#IC Update

[fbiartist]

"Please don't store human biological material near food stuff. It's highly unsanitary."

[lastbennettwitch]

"Don't touch those, they're still cooling." It's the only warning given before the spatula swat is the next one. Yes, there are a couple dozen cookies cooling on a rack.

[the-forsakenlegionnaire]

The unity purrs, its engines sleeping as it floats lazily into the night sky. At times, one could think that Lien-da's vessel was alive, following orders only she knew about.

They have approached a place the grandmaster both hoped and feared they'd ever reach.

Albion. The first bastion of the echidna race. Survivors or not, Lien-da knew, deep within her heart, that as many questions would be unearthed as would answers.

But she was not among those chosen to enter this sacred city. And so, she pondered how to even reach it, without a word, sat down on the beach and watching the waves strike nearby rocks.

In times like those, she almost understood why Glenndolyn enjoyed these long lonely treks so much. Almost.

Keep thinking, Lien-da. Surely an answer will come to you.

[hopes-memorial]

"Takara...what... what even is this?"

"Well, obviously, it's a golden retriever, duh," he says as the puppy let's out a loud bark, making him awww and reach down to pet the little guy.

"I can see that, all right, but... why did you get a dog?!"

"Do I have to spell this out for you? It's a golden retriever! I got him to retrieve gold! I did this for all of us."

There's a pause as Kohaku debates... seriously debates killing him for a moment. On one hand, a pet would be nice to have. They had one their whole lives before everything went to hell, but on the other hand, it's a lot of responsibility and time to train a dog, time that none of them had. She's about to tell him to take it back when his biggest supporter comes into the room, drawn in by the other two siblings arguing.

Shinju gasps at the sight of the puppy, immediately going over to pet it. "Takara, is this... what's his name?"

"I'm so glad you asked, Shinju, this is my new assistant, Kin. Kin, this is Shinju, my little sister." The puppy, Kin, let's out a bark making Shinju laugh and greet her new best friend while Kohaku sighs and just adds puppy chow to their grocery list, knowing she wasn't going to win this fight.

[castillon02]

Jet Twimbly, head chef at the Six cafeteria, works frantically. A lot of agents are on their way home and they've hinted that the Big Snooze may be close to an end, which means...

They need to make the big adjustment from serving glucose bags and snacks to serving an international menu of delicious meals again!

Jet Twimbly is proud of working with the B Team. It's been a crazy month but it's been fun!

[familylightfox]

A small aircraft was high over the ocean sky, merely a speck to the untrained eye. The GUN logo on the side glinted in the sun, and Harmony leaned around the back of the pilot seat where Buddy was steering them ever closer to a set of islands in the distance.

“So that's where your mom asked us t' check out? What's it called again?” The teen asked, resting her chin on his shoulder in the process. His eyes never left the skies ahead of them, but he smiled.

“Starfall Islands. She said this was its last known location when the emerald they kept in containment disappeared. It's supposed to be a deserted island, and with Mr. Sonic and the Freedom Fighters busy in Adabat after that tsunami, she asked if we could look into it.” Overall, the mission sounded like an easy one for a bunch of teenagers to undertake. Harmony had gotten full permission from her dad to go, and it wasn't hard to mention it to Tangle and Whisper during their nightly video calls.

So off they went and now the islands themselves were coming into view from the parting clouds.

“Whoa!” Harmony's eyes went to the view, mesmerized along with her teammates until the ship suddenly gave a harsh shudder. Buddy uttered a string of curses as he tried to keep the flight stick from throwing them off course while also trying to reach for switches on the cockpit panel.

Another curse as every single light along the dash disappeared.

“Everyone, hang on!” was all the boy could say as the craft descended rapidly in the sky. Cries of surprise and fear filled the cockpit as a sudden vortex appeared before they were about to crash. As quickly as it appeared, it vanished, and with it, the teens.

“Ugh…" Harmony groaned as she pushed herself off the hard ground. Emerald eyes took a moment to focus before she could see the distorted skies and floating debris. At least the ground under her feet seemed stable.

“Is everyone…” her voice trailed off.

“Tangle? Whisper...?

"B-Buddy?”

She was alone.

No sign of their aircraft. No sign of smoke... No sign of...

Anyone...

“I... I gotta get outta here.” With only a moment's hesitation, the teen dropped to all fours and took off down the only road she could safely follow. All the while, her focus shifted to see if she could spot her friends. Even as she faced enemies along her path, she was determined to find them.

Although there seemed to be a common theme among the enemies, she recognized every single one from all the training she and her teammates did. Their bodies glitched and distorted, yet they could attack all the same.

Thankfully, she could hit them right back.

With that knowledge, the teen blasted through them and spotted the weird vortex-like portal from before. She stopped short of colliding with it, approaching cautiously, and reached out with one hand.

“This has gotta get me outta here.” At least, that was what she hoped as she touched it. Weird sensation aside, when she next opened her eyes, the beautiful seaside coast greeted her. The smell of the ocean, the sound of the birds, the rustle of the grass under her feet—such a sight to behold.

Yet those were the only things she saw.

“W-where are they?” As if the wind could answer her, Harmony choked back a hiccup as her shoulders shook. She cupped her hands to her muzzle.

“Tangle!” “Whisper!” “Buddy!! Where are you?!”

With each name, desperation grew. Her fingers began to dampen with tears, and her legs buckled, sending her onto her backside in the grass. Harmony shivered despite the warmth of the air, gripping her arms tightly to herself. Each gasp for breath was a call of her teammate's names as rain began to fall.

That was until a soft teal glow caught her watery eyes.

Chip's bracelet pulsed slowly, in time with its charge's heartbeat. The teen took a breath, then another. Her hiccups and sniffles dwindled with each pulse until it was back to its usual steady rhythm. The warmth from the glow on her face did little to dry her tears, but it was enough for Harmony to regain some of her composure.

“Yeah.” As if in a silent conversation, she wiped her cheeks with the palm of her hand. “You're right. I'm gonna find 'em, and we're gonna get the emeralds and get outta here.”

The bracelet pulsed again before returning to its usual rhythmic ebb and flow. As emerald eyes focused ahead, Harmony nodded and dropped to all fours to take off further into the island.

It was only until the sudden voice called out from... EVERYWHERE, she paused and stood back up.

[Child... You have done the impossible. You have escaped Cyber Space through your own power. You are the key…]

[reactivatedrockstar]

It was kind of a weird sentiment. Bonnie was seldom the type to be so vain that he felt the need to have all the attention on him. However, when the company, historically, had thrown an annual week-long birthday event for him in Bonnie Bunny's Birthday Bash, it was... strange to see zero mention of it.

Even more so when older patrons would ask about it, and employees would sweep it under the rug, as if the events of the past never happened.

He supposed it made sense. He wasn't an active character anym... right now. Since he hadn't been fixed yet, it didn't make sense to throw a party event for a character who couldn't publicly show up. It was completely understandable...

...

...and yet it still stung. He didn't understand why, but he knew it stung, like a pang to the part of his chest that didn't hurt. It didn't exactly feel great to be forgotten, least of all on the anniversary of the day he was very first activated.

...At least... he could find solace in knowing that his friends wouldn't forget. They probably had something planned for him once the Pizzaplex was closed, and all the guests were gone.

[stardusted-hearts]

┉┅╍─ ✨ ─╍┅┉

What started out as a quick run through the forest had suddenly taken a dangerous turn for Sonic. At the very corner of his vision he saw the glint and shine of glitchy red cubes. It stopped him dead in his tracks as his heart jumped into his throat, quills and fur on end.

"No... no you're seeing things," Sonic tried to assure himself before shaking his head, but the visions kept popping up.

"I'm still in the cage." There was so much sadness in his voice.

"NO! I'm not- don't-" Hands clasped the side of his head, shutting his eyes tight.

"I'm still in that damn cage, I never got out…" Star continued to mumble to himself repetitively as he opened his eyes again, but they were horribly distant.

Lost in his confusion he began wandering aimlessly, the hallucinations becoming stronger with every step. Even the trees that normally brought him such comfort began to distort and resemble the bars of a prison cell.

Then he froze. Staring at a phantom of his greatest fear. All the color and warmth drained from his face, dizziness washed over his mind... and then he fell.

[fluffywerehog]

"AWOOOOOOOOO!" Some say they can hear it from miles. The werehog lets out a mighty howl into the night. Whatever the reason it was, it just felt great to release the voice into the abyss.

[ask-the-boogeyman]

He's going to continue watching you all today.

[sonicsbluehoneybuns]

"Oh! Would you look at that. My birthday is coming up in a couple of days. I should do something special for it."

[fbiartist]

"Ride or Die is strictly for besties." This is why she usually ends up dating people who she's been friends with for years. It's both a perk and a problem.

[lastbennettwitch]

"Can I have a nap? Just like, a small one. Five minutes, it's all I'm asking."

[the-forsakenlegionnaire]

Lounging, she ponders the direction her life has taken, as of lately. She warms herself up with the burning remains of the papers she was given to sign and look into (not necesserally in that order), leg crossed as the faint light of the evening outside provides a comfortable atmosphere.

Only aurora knew if this was meant to last.

[metalshortstuff]

"Processors initiating scanning protocol..." The blue metal robot was coming back online. There was no chance in figuring out just how long they've been out of commission for. "Systems online... 70%. Needs repairs...." Classic Metal Sonic laid there in the grass, just now slowly and yet surely becoming operational. "Operational time in 2 minutes."

[xmfxne]

“It-it’s so freaking cold. Why is it snowing? Ugh...”