#Boon The Hedgehog

[e-vay]

A Guide to My AU ("Evay AU")

Hello! I make art for anything and everything I love, but if you follow me you'll find that a large amount of my content is centered around my own Sonic AU. I thought I'd make a handy little guide for those of you who are new and just learning about my AU or for those of you who have been following me but might want a refresher.

★This guide is a living document that will be continuously amended as I make changes and additions to my stories. ★

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OVERALL PREMISE

My AU centers around Sonic & Friends through adulthood as they navigate relationships, careers, marriage and family. The primary genres are "slice of life" and "romantic comedy" with some action/drama interspersed throughout. My AU mostly follows the video game canon and the IDW canon with some elements from Sonic Boom and Sonic X tossed in and then I created my own characters and stories to fill in the gaps. My AU DOES NOT include the Sonic Cinematic Universe, Archie comics/characters, Fleetway comics/characters, Sonic Prime, SatAM, the OVA, Sonic Underground, the 1992 Manga, etc.

SPECIAL NOTES

In my AU, I depict "Classic" versions of the Sonic cast as their younger selves with their "Modern/Boom" versions being older.

Although my canon does not include Archie/SatAM, I do refer to Sonic characters' classification as "Mobians" and the planet they are on is referred to as Earth/Mobius interchangeably. I credit this as simply "cultural variation" between humans and Sonic characters but they all originate from the same planet.

MOST IMPORTANTLY please remember this is a fanmade AU. Nothing I say, write or draw influences the Sonic franchise or canon in any way. I'm just here to have fun and I hope you enjoy the ride!

KEY

For the timeline below, Canon Sonic characters will be highlighted in blue and my original characters will be highlighted in pink.

If there is a comic or written fic that corresponds with an element of the timeline, I will include it as a hyperlink.

ABRIDGED TIMELINE

Project Shadow is created and suspended.

Domino and Phlox meet. Sonic is conceived.

Domino raises Sonic to approx. toddler age until she loses her life in a flash flood. Sonic is left alone to fend for himself and eventually represses his memories of Domino to cope with the trauma.

Clay Rose and Lulu Petula meet. Together, they have Amy and she lives with her parents until her fortune cards lead her to meeting Sonic.

Majority of the game/IDW canon takes place.

CC (originally labeled as "Code Compiler") is a spherical/ovoid robot created by an independent inventor (no relation to the Robotniks) to assist with production. CC's intelligence rapidly evolves and she gains sentience much to her creator's dismay. After a struggle, the inventor powers her off and the workshop falls into disrepair. The building is marked condemned and CC's chassis remains hidden within the rubble.

Sonic and Phlox run into each other on several occasions. Neither realize they are related.

Amy begins her pursuit of archaeological studies.

A mystery woman going by the name "Light" (who is secretly Aurora from the future) appears and warns Sonic & Team of an oncoming threat that is hellbent on killing Shadow before wreaking havoc on the planet. Light claims she was sent here with the task of protecting Shadow but is not forthcoming with any other information about herself or her 'previous team'. Light & the Team work together to fight off 'the threat' and along the way Shadow develops a romantic interest in Light who also has strong feelings and an allegiance to him for reasons he does not know. Upon defeating the villain, Light must return to where she came from. Shadow tries to discourage her and even asks to accompany her, but she insists that if she stays any longer, she risks causing catastrophic damage. She departs and Shadow vows to find her again.

Rouge and Omega join Shadow in his search to find Light. After combing the globe with no luck, their quest takes them off-world and they go on an interplanetary journey. The three become mercenaries to fund their space expedition.

Knuckles bulks up! His goal of spending time away from Angel Island did him some good!

Sonic and Amy begin a romantic relationship.

Sonic moves in with Amy.

Tails establishes Yellow Sky Industries, a company where he can begin sharing his gadgetry with the world as well as partner up with other innovators to put their genius to good use.

Stone establishes The Mean Bean coffee shop. Much to his delight, Eggman frequents this cafe but is unaware of Stone's affection.

Sonic and Amy get engaged. Upon hearing the news and growing homesick, Rouge and Omega return home, leaving Shadow to continue his journey on his own. While attending the wedding festivities, Knuckles and Rouge rekindle their budding romance.

During one of Eggman's many failed attempts at world domination, he falls victim to a near-fatal accident of his own making. Sonic rescues him, but Eggman loses his right hand in the process. Eggman is forced to reconsider his health and kickstarts some moral dilemmas for him. His attempts at world domination begin to dwindle.

Cream departs home to pursue humanitarian/Mobianitarian(?) efforts

Rouge uses her mercenary wealth to develop her own mining and jewelry business (she does not give up thievery). Knuckles is initially hired on as head excavator, but this job is only temporary until he secures enough money to fund a dream project of his.

With his own money and with the support of Yellow Sky Industries and his friends' investments, Knuckles develops the Young Heroes Program - a nonprofit youth organization. He works full time as a trainer at the program to help empower kids and strengthen the community. Sonic assists YH as needed, but is not a full-time volunteer.

Sonic and Amy decide to start a family. Aurora is conceived.

Rouge and Knuckles get married.

In one last ditch effort to regain Sonic's attention and to encourage Sage to follow in her father's footsteps**(See note), Eggman kidnaps Amy. This triggers her to go into labor early and Aurora is born. This is the nail in the coffin as far as Eggman's villainous efforts go and he makes an unspoken agreement with Sonic to 'retire' from villainy. He still plans to regularly annoy them by inserting himself into their lives. (**Note: This comic was made before Sage was introduced to the game canon. In retrospect, Sage would have been a part of this story and part of the reason Eggman decided to kidnap Amy, no matter how much Sage discouraged him. Sage instantly bonds with Aurora and vows to be her lifelong friend.)

Amy takes on a second job as an interior designer to support her family while Sonic becomes a stay-at-home dad and focuses most of his time and attention on raising Aurora.

Once Aurora is old enough, she begins attending the YH program. This is the closest Sonic will allow her to participating in any adventures.

Ruff Hyena is born

As a defense mechanism against constant bullying from her peers, Aurora’s light powers begin to manifest.

In addition to attending the Young Heroes Program, Aurora begins a mentorship with her Uncle Tails for optics/physics lessons in order to better understand her powers.

Eggman and Stone begin dating.

Aurora begins to experience premonitions in the form of dreams. Amy does her best to help Aurora hone this skill, but without much success.

Tumble Hyena is born. Ruff and Tumble are abandoned and left to fend on their own before ending up in the foster care system. They remain there for many years.

Aurora develops a crush on a boy named Kyle and they go on a few “playdates”. Aurora invites Kyle over to the house to meet her parents and Sonic does not handle it well. After an argument, Aurora and Kyle agree to not hang out together anymore.

Knuckles and Rouge adopt Ruff and Tumble.

Aurora ages out of the Young Heroes Program. Sonic discourages her from venturing out on her own and convinces her to work for YH instead.

After receiving a heartfelt message from Rouge, Shadow resigns from his quest and returns to Earth. He decides his new mission will be to get to better know the world Maria had always spoken so highly about.

Feeling “stuck” in her life, Aurora broaches the topic of moving out to be on her own. Sonic talks her out of it.

While reconnecting with The Team, Shadow is introduced to Aurora. He instantly recognizes her as the woman he’s spent the last several decades looking for, but doesn’t understand how that’s possible and she is adamant they have never met before. While telling Sonic and Amy of his world travel plans, Aurora offers to be his guide around town as she knows every inch of it. Shadow takes her up on her offer and the two quickly develop a friendship.

Shadow decides it doesn’t matter if Aurora is the Light he formerly met or not. He asks her on a date. Remembering how badly things went the last time one of Aurora’s “boyfriends” and Sonic interacted, she accepts Shadow’s courtship but only if they can keep it a secret for now. Shadow is wary of this, but agrees to her terms.

Keeping secrets from her parents begins to take a toll on Aurora, to the point she is getting sick. She tells Shadow she can’t keep lying to her family, so she tells him they shouldn’t see each other anymore. In hopes to “fix” the situation, Shadow meets with Sonic and Amy to ask their permission to date Aurora. This immediately escalates into a battle between Sonic and Shadow. Aurora intercepts the fight and, heartbroken, she tells Sonic that as much as she wants his blessing, she doesn’t need it, and is going to continue to date Shadow. Sonic, Amy and Aurora have a heart-to-heart to try and reconcile things, but Sonic makes it clear that though Aurora is a grown up and can technically date whoever she wants, she has to follow certain rules while she’s still living in their house.

Tails purchases an abandoned factory to expand Yellow Sky Industries. There, he finds the deactivated CC. He powers her on but she is severely traumatized and significantly damaged. He repairs her and after understanding how advanced her intelligence is, he offers her a job as his lab assistant.

CC quickly develops romantic feelings for Tails.

Knuckles, Rouge, Ruff and Tumble legally change their last names to “Motley”

In her pursuit to become “Mobian,” CC fabricates herself a Mobian-like body.

As Shadow and Aurora’s relationship progresses, they begin to explore more of the world together.

Tails and CC host a charity banquet. Things go awry.

Aurora gets her first apartment. She also begins a singing career.

Tails and CC officially begin a romantic relationship.

Aurora begins to have recurring premonitions about Shadow being in danger. She puts her musical tour on pause to stay vigilant.

A dangerous, mysterious entity appears and attacks The Team, severely wounding several members and nearly killing Shadow. Before the threat can be defeated, it retreats by escaping via time travel where it plans to successfully kill Shadow. With most of The Team out of commission or fearful of altering the timeline, Aurora travels back in time to save Past Shadow and the rest of her family. To protect her identity, she goes by the name “Light.”

Sonic and Shadow reconcile their differences. Sonic becomes noticeably more accepting of Shadow and Aurora’s relationship.

Shadow and Aurora get engaged and move in together.

Aurora continues her musical career.

Shadow and Aurora get married.

Ruff ages out of the Young Heroes Program and in the hopes to follow in Knuckles’ footsteps, he becomes a crime fighter. When Tumble isn’t helping his brother fight crime, he’s working on his own mechs.

Eggman and Stone digitally uploadt heir consciousness to Cyberspace so they can live indefinitely.

Shadow and Aurora decide to start a family. They have their first litter of triplets: Piper, Zane and Nova.

Shadow and Aurora have a second litter of twins: Aster and Blitz. At this time, Shadow uses the wealth he’s amassed to construct a large house that can accommodate their growing family.

Shadow and Aurora have a third litter of triplets: Cinder, Diamond and Boon.

Sonic and Amy return to a life of world traveling.

In addition to attending the Young Heroes Program, Shadow trains all of his children in how to best use their powers for the greater good of the planet.

During a fight, Cinder critically wounds Diamond with his “Stellar Tantrum” power. Boon uses his powers of healing to restore Diamond to full health without any scarring, but Cinder never forgives himself. He becomes withdrawn and distances himself from his family members from this point on.

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You can learn more about my AU by looking through My Art tag, referencing "My (Major) Comics" Directory, or by looking through My AU tag.

[animeartbros2025]

@e-vay Remember another triplets Brithdays but to be honest I love all the shadora kids even Boon because he reminds me of Amy and Aurora

[gloriabomfim]

Boone is excited for Sonic the Hedgehog 3!

[janmisali]

Super Mario Bracket: SONIC THE HEDGEHOG vs "CAPTAIN" LOU ALBANO

Sonic the Hedgehog

SEED: 12 (49 nominations)

PREVIOUS OPPONENT: Undodog

SPECIES: Hedgehog

DEBUT: Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games

BIO: the protagonist of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, which historically was a "rival" to the Super Mario series. Sonic and his friends qualify as "Mario characters" through a series that's a crossover between three separate internationally famous brands: Super Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, and the Olympic Games.

[Super Mario Wiki article]

"Captain" Lou Albano

SEED: 76 (9 nominations)

PREVIOUS OPPONENT: Yellow & Blue Toad

SPECIES: Human

DEBUT: The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!

BIO: a professional wrestler who appears played by himself in an episode of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, "Captain Lou Is Missing". it is important to emphasize here that voting for Captain Lou is not voting for the character Mario from Super Show!, and it's definitely not voting for the character Mario from the other DIC cartoons where he is not portrayed by Lou Albano. Lou Albano and Walker Boone are not the same person.

[Super Mario Wiki article]

[link to all polls]

[r0bee]

Boone is like if Shadow the Hedgehog was a bald widower

[americanhoney913]

Twisters Dæmons!

A dæmon is the physical manifestation of a human soul, made from Dust, that appears at the moment of the child’s birth. The gender of the dæmon is usually opposite their human. This manifestation takes the form resembling the personality of the human when they reach full maturity.

Kate and her kestrel dæmon, Pip.

Tyler Owens and his Redbone Coonhound dæmon, Annie.

Javi and his raccoon dæmon, Dayja.

Boone and his spotted hyena dæmon, Riley.

Lily and her Great Eared Nightjar dæmon, Ozzie.

Dani and her opossum dæmon, Kenny.

Dexter and his bearded dragon dæmon, Elena.

Ben and his hedgehog dæmon, Edith.

Cathy and her Tobiano American Paint dæmon, Earl.

Addy and her clouded leopard dæmon, Henry.

Praveen and his burrowing owl dæmon, Navi.

Jeb and his black bear dæmon, Delilah.

Scott and his asp viper dæmon, Sierra.

You can find the first part of the series here!

[yuurivoice]

What do you think of Keanu Reeves voicing shadow the hedgehog and sonic three?

This might not be very cash money of me...

...but the uproar from voice actors and fans who are mad it wasn't a "real voice actor" was clownish and embarrassing.

I'm thrilled!

Keanu has one of the most stellar reputations of any major star in Hollywood, is an absolute boon to any production he's a part of, and will very likely slay the role.

Star power matters on multiple levels. If we wanted to go back several DECADES and say that casting big names in roles is something we reallyyyyy need to rally against, then yes, that is when we needed to get pissed.

But also, the pretentious attitude some folks seem to have like stage and screen actors suddenly go blank if they're in a VO booth is really silly. The backlash is warranted sometimes, Chris Pratt's Mario was abhorrent...but that same movie gave us Jack Black as Bowser which was almost unanimously adored.

I saw a whole lot of groaning from folks who couldn't sell ten tickets to a local production of Streetcar Named Desire acting like there was some grave moral flaw in casting Keanu fucking Reaves as Shadow the Hedgehog. Come on now. 😂

Anywho, I will be seated, and if there is some theater chain that has a cool Shadow popcorn bucket, it will be mine. 😤

[ilovesmg3]

[ StoatCircut Playlist ] [ Art by @.GhostFink on Twitter ]

[ This is a collection of songs that fit their ship dynamic, them solo etc! Some people were asking about them (Thank youuu!!) and I wanted to share some songs since I find it easier to express dynamics/general personality through music. Enjoy! ]

[ Also, the lyrics that suit them (P03 and C4-RTER) THE MOST are here listed, I'm really excited to share all of these with all of you. Thank you so, so much. I genuinely can't thank you enough for the support I've gotten. (3 ]

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[ Your Stupid Face by Kaden MacKay ] [ Ship // How He Fell ]

" I just really hate your face Though I know that won't surprise you //

And if the world was perfect, you would've never invaded my space But since the world's obsessed with saying, "Psych!" //

I just really like your face You don't have to look so happy I'm not really into love that you flaunt In some glittery font But if that's what you want Make it snappy //

And if the world was perfect, you would be here in my embrace But since the world denied me one last kiss I'll just miss your stupid face //

And though we go together like a Chanel No. 5 and mace At least it's not as dull as fitting like a glove 'Cause you're a nightmare that I've not been dreaming of But I suppose that when push comes to shove Fine! I love your stupid face "

[ Metallic Madness Zone Act 2 by Naofumi Hataya & Tee Lopes ] [ Solo, "Him IRL" Song ]

" I'm an evil doctor with a rad genius And bad minions To help me sink the planet into my dominion A baddie with an I.Q. like you've never seen I'm the meanest, vilest villain that's ever been on your screen! //

I'm iconic With my bionic animatronics Got a chronic knack to catch the hedgehog they call "Sonic" My temper is atomic! My mustache is on fire! Welcome to the new world, Eggman Empire!"

[ Cabinet Man by Lemon Demon ] [ Solo, "Him IRL" Song ]

" The news reporters reported that I died But all my organs were living on inside Circuit board to brain with two lungs collecting change One big human heart gently beeping //

You can't win me, I can't be beat I won't hurt you unless you cheat You can't see me behind the screen I'm half human and half machine //

I'm happy for years and years And, only eating the occasional maintenance man Only driving a few kids to madness Maybe they were predisposed to madness, who knows? I only want to have fun "

[ ROOM FOR 2 by Benson Boone ] [ How Both See (3 ]

" At your deepest lows When you hit the ground again And you feel alone All you know is emptiness When you're walking circles And there's no end And your feet are tied Tryna catch your breath again //

When the world don't feel like home I'm a place to call your own You can stay forever through When you're barely holding on I'll be anything you want Open up my heart for you Baby, I got room for two //

Every day I fall For another part of you And the nights get cold Whenever I'm too far from you With every breath you take from my chest Try to understand //

I'm always right there with you every step. "

[ Heaven by Kane Brown ] [ How Both See (3 ]

" This is perfect Come kiss me one more time I couldn't dream this up Even if I tried You and me in this moment Feels like magic, don't it? I'm right where I wanna be //

Everybody's talkin' about heaven like they just can't wait to go Sayin' how it's gonna be so good, so beautiful Lyin' next to you, in this bed with you, I ain't convinced 'Cause, I don't know how, I don't know how Heaven, Heaven Could be better than this "

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[ I added a country song because I deeply believe that P03 adores cowboys, I stand by this forever and always. I like to think that P03 plays horses and builds little robot cowboys and horses for his son C0G5 to play with. Okay bye!!! ]

[theflashdriver]

A Thesis on the Touch of a Psychic (Silvaze)

Blaze couldn't help but glower at her reflection as her hands failed her for the sixth time this evening. Tonight had snuck up on her like a blissfully forgotten spectre, now resurrected from the recesses of her memory to stir up a panic from within. It was the last night of the year, an evening in which certain expectations were impressed upon the guardian of the Sol Emeralds.

In the great hall beneath the en suite where she now stood, a summit was well on its way to beginning. Despite the music and the dancing she knew to be present, the feline wouldn't dare to call the reception a party. Tonight was a night of formality, dining, speeches, and endless bureaucracy to mark the coming new year. Names would be announced upon arrival, toasts would be raised, and lectures would be given until throats were again in need for more toasts.

Those in attendance were the countless representative diplomats from the surrounding islands, their families, and special guests of interest including heads of shipping firms and other industrial tycoons. Frankly, Blaze knew there was more important work to be done than attending this farce; on the eastern coast a giant squid had been sighted, the cat was already brewing theories that it was some mechanical or otherworldly monstrosity that Eggman Nega had forced into her world. Unfortunately, being royalty carried with it certain expectations- for centuries her family had attended this dinner without fail. For that reason, and no other, she would attend tonight's event as she had those in years prior.

Tonight was an enforced break from reality; a fascinatingly pointless deviation from her true mission of defending her kingdom's isles. These truths, combined with her present predicament, had combined to plunge the princess into a rather foul mood. If tonight went without a yawn attempting to slip beyond her lips she would be more than surprised. The long evening was surely going to leave her dreary eyed, not that she was allowed to show it.

Again, perhaps due to her mental distraction, the feline's grasp did not prove sufficient; her hands found the edge of the sink before her as a vicious frown graced the bathroom mirror. The cat had been attempting to fasten the back of her dress for what felt like hours now; soon Gardon would rap on her bedroom door and enquire what was taking her so long. Certainly the words he'd use would be more proper, but they'd further the cat's frustration all the same.

Instead of a simple zip, whoever designed the frustrating collection of thread and fabric had deemed that a series of lace knots should be used to seal the back of the garb. Whoever had made that choice plainly hadn't ever had to fasten such a dress themselves. They'd purely been fixated on the aesthetics of a slightly exposed back contrasted by bows.

The dress wasn't truly awful, she had selected it in the hopes that it would allow her to battle should conflict arise (be it at the party or somewhere she would have to rush) while maintaining a certain level of decorum. Unfortunately, it appeared she had chosen poorly. The gown was loose flowing, with long sleeves that she'd thought would make her feel less exposed compared to others she'd historically stuffed herself into... but those very boons were only serving to make her fastening effort more difficult. The garb wrapped the majority of her body in a wine red colour, slit only to partially expose her right leg in exchange for bettered mobility. Perhaps she would burn herself free after this evening... no, regardless of her frustration, that would be much too wasteful.

"Silver!" She called through the bathroom door, "Can you come in here?"

The en suite door swung open, revealing the time traveling psychic. Since he'd arrived in her world, the hedgehog was gradually becoming better suited to the more peaceful times he now lived in. He was dressed in a manner she'd be far more comfortable with, a loose button up blue shirt and shorts.

The two of them had spent today in the royal gardens, primarily beneath a gazebo so that she could continue to work even while enjoying the outdoors. He had brought a picnic and a good head to bounce ideas off of. After much persuasion, he had managed to lead her into a spot of impromptu gardening to maintain the grounds. Even if she hadn't been destined for such a royal occasion, the outing would have prompted a shower regardless- but it had been made all the more quick and intense upon realising how late the day had drawn. Meanwhile, she could still see grass stains in his fur...

"I can't seem to fasten this dress," She informed him, "Could you..."

"Of course!" He beamed, helpful as ever.

The cat turned back to her reflection, standing straight and exposing her back to him completely. She'd expected to hear the whir of psychic energy, that the silk threads at her back would simply fasten themselves behind her back. Instead, the familiar sound of footsteps drawing close played in her ears.

In the mirror, she watched as the hedgehog strolled behind her to look quizzically at her exposed spine. Just as she was processing what he was about to do, the feline felt his heavy hands on the small of her back. Almost instinctively, her own grasp found the sink again as she leaned forward.

"This looks easy enough," She caught sight of his smile in the reflection, "I'm going to have to undo some of the knots you've already done, they're not using the right threads."

Fingers grazed deep, she felt her fur raise beneath his touch, "Do what you must."

Her left hand moved to her chest, hoping to keep the garb from slumping free of her shoulders. He was being gentle, but now his touch was slipping into the tight spaces she had previously sealed- his fingertips were grazing along her spine. The scene reflected before her was one that spiked her temperature; Silver had leaned down to match her posture, practically hunching parallel to her frame, looming over! She had to look down; her flushed face reflected in the shining metal of the sink's plug- was there no escape?!

"You were right, this is fiddly... give me a second," She felt one of his hands leave her only to return ungloved.

Blaze's tail bashed against his chest, straightening hard as she felt that bare hand tug the lace of her dress while the other left her back. She felt him catch the interfering appendage so very casually; Blaze was certain that now both his hands were ungloved. In a single, ever so simple, move, he adjusted her tail to coil over his shoulder and stepped even closer! She could feel his breath on the back of her neck, was he-

"So, it seems like it's going to be a long night," Silver's fingers had returned to her back, his fiddling resumed, "Are you going to be okay down there?"

Did he have to talk while he was doing this? Did he know how his breath felt on her ear? Did he really expect her to respond!?

"I'm fine, Silver," She grumbled, "Tonight is more akin to a ritual than it is anything else, a sacrifice of time and endurance of tedium for the greater good. I'll get through it as I have every prior stuffy reception."

As loose fabric bundled in her grasp, the cat felt his hold alter. Suddenly, he was drawing the halves of her dress together, surely lining up the holes and tassels to more directly feed into each other. It was sensible, it was practical, and it wasn't as if he was being rough... but, no matter how she rationalised, Blaze still couldn't help feeling flustered. She was the guardian and ruler of this entire dimension, he was her closest companion and trusted confidante; they'd battled monsters, lived through squalor, and changed history together! Why did she feel so vulnerable here, in her own bathroom, with his hands on her back?!

With each knot tied his touch grazed closer further up her back, fingertips and knuckles slid against her. Those touches sparked memories of the other times he'd used his hands on her. In the afterglow of battle, once their foes had fallen, they would bandage each other and fuss over the countless wounds they had sustained. Huddling in the back of a mostly destroyed library, letting the hedgehog wrap torn cloth around her ribs to staunch the blood drawn by a monster's gouging claws, that was true vulnerability- not this! She was strong here, unharmed and refreshed!

Blaze felt the dress lighten in her grasp and couldn't help but glance to the mirror before them. Silver really was as close as he felt, practically straddling her backside as he worked his way up, and yet he still looked entirely at ease. She couldn't see how far up her dress he'd managed to seal, but by his touch she knew he was just over half-way up her back. The psychic's broad shoulders were framing her slighter form, his still slightly sullied fur contrasted against the dress set to be worn for the first time.

Silver's constant contact echoed in her mind. Was he trying to leave a crease in her fur? He was being so thorough, it was as if-

His eyes had caught hers, had he looked so comfortable this whole time? Had his smile grown when their gazes locked? The cat's returned her attention to the empty sink beneath her.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked.

"I'm certain," She lied.

Regardless of how gruff Blaze thought she had sounded, the hedgehog continued to work diligently. His hands did briefly leave her back, but she knew that this wasn't the end. The shoulders of the dress had been misaligned since he'd untied what few knots she'd managed prior. He pulled the red sleeves up to better fit against her clavicle, his wrist brushed against her neck.

Were his fingers lingering on her collar, at the fabric border? Her eyes returned to the mirror only to catch a small, rather perplexed, frown staring back at her. The hedgehog's heavy hands dipped down her front catching the lapels of her dress. He slid his hands up, straightening the front of the garb before pulling up to have it fit more smoothly against her shoulders.

"There," She saw his smile return, "That looks better."

"Just focus on the back," The cat fizzed, "I can handle the rest myself."

"Okay," He hummed, hands slipping back again, "Maybe, when things get going down there I'll be able to sneak in? You know, while everyone's focused on your speech or something?"

"You will do no such thing," She heard herself growl as she failed to maintain some inkling of composure.

A measure of regret tainted his muzzle, his eyes quickly lowered from the mirror to her back. No further words came in the wake of her insistence, she'd felt him hesitate but the knotting had quickly resumed. It wasn't that she didn't want him there, his presence would surely have made the night's bureaucracy pass faster, but this was a meeting of the elite. For her to bring along what was to them a commoner, let alone an uncouth otherworldly outsider, would surely cause a scandal.

His fingers kept hitching on the tie between the top of her shoulder blades, a grumble rolled from his throat. Why was he struggling now of all times? Was it the change in her temperament? Had he finally noticed how intimate this all actually was?

A sigh slipped through her lips, "I'm sorry Silver. Tonight is weighing on me more heavily than I thought..."

"Don't worry about it," He finally managed to tie that knot, "I shouldn't have even brought up the idea, it's not like I'm hard to identify," She looked up to find him looking off in thought, "Slipping into a butler's uniform probably wouldn't have been enough..."

"There are already enough rumours about you among the people, we don't want to pique any more curiosity," Two ties remained.

"There are rumours about me?" Did he truly not know? "Like what?"

"We don't have enough time to discuss that," She wasn't prepared to delve into the torrid imaginings of others while posed like this, "But perhaps we can use this as an opportunity to better things..."

"Better things?" One tie remained.

"Go to the eastern beach tonight," Blaze instructed him, "Watch the ocean. If you see anything unusual, then you have my express permission to enter the ballroom and whisk me away."

"I can do that, no problem!" Finally, the back of her dress was sealed, "That's the last knot tied."

The cat finally rose to her full height, taking in her reflection. The dress did feel like too much; while the long sleeves were intended to make her feel less exposed, its shining ruby coloured floral detailing was certain to draw attention. She'd picked it to match the gem on her forehead and usual hair-tie, hoping that would make this all feel more regular... but that plainly hadn't worked. To contrast, the hedgehog behind her still looked physically disheveled but infinitely more comfortable- both in mind and body.

She finally turned to him properly, "Thank you for doing this, Silver."

Their eye-contact broke, his stare tumbled away, "It's no problem, any time."

Why had that simple, minor, praise fluster him more than the position she'd put him in?! He'd been leaning over her, hands practically dancing across her back, freely gliding his fingers through her fur, but a simple thank you had done so much more to him. She knew this was how he worked, that he'd always taken praise poorly, but for modest kindness to so thoroughly trump physical contact was still so bizarre to her.

"Oh, wait," He stepped closer to her once more, practically pinning her back against the sink.

His arm slipped behind her and the cat's temperature skyrocketed, "What are you-

He pulled back to reveal the golden necklace she so often wore around her neck, "Do you want me to help you with this too?"

She could fasten it herself, she had countless times, "If you wouldn't mind…"

An impulse had betrayed her. Without so much as another word the hedgehog was again leaning past her, this time neck to neck and front to front. She felt his chest fur brush her muzzle as he began to fiddle with the clasp. Again, this was another act he could so easily have performed with his power! Instead he had chosen to get close; could he not feel the heat flagging from her? Was he just cold?!

"There, now you're ready," He casually said into her ear as he pulled back.

The awkwardness had fully vanished, Silver was back to beaming.

"You're so naive..." A knock at the door spun their heads, but she quickly returned to him, "Stay here, wait until I'm gone, then drift out the window. Make sure no one sees you."

He silently nodded as she slipped away from the bathroom, shutting the door to her back and not daring to throw another glance back at him. If all went as planned, she had seen him for the last time this evening. Now she had to focus! Blaze gathered a stack of papers from her desk, slipped on her heels, and made for the door.

Gardon was revealed on the other side, "Your highness, the guests are awaiting your arrival."

"Then it is time I joined them," She shut the door behind her, locking it, "Have there been any issues thus far?"

As she started to make her way down the halls, the koala followed, "No issues so far, what small discomfort I have noticed will surely be alleviated by your arrival."

Rather than speak further with her advisor and consider what small discomforts he had identified, Blaze couldn't help but dwell upon the hedgehog presently escaping her room. Silver hadn't needed to touch her, he could have done all he had to do from her bedroom even. She'd watched him undo locks with a wave, it wasn't as though the task of tying knots was too complex.

For a psychokinetic like him, every physical action was a choice, wasn't it? Every touch could be replaced with a psychic one, most born of mere thought rather than even so much as a gesture. He could have been reading or planning or doing almost anything while simultaneously helping her dress. Instead the hedgehog had devoted his full focus to that task, removing his gloves when it proved difficult rather than concede and use his power.

Was she being foolish? She didn't question why Silver would walk rather than float or run his fingers through his chest fur as he pondered. How was tonight any different? He had taken her hand countless times, wrapped her bandages physically, and even carried her to bed when nights dragged much too late. Had he consciously chosen those countless acts too? Had he even considered using his power tonight?

Was it natural to him to be physical with her? What did that imply? If Amy had asked for help with a dress, would he have done the same? Blaze couldn't imagine it. Certainly Amy would have had the gall to tell him to just use his powers. Why hadn't she done that? For all her questioning of his actions; her own inaction was just as baffling, she hadn't so much as considered asking him to stop and instead work telekinetically. She was royalty, she wasn't supposed to be handled so-

"Your highness?" Gardon's voice halted her train of thought.

"Yes?" She turned to her advisor.

"I asked if you feel prepared for this evening? If required, I could delay your arrival for a little longer," Gardon offered, "You seem to be more than a little lost in thought."

"No, I'm fine Gardon," She could see the doors to the great hall ahead, "It is best that I attend as quickly as possible."

With no more than a nod the koala scurried ahead, grasping the doorhandles in preparation to announce her arrival. Blaze brushed off her shoulders and strode forward, steeling her expression. She sucked a deep breath through her nose and closed her eyes as Gardon pushed open the entryway.

"Now announcing the arrival of her majesty Princess Blaze," The cat felt countless eyes turn in her direction from the ballroom below, "Ruler of the realm and Guardian of the Sol Emeralds!"

Music and endless claps rang loud, the cat opened her eyes and began her descent down spiralling stairs; there was a sea of overdressed people beneath her. Even as the noise enveloped her, even as she hardened her brows and began to make pleasantries, the feeling of her dress hugging at shoulders and hips toyed with her attention. That sensation, catalysed by the placement of knots down her back, endlessly kept Silver's chosen contact at the forefront of her mind. It was as if he was still hanging so close, brushing against her fur...

This was going to be a long evening.

[bbs-backlog-challenge]

Fin or Bin: Toejam and Earl

The dice said 2025 was going to start with all the retro hits first, and strangely two in a row for games released in 1992. So, what largely-irrelevant nostalgic story from my past do I have for this one?

Way back in the early-mid 90's, Sega decided to outfit a fleet of double-decker buses with Mega Drives and Game Gears and send them to all of the UK's major cities, because buses are definitely cooler than whatever Nintendo was doing at the time. And I got to see one! I have very little memory of it; mostly I remember playing Aladdin on the Game Gear, all of which were strapped down with some heavy duty security mounts. Everyone who went also got a goody bag of various Sega tat, which is what I have the strongest memories of. Included was a poster and a sheet of temporary tattoos featuring that one blue hedgehog, along with Dynamite Headdy and- you guessed it- Toejam and Earl. I guess Sega weren't yet fully convinced their mascot should be spiny.

So although they emblazoned my bedroom wall for many years I never actually got to play their game, until today. Was it worth the wait?

Thrust upon a randomised set of islands, TJ and E must search for the missing parts of their spaceship so they can get back to their home planet Funkotron. Littered along the way are presents containing random items, which can only be identified for the first time by using them or talking to a randomly appearing NPC who will tell you what's inside for a small fee. Items can be good or bad, so there's always a risk if you don't want to pony up the cash. Game Over means starting afresh with a newly generated island, so be careful not to-

Wait a minute. Randomised dungeons? Unidentified items that can be boon or bane? A different game each time you play it?

Hey! This is a roguelike!!!!

Fin or Bin:

Sorry lads- it doesn't matter how funky you are, rules are rules here at the No Roguelikes Club. (Hades gets a pass because it's 'no roguelikes', plural. I'm allowed to have one.) It's the nineties-est game I've ever played and absolutely overflowing with style and charisma, but the gameplay itself is simply not for me. I wish I had access to that Sega Bus merchandise, since there doesn't seem to be any images of them online, but sadly they are stuck in a storage Bin somewhere... in the attic... in another country. You Sega archivists will have to wait.

[e-vay]

Family Beach Day

[tokiro07]

Wife: Groundhog's Day is probably a huge economic boon for Punxsutawney Me: That and Bill Murray ...What was the movie called again? Wife: I don't know Hedgehog something? Me: Funny enough, in the original German tradition, it actually was a hedgehog! Wife: ...I can't say shit without you "well-actuallying" me! (Affectionate) Me: 😥 Wife: I SAID "(AFFECTIONATE)"!

[cochineal-leviat]

"Sonic accidentally answers a call on Nine's computer. However, for once, his impulsivity grants him a boon rather than misfortune."

Help has arrived! Somewhat. Enter the only person who can help Sonic with the means to travel the Void.

[conherofrost]

So, what is your family like then? We know you at least have a father

I have somewhat of a... complicated history. A relatively short one, but that doesn't mean it's not sticky.

I am the sole son (to my knowledge) of Don Shiver of the Arcosian Mafia. Heavy smoker and shady as hell. I don't really resent him too much, but he definitely wasn't the most nurturing type- a better father of the mob than father of a child.

Being the child of a major mafia factor meant I couldn't really roam and dispense my name and status until the time was right to wear my hero mask, but it ultimately got my foot in the door when getting started with my little... stint.

My other parent though... my father didn't really speak too much about them, they weren't really involved in my life. They were more of someone my father fooled around a bunch with than someone he wanted as a long-term partner. His roundabout way of telling me I was entirely unintentional, I suppose, but he found his twisted way to profit from the sudden boon of an offspring.

From stories I've been told, they were of a thorny quilled species; unless my father had a taste for acupuncture with his flings, I don't understand the appeal. I didn't inherit anything visible in the genetics department from them (unless the half-hedgehog side's puberty is going to kick in super late or something), but I do consider my needle inserts a tribute to my heritage... when the story's convenient for me.

...To be fair, their quills probably aren't toxin-laced though, that's just a little fun extra for me~

[insanekirby]

People I'd Like to Know Better

Got tagged by @ankh-morporkianpostalworker

Last Song: “I Wanna Be a Producer” from the musical The Producers.

Favorite Color: Red

Last Book: Ariadne by Jennifer Saint. Spent a lot of time sobbing through that. Highly recommend it.

Last Movie: Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

Last TV Show: I am watching Inuyasha as I type this.

Sweet/Spicy/Savory: 🤷‍♀️ fully cannot decide between spicy and savory

Last Thing I Searched Online: I was looking up Artemis’s boons in Hades.

Current Obsession: You can probably guess from my last response: Hades. Greek mythology in general really. Also a D&D character I'm considering for the future. And I'm in Love with the Villainess. ...Look, I have ADHD, I can obsess over a lot at once.

Looking Forward To: D&D on Sunday. Longer term, I’m reconnecting with some friends from college in a few months.

Not tagging anyone else because apparently the person who tagged me is my only still active mutual I don't know personally.