SEASONS | IC Inbox

[lightremains]

[Shadow hasn't set up his voicemail properly, so there's just a cheerful robotic voice]

Hello! You have reached the voice mail box of [an excessively long pause, then, in Shadow's voice] "....... Shadow? Was that ri--" Please leave a message after the tone!

*BEEEEEP*

Comments

Voice - UN: UltimateLifeform

[shatteredprison]

We have room for you in our home if you want somewhere to stay.

Your room will have a skylight. We can provide furniture that you would like. Perhaps pillows for a fort.

voice - UN: Default_User

[lightremains]

[ok there's several false starts here. Forgive him, this is all new.

The first recording is about 2 minutes of silence, save for some scuffling noises.

The second is Shadow talking about something, and his voice gets more distant, like he's walking away from his phone.

The third is actually a video post, just a few seconds, of Shadow's face from a very low angle, and he's Not Happy. He clearly doesn't know it's recording.] --ust tell me how this stupid thing wor--

[finally, there's a voice message that sounds deliberate]

Hello? Is this the other Shadow?

Re: voice - UN: Default_User

[shatteredprison]

[Shadow is patient. The younger Shadow didn't seem to know what a phone even was. He can be patient. Though he does raise an eyebrow at the username.]

Hello. Yes, it is me.

[lightremains]

[usernames were not a thing in the 70s, Shadow!!! Well, they were, but he didn't have one. He wasn't allowed near the computers.]

Living with you? I... um. Wait. Skylights? Pillow forts? How do you....

[a pause, and then his voice takes on a darker tone]

... The Sonic from my dimension has been running his fool mouth, hasn't he.

[He doesn't think that maybe, perhaps, the other Shadow is pulling from his own experiences. Instead, he assumes that Sonic had chronic word diarrhea to people who may as well be strangers]

[shatteredprison]

Yes.

[That is all Shadow says at first. Because it does answer both questions and this is Shadow we're talking about.]

[lightremains]

[a low, dangerous growl]

Let me get back to you.

[sonic_wachowski]

[Shadow will find set just outside his door is a package.]

[Its two books, along with a packet of those glow in the dark stars one can stick on the walls and ceiling, tied together with a red ribbon and black bow, with a tag that says 'For: Shadow, From: *A blue star*']

[Its his own personal dictionary! As well as a book on the stars of Ellipsa.]

[lightremains]

[glow in the dark stars.... he loves these. HOW DID HE KNOW???

Sonic may be able to find Shadow on the roof of the house the night after, with a red light illuminating the book (to save his night vision), looking for constellations]

[sonic_wachowski]

[ENVIRONMENTAL STORYTELLING. Also like he likes stars, but the fort did point to the fact that just star shaped stuff was still probably cool.]

[Sonic is...not necessarily a fan of the soundproofing of the rooms, but at the very least, he can hear the faint sounds of movement on the roof. Which usually says something on the roof, which he's fairly used to.]

[When ones little brother flies and Knuckles likes the high guard, there is a lot of time just spent on the roof.]

[And also Sonic absolutely opted into the skylight. He likes the sky, so he will investigate, peaking out and]

[Oh, Shadow.]

[Hmmmm.]

[After a few moments, he'll climb out and move over to sit near him. Just enough to see the pictures in the book and look up at the sky himself to see what he can spot.]

[lightremains]

[Stars were cool. Clouds, trees, natural stuff. Maria had liked all of that, since the base had no windows. Shadow didn't have anything to compare it to, and wide open spaces were still a little intimidating.

Shadow says nothing when Sonic joins him, but gives him a small nod before going back to squinting at his book. He's quiet for a long moment, then frowns]

Nothing is familiar... we must be so far from Earth.

[sonic_wachowski]

[He hums.] Maybe. Though it could also be the angle.

All the stars are in really different places, they just all hit us from the same angle. So....when you were in the same Solar system....the constellations mostly stayed the same. Because that's how far the all those distances were working. A Solar system is close enough together to make it all look the same.

But when you got to another solar system, even the next one over, that's enough of a change for stuff to start looking really different.

[He's keeping his volume low at least, as he studied the sky.]

Earth's constellations looked really different from the planets I was on before. A few....a few were the same, but some got really different.

[lightremains]

[Ah Sonic. He can always rely on the blue guy to fill every available ounce of space with talking. As he goes on, Shadow sets the book aside and looks up at the sky, hands folded across his chest.

Angle, huh? Well. That made sense. For all that it looked like a big two dimensional painting, space was vast and three dimensional. ]

How many other planets have you been to?

[sonic_wachowski]

Hey Shads!
Just wanted to let you know there is a third version of you running around.
He's also like
200 percent more angry.
Also projects SUPER hard across the dimensions
And tol
So like be prepared for that if you run into him
If he gives you trouble you don't wanna deal with you can call me
I'm real good at annoying him

[lightremains]

[there's a lot to unpack in this message. Yet another Shadow. Sonic has already bothered him. He's very angry. But most importantly--]

what on earth is "tol"

[sonic_wachowski]

I have GOT to show you memes.
It means tall.
I think he's got a foot on us.

[lightremains]

and what are "memes"

[you know he's absolutely pronouncing it "me me's" in his head]

Oh. Tall. Why didn't you just write that? what is he angry about?

[sonic_wachowski]

[....listen, some of us did that for a long while, he's valid.]

Uuuuuuh

Think of it as like slang, but on the internet and involves pictures or videos sometimes?

Because the memes, Shadow.

Dunno.
He was being all grumpy edgy not communicating about that.
He might want to destroy all Sonic's????
Except he only hit me once and not even that hard.
Like I would rate you pinning me to the glass as higher hurt.
But he went on about how he want to destroy all universes where I am and I dunno if that was a
'you are annoying me, so I'm just going to say that to try and be intimidating'
or a
'I have projected my Sonic onto all Sonic's so wanting to destroy our universe because of him means I want to destroy all universes with him.'
Jury's still out, I was still trying to peg down his anger versus hurt levels

[lightremains]

[..... nope. Slang with pictures and videos? That still doesn't make any sense. But he's made peace with Not Understanding many things. Theses "me mes" would probably be one of them]

If you say so.

It sounds like he has some things he needs to work out on his own. Obviously he cannot be allowed to destroy all universes, if he is being serious.

[sonic_wachowski]

So I need to go buy a bunch of flags and I figure hey!
Now would be a good time to get furniture.
For both our rooms.
So you can either come and choose what you like.
Or I'm gonna just bring home whatever I think you might like.
But furniture is happening one way or another.
(Also an aside, I got MOVIES and I want a movie night with you before I make it a whole thing for the house.)

[lightremains]

Flags? What for?

[Sonic really knows how to immediately get under his skin :| MENACE] ... Fine. I don't trust you not to pick out something hideous and ostentatious. I'll go with you.

I like movies. What kind of movies?

[sonic_wachowski]

For Pride month!
Some people seemed interested and also I promised our counterparts some like six months ago.
Did a whole educational post a few hours ago and now I have flags to make.

A good bet.
My tastes aren't what one would call subtle.

SO MANY.
I got three different companies so that's thousands of movies.
Old movies, new movies.
Action, comedy, fantasy, anime, cartoons, romances if you're into that, pretty sure I got some historical romances and drama, and I got telenovelas.
Knuckles was really into this one series, I figure I should watch it now that he can't spoil it if I tried at home.
We can watch all sorts.
Tell me what you're looking for, I'm sure I can find stuff on the list.

[lightremains]

? Hold on. [he's going to go check that post so that Sonic doesn't have to go over it again.

Unfortunately, Sonic doesn't bother to say what 'pride month' actually is in the body of his post and.... oh no there's so many comments. He ain't readin' all that. Something something relationships and gender???] I don't really understand, but maybe you can explain it to me while we shop.

I prefer my furniture not to be bright primary colors, yes.

[just ACCENTS of bright primary colors!!!

ahhhh... overwhelming....]

I wouldn't even know where to start. Perhaps that telenovela with Gabriela? I don't know what it's called, but Robotnik had it in his........ crab. Maria enjoyed science fiction and action, but also romantic comedies and cartoons. I suppose you can just show me your favorites.

[and he will judge them :]]

[sonic_wachowski]

Its a whole thing. Some of it I'm vague on.

Most of it I know because I could sneak into the parade because of these guys called 'furries.'
People who will dress up like primary colored animals.
Its a whole thing and safe search doesn't let me see a whole lot for some reason on the internet.
But Tom refuses to let me turn it off.
Anyway, I picked up some stuff because as long as I didn't stay in one place too long, I could take part in some of the stuff, it was fun.

Its a whole spectrum of identity stuff.

See, this is why I wanted to bring you along.
It was either going to look like a horror movie or superhero cave and I could not promise which.

[Okay, honestly, it'd probably be more earth tones with pop's of color. He's used to nature with some brightness to cheer it up, BUT ITS BETTER FOR SHADOW TO CHOOSE.]

Oooooh, that MIGHT be the series.
I know that's the name of the main woman.
But Gabriela is also a pretty common name in those parts of the world.
So fifty/fifty, we'll see if we got the right one.

And I can show you my favorite for the rest!
You can thank Tom and Maddie for the romantic comedies, this is what I get for sneaking in on their movie night, they watched a bunch.

[sonic_wachowski]

[Sonic doesn't usually go into Shadow's room without permission. He wants to respect his space! Its important!]

[He beeeends that rule just the TINIEST bit this time. He's not sure what kind of feelings Shadow might have, and he doesn't want him to be trapped in the hallway for it.]

[Sure, he's had to work on this project when Shadow is asleep and in front of the other guards, but he was determined to do this!!!]

[So when Shadow wakes up from his sleep, his room is the same, except just set inside the door against the wall is a plushie of a girl. The blonde hair, a darker shade than the one in seasons, the blue eyes, the blue sweater and headband, and a friendly smile. A plushie of a girl from a photo he saw in an old base.]

[Plus a sticky note with a blue star attached.]

[sonic_wachowski]

[EXCUSE HIM, HE WAS LOOKING AT THE NETWORK AND SAW]

[Shadow is never far, Sonic knows that, and oh boy, OH BOY, at least he can]

[Be there? Warn him?]

[Either way, arms are wrapping around Shadow.]

Heeeeeeeeeey Shads, we should have a little talk. Just a little one. Tiny. Like you know I would always be here whenever you need to talk or scream or fight or cry or anything like that? Like I am here to be whatever support you need, no matter what.