MEANWHILE...

[spinsandneedles]

WHO: Anybody who isn't in the middle of some calibrations
WHERE: all over the damn place
WHAT: Business as usual? Wondering where the hell everybody else went? Being all creeped out and stuff? I dunno man, whatever happens when the place you're stuck is suddenly a ghost town.
WHEN: During calibrations
WARNINGS: None. Will update as needed


[Temba isn't exactly the most exciting place Sonic has ever been, especially last month when it was all rainy and shitty and going out was a bad idea. This month was shaping up to be less soggy though, so Sonic was pretty pumped to get out there and start doing some real exploring. Maybe race that one guy, maybe see what the one turtle is up to? BUT, it doesn't take him long to realize that Temba is a lot quieter than usual.

Like, a lot quieter. Like 'literally where did everybody go' levels of quiet. Like 'aw dang it did I sleep through the entire end of the world' levels of quiet. Spooky, yeah?

Seeing as Sonic is able to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time, he decides that the best course of action is clearly to just run around checking every building, tree, Porta Potty (do we have those??), whatever that he comes across. The longer he's at this, the ruder he might be about just barging into a place looking for signs of life so uh. Hope you weren't taking a dump, but Blue over here is a little bit frazzled right now. He could do the smart thing and just check the network, but eh... Nah. He'd rather just run up the sides of buildings and yell 'HELLOOOOOOOOOOO' really loud from the tops of them. Basically wherever you feel like encountering a semi-panicked-but-still-totally-trying-to-play-it-cool hedgehog is on the table. Unless that location is underwater, in which case he will not be joining you because swimming is not in his skillset lmao.]



[[You can deal with Sonic's horseshit OR!!! Feel free to just straight up make a top level for anyone to tag!!! GET YOUR CREEPY ABANDONED GHOST TOWN MINGLE ON YOLO]]

Comments

[crystalmaster]

[Radley hears all the noise and immediately runs out of the diner. Thank goodness, someone else is here!]

Sonic!

[spinsandneedles]

[Hah! Being an obnoxious pain in the ass worked! Sonic calls out 'YOOOO' from way up on the top of whatever building he's on, and then quickly makes his way to the ground before skidding to a halt in front of Radly]

Oh man, Rad! It is great to see you right now.

Or should I say it's rad to see you?

...No. No I shouldn't. I'm just not in the right headspace for bad puns right now.

[crystalmaster]

[Radley sighs in relief.]

Have you found anyone else?

[spinsandneedles]

[Worry not, Radley (with an E oops!), Sonic's here! And... well. Useless, in this situation. But at least now they don't have to be lonely?]

Nah, bro. You're it. Just you and me, and this creeping sense of dread that I've been feeling off and on and pointedly trying to ignore all day. I take it you haven't seen anyone else either?

[crystalmaster]

I haven't, but I haven't checked everywhere yet. I put out a Network post, but no one's responded.

[He sighs.]

Where haven't you looked?

[spinsandneedles]

I haven't checked inside most of the buildings yet. I was kind of hoping that just getting up real high and being as annoying as possible would do the trick-- I mean, I found you, so it kind of helped... I guess? Mission semi-accomplished.

[Sonic also sighs, crossing his arms as he takes a look around their immediate area. Yeeeeup, still a ghost town.]

So... theories? Anything? Maybe everyone was abducted by rival aliens? Maybe someone solved the Agrii's riddle or whatever and we just missed the bus out of here?

[crystalmaster]

[Radley shakes his head.]

I've checked the hospital and the hotel and the diner. I still need to try the library and the greenhouse and most of the other spots.

[His eyes darken.]

We'd better not be stuck here while everyone else gets to leave. The abduction makes more sense ... or maybe they went on a mission and we missed that.

[spinsandneedles]

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad if I had any idea where we might get some actual answers. Why does everything have to be so cryptic and weird here?

[crystalmaster]

I sure wonder that all the time.

[Radley sighs.]

We could fix things so much better if we knew everything. Maybe it's really true that this is more about experimenting with us than fixing their planet.

[deal_me_in]

GAH!

[See, usually when he's up somewhere high, Cayde doesn't expect someone to just suddenly pop up, yelling. The spiky blue anomaly hadn't even registered on Sundance's radar until Sonic was there.

And so, here we are, with one Hunter windmilling his arms to no avail as he goes tipping off the roof's edge.

Thanks!]

[spinsandneedles]

[You're welcome!

And by that I mean OOPS OHHH uh oh. Sonic immediately realizes how big he fucked up, makes it to the edge of the roof while Cayde's just going over, and even manages to grab onto like a leg or something? Just clothes? He doesn't really have a chance to register everything because shit just got real stupid real fast.]

OHCRAPDUDEI'MSORRYDON'TFALL--

[Except Sonic doesn't take into account the fact that he's grabbing someone a lot bigger than himself who is probably also a lot heavier... Well the good news is that Cayde doesn't have to fall off the building alone! Sonic's going down with him, just two blue dudes freefalling off a building. No biggie.]

[deal_me_in]

[Yeah, Cayde is kind of made of metal under those stylin' Hunter leathers. Sonic snags the raggedy edge of his cloak as the Exo goes over, the excess shouting having him glance back.

Well, at least it's not the first time he's gone falling off any rooftops.]

Uh-oh-

[This makes things slightly more complicated but still manageable. Cayde twists around, pulling his cloak and Sonic closer to try grabbing onto the little blue dude before he somehow makes a jump mid-air to halt their plummet.

He plants a foot against the wall to right himself as gravity makes its grab again, boosting once they're closer to the ground to soften the landing.]

[spinsandneedles]

[So normally Sonic might roll into a ball and just deal with hitting the ground. This isn't the first building he's fallen off of and it won't be the last, but since this guy that he stupidly startled into falling off of said building seems to have a plan, Sonic just goes with it and lets himself be grabbed.

And then there's mid air jumping and wall jumping and SKY BOOSTIES??? Looks like Sonic panicked and yeeted himself off a building for nothing. Once they land, Sonic can't even pretend to play it cool. He's frazzled and that was ridiculous.]

...So, way smoother landing than I expected. Nice job. Uh, sorry about that.

[deal_me_in]

[Cayde's plan is always to wing things. Usually it works out pretty well. Usually.

He grins crookedly at Sonic, stooping down to let the hedgehog decide when he's good to stand.]

One of my better landings, I'll admit. [Didn't even break his legs!]

No harm done, although you might wanna look before you start shouting on rooftops. Given the current state of things, I guess I can give you a pass.

[spinsandneedles]

[Relatable, that's pretty much how Sonic does everything. Hence the getting up on the roof and screaming.

Sonic is used to doing stupid stunts and leaping off of buildings, so he recovers pretty quickly from diving off this one like a moron. He's GREAT to stand, and casually dusts himself off as though nothing stupid at all just happened. Shut up it's fine.]

I figured it would be a pretty good way to get people's attention. I mean, in my defense, it kind of worked.

[deal_me_in]

Eh, truuuue, but not everyone's equipped to make as neat a landing.

[Once Sonic's on his feet, Cayde straightens up, looking around.]

Not promising. No one's going anywhere without the shuttles, there wasn't a mass exodus to Sh'Ka, but no one's outright vanished from the directory so that only leaves one place I can think of.

[spinsandneedles]

Fair. I'll keep that in mind for the next time I feel like yelling in stupid places.

[No promises though.

Sonic perks up a bit, this is the first hint of a possible maybe-lead that he's come across so far!]

One place is way more than I've got so far. Where's that?

[stitch_witch]

[Don't mind Lark. She actually isn't too hard to find, in the nursery as she is. Without the ships she has set up some poles and a rope to hang clothes from, which she is diligently working on as glownies watch on.

Of course they are none too pleased with the sudden arrival of Sonic. The creatures quicker-baa in distress and scatter, leaving Lark to look around in shock for a predator. And instead...]

Ah, you must be Sonic. Be a dear and pull that basket of skirts a bit closer would you?

[spinsandneedles]

[WHOOPS there he goes being a menace again. Good job Sonic, you're very smooth.

He winces a bit in that "oops I done goof'd' way, but he does as he's asked and brings the basket over for her.]

I see my reputation precedes me. [He figures she probably just caught that one network post he made, but he's still gonna goof,] Sorry if I startled you, miss. Sorry uh... thingies!

[He calls out to the glownies too, but they're probably already sick of his shit]

[stitch_witch]

They are glownies. They can be very shy. If you wish to apologize to them, they like mint, which grows in the local greenhouse on the second floor behind some doors.

[Was that a subtle attempt to guide the strange young creature to restitution? Yes, very likely.]

[spinsandneedles]

[It also helps that he's just a nice guy and doesn't want to be on the bad side of this lady or her weird animal buddies. He's clearly amenable to making up with the glownies.]

Mint, huh? I don't remember where the greenhouse is, but I bet I can find it. Be right back!

[Or he could have just ASKED where the greenhouse is, but Sonic does things his own weird way. Either way, he's just gone, zipping off to find the greenhouse. After a few minutes he returns with a couple handfuls of mint leaves, only this time he shows up like a normal person, not yelling and just walking in so as not to startle the glownies again]

I wasn't sure how much to grab, guess I should have asked first.

[stitch_witch]

[A quick learner apparently, and she was glad for that. The glownies, catching scent of the mint, slowly made their ambling way toward Sonic. Yes, they wanted what he had.]

Might I advise tossing those out to scatter them? That will give more glownies a chance to get them.

[spinsandneedles]

[COME GET YOUR MINT ON, GLOWNIES. Sonic takes that advice and starts scattering the mint around for the glownies.]

Easy, guys! There's plenty for everyone.

[He watches the glownies for a moment before properly turning his attention to the lady.]

Well, I smell all minty now, but that seems to be doing the trick. Sorry again for popping in on you all of a sudden.

[stitch_witch]

[She smiles as she finishes putting up a sheet.]

It's alright. Thomas does it from time to time as well. It is nice to see there may be someone around who will be a match for his energy.

[spinsandneedles]

Oh yeah, Tommy! He's pretty cool. I was pretty surprised to meet someone who can keep up with me here. One of these days we'll see who's faster!

[Oh yeah the reason he came in here in the first place, huh. Getting back to business, Sonic crosses his arms.] If uh, I can find him. Have you seen anyone else? I've only seen a couple other people so far.