Props: Thanks goes out to Wafflesbelike-NYANCAT and Oceanic Coral for the OCs and opinions. You're the fuel to this glorious campfire we've got going!
"…Yo, you're not usually that smiley unless Silver's put a finger on you or something," Elektor said. "What's up?"
He had good reasoning to ask such a phrase. Rachel had walked in and set her bag down with this absolutely adorable little smile on her face. Or… so Elektor saw it.
Rachel first blushed a bit and toned the smile down a bit.
"I just finished Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations today," she answered. "…Elektor… Is this what an OTP feels like?"
"W-What are you feeling?" Elektor asked.
"NEVER in my life have I wished so hard that someone in something hadn't died," said Rachel. "She and the guy he was working with… He was apparently deeply in love with her, and… AGH, my poor heart! In a good way!"
"…Yep, that's an OTP," Elektor nodded. "Congratulations."
"Thanks," Rachel laughed before walking over to the chairs.
Just 15 minutes later, the cameras were open, and so were the eyes of the audience.
"Good shippical evening!" Rachel beamed. "Welcome back to Thoughts of the Unknown! Tonight… we discuss a shipping whose lady I know NOTHING about. I need help. The other is a young savant. Tails and Marine. I mean, I've seen what Marine looks like, and she apparently has an accent. She seems like she has a happy personality, and I feel as if that would go with Tails greatly! Aside from that… this brain is empty. Let's get our guests out here! Please welcome back to the stage… Mercury and Thorn!"
As the two made their ways to their seats, the applause was certainly jovial, yes… but it seemed a little dimmer than usual nevertheless. Rachel picked up on this and knew exactly why.
"Oh, uh… before we begin…" she sighed. "Levi… likely won't be back for a while… if ever."
Most of the audience went quiet, and those who didn't flowed into murmur-like chatter.
"We hope he's not dealing with anything horrible," she continued. "He's got business to take care of elsewhere. Levi, if you're looking on us now… we all wish you the best here."
A short pause.
"So… Tails and Marine," she said, sitting down. "As I've stated before, I know practically nothing about Marine, unfortunately. Enlighten me, smart ones."
"Well, this is definitely unexpected…" Thorn said. "A sailor and a smart kid. At least the ages are around the same… Personally, I don't like it. It wouldn't really work… but it's creative, I suppose…"
"…You sound so totally sure about this," Rachel nodded. "How about you, Mercury? The wind to your sails or the rust to your engine?"
"Them?" Mercury began. "No. I mean, I think it's bad enough that Sonic and Blaze consider Marine as kind of the annoying type, so frankly, I would definitely not want Tails to be with someone like that. She can kinda build stuff on her own, but it essentially doesn't compare to what Tails can do. He'd still appreciate her skill, at the very least. And even still, he thought she was a nuisance at one point, and that's really the troubling part of it. So… this… Definitely not, mate."
"Alright," said Rachel. "So… this is a total rust bucket."
Both Mercury and Thorn chanted "I!" at the same time.
"Well, there ya go," said Rachel, standing up. "As for next week! We'll be discussing a shipping that I… would actually love to learn more about, because I hear that it was actually hinted at and that it's kinda cute! A rock guardian and a rock star… rocking it as a pair? Knuckles and Sonia, everyone. We will see you all right here next week!"
Everyone went their individual way.
Unlike everyone, though… Mercury's night was blown up with a bit of spice. In both an admittedly great and probably bad way.
She stepped out into the night. Oh, the night was finally bearable with its mild air! Almost kinda smelled like rain on the horizon. Huh.
And… was that a wild Shadow scanning the ground in the distance?
Feeling the butterflies lift her heart a bit, Mercury worked up the courage to walk up to him, calling "Shadow?"
As soon as Shadow heard her call, he looked up and replied "M-Mercury! Stay back!" His face was heating up. It was just too weird.
"But… why?" asked Mercury, in a quieter tone.
"That idiot Eggman planted a bomb out here," sighed Shadow. "I knew he was planting a bomb somewhere, but it drew the line with me when I found that it was here."
"WHAT?!" Mercury reacted. "B-But… the studio…"
"It likely wouldn't ruin the building completely," Shadow shrugged. "If it had been planted beneath the building, the most Rachel would have to pay for are a few lights, some ceiling beams-"
His speech was cut off by a few faint, but distinct… beeps. And in just a few seconds, they grew faster and faster.
But so did the moment. Before Mercury could piece it all together, dirt and smoke shot from the ground about 100 feet away, and she was tumbling to the ground.
What had knocked her down was actually none of that, though. It was a warm lifeform… One that declared itself Ultimate. One… rather Shadowy.
And now, he quickly climbed off of her since the debris was clearing. Feeling his face skin start to boil.
"Are… A-Are you okay?" he asked Mercury, who had just sat up and was trying to cool her own self down.
"Just fine," Mercury nodded. "Er… t-thanks-"
"O-Of course!" Shadow was quick to reply. He then held out a hand to help her up.
The air might as well have been hot as magma that night. Their faces and hearts certainly were.
Reader's casual discussion: Thank you so much again, Oceanic Coral! The question(s) this week is (are) as follows: Which of the Sonic characters do you think is the strongest, and which is the most annoying? Strongest… I'd have to say Shadow. Most annoying would definitely have to be Big. Just hearing that voice… It's like "UUGGH, just go away."