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went to the symphony this weekend and met ohtani. he signed my lanyard. i will never be normal about this again 👍

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paging all my shadow writers on the dash. how're you holding up

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✭ — independent & selective blog for SONIC THE HEDGEHOG from SEGA'S SONIC SERIES. (game) canon compliant & headcanon inspired, occasionally dipping into other sources such as sonic x or idw. oc and crossover friendly. set free by ame (any pronouns, 21+, gmt +0) since oct. 2013. 🌴

                                    I RULES.          II ABOUT.          III HEADCANONS.     

low activity / mutuals only. personals are welcome to read, but please don't reblog. thank you! ✰

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     Eugh.. why did he just feel a shiver down his spine —

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     "Any requests?"

          "Commit a crime. It would be funny."

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ok i know i posted this a month ago but what if i mean it this time

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     Sonic, to a certain degree, has touch aversion. Personal space is greatly important to him, and so he keeps a comfortable distance with most. Outward affection has never been his thing — hugs, no matter how well intentioned, always leave him a bit stiff.

     He doesn’t dislike touch; with those he’s familiar with, it’s easier to accept. Friendly gestures, such as an arm around the shoulders, are welcomed. He may even initiate these! But it really depends on the day or his mood. Sometimes, even a subtle brush of a hand can make him squirm. If you’re patient and allow him to lead (in his own time), your chances of recieving some ‘hog favour are much higher. With romantic partners he’s more receptive, but expect him to wiggle out of your arms now and then.

     The exception to the rule is hand holding. More specifically, holding his hand out for others.

     Offering a hand — the olive branch — is a recurring theme with Sonic. While he may not see it as some grand or intimate gesture, there’s something warm about it. A sincerity in the choice to take it; to choose freedom.

     When you’re like the wind, you aren’t meant to be a constant companion. The adventures Sonic goes on are ephemeral, and occasionally, so are the connections he finds. But in those connections, no matter how fleeting, is lasting impact. Sonic has a way of changing the lives of those he meets, and for some, that change comes in the way of an outstretched hand. Yes, I want to live life. In spite of fear. In spite of pain. In spite of knowing it all ends.

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"Whoa, whoa —" It's not the first time Sonic's been sent flying after a fight; and knocking his spindashing for into a too - large badnik with her hammer often seems to cause just that. The pink heroine sees him coming down and bolts to where he'll probably hit; it's an easy catch, once she's sure she's lined up, and he lands safe and snug in the their arms. It's easy — like holding a couple of grapes — and there's not even any damage from his quills, would you look at that! "Woo, that was close! You okay, Sonic?"

       So, here’s the thing: he’s pretty good with a spindash. If you were to ask him, Sonic would confidently tell you there’s no bot he can’t shred through… usually. Because, usually, Eggman doesn’t create badniks that are made of chromium. He ping-pongs off it like a bouncy ball. Dizzy is an understatement.

     As he’s free falling through the air, imaginary stars rotating around his head, he doesn’t notice Amy running to catch him. He lands in her arms with a thud and briefly wonders how he isn’t a splat on the floor.

     “Uh…” Sonic shakes his head and looks up, eyes finally centering on her face. “Wow,” he whistles, grinning wildly. “Nice catch, Amy!” His voice takes on a playful tone. “Guess I really fell for you this time, huh?"

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Groove Rush ✨ (1/2)

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     Sonic is one more yawn away from falling asleep when Shadow finally appears. The light of chaos control flashes directly in his face, startling him. “Hey —!” Well, he isn’t tired now.

     “Yeah…” he mumbles, swiftly finding his composure again. “It’s no problem.” Sonic is half tempted to pull his leg, but reconsiders as Shadow, er... glitches? Malfunctions? It’s hard to tell. It’s easy to forget, sometimes, that… this is… “Seems like you had a difficult time finding me.” Okay, he can't help but tease a little bit.

     The roof subtly shakes as the train begins to leave the station, announcing it’s departure with a loud whistle. “So,” Sonic says, leaning back on one hand. “Flowers, huh? What’s the occassion?”

>> WARP COMPLETE.

In a green zap of energy, Shadow manifests inside Station Square, startling a mother and daughter waiting for the train. He winces, but chooses not to address them. He should be here. I can feel it. His ocular senses shift to a detailed "heat-map display".

MULTI-USAGE HEAT MAP FOR PROJECT SHADOW VER. 2.0 SETTING: CHAOS ENERGY ||||||||||||||||||||||| HIGHEST READING: NNW 0.0039 KM

Shadow glances around without moving his head. Where...above me? He turns his head to look up--a blob of red-orange among the neutral green of the heat map in the vaguest shape of a hedgehog. I suppose so. I should have known.

Despite being out of place in the middle of the Station Square lobby, he finds that he is not being given any attention. He crosses his arms and closes his eyes.

>> INITIATE "CHAOS CONTROL.EXE" >> LAST INITIATED > 1 MIN. >> RUN

With a high pitched whine and a flash, Shadow vanishes again, and reappears on the roof in front of Sonic. "I kept you waiting," he says, not bothering to greet him properly or acknowledge his sudden existence. "For that, I apologize, and thank you for--for yOuR PaTiEnc-c-ce--"

His voice distorts, and he shakes his head, clearing the message from his internal display:

>> !! WARNING! CHAOS DRIVE "A" TEMPERATURES EXCEEDING 100C. !! >> INITIATING COOL DOWN PROCEDURES. PLEASE WAIT.

I need a tune-up, Shadow thinks. However, I have put off this errand for too long. Flowers first.

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     “Anyone who wrongs you?” He asks with a tilt of his head. “That wouldn’t be a long list, would it?” Sonic shrugs. “I’ve got things to do.”

     “Besides,” he continues, giving Amber a smirk of his own. “That’d include me, right?” Water under the bridge, of course... but he’s going to joke about it; especially while there's a chaos emerald buried in his quills as they speak.

@lightdash / continued:

"Hm... Seems like I did. Does that mean I can ask you to take care of anyone who wrongs me?" She gave the hedgehog a sly smirk as she questioned him, placing her hands onto her hips.

"You know, since you like helping people and all that." Her tone had a hint of mockery in it, but her words seemed almost sincere.

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     Station Square — 00:13:00.

     "The train headed for the Mystic Ruins will be departing soon…"

     High above on the roof of the station, Sonic sits, watching people go about their days. The afternoon sun is at it’s peak in the sky, and as the hour changes, a few stragglers rush inside to catch the train. An intercom announcement slips past the open doors and to his ears.

     1pm and still no sight of him. Sonic rests his chin on his palm and mumbles, “please wait for me,” reciting the voice memo from earlier. It’s only been twenty minutes — enough time for him to feel antsy. On another day, he might’ve ran off already… but Shadow needs his “company and sensibility”.

     Sonic yawns so hard his eyes water. “These flowers better be for someone important.” Shadow never does anything in halves, he thinks. Maybe it’s a gift? Or an apology. Rouge usually prefers things that shine…

C:\…log\lightdash\formal_request_memo.mp3

The following voice memo reaches @lightdash 's message box. The audio quality is crystal clear, but the voice itself sounds...like Shadow, but canned somehow. As if Shadow were run through a text-to-speech AI.

"Good afternoon. I realize this is out of the ordinary, but I would like your assistance in a botanical endeavor." A very faint series of trilling beeps interrupts the message. "Translation: I need help getting flowers. I am aware that I can visit a "florist" and obtain what I need...but I would like your company and sensibility.

"If you wish to accept, please meet me at the Station Square train station within the hour. Please wait for me if I am not there immediately. I will be able to sense your geolocation within a certain distance, and will arrive shortly. Thank you."

The same series of beeps plays again, and an even more robotic version of Shadow's voice sounds. "END OF MESSAGE. RECORDED ON SAT--"

The recording abruptly cuts off.

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     Uh, he's confused, why do people keep poking his nose —

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On the planet Sonic and co. inhabit, there are two primary sources of energy: Life & Chaos.

     Life Energy is the heartbeat of their world — the source of all, one that can be found in every living being (both flora and fauna). It’s the very essence of the planet itself, comparable to aether or the lifestream in Final Fantasy. Naturally occuring, vital, and poisonous in excess.* ①

     While Life Energy is more something you feel rather than see, it has some instances of manifestation: the aurora borealis, bioluminescent waters, and light rays being some. With the correct technology, this energy can be condescended into a physical form, which is the green liquid seen in Lost World. Despite it’s volatile nature in this state, it can be used to power machines, tech, and even people — at a cost.

     The most well-documented examples of physical manifestation of Life Energy are the Chaos Emeralds: the result of energy coagulating over many, many years. While it’s been theorized that there may have been more emeralds in early history, there are now only seven, not including the Master Emerald. As for why the planet stopped producing them, no one knows.

     The deities of their world, Dark* ② and Light Gaia, are made of Life Energy.

This is why Chip’s powers, such as the protective shield around Sonic, and Dark Gaia’s blood, are all green.

     After the Time of Awakening comes to a close, the two rejoin at the world’s core and become whole again — Gaia, a singular entity: their Planet Egg.

     During the very first sundering of the planet, the Chaos Emeralds were thrown into the cosmos as the earth cracked apart. They drifted into space, lost for a millenia, before falling into the hands of The Ancients. The emeralds were a great boon to them, and through their studies, became the first to utilize Chaos Energy to power their technology.

     Chaos Energy is the magic force of Life Energy. It’s mystical and difficult to predict; thoughts to will, energy to power — “power enriched by the heart.” Because the Chaos Emeralds are a direct result of the planet, inside them, they carry it’s memories. These are traces of endless history and information, constantly flowing and rearranging; the very thing that inspired the Ancients to create Cyberspace. This knowledge not only connects the user to the emerald, but allows them to tap into it’s power.

     While everyone on their planet is made up of Life Energy, not all can use the emeralds to harness Chaos Energy. Only those with a strong chaos affinity (chaos sensitive?) can. Sonic, as an example, was able to teleport with the fake emerald* ③ in Sonic Adventure 2 thanks to his chaos affinity. Like any other magic, this is a skill that can be practiced… if you have an emerald. * ④

     Because Chaos Energy is magic influenced by the user’s emotions, there are three types: Negative, Neutral, and Positive. All have different outcomes, ergo, different kinds of powers. While anyone with a chaos affinity can use all three, some may lean closer to one side than the other.

     After the remaining Ancients migrated to Angel Island, they were around for the next Time of Awakening and aided Light Gaia in it’s quest to fix the planet. They wrote the Gaia Manuscripts, and built the world’s first Gaia Temples; buildings based on their own, past experiences harnassing the emeralds’ power.

     As thanks for their help, Light Gaia revealed the true nature of the Master Emerald; a host. Directly linked with Gaia inside the planet’s core, it’s vaguely sentient, and the most powerful gem on Earth — even surpassing that of the Chaos Emeralds with it’s ability to perform incredible miracles, such a warping reality itself, or raising an entire island into the sky.

①. Chaos Radiation is what happens when you get too much of a good thing. In excess, both Life and Chaos Energy can make you quite sick. What starts off as nausea and unease can eventually lead to full cell degradation. Fortunately, the latter takes some time… like, a few thousand years kind of time. Unless you're playing god or very unlucky lol.

②. Dark Gaia Energy is not a seperate source of energy, but is actually Negative Chaos Energy.

③. Fake emeralds are similar to Chaos Drives. Condescended. Chaos emeralds are the natural version, and chaos drives/fake emeralds are the man-made option.

④. In the case of Shadow, he does not need an emerald to access basic Chaos Energy due to the nature of his creation. Gerald’s use of Chaos Drives gave Shadow a natural reservoir of Chaos Energy — basically, making him his own Chaos Drive. An emerald makes it so he can use stronger abilities.

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Have you seen that video of Juni'chi and Taeko singing a love song together as Sonic and Amy? My Favourite Things is the name I believe.

OH yes, i have seen it! fun fact about said love song: it’s an original! kanemaru-san and kawata wrote it together to perform at a party, and it’s meant to be sonic and amy singing about their favorite things (and of course, their favorite thing is each other). aa… it’s really the cutest thing ever 😭 💖