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thankskenpenders · 6 months

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Sonic Superstars!

Superstars is out! And guess what? It's good! It's a worthy new entry in the series, and I mostly like it. Mostly. Except for the handful of parts I don't. As usual, allow me to share my thoughts.

(For the record, I got the PS5 version of Superstars. I can't speak for how it plays on older hardware like the Switch, or how the weird Steam version that seems to make you log in with Epic runs. But I encountered zero performance issues, personally.)

General thoughts

The thing is, aside from two notable flaws I'll discuss in greater detail below, I can sum up my feelings on most of Superstars quickly. You see, it's... a Sonic game. This will either be a blessing or a curse depending on who you ask. It's not a bold new take on the series that'll blow you away, but they also didn't fuck it up. There's no catch this time! There's something refreshing about that straightforwardness, given how rare it is to get a regular-ass New Sonic Game from Sega. It's just a new classic-style game where you can play as Amy, set on a new island with all new zones, and Fang is in it! This might be damning with faint praise, but that's what it says on the tin, and they did a good job overall.

(It also has co-op. That's nice. I didn't play it in co-op.)

It plays exactly how it should. At no point did anything feel Wrong. The graphics might not have the absolute highest fidelity, but I think the character models look really nice, and the levels look appropriately good with vibrant color palettes. A couple zones like Sky Temple gave me Klonoa vibes, which I like. One zone is an absolutely incredible homage that I won't spoil. The story here is minimal (as expected), but there are a few good moments of telling the story through the gameplay, particularly one very cute sequence with Trip. I did find a couple stage gimmicks moderately annoying (Speed Jungle 2 and Press Factory 2, looking at you), but like... I could say the same thing about Mania, and also damn near every other Sonic game ever made. There's always That One Level. Superstars may not raise the series to new heights, but it generally executes well on the standard beats of the series. It's an easy recommendation for all fans of 2D Sonic.

Really, aside from the two big flaws (we'll get to them), this game's greatest crimes are simply not being quite as good as Mania, and also coming out the same week as the more creative and polished Super Mario Bros. Wonder. If we hadn't gotten Mania, I would easily be calling this my favorite 2D Sonic game since... what, the Advance trilogy 20 years ago? I like the Rush games, but if you asked me to replay one or the other, I might have a better time with Superstars. And, yes, it beats the hell out of Sonic 4. It's not even close. Anyone who says this game is exactly like Sonic 4 is just being a hater.

...I guess I would say that $60 is a bit steep for this, but you know it'll be on sale for a more appropriate $30-$40 in a few months. This isn't a Nintendo game we're talking about here.

Nice little tweaks

Superstars also features a number of welcome quality-of-life updates over Mania, bringing it more in line with the design ethos of modern platformers.

You have infinite lives! No more getting a game over on the final boss and having to redo the whole final zone - or, god forbid, the entire game

Time overs are gone! It'll warn you before you go over ten minutes, but I have no idea why because it doesn't kill you anymore

The game features a hub from which you can easily replay previous levels, rather than needing to beat the game or put in a cheat code to unlock the level select

This means you can easily go back and hunt for any special stage rings you missed. However, as a tradeoff, it seems like you can only get one Emerald per zone now, rather than being able to get Super Sonic by the end of the first or second zone

You can swap characters between levels! No more having to start a whole 'nother save file to play as Tails

And those characters even have optional little movement tutorial rooms available from the hub, which is great for new players who may not know about things like the Drop Dash

And, finally, checkpoints now feature arrows pointing in the direction you were supposed to be going, in case you forget upon respawning

Of course, while you might not be getting game overs, Superstars certainly compensated with some bosses that kicked my ass.

Bosses

Here's what I would consider notable flaw #1.

I have mixed feelings on the bosses in Superstars. I don't think many of them are poorly designed - in fact, a lot of them are good, and offer fun moments of spectacle. But for a 2D Sonic game, they're REALLY long and drawn out, and by the late game this was starting to get draining.

Bosses tend to be the type where you have to dodge their attack patterns for a while until you get the chance to hit them exactly once, MAYBE twice. A few bosses seem to have quicker options if you abuse your post-hit invulnerability or play as a character with a double jump, but many will either be completely invincible or run away to the background for long periods of time, making it impossible to damage them outside of the allotted windows. And even if it seems like you'll be able to get in a second hit, many bosses turn invincible and skip ahead to the next attack pattern as soon as they take the first hit. Again, most of these fights aren't BAD, but because of this behavior they sometimes take almost as long to beat as the entire levels preceding them. This didn't bother me much early in the game, but against the more challenging bosses towards the end that kept killing me several minutes into a long fight, it got tiring. The final boss of Story Mode probably took me like an hour.

While this certainly isn't an uncommon style of boss design, part of me suspects they did this for the sake of co-op players. For one, playing in co-op means that you don't necessarily have to start the entire fight over if one person dies, so I assume the length is less of an issue. But in particular, true classic-style Sonic bosses that you can just hit repeatedly with good timing would go down in a few seconds against a team of four players. Likewise, the swarm of clones from the "Avatar" Emerald power would probably obliterate every Genesis era boss with one button press. So I get why every boss needs all these invulnerability periods, but still. I at least wish they'd made some of those attack patterns shorter and given you more frequent opportunities to deal damage.

Emeralds and their powers

Speaking of the new Chaos Emerald powers: they're neat, I guess? They're fine. I didn't use them much. Actually, I kept forgetting I even had them - although the game will play a noise and show an icon in the corner of the screen to remind you any time you reach a spot where a specific power is useful. Avatar, the first power you get, is at least good for getting a couple free hits in on the trickier bosses. Yellow's ability to slow time is obviously good, but, again, I always forgot I even had it and made it through just fine without it. I was also pleased to realize that the swimming power is useful for the water levels and not just for climbing up waterfalls.

Oh, and the new grappling-based special stages kind of suck, but they're not the worst, and I'll at least give them credit for trying something new. (Motion Sickness Zone from Sonic 1 does return as a bonus minigame, but I only did it once lmao.)

Battle Mode

I haven't played Battle Mode. Couldn't tell you if it's good or not. It did, however, give us official designs for Metal Tails and Metal Amy after all these years, and also it let me make this:

...Okay, enough beating around the bush. Let's talk about the thing that REALLY drags down the experience.

The soundtrack...

(This lengthy section on the music will feature some light spoilers for things like zone names and themes.)

Now, don't get me wrong. There are some bangers in here that I've been listening to on loop. But this is one of the most inconsistent soundtracks I've ever heard, and I'm not sure I've ever played another game where the music has such a sharp dip in quality in the back half.

As anyone following this blog knows, prior to release I was a little obsessed with trying to gauge what the soundtrack would be like. "Jun Senoue" and "new Classic Sonic game" naturally evokes the memory of Sonic 4, but from the start we knew Tee Lopes was involved as well, and almost all of the music previewed before released leans more towards the sound of Sonic Mania than anything else. I was hopeful! I was excited! Jun deserved another chance at doing another classic Sonic OST, and Tee is one of my favorite game composers of all time between his Sonic material and other works like the TMNT: Shredder's Revenge OST. I frequently thought back to this Sonic 4 remix medley by Jun and Tee as a reminder that these two could really be the dream team, bringing out the best in each other's work.

Sure enough, the front half of the game is largely dominated by the Mania sound, whether it's a track by Tee himself or one by an in-house Sega artist that's compatible with his style. Pinball Carnival Act 1 by Rintaro Soma (an up-and-coming composer who wrote a bunch of the Cyber Space themes in Frontiers) takes obvious inspiration from Mania's Studiopolis Act 1, to the point that I was shocked when Sega posted the track and revealed it wasn't written by Tee. Act 2, however, forges more of its own sound by leaning into the act's spooky haunted carnival theme. And despite being the music lead, the only level theme that I know for sure was written by Senoue in the front half of the game (Bridge Island Act 1) was actually arranged by Tee Lopes to give it more of that Mania sound. Hell, the level clear jingle is literally just the one from Mania. A few level themes by other composers don't quite match that style, but they fit in well enough.

But there are early signs that this sound won't be consistent throughout the game. Our first warning of things to come is the boss music:

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When early copies started floating around and the soundtrack leaked, many, many people hoped that this was merely a placeholder, like the literal Sonic 4 Episode II music used in the earliest previews of Speed Jungle, and that it'd get replaced with a day one patch. Oh, those poor, innocent fools...

Even if you don't mind the poor production with the returning Sonic 4 faux-Genesis sound, this is a very simplistic thirteen second snippet of music that then plays a second time in a higher key before it loops. This wouldn't be the end of the world if the bosses were as short as the ones in the Genesis games, of course, but they're not! This theme is used for a ton of lengthy fights throughout the game, including an EXTREMELY long and tedious autoscroller boss at the end of Golden Capital Act 2. Maybe I would've enjoyed the bosses in this game more if they were paired with some earworms that'd get me hyped up and sell how cool and exciting the fights are supposed to be, but grating songs like this just made the minutes spent fighting those bosses feel like an eternity.

Still, boss music (and menu music) aside, all of the level themes in the front half of the game ranged from decent to great, with the peak easily being the phenomenal Lagoon City Act 2 by Tee Lopes. And then... I got to the back half of the game. And the Mania style completely disappeared, replaced largely with the dreaded Sonic 4 sound. That isn't the style for EVERY song in the back half, but even the ones that try something different tend to be weaker than the material from the first six zones, with less engaging melodies and less intricate arrangement. Many sound straight up unfinished, leaning on extremely basic synth patches with no personality. And there isn't a single track from Tee in the back half. He just disappears from the project altogether.

What this means is that we go from this absolute banger by Tee Lopes in zone 6, which elevates what's otherwise a bog standard desert level to a thrilling adventure:

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To... this, in zone 7:

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It's EXTREMELY jarring!

The thing is, this is actually one of the better tracks in this style. I have to assume this is by Senoue, because you can totally hear a good Adventure or Heroes era Senoue track in there once you get past the crude synth replication of the Genesis era Sonic sound. Senoue is still a great composer, as you can hear clear as day with Bridge Island, but he's working with a restrictive sound palette that doesn't play to his strengths at all. If only he'd bust out that damn guitar, or at least pick some better synths.

(And no matter what people will tell you, no, this is not an accurate recreation of what the Genesis's YM2612 chip really sounded like, nor is it representative of what it CAN sound like at its best. Go back to the Streets of Rage 2 or Ristar soundtracks if you need a reminder.)

While I can at least see what the Press Factory tracks were aiming for, some other faux-FM synth tracks are just really bland. They don't have anything interesting going on, and they also don't seem particularly tailor made for the levels they accompany. They're just attempts to mimic what Sonic 1-3 sounded like on a very literal level. Take, for instance, the Golden Capital Act 1 theme, AKA "we've got Sky Sanctuary at home." While the better level themes in this game enhance the mood or even completely carry the vibes of a level, the weaker tracks can really suck all the air out of the room and make a level feel like more of a slog.

What kills me is that there are, in fact, a couple examples of how to do throwbacks to classic Sega FM synth music well on this very soundtrack! They're just not the Sonic 4 type tracks. I love the Frozen Base Act 2 theme, presumably composed by legendary Sega composer Hiroshi "HIRO" Kawaguchi, who's responsible for all-time classic arcade soundtracks like Fantasy Zone, Out Run, Hang-On, After Burner, and more, as well as the hacking and pinball themes from Frontiers. Maybe to an untrained ear this doesn't sound all that different, but it has a catchier tune, better instruments, and stronger production overall. I'm also a fan of the track for Sky Temple, which isn't perfect, but it blends a few Genesis-esque instruments like the Sonic 1+2 snare with other instruments for a richer sound. If the whole soundtrack sounded more like these examples, I'd definitely be complaining less.

I really just have to wonder... how did this happen? How did this end up being so inconsistent? Many fans on social media are jumping to the conclusion that Senoue is just extremely stubborn and refuses to ditch the style from Sonic 4. I can't deny this possibility, but some things just don't add up. The almost complete lack of "retro" style music in the promotional material. The fact that the style just suddenly shifts halfway through the game, then disappears for the final zone, as if that's not the note they want to end on. The complete lack of any tracks by Tee Lopes in the back half. The focus on the Mania-style tracks in the bonus "mini soundtrack." And most perplexing of all, the fact that three of the first tracks you hear in the game were Senoue compositions that were given extra attention with arrangements from Tee Lopes.

This is pure speculation on my part, but it almost seems like they straight up ran out of time.

Perhaps Jun wanted more of his tracks to get full arrangements from Tee, or for Tee to contribute more songs, but things were down to the wire and they chose to leave in some of the raw Sonic 4 style demos. The soundtrack being crunched out in a matter of months at the end of development would certainly explain why Speed Jungle had to be demoed without its music a mere four months ago. It'd also explain why a game that's only a few hours long needs NINETEEN composers listed in the credits. And also the fact that multiple zones just have completely different, unrelated music by different artists across their acts. Did they need multiple artists working on different acts simultaneously, completely independent from each other with no time to cross reference each others' work, due to extreme time constraints? I'd buy it.

Ah well. It's not the end of the world. I've heard worse Sonic music. But I'll always think of what could have been...

At least the final battle with Eggman at the end of Story Mode has a pretty kickass boss theme, which ALMOST makes up for how bad most of the preceding boss music is (and the fact that that very difficult fight doesn't have a checkpoint between phases and took me like an hour to beat lmao). It even seems like it might be written by longtime Phantasy Star Online composer and recurring Sonic contributor Hideaki Kobayashi. That's the guy who wrote NONAGRESSION!!!!!!!

The postgame

Speaking of beating Eggman! It turns out Superstars has a good deal of postgame content, as merely beating the last zone with all the Chaos Emeralds doesn't take you to the true final boss. In order to do that, you'll need to do something else.

Before we hit the big spoiler warning, I'm going to give any future players who are still reading a warning. If you value your sanity... don't force yourself to do all the postgame stuff. Don't make the mistakes I did. It's not worth it, and it may very well knock your personal score for the game down a couple points.

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SPOILERS FOR THE STORY, UNLOCKABLES, AND THE POSTGAME BELOW THIS POINT

YOU'VE BEEN WARNED

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The bonus scenario

Sonic Superstars has a big surprise in store for anyone who beats the main story. For the first time since... what, Silver? In 2006? We finally have a brand new playable character in a new Sonic platformer! (I wouldn't count the player avatar in Forces as a full-fledged New Character.) Yes, after the credits roll, you unlock Trip as the super-secret fifth playable character. I was really excited to see this. Trip is cute, even if her masked appearance from early in the game is perhaps a more unique design than a Sonic-ified lizard girl who can only vaguely look like a real sungazer lizard. She IS the first new Sonic character Ohshima has designed since the '90s, though, so she gets points for that - and she gets even more points for literally turning into a dragon when she goes Super. We love a girl who can turn into a dragon, don't we folks? And her playstyle is fun, too, with a double jump and the ability to roll along walls and ceilings.

But Trip isn't just playable. Like Knuckles before her, she gets an entire alternate story mode of her own, which somewhat remixes the level layouts, generally makes things more challenging, and swaps out Eggman for Egg Robo. I was so excited to see this! It really felt like the game had so much more in store for me than I'd anticipated.

...Then I spent probably around three hours attempting to beat the new final battle with Fang at the end of Trip's Story. And it made me regret doing Trip's Story at all.

Once you learn the patterns, a lot of them are actually piss easy. But the difficulty comes down to a few misguided factors:

The fight is LOOOONG. On a successful attempt the whole thing will probably take the average player about, like... seven or eight minutes? Maybe longer? This is where I really started to get pissed at the game for making me wait through these stupid attack patterns before I could attempt to hit the boss once.

The fight is divided between two phases, one with Fang in a vehicle and another with him in a giant robot, with no checkpoint between them. Dying to one of Fang's bullshit attacks on the second phase means having to redo the ~5 minute first phase all over again. And, worst of all...

Fang has multiple projectile attacks that are guaranteed instant kills, even if you have rings.

Also there's a stupid desperation headbutt attack that can really easily catch you off guard and kill you, but I only got that far in the fight once.

It's the instant kills that got me. If those fucking immobilizing net attacks just made you drop your rings, or you could at least wiggle out of them by mashing buttons (EDIT: apparently you CAN do this but you literally have to button mash so rapidly that it's a crapshoot whether or not you'll physically be able to do it), it would have been totally doable! Kinda fun, even! Slow, but pretty cool in terms of spectacle. But nope! Three hours! Three hours on this! This is, without a doubt, the hardest boss I have ever faced in any Sonic game, period, and one of the hardest bosses I've ever seen in ANY game. All because of one attack pattern where making a tiny mistake means starting over.

The glitches didn't help, either. Something about the way the circular boss arena was set up in both stories' final battles seems to make the floor intangible sometimes for non-player objects. Occasionally my dropped rings, enemies I was supposed to knock towards Fang, or one of Fang's insta-kill projectiles would just fall through the floor randomly. This definitely wasn't my main problem, but it helped drive home the idea that this fight just wasn't worth my time.

After three hours of attempts, I gave up. I just went and looked up the ending of Trip's story, as well as the contents of the Final Story, on YouTube. Turns out I made the right call, because boy, that true final boss looks like dogshit. It's just a very dull fight against a big generic cartoon dragon. Apparently this is the thing Eggman was looking for. It appears and is defeated with little fanfare. I think I liked it better when I assumed the scary dragon being foreshadowed was just Super Trip.

...Also, hey, what's up with The End being very conspicuously visible in the background of the last zone?? I know it's just a cheeky cameo, but, like... isn't it supposed to be sealed away in Cyber Space right now? Should I be taking this literally? Does this have lore implications? This is one hell of a way to remind people that the timeline's been reunified, I guess

Closing thoughts

I really hate to part ways with Superstars on a sour note like this, because like I said up top, I mostly enjoyed my time with it! It's really just a small handful of particularly frustrating bosses and the inconsistent soundtrack that drag it down. Other than that, it's solid as a rock. Maybe wait for sales if you're not dying to play it, but it's definitely worth playing for any Sonic fan. Just... skip the true ending. I would have stepped away MUCH happier with this game if I'd done that.

I wanna try to end this on a more positive note but I'm tired, so, uhhhh... look, you can unlock a Metal Nights skin for your Battle Mode bot!!

Anyway back to jamming to about half the soundtrack on loop while pretending the other half doesn't exist, and looking forward to the continued Fang Renaissance with his upcoming IDW miniseries

#tkp post #other media

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tenebraevesper · 3 months

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Shatter Me, Entry 0: Fight Together

''Let's leave before the dawn shows. Let's go meet a tomorrow we haven't seen yet. There's no regret about this decision. (Oh I know what I'm supposed to do). What kind of trial awaits ahead? My heart just can't stop beating fast. The place I want to reach is just one. (Fly to the light!) The bonds I got at the end of the fight, I won't let anyone break them. If I just open the fists I grasped, I find my strength lying there.''

– Fight Together by One Piece

xXxXxXx

''Goodbye, Roses…''

Shadow's ears flicked as he heard Sonic's weakened voice, bidding goodbye to his friends who came to escort him to Green Hill. Unfortunately, with the ship being too damaged, it was up to Shadow to help Sonic in the last stretch of their journey through The Void.

Having placed Sonic's arm over his shoulder, Shadow held onto his waist with his other hand, the two leaping from one crystal to another. Sonic was in a very bad condition, his body fading fast. Shadow sneaked a glance at his rival, the sense of concern only growing when he saw that, while he still could hold onto Sonic, he was becoming more and more transparent, like a ghost.

''Agh!''

Sonic gasped in pain as he felt another jolt coursing through his body, his shape distorting for a brief moment. He fell on his knees, with Shadow still holding onto him. A sense of dread and panic set in, with Shadow taking a quick glance at the gate that led to Green Hill, estimating the distance. Then, he quickly scooped Sonic up in his arms, placing his hands under his legs and back as he carried him towards Green Hill, towards safety. He was speeding across the crystal they had landed on, aware that Sonic had little time left. He needed to get him to Green Hill as fast as possible, not wanting to think about what would happen if he failed.

''I never knew you were a hugger.''

Shadow felt his heart leap when he heard Sonic again, glancing down at him. The once azure hedgehog had a cheeky smile on his fawn lips, only to get interrupted by another jolt of pain. Clearly, even at death's door he had to get at least one more quip in. Shadow couldn't help but respond in a snarky tone.

''Do you want me to save you or not?''

Shadow saw Sonic flashing another grin, clearly amused that Shadow decided to continue the banter, only for another jolt of pain to pass through his body. Shadow's eyes widened in horror, and he almost felt his heart stopping as Sonic suddenly fainted, his limp arm swaying.

This was bad. This was really bad. Shadow picked up the pace, skating faster and faster. He leapt from the crystal onto another, aware that Sonic's life depended on him. If he failed to get Sonic to Green Hill… No, did not want to think about that. But still, the gateway seemed to be still too far away.

Gritting his teeth, Shadow focused all of his energy into this one jump, flying through The Void like a shooting star, followed by several sonic booms. His heart was now beating rapidly as his gaze fixated on the Green Hill gateway, the light coming closer and closer.

''HANG ON SONIC!''

He could feel Sonic's limp body almost fading out of his hands, and he tightened his grip. He refused to lose him to The Void. He refused to let go of him. Nothing else mattered aside from this one moment. Shadow narrowed his eyes as the bright light of the gateway illuminated them. He had to make it! He simply had to!

Then, he passed through it… and everything went white.

xXx

Shadow opened his eyes, feeling a sense of dizziness. His arms were light, too light for his comfort, and he realized that the reason for this was because he wasn't carrying Sonic anymore.

''No, no, no… Sonic! Sonic!'' Shadow shouted as he looked around for the azure hedgehog, the dread and panic swirling inside him like a storm. He refused to believe that Sonic was gone. He had to be somewhere here… in Green Hill.

Shadow stopped for a moment, breathing heavily as he finally took a good look at his surroundings. He was back at Green Hill, and everything looked like it used to be before. Green Hill was back to its lush and vibrant colours instead of looking like a shell of its former self. They had managed to restore their home.

Shadow's gaze then turned towards the mountain where the Paradox Prism cave was, and he quickly leapt, rushing towards it. He sped past Big, skating towards the mouth of the cave, only to be washed over by an overwhelming wave of relief. Sonic was there, and he was still alive, sticking close to his friends as they defended the Paradox Prism from Dr. Eggman.

While Shadow did not completely understand the situation fully, he did realize that by entering Green Hill, he and Sonic were brought back to the moment right before the shattering of the Paradox Prism. However, the previous time Shadow arrived at the cave, he was too late to stop Sonic from shattering it. Now, it was clear that Sonic actually listened to his friends, keeping close to them, with this one change preventing their reality from shattering once again.

Shadow had to wonder whether Sonic remembered the events, only to get a confirmation a moment later when Dr. Eggman approached Sonic and his friends. Sonic looked up, gazing past the doctor, his jaw dropping when he saw Shadow at the entrance to the cave.

Their exchange was wordless, with Shadow swiping his hand across the air, revealing the green Chaos Emerald, that had miraculously returned back from the decaying space of The Void, and Sonic nodded in response, agreeing with his plan.

Both knew in that moment that their memories of the Shatterverse were still there, but for now, they had more pressing matters to deal with. Even if Sonic didn't shatter the Paradox Prism this time, they still needed to deal with Dr. Eggman before he could use the Prism for his nefarious plans.

''This world is mine!'' Dr. Eggman exclaimed, only for him and Sonic's friends to be surprised when Shadow appeared seemingly out of nowhere on top of the Paradox Prism. ''Huh? Shadow? What the heck are you doing here?!''

''I am the Ultimate Lifeform,'' Shadow declared in a firm tone, holding the Chaos Emerald tightly in his hand. ''I go wherever I want.''

''Wh-huh?''

Dr. Eggman was left as confused as the rest of Sonic's team, while Shadow held up the Chaos Emerald.

''CHAOS CONTROL!''

Shadow and the Paradox Prism then vanished, leaving Tails, Knuckles, Amy and Rouge immensely confused and with a lot of questions on their mind, as Shadow was the last person they had expected to appear and help them.

''NOOOOOO! What have you DONE?!'' Dr. Eggman screamed, punching the mech in frustration.

Sonic, in turn, felt elated about the turn of events, leaping onto the empty rock where the Paradox Prism once was and turning back to the mad doctor with a wide smile on his expression. He knew that he would have to seek out Shadow later on to thank him for everything he had done, but now, it was time for some heroic last words in the wake of Eggman's defeat.

''Sorry, Eggman, but when you've got a crew like mine, there is nothing that can stop you.''

Links:

#Current Chapter

#Next Chapter

#Sonic Cyber Revolution (Masterlist)

#Shatter Me #Sonic Cyber Revolution Analyzer #sonic prime #sonic the hedgehog #shadow the hedgehog #miles tails prower #knuckles the echidna #rouge the bat #big the cat #dr eggman #sonadow #sonadow prime

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milesluna · 4 months

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My Favorite Games of 2023.

Hi. Hello. Thanks ever so much for clicking on this page. Happy to have you.

First thing's first: I'm a little freak when it comes to video games. I don't feel the need to beat most games I play. From Software is one of my favorite studios in the industry and I've never finished a single one of their games. This means, fortunately, that I get to play a LOT more games than the average bear.

I've written up some blurbs about my top ten favorite games from 2023, but before that here's the list of every game I remember playing this year that left any sort of lasting impact on me (in no particular order):

Dead Space Remake Resident Evil 4 Remake F-Zero 99 Humanity Dredge Metroid Prime Remastered Anemoiaplois Alan Wake 2 Baldur’s Gate 3 LoZ Tears of the Kingdom Counter Strike 2 Hunt Showdown El Paso Elsewhere Jusant Slay the Princess| Remnant II The Finals Street FIghter 6 Lethal Company BattleBit Remastered Don’t Scream Homebody The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog Pizza Tower World of Horror Super Mario Wonder Mr. Sun’s Hatbox Fifa 23 Sea of Stars (Demo) Half-Life (25th Anniversary Update)

And the games I played that were NOT released in 2023:

Unpacking Persona 4 Golden Picross 7 The Order 1886 Shovel Knight Dig Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Spider-Man: Miles Morales Pac-Man Championship Edition DX Project Zomboid Quake LoZ The Minish Cap Drill Dozer Wario Land 4 Pokemon Pinball Resident Evil Revelations Summer of ‘58 Trackmania TwinCop We Were Here Visage Cursed Halo CE Half-Life 2 (I probably play this once per year) Witch Hunt Red Dead Redemption 2 Cyberpunk 2077 Borderlands 3 Brutal Legend Cultic Slay the Spire PUBG Rez Infinite Batman Arkham City Alan Wake Alan Wake: American Nightmare Max Payne LoZ: Majora’s Mask 3DS Metroid Prime Metroid Prime 2 Tunic Everhood Final Fantasy VII Final Fantasy VII Remake GOODBYE WORLD Yakuza: Like a Dragon Critters for Sale Dome Keeper Phasmophobia Hades Nintendo Switch Sports

Now that you understand the kind of freak you're dealing with…

Let's dive into my top ten favorite games from this objectively fucked up year.

10. El Paso Elsewhere Developed by Texas indie studio Strange Scaffold, El Paso Elsewhere is a Max Payne-clone with vampires, an opinionated narrator, and lots and lots of bullet time. As a small studio punching well above their weight class, Strange Scaffold leans into abstract, PlayStation 1 minimalism when it comes to visuals and pairs them with a soundtrack that will make your hands sweat. The vibes are here and they're ready for the end of the world. I'm personally also a big fan of everything this studio stands for.

9. Mr. Sun's Hatbox I want you to imagine Metal Gear Solid V. Now I want you to imagine that game as a 2D, level-based, slapstick platformer you can play with up to three friends. If you think that sounds stupid, you'd be right. And it's beautiful. As you build up a secret army of soldiers with various skills (and disorders), you'll start to develop *favorites*. This game constantly asks if you're willing to send those favorites on a harrowing mission and risk losing them forever… or if you'd rather send an idiot you recently captured who blinks constantly and can't kill anyone without fainting.

8. Dredge Every year I feel like I find one game that falls into the “just one more round” category, and baby… Dredge was it for 2023. As a weary fisherman in strange waters, you'll make the most out of your 12 measly hours of sunlight only for your daily voyages to inevitably pull you into the darkness of night, and night is when things get weird. Rocks emerge from the fog that you swear weren't there before, your equipment malfunctions, and you're pretty sure you just saw something in the water… something big. Despite only containing a small collection of islands, the world of Dredge manages to feel vast - perhaps vast enough to swallow you whole.

7. Resident Evil 4 Remake I was curious to see what sort of changes would be made to the timeless classic and father of modern 3rd person shooters, Resident Evil 4. I wasn't let down. RE4 Remake takes all the things that didn't age well about the original, tossed them out, and replaced them with only good things. And MORE things! It's campy, fun, and better than a game of bingo.

6. Jusant I really feel like this one didn't get the recognition it deserves. Jusant is a rock climbing game that combines the quiet contemplation of Journey with the mechanical specificity of Death Stranding. Unlike Death Standing, though, there is very little story to interrupt your flow. There are plenty of collectible bits to find for those curious to learn more about what happened before the events of the game, but the environmental storytelling does most of the heavy lifting. For me, the joy of the game comes from how it feels. Right trigger controls your right hand grip, and left trigger controls left hand grip. Plan your route, manage your stamina, and climb high above the clouds in search of answers.

5. F-Zero 99 This. Shit. Slaps. I've never been a big F-Zero guy, but this MADE me one. The “battle royale”, 99 player format is the perfect fit for the ruthless, high octane world of the game. Races last about three minutes, and friend, they are the most intense, white-knuckled three minutes of your life. The decision to make your boost meter the same as your health meter started in F-Zero 64 (I believe), and it is so much more HARROWING in this game when another player could side-swipe you mere meters from the finish line and blow you to bits. Sadly it's only playable via Switch Online, but it made me cheer, laugh, and scream enough this year to earn a spot in my top 5.

4. Alan Wake 2 Remedy makes weird games that also manage to exist in the AAA space and for that I will forever love them. Although Alan Wake 2 resembles a 3rd person shooter survival horror, I'd honestly say it's more of a narrative game than anything else. There's sidequests, there's puzzles, there's upgradeable skills, but at the end of the day the characters, world, and story are what kept me playing. If you haven't checked them out recently, you should definitely watch a story recap of the original games before diving into this sequel, but the wild swings for the fences this game takes are well worth that small price of admission. There's a god damn musical number, for Christ's sake.

3. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom I've really got nothing to say about this game that most people don't already know. It's incredible. The fact that Nintendo made a game that redefined an entire genre and then made a SEQUEL to it that ups the ante is remarkable. To be honest, I've only cleared the Rito, Zora, and Goron cities. I got a bit tired of exploring the depths and guiding Koroks to their friends, but I can't deny the sheer level of complexity and polish on display here. I saw someone on TikTok build a functioning Mecha Godzilla in this game. Good God. I've heard that the ending of this game is one of the best in the franchise, and if I'd seen it this year then it may have wound up higher on my list, but for the time being I'll continue picking up this masterpiece from time to time, chipping away at it until the day comes that I can finally smack the tits off thicc Ganondorf.

2. Half-Life (25th Anniversary Update) I know I'm gonna get shit for this, but I don't care. This year was the 25th anniversary of Half-Life and Valve released an update that made playing it (and it's online Death Match) much more accessible. I threw it on my Steam Deck out of curiosity, expecting to play for 20 minutes. I could not put it down. It is unbelievable how modern this game still feels. I simply had so much fun sprinting through the corridors of Black Mesa with a dozen weapons strapped to my back, blasting aliens and military Spec-Op chumps as a 24(?!) year old theoretical physicist.

1. Baldur's Gate III This game is fucked up, man. The sheer amount of writing in this game scares me. We can all talk about how BIG this game is, it deserves it, but the thing BG3 does better than any other role playing game I have ever experienced is actually encourage roleplaying. I've played through Act I four times now, with four different groups of friends, and it has felt fresh every time. I have seen the same events play out in so many different ways that it boggles the mind, but in every one of those play sessions I see players asking themselves “What would my lil guy do here?” rather than "what is the best thing to do here?" The game rewards players constantly for just trying shit and the D&D 5e rule set means playing like the character you said you were from the start leads to frequent Points of Inspiration. Maybe one day I'll see the end of this story (probably not), but I don't have to in order to feel a connection with BG3's world, characters, and most impressively, the characters I made myself.

Honorable Mentions for 2023

5. Dave the Diver 4. Homebody 3. Sea of Stars 2. Humanity 1. Super Mario Wonder

Top 5 Favorites NOT from 2023

5. Metroid Prime 4. Final Fantasy VII Remake 3. Cursed Halo (Halo CE Mod) 2. Red Dead Redemption 2 1. Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (3DS)

Games I didn't have a chance to play from 2023 but still want to when I find more time...

Viewfinder Venba Chants of Sennaar Thirsty Suitors Hi-Fi Rush Moonring Armored Core VI Laika Aged Through Blood Bomb Rush Cyberfunk

OKAY THANKS BYE!

#video games #2023 #GOTY

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cc-cobalt-1043 · 2 months

Text

You're wanted *a Tails Wachowski One shot*

Tails has been hiding his whole life, but what if after thinking for so long he'd never find anyone who'd love him...he did

A few days after the fiasco with Robotnik Tom, Maddie, Knuckles, and Tails were sitting at the Wachowski family table.

Tom and Maddie were discussing something in hushed voices.

Tails had a horrible hunch on what they were talking about, but he hoped he was wrong.

His hunch was confirmed when Tom looked at Knuckles and Tails and asked the dreaded question.

"So, what do you guys plan on doing now?"

Tails and Knuckles looked at Tom confused.

"Well surely you guys have homes, and your parents must be worried sick, right?" Tom asked.

"Sadly no I'm afraid not, all my tribe have been dead for a long time, and I no longer have a home to return to." Knuckles said.

"I'm so sorry hon, but you're welcome to stay." Maddie said.

"Thank you miss Maddie, I appreciate it." Knuckles asked.

"What about you little guy?" Tom asked turning to Tails.

Tails was about to reply when he suddenly froze.

"They don't want you here." A faint but horrifyingly familiar voice hissed at him.

But surely they did...right.

"You're no good to them...all you are is a burden." The voice hissed.

Tails shook his head and covered his ears trying to drown out the voice.

Surely the Wachowski's wanted him, surely they loved him...didn't they.

"You're. A. FREAK." The voice hissed, yelling the last word with such venom.

Tails shrunk in slightly on himself but jumped when he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder.

He looked and saw it was Sonic, with a very concerned frown on his face.

"Tails...you okay pal?" Sonic asked looking worried.

"Yeah, just zoned out for a moment...you know what I'm like." Tails lied.

Sonic nodded, but he wasn't convinced at all.

Tails turned back to Tom.

"Oh yeah, my old village probably are missing me, they just...love me there." Tails lied again.

Tom looked at Maddie who looked just as confused as him, clearly something was wrong, but they couldn't just force him to tell them.

"Well okay, if you're sure. But if you need us we're just a ring toss away." Tom said.

Tails nodded, pushing back the tears that were threatening to fill his eyes.

A couple of days later Tails was getting ready to leave, the others were saying their hopefully short lived farewells to the fox.

"You get everything hon?" Maddie asked.

"Yeah, I think I've got everything." Tails said adjusting his backpack straps.

"It's gonna be odd not having you around pal, you've already fit in so well with us." Tom said.

Tails was going to say something when he heard the voice again.

"They're lying." It growled into his ear.

"Thank you...Mr Wachowski." Tails nodded.

They all gave Tails a hug before the fox pulled out a ring and threw it down.

"Well...goodbye." Tails said giving them a small, sad wave before disappearing through the ring.

The ring closed behind him seconds later.

Sonic frowned as Tails went through the ring, he had a nagging feeling something was wrong.

"I don't know about you guys, but I don't like this." Sonic said still staring at the spot where Tails had vanished.

The others nodded, they all had a feeling Tails wasn't telling them something.

Meanwhile:

A ring opened in the middle of the forest and an all too familiar fox jumped out from it.

Tails looked around and saw a small cave in front of him, Sonic's old cave he guessed, only a lot more barren because Sonic's stuff was in his room at the Wachowski house.

Tails felt his heart clench when he thought of them.

Surely they'd liked him, did he do something wrong?

"They don't want you, nobody wants you, TWO. TAILED. FREAK." The voice roared, Tails could feel his eyes watering.

Tails curled up into a ball on the floor and wept.

Over the next few weeks Tails showed up very little, which was to be expected but Maddie and Tom couldn't help but notice some changes in the fox.

He seemed much quieter than normal and Tom and Maddie could both swear he'd gotten thinner.

Tails said he'd gone back to his parents, but clearly they weren't doing their jobs.

Plus he seemed awfully young, even younger than they'd first thought.

They decided to talk to him about it the next time they saw him.

Thankfully they didn't have to wait long as Tails showed up a few days later.

He'd just finished eating when Tom and Maddie sat next to him.

"Tails, honey can we talk for a minute?" Maddie asked.

Tails just nodded and looked at her.

"How old are you, if I may ask, you seem awfully young." Maddie said.

Tails frowned and was silent for a moment before speaking.

"Eight." He said looking at her dead in the eye.

Tom and Maddie were shocked, this kid was EIGHT and apparently hopping between planets by himself.

Sure some kids were allowed to travel small distances by themselves, but THIS was something else, Tails was far too young to literally travelling to different planets by himself.

Tails saw the looks on their faces and frowned, did he say something wrong.

"Is everything ok, did I do some wrong?" Tails asked.

"No no, of course not honey, you're just a bit young to be hopping planets by yourself." Maddie said stroking the Fox's bangs not noticing the way he seemed to tense at the contact.

"Maybe we should meet your parents Tails." Tom suggested, maybe Tails would be happy to introduce his family to them.

However this had the exact opposite effect they were expecting.

Tails mumbled about a million things at once and with speed that would make Sonic jealous he bolted out the first window and within moments was gone.

And he didn't come back.

It wasn't for another month Tails would be found.

That night Wade was driving into town when he suddenly saw something on the road in front of him.

Cursing and slamming on the breaks as hard as he could Wade prayed he didn't hit whatever it was.

Thankfully the car stopped just in the nick of time.

Wade hurriedly got out the car to investigate and to his utter shock his car lights illuminated...Tails.

Wade was no parent and he certainly wasn't very experienced with kids but he could tell Tails had been having a rough time of it.

His fur was dirty and seemed longer than the last time he saw the kid.

He could also see what looked like food scattered everywhere...but why would Tails need to steal food.

Nevermind that now, he needed to help this kid.

Wade slowly approached Tails, noting how the kid looked absolutely terrified.

"Hey Tails, it's me Wade, you remember me right?" Wade asked.

Tails nodded cautiously.

"That's good, I need you to come to the station with me, I'll call Tom." Wade said.

Tails frowned, he really wanted to see the others, but he didn't want to bother them either.

"Please kid, we've been looking for you for ages, they really want to see you." Wade said.

Tails sighed and nodded, he just couldn't keep this up anymore.

Once they got to the station Wade cleaned Tails up the best he could and made him a cup of hot chocolate, sticking some cream and marshmallows in there as well.

While Tails gratefully sipped his drink Wade called Tom and told him about Tails.

Not even ten minutes later Tom, Maddie, Knuckles and Sonic practically barreled into the police station.

"Tails, you're OK!" Sonic exclaimed joyfully running up to Tails and enveloping him in a hug.

To everyone's surprise Tails suddenly burst into tears.

"Tails?" Sonic asked confused.

"Hey, hey what's wrong baby?" Maddie asked worriedly kneeling down to Tails' height and looking at him worriedly.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry I didn't go back." Tails sobbed clinging onto Sonic's fur, his entire body shaking as he sobbed with what seems like weeks and weeks of pent up sadness suddenly exploding.

"I should have just left and not let you all worry about me, this time I promise I'll go." Tails said still hobbling heavily into Sonic.

"Woah Woah, we aren't mad honey more concerned, but if you haven't been at home, where have you been?" Maddie asked.

"I'm the forest, I-In Sonic's old cave." Tails said trying to stop the tears now flowing down his face.

"But what about your parents, don't they miss you?" Tom asked confused.

Tails sniffled and looked at Tom with glassy eyes.

"They don't care about me, they left me years ago." Tails said.

You could have heard a pin drop in the silence that enveloped the room, even Wade was speechless.

Sonic broke the silence.

"They-They left you." Sonic said gaping at Tails' slack jawed.

Tails just nodded.

"I don't know why, I don't even know if I did something wrong, but they just left me, in the middle of a field, I had to look after myself." Tails said.

"But didn't they...care for you?" Knuckles asked.

Tails laughed, but not his usual chirpy laugh, this was a cold, bitter laugh that sent chills down Knuckles's spine.

"Love me, they were as bad as the rest of my village, maybe worse, they didn't hug or kiss me, they didn't comfort me when I had nightmares or was scared of the storms, they'd even break my inventions because they believed they were "unnatural" and "freakish", they straight up told me I was nothing but a burden to them and a curse on our entire town, when my mother left me her last words to me were literally "Farewell Miles, you have been nothing but a burden to us since the moment you born, you're unnatural and scary and are a curse upon us and our village, now go, I never want to see you again. YOU. TWO. TAILED. FREAK"." Tails yelled his body shaking violently as a whole new round of sobbing commenced immediately after his rant.

Sonic stared at Tails with glassy eyes, he'd been fighting hard not to cry seeing Tails...no, his little brother break down like this, but that last part was the nail in the coffin, and sure enough Sonic found himself crying too.

"Oh Tails, that's so awful, I'm so sorry." Sonic choked out before pulling Tails into another almighty hug, the two just simply crying into each other's fur.

"I'm sorry Tails, I'm so sorry you had to go through that, I wish I could have stopped it from happening to you." Sonic said clinging onto Tails for dear life.

"It doesn't matter, I guess they were right about me after all, no one wants me, I'm nothing but a little two tailed freak." Tails choked out.

Maddie cut Tails off before he could say anything else, looking him directly in the eyes.

"Miles prower, I never want to hear you say that again! You are one of the most precious things I have ever met, you are not a freak, you never were, and I swear to you if I ever find the people who've treated you this way, I will put them through hell and back." Maddie vowed.

Tails just nodded and Maddie hugged both him and Sonic, Tom and Knuckles joining in the hug.

Tails couldn't believe how loving and caring the Wachowski's had been to him and for the first time in years Tails finally believed there was someone out there who would love him.

And it was the Wachowski family.

#sonic the hedgehog #sonic wachowski #knuckles the echidna #knuckles wachowski #tom wachowski #maddie wachowski #miles tails prower #Tails Wachowski #tails needs a hug #And therapy #But lots of hugs #sonic is a good big bro #sonic and tails are brothers #they're brothers your honor #Tails deserved better #If the Wachowskis find his parents they're so doomed

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xoxopeace · 1 year

Text

Killer Voice

Summary: Gladstone was attacking the school, Tyler was on the loose and your friends needed your help. When you find Enid and Tyler fighting in the woods, you had to do anything you could to help her. Even if it meant using your powers against the one you loved.

Notes: You have the power of sonic scream

______

You chest was heaving and you could feel your legs getting tired. But you had to keep running, you had to make it to the woods. It was only an hour ago that Enid called you yelling about Wednesday being kidnapped by Thornhill (who was actually a Crackstone) and a zombie version of Joseph Crackstone, then said enemies were attacking your school, and now your running around Jericho trying to find any one of your friends.

" Go to Nevermore they said. "You complained. " You'll have so much fun they said. "

As you were finally approaching the woods, you could hear the strange roars coming from them. Low growls, monstrous howls and the sound of twigs being snapped. Walking slowly, you pulled out your phone to turn on the flashlight. The small light giving you slight clarity on where you were heading.

"Hello?" You called out. Even though it wasn't the smartest idea to yell out inside the dark woods, you didn't know what else to do. Enid went out looking for Wednesday, Ajax and Bianca were at the school warning everyone, Wednesday was M.IA, Xavier was locked up and Tyler....well... you didn't want to think about Tyler.

During the phone call even though Enid was rambling the entire time, there was one part of the conversation that stayed in your mind.

" Tyler's the hyde!" Enid yelled. " Can you believe that ! The normies an actual hyde ! "

It's not like you were in love with Tyler, well maybe that was a lie. You've only known him for a few months. But he was a lovely person to talk to, he always had that small curve in his smile when he tried to hide his excitement, and he always gave you free coffee from the cafe.

And sure as the months passed, you two grew close while trying to solve this monster mystery. At first it wasn't anything special, just the regular passing the time conversations. Until the day he spoke to you about his mother, and how much he missed her. A feeling you knew all too well. Afterwards it was like something changed between you too, but you were always afraid to take that next step.

As you kept walking into the woods, the howls got louder and you could hear two distinct sounds. You could see two figures in the distance, the size of them growing as you crept in closer.

" Don't do anything stupid y/n " you told yourself. It wasn't until you were close enough that you could see the two creatures fighting.

One was big, had four legs with blue tinted skin. Its roars howled throughout the night, showing its long fangs. But it wasn't until you could see the faint brown hair on its head, and it's large deep brown eyes that you finally realized who you were looking at.

"Tyler" You whispered quietly.

The four-legged beast roared as it swatted it's long arms towards it's opponent. The other beast roared as it was flung back into a tree. You could see its gray fur, long fangs flashing in the moonlight. But what surprised you the most, was the pink fur it had at the top of its head.

Pink hair.....just like Enid's.

You gasped loudly, dropping your phone as your hand's covered your mouth.

"Enid ! " You shouted. You didn't know what came over you, the sight of your friend, your newly wolfed out friend, risking her life for everyone caused you to break out of your hiding spot.

" Leave her alone ! "

You could see the hyde walking closer to her, as if it was ready to deliver the final blow. You didn't know what else to do. All you knew was that your best friend was possibly going to be killed, and it would be done by the boy you fell in love with. So you shouted the first thing that came to mind.

" Tyler ! "

The beast stopped in it's tracks. Slowly turning towards you, it's eyes focusing on the girl standing in front of him.

You couldn't believe what you were seeing. Tyler, the sweet normie, the barista who knew your order by heart, the first normie you ever trusted, was the hyde. Taking a step forward, your hands clenched to your side as you tried to remain calm.

" Stay away from her ! " You ordered him.

The beast let out a roar, so violent that it shook the leaves on the ground. It slowly take it a step towards you, its mouth hanging low displaying all of it's fangs. But you didn't allow that to frighten you. You knew that there was no way you would stand a chance against a beast like this. But you had to protect Enid, you had to protect your friend.

" I'm not gonna say it again Tyler." You stated. " Stay the hell away from her.".

That finally set the hyde off. With a giant leap, Tyler was running towards you. The ground shaking with every step he took. You knew what you had to do, even though you swore to never use it. There was no other choice.

" Tyler don't make me do this ." You begged. You could feel him getting closer, and if you didn't take this shot you would definitely be his latest victim.

" Please. " You whispered quietly.

The hyde was getting closer by the second, and you were running out of time.

You stood tall, hands clenched by your sides and the only thing you could feel was the tear that fell onto your cheek.

He was getting closer, and you only had one shot.

"Enid, stay down ! " You ordered. Once you saw her wolf form crouch down low to the ground, you took your shot.

" I'm sorry." You whispered.

You took a deep breath, allowing the air to fill into your lungs. And suddenly, you let out a loud shot. It was as if the entire world went silent as your scream rang throughout the woods. The leaves covering the ground and trees flew back by your scream's vibration waves, the wind pushing back violently against your scream.

The second the wave reached Tyler, he slide to a stop in his tracks. You scream's waves immedietly hit his figure, his claws stabbing into the ground trying to stay in place. But your scream was still powerful, everything in its path being thrown deep into the woods.

You could see Tyler slowly losing his grip in the ground. It was beginning to shake rapidly against your powers vibration. The longer you held out your scream, the weaker you began to grow. The air in your lung was running out, but you had to keep pushing.

Suddenly, Tyler let out a loud roar. His claws instantly ripping out of the ground as he was thrown back into the woods. It wasn't until you heard a loud thud, the hyde's roars echoing throughout the area as it landed against a tree.

Finally you dropped to the ground, your chest heaving as you tried to catch your breath. It's been months since you've used your power, and like always it took all your strength to use it. You swore you would never use it again, but you especially didn't expect it to use it against someone you loved.

Once you looked up from the ground, you could see the hyde lying against the tree. Of course he was still breathing, but it pained you to know you had to use your power against him.

"I'm so sorry Tyler." You whispered quietly. Getting up from your spot, you ran towards Enid as you can see her slowly returning back to her human form. Crouching down next to her, you wrapped your jacket around her small frame.

" So you finally wolfed out huh." You chuckled.

She looked up at you, smiling slightly.

" Told you, you had a killer voice.".

#wednesday netflix #tyler gaplin imagine #tyler gaplin x reader #tyler galpin x oc #wednesday 2022 #tyler gaplin

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the-final-sif · 2 years

Text

Now, one thing about texting a guy who regularly loses his memories and forgets how to speak the language he usually texts you in is that it's not weird for that guy to vanish mid-convo. Ranboo usually checked in later, and neither Dream nor Punz worried much about it. The problem was, sometimes Ranboo is just getting up to some shit and that's why he goes quiet. It can really be either.

Anyways, disregarding that not all important note, Sam is now in charge of taking care of Dream. It's the sort of thing that he really ought to have mixed feelings about. That he should feel the gravity of the situation he's in.

Sam, is stubbornly refusing any of those things. Instead, he's convinced this is perfect. Not that Dream got hurt from the Warden (or more specifically, protecting Sam from the Warden. In the light of day, it's become all the more obvious to Sam that Dream could've just run. Should've just run. He was a rabbit, more than capable of outspeeding a warden, particularly through narrow caves), but rather that now Sam has a chance.

There's something about Dream being a hybrid that makes Sam very uncomfortable with idea of confinement, let alone anything like Pandora. His own recent experience with the hunters didn't help much. Not to mention the fact that Dream could've left him for dead at any time and didn't. Or that Dream got hurt for him, took risks for him, time and time again.

So, instead, Sam is determined that now Dream is a hybrid (is a new person, is compartmentalized in his brain as something Else), and clearly in need of help, Sam will do a good job helping him. He'll make up for past mistakes (not Pandora, because Pandora can't be a mistake, but for having gotten caught, for not doing better or moving quicker).

Sam's vision is mostly back, just a bit fuzzy for detail work. Ponk lent him some glasses that fix that up. Seeing again is nice. He's a fan of that.

He's wearing those glasses to pour over the instructions Ponk left (after getting sick of Sam's endless questions, Ponk finally just wrote the rest down and handed it over so he could get out the door).

By 'pour over the instructions' Sam actually meant that he had the hastily scrawled instructions to the side, and had the rest of the dining room table covered with books, with his own notebook at the center.

Sam had been up most of the night collecting notes, starting with pulling out Ponk's textbooks to find any relevant information for inner ear trauma in hybrids, and progressing through accounts he could find on the warden's sonic attacks (there was a single case study from a cat hybrid who'd been caught, none from rabbit hybrids despite rabbit hybrids being on the forefront of expeditions near sculk. they were uniquely suited to traversing the area lightly, and between being light on their feet and having a faint, earthy scent, wardens often let them be).

Now he'd finally progressed to general information on rabbit hybrids. Which, realistically was working backwards, but he wanted to cover the urgent issues first. Ponk had already given him a list of safe foods and dos and don'ts, but Sam wanted to be prepared.

Speaking of which, he was shocked out of his study coma by the alarm he'd set the night prior. Shoot. Right. Food and medication. He could do this.

Sam stood and made his way into the kitchen to make breakfast. He also needed to eat soon, but he needed to get Dream's food ready first. Ponk had at least left written instructions for this and portioned out food for both of them. Not that Sam couldn't cook, he just wasn't particularly adapt at it. Eggs with some veggies, toast, and bacon.

The meat was an odd choice, but Ponk assured him it was fine. Dream had a mostly human stomach, apparently. Cooking it didn't take long, and he was even able to put together a quick meal for himself at the same time.

Once food was ready, Sam just had to grab the ear drops from the ice box that Ponk had prepared and he was good to go.

That was all he needed.

He could go walk into the room.

Right.

Or... it was still early. Ponk said Dream needed a lot of rest. Maybe he should eat first, just to kill some time. He was pretty hungry now that he thought about it.

(that was a lie and he knew it. food had never sounded worse)

Sam ate anyways, forcing himself to take bite after bite. It was all bland. hm.

After eating, he really needed to do the dishes. It was unhygienic to leave them out. Food borne illness was a serious matter! Sam was sure to be thorough as he washed everything he’d used.

During all of this, he’d left Dream’s food on a warmer. By the time the dishes were done, he found a small part of him regretting that choice because if he hadn’t then he’d have needed to remake it. It would’ve given him a reason to stay longer.

Sam has had enough stalling. He has to do this.

Bracing himself, Sam gets the food and the ear drops, and he makes his way to Dream’s room. He isn’t sure exactly what he’s expecting, but... he’s ready for it.

He’ll keep telling himself that, but he still finds his words caught in his throat. That’s fine. He shouldn’t need to speak.

Or he didn’t, until he knocked on the door and got no reply.

He knocked again, a bit harder this time. Still waiting.

This time he waited longer. He’d knocked pretty loud, so if Dream wasn’t saying it was okay, then it must be because he wasn’t ready for Sam to come in. The man was a very light sleeper (as far as Sam could remember, even when the blood loss got really bad Dream still always jolted awak-), so there as no way he didn’t notice the knock.

Ponk had made him promise to be patient, to give Dream space. So Sam did just that. He waited and waited until finally giving in and knocking again.

Sam really did try to be patient, but anxiety started brewing. What if Dream wasn’t in there? What if Quackity had found out he was here somehow? Or what if he’d gotten confused and run off? Or what if something happened and he couldn’t hear-

Oh.

Yeah.

Right.

Thank god for his mask, it hid the embarrassed blush on Sam’s face as he realized his mistake. Shaking himself, he pushed open the door gently.

Sam got no more than two steps in before he froze. Wide green eyes were staring right at him.

Words evaporated from his throat faced by those eyes. It felt fundamentally wrong for Dream to have eyes. Let alone eyes so soulful. Sam hated it, but he found himself bound in place.

Seconds ticked by, stretching on into minutes.Those green eyes never shifted or wavered.

After what must’ve been at least two solid minutes, it suddenly struck Sam that Dream’s eyes were looking towards him but not at him. Ever so slowly, he shifted to the side. No movement.

Now that Sam was paying attention, he realized that Dream’s breathing was slow, measured. His body was hard to make out under the blankets, but it looked curled up.

Ah- Rabbits could sleep with their eyes open. It was something they did when they felt unsafe. Admittedly, the failure stung, but Sam shook it off.

This was fine, clearly Dream just didn’t know what to expect. But today he’d see everything was fine.

That did leave one small problem.

Dream was still asleep, and Sam needed to wake him. Something that he didn’t have a great idea for how to do safely.

If nothing else, Sam had the forethought to put down the dishes before attempting anything. Something that proved to be an excellent choice in a matter of moments.

He only managed three steps towards the bed before Dream jolted awake.

Hey, it solved his issue. There was that.

The only reason Sam could tell Dream was awake was because the other had stopped breathing, and his gaze had focused on. Sam opened his mouth and tried his best to sound comforting.

“Hello-”

The first word got out of his mouth, before he again, remembered that Dream couldn’t hear him. Right.

Instead, Sam raised his hands, just high enough to show that he didn’t have any weapons. He took a step back too. Give him space. That was what Ponk said. Sam also pulled off his own mask, in an attempt to make things... fair? Equal? Something like that.

It took a few moments, but steadily, Dream... well he didn’t relax, but he seemed... aware? His eyes narrowed, but he no longer looked terrified, so that was progress?

Once Dream seemed aware, Sam managed to pick up the food plate again and hold it out in offering. He didn’t dare step closer. Not until he was given a slow nod. Permission. Reluctant, but given.

Sam was slow in his movements, bringing over the plate and holding it out so that the other could take it.

After a quick inspection, Dream did so. Leaving Sam free to sit down by the bed.

Thankfully, Dream ate quickly. The air was awkward. Sam didn’t want to talk- his brain was blank and Dream couldn’t hear him anyways. But the silence was almost worse.

It didn’t drag out, and soon enough, Dream was done. Sam held up the ear drops next.

Ponk had said he’d need to apply them, but Dream held out his hand in a demanding motion.

Sam handed them over, assuming that Dream just wanted to inspect them. Which, to be fair, the man did.

After giving the potion a quick sniff (dream had whiskers, sam realized. only a few, not nearly as many as antfrost, but whiskers all the same), Dream did not hand it back.

Instead, he lifted the bottle up, clearly attempting to apply it himself.

Only, when Dream tried to lift up his ear (or at least, from how the muscle twitched, that was what Sam assumed he was doing), the attempted motion got a violent reaction. Dream jerked forward, dropping the bottle as both hands went to clutch at the offending ear.

Fuck, that must’ve hurt. It was the inner ear that was swollen, so moving the muscles there was ill advised. Particularly without the ear drops to numb anything.

Sam quickly scooped up the ear drops, and got halfway through reaching out to apply them himself before he realized Dream had frozen again. There was no mistaking the blown wide pupils and tension.

Right. Dream didn’t know what he was doing. Obviously.

Slowly, Sam pulled back just a little, gesturing to the bottle of ear drops and mouthing his words as best he could. Ponk had mentioned Dream could do some lip reading to figure out basic stuff?

“Let me?”

There was a long pause, before finally, Dream blinked first. He forced the tension out of his shoulders and nodded (very slightly, likely due to the pain of movement). He tilted his head slowly and gently, telling Sam which ear to start with.

Sam kept his movements slow and telegraphed, reaching out to lift up the first ear and tilt in the ear drops. Four drops, just like Ponk said.

Once Sam was done, he put the first ear down (carefully, he didn’t drop it like part of him wanted to). Then he moved to do the other one.

Dream tilted his head to allow it, although-

Sam didn’t falter, but he did notice an odd noise. A soft tapping against the sheets. He didn’t look until the second set of ear drops was done.

It was one of Dream’s feet. Fuzzy enough that they didn’t make much noise, but clearly tapping in... displeasure? Annoyance? That was what the books said. Right?

Sam couldn’t pinpoint the exact nature of the annoyance, until he pulled back and took a look at Dream properly. The man was no longer looking at Sam, his eyes now closed and whiskers twitching as the tapping sped up until-

Finally, it seemed Dream couldn’t take it any more and violently shook his head. Ears flapping about in a gesture that had to hurt. The wince that followed right after proved that much. Still, there wasn’t much helping that. At least he’d held still long enough for the potion to soak in a bit.

After that, Dream needed help to walk? Maybe?

Sam gave him a minute to settle down, then stood. A hand held out in offer.

Dream took one look at the hand, and clearly took offense. He pushed himself to his feet, and promptly nearly toppled over onto the floor.

Sam moved just fast enough to catch him, grabbing him by the shoulders to pull him up. He almost instinctively pulled Dream into his arms fully.

Part of him felt it’d be easier to just carry Dream, but Ponk had stressed it was very important to have Dream moving his legs and at least attempting balance. So Sam had restraint and just stabilized the other.

(also ponk had said something about giving dream a knife and sam was 95% sure attempting to carry dream would get him stabbed)

The tension in Dream’s frame made it a stiff walk, but they made it over. After using the bathroom, Dream sat on the counter for awhile and used water to clean the fur on his head and ears, getting very particular about certain sections.

Sam would’ve just left him to it, but without back support the man kept losing his balance. Teetering on the edge and forcing Sam to keep a close eye to prevent him from falling.

Sam only left for a moment to get some fresh clothes from the closet, a small walk-in that Ponk had left some outfits laid out in. Some of it was Dream’s old stuff. Some of it was thrown together from whatever Ponk had around.

He hesitated for a moment before grabbing one of the thrown together outfits. Part of his brain insisted that Dream needed to loom different. That was part of it. The outfit was taken without comment.

It seemed that Dream was resolute on ignoring Sam’s presence. He wasn’t doing a very good job of it, but he was doing it all the same.

Eventually though, Dream was ready to go back to the bed. The ear drops had a bit more time to take effect, and since Dream didn’t attempt the movement on his own, things went a lot better. Sam barely had to support Dream’s weight. Just aid with the balancing part of things. That was a good sign. Right?

Once Dream was back, he curled up on the bed, legs bunched up in what was something between flight and fight posture. Eyes watching Sam closely.

Oh- right.

“We should- Ponk said you were supposed to do stretches.”

Sam tried making hand motions to help communicate his words, but he’s pretty sure he only confused Dream further. It took several seconds for man to puzzle out what he’d said, before his eyes narrowed and he shook his head.

“No.”

The refusal-

Something deep within Sam boiled at the flat out refusal. Dream didn’t even give a reason! Ponk said it was important!

Still, Sam bit down his temper and tried to reason with the bunny hybrid. Words slow and careful (ponk said he could sometimes hear with the ear drops? right?)

“Ponk said it was important. Stretching will help you get your balance back.”

Dream didn’t even pause to consider it.

“No. I’ll do them later.”

Well- on one hand, Ponk had said twice a day. On the other, it would be more effective if done in the morning and at night. Doing it at lunch and at night would mean that things would go stretched for a longer period. It was sub optimal, and that bothered Sam.

But Ponk also said not to force Dream to do it. That he might not feel well enough on the first day. Maybe Dream was feeling sick and didn’t want to say anything? Sam wasn’t sure if he liked that idea or not. He’d consider it later.

For the time being, he nodded, took the plate, and left. Back to his duties.

Lunch time came quickly. Sam managed to catch a quick nap, and then he needed to make more food. Get the ear drops back from the fridge. Back to the room.

It was easier this time. Sam knew what to expect. He knocked on the door again just to feel a bit better about himself, then pushed the door open very slowly.

Dream was alert this time, ears twitching (usually followed by a minute wince) eyes falling on him before purposefully looking away to inspect the rest of the room. Easier than him being asleep.

Sam moved to offer the plate again, and no sooner had he set it down than-

The closet across the room banged open and-

A certain part enderman stumbled out, eyes wide and tail swishing widely with confusion and panic.

Behind Sam, he heard Dream jolt as well, shooting up and to the edge of the bed, clearly upset about this situation.

Ranboo took a moment to take in Sam, and then Dream with a furrowed brow, and then back to Sam, fear clearly surging in the teenager. Still, between the two of them, Ranboo was armed. Sam wasn’t. This could only go-

And then Ranboo’s eyes were back on Dream, softening as the fear switched to confusion. About what, Sam didn’t know.

Finally, the enderman broke the silence.

“Uh, so, um, hi- this is kinda a bad first introduction, but my name’s Ranboo. Do either of you happen to know where I am right now? Or how I got here? Also, hello, welcome to the server. I don’t think I’ve met you before. Sorry if I have. Are you being held hostage right now? Do you need help?”

#c!awesamdude #c!sam #c!dream #dreblr #prison duo #bunny c!dream #dream smp #dsmp #apology cake au #c!sam is like 'ive figured it all out i know everything #and then he spends 15 mins knocking on the door of the guy stuck there cause his hearings shot

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kiraoho · 6 months

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Doctor Who: One Small Change to Flux

This idea has been bugging me for two years now, so now you have to see it. Imagine:

e01: Halloween Apocalypse The Doctor has a vision, we don't see what it is. Naturally, she doesn't tell Yaz anything. Since that vision she starts acting strange: says random things, starts running away, calls Yaz an Ood a couple of times. At one point she urgently, like her life depends on it, sonics at... nothing (I imagine this particular shot taking place on Dan's street). It's not a burst, it's a gradual thing throughout the episode. It ends when the Flux finally hits the TARDIS at the end of e01.

------------------------

e05: The Survivors of the Flux Swarm and the Doctor have a huge discussion about morals.

Swarm: But then again, you wouldn't understand. How could you? How could you possibly comprehend the raw force of time?

The Doctor: I'm a Time Lord. Try me.

Swarm: (laughing) Time Lord... Your people, for all your talks of timeys and wimeys, are still such *linear* creatures. I wonder what it'd be like for you to truly experience time. Just... a touch...

He lightly touches the Doctor's temple. She screams in agony.

--------------------------

e06: The Vanquishers The Doctor is in... the TARDIS?

Yaz: Doctor! Doctor! Have you seen this? It's like the TARDIS is... leaking.

We've seen this already.

The Doctor sonics the leak fluid -- suddenly back she's on the Division station, soniccing around. No signs of Swarm. The station is falling apart.

The Doctor: What? Where is he?

She gets up and starts running sporadically, looking for an exit or a way out.

Yaz: Doctor! Where are you going? What's going on with you?

They're in Liverpool.

---------------------------

For a chunk of this episode (and e01) her timeline's folded on itself. She's experiencing two periods of time simultaneously.

For the rest of the episode, we see her irregular behavior in e01 make sense in e06 events. If the crew decides so, the two episodes could be timed just right in the editing so the episodes can be watched side-by-side, synchronized.

Maybe she's getting hints on what to do in e01 from the e06 events. This does require serious planning, and maybe one day I'll delve into writing it.

---------------------------

e06 epilogue. The Doctor and Yaz finally have a heart-to-heart. The Doctor has her hands behind her back, casually leaning back on the console.

The Doctor: I want to tell you everything.

Yaz: I'd like that.

Yaz leaves the console room to show Dan around.

The Doctor makes sure she's alone, then looks at her hands. She was right -- it's already started. Faint golden glow. She doesn't have much time.

She shakes her hands until the glow is gone. She won't tell Yaz until it's too late.

------------------------------

Also I feel setting this inevitable timer sets a better tone for the specials. Maybe the Doctor's initially happy to be stuck in a time loop with Yaz until she realizes what's going on.

Plus, the time itself wearing the Doctor down is an infinitely cooler cause of regeneration than the Master randomly shooting her.

---------------------------------

Bonus: The Power of the Doctor

The Master: I'm going old school, Doctor. A tribute to our elders. Do you remember the ultimate sanction for breaking our laws?

Pause.

The Master: Forced regeneration. They even did it to you once, didn't they? Well, maybe more than once, who knows? Not you.

The Doctor: You don't have the technology. The power requirements alone would be... colossal!

The Master: Oh, absolutely. Even a whole Cybermoon wouldn't cover it. Unless! The subject is on the brink of regeneration already!

The Doctor looks terrified. The Master is studying her reaction closely.

The Master: Yes. You know I'm right. I can see you doing the calculations in your head already. Don't bother. Already ahead of you.

---------------------------------

And now the whole plot happens because the Doctor was too stubborn to regenerate. It's her own character flaws biting her in the ass! Like fiction is supposed to function!

#doctor who #flux #thirteenth doctor #swarm #the doctor #the master #yaz #power of the doctor #the halloween apocalypse #the survivors of the flux #the vanquishers #jodie whittaker #sacha dhawan #writeblr #fanfic #rewrite #writers on tumblr #fanfiction

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darkjanet2 · 5 months

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Sonic Adventure 2: Sonadow

Chapter 23: Shadow's Return

*Somewhere in the Beach*

The seagulls flew over the sky and the sound of the ocean crashed against the shore. It was so calm that you could almost hear the waves rolling against the rocks on the beach as Sonic was walking through the beach. He wore a white suit and bare feet. The blue hedgehog sighed as he looked at the ocean waving gently with the sun glistening on the sea. It felt really nice to be able to enjoy the warm breeze and sunshine without any worries.

However, there was one thing he had been depressed about: his lover was gone. No matter how hard he tried, he still couldn't stop thinking about Shadow. Sonic didn’t want to admit it, but he was still very hurt by his death. Sonic’s face became saddened at the thought of him.

Sonic felt a presence by his side, he turned around to see someone who stood there in the distance. It was an onyx hedgehog wearing a white suit with bare feet. Sonic's face lit in surprise that his lover was alive. It was Shadow. He was smiling gently at Sonic with a kind look on his face.

Sonic smiled and walked to Shadow and met his crimson-red eyes with his own emerald green ones. He couldn't believe his lover was alive. He felt the happiness inside him swelling up like a balloon. His heart was beating really fast for some reason as if everything in his life was worth it. He just couldn't understand why Shadow had left like that. Why did he leave to the other side of the world just to tell him goodbye?

"Hello, Sonic," said Shadow.

"Shadow... I've missed you," said Sonic. "So much…"

He hugged his lover tightly, embracing him tightly, making sure to memorize every single detail of his lover. He wanted to savor this moment forever. He had been waiting to see his lover for so long and he had no idea when they would meet again.

"It's good to be back, Sonic. Even after what happened… we should never have separated." He said. "You know that, right?"

Sonic smiled softly as tears filled his eyes. He knew they were meant to be together forever. They both knew it since the beginning and they both knew that they were meant to be.

"Yes, I know," answered Sonic. “But I can’t help feeling sad and hurt. You left me behind… I”—Sonic’s voice broke— “I don’t understand.”

Shadow caressed his partner's cheek, trying to comfort him. "I'm sorry, Sonic. I know you will feel upset about it, but we're going to go stay together now."

Sonic looked up at Shadow, "We?" he asked.

"Yes. We need to be together. We belong together. I promise I'll always be by your side. Always." said Shadow.

"Shadow..." whispered Sonic.

"Sonic..." whispered Shadow.

And they were about to kiss, but suddenly, something went wrong. Shadow noticed his hand started to disintegrate and the sand around his hand started to crumble away. Shadow was surprised to see this and panicked, "Aaah!" screamed Shadow.

Sonic began to freak out. He realized that something bad was happening. "Shadow?! What is happening?!" cried Sonic.

"I don't know!" he cried. His body began to slowly disintegrate. "Sonic, help me!" shouted Shadow.

Sonic was horrified. He watched as his beloved lover died before him. Tears were streaming down his cheeks as his body disintegrated into nothingness. It wasn't real. It didn't feel real. Everything was too sudden. It made Sonic panic.

"Help me!!" cried Shadow as his body fully dissolved into pieces and he disappeared into thin air.

Sonic ran to save his lover, but it was too late. He fell to the sand, clutching onto Shadow as if he would disappear once again, and then his mind shut down and he fainted from sadness and shock. He was completely numb, unable to move or even think properly. He grabbed nothing but sand around his fingers as he started to panic. He didn't know what was happening to him. He felt like he was about to faint and lose consciousness. Everything felt like it was spinning around him. He needed to get control of himself but there was no way to do it. It was impossible. He was completely helpless as he sat there crying on the sandy ground.

"No! No, no, no, no! Not again! Not again!!" Sonic cried. "Shadow!! Shadow!!" he screamed frantically as he grabbed handfuls of sand and he tried desperately to hold on to his lover, but it was futile.

Sonic bolted out of his nightmare violently as he felt the cold sweat covering him. He looked around and saw nothing but darkness. He quickly realized where he was and that it was not a dream. It was a nightmare. A terrible nightmare. He couldn’t believe it. There was no way it was true. But it was and there was no escape. It had happened.

After he calmed down, it was a bad dream. Sonic sighed as he ran his hand on his quill, and glanced over the digital clock which read 4:17 A.M. He was exhausted and emotionally drained. He didn’t know how to handle what happened in the dream. He had a lot of questions. Was it because he failed to save Shadow? Why did he have to die? Why couldn't he save him? He felt so sad and alone. He wished he could make things better for Shadow, but he just couldn't. All he could do was wish that Shadow was alive. Maybe he'd come back someday. Maybe he'd finally be able to get rid of those nightmares. Maybe someday he’ll get some closure and peace of mind.

"Oh, Christ. I feel like shit," Sonic mumbled to himself as he lay on his pillow. He stayed in bed for a few seconds and then he got up and went to the bathroom to take a leak. He turned on the light and his eyes hurt from the brightness of the bathroom lights. He turned the knob to dim the light and the light automatically changed to dark as a result.

He lifted the toilet seat, peed in the toilet bowl, and flushed it. He washed his hands with soap and water. He dried his hands with a towel and went back to bed.

*Somewhere in the Lab*

In the darkness, a tube filled with water was connected to a monitor screen with some information displayed on it. At the bottom of the glass was a green liquid that glowed faintly in the darkness. It was an onyx hedgehog inside that capsule, wearing an oxygen mask that covered half of his face, a Holter monitor attached to his chest, and an IV needle inserted in his arm. He was unconscious. The monitor showed his vital signs. A small green line indicated that he was alive, but not responding yet. His eyes remained closed. His heartbeat was weak and slow. His breaths were shallow. He was in severe critical condition. It was Shadow the Hedgehog. He was alive.

The scientists gathered at the monitor, staring at the green line.

"What do you think caused this?" asked Dr. Kusac, who was standing beside Dr. Rochell, the head scientist for the lab.

"No clue. Maybe a malfunction of the experiment?" suggested Dr. Wilson, an older man with a thick mustache.

"He must have used his power when his energy ran low or when he lost track of time and it caused his health to drop drastically. He looks unhealthy." Said Dr. Kusac.

"Well then, it doesn’t matter what happened exactly," replied Dr. Rochell as she put her glasses back on. "Eggman tried to destroy the Earth, but his plan failed."

"Agreed, we'll just have to continue testing this experiment to see what else he has stored inside him. He has so many potential abilities so this might be our last chance," replied Dr. Wilson.

Inside the capsule, Shadow was dreaming. It was a very strange dream. It was the first one that Gerald Robotnik created in the Colony Space Ark where he met a human girl named Maria. They played together, talked, ate, and slept together. She was very special to him. They talked about people who lived on Earth, their feelings, and their dreams.

In the next dream, the Space Ark was under attack, and Shadow and Maria were being chased by G.U.N. military forces. Shadow tried to stop them, but Maria entrapped Shadow in the pod trying to break free. The soldier shot Maria in the spine and she died. Shadow cried out in despair and grief.

Inside the tube, Shadow's eyes twitched slightly as he continued to dream. This time the monitor screen showed a line indicating his vital signs. Slowly but surely, the line started to increase and Shadow started to stir a bit in his sleep.

In another dream, Shadow was freed by Eggman and took revenge on them for what he did to Maria. In the final dream, Shadow and Sonic fought against the Final Hazard preventing the destruction of the Earth. After the monster was defeated, Shadow used too much power and passed out due to exhaustion. He was sent falling from the sky. Sonic came running to catch him, but it was too late and Shadow landed somewhere on the Earth.

Back to reality, Shadow bolted his eyes open, and the glass started to break all around him. As it cracked, the shards of glass flew across the lab and the water spilled everywhere on the floor. The alarm was blaring and all the machines were starting to work again. Shadow took off the oxygen mask and gasped for air, looking around confused. He wanted to know where he was. How did he get there? Did he remember anything? What was the dream? He could remember the last thing he remembered clearly, but after that, everything was blank.

Suddenly, someone walked towards him and he looked up at him, it was a tall man in his 50s or 60s. He had white hair, wore glasses, and was dressed very nicely.

“You are awake now. Good. Welcome back to the land of the living,” said the old man. “My name is Professor Charles Kusac. You are safe and sound now. Welcome back, Mr. Hedgehog."

"Where am I?" asked Shadow.

"You're in the laboratory, in the G.U.N. It has been three weeks since you've awakened from your coma," said Professor Kusac as he smiled. "Now, Mr. Hedgehog, let's discuss why you were out of control and almost killed yourself," said Professor Kusac calmly.

Shadow tensed up as he stared at him, wondering what was going on. It took him quite a while to realize it was probably just a dream. However, it scared him nonetheless. How could he possibly forget something so important?

Professor Kusac noticed this, and he chuckled softly, “It seems that you don’t remember--"

"No," Shadow said firmly, "I do remember. I remember Maria died. I remember working with Eggman and trying to destroy the earth and kill countless lives. I remember everything except why I'm here now. What am I doing here?"

"Do you want to know?" asked Professor Kusac curiously. Shadow nodded his head slowly.

"After you stopped the destruction of the earth, your body became unstable. Your energy levels dropped rapidly. You collapsed and fell asleep in a fetal position right there on the ground," explained Professor Kusac. "But then, shortly after you began to fall asleep, you suddenly woke up and immediately activated your powers. From your reaction, we learned that it was due to the sudden release of your power. We found out that it was because you saved the world."

"I saved the world?" Shadow questioned in disbelief.

"Yes, it was thanks to your efforts. The life of thousands of millions of people was given back. Many will remember the name Shadow," said Professor Kusac.

'That's right. Sonic and I fought the Final Hazard and saved the planet,' thought Shadow, 'but that was only the start.'

"You are also very lucky to have survived and recovered from your injuries, considering what happened,” said Professor Kusac. “You have suffered heavy internal damage. And that isn’t all. There are several scars left behind."

Shadow frowned. "Scar tissue?"

"We don’t know what they were from yet, but based on your reactions and physical condition, we believe you were tortured during that time," explained Professor Kusac. "They look painful and are extremely deep."

Shadow looked down and touched his chest gingerly. "Is there any way to remove these marks?"

"Unfortunately, no. But we can heal them," answered Professor Kusac. "As you know, your body has been modified into an extremely powerful weapon. We can use it to restore your health and improve your strength."

Just then the door opened, and the commander walked into the lab followed by two armed guards. He was tall, muscular, and had white hair that reached below his shoulders. His green eye being left and his brown eye being right. He was dressed in a black military uniform. One of the guards held a gun in hand and the other was holding an automatic rifle. The other guard stood close to the Commander.

Professor Kusac was pleased to meet him as he greeted him, "Welcome back, sir. Have you completed your mission?"

"Yes, I did. I need to ask you some questions regarding the experiments done on Shadow the Hedgehog," replied the Commander.

"I shall answer everything that you want to know, sir," said Professor Kusac. "This is Mr. Shadow, the most remarkable creation ever made."

"Thank you," replied the Commander as he moved closer to Shadow examining his surroundings carefully.

"How are you feeling now?" asked the Commander.

"A little better. My energy level is normal," said Shadow.

"Well, that's good news,” said the Commander as he turned to address the rest of the room. "Now I need to ask you some questions, Mr. Shadow. Can you tell me how you managed to survive after you defeated the FInal Hazard?" he asked.

"I remember everything. When Sonic asked my help in destroying the Final Hazard to prevent the destruction of the planet, I activated my power to save everyone," answered Shadow.

"Interesting," said the Commander. "Sonic was your friend, wasn't he? At least you didn't lose your memory completely."

"Sonic... where is he? How long was I gone?" asked Shadow.

"You've been gone for 3 weeks, and as for Sonic, well, he's still depressed. He's lost someone dear to him and I think it hurts him every day," explained the Commander. "He's been having nightmares about you. He's worried about you."

Shadow lowered his gaze. So Sonic felt guilty about what happened and he blamed himself. That would explain everything; everything that had happened. It would explain why he had a hard time remembering things. He felt horrible knowing that he was responsible for leaving him like that. Was Sonic trying to save him before falling to his death?

"Tell me, what is your relationship with Sonic?" asked the Commander.

"I first met him in the city and we started fighting until the cops arrived, and then he appeared in the forest and started fighting again. I could tell his fighting skills were superior to mine," Shadow replied, "So I kissed him."

The Commander and the guards looked at each other with incredulous expressions. Professor Kusac just shook his head and sighed.

“Why did you kiss him?” asked the Commander.

"Because I loved him," whispered Shadow quietly. "I love him more than anything else in the entire world and he loves me too."

"Well, Shadow, if you love each other, then why did you end the fight before it started?" asked the Commander.

"I was afraid he might reject me, that he'll regret the decision later. But the moment he told me that he loved me too, I knew that he meant it. He said that he couldn't live without me and that he never wanted anyone else," explained Shadow.

"And what did you do?" asked the Commander.

"I sacrificed myself fighting that creature," answered Shadow. "Sonic was forced to watch me die."

"You did the right thing, but it doesn't seem like you regret it," said the Commander. "What made you change your mind?"

"I don't even know anymore," answered Shadow. "I guess everything happened so fast. Everything changed so quickly. I mean, you can't imagine what it was like seeing the world burn. Then all of a sudden I realized how much I really care about Sonic and I just kind of gave up on resisting."

Shadow looked at the Commander, "I love Sonic, and I want us to be together forever. I wish you could take me to him," he pleaded.

"We will see," promised the Commander. He looked at Professor Kusac who looked back at him, "Take him to his room. Get him some food and make sure he gets plenty of sleep."

Professor Kusac nodded and guided Shadow to his room, the Commander turned to the guards and ordered them to follow him and stay outside the room. Once Shadow's door shut, he sat down in one of the chairs. He ran his fingers through his short gray hair and sighed heavily.

"Well, it looks like you're getting tired. There's food over there on a table and you should be able to get some decent rest now," said Professor Kusac.

"Thank you, Professor," said Shadow.

Prof. Kusac left the room and closed the door. Then he went to the table and got a tray. He placed the tray on top of the table. It was a bowl of soup, bread, and a bottle of milk. He began to eat his food in silence when he noticed one of his inhibitor rings was missing. He must have used too much energy to obliterate the creature, and as he passed out falling down to the Earth one of his rings came out of his wrist. And Sonic grabbed the ring.

Sonic... He had his ring while Shadow was dead.

'He had my ring since I was gone,' Shadow thought as he looked outside the window, watching the clouds roll across the sky, the flock of birds flying through the air, and the grass swaying gently with the breeze.

'Once I recover, I will see you again' Shadow thought.

#fanfiction #sonic adventure 2 #shadow the hedgehog #sonadow #sonic the hedgehog #enemies to lovers #yaoi bl #first kiss #first love #first sex

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power-rings · 9 months

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Tom and Maddie's Announcement [part 1]

OK... I'm not sure if anyone has already done this, I can't get it out of my head so I am doing it RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT NOW BABY

It was a pretty hectic Friday afternoon, and it all begun with Tom getting an urgent call from his wife Maddie. Beforehand, she had complained about feeling sick for the past several days. Maddie being who she is that didn't stop her from going to work every single day... even if she did spend a lot of her shift in the restroom. The final straw was when she had fainted while talking to a client about their furry companion's condition. The persistence of her friends convinced her to get checked out at her primary doctor. After running a few tests, checking her blood pressure, and so forth. After asking her some personal health questions, "Hm, have you taken a pregnancy test?" Maddie was floored that the doctor even asked that... oh, well.. it sorta does make sense now. After agreeing to take a test, and she received the results maybe not even 10 minutes later... this was when she called Tom.

Tom was a hot mess when he rushed to the room Maddie was in. "Wait, what... pregnant?! A-are you sure?"

The doctor calmly nodded, "your wife is possibly... 3 weeks pregnant. But, we can't assume until we do a ultrasound."

Tom honestly wasn't quite sure how to feel at the moment. Nervous? Scared? About to puke? Yeah, most likely the third. The couple never really talked about having children... Sonic kind of filled that role. But, it was actually happening! In about an hour of waiting, they were guided to another room where the ultrasound would indeed prove she was pregnant! The doctor scheduled a follow up with Maddie, so they can keep an eye on the baby's growth, and Maddie's health. She was recommended that she would need to take more vitamins, start avoiding certain beverages, and different types of food.

Before going inside their home, Maddie and Tom embraced each other. Maddie could sense the uncertainty Tom was feeling. “Hey, we handled a talking 3 foot tall hedgehog, and a crazy Egghead, I'm sure we can handle parenthood." Tom scoffed in amusement, then the couple shared a kiss.

When they went to unlock the front door, they noticed it was already unlocked. Tom went in first, it better be Sonic. But he has been told numerous times unless they are home to not leave the door unlocked. (Not that it would prevent Eggman...) When they came in the kitchen they found Sonic searching through the fridge. "If it's a burglar I got Maddie's broccoli casserole, and I'm not afraid to use it!" Sonic threatened, his head still deep in the fridge, before glancing over his shoulder.

Maddie crossed her arms, beside her Tom stifled a laugh. "Sonic. Haven't we told you to lock the door when we weren't home?"

"Uh... yeah." Sonic rubbed the back of his head, ashamed. He hopped on the countertop, and opened a covered dish that had Maddie's well-loved dessert and helped himself to a big spoonful. Sonic couldn't recall the name of it but it had layers of chocolate mousse, cool whip, and oreo cookie crumbs. He licked his lips as the couple quickly took the dish, and the spoon away from him. His ears dropped in disappointment. "Where ya'll been, anyway?" He jumped off the counter. Glancing around the kitchen, the hedgehog was still starving.

Tom and Maddie had just discovered they were gonna have a baby together, they had no preparation to tell Sonic the big news. Maddie had always imagined a cute Pinterest board baby announcement... however, life took them by surprise so they had to improvise. The couple looked at one another, "Say Sonic, you wanna go out to eat for dinner?" She could tell Sonic wasn't gonna listen or be still enough until he appeased his hunger. The hedgehog piped up in excitement.

Years ago, Tom and Maddie couldn't really have Sonic with them in a public restaurant, today, Greenhill welcomed Sonic warmly. Being a smaller town helped a lot too. They've been to bigger cities, but for Sonic's sake they rather avoid too many unfamiliar faces.

As usual, Sonic had ordered chili dogs with their huge steak fries. Tom did his best by choosing a healthier option to support Maddie. Not that Maddie minded, she honestly wasn't sure if she could handle the food she had chosen. Not much was spoken between the three, except small talk. While Tom and Sonic spoke, Maddie was brainstorming on how to tell Sonic. Why was she more nervous about telling him over Tom? She assumed that it was because Sonic was less predictable than Tom was. Tom kept glancing over at Maddie, waiting for a signal or something. Nothing. He cleared his throat; Maddie nudged him and shook her head. "Are you all done, Sonic? I have to get some shopping done before too late." Sonic groaned. He hated shopping. Especially if he couldn't get something super cool that he wanted. The bill was paid, and they left the restaurant behind. Once they hopped in the vehicle, Maddie mentioned the mall. Which was probably half an hour away. It wasn't the greatest mall, but it was loved by so many, and slowly more and more stores started popping up. "How about you two check out the arcade?" Maddie told the boys, before they knew it Sonic darted towards the entrance.

"I thought we were gonna tell him?" Tom whispered, the couple walking towards the entrance of the arcade, still keeping an eye on the hyper hedgehog.

"We will. I have an idea." Maddie kissed his cheek. "Now, make sure he doesn't break anything.."

Maddie was relieved to see that the custom t-shirt shop was still open at this hour. When she saw the gentleman come out from the back of the shop, she approached the counter. He politely welcomed her. "What can I do for you, Ma'am?" Maddie quickly scrolled on her phone, opening her Pinterest app, and showed him an image.

"Could you customize a shirt like this?" The image displayed a white shirt with "Big Bro" in bold letters and a special request to make sure it'll fit Sonic okay.

"Dare I say congratulations? This shouldn't be any problem at all. Anything else?" Maddie thought about a bandana for Ozzie, unfortunately he didn't have any in stock but advised her to order one online. While she waited for him to finish the custom shirt, she searched the store. After it was done, he laid the shirt on the counter to make sure that it was to her satisfaction. She paid, while he folded the shirt and put it in a box for her per request, and handed it to her. "I hope to see you again, Maddie." She departed the store to find the boys.

When she entered the arcade, she was slightly overwhelmed by the lights and sounds. Deeper in the arcade she found Tom and Sonic playing a racing game. Figures. Poor Sonic had to stand up, awkwardly trying to steer, shift gear, and reach the gas pedal. He was trying so hard. Unfortunately, the time drew to the end of their session of the game. Neither winning 1st place. "That game was totally rigged." Tom acclaimed. Sonic started looking around for more games to play. Unfortunately they were down to 2 tokens to play with. "Hey bud, how about you try to get a prize out of that crane game over there?" Tom and Maddie spoke quietly while he tried his luck on the machine in the corner. Sonic walked away with weird fidget toy, which he ended up giving away to a random kid in the store.

The Wachowski's arrived home after getting some snow cones. Maddie and Tom changed into their pajama's for the night. It was movie night, and Tom's night to pick. However, before the movie... they needed to have a talk. Sonic was sharing the rest of his snow cone with Ozzie while Tom selected the movie. Maddie joined them on the couch. She laid the box beside Sonic. "I got you a little something today, Sonic." The blue hedgehog looked at the box, confused. It wasn't his birthday, right? Even though he was confused by the sudden gift, like always he didn't waste anytime opening it. Inside was tissue paper, folded up nicely. Soon, he realized it was a shirt. Not much of a shirt kind of guy.. but oh well, it was from Maddie so he's happy with it nonetheless. "What's it say?" Maddie anxiously waiting as his expression changed.

"Huh?" Sonic read the front of the shirt, confusion clear on his face.

Tom moved closer to Maddie, his hand resting on her thigh. Maddie smiled, and placed her hand on Sonic's. "We're expecting-"

"Expecting what?"

"A baby, Sonic."

His mouth formed a small o as it dawned on him, that Maddie was indeed pregnant.

"You're gonna be a big brother, Sonic."

#sonic the hedgehog #sonic movie #sth #fanfiction #my fanfiction #mywriting #maddie x tom #tom wachowski #maddie wachowski

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heckinconfusedparade · 1 year

Text

Part 3: Found You, Faker!

This is part 3 to what I will link later

Shadow woke up with a start, chaos energy crackling around him. He sits up and tries to remember something.. anything. But draws blanks. All he knows is the power he can feel flowing through his veins- fighting to break out after a 50 year slumber.

As the steam cleared he was faced with two men- one bald with a big moustache, and one man who is disguised in a G.U.N uniform. “He’s a hedgehog.. why would grandfather choose a hedgehog out of all animals to be the ultimate Lifeform?” muttered the bald man. The other man shrugged “maybe he liked hedgehogs.” “Nevermind that! Welcome back, Shadow!” The bald man assists Shadow onto his feet outside of his pod. Shadow looks around “..where am I? Who are you two?” He physically tenses but something in his brain is telling him they are to be trusted. “I am Dr. Robotnik: the greatest scientific genius to ever live! And this is my assistant Stone.” Robotnik says, gesturing my grandly to himself then a ‘ta-da’ motion to Stone who just waves.

The 3 quickly leave the pod and escape to a lair Robotnik had quickly built ways outside of San Francisco. Shadow is told about his role, his duty. He is the Ultimate Lifeform, Shadow the Hedgehog, and he is the key to defeating some guy named Sonic and his friends to achieve world domination.

Shadow feels obligated to follow orders, as he is quick to believe that this is what he was created for… however his gut tells him otherwise.

Stone starts preparing a meal for Shadow, thinking he must be hungry after being asleep so long, and he would be right. Shadow investigated everything in the kitchen, opening every drawer in cabinet. He finds a spoon! Wow! He then finds an opened bag of coffee beans. Bingo.

Stone turns around to find this kid scooping spoonfuls of coffee beans into his mouth, and enjoying it?? Stone can hardly believe his eyes. He quickly rushes to Robotnik who’s doing some nerd stuff “Sir, the Ultimate Lifeform is spoon feeding himself coffee beans.” “Straight??” “Yes sir.” “..ah leave him. You should be quicker at preparing his meal so he wouldn’t have to scavenge.” “Yes sir.”

When Shadow is faced with his meal, his mouth starts to water. Pancakes. Despite not remembering any, Shadow shows great table manners. When he’s finished he wipes his mouth clean with a napkin then approaches Stone with his dish “thank you. That was delicious.” He says. Stone smiles and takes the dish “it’s no problem, sir.”

Shadow spends the rest of the day either seeing what Robotnik is doing, or stretching out his very stiff joints. He decides in the evening that he will explore and begin the plan: destroy Sonics reputation. Robotnik stops him on the way out “take this with you.” he hands Shadow a cyan Chaos Emerald. Shadow knows what he is meant to do. He nods and speeds off.

He first surveys the area and tries to find where he should begin. Shadow doesn’t want to start off too crazy. He has to gain the eyes of the public, but not a good eye. He doesn’t know what Sonic looks like, but Robotnik said that he looked like him, so…

Shadow discovers a traffic jam. He starts at the back then speeds up the middle of the road, making cars fly and over in either direction. Thankfully not enough to flip the cars, he doesn’t want to kill anyone. Just injure. And injure he did, he later sees several ambulances load some critical looking individuals into the back. A news article the next day clarifies that Shadow has successfully injured 32 people. 6 of which were critical, but are now in stable condition.

Security cam pictures were released, and the clearest photo of the suspect they could get was the faint outline of a hedgehog. News spread fast. Robotnik was super giddy watching social media absolutely lose their minds over it.

The news makes it to Green Hills, and to a very confused Wachowski Family and their new friend Amy Rose. They know that can’t be Sonic. Sonic has been with Tails all day test flying the biplane or wrestling with Knuckles during the evening. Tails confirms that Sonic did not leave his bed during the night. He’s become a light sleeper due to the stress of current situations.

That night, Shadow is going about his business ruining peoples lives, when all of a sudden he hears a “FOUND YOU FAKER” behind him. Shadow, who is right now standing on top of a tank he just destroyed turns around and spots the man, the myth, the legend, Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic yells “WHATS THE BIG IDEA?? YOURE DESTROYING MY REPUTATION! AND HURTING SO MANY PEOPLE!” he shakes a fist at Shadow, who gives him a confused look “wait.. YOURE Sonic??” “YEAH IM SONIC” “we look nothing alike.” “RIGHT?? WHATS YER NAME, IMPOSTER??” “You are unworthy to know my name” “OH YOU EDGY LITTLE-“ Shadow teleports in front of Sonic. Sonic jumps back, and the fighting commences. They race down the road, crashing into each other. Sonic is very very careful not to hit anything besides Shadow. Shadow summons chaos spears, and Sonic struggles to dodge. Shadow takes the moment while Sonic is distracted to roundhouse kick him in the head, sending him straight onto the concrete. He puts his foot on Sonics chest, pinning him down making it hard for him to breathe “p-please..stop this…!” Sonic claws at Shadows foot, but he just presses down harder. “Stop what? This world will be on its knees soon enou-“ Shadow is suddenly yeeted to the side, getting knocked out instantly.

Knuckles has arrived! He helps his brother up. “Thank you, Knux.. man that guy is crazy!” Sonic coughs, holding his chest. He is very sore. “Sonic, are you alright? You are not injured, are you?” “I’m fine now.. just sore.” They look towards Shadow. He dropped his emerald. Knuckles hurries to pick it up “he had a chaos emerald..” he shows Sonic his find. Sonic takes the emerald “I wonder if this is what gave him those crazy abilities…” Sonic says. Knuckles blinks “what abilities?” “No time, he’s waking up!”

Shadow wakes up groggily and struggles to his feet. He is about to say something when he is suddenly thrown back into the ground.. this time by a large pink hammer. Amy stands behind him “you try to hurt Sonic, you go through me!” Sonic smiles “thanks, Ames!” Amy pauses. She covers her cheeks to hide her blush.. Ames? What a cute little name.

They get some rope and tie up Shadow and haul him back him through a portal. When they show up, Tom and Maddie are in the middle of scolding Tails for something.

“Hey, hey what’d he do?” Sonic asks, now worried. Tails hardly gets into any trouble! Tom sighs “your brother decided to pay G.U.N. a little visit.” Tails pouts angrily, his tails thrashing. “What?? Why??” Sonic is now shocked. “To clear your name. He was escorted home by an officer.” Maddie says. Then Tom and Maddie look up at what Sonic, Knuckles, and Amy have brought home.

They end up locking Shadow in the treehouse panic room. Tom pulls the 3 that brought the menace to the side “why would you bring him here?? You’re hiding a felon!” “I want to ask him some questions. Tails is setting up an interrogation as we speak.” Sonic says, looking mighty proud of himself. Tails has stolen handcuffs from Toms workplace when he wasn’t looking, and Shadow is handcuffed to a table.

Tails summons his brothers and Amy once Shadow starts to wake up. Shadow tries to remember what happened, and in the middle of his memory montage, he gets a flashback of a large space station that looks like a rock quickly getting smaller and smaller. He’s brought back to reality by Tails slamming his hands on the desk. He pulled up a stool, he means business.

“WHO ARE YOU??”

“Excuse me?”

“WHO??? ARE??? YOU??”

“I am Shadow.”

“EVEN YOUR NAME IS EDGY- I can’t believe Sonic let an edgy hot sauce hot topic sonofaBITCH RUIN HIS REPUTATION”

As Tails rants, the others in the room are brought to silence. He continues “WHY DID YOU TRY TO RUIN MY BROTHERS REPUTATION?”

Shadow remains silent. Tails gives him a passive aggressive smile “answer the question~” he moves the lamp to point directly in Shadows eyes. “We can do this the easy way or MY way.”

Shadow considers his options. This is not worth getting his ass beat by a literal 8 year old. He sighs “I was asked to.”

“BY WHO??”

“Dr. Robotnik.”

Amy watches as the colour drains from her friends faces. She moves Tails and takes his place. She sits on the stool Tails was standing on “Shadow, who is Robotnik and what does he want?”

Shadow answers “Robotnik is a semi-brilliant scientist. He wants to destroy Sonic the Hedgehog once and for all so he can finally take back the world that rejected him.”

“Yea, not happening.”

“Pardon?”

“Not happening, dude. You think you can lay a finger on Sonic, you’ll have to go through me first.”

“Oh please-“

“That’s it. Sonic, babes, hold my rings.” Amy takes off her wrist rings and shoves them into Sonics hands. She pulls out her hammer. Knuckles lowers his head “may the gods have mercy on your pitiful soul.”

Shadow sees the lord that day. Sonic pays him a visit afterward “Ok, Shadow. You said you were sent here by Robotnik, correct?”

“Correct. Except I was not sent to this bunker.”

“Mhm. So. Hate to break this to ya, especially after what you’ve just been through, but uh.. it’s likely that you’re being tricked.”

“What?”

“He did the same to Knuckles. He tricked him to get to me and the ultimate power.”

“Sucks for him. But I am the Ultimate Lifeform. If he thinks he can trick me, he might as well plan his funeral.”

“Oh, oh! Can I be in charge of music??”

“Sure.”

“YEAAH are we friends now?”

“No.”

“Awe man.”

Sonic frowns at Shadow. Shadow rolls his eyes.

When Sonic leaves, Shadow starts to look around for any method of escape. Chaos control is a no go since he no longer has a chaos emerald.

While he’s in the middle of trying to lift the table to free himself, Knuckles enters the room, scowling “what are you doing?”

“Leaving.”

“No you are not. Sit down. I wish to speak with you.”

“Don’t waste my time.. I have to go back.”

“Listen. I used to be on Robotniks side. We both wanted to destroy Sonic.. but once he heard about the ultimate power, his attention shifted to that. Once he got what he wanted.. he left me to drown in the ruins. Sonic.. he saved me.. I do not know why. The fool can’t even swim. Robotnik went on to destroy buildings, peoples lives, and even ended a few in his reign, gaining some sick satisfaction from causing so much suffering. I don’t know what he told you about that day, or if he had at all. I don’t know what he’s told you about me, Sonic, Tails or even our parents. But I do know that you should tread lightly. If you get any bad gut feelings, trust them. They could save your life.”

Shadow listens to Knuckles’ words carefully. His look softens.. then he shakes his head “no” Shadow says “no.. I.. I can’t. This.. this is my duty! I have to fulfill it.. I..” Knuckles gives Shadow some time alone to think.

Shadow wonders.. is trusting Robotnik worth it?

#sonic the hedgehog #sonic the hedghog movie #sonic #movie sonic #tails the fox #miles tails prower #movie tails #knuckles the echidna #movie knuckles #sonic wachowski #tails wachowski #knuckles wachowski #amy the hedgehog #amy rose #movie shadow #shadow the hedgehog

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thewatcher727 · 4 months

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The Art of Dance Is Now Live!

The royal castle never ceased to amaze Silver every time he visited. The castle seemed as if it were sculpted by the very hands of gods, its towering spires and grand turrets looming like ancient sentinels guarding secrets untold. It was a place where dreams and reality danced together.

But this visit was different. As Silver sat in Blaze's royal bedroom, his fingers tracing the intricate patterns of the silken tapestries adorning the walls, he realized he had come at an interesting time

"So, what's the Celestial Yuletide?" Silver asked, his golden eyes locked on Blaze's every move.

Blaze stopped pacing with her back to Silver. She took a deep breath, steeling her nerves. "It's a yearly celebration held in the castle in celebration of Christmas," she explained. "People from all over the world gather to celebrate peace and cooperation."

Silver's head tilted, his eyes reflecting genuine curiosity. He had always been somewhat of a fish out of water in the Sol Dimension, where Blaze reigned as the princess and guardian of the realm. "So, it's a party?" he asked, his voice carrying a hint of innocent intrigue.

From her vantage point, Blaze couldn't help but roll her eyes, a subtle smile playing at the corner of her lips. It was one of the endearing qualities of Silver that she cherished – his unwavering innocence. It was one of the reasons she enjoyed his company so much.

Blaze turned to face Silver, a faint sigh escaping her lips. "In a manner of speaking, yes."

Silver tilted his head once more, his quizzical expression revealing his lack of familiarity with the Sol Dimension's traditions. "Parties are supposed to be fun, right?" He recalled the chaos of Sonic's birthday during the Time Eater incident, wondering if this celebration would be similarly eventful. "So, what's the problem?"

Blaze gracefully settled into a nearby chair, her regal demeanor contrasting with the playful innocence of Silver. "Silver, when I attend these celebrations, there are always the occasional suitors who seek to catch my attention," she explained with a hint of weariness in her voice. "It's a rather trying experience, having to navigate their advances and manage their expectations."

Silver's eyes widened in understanding. He might not have been well-versed in the ways of royal gatherings, but the concept of unwanted attention was something he could grasp. As he considered Blaze's predicament, he couldn't help but feel a surge of protectiveness toward his best friend.

Silver's face took on an adorable twist as he furrowed his brow, deep in thought. His large, expressive eyes blinked slowly as he pondered, and his lips formed a subtle pout. His quills, normally neatly arranged, seemed to ruffle and quiver with each passing idea that flickered through his mind. He looked like an overgrown child trying to solve a puzzle.

In his mind, Silver ran through all the scenarios where he could be of assistance to Blaze. She was undoubtedly a formidable guardian of the Sol Dimension, capable of wielding flames and handily dispatching any threat. The castle itself was fortified with scores of loyal royal guards, making physical protection redundant.

Then, like a bolt of lightning, an idea struck him. Silver leaped to his feet, and his boots produced a soft, almost playful sound against the floor. "I've got an idea!"

Blaze's ears and tail twitched with momentary surprise at Silver's sudden enthusiasm. She raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. Arms crossed, she watched as Silver's golden eyes gleamed with determination.

"Idea?" she inquired, her voice tinged with curiosity.

Silver nodded vigorously, his quills bouncing with his excitement. "Why don't I come with you? You know, like a companion!" His suggestion hung in the air, and he awaited Blaze's response with a hopeful smile, fully aware that he couldn't offer physical protection but eager to provide moral support and be there for his dear friend in her time of need.

Continue Reading:

FanFiction: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14310640/1/The-Art-of-Dance

Archive of Our Own: https://archiveofourown.org/works/52520977

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tenebraevesper · 2 months

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Shatter Me, Entry 3: Vandalize My Heart

''Sound the alarm.. Shatter me like glass. Covered in scars, but roses are coming through the cracks. Time that you killed, you promised to help me rebuild! It caught me off guard, sound the alarm... Said you'd keep me safe, now you're tearin' me down! Am I laid to waste now that you're not around? Come and leave your mark! Vandalize my heart! Fight the pain away, my head is in ruins! Need you in my veins, don't know how you do it! Come and leave your mark (Come and leave your mark)! Vandalize my heart!''

– Vandalize by Sonic Frontiers

xXxXxXx

Sonic shifted, feeling the warm sunrays on his cobalt fur, but kept his eyes closed. His senses were surprisingly slow, as he still wanted to sleep, but his internal clock told him to wake up as he had once again fallen asleep at a random place, leaned against something soft. He wanted for it to last a bit longer, feeling quite arm and content, but then he felt a flick against his nose, followed by a familiar voice.

''Wake up, Sonic.''

''Uh, huh,… Shadow?''

Sonic blinked, blinking the sleep away as he lifted his head, realizing that he was leaning against Shadow. A faint shade of red spread across his fawn muzzle as he frantically tried to recall what had happened last night, but his memories were still in the process of loading like the slowest computer in the world. It also didn't help that he had noticed Shadow's arm around his waist, leaving him feeling awkward. What had happened?!

Shadow, in turn, furrowed a brow as he saw Sonic's flustered expression, wondering why he acted like this when last night, he was quite comfortable sleeping in Shadow's arms. The sense of confusion was then replaced with a sense of temptation, as he realized that he might as well take advantage of the situation and tease him a little. ''What's the matter Sonic? Why do you look so flustered?''

''M-Me? Flustered? Why would I be flustered? I'm not flustered!'' Sonic quickly responded in a panicked tone, his quills bristled as he tried to remembered what had happened. ''Where did you even get that idea?''

''I guess I misunderstood your response then. After all, you were quite shameless last night.'' Shadow let out a soft sigh, as if reminiscing about what had happened.

''Wh-What do you mean?'' Sonic's muzzle was now as red as Shadow's stripes and his mind was wandering aimlessly as several improper ideas of what he and Shadow had been doing appeared, and he tried to frantically dismiss them, feeling embarrassed. It was only then that his memories had slowly started to return, albeit still fuzzy and unfocused.

Shadow hummed in interest. ''Well, you were the one who cuddled up to me and wouldn't let go of me.''

''Wha- Oh…'' Sonic's memories finally snapped back into place and he realized that nothing had happened, aside from them talking and, as Shadow put it, cuddling. His eyes narrowed and he shot his rival a glare. ''You're the worst, Shads!''

Shadow smirked. ''What did you even think had happened?''

''Nothing,'' Sonic quickly responded, finally taking note of the fact that he and Shadow were holding hands. When did this happen?! He took a deep breath, rubbing his eyes with his free hand. ''What time is it anyways?''

''I suppose it's a couple of hours after sunrise,'' Shadow replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

''Really? Why didn't you wake me up?'' Sonic asked, raising an eyebrow.

Because you looked quite peaceful while asleep, was what Shadow wanted to say, but instead he responded with, ''I thought that you would wake up on your own. My mistake.''

''So, you let me cuddle up to you and use you as a pillow, and you really had no issues with it? None at all?'' Sonic asked, quirking a brow. A smirk graced his lips when Shadow frowned, giving him the typical 'Don't push it' look. However, Sonic felt quite bold now and wanted to press further. He wanted to know just how far he could get with his antics and what Shadow's limits were. ''Huh, so you wouldn't mind if I-''

He nuzzled into Shadow's chest fur, still fascinated by how soft it was, tightening his grip on Shadow's hand. Shadow just rolled his eyes at that, being patient enough to give Sonic a chance to actually stop with that. ''Don't you have places to be?''

''Right,'' Sonic groaned, his head still in Shadow's chest, before looking up. ''Tails is probably worried about me, and I also have to return the picnic basket I had borrowed to Amy.'' He then stood up, letting go of Shadow's hand and already missing the warmth it provided. He stretched his arms, having to admit that it had been quite nice overall. He then glanced at Shadow, who had already gotten up and grabbed the blanket, giving it to Sonic. Sonic took it, giving Shadow a sheepish smile. ''Thanks for keeping me company.''

Shadow simply nodded in response, waiting for Sonic to continue. However, for once, Sonic wasn't sure what to say. While he was genuinely happy that he and Shadow had grown so close to deeply trust each other with their fears and vulnerabilities, he wasn't sure what the next step in their relationship was. Obviously, they were still rivals, but they also became friends… but it also felt that there was something more in their relationship that neither of them wanted to explore, or at least, neither of them wanted to acknowledge.

''If you ever want a challenge, just give me a call,'' Sonic finally said, giving Shadow a thumbs up. Shadow nodded again, with Sonic waving at him, having picked up the picnic basket and then speeding off.

Shadow leaned against the entrance to the alcove, feeling the warm sunrays against his black fur, and took a deep breath. His mind was filled with memories of what had happened last night, and he was baffled with himself that he let Sonic get so close to him. He simply let his rival tear apart any walls he had built, showing a side of him that he wanted to hide, and he didn't care at at all about the fact that it went against his core principles. Sure, he made it clear that he trusted Sonic, but he still wanted to keep some kind of distance between them. Yet, that was all thrown out of the window the moment Sonic decided to constantly stay by his side. Once again, his rival was the source of all of his troubles, and he couldn't even be mad at him.

He pressed his hand against his chest, feeling his own heartbeat, which was slightly faster than usual as he kept thinking about his relationship with Sonic. He had felt magnetically drawn to his rival, and it was in equal parts frustrating and exhilarating. His mind was in a bit of a haze, partially wishing that he could've chalked this up to a dream, but he shook his head at that thought. He knew that it was too late to go back to how things were before considering what had just happened.

Shadow took a deep breath, taking out the green Chaos Emerald. Knowing that he needed some time on his own to process everything, he vanished in a flash of light.

xXx

''Hey, Tails! I'm back- Amy?''

''Hi, Sonic! We've been wondering where you were,'' Amy said. ''Last night's storm was really bad, and we were worried that you got caught in it.''

''Well, I kinda did…'' Sonic started, rubbing the back of his head as he gave Amy the picnic basket back and reached for the blanket. ''But, Shadow had managed to find a shelter for both of us so we stayed there to wait for the storm to pass.''

Sonic then went to place the picnic blanket back on the shelf, with Tails and Amy exchanging strange looks. It was as if they dared each other to ask Sonic the question that was constantly burning in their mind ever since Sonic told them about the picnic with Shadow, as both were really curious about their relationship. They knew that it wasn't that unusual for Sonic to just befriend every person he came across, especially if that person previous kicked his ass, but Shadow was a bit of a special case. He was aloof and reclusive, not exactly the type of person who would want to socialize with anyone out of his own free will, let alone Sonic… that is, unless it involved a fight between them. However, going by Sonic's lack of bruises, it was obvious that they didn't have one of their usual race battles either. Not to mention, this development in their relationship was quite sudden, and both suspected that there was more to it.

''So, how was it?'' Amy decided to ask, with Sonic giving her a confused look. ''I mean, the picnic.''

''Oh, it was great! By the way, thanks again for letting me borrow your picnic basket,'' Sonic replied happily. Tails and Amy exchanged glances again.

''Really? Did nothing happen? Shadow didn't say or do anything weird?'' Tails asked. Sonic paused for a moment, thinking back to the night and what had happened.

In regards to their relationship, he knew that he had been crossing any boundaries placed between them over and over again, and he enjoyed it quite a lot, especially considering how receptive Shadow was. If other people saw them like that, Sonic knew that they would consider it weird, but in his personal opinion, he didn't feel like there was anything weird between them. Or rather, he didn't care whether there was anything weird between them. This was a dynamic he genuinely enjoyed, although he still needed to figure out what this strange sensation was, always forming in his chest whenever he met Shadow's gaze. He could still remember the wave of warmth when Shadow had comforted him, followed by the sudden desire to pull him into an embrace and never let him go as he met those crimson eyes, usually sharp and fiery, but now soft and compassionate, full of understanding and… love?

''Nope! No! Nothing weird happened!'' Sonic responded, suddenly snapping out of his thoughts. He realized that he really needed to figure out what was going on with him and Shadow, because while their usual dynamic was still there, it seemed that there was really something more going on. ''All we did was talk and eat chili dogs, and just kinda mess with each other. The usual stuff. Why are you asking me that?''

''We've just been curious,'' Tails replied, the talk he had with Rouge still being on his mind. He had told Amy about it when she visited him, and Amy too noted how she was surprised to hear that Sonic wanted to hang out with Shadow and Shadow seemed to have responded positively to that. That was why they had decided to confront Sonic together whenever he decided to drop by. ''So, Sonic… Do you like Shadow?''

''Of course I do,'' Sonic replied, being a bit puzzled by the question. After all, he had made it clear to his friends that there was no animosity between him and Shadow, no matter into how many arguments or fights they got, as both deeply respected and cared for each other.

''Does Shadow like you?'' Tails asked, confusing Sonic even further.

''Well, I guess he does,'' he said, once again recalling their conversations and interactions. He then grinned contently. ''As a matter of fact, I think that we're now closer that we were ever before.''

Tails and Amy seemed to be a bit surprised by the answer, but at the same time, they also looked as if they had expected it. Sonic wondered what was going on with those two, with Tails and Amy then giving him a look of approval.

''I see… I mean, I didn't expect you to fall in love with Shadow, but hey, I support you all the way,'' Tails said, giving Sonic a thumbs up.

''At least I know now why you never were interested in me romantically, and while it does sting a bit, I can assure you, I support you just as much as Tails does. As a matter of, if you need a wingman, you can ask me for help,'' Amy replied, smiling back.

Sonic just stared at them for a moment, his green eyes wide and his mouth slightly open as he tried to process what they had just told him. ''Wait, what?!''

xXx

Shadow had found himself standing on top of the Loop-de-Loop, his arms folded across his chest, having taken upon himself to check whether there had been any damage from the rainstorm. Fortunately, it appeared that there wasn't anything, leaving him with nothing to do. Not really knowing what his next move should be, he resigned himself to just find an isolated spot where no one could find him or reach him, and just be alone with his thoughts.

Unfortunately for him, whenever he left his mind to wander, an image of a grinning Sonic popped into it. He tried to shake it off, but thoughts of Sonic just kept invading his mind, leaving him quite irritated, but also making him realize that he wanted to see his rival again. He sighed, well aware that he needed to finally confront his feelings on this matter rather than avoiding them.

Shadow's eyes narrowed as he suddenly heard a flapping of wings coming from the side, his eyes briefly darting towards the source before gazing ahead once again. ''What do you want, Rouge?''

''You know, a simple 'Hello' would've been enough,'' Rouge said, placing her hand on her hip as she hovered next to Shadow, who didn't respond. She rose an eyebrow, with a sly smile creeping up on her lips. ''So, how was your date with Sonic?''

To Rouge's surprise, and annoyance, Shadow's expression remained impassive, stating in his usual matter-of-fact tone, ''That was a picnic.''

''Huh, really? I thought it was just a way for you two to get to know each other better,'' Rouge teased, standing on the edge of the platform.

''It was merely a victory celebration, the same kind you had already attended,'' Shadow responded in a firm tone. ''Since I wasn't there for the first time, Sonic insisted on making up for that.''

''That's really nice of Blue,'' Rouge commented with an innocent smile on her lips. ''Nevertheless, going out of your way to hang out with Sonic this way is really unlike you, Shadow. One would almost think that there is something-''

''I thought you'd be interrogating me about the location of the Paradox Prism, not my relationship with Sonic,'' Shadow suddenly interrupted her, casting a glare at her. Rouge was a bit startled by the interruption, but her demeanor suddenly changed, a greedy look appearing on her expression.

''Well, I wouldn't mind discussing it. I'm certain that you had found a good hiding spot for it,'' she said, giving Shadow a look the dark hedgehog knew quite well.

''I'm not telling you anything,'' he stated in a firm tone. His ears flicked as he heard Rouge groan in annoyance, and he smirked slightly.

''Of course you wouldn't,'' Rouge muttered, only to get startled when Shadow suddenly moved, leaping off the platform, and rushing off. She then simply sighed, shaking her head. ''I swear, it is harder to get any information out of Shadow than stealing the Master Emerald from Knuckles.''

Rouge took note of her own history with Shadow, reminding herself that, while the dark hedgehog saw them as allies, he still didn't let anyone get too close to him. She didn't mind it much, though, well aware that what Shadow had experienced would always be a reminder of why he was always so on guard. Nevertheless, she had to wonder whether his rivalry with Sonic was a sign of a possible change.

As for Shadow, he knew that he needed to get away as soon as possible, feeling his heart beat at a rapid pace. This sensation was unlike any other, filling him with a rush of anxiety and the need to just keep on skating through Green Hill Zone, to go faster than his own heartbeat, to give into the adrenaline and push himself to his limits. He could understand Sonic's desire to keep moving, as this was the only thing that allowed him to clear his own mind in his current state.

All because Rouge suggested Sonic and I went on a date.

Shadow closed his eyes briefly, gritting his teeth as he thought about that bold statement. So, what if it seemed that if he and Sonic went on a picnic date?! He didn't really trust Sonic to think the same. No matter how affectionate the azure hedgehog got, he knew that Sonic ever saw them as rivals and even friends, despite Shadow's aloof attitude. That's how their relationship always was, and both took it for granted.

Nevertheless, it was clear that Sonic left a mark on him. His rival always found new ways to madden Shadow with his reckless actions, but also amazed and astounded Shadow with his determination and unwavering desire to protect and befriend even those who hurt him. Sonic was someone who inspired people to do better, a light in the darkness and a hope for all of those who seek freedom of their own.

Shadow slowed down, eventually coming to a halt as he pressed his hand against his chest, trying to calm himself down, his mind now clearer, even if that feeling of anxiety was still lingering. A shadow fell over his expression as he realized that he needed to accept the inevitable. He thought that he was safe, only to to be torn down again. However, this time, he knew that he would be fighting back.

If these feelings were true, then he would confront Sonic, and no matter what happened next, Shadow would make him pay for vandalizing his heart.

xXx

''W-Wait! I'm not-'' Sonic could feel a wave of heat spreading through his body, followed by a fluttering sensation in his stomach as a blush bloomed across his fawn muzzle. ''We're not- I-'' Despite usually having no problem talking, he was now stuttering and feeling more and more embarrassed with each word he fumbled. Finally, his mouth caught up with his scrambled thoughts, and he asked, ''Wh-Why would you think that?''

Tails and Amy gave him a puzzled look, clearly caught off guard by his flustered reaction, with Amy responding, ''Well, you've been talking about Shadow a lot lately, and both of you went to a picnic together, and you just told us that you and Shadow were closer than ever. The natural conclusion would be that there is something going on between you.''

''Especially since this change had happened in a matter of days,'' Tails added, raising an eyebrow. ''As a matter of fact, you have changed a lot lately.''

''H-Have I?'' Sonic replied nervously, rubbing the back of his head. ''I didn't really notice.''

Amy huffed, placing her hands on her hips, realizing that they weren't going to get any answer out of her former crush this way, deciding to take a more direct approach. ''Be honest, Sonic! What is going on with you? Why are you acting like this? What's the deal between you and Shadow?''

She took a step forward with each question, forcing Sonic to step back, his hands up in defense, as he was suddenly reminded of Amy's temper, knowing well that, despite her compassion and kindness, there was a reason he didn't dare to mess with her. Nevertheless, this didn't make things easier for him, as he wasn't the best with expressing his own feelings. What was he even supposed to say?

''I-I'm not really sure,'' he started, trying to finally make sense of the swirl of thoughts and emotions coursing through his mind. ''I mean, we went on this adventure, and afterwards Shadow had told me that he trusts me and considers me his friend, and then there was this picnic where we talked about stuff and we-'' He stopped himself from revealing that they ended up cuddling, figuring that, at least for Shadow's sake, Tails and Amy didn't need to know this detail. ''We fell asleep and the next morning, we parted ways. Nothing really happened… Well, at least I think so.''

''There has to be more to it. You were really flustered earlier,'' Amy pointed out. Sonic still had no idea how to respond, as he was also in the process of trying to understand whether he really had any deeper feelings for Shadow or not. He always saw their relationship in the context of their rivalry and, while he was honored to have earned Shadow's trust and friendship, he still wasn't sure whether there really was more to it. He then snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Amy asking him another question, ''Have you two even flirted with each other?''

Sonic paused for a moment, trying to remember whether there was a moment like that, but from what he could remember, most of their conversations was just the usual banter and teasing. ''Does telling Shadow 'I heart you too' count after he saved me from getting blasted into pieces?''

Tails just stared at Sonic in disbelief, while Amy just groaned, facepalming in response. ''Sonic, that's practically a love confession, especially when it comes to you.''

''How did Shadow react?'' Tails asked.

''He just rolled his eyes and moved on. I mean, it was just the usual banter between us…'' Sonic trailed off when he saw Amy's frowning at him.

''It sounds to be like a lot of that banter can be easily misinterpreted for flirting,'' she said, raising an eyebrow. ''Do you even have any feelings for Shadow?''

Sonic didn't respond, falling silent. ''That's what I'm trying to figure out.''

Tails and Amy gazed at Sonic, feeling a bit disheartened. This was a situation neither of them ever expected to happen, least of all Sonic, and all they could do now was to try and help him navigate through it, especially since this was unknown territory for the azure hedgehog.

''Sonic?''

Sonic almost felt his heart leap out of his chest when he heard Shadow calling out for him. The three turned to the entrance to the workshop, finding Shadow standing there. Sonic stared at him, and despite all the perplexing revelations, he couldn't help but smile. He knew that, every time Shadow appeared, things would get quite interesting and he lived for the thrill of the adventure.

''Shadow, what are you doing here?'' Sonic asked, walking up to his rival.

''I'm here to take you up on your offer,'' Shadow responded in a matter-of-fact tone.

''What offer?'' Tails chimed in, him and Amy giving Sonic pointed looks. Shadow briefly glanced at them, before turning to Sonic.

''You had told me that I can call you anytime I want a challenge. That is why I'm here,'' he explained. Sonic quickly perked up, walking over to Shadow with a smirk on his expression.

''Heh, and I thought that I was the impatient one,'' he said in a teasing tone. ''You simply couldn't wait to challenge me again.''

''Tch, as if. Knowing you, I'm surprised that you didn't return immediately. I was already getting worried,'' Shadow responded, folding his arms across his chest. ''You have no clue what kind of battle awaits you.''

''Oh, I think I know, and I can't wait for it,'' Sonic replied, taking note of the smirk on Shadow's expression. Both felt the same spark of excitement, restless as they anticipated each other's next move. To Shadow's surprise, Sonic held up his hand, raising a finger. ''I do have one condition. The loser has to do whatever the winner tells him to do.''

''I accept. It should be more interesting now that there are stakes involved. Although, I hope you know what you're doing, for your own sake,'' Shadow replied.

''I don't mind taking any risks, Shads,'' Sonic responded, giving Shadow a confident look. ''Let's go!''

Both of them quickly left, much to the surprise of Tails and Amy. Both exchanged glances, wondering what had just happened.

''These two…''

''Seriously…''

Both then sighed in exasperation, realizing that they may have misinterpreted things. They were genuinely stunned to see that Shadow actually went out of his way to seek out Sonic, even more when Sonic's mood almost immediately flipped a switch the moment he realized what Shadow wanted. The way the two looked at each other was as if they forgot for a moment that the rest of the world existed, and knowing how easily distracted Sonic could get, he probably did. It was completely different from how Sonic acted earlier, any nervousness immediately vanishing and him clearly being quite comfortable in Shadow's presence. If Tails and Amy haven't had the conversation with Sonic earlier, they wouldn't have noticed that there was any change in their relationship, at least on Sonic's side.

Nevertheless, whatever these two rivals had going on, it was still an enigma to them.

xXx

Sonic went for a slide tackle, trying to knock Shadow off his feet, but the latter managed to dodge it. He then charged at Sonic, who just smirked confidently, suddenly stepping behind a palm tree, with Shadow splintering the bark as he punched it. Sonic then peeked around it, giving him a taunting grin.

''I thought I was your target. What did the poor palm tree ever do to you?'' he asked, only to duck when Shadow went for another punch and kick, only for Sonic to go into the offensive and block it. He was startled by the sudden spark of Chaos Energy emitting from Shadow, realizing that his rival was on the edge of actually going all out by using his Chaos-based attacks, and this made him even more excited. ''What's up? You can't take me down so you go for a Chaos Spear?''

''Tch, you wish,'' Shadow replied, an amused smirk on his lips, only for Sonic's eyes to widen when Shadow grabbed his arm and threw him over the shoulder, causing him to hit the ground hard. Sonic felt a numbing pain in his back, but knew he had to move, trying to get back on his feet and create some distance, only to be taken off guard by a flash of light, with Shadow having used Chaos Control to appear right on top of him, straddling him and pinning down his arms. Sonic squirmed beneath him, trying to break free, only to realize that Shadow kept a tight grip on him. Both stared at each other, Sonic's eyes narrowing as he was met by Shadow's smug gaze, with both realizing that this fight was indeed over and Shadow was the winner this time.

Sonic then sighed, rolling his eyes. ''Okay, you win. You can start gloating now about how superior you are, Mr. Ultimate Lifeform.''

''I don't have to. It is enough for me to hear you admitting that I'm superior,'' Shadow told him, clearly enjoying himself, still grinning at Sonic's peril. Sonic let out a huff, realizing that he kind of walked into that.

''Let me guess, you want me to continue praise you; all hail Shadow and all that stuff,'' Sonic replied in a deadpan tone. ''Could you at least let me go so I can get up?''

Shadow tilted his head, giving him an appraising look. ''Honestly, being on the ground like this suits you way more.''

''Next time, you'll be the one in this position,'' Sonic replied, feeling an odd sense of thrill, but not registering it fully.

''Is that a promise?'' Shadow's voice was just as taunting as ever, but there was an underlying tone of expectation.

''You bet it is,'' Sonic said, giving him a confident smirk. Even if he did admit defeat in this fight, he wasn't someone who was going to give up easily.

Shadow nodded in response, letting go of Sonic and just sat down next to him while the latter sat up, leaning against the palm tree behind him. Both took a moment to catch their breath after this exhilarating battle, remaining silent, but content with how things were. Sonic had already moved on from his loss, as he knew that there would be more battles in the future and he was looking forward to it. What he did not look forward to was the bet they had, sighing as he dreaded what Shadow would want from him.

''Hey, Shads...''

''Mhmm?''

''Remember the bet? Since you won, you get to order me around... but only for one thing!'' Sonic quickly added, not wanting to inflate Shadow's ego even more by making him think that he could do whatever he wanted. Shadow was silent, clearly thinking about how to formulate his demand.

''I want to know what you, Tails and Amy were talking about.''

Sonic was taken aback by Shadow's demand, having not expected this to come up. He felt flustered, a faint tint of red spreading across his fawn muzzle, with his next immediate thought being the question of whether Shadow had somehow overheard their conversation or not. This was a topic he did not want to touch, especially not in the presence of the person he had a crush on.

Yeah, I crossed that bridge…

Sonic sighed internally, having finally acknowledged that, no matter how much he waved off his own feelings, played it cool or just ignored them, he understood now that his emotions towards Shadow were way stronger than them just being rivals or even friends. There was an internal warmth, or rather a flame burning with passion inside him, and it was growing stronger and stronger whenever he was in Shadow's presence. Every word they exchanged and every touch they shared had only fueled it, and Sonic did not want it to go out. Therefore, he decided to finally go ahead with it.

''Tails and Amy were wondering what we've been doing, and actually thought that we went on a date,'' Sonic said, ripping off the band-aid and awaiting Shadow's response anxiously. The ebony hedgehog hummed in interest, his expression impassive.

''Rouge had also asked me the same thing. I had told her that she was mistaken and that it was just a picnic,'' Shadow replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

''Yeah, right... It was just a picnic,'' Sonic muttered, his brows furrowed as his gaze fell. He wondered what was even going on with him now, because on one hand, he was relieved that Shadow didn't make a big deal out of it. On the other hand, he was disappointed that Shadow didn't make a big deal out of it. This made him wonder whether he misunderstood the things that were said and done between them and whether what he felt for Shadow was even mutual. What if this all was just a huge mistake?

''Indeed. Because, if it was a date, I believe that either of us would've specified it first,'' Shadow continued, leaving Sonic baffled as he gave Shadow a stunned look.

''Uhhh, does this mean that you wanted it to be a date?'' Sonic asked, raising an eyebrow.

''Did you want it to be a date?'' Shadow countered, giving him a curious look. Sonic stared at him for a moment, only to finally catch on the implication and laugh, feeling a sense of relief washing over him.

''I'm really awful at this, aren't I?'' he said, taking note of Shadow's raised eyebrow. ''I'd take fighting you over confessing my feelings any day, because throwing a punch is at least less complicated than all of this mushy stuff.''

''Sonic, you are aware of whom you're talking to, right?'' Shadow asked, furrowing a brow, although there was a tone of amusement in his voice. Sonic took a moment as he processed that, yeah, between them, Shadow was definitely the one who would have more trouble expressing his feelings regardless of what it was.

''Fine, point taken,'' Sonic replied, only to start to lament, ''I still think I'm worse than you at it. At least you got us to this point, even though I have no clue how we ended up here.''

''Since when did we start to compete at who is worse at confessing their feelings?'' Shadow asked in a deadpan tone.

''Since I realized that I want to be with you,'' Sonic said, placing his hand over Shadow's and quickly leaning in, feeling now bold enough to plant a kiss on his cheek. However, this didn't go as planned, as Shadow turned his head, and due to the sudden movement, Sonic caught the corner of his mouth.

Both were taken aback for a moment, their cheeks flushed red, staring at each other. Sonic wondered for a moment if he went too fast, which was kind of ironic given who he was, only to be surprised when Shadow started to laugh. Sonic gazed at him, mesmerized by the fact that he actually managed to make Shadow genuinely laugh and quickly deciding that this was the most wonderful sound he had ever heard.

''What was that kiss? That was pathetic,'' Shadow told him, causing Sonic to frown.

''Pathetic? Dude, that's the first time I ever kissed anyone!'' Sonic protested. ''I'm completely clueless about this whole romance thing, so I thought that I might as well give it a shot and see how things turn out.''

''Then, maybe you should start practicing how to kiss properly,'' Shadow suggested. Sonic's emerald eyes widened at the suggestion, his lips parting slightly as he stared at the ebony hedgehog. Even though Shadow's gaze had softened, Sonic could still see the passion and fire in his crimson eyes, recognizing that it was the same look he would give him whenever they had dared each other to a race or a battle. Sonic smirked, having gotten the message. This wasn't an invitation.

This was a challenge.

''Oh, so you know better? Do you have any way to confirm it?'' Sonic asked mischievously. Despite the fact that this was what both of them wanted, he wasn't going to give in so easily, and Shadow knew it.

''Doubtful, are we? Well, let me prove it to you then,'' Shadow said, but before he could do anything, Sonic was back on his feet, having taken several steps back to create a proper distance between them, his body language showing that he was ready for another fight. Shadow got up, taking a fighting stance as well, knowing that this would be different than all of their previous battles. This time, their true feelings were on full display and both knew what was at stake, aware that neither of them was going to hold back anymore.

If Shadow wanted Sonic, he would have to catch his rival first.

Links:

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#Sonic Cyber Revolution (Masterlist)

#Shatter Me #Sonic Cyber Revolution Analyzer #sonic the hedgehog #shadow the hedgehog #sonic prime #sonadow prime #sonadow #amy rose #miles tails prower #rouge the bat

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niyana-the-ambiguous-mobian · 2 years

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I really liked how they used 2d animation for the master emerald backstory and I think they can utilize that in sonic 3. (Yes I’m gonna reference Kung fu panda 2 again)

Imagine they use 2d animation for parts of Shadow’s memories and implanted memories that conflict with the other but then it goes to the live action cgi hybrid style when he remembers what really happened, especially when he last saw Maria. I just also want it to be a big middle finger to those who think “animations for kids.” Wouldn’t that be cool to use the different mediums?

One. Oh my god that entire 2d sequence showing off the ME's creation and how the Owls took it from the Echidnas was just amazing, it left me so shook when I first saw it.

Two. You can never go wrong with a KFP2 reference. That movie is spectacular.

Three. Yes, animation is a medium that should be respected more and can be used for opportunities and ideas like this.

Four, I can imagine the ideal sequence for that so perfectly. It would be similar to quick flashes like when people say your life flashes before your eyes right before you die? But for Shadow it's the opposite when he's rembering his life before and after he was put under for 50 years.

Kinda picture it like this, in the 2d format, we see his memories unfold as he starts to wake up from cryogenic sleep. Quick flashes go by in the blink of an eye as he becomes fully conscious,

Him being first created in a tube in the lab, surrounded by a cool, green liquid and seeing people in white coats walking past it...

Meeting Gerald for the first time as he takes his first, wobbly steps...

Seeing his first look at the stars in the inky black void of space from the station and feeling overwhelmed...

Meeting Maria for the first time and no longer feeling scared by her presence...

...-ria.....?

He hears alarms blaring, people shouting and running as the sound of gunfire fills the air...

...maria....

He remembers clutching her hand so tightly as he pulled her with him as they ran through the long corridors, the soldiers not far behind them as he heard the footsteps of their heavy boots...

Maria...

He's trapped in the escape capsule, kicking and screaming against glass, begging Maria to let him out, the tears burning in his eyes as they streamed down his cheeks...

Maria...Maria...

She smiles weakly at him as she lies on the cold floor, her blonde hair blown over half her face and her blue eyes riped with pain, her voice faint and fragile but he could still hear it in all the unearthly noise surrounding him....

....."Goodbye...Shadow..."

MARIA!!

BOOM! He wakes up, disoriented, confused and scared. Waking up from something that felt like a dream, but turned out to be a nightmare that never ended.

====

Oookay, now comes the point of where Shadow starts to gain bits of his memories back after learning the truth (of however way they introduce that point in the plot) and sees points of his memories that did happen rather than altered.

As each memory plays out, it becomes less 2d and more mixed with the live cgi format to show that they are his true memories,

Maria taking his hand, introducing herself and giving him his name...."Shadow, your name is Shadow."

The two of them walking through the long, open halls together, having small races with the other kids that lived on the station.

Maria snapping a quick picture of him with her new Polaroid she got from Gerald, stunning Shadow like he was a dear in headlights while she laughed at his reaction.

Gerald asking him about an equation the scientists were stuck on for weeks and then solving it for them in under a minute, leaving them completely flabbergasted.

Maria snuggled up close to him as she yawned sleepily while they were stargazing in the observatory, looking at the planet below and imagining them finally down there together, just like they always wished for.

"One day when you get better, we'll go down there together. See everything that we've read about and explore all the places that we can."

"But...what if I never get better? What if I have to spend my whole life up here in space?"

Shadow wraps his arm around her as she starts to doze off. "If it comes to that, then I'll stay here with you. So that way, you'll never feel alone again."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

I leave what happens next after that sequence open ended, but let's just say there are definitely tears that are shed and now he understands what he was supposed to be made for, why he wanted to keep her promise, why he can now learn from the events of the past and live with a new purpose...

#whew....that was...hard to write #ngl that was pretty tough #sonic movie 2 spoilers #sonic movie 3 #sonic 3 #sonic the hedgehog movie 3 #movie shadow #scu shadow #scu maria #movie maria #anonymous #asks answered

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werewolf-cl4ws · 2 years

Text

Sonsally Week 2021: Day 4 - Power

So this is old, and it was something I had been poking at for a good while. This was going to be my entry for last year's Bound for Freedom Sonally week event, but while I had most of it written up, I couldn't quite get the halfway point going in the direction I wanted it to.

This takes place in my current timeline, and it takes place after my last post, which helped me to finish off this snippet almost a year later lol.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The night air was chilling as Sonic wandered through the village, so much so that Sonic felt himself shiver slightly when he found himself focusing a little too much on the cold. He quickly forced his mind to wander elsewhere, but it instantly beelined to the reason why he was out there in the first place.

Over the last week almost, since Sonic had his growth spurt thanks to his mutation, Sally and Uncle Chuck, along with Rotor’s help, had been tinkering with the ring generator in hopes of getting it to produce Power Rings that Sonic could use again.

When Sonic was first mutated one of the biggest downfalls had been that he could no longer use the Power Rings. The original theory was because Sonic’s DNA had become unstable, and Uncle Chuck had hoped that with the recent growth it meant that it had now stabilised enough for him to get the Power Rings linked back to Sonic. But after many generated rings, and twice as many blood samples taken from Sonic by Bookshire – which thinking about made Sonic’s skin crawl under his fur – none of them had worked.

Sonic had played it off at each failed attempt, as he could see the muted disappointment in everyone’s expressions. But deep down every time Sonic felt cold metal instead of energised heat from the Power Ring given to him, Sonic could feel his confidence in the idea get chipped away more and more.

And it made him start to resent the mutation more than he already was.

Sonic shook his head before he went down that path, not wanting to dwell on those thoughts again. He had come out here to try to calm himself down, not wind himself up. Though when he looked up to see where his wandering had led him Sonic couldn’t help the wince that flexed through him when he realised he had ended up at the Power Ring Pool.

Which, he had to admit, he should have expected; there had been many nights Sonic had come out here to ease his mind on the rare occasions he needed it to settle down. The sound of running water from the nearby waterfall and the calm, almost glass-like surface of the lake was always soothing. The irony of ending up here still stung a little, though now that he was there Sonic didn’t want to leave quite yet.

Not far from the lake’s bank Sonic picked up the sound of snoring, and he instantly recognised who was making the noise. Rolling his eyes, Sonic turned towards one of the nearby trees and spotted Antoine asleep at its base, snoring up a storm.

A few feet away from him the ring generator stood, still out of the water from when Rotor and Uncle Chuck had tinkered with it that afternoon. Sally had obviously asked Antoine to keep up the ring watch routine, as the ring generated that night was going to be the next one for Sonic to try after their latest recalibrations.

Sonic wasn’t looking forward to it, not really sure if he could deal with another whack of disappointment. Or another blood drawing from Bookshire. Sonic rubbed at his arms to try to chase away the thought as he approached Antoine, feeling the faint stings of past drawings at his touch.

“Ant. Ant,” Sonic hissed.

Sonic doubted that he was going to go to sleep any time soon, so he figured that he might as well do ring watch. But he didn’t want to do it while Antoine was still around. Not just because Antoine’s company at any other given time was pure torture to Sonic, but because he genuinely didn’t feel like having any company at that moment. Even if they slept the night away when they were supposed to be on watch.

“Ant!” Sonic hissed again, and this time he gave Antoine’s foot a nudge, just enough to make it slip off his other foot as the coyote had his legs crossed to make himself more comfortable.

The slight nudge was enough to wake Antoine up this time, and he jolted awake with a soft yelp. In his half-awake state Antoine looked around to get his bearings, though as he looked passed Sonic he caught a glimpse of Sonic’s amber eyes reflecting oddly in the moonlight.

That, combined with Sonic’s taller figure, as the hedgehog stood close to five foot compared to other Mobians now, gave him a much more imposing silhouette in the dim light. The sight made Antoine cry out in fear, and the coyote jumped back, practically tripping over himself as he boxed himself up against the tree he had been sleeping under moments ago.

Usually such outbursts could be brought down to Antoine being his usual jumpy self, but Sonic had caught that glimpse of genuine fear in the coyote’s eyes, and all at once Sonic found himself in a much fouler mood. After the growth spurt Sonic had been wary of showing himself to the rest of the Freedom Fighters, and it had taken some coaxing from Sally and Uncle Chuck before he worked up the courage to reveal his new look.

As Sonic expected his friends had been shocked by the change, but had remained supportive. Which Sonic appreciated, until he started to experience the repeated process of each of them baulking at him whenever he spoke to them one on one just long enough for him to notice.

The villagers were also doing the same, though their brand of shock came as wary, almost startled glances in his direction whenever Sonic had to go through the village. Some would even physically jump back if he happened to move in their direction, as if expecting him to jump out at them unprovoked.

Those little pauses and wary glances were adding up just as much as the failed Power Ring attempts, and Sonic was doing his level best to keep his cool. But he also felt like he was one pearl-clutching reaction away from losing his shit entirely.

The incident in Robotropolis was also messing with his head, and Sonic sometimes caught himself wondering if his friends and the villagers actually did have a reason to be afraid of him.

“It’s just me, Ant,” Sonic exasperated, and began tapping his foot as he waited for Antoine to calm down.

Thankfully it didn’t take long, and when Antoine realised what was happening he gave Sonic a nervous laugh, then adjusted his uniform.

“Of course, I am knowing this,” Antoine stated as he dusted himself off.

Though when he glanced at Sonic he quickly looked away, his ears folding back in fear. Sonic once again caught that, and his foot stilled, his patience up.

“I’m takin’ over, go to bed,” Sonic stated shortly.

Antoine blinked in surprise, and he looked at Sonic, this time not pulling his gaze away.

“But this is my shift, zee princess asked me--” Antoine began.

“‘nd I’m tellin’ ya I’m takin’ over, go to bed,” Sonic interrupted.

Briefly Sonic’s lips pulled back just enough to reveal the oversized canines he now possessed as he tried to bite back his frustration. Sonic hadn’t realised what he had done just then, but Antoine yelped at the sight.

Quickly he nodded, and without another word Antoine left, half bolting and half tripping over himself as he practically bolted from the hedgehog.

Sonic watched him leave, then flopped onto his rump and sighed heavily, feeling his mood deflate completely as he hid his face in one hand.

“Not the most tactical retreat, but I’ve seen worse from him,” a voice piped up suddenly, and this time it was Sonic’s turn to jump in surprise, a short hiss escaping him before he could stop himself.

When he looked for the speaker Sonic found Sally standing close by, her arms crossed and a slight frown on her face as she continued looking in the direction Antoine had ran off towards.

“Geez, Sal! Y’tryin’ to give me a heart attack?” Sonic cried.

“Usually you can hear me well before I get close to you, Sonic,” Sally pointed out. She sat down next to him, crossing her legs at her ankles. “A little distracted tonight?”

“Wit’ the way Ant was snorin’ I couldn’t hear anthin’ else,” Sonic muttered as he leaned against the tree, rolling his eyes a little. “I thought you went to bed ages ago.”

“I could say the same about you,” Sally said, tilting her head a little at Sonic. “Are you feeling okay?”

“Yeah, I just wasn’t tired so I figured a lap around the village would help,” Sonic explained, waving Sally off.

Sally watched him for a moment, trying to gauge how she could proceed here. She could tell that something was bothering Sonic, and after the last few days Sally was sure she knew what it was, but getting Sonic to admit things like this was always dicey.

“I would have figured after having three blood samples taken out of you today, that would have tired you out plenty,” Sally attempted, giving Sonic a half smile to ease in the light teasing.

Usually Sonic would use this sort of teasing as an opening to tease Sally back, or to fall back into his cool guy attitude and play it off. Which would eventually lead Sonic into realising that he could take that moment to be open with Sally.

However to Sally’s surprise Sonic pointedly tilted his head away from her without a word, though Sally heard a faint huff exhale from Sonic’s nose as he did.

This was pretty rare to see from Sonic. Sonic was loud, and very unafraid to clap back or drag someone if they hit one of his few soft spots. When he went quiet, Sally knew something was very wrong, and this, along with the interaction she witnessed between him and Antoine, confirmed it.

“Sorry. I shouldn’t tease about that,” Sally apologised.

Sonic sat in silence for a minute, before he sighed and shook his head.

“No, it’s fine,” Sonic said as he looked back at Sally, running a hand over his quills to slick them back a little. “I guess I’m just not in a jokin’ mood right now.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Sally asked, deciding that their usual methods probably wasn’t going to be the best option tonight. The fact that Sonic didn’t wince or physically squirm at the suggestion surprised Sally, but it also made her a little hopeful.

“I don’t wanna sound like a brat or anythin’, ‘cause I know you guys are doin’ everythin’ you can to get this ring thin’ to work,” Sonic began after a long pause, each word coming out like he had picked them very carefully. “It’s just that... I don’t get it. I don’t get why it’s not workin’. It’s been a week, all o’ this--"

Here Sonic gestured at himself, though when he did his motions were frustrated, almost angry, and he barely looked at himself as he did it.

“--should be settled by now, right? Or am I so damn different that even the rings can’t recognise me?”

Sally bit at her bottom lip as she tried to think of an answer. The Power Rings were a creation of Sonic’s uncle that he had made years before the coup. The original plan for them was for them to be a portal power source for machines, something that would have been useful during the last few years of the Great War. But the plan had fallen through due to the rings’ energy becoming unstable in certain machines without the use of overly expensive and complicated conductors.

Just before the coup Uncle Chuck had discovered that Sonic was able to use the Power Rings himself for an extra boost of speed and energy, and somehow he was the only one that had this strange connection to the rings. He had begun researching this phenomenon on the cusp of the coup, meaning that what he had been able to discover was limited.

Which was proving to be a great downfall as Uncle Chuck was unable to restore Sonic’s connection to the rings because of his mutation without knowing why the connection was there in the first place.

“That we’re still working on,” Sally explained after a few moments. “We were hoping it would be an easier transition, but it’s been a little harder than we first thought it was going to be.”

“I figured,” Sonic sighed. “I guess I was just hopin’ that this mutation business was done ‘nd dusted finally.”

Sally watched Sonic as he said this, noticing the way that he seemed to almost curl into himself as if he wanted to hide himself even in plain sight. It was very rare to see Sonic so down on himself, considering how confident, almost egotistical, he was, and it almost scared Sally seeing him like this.

“Maybe we’re missing something. It has been a while since you’ve used the Power Rings, after all,” Sally offered, wanting to try to steer the conversation away from too many reminders of how much Sonic had changed. “How exactly did they work for you?”

Sonic shrugged, not quite looking at Sally now.

“I dunno really. I had to like, focus on it, but it wasn’t really that hard to do,” Sonic explained. “That’s why it used to only take a second for ‘em to activate. If anythin’ it was harder to make ‘em not power up as soon as I touched ‘em, that’s why I always got one o’ you guys to slap it in my backpack or hand it over to me if I had to time it differently. If I held onto ‘em too long wit’out activatin’ it it would end up just doin’ it on its own anyway.”

“Maybe that’s it? It might just need a different focus,” Sally suggested, but frowned when Sonic shook his head, dismissing her.

“When I’m holdin’ it I can tell it ain’t workin’,” Sonic said. “Usually as soon as I grab it it gets warm, then hot. But when I touch the ring now it’s ice cold, even when it comes straight from the generator. It’s like as if it’s just a piece o’ metal.”

“It’s warm?” Sally echoed, blinking with surprise. “Whenever I hold one it feels cold.”

“Oh yeah, it’s always been warm to me,” Sonic explained. “If you could feel it you’d know that it’s doin’ its thin’.”

Sally’s eyebrows furrowed a little with concern. She knew that the Power Rings held a lot of energy, and they could be dangerous if they were placed somewhere that could make them unstable. But it never occurred to her how it might have felt to Sonic when he used them as she had never seen any negative effects on the hedgehog. If anything Sonic always seemed more energised after he had used a ring, and he always used them without any hesitation.

“Does it hurt when you use them?” Sally asked.

“Nah,” Sonic answered instantly, but then paused, tilting his head a little as he thought a little more. “Well... not anymore. The first few times I used ‘em it kinda hurt, but I don’t feel it no more.”

Sonic has meant for that statement to be reassuring, but when he looked at Sally he was surprised to see the muted shock on Sally’s face. He blinked at her, not really getting why that would worry her – he had been using the rings for so long that he barely even remembered what it was like when he first used them.

“You never told me that,” Sally gaped, shock clear in her voice. “If they were hurting you we could have done something about it. Or made you stop using them.”

“Why? It’s no biggie. ‘nd once the power kicked in it was nothin’ anyway.”

Sally squinted at Sonic, really not sure how to take this revelation.

“But it still hurts you?” Sally asked.

“It’s not like it was choppin’ my hands off, Sal,” Sonic sighed, a soft laugh in his voice. “Here, look.”

Sally watched as Sonic tugged off his gloves, before he revealed his palms to her, his fingers squeezed together. The growth spurt had made Sonic’s hands larger, and heavier looking, but he still wore his old gloves as he never liked keeping his hands bare despite them not quite fitting right any more.

At first Sally couldn’t quite see what Sonic was showing her, as she noticed the size of his hands first, then the thick pads that lined his fingers and palms. But as she looked closer Sally spotted thick scars that crossed Sonic’s palms and fingers, like he had been struck across his hands with a burning rod.

A flush of shock washed through her when Sally realised that the burns were positioned exactly where Sonic would have held the Power Rings, the marks fitting the ring perfectly. When she compared his hands Sally also realised that the scar on Sonic’s right hand was much more pronounced, while the one on his left hand was a little fainter. Not by much, but comparing the two made it obvious that Sonic favoured his right hand much more than his left when it came to handling the Power Rings.

“See? No biggie,” Sonic remarked, oblivious to Sally’s reservations as he slipped his gloves back on, flexing his fingers to get them set right once more. “But that’s wha’ I mean when I say I can tell that they’re workin’.”

“Are you sure you want to use them again?” Sally asked, still unable to shake off her concern.

“Yes,” Sonic sighed. “Look, Sal. The mutation has made me faster ‘nd stronger, but the rings always gave me a way past huge boost when things got dicey. I want that advantage back, ‘specially wit’ Doomsday gettin’ closer.”

“‘nd also... maybe they could be used to snap me back to normal if I ever go feral again,” Sonic added, his voice lowering suddenly. “I mean, it worked on unc ‘nd Muttski to break ‘em outta ‘buttnik’s programmin’, so... I dunno...”

As he said this Sonic half curled into himself again, and tilted his head away so that he wasn’t quite looking at Sally, though there was clear shame on his face. Sally also noticed that Sonic ran his hand over the shoulder he had injured during their last mission, and felt her heart sink at the revelation.

Sally pulled herself closer to Sonic’s side and leaned against him, slipping her hand around his back to pull him into a hug.

“I’m sure that was just a once off, Sonic,” Sally coaxed as she nuzzled her cheek against his. “And even though it was an extreme reaction, it was also an extreme situation that caused it.”

“I guess, but still,” Sonic sighed. “I just don’t wanna hurt anyone. Everyone’s already freakin’ about me as it is.”

“They will get used to you,” Sally stated. “And even when you were feral you still were able to control yourself, and snapped out of it when the Stealthbots nearly found us.”

Gently Sally placed her hand under Sonic’s chin and made him turn to face her.

“Despite the mutation, you’re still you, Sonic. You still love your friends and you still protect us, even against yourself,” Sally added. “And we’ll still stay by your side, no matter how this mutation ends up.”

Sonic’s eyes widened a little at Sally’s words, picking up the sincerity in them and honestly feeling a little startled by it. But even as he tried to pick up any falsehoods in Sally’s expression - his mind still bruised by everyone else’s reactions to his latest look and wanting to prove to him that this was a fragile promise – all Sonic could see was the familiar steely determination he had seen many times before in Sally’s eyes, and his mind quietened down for the moment.

“... thanks, Sal,” Sonic murmured, before he nuzzled his cheek against hers, allowing a soft purr to rumble through his throat. When Sally ran her hand along his jawline Sonic purred louder, a smirk crossing his lips as she giggled at the sound.

A low whirl of a fan suddenly sounded, and as the two turned towards the source of it they spotted to Power Ring Generator beginning to power up, a familiar glow in its chamber.

They watched as the machine grinded, its sounds usually muffled by the water when it was submerged, until the glow in its chamber rose to the top of the machine. A Power Ring then formed, and floated above the generator, waiting to be collected.

Sally stood, ready to fetch it, but then paused and looked back at Sonic, noticing the conflicted look on his face as he stared up at the ring. She hesitated, her eyes flinting between the ring and Sonic, knowing that if she didn’t collect it now the ring will be reabsorbed into the Power Stone, and they would have to wait another twelve-hours before another was generated.

This ring would also be the one that they would be testing on Sonic in the morning, as Uncle Chuck and Rotor had made more adjustments to the generator that day. But after hearing Sonic’s frustrations at the failed experiments, Sally wondered if Sonic was feeling up to trying again.

“Grab it, Sal,” Sonic eventually said, surprising Sally. She still hesitated for a moment, watching Sonic to see if he wanted to change his mind.

But when he didn’t Sally moved for the generator, not wanting to miss her chance. Sonic didn’t move from his spot as he watched Sally climb up along the generator’s side and grab the ring just before it made its descent back to its source.

Ring in hand now, Sally jumped down from the generator and sat back next to Sonic, watching as the ring’s glow faded in her grip. Like she had said before, the ring felt cold to her, despite being fresh from the generator, and Sally found herself running her hand along its length, as if chasing for that warmth Sonic had described.

When she looked back at Sonic Sally could see the apprehension on his face as he eyed the Power Ring, and an idea came to her.

“How about we try it now instead of in the morning?” Sally suggested. “And if it doesn’t work you can take a break from trying them for a day or so. How does that sound?”

Sonic’s ears folded back, instantly wanting to rebel at the idea. He wasn’t sure if he could face another bout of disappointment at that moment, but the thought of delaying it for a few hours somehow seemed so much worse to the hedgehog.

But the promise of shelfing the experiments, even just for a few days, seemed like something he could actually use.

“Yeah, sounds cool to me,” Sonic confirmed, though he found himself still hesitating when Sally held the ring out to him.

After a few moments of debating his choice, Sonic reached for the ring, only to pause once more. Before Sally could question what he was doing Sonic pulled off his gloves, folding them over his leg for safe keeping, then reached for the ring once more. There was still a moment of hesitation from the hedgehog, until he seemed to steel himself and grabbed the ring with both hands, squeezing his eyes shut.

Sally watched the ring, the darkness surrounding them now becoming an advantage as she would be able to see any hints of a glow from the ring thanks to it. However after a few seconds, which turned into a few moments, Sally felt herself deflate a little when she couldn’t see any glow at all.

Sonic meanwhile kept his eyes shut, both so that he couldn’t watch the ring, and so that he could focus on tapping into its energy without any distractions. He didn’t know how long he had his eyes shut, as it honestly felt like only a few seconds. It was only when he heard Sally gently calling his name did Sonic realise that a significant amount of time had passed, and once again the ring had done nothing.

Shoulders slumping now, Sonic opened his eyes and pulled the ring into his lap, staring down at its shiny, yet somehow dull surface, and exhaled a sigh that seemed to come from the very depths of his soul.

“I’m sorry, Sonic,” Sally sighed as she leaned into his side, nuzzling his cheek once more.

“It’s okay, Sal. It ain’t your fault,” Sonic said, leaning into her nuzzling. “But I think you’re right, I need a break from this.”

“I’ll send a message to Uncle Chuck and let him know. He might still come to Knothole anyway, but we won’t bring you into anything for a bit,” Sally confirmed. “Maybe for now try to get some sleep. You can sleep in if you want, too.”

“Wow, you’re really lettin’ me milk this, huh?” Sonic teased. “Do I get extra chilidog rations, too?”

“Getting extra rations means having to talk to Antoine, do you really want to push your luck there?” Sally pointed out, smirking as Sonic winced at the reminder. “I’ll take the ring, maybe Uncle Chuck can do something with it still.”

Sonic tapped the ring’s surface with a claw tip, his ears flickering at the metallic sound it produced.

“Actually, I might hold onto it,” Sonic said. “I dunno, maybe I’ll think o’ somethin’ that’ll get it sparkin’ again.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Who knows, maybe it’s somethin’ so simple we all ain’t seein’ it,” Sonic shrugged. “The rings can be weird like that.”

“Well, you were the only one that could use them at all in the first place, so you could be right,” Sally said.

When Sonic stood he offered his hand to Sally, helping her to her feet once she took a hold of it with and ease that almost caused Sally to stumble in her place, which made Sonic snicker at the display. Once she corrected herself Sally gave Sonic a playful slap on his shoulder, before pulling him into a hug that he returned with a good squeeze.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? Goodnight,” Sally said.

“Night, Sal. Catch ya later,” Sonic returned, planting a soft kiss on her lips. “’nd thanks for hearin’ me out. It was probably a lot.”

“You know you can come to me if anything is ever bothering you, Sonic. No matter what,” Sally stated. “Just keep me posted if anything else is going on, don’t keep it to yourself.”

“Pfft, ‘nd lose a chance to get all broody? C’mon,” Sonic grinned as he pulled away from Sally and began to make his way towards his hut.

“Broody doesn’t suit you, you’re not that kind of hero,” Sally teased, rolling her eyes as Sonic poked his tongue out at her. “Go sleep.”

“Fine, fine.”

Upon entering his hut Sonic closed his door and flopped back against it, letting out a tense sigh he didn’t even realise he was holding. The talk had helped, but there was still an odd weight in his chest that he couldn’t quite shake off.

Sonic brought the Power Ring to his eye level, watching how the moonlight bounced off its polished surface. Other than that though he still couldn’t see glow to its surface, and just like before Sonic could feel nothing but coldness from it.

“C’mon, wha’ are we missin’ here?” Sonic urged. “You worked wit’ no problems before, what’s the hold up now?”

He stared at the ring, hoping for some kind of answer to jump out at him. But when nothing changed, Sonic sighed again, the odd feeling in his chest growing thicker.

Defeated and now tired, Sonic set the ring down near his backpack and kicked off his sneakers, very much ready for bed. He could torture himself more about this tomorrow, he reasoned as he crawled back into bed. Though as Sonic drifted off to sleep he couldn’t help but stare at the Power Ring, wishing that the glow of the moonlight reflecting off it was a little more familiar instead of mocking.

#boundforfreedom #sonsally #sonsally week #sonsally week 2021 #currenttimeline #SatAMAU #sonsal #sonic the hedgehog #antoine depardieu #antoine d'coolette #saturday morning sonic #fanfiction #fanfic #sonic fanfic #satAM Sonic #queue #SatAM-CurrentTimeline

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psychangels · 1 year

Text

I Choose You

Chapter 1: Follow You

Sonic makes his first friend, a little zigzagoon that’s as lonely and hungry for adventure as he is.

read it on ao3

There’s a calm quiet over the forest, the only sounds to be heard being the rustling of leaves in the trees and the faint chirping of bird pokemon. A lone zigzagoon is running around on the dim forest floor, weaving through the brush. Upon reaching a stream, it comes to a stop. It takes a moment to lap the cool water.

It yelps in surprise as the water suddenly splashes against it harshly, a loud whoosh and the feel of cold air rushing at it accompanying the action. Shaking itself, the zigzagoon makes a questioning noise as it looks up. It just barely misses the sight of a blue blur racing off.

This blue blur is Sonic, going for a run. He’s never been to these woods before. He arrived on this island very recently in search of a new adventure. Thus far, he hasn’t found much, but he won’t give up just yet. There’s still plenty of island to explore, after all!

The zigzagoon barks, hoping to catch Sonic’s attention despite how far away he is by now. When that inevitably fails, it hurries after him. It’s never seen anything go so fast before—it must know what he is.

The little zigzagoon finds catching up to Sonic to be very difficult. It persists despite that. It zig-zags through the trees, hopping over the roots and dodging any other pokemon it comes across, who swipe or snarl at it when it passes.

It’s unphased by their aggression, used to their malice. So it runs on, focused solely on pursuing the blue blur a few meters ahead of it.

Sonic leaps and bounds over any obstacles in his way. It’s difficult to see where he’s going due to the thick canopy overhead. He wishes he were running through a field, but he’s already explored the one nearby. Oh well. This island is fairly large—Sonic is sure he’ll find another one eventually.

As it gives chase, the zigzagoon wonders if Sonic lives in these woods, too. He must be one of the pokemon that lives up in the canopy if so. Though he doesn’t look much like them…but if he isn’t from here, how did he get here? Is he from the sea? He doesn’t look like much of a swimmer. But then again, neither does the zigzagoon, and it can swim just fine.

The idea that the creature it’s pursuing could be something other than a pokemon never crosses its mind.

The two keep moving for a long while. The gap between them has been steadily growing smaller and smaller.

He’s getting tired of this thick jungle—Sonic wants to feel the wind through his quills. But at this point he has no idea how to get out. Continuing on like this won’t do him any good.

As the space between them gets a fraction shorter, he comes to a (rather clumsy) stop. He kicks up grass and dirt as he screeches to a halt.

The zigzagoon attempts to stop when it sees him do the same, but it trips over a twig, its momentum causing it to fly into the side of a tree. It lets out a yelp of pain as stars fill its vision.

When Sonic comes to a stop, he doesn’t expect to hear a sudden, loud thump. Ears pricking up and quills standing on end, he whirls around just in time to see the little zigzagoon fall to the ground, landing between the roots of the tree it rammed into.

Where did it come from? Was it…following him this whole time? As Sonic wonders, it lets out a low whine. His eyes widen as he refocuses on the situation at hand.

After a moment of deliberation, he cautiously approaches it. Reaching a hand out towards it, he gently nudges the side of its face.

The zigzagoon stirs a bit, but in its delirious daze, it quickly grows panicked. For all it knows, a predator has found it and is going to toy with it before eating it up! Its fur stands on end as it lets out a low growl.

Sonic quickly pulls his hand away, taking a step back. He looks away from it, off into the forest, but hesitates to simply leave it. For all he knows, another pokemon could’ve thrown it into the tree—or Eggman is causing trouble again. He doesn’t want to leave it defenseless. Especially if Eggman is here. Sonic hasn’t seen any signs of his tech while exploring so far, but that doesn’t mean anything.

So, he stays put, ears twitching and eyes flicking about for any signs of danger.

The zigzagoon stays lying down for a bit, waiting for the pain to go away. It hopes that whatever found it will leave it alone. Through the pain, it listens intently.

The only sounds to be heard are the distant noises of other pokemon, oblivious to the (nonexistent) danger.

The longer the silence lasts, the more unnerved they both get, waiting for something to finally spring into action.

All this staying still is starting to drive Sonic a bit crazy, his body itching to move. His foot starts to tap on its own accord, his arms crossing against his chest.

The zigzagoon, hearing the sound of his tapping foot, startles, leaping to its paws. The world spins around it with the sudden movement. Despite that, it tries its best to make itself seem intimidating. It growls and bares its fangs, its bristly fur fluffing up.

Sonic jolts at the sudden movement, eyes wide as his gaze snaps toward it and quills sticking out every which way.

Their eyes meet. They stare at one another. The sound of a bird pokemon singing up in the trees fills the air.

The zigzagoon is absolutely bewildered by him. It’s never seen anything like him before. In its disoriented state, however, it can’t come to any coherent conclusions. It’s afraid to move. Afraid to look away.

This staring contest goes on for a surprisingly long time—or, at least, that’s how it feels to them. Realistically, it only lasts for about a minute, maybe less.

Everything after that is a blur.

The zigzagoon manages to push down its curiosity enough to turn tail and flee, despite its pain.

Sonic leaps back, expecting it to attack, only to watch as it scurries off, disappearing into the shadows of the undergrowth. He stares after it for a few moments.

So…no badniks, then.

He shrugs to himself, then hurries off, eager to continue exploring and completely forgetting why he stopped at all.

The zigzagoon has run a decent way away when it finally stops, panting heavily. It flops down onto the ground. Its sore muscles and throbbing head don’t like any of the quick movements it's been making. It won’t get up for a while yet.

As it lies there, it realizes that Sonic never attacked it—in fact, he didn’t seem aggressive at all. Well, aside from all of those sharp needles sticking out of him. Although, the zigzagoon has similar prickles…maybe—searing pain clouds its mind, keeping it from assuming anything else.

Hopefully it’ll run into him again soon. It’ll be better prepared. And it’ll figure out what he is. And, hopefully, it won’t ram into anything.

— — —

Sonic is taking a leisurely run through a thicker part of the woods he hasn’t been to yet. He’s going a tad bit slower than usual due to the dense undergrowth, the fact that he has no idea where he’s going, and the semi-surprisingly large amount of fallen trees. There was a storm recently—it must’ve taken them down. It’s been raining more and more lately. He idly wonders if the zigzagoon he encountered a while ago is alright.

It’s been a week—or maybe two? Three? He isn’t sure—since he ran into it. Most pokemon he comes across avoid him, attack him, or want to play. The zigzagoon is a bit of an outlier. He supposes he can’t blame it for how it reacted, though. Pain makes you stupid—well, sometimes. He hopes the little guy recovered alright.

He finds the answer to that question in the span of a few mildly chaotic moments.

The zigzagoon had wandered into this part of the forest while foraging, and now it��s lost. It’s sniffing at some mushrooms when it hears Sonic rapidly approaching. Fur standing on end, it whirls around, teeth bared and a growl rising in its throat. However, when it recognizes the blue blur coming towards it, it perks up.

It may not be prepared like it wanted, but this time, it’ll catch him for sure!

Before it can get a chance to start pursuing, however, Sonic quickly leaps over it.

He puts all his weight down and positions his feet just-so when he lands in an attempt to slow down. Grass and dirt go flying as he slowly comes to a stop, finally halting a little ways away from the zigzagoon.

His sloppy stop left behind shallow tracks in the ground, disturbing some bug pokemon. Sonic glances down at them, and thinks about what to have for lunch.

He shakes himself. Not the time for that.

Sonic turns towards the zigzagoon, offering a smile and a wave.

Assuming that the hand motion is a greeting of some sort, it barks its own hello and races towards him.

It’s a little sad that it didn’t get to chase him again, but this way it’ll get to inspect him properly.

When it reaches him, it circles around him, sniffing. Sonic, for his part, simply stands still, watching it.

It has no idea what he could be. He looks sort of like a pokemon, and he acts like some it’s seen around, but something about him seems…off. The zigzagoon can’t quite place what it is, though.

Surely he must be a pokemon. That’s the only thing that makes sense, right? The logic is sound enough for the zigzagoon, even if it isn’t quite satisfied with this conclusion. There’s got to be more to it—but it has no other reference aside from itself and the other mons on the island. In fact, as far as the zigzagoon is concerned, this island is the whole world.

But now all of that is starting to crumble due to Sonic’s presence.

There must be more creatures like him. It wonders if he can take it to them. Maybe…maybe they would want to be friends with it. After all, he seems to like it. Maybe they would too.

It’d be nice to be someplace where every creature around doesn’t hate it.

Once it’s done inspecting him, the zigzagoon stops in front of Sonic. It sits down and stares up at him, waiting to see what he’ll do.

After all, just because he didn’t strike last time doesn’t mean he won’t now. Surely he’ll shoo it away any moment.

(So why does it stay, despite that?)

Sonic stares back, uncertain what to do now. After a moment, he decides he’ll sit down, too. Hopefully he won’t have to sit still for too long. He isn’t sure he’ll be able to. He can already feel the itch to move brewing.

As they sit in silence, watching one another, it comes to the obvious and inevitable conclusion that he does not, in fact, hate it. Perhaps…they are friends, then? It’s not really sure how this is supposed to work.

Sonic is starting to get bored.

He doesn’t really understand what’s going on here. Is this some sort of test? He hopes not. As far as Sonic is concerned, pokemon don’t do tests. But then again, what does he really know about them? They’re total wild cards; sometimes they’re friendly, sometimes they’ll attack you if you so much as look at them.

They generally seem to like him, though—which is a nice change of pace. He likes them, too. They’re fun to play with when they let him.

After sitting for a decent while, the zigzagoon gets up and pads over to him. It lifts its front legs up, thrusting its paws forward to lean on him.

Sonic startles as its paws land on his crossed legs, its steady gaze boring into him.

Did he pass the test? Or is this part of it? He holds in a sigh.

When he doesn’t outwardly react, it starts to back off, worried that it’ll annoy him. As the zigzagoon moves away, it bumps into one of his hands.

He looks down at the hand it accidentally nudged. After a moment of contemplation, Sonic reaches out towards it and pats it on the head.

The zigzagoon freezes. Then, its tail starts to wag. It moves closer, looking up at him with wide eyes. When he starts to scratch behind one of its ears, it leans into the touch, its tail wagging at ferocious speeds.

Sonic chuckles, amazed.

Most pokemon don’t let him get close enough to pet them, especially the ones that travel in groups. Come to think of it, both times he’s run into the little guy, it’s been alone. At first he thought that it just preferred to be alone, like him. But now…

He’s starting to wonder if it’s a choice.

The zigzagoon’s stomach growls loudly, startling both of them.

It debates with itself whether or not food is more important than pets.

Sonic winds up deciding for it, as he gives it a few last pats before he moves to get up. It reminded him that he hasn’t eaten for a while. Now he’s thinking about those bugs he disturbed earlier. They’re long gone by now, though.

Oh well. This island is full of bug pokemon. He’ll be able to find some to snack on easily.

The zigzagoon hurries to step away as he rises to his feet. It looks up at him curiously. Is he going to help it hunt? Or is it time for him to go?

It is.

He looks down at the zigzagoon and waves, offering it a smile. Then he speeds off to find some food, leaving a blue afterimage behind.

It barks in response to his wave, staring at his afterimage until it fades. Then, it races off to find its own food, clambering up the nearest tree as best it can.

It hopes that the next time they cross paths, they can do something exciting—it wouldn’t mind a race.

— — —

It’s a cloudy, windy day. The ocean is more aggressive than usual, the waves beating against the rocky cliffs and sandy shores. The pokemon are antsy, hiding away in the canopy, undergrowth, burrows; anywhere they can find, really. Save for a lone zigzagoon, who is still running about, seemingly none the wiser to what all the others are aware of. Every creature it passes stares at it with wide eyes, in awe of its bravery—or, perhaps, its stupidity.

In truth, it knows exactly what’s going on. It simply doesn’t care.

Sonic is much the same.

By now, he’s explored almost every crevice that this island has to offer. He was planning on leaving today, but he knows these winter storms well enough now. There’s no way he’d be able to get out of here without crashing into the ocean. He’d rather take his chances here, on dry land, thank you very much. So, here he still is.

He’s lying between the roots of a tree near his plane, the Tornado, just at the edge of the forest. The plane itself is parked in the large field beyond the woods.

He’s in the middle of a nap when the zigzagoon stumbles across him. It lets out a few cheerful barks in greeting, racing up to him.

Sonic jolts awake immediately, quills standing on end and ears flicking in the direction of the yapping. Once he recognizes it, however, he quickly calms, smiling at the zigzagoon when it reaches him.

It leaps up and licks his cheek, before backing up a bit and woofing again, its tail wagging faster than he can run.

Sonic can’t help but laugh, wiping the slobber off with one hand and reaching out to pet it with the other.

It leans into the touch for a moment, before it turns to look at the Tornado.

It woofs again as it runs around the plane in circles. The zigzagoon has never seen anything like it before! Its glossy, bright red paint makes it stick out like a sore thumb amidst the greenery around it. The zigzagoon must know what it is!

It continues to run in circles, thinking that this big, red pokemon will surely notice it eventually.

Sonic merely watches, eyes wide at first before beginning to laugh. He shakes his head as he stands up, moving to stand in the zigzagoon’s path. It merely goes around him instead of stopping like he’d thought. The next time it comes around to him, he plucks it up. Then, he climbs up into the cockpit of the plane. Once he’s in the seat, he sets it down in his lap, then watches to see what it’ll do.

It sniffs around at first, trying to figure out what everything is. The zigzagoon’s not quite sure what to make of it. Then, it hops out from the cockpit, clambering atop the plane. It slips and slides on the metal, its paws unable to get a good grip. It lets out a yelp as it slides off the side.

Sonic quickly hops out, catching it before it can hit the ground.

The zigzagoon decides that it doesn’t like the Tornado very much.

It starts squirming in his grip, which has the intended effect of making him set it down.

He quirks a brow at it.

Moving away from the Tornado with a soft growl directed at it, it starts to head further into the field before stopping. It just remembered what it had wished for after their last meeting: a race!

It recalls how exhilarating it was to chase after him when they first met, and since then it’s tried to find that rush again. Playing and racing with the other pokemon has never been able to make it feel that way. Now, with them all out of the way thanks to the incoming storm, they can race around the whole island without any trouble!

Well, so long as they stay in the forests, anyways. The canopy should protect them from the brunt of the elements.

Taking the opportunity for what it is, it looks around for a good starting place. Once it finds one—a path of sorts, old and worn, but clear enough to run straight along—the zigzagoon hurries over to it. It turns to him and barks.

Sonic stares at the zigzagoon, baffled, but makes his way over regardless. Upon reaching it, it lowers the front half of its body, as though bowing. He blinks at it, tilting his head as he tries to wrap his head around what is going on, before it clicks.

With a grin, he gets into the starting position.

Three…

The zigzagoon watches him, waiting to see what he’ll do next.

Two…

Sonic takes a deep breath. He maps out the island in his mind, figuring out the best route.

One!

He shoots off with a blast of air, disturbing the plants around them.

The zigzagoon yelps in surprise as the wind batters it. Shaking itself, it launches forward, hurrying after him.

The downpour starts in the midst of their race. Sonic is miles ahead—literally—but the zigzagoon hasn’t given up yet. It’s still got plenty of energy to burn.

Its fur stands on end with each clap of thunder and flash of lightning. The rainforest protects them from the brunt of it, the rain not even touching them—but the mud is an entirely different beast. The zigzagoon’s fur is soaked through and caked with it.

Sonic isn’t faring any better: his socks are soaked through, and his shoes are wrecked. He’s had to slow down a substantial amount in order to keep from slipping. At this point, he’s beginning to consider abandoning the race entirely.

They really ought to find some shelter. They’re safer down here than if they were out in the open, but if the storm gets any worse, it could send trees crashing down. He’d rather not get trapped under any.

As much as Sonic loves a good race, this one doesn’t really seem worth it—especially considering he lost sight of his competitor ages ago.

He figures the zigzagoon must’ve given up by now.

After another moment of consideration, he doubles back. He’s fairly certain he remembers seeing a cave somewhere. He can hunker down there for the rest of the storm, then head for the Tornado and leave once it’s passed—or at least calm enough to fly through.

The zigzagoon is surprised when it sees him running toward it instead of away. It rushes forward, barking, but slips, landing face-first in the mud. It tries to push itself to its paws, but it can’t get a good grip. It whines, its ears folding back against its head. It’s beginning to regret this whole idea.

When Sonic picks it up, it cries out and starts squirming, unaware of what’s going on thanks to all of the muck it’s covered in.

He’s surprised to find it still pushing on, despite everything. But as much as he admires its persistence, it’s time to get out of the storm.

Sonic looks for that cave he’s sure he saw somewhere around here. At least, he thinks so. He turns this way and that, before finally, there!

Sonic dives into the dark of the cave, tugging the zigzagoon close to his chest. The feel of wet, muddled fur against him is unpleasant, but he elects to ignore it as best he can for now. It’s not like he’s any better.

It doesn’t take long before Sonic is unable to stand the sensation anymore, and pushes the zigzagoon away from him. Sitting upright, he looks out of the cave entrance right as lightning strikes, illuminating the surrounding area for a split second. He turns away, looking towards the zigzagoon.

As soon as he does, he finds himself with a face full of mud, as it had elected to shake itself off at that moment. Because of course it did.

With a sigh, he reaches up and wipes the filth off.

The zigzagoon pants heavily as it makes its way over to him, flopping down with its head resting on one of his legs. He cringes at the contact, but doesn’t make any move to push it away again. Instead, he takes off his gloves, socks, and shoes, setting them aside to dry. He’ll have to stop by a stream and wash up before leaving.

Sonic leans back against the cave wall, setting one hand on the zigzagoon’s back, mindlessly petting the dryer parts of its fur. Shutting his eyes, he tries to will himself to sleep, despite the discomfort and mud.

It isn’t working. He sighs loudly. It hasn’t even been a minute. It feels like hours.

The zigzagoon is content where it is, happy to be petted. It nuzzles closer to Sonic as it drifts off to sleep, its tail curling close to its body.

He glances down at it, smiling at the sight. It’s a drastic change of pace from when they first met, when it was all growls and silent, uneasy staring. Now that Sonic’s thinking about it, they haven’t known each other for very long. Despite that, the zigzagoon seems to have warmed up to him rather quickly. He stares at it. No other pokemon has ever been so interested in him. So what’s the deal?

With a sigh, Sonic decides to think about it some other time. He shuts his eyes again, waiting for sleep to take him.

Eventually, he drifts off into an uneasy slumber.

— — —

It’s a cloudy, windy day. The ocean is more aggressive than usual, though the waves aren’t pounding against the island as harshly as before. The pokemon are going about their usual routines, hunting and playing and whatnot. Save for a zigzagoon, who is sound asleep in a cave with Sonic.

It’s none the wiser to how the storm has long since passed.

Sonic has been awake for quite some time now.

For some reason, he can’t get himself to leave. He should be far from the island by now, soaring through the skies in the Tornado. But here he still is, in this dark, damp cave on the rainforest floor.

Sonic had been in-and-out of slumber for a while, before eventually he gave up on sleeping at all. When the rain had finally stopped, he’d tried to get up, but found he couldn’t.

He should just move the zigzagoon off of him, stand up, and go. But he just…can’t.

The only thing he can do is look around and pet the zigzagoon. So that’s what he’s been doing. Not that there’s anything particularly interesting to look at around here; the cave is too dark to see much of anything, and the entrance is too narrow to see a lot outside. At least petting the zigzagoon is…something to do.

Sonic isn’t sure what the deal is. Normally he can get up and go just fine. Sure, sometimes it’s a bit of a struggle, his body unwilling to do what he wants—but he’s always pushed through it. What’s different now?

The zigzagoon shifts against him. It yawns, making a sleepy little noise. Its ears twitch as it opens its eyes and looks around. When it sees Sonic, its tail wags a little.

It slips away from him, shaking itself. When that doesn’t work to get the dried mud off its fur, the zigzagoon tries to lick it off, which is…mildly effective, but slow-going.

For some reason, this is what enables Sonic to get up. He rises to his feet and scoops the zigzagoon up, then leaves the cave, grabbing his dirty clothes and shoes on the way out.

The little zigzagoon squeaks at suddenly being plucked up, but doesn’t struggle against him. Instead, it simply watches him, curious.

It takes a little while to find any streams, especially since he didn’t run, but eventually, he hears the bubbling of one nearby.

Hurrying over to it, Sonic kneels down, setting the zigzagoon down near the edge of the water.

He immediately begins cleaning his things, scrubbing at them until the pads of his paws are sore. He watches as the dirt slowly gets washed away, the specks floating downstream.

The zigzagoon observes him, baffled, before it turns away to lap at the cool water. Once it’s had its fill, it wades into the brook, rolling around in the water and licking at the filth on its fur to help get it off. It’s (relatively) clean in no time at all.

With a cheerful little woof, it gets to its paws and shakes itself off, sending water flying everywhere. Sonic cringes away. Not understanding what the matter is, the zigzagoon tilts its head at him. He just offers it a lopsided smile.

Sonic pulls his socks and gloves out of the water and wrings them out, before setting them on a nearby rock to dry. They’re about as clean as they can get. His shoes, on the other hand…

He dunks them deep into the water, trying to get the muck out from the insides. When he pulls them back out, he watches as dirty water leaks out from the holes in the soles. Then he repeats the process.

While he’s doing that, the zigzagoon is sniffing around for food. The wind knocked some fruits down from the canopy. There’s some berry bushes nearby, too.

Its stomach growls at the thought. Though it wouldn’t also mind some meat, maybe a wimpod or a dwebble…it looks back towards Sonic, quickly deciding that straying too far to find any prey isn’t worth it. Besides, berries and fruits are just as yummy!

When he finally feels that his shoes are clean enough, Sonic sets them aside to dry before he splashes some water on himself. He figures he’ll wash the worst of it off, then get something to eat and leave while he still can.

While he doubts another storm will strike so soon, he knows just how quick the weather can take a turn for the worst—he’d rather not test his luck. And the sooner he gets into the air, the sooner he can get back to exploring new places and discovering new things. Not that he doesn’t like this island. It’s a nice little place. But he’s seen all it has to offer.

By the time Sonic is (relatively) clean and dried off, the zigzagoon has found several fruits and berries. It brings them over to him, dropping them in front of him before it digs in.

He’s a bit surprised. Well, he doesn’t have to go looking for anything to eat now. That makes things a bit easier.

He scoops up a handful of berries and tosses them into his mouth.

Its tail wags as it watches, pleased that it did something right.

In the span of a few moments, all of the food is gone.

Rising to his feet, Sonic stretches his arms and legs, then he goes to check on his things. They’re still dripping, but he puts them on anyway, opting to ignore the icky sensation of the wet fabric against his fur.

The zigzagoon follows him, tail still wagging happily and gaining speed when he looks over at it. He offers a smile and a pat to the head, then with a quick wave, he’s off, disappearing into the forest.

It stands there staring after him for a moment, its tail drooping.

And then it chases after him.

By the time Sonic gets back to the Tornado, his clothes and shoes are about as dry as they’ll get for now. It’s still uncomfortable, but he’s dealt with far worse.

As he climbs into the cockpit, he looks back to where he came. For a moment, he regrets leaving the zigzagoon so abruptly.

He shakes his head.

He was never going to stay here. It’s good to get all the goodbyes over with quickly—lingering leaves room for hesitation. He can’t afford to hesitate.

It’s better this way.

Sonic starts the Tornado up.

As the plane rolls across the ground, steadily picking up speed, the zigzagoon emerges from the forest. It hurries to catch up when it sees him.

Its fur bristles the closer it gets, but it shoves down its fear and presses on.

Its muscles tense up as the Tornado starts to lift off.

And then, it leaps.

Sonic stares in awe at the brown-and-tan blur that’s flying through the air towards the plane. He almost feels bad, figuring it’ll get hurt—but there’s a part of him that’s saying you can make it.

Paws meet metal, slipping and sliding, until jaws clamp down around one of the supports for the wings. The tangy taste reminds the zigzagoon of a successful hunt. The pain radiating through its jaw sort of ruins that feeling of victory, but it’ll take what it can get.

Sonic can’t help but laugh. The sounds of the plane and the rushing of the wind are almost loud enough to drown out his guffaws.

Eventually, the zigzagoon lets go of the beam and shakily stands up. It gazes out at the endless blues of the sky and sea all around it, eyes wide. Slowly, it turns to look behind it, its tail wagging when it sees Sonic’s cheerful face. He almost blends in with the world around him, only the red of the plane separating him from it all.

As they soar through the skies, Sonic’s laughter still filling the air, the zigzagoon decides that the Tornado isn’t so bad after all.

#sonic #sonic the hedgehog #pokemon #pokemon au #sonic au #classic sonic #zigzagoon #sonic fanfiction #pokemon fanfiction #angelwrites.txt

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