shatterdriven | Seasons Inbox

You've reached Nine.

If this is important or an emergency, I'll get back to you as soon as I get your message. If not, I'll get back to you when its convenient and if I feel like it. I'm not making any promises either way.

I won't waste your time, so don't waste mine.

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From:

sonic_wachowski

[Hey Nine, there's a knocking.]

From:

shatterdriven

[It's not long before Nine answers the door, looking a little baffled as to why Sonic's here.]

You should let people know when you're coming.

From:

sonic_wachowski

Sorry, I kind of couldn't control when I had time without the stalking cavalry and I couldn't slow down or they were going to catch up.

[He's got a bag that looks fairly full.]

From:

shatterdriven

[That sure is an explanation. Nine's not entirely sure if he should be more concerned.]

Come in then. You're lucky I'm not working with my dad today.

[He flips his sign to closed as he steps aside for Sonic, eying the bag. He doesn't ask yet though.]

From:

sonic_wachowski

I don't need to be long.

[He steps inside.]

I'm collecting my quills. And like I'm thankful for the help with the rescue operation [because he's assuming THAT'S when Nine got them] but I really prefer to control when other people have them.

And it'll be easier for me to know I have them all if I don't have strays about. We can talk about lending quills when I know where they all are. [It is rather late. Nine was definitely at the bottom of the list when he figured out the location.]

From:

shatterdriven

Uh-huh.

[Nine shrugs and leads the way to his lab, adjacent to his workshop.]

I did receive several quills after the fact. I was saving them in case of an emergency. But it seems like that's your sense of safety right now.

[He pushes a button on a small container in a nondescript cubby off to the side. It opens and floating inside are five quills in total.]

There you go.

From:

sonic_wachowski

Like I said, we can talk about it later. I'm not fully against them being used at all, I've let Tails use them in experiments.

But that whole....consent thing...

That's really important. [Especially right now. The flicks of mist that still manage to cling to his feet is rather telling.]

[He needs that sense of control. But he will come and grab the quills to add to his growing bag.]

[There is a pause.]

Who gave them to you after the fact? No one in Hedgehaus would have given them away, and Eva knows I don't like them giving them out either.

From:

shatterdriven

Consider it less a consent issue and more of an "I didn't see the issue at the time considering you already know what I do with them" one.

[It's not like he took them or made a point to hide it from Sonic after all. If he'd known ahead of time that that concern extended to quills not currently attached to Sonic then he'd have just teleported them to him.]

I'm not at liberty to tell you who right now other than that person gave me the information that helped free you. But depending on the number you've found already, you've probably met him. I'll ask if it's alright to tell you and get back to you.

From:

sonic_wachowski

Yeah, I figured it was like that, but that's why I'm just like clarifying. Even if I'm fine trusting you with stuff, its still important I'm in control of when that stuff is happening.

Especially for this. Its....

[He shakes his head. The mists kicks up around his feet. He breathes in. He breathes out.]

I just need that sense of safety.

Someone gave you information?

From:

shatterdriven

That's why I'm giving them back. I'm not expecting any more important emergencies in the near future.

[He's perfectly aware that's not how that works, but given Sonic's obvious discomfort it's best to not make it sound like there was anything looming. It's not like his home will explode the instant the hedgehog leaves or anything.]

Who took you, the fact you were heavily sedated, a clear enough description that I knew it was you specifically, the layout, drugs used in case you were seriously overdosed, etc. Yes. Oh and the notes on what they found from you. Full clarity.

[Nine is a thorough bitch when he has time and information to work with.]

From:

sonic_wachowski

You can always call if there's an emergency. Just for reference. Still, thanks.

Someone else has those notes?

[His nose scrunches.] Shadow isn't gonna like that. He wrecked the lab half for that. [The other half was murder.]

Unless you already got all of them from them?

From:

shatterdriven

If there's ever an emergency that serious, you'll be out of commission or otherwise unable to get to me in time. So don't worry about it.

[Nine shrugs at the question.]

He definitely kept a copy of the data after he sabotaged the lab.

From:

sonic_wachowski

I'm always going to worry about you.

....

Admittedly, I would have loved to hear about this earlier because now I am very concerned. I don't even know all the stuff in me, Maddie's been super nice to not be a creepy scientist about it, but it does mean all that was slow going.

From:

shatterdriven

Yeah, I'm finding that's a thing with everyone not from my universe.

Well I did say you should be putting more into learning about yourself. I didn't only mean your power.

But as far as he goes, you're not getting the data from him or destroying it. He wouldn't leave a way for that. So it's a waste of your brainpower to worry about it. I'm almost completely certain that he won't use it against you without a good reason.

[Only fools are positive after all.]

From:

sonic_wachowski

I worry about people I like. [He shrugs.]

I have been. Its just it needs to be people I trust and...

Gonna...

Be a while now.

[Hahahaha.]

[There's another kick up of mist and he waves his foot around to get rid of it.]

I need to make that judgement call for myself. No offense.

From:

shatterdriven

And why all do you like me? We don't have much in common.

[It's a genuine question. Not concerned about comparisons, but no one from their collection of universes has actually really said why they like him. He's made his point on why Sonic is likeable.]

If you say so, on both counts. But unless you're willing to cross a line even Shadow likely won't, I suggest you take it as fact that his data isn't retrievable..

From:

sonic_wachowski

Because you're smart and make cool things and you helped me make a safe for the Emerald while respecting my boundaries and are respecting my boundaries now even though you don't like grasp them intuitively and you have cool tails, both real and fake, and Shadow likes you and I think you're trustworthy as long as someone is real with you and also the loneliness empathy is real and also you helped in getting me rescued and like after years knowing no one would that's a lot of friendship points right there for helping because you care and I'd like to hang out with you more, I just also don't want to overwhelm you and invade your space a lot since you seem like you need to get used to people.

[Yes.]

[That is all one breath.]

Always hard to say what lines are for what. Sometimes I'm good at finding off the wall things.

Plus technically I could EMP any hard drives. Get enough stress and I can actually fry them.

From:

shatterdriven

...Alright.

[That was a whole lot of reasons. No further questions there.]

You're thinking too plain, Sonic. When I say lines even Shadow may not cross, I'm talking about you needing to act on a level no better than what was done to you.

[How's that for emotional empathy?]

From:

sonic_wachowski

And you're kind of grim and I'm a weirdo.

Sometimes solutions just come up and you go from there even if they're weird.

I know what I'm not gonna do. Doesn't mean a situation is futile.

From:

shatterdriven

Keep telling yourself than when it's plainly spelled out to you, Sonic.

[If he thinks he can solve it without having to resort to worse than murder...he's in for a very rude awakening.]

So, how many have you found? I know how many there were from my source, but not how many were taken period.

From:

sonic_wachowski

I know what you're implying, Nine, which brings up a lot of 'how' questions, but let me try and figure it out. I don't like going into a situation thinking there's only ONE solution.

That's how you get mass murder sprees and I ain't a fan.

Thirty-three so far.

There's one big spot and still more stragglers. But I figured the big spot is best later. Shadow's absolutely following me right now and I want him close if I had to set off a big burst of chaos, he'd be on me so fast.

From:

shatterdriven

What you're doing is being optimistic about something that doesn't really matter and that you shouldn't have to worry. You said you trust me and I'm asking you to trust me about what I know.

Besides, you're very "There's only one way it ends...badly" about your chaos energy no matter what anyone says.

[It's a valid point. It's not a good look to not trust someone in so many ways when you say you find them trustworthy.]

Then you should probably aim for solutions other than a big burst of chaos.

From:

sonic_wachowski

[He shrugs.] I have trust issues. The fact I didn't burst through your door is my trust. But I got stages. I mean...you saw some of why. [The dreams and all.]

And I'm not saying my chaos energy only ends badly. But it can. And if it does, that's me being used to hurt people and that...

[He frowns.] I don't want that. But I'm willing to let people I trust to study or use it, I just need to be careful. Because there is a big chance of it ending badly.

I mean, that is the hope, but a big gathering means most danger. Shadow's the back up plan.

From:

shatterdriven

Trust may come in stages, but even I know not to tell someone I trust them and then do the opposite. Especially because I know not trusting anyone well.

So you can't fully use that against me because my trust is just as fragile if not more. And nothing breaks it faster than a lie about where we stand.

[It's his turn to shrug.] I also get that from experience in doing the harm even if I didn't start it...including to my own body. Same thing though. I have personal opinions on that, but those weren't the point.

I suggest if you have concerns you have more sound plans, or less drastic backup alongside Shadow. You could take some of my Pokemon, or Grim Birdie.

From:

sonic_wachowski

I said you were trustworthy. Not that I trust you. At least in the level you're wanting.

I know you can be trusted, but trusting deeply is...

[He pauses. Foot tapping on the ground. Thinking over what they talked about in the dream.]

You saw me treating my injury as a kid. That was....my only option for a long time. I didn't even have the option to go to a professional.

[Now he's pacing. Trying to dig out the words.]

It was make do, or simply not make it. And its....

Trying.

To trust and rely on people when things have been....

[His hand reaches up. Fusses with the short quills. The quills that are still taking so long to grow to a proper length.]

Stressful.

Is...

Not a habit.

I've been trying to better about it, but its an....easy....trap. I'm hoping if I get all my quills, it'll be easier to....be...better.

[He stops, his back to Nine, arms wrapped tight around him.] I still haven't been able to talk to anyone about what happened except the person I don't need to explain anything to.

....I could bring the Pokemon. I might damage Birdie if its a chaos burst situation.