harder.

Plus it'd be better for Earth if they're accepting of aliens before any like...groups find them, instead of one offs.

[Finally, finally something gets the big guy to laugh -
Though it's more like a round of wheezes that ends with a coughing fit into his elbow, having to push his helmet up and everything.

But that helmet falls back over his head again, the biggest, dumbest grin spread across it as he reaches over and pats the back of Sonic's hand.]

Naw, naw - you fine, hun, 's all good! Not like you gonna hurt it any, and besides...
'S only the core o' my soul, anyhow. Not the whole thing!

[For the rest, though... he draws his hand back again, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair.]

... Y'know. We got other Otherworlders kickin' 'round this place, they got the ability back in their world to go hoppin' into others.
Can't do it here, but... once everyone all done savin' Ellipsa or whatever, they plan to go hopping world to world, lookin' for their friends.
Which is to say... if ya meet anyone here you think could help you with that quest, then remember you might actually be able to have'em pop up in your world to help.

I'd offer, bein' that I am a logistics kinda fella... but I ain't made to play nice, neither.
Even in the land of the dead, my job's killin' folks. ... Well - my second job's killin' folks, anyhow.

[His ears perk up at that. Oooooh, that's kind of like Shadow when he does the huffy thing that isn't a real laugh, but its getting into that realm. Notes Made.]

[His ears flick at the handpat, but he appreciates the gesture.] I don't know if core is supposed to be reassuring, but if you're sure it won't be hurt, then I'll just be careful.

[He is stronger than most, but he knows how to keep from just breaking stuff normally, so]

[SO]

[Probably fine if he says so.]

Oooooh.

That would...

Actually be super nice, because right now, I'm the diplomat, and its so hard. [There is a loud groan.] Knuckles likes to problem solve with his fists and he's weirdly both extremely paranoid, but extremely trusting at the same time? [Knuckles is threading the Weirdest Needle.] And Tails is super smart, but he's also not the best when people are upset with him, and honestly, I kind of don't want GUN to really realize how smart he actually is, because he isn't as strong as Knuckles and me, so GUN doesn't really view him as much of a threat or a thing to use, and the less they do, the better.

[If GUN messed with Tails, there would be some serious hell to pay.]

[Also its kind of reassuring, knowing GUN doesn't realize Tails can take apart their security system if he really wanted to. There's a difference between 'smart enough to fly a helicopter' and 'technologically smarter than basically anyone else on Earth save for people in the realm of Robotnik']

And I can't ask a human to be the diplomat because GUN has to recognize and respect us as people and if we let a human talk for us, they will continue to be dumb and annoying about their xenophobic control issues.

So, since I know humans, what we're avoiding, the hardest thing for GUN to contain since I just need a moment to get away, and I've been batting a thousand in when I choose to trust people, I have to be diplomat.

I do also have rings with me. I should talk to people for that alone. I dunno how well they can travel between dimensions, but they can go across the galaxy, that's gotta be helpful in a thing to study.

Land of the dead? So you're killing ghosts?

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