Panacea

Jolting awake from his sudden slumber, the Drifter pushed himself up from the grass with one arm, the sunlight bleeding color back into his vision. The familiar beeping of his HUD pricked his ears, but over it he could hear a voice, and was startled to find the source a bright red echidna next to him. That was certainly a new sight.

Blinking his dark eyes slowly, he moved to sit with his back to the nearby tree. One hand reached up to peel away grass clumps stuck to the side of his cheek with what he could only assume to be congealed blood. Rare as it were to find someone who actually stayed by him when he’d collapsed, their reasoning was always the same: concern. The other’s tone of voice betrayed this same reasoning. His current appearance likely only aggravated that - his shoulders still shook occasionally from stifled coughs and the bags under his eyes were dark and heavy. Not to mention his HUD zipping around him like a worried bee.

{… Huh. Interesting question! This blog isn’t really old enough for me to have established a playlist for this boy, but I do have a few songs I listen to when writing Drifter in particular. If I was to go ahead and pick a song specifically that fits something in his arc, it would have to be… Red Water Dreams by Aviators. The song reminds me of the purpose of his journey, especially as he explores his homeland and learns more of the past war and his role in it. The bridge of the song sings true of his guilt and how - no matter what happens to him in the process - he’ll get rid of Judgment and the main Core, if it saves the rest of the people living above.}

The moment their coughing met his ears, Shadow frowned. A prickle of worry flooding his chest the longer it went on. What felt like an eternity however, turned out to be less than a minute and soon they were coming down. Breathing ragged and mask yanked free from their face. Presumably to better aid in their quest for oxygen. Watching the whole ordeal, he had to wonder if they were simply physically unfit or unwell. The spark of fear in their eyes when the coughing started hinted at a deeper meaning to the sudden fit. It was familiar.

Shaking the thoughts from his head, Shadow tried to focus on something more pleasant. Not everyone was in need of help.

Find out that they were homeless wasn’t the most shocking thing. A lot of mobians were without more than just their homes these days, but he’d been hoping for a more positive response. Whatever this person was, the hedgehog felt far too inclined to aid them with finding a safe place to do whatever it is they were working on. Maybe it was that they looked like a child or his own urge to fix all the issues he’d caused, but before he could stop himself a clawed hand reached out to grab the other’s arm. Effectively stopping them in their tracks.

“Listen, if you…” pausing, ruby eyes glanced away. A beat of hesitation sewing a thin line of tension in his body language. “If you need a place to stay, I can help you. It’s not safe to be outside all the time and I wouldn’t want you bringing Robotnik tech to any of the shelters open to those affected by the hostile take over. They’d throw you out or worse so…”

Shaking his head, he pulled his hand away and began to walk himself. Ears pressed back he glanced up at the blue skinned being. They were a vagrant by look. Wandering around from place to place. Clearly a scrapper who acquired anything they could get their hands on to help them survive. If Shadow found himself identifying with their lack of a home and purpose, he couldn’t be blamed.

“Just consider it.”

Metal boots stopped mid-step, one heel still raised as the Drifter looked back once again to the hedgehog. Their eyes only met briefly before the other severed the connection, speaking almost in concern to the vagabond. It wasn’t hard to note the sudden tension in the air - but even without that the words they said sang true an unpleasantness of the world they lived in. 

Shelters. A hostile take over. 

There was more at play here than just a heavily guarded robotics factory, that much became clear. The city’s strange emptiness, this stranger’s adamancy to get somewhere “safer”... Even just the amount of weaponized tech he’d taken when he ransacked the plant... The new rule must be very oppressive to its citizens, to the point of keeping them on a tight watch and schedule, he pieced together. The easiest way to force conformity in an otherwise uncooperative place.

That situation wasn’t an unfamiliar one to hear. He’d seen it more times than he was happy with in his travels.

The blue-skin straightened his shoulders, giving a small, almost determined nod as he began to walk again, following after his new charge. Their offer of a place to stay could be considered accepted for now, he decided; but he was not going to go without offering them something in return. Once they were settled in wherever this rodent lived, he would find a way to prod him for more information about this city’s state of living. 

The call didn’t last very long, Infinite not wanting to waste any extra time when his newest acquisition was injured. With his tail beginning to wag at the unheard words on the other end, Infinite quickly uttered a grateful thank you into his mic before cutting the connection. Turning on his heel, he regarded the blue skinned male with an air of curiosity. They’d blacked out not too long ago and while they were no longer coughing up blood, it still remained that they had done so prior. It still tainted the air around them.

“Can you stand?”

The question was simple. While he’d rather ask for a full report on their injuries and trouble areas, their lack of vocal communication made that a rather big request. For now he would try sticking to easy yes or no quarries that were quick and easy to answer. Once they were back within headquarters and this stranger was taken care of, he’d give them a notebook and begin his further probing.

However, while the duo waited he could sate at least one curiosity. Claws rising into the air, a single - and careful - poke was administered to their cube based companion bot. Was this an advanced AI or simply here to monitor their owner’s health? Hesitating for only a brief moment, the jackal took the metallic creature into his hands, inspecting it’s design carefully. The gentle whirring was hardly audible and it’s motor was incredibly advanced if it’s mode of transport was anything to go by. Without taking it apart, Infinite could only gather so much information, but it would have to do for now.

Opening his hand, he waited for the robotic thing to leave his palm. If it is an AI - the thing was likely shaken by the rather sudden catch and release it just went through.

The Drifter was patient, willing to wait much longer than the call had actually lasted. Of course he would have ended up fidgeting with more things as he waited, but who really liked to sit still anyway? Once the jackal’s attention was back on him he met his gaze carefully, prepared for whatever was next in the line of questioning.

He was thankful that they’d seemed to have learned he wasn’t going to be able to answer complex questions. After a quick self look-over he nodded. He’d never had too much trouble standing after a run-in with Judgment, albeit not without pain. He should be able to stand when needed - he wasn’t going to until that moment, but still.

Following their diverging gaze, he noted their curiosity towards his HUD. Ah! Of course. The HUD was just as impressive as it looked. Perfectly regulated temperature, a strong solar battery, barely any machinery seams visible... And it was a surprisingly stable flier, simply bouncing back from the poke before taking its previous spot in the air again. Citing its intelligence it blinked a small question mark hologram at the jackal, though it didn’t stay long before the bot was snatched out of the air. Its simple confusion was replaced with apparent panic as the small machine began to beep at its captor.

Sitting up straighter the Drifter’s eyes widened a bit, sharing his robot companion’s anxiety. He started to reach, but stopped, dropping his hand back into his lap. No... It was fine, he reminded himself. He didn’t seem to have any ill intent towards it. Besides, this dog had been nice so far; it’d be a strange turnaround if he suddenly smashed the thing.