#Dash Wachowski

[princessvictory]

I don't post my cosplay stuff here normally (except Tails since he fits this Tumblr's scope of interest) but I was looking through my compilation of cosplays and felt...shocked and proud of how much I've done in 4 years?

So yeah, have some spins and tell me your favorite if you want 💙

[piko-rose]

idk what to post so here's me getting excited over an animated hedgehog lol

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 so far is VISUALLY STUNNING. The lighting, the animation and SFX, just, BEAUTIFUL ON SO MANY LEVELS.

Everything about the trailer blew my mind, but I will do a post about my thoughts and theories on it later on. For now I wanna talk about the Blueberry Muffin himself.

Sonic in the movie looked GREAT. He got a small upgrade compared to how he looked in both Movie 1 and 2. (Especially Movie 1)

But he's still the goofy, heroic dork he is, and I'm SUPER EXCITED to see my boy again!! 💕

I don't know what else to post, so I'm just gonna gush over some of my favorite (which I'll admit, are almost every shot of Sonic in the trailer. Just wanna admit that, right now XD) shots of the Blue Devil.

I will do another version of this but with Shadow, but that'll be in the future. Shadow looks INSANE in the movie, so of COURSE I will lose my mind over his design once the post comes out lol

But right out of the gate, we got a really cool shot of Sonic running through a log, I think? Absolutely love the blue glow emitting the entire dark interior. And it gave Sonic a nice glow, too.

I love how determined he looks here, too. There were some scenes in the trailer where it looked like Sonic, Tails and Knuckles were racing each other. I think it's really adorable that the Wachowski Bros. spend time together by just racing through the woods outside of their own house.

This shot looks like Sonic might be in the lead.

Tom: "It hasn't always been easy, but it can't change who you are *points to Sonic's heart* in here."

Sonic: "Yeah. In my lungs."

The pure innocence from this hedgehog is killing me 😭

This is probably after the race? Idk when this is taking place, after all, all we got is a trailer. But I'm just spitballing here, but this is definitely another scene in the series where Tom gives Sonic some profound words for him to remember by.

But anyways, I love this shot of Sonic. You can already tell there is some slight differences with how he looked in the first film and the second film, which I kind of already freaked out over on this post here lol.

His expression complete with his line is just the perfect mixture for this shot. It describes Sonic to me. He's got a heart of gold, but at times he can be just a little confuse but still got the spirit.

He's just a child 😭

Here we got Sonic casually breaking the laws of physics just to grind on a tree branch, because he's just that cool.

Now this shot here? PROBABLY ONE OF MY FAVORITES.

Sonic is up in the air, twirling around with a huge smile on his face 🥺

He is having the TIME of his life. He is just so happy AAAAAAAAA-

Also, I love that Sonic's body, mainly his chest, has become a bit more puffy (since the Knuckles show anyway), but he still has that bean shape in certain shots lmao (Got a bit of Classic Sonic in there since day one XDDD)

I mean, come on. Look at his cheeks and tell me he don't have any baby fat anymore? He's still small! He's still squishy!! 🥺

Anyways badass Blueberry. EPIC callback to the beginning of SA2, only this time Tails and Knuckles are along for the ride. (also love Tails' expression as he jumps off the helicopter.)

I love this particular shot a lot for some reason XD

Knuckles really wants to fight Shadow despite Sonic not wanting to. He wanted to handle Shadow just by talking things out (clearly he has not met the dude) and Knuckles is over here ready to throw hands.

Sonic looks very annoyed here 🤣

I'm just so happy to see Sonic and Knuckles together on screen again after the Knuckles show. I fell in love with their dynamic ever since. Sonic and Tails' bond is truly special to me, but it's Sonic and Knuckles' bond that means SO MUCH to me, and I SERIOUSLY need to write more about these dorks.

This is the face of a hedgehog who was NOT prepared for the horrors that is Shadow the Hedgehog and maybe bisexuality. XD

Pissed off Blueberry.

Sonic is one of those characters where they rarely get upset or angry, but when they, it's badass and genuinely terrifying. I am NOT ready to see Sonic get so upset in this movie.

I know shit is about to go down in this movie, and I know Sonic is probably gonna go feral when it does. And it won't be pretty.

He is NOT happy at all. But at least here he looks kind of pouty.

It's kind of funny XD

"Here. Take my stupid strand of magic hair, just make sure you clean it when you're done. >:("

"What did you do?"

Yeah, no, he's furious. It's actually scary seeing Sonic like this. I have seen pictures of Sonic in rage mode in the comics and yeah, you can say that Sonic's about to reach his limit, if you know what I'm saying. (btw best moment in the Archie comics hands down)

Okay, one last image, I PROMISE-

THIS ONE, is my favorite out of all of them. Everything about this shot is just... I... don't even know how to explain how much I love this.

The lighting. The intensity of this whole scene. Sonic's anger. His powers going up to 100.

Yeah, this movie is gonna drive a little crazy. :)

Of course I'm just getting started on my Movie 3 hype rambles lol. Don't want this post to be too long or annoying-

I'm just so happy to see my comfort character back in action. I'm so happy that EVERYBODY'S back! I CAN'T WAIT DUDE!!!

[afterlife-2004]

Da Wachowski Influence ✨

[rosemaryreality]

Day 20: im feeling better! Anyways, i remembered that we have baseball!Sonic from Sonic dash, and it made sense to me to draw this guy with the outfit

Ver Without background:

[asunnydreamer]

Made some cards for the boys a while back but forgot to post them here. But I'm still proud of how these turned out!

However, I have once again redesigned their dresses Qvq

Future posts of my Dancing Powers boys will have the updated dresses I have sitting in my AU folder. And there's extra stuff cooking too so keep a eye out for those!

[dariingnimble]

❝ ...I have no clue what I missed, but I have a gut feeling it's something about Tails getting traumatized. WHAT?! ❞

[sonic-fankid-showdown]

SFS 3; ROUND 1 MATCH UPS!

Here you have the match ups for the first round of this year's showdown! Congrats to everyone who made it in, and good luck!

Round 1 will start on July 1st, 00:00 GMT-4, and will last a week!

Image transcript under the cut.

Poll 1: Stake (by @thefantasylife8) VS Harlo Robotnik (by @xinnamonbun and @halastar05)

Poll 2: Morganite the Echidna (by @yu-melon) VS Cupria the Pangolin (by @inezisa)

Poll 3: Snow the Cat (by @hypothetical-pebble) VS Mercury Rose Wachowski (by @zibiscusloon)

Poll 4: Lily Prower the Seedrian (by @cosmicfangz) VS Esme Starline (by @mischeva)

Poll 5: Umbra the Hedgehog (by @a-random-boo) VS Sunlight the Hedgehog (by @fleetway1900)

Poll 6: Ace the Hazard (by @vela–nova) VS Spectre the Chameleon (by @funkyfandomlover)

Poll 7: Jab the Echidna (by @bighonkerr) VS Breaker the Armadillo (by @rushcolor)

Poll 8: Suri (by @navy-the-tiger) VS Meadow the Hedgehog (by @maightymai)

Poll 9: Hikaru the Tenrec (by @aexonn) VS Nova the Hedgehog (by @foxssonicdoodles)

Poll 10: Sparks Rose (by @head---ache) VS Seven the Jackal (by @koreyeet)

Poll 11: Midori the Hedgehog-Hybrid (by @st4rrzyy) VS Dawn the Hedgehog (by @dawn-ch0rus)

Poll 12: Karma the Chameleon (by @marasshy) VS Maggy the Cat (by @thesafireartist)

Poll 13: Charlie the Hedgehog (by @raccooonguy) VS Eclipse (by @random-stuffs567)

Poll 14: Charlotte "Chilli" Acorn (by @angelkitty54) VS Dash the Hedgehog (by @jackeyammy21)

Poll 15: Terios the Hedgehog (by @hippiecockatoo) VS Catalyst the Hedgehog (by @vee-isaweirdartist)

Poll 16: Wind the Sparrow (by @bymiar) VS Mercury "Mercy" Metálico (by @huitlacoche-y-cachivaches)

Poll 17: Emerald M Wachowski (by @huntyhyena) VS Star Hedgehog (by @heroictoonz)

Poll 18: Astra the Hedgehog (by @zeroisnebulous) VS Eden Rose (by @thesummoners)

Poll 19: Synergy (by The @starknife-starmimi Discord Server) VS Silas/Rush the Hedgehog (by @yourpalsalamander)

Poll 20: Briar the Hedgehog (by @snowlyx) VS Skylar the Hawk (by @emuartworks)

Poll 21: Symbol the Hedgehog (by @ubtendo) VS Blossom "Kranz" the Chameleon (by @lumivall)

Poll 22: Shade the Hedgehog (by @sonnewolfie009) VS Starlis Maria Hedgehog (by @dragolord19delta)

Poll 23: Crow the Werehog (by @theleviathanslair) VS Oshi (by @scrunglepaws)

Poll 24: Nova Prower (by @number-one-shadisper-shipper) VS Talus the Echidna (by @the-crazy-echidna-lady)

Poll 25: Flicker the Tenrec (by @vershl) VS Nyx the Moth (by @trashcreatyre)

Poll 26: Holo Rose (by @ekaycheem) VS Momo the Scrapnik (by @somemismatchedsocks)

Poll 27: Hectic the Tenrec (by @susahnasomething) VS Jade the Tenrec (by @t4tsurge)

Poll 28: Cooper H Robotnik (by @rottenpills16) VS Miley Acorn (by @navii-blaze)

Poll 29: Raiden the Hedgehog (by @mintypsych) VS Sierra Mist (by @lowcringetolerance)

Poll 30: Sapphire the Hedgehog (by @basilbunnycreachers) VS Plum Blossom (by @chipistotallysane)

Poll 31: Genesis (by @icednebula) VS Mercury (by @wherethehog)

Poll 32: Kiks the Echidnahog (by @tails-perhour) VS Bolt the Tenrac (by @unholy-everlasting)

And that's all the match ups for this round! Plus, propaganda will start being rebbloged from now!! So go crazy with it!!!

[faun-the-fawn77]

Ghost was so so good!!! If you could, I would die for another fem human x shadow fic smut, it was amazing! Maybe one where like sonic likes her but she can’t pull her eyes away from shadow

Thank you ❤️

"JUNO"

"Wanna try out some freaky positions? Have you ever tried this one?"

Shadow x F!Human!Reader Word Count: 2.4k Warnings: SMUT, p in v, fingering, oral(f receiving), marking, slight blood mention, rough but soft?, shadow is still the king of aftercare Desc: Ever since Maddie introduced you to the three hooligans they took in, Sonic has not left your side. Always bringing you something new that you might like or a new treat from the bakery in town. When the recent mission was a success, you made sure to bring over some food for Sonic's celebration, not knowing that the new arrival would have your attention all night, especially in your bedroom. Notes will be at the end! REQUEST INFO HERE! MDNI!!! Please, for the love of all things holy, go away:(

"...and I was like 'Wachow!' and my fist landed right..." Listening to Sonic's recount of another world-saving mission can be entertaining for the first few minutes until everything starts to blur together with Sonic trying to paint himself as the hero with a major ego problem. Now, don't get me wrong, I love the kid but it kinda gets boring having to listen to the same story each time after getting back from the life-threatening mission.

I huffed out a little sigh that the blue blur couldn't pick up on and looked around the room for a distraction or excuse to get away. The Wachowski's house always looked the same save for the few new family pictures hung up with all five posed in various ways. Before my body decided to shut down from boredom, a new figure appeared in the doorway.

"Oh! Hey, Shadow! I was just telling (Y/N) about how we saved the world!" Sonic ran up to me, placing a gloved hand on my shoulder and shaking gently. My eyes never left the burnt umber ones of Shadow. It was like two magnets who have been separated forever that finally reunited.

"Nice to finally meet you, (Y/N). Sonic has told me a lot about you. In fact, he never shuts up about you." His voice was low, gravelly and shot right down between my legs. My knees knocked together with my thighs clenching. I cleared my throat, mumbling a quiet 'nice to meet you, too' and broke the eye contact we had before my underwear could get any more soaked. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the dark hedgehog's gaze snap down to where my clasped, sweaty hands were covering.

I could faintly hear Tom call for Sonic who dashed off with a quick 'BRB!'. The silence that fell in the room was tense and thick with desire. His gaze never wavered from my slowly wetting shorts that was definitely pooled with my arousal. Considering he had the characteristics of a hedgehog, I'm guessing he can smell better than I can. I tensed in anticipation when he slowly started to circle me.

His voice cut through the tension, "How long has he pined after you?"

I frowned, looking at him with confusion. but still answered, "Since I introduced myself to him. Why?"

He hummed, stopping his circling and stood still in front of me. He reached out slowly and confidently, pushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear then trailing his gloved hand down my cheek and to my jaw, lifting it up so I made direct eye contact with him. His pupils were dilated and darker with arousal.

"Because you are now mine." And with that, his lips were on mine. A squeak escaped my throat at the suddenness of the kiss before I melted into it, into him. My hands went to his cheeks, the fur soft under my palms. His one went back to my cheek while the other grabbed the back of my neck and tangled into my hair.

It was intoxicating. His cologne was dizzying and I could feel the sharp tips of his canines grazing my bottom lip. I pulled away for air, dropping my hands to his shoulders when he leaned down to the crook of my neck to start leaving kisses there. I leaned my head to the side for more access. His chest rumbled with satisfaction.

"Shadow!" I could feel the sting of pain already from the bite. His tongue worked to clean up the blood that was spotting at the wound. He pulled away, his eyes gleaming with mischief and hunger.

"You are mine. Don't bother covering it because I will just make more." He went to go to the other side of my neck when I placed a hand on his chest. His ears flicked in annoyance at the interruption but stopped nonetheless.

"We're going to my house. I'd rather not ruin Tom and Maddie's couch." I grabbed his gloved hand and led him out the front door, making sure Sonic or anyone else was around before speed-walking to my old Mustang parked in the driveway. I opened the door for him, hopped in on my side and was quick to get on the road. The one downside to living in Green Hill was how far it was between houses out in the countryside.

The drive couldn't have been longer, not when Shadow seemed to be super touchy, placing his hand on my thigh and inching his way towards my center. I bit my lip to make sure my eyes stayed on the road and not on the devious little alien to my right. His fingertips brushed the wet spot on my thong, expertly moving the flimsy fabric aside to get to where he wanted. A moan escaped the back of my throat at the touch.

His fingers gathered the slick that had pooled at my entrance and guided it up to my throbbing clit. Like magic, his fingers circled the bud at a pace that almost had me pumping the brakes on the car and demanding him to get in the back seats.

The glint of my black mailbox flashed and I was quick to turn down the gravel road surrounded by the tall fir trees on both sides. Shadow removed his hand from my shorts, keeping a watchful eye among the shade of the trees. Nothing was out here except maybe bears and mountain lions. Birds flew from the trees at the sound of the cars engine cutting through the peaceful atmosphere of the forest.

The house was big. Well, at least it looked big from the outside. It was a three-story log cabin with a giant A-frame-like window up front. Glass doors led out to the wrap-around porch that was held up with polished logs. The entrance to the house was under the porch with a big garage off to the left holding a shiny black Kawasaki motorcycle.

I easily slid into the spot by my other pride and joy. I glanced over at Shadow to see his eyes taking in the new environment. I can see he was used to the Wachowski's modern family home. While their house was also on the outskirts of town, mine happened to be further down the single lane road that would eventually lead you to the big city. The quiet air of the forest was nice. I didn't have to be up all night listening to cars passing or drunks yelling out while walking home from the bar.

"Too interested in my house to continue where we left off? Maybe if you stick around, that bike over there can be yours. I don't ride it much, anyway," I commented. His eyes flickered to the sleek black bike, then back to me.

"Lead the way, doll." I smiled and grabbed his gloved hand, leading him inside my house. It was furnished with more wooden furniture and paintings depicting nature scenes. Fishing poles stacked on a rack by the door with thick coats and rain boots hung/placed nearby. Down the hall lead to the one bathroom and my office then up the creaky stairs to the open living room. Maroon stitched chairs with a hand-crafted sofa sitting center with a matching coffee table. Antlers hung around the walls with dangling lights encased in a yellow stained glass cover.

We passed the open concept kitchen and dining room that had the glass doors leading out to the porch. A chandelier made of antlers hung above the dining table with the lights twinkling in the dark. Stairs at the far end along the wall led up to a loft. The master bedroom with a closet and bathroom off the the left. The bed was also hand-crafted with plush sheets and a memory foam mattress. The top half of the A-frame window was behind the bed with a view out onto the forest and the gravel driveway.

I tugged him down onto the bed, the mattress sinking in around us. His legs on either side of my hips and hands placed down by my head. I gently wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him into a kiss. A hand drifted up to my cheek and he tilted his head to deepen the kiss. The moment his canines brushed against my lip I could feel the sting of the mark on my neck. It throbbed but wasn't as painful as before. It will definitely leave a scar, though.

His hands wandered down my collarbone to my breasts and then the lip of my shirt. He guided it up slowly, not wanting to break the heated kiss. The warmth of his hands wrapped around to my back, urging me to lift up a bit to unhook the bra I was wearing. As soon as it snapped off, he was quick to shred my shirt off and slip the bra down my arms.

What surprised me most was when he broke the kiss to sit back and take off his gloves. Sonic never even took his off, insisting on washing them himself if they ever got that dirty. His hands had a paw-like build with pads on his palms and fingertips. Claws were sharp and glinting in the low light of the setting sun. He was made to be a weapon, I remembered but, right now, he was careful and gentle.

He gazed down at me, his mouth curling into a small smirk. He took a finger and guided it down from my sternum to the top of the cloth sleep shorts. A claw caught on the waistband and within seconds the material was cut right down the center leaving me in just the black lacey thong.

I could feel the cool air against my heat causing a shiver to shoot up my spine. My slick was spread over my folds and pooling in the thin string of my panties. A single swipe and the underwear was no longer useable. I gripped the sheets below as I watch Shadow back to the foot of the bed and his mouth came level with my glistening pussy. His hands rested on my thighs and slowly moved up to hold my hips in place. His breath fanned against my entrance and I felt his tongue lick a stripe from the opening to my clit. The most embarrassing sound left my mouth at the feeling. His grip tightened on my hips when I tried to move. His tongue was working wonders, licking and flicking my clit. His right hand slithered down to my entrance and prodded at the hole. He gathered slick and saliva before carefully inserting two fingers. I reached a hand out to grab a fistful of quills only to grab onto his ear. The moan from him vibrated right onto my bundle of nerves causing stars to dance across my vision. I pulled again for the same effect.

"I'm almost there. Please, Shadow!" I moaned out. His fingers pumped faster, rubbing against that special spot inside me he had found rather quickly. The coil in my stomach became tighter and tighter before my vision turned white and I was lit up inside. I clenched around his fingers, walls spasming from the intense orgasm. His tongue caught all my juices and his fingers slowly stopped pumping before pulling out all together.

I panted, trying to catch my breath. The shift in the bed barely registered in my post-coital brain until fur brushed against my pert nipples. Shadow was above me once more, this time with one hand resting by my head and the other gathering some of my slick to pump his shaft with. The blunt tip of something at my pussy was what caught my attention.

"W-Wai- AH!~" He slid his dick in slowly, making sure I adjusted to the girth of his cock. A slight sting was present but soon went away and left just pleasure in its wake. I moved my hips, a sign for him to start moving. I noticed he wasn't much of a talker. My hands gripped his shoulders tighter, moans flying from my mouth like a prayer. His pace picked up when he felt my walls clenching around him. He brought a hand down to my overstimulated clit and rubbed figure 8's. My moans soon raised higher in pitch when my orgasm became closer and closer.

I had managed to open my eyes only to see him staring down at me and one word uttered from his throat.

"Cum."

Stars exploded in my vision and I was gone. My grip loosened and I was clenching around his dick that was still pumping inside of me. I could feel myself squirting all over on his lower half and my thighs. The groans from the back of his throat became more vocal the more sloppy his hips pistoned. A warmth flooded through me at the feeling of him releasing inside me. Our mixed fluids dripped out onto the ruined bed sheets. He lowered himself down on my, our chests heaving for air.

When he caught his breath, he got up on unstable legs and walked over to the bathroom. Running water and soon enough he was back with a warm wash cloth and ibuprofen for tomorrow morning. I squealed when the damp cloth made contact with my oversensitive pussy. He apologised quietly and made sure to be gentle while cleaning me up. My legs felt like jell-o and my head was still clearing from the orgasmic fog. He tossed the dirty rag in the basket and picked up the ruined clothes he shredded.

He mumbled something before disappearing with a red flash and coming back two seconds later with a cup of ice water and two brownies from the tray I baked before I left to the Wachowski's house. My heart swelled at the affection he was showing, especially for someone who hasn't felt it in almost half a century.

He crawled back into bed, wrapping around my shivering body. I raised a hand to brush through his quills, and wrapped the other around him. He grabbed the blanket at the end of the bed to wrap around us. I hummed in content. It was now fully night out with the moon sitting above the tops of the spruce trees around my property.

Crickets sung outside with and owl or two hooting a bit farther away. Peace. This is what Shadow wanted. What Maria wanted for him. Maybe humans weren't so bad. If they haven't destroyed this then surely there is still some good out there.

"I don't think Sonic will be looking my way for a long time." I could feel Shadow chuckle against me, his hand brushing against the reddened mark on my neck.

"Not with me around, doll."

Finished! Whew, I was getting stressed there for a second. More to come! I am on a little writing spree during my vacation!

[welcome-to-green-hills]

HEADCANON TIME!

When Tails arrived to earth, he was fascinated with the organisms that inhabited the planet. He spent weeks studying the flora and fauna in Green Hills as soon as he moved in with the Wachowskis. Taking note of his interests, Sonic takes his little brother to the forest to get a closer view of the subjects he’s interested in. Sonic and Tails would spend hours wandering around in the forest documenting all of the species within the area. This has become a weekly ritual between the two. On one of their nature walk, Tails spots a few pill bugs rolling into balls. He scoops a few of them up to take home to study in his lab, claiming that they're just as cool as his big bro.

I wanted to make a small art piece for Wholesome Sonic & Tails. It’s always a pleasure to see them appear on my Tumblr dash every Wednesday!

[ds9promenade]

Podcast episode discussing DS9 "Past Tense" & "Far Beyond the Stars"!

My friend Laura invited me onto their podcast to unpack Deep Space Nine episodes 3x11 & 12: "Past Tense" and 6x13: "Far Beyond the Stars," using them for a broader discussion on the role of science fiction in dreaming better futures into reality.

In our conversation, we:

compare the 2024 of "Past Tense" to our 2024

share our theories about historical events that may have inspired both episodes, as well as their relationship to other works of speculative/science fiction

point out and offer revisions for parts of "Past Tense" that somewhat undercut the story's intended messages about the evils of capitalism, ableism, police / military violence, and anti-homeless laws

gush about the artistry of the filming and acting in "Far Beyond" (Avery Brooks monologues my beloved)

and more — with a dash of humor as we go!

Give "Sanctified Imagination Far Beyond the Stars" a listen wherever you get podcasts — or read along with the transcript!

(CW: Christianity) — please do go in forewarned that Laura's Autistic Liberation Theology podcast centers around reinterpreting the Bible from a trans & disabled lens. If you skip to 44 minutes in you'll miss most of the religious commentary, except for when it makes sense to bring it up re: Joseph Sisko's 1950s incarnation as a street preacher.

If you are interested the full episode, some of the places we go in our winding conversation are:

Womanist midrash & sanctified imagination, which enact this call to imagine possibilities for the oppressed — to "make a way out of no way"

How Jesus's use of parables to teach about his envisioned "Kingdom of God" —where there's access for all, oppressors reformed and oppressed liberated, all needs met and all gifts celebrated — invites people to engage their sanctified imaginations to join in the work for a more just world, here and now

AutScape's & Crip Camp’s modeled possibilities for a fully accessible, disability-centered world

various directors / show writers who, through writing, discovered something new about themselves (think the Wachowski sisters & The Matrix, Dan Harmon and Community)

If you give it a listen (or read), I'd love to hear what you think! Did you connect with the concept of imagining better futures into reality? Any other Star Trek episodes you think encapsulate that well?

____

Transcript of the above audio clip:

Avery: I definitely think the writers of this episode were thinking about how When Deep Space Nine was coming out, people's response to seeing Sisko was, Yeah, is, you can't have a black space captain. A black man can't be the hero of Star Trek!

Which just shows, like, for the viewers, like, Yeah, we've come a long ways here in the 90s. But we still think it's ridiculous to imagine a black space captain and it's only just becoming possible now.

Laura: yeah the um, , editor of the magazine says "put it in a drawer for like a couple of decades and might be--" it's like, yeah, that's

Avery: Yeah.

Laura: inside joke.

Avery: At the end, when, um, Benny Russell breaks down after being fired and everything, the street preacher comes back and, Benny says, "Tell me, please, who am I?"

Don't you know?" "Tell me." "You're the dreamer and the dream."

Laura: ah, this is so amazing.

Avery: And, like, yeah, that fits on so many different layers with, uh, Benny Russell is dreaming Sisko and dreaming Deep Space nine, and also Sisko is dreaming him, and also breaking the fourth wall,

Laura: yeah, because they're, neither of them are real, they're both fiction and yet they're, yeah. real.

Avery: Yeah. Yeah. Breaking the fourth wall, the writers and Avery Brooks are the dreamers, and the dream. This is, this is what, people have been dreaming of, this even the possibility of this. And they're making it true.

Laura: and at the end, you see him looking out the window and seeing Benny Russell in the reflection of the glass and

Avery: it's such a good shot. It's so good. It like gives me chills

Laura: you Have to cast something into the space you're not there yet to-- that becomes you.

Avery: Yeah. dream yourself into being.

[chasingshadowsblog]

Review: Speed Racer - Beautiful, Inspiring and Everything That Art Should Be

Title: Speed Racer Directed by: Lilly and Lana Wachowski Written by: Lilly and Lana Wachowski Cast: Emile Hirsch, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, Roger Allam, Christina Ricci, Matthew Fox Production Design by: Owen Paterson Set Decoration by: Peter Walpole Costumes by: Kym Barrett Year: 2008

"Speed, when I watch you do some of the things you do, I feel like I'm watching someone paint or make music."

There was a lot working against Speed Racer before I started watching it. It was late and the film is long and action-heavy, I have never seen an episode of the anime that it's based on, and I really had no idea of what I was about to get into narratively and visually.

And holy moses did I have a great time.

While the film's CGI and intense visual aesthetic was, admittedly, a shock to the system at first and took some getting used to, there was one moment in the very beginning of the film that convinced me to settle in. Speed Racer opens with a flashback, as an older Speed, getting ready before a big race, remembers a day spent driving with his older brother Rex. This brilliant sequence begins with a young Speed barely sitting in his chair at school as he daydreams of racing in his own car. This is the moment that locked me into Speed Racer. Surrounded by childish, cartoonish drawings this moment captures exactly what it is to be a kid daydreaming of big adventures. Two minutes into Speed Racer and I'm already tearing up.

Following this is a high octane sequence that involves the older Speed driving in both a real race and a phantom one with the memory of Rex, cementing in our minds the importance the family dynamic is going to have throughout the film - Speed slows down before he can beat Rex's record, preserving his brother's memory more important to him than personal glory. Between the thrilling visual effects, the solid humour and crazy (in the best way) action, the relationship between the two brothers and the entire Racer clan acts as a touchstone to keep us grounded. Because it's not for glory that Speed's family cheer him on, but the thrill of watching him race. There is a wonderful simplicity in the Racer family's love of racing. They want Speed to win and be the best driver he can be, but their enthusiasm is rooted in love of the sport that connects them all, not a desire to climb to the top. Speed enjoys winning that race in the beginning of the movie, but he only wants to win so that he can keep racing. Then we see that in times of strife, Speed connects to his parents through their love of racing: watching an old race drags Pops out of the mire he was in after Rex's death and Mom reminds him about the heart of racing, when the corruption of it clouds his eyes: "I go to the races to watch you make art. And it's beautiful and inspiring and everything that art should be."

Sport as art is always an apt connection, especially here given that so much of the film is about maintaining integrity in an industry that wants you to do anything but. Speed Racer's villain is Arnold Royalton, a charismatic tycoon who wants Speed to race for his company, but who then dashes all of Speed's bright-eyed dreams when he refuses. Speed's main antagonist then becomes not other racers but the corruption inherent in the sport he loves: "It doesn't matter if racing never changes. What matters is if we let racing change us."

I understand why Speed Racer was over-looked in its time. Its tone and visual aesthetic are like nothing that came before and it's bright, kitschy colour scheme and energy are the opposite of what made the Wachowskis famous with The Matrix. It is, essentially, a live-action cartoon, with cartoon Vikings and cartoon gangsters and cartoon ninjas all played by real people, and scenes with its youngest character stray too far into grating silliness, degrading the balance of humour and heart that is handled so deftly for the rest of the film. But it is a testament to the sincerity of its cast and crew that Speed Racer has stood the test of time. Yes, it's crazy and cars go vroom and sometimes jump in the air, but they belong to a sport that revitalised a grieving father and brought him closer to his son. Yes, it's cartoonish, but in it Mom sees art and Speed feels most like himself. These elements elevate Speed Racer and ground is as not just an excellent action movie but an excellent sports movie, authentic in its portrayal of a sport, a talented athlete and the people who surround and support him.

And Speed Racer has integrity. From its directors to its cast and its incredible crew, all involved played their parts with utmost sincerity and earnestness, traits not often celebrated in big-budget flicks these days, which often lean more towards sarcasm and realism than warmth and genuine love. Speed Racer is a ground-breaking feat, earnest, warm-hearted, sincere and unafraid to be unironic. its stacked cast brings nothing less than their A-game makng those moments of connection between the family honest and heart-felt. So, yes, I understand why it was over-looked in its time, but, so was Vincent Van Gogh.

Other bits:

more on Spritle: I tried really hard not to hate Spritle but his energy is so out of orbit with the rest of the characters, more suited to a Disney Channel movie than this brilliant blockbuster. I know that Speed Racer is a film for all ages but Spritle really felt out of place to me and that the cartoonish elements and lack of swearing and gore were enough to keep it family friendly without having his character take up so much space. The end.

it's funny to think about this compared to The Matrix because of course, tonally and visually, they are nothing like each other, but in terms of trying something that's never been done before and crafting a complete world with a clear visual aesthetic, then they are both very Wachowski Sisters

also I haven't quite crafted this thought, but something, something this came out a year before James Cameron's Avatar, a film that was lauded for its use of CGI in crafting a distinct world, and only one of them became famous (but only one of them is good #justiceforspeedracer)

there is also maybe a correlation between this and The Phantom Menace but I'm going to have to put more thought into all of this (#justiceforspeedracer)

anyway

I am FASCINATED by Emile Hirsch's performance in this film, Speed is so calm and sincere and polite, it's hard to believe he's based on an anime character

Emile plays his Speed so quiet and calm I can't tell if it was a choice to have their main character come across this way or if he's just not good and I can't tell (I do think he struggles with the one-liners but only because Speed's energy is so unlike a main character it's weird to hear him spew one-liners) I'm choosing to believe it's the first one and that this was a decision by the Wachowskis to make their main character cool (as in collected and calm under pressure)

I loved the colour tones for each of the characters and general aesthetic vision of all of the practical effects (set, costume, etc.) and how they leaned into the 60s vibe

and I really liked how clear it was that Speed and Trixie were friends before they were boyfriend/girlfriend and that their relationship had that foundation

and I loved how much Sparky and Trixie were members of the family

"Terrible what passes for a ninja these days."

Hiroyuki Sanada?!

Gonna post Pops' speech to Speed because it's stunning: "I made a mistake trying to tell you what to do at Cortega. You were right. I was wrong. I won't make that mistake again. I want you to know that I acted rashly. I said things I wish I hadn't. Your mother usually protects me from making an ass out of my self but I was determined to do it this time and I guess I did a pretty good job of it. I wanted to make sure you understood how sorry I was...The truth was, I couldn't have been more proud of you son. Not because you won, but because you stood up, you weren't afraid and you did what you thought was right." "So? It didn't amount to anything. It was completely meaningless." "How could it be meaningless? I saw my son become a man. I watched him act with courage and integrity and drive the pants off of every driver on the road. This is not meaningless. This is the reason for a father's life."

more Pops: "Speed, I understand that every child has to leave home, but I want you to know, that door is always open. You can always come back. Because I love you."

gonna stop before I post the whole script

but just imagine: that and Susan Sarandon's speech about art and being proud of Speed

my god!

roll on 2028 this film is definitely going to explode on its 20th anniversary

[espballs]

In The Best Way

Chapter 4 - Baseball Rituals

“That was fun,” Shadow finally said, sitting up. He shot Metal a look, raising an eyebrow. “Maybe next time, I’ll actually beat you.” Metal beeped once more, a soft, almost smug sound. 

♡ Summary: Hedgehogs spying on local family are given serious talks by the most peak character in the entire Sonic franchise

♡ Cross posted on AO3

♡ Pairings: Sonic x Shadow, Metal Sonic x Amy

It was 10PM when Shadow and Metal sneaked out the New York apartment—through the kitchen window—and ran all the way to Montana, where it was 8PM. 

Their destination? Green Hills, Montana.

Shadow didn’t know where they were going, he had intended to actually go wandering. But it seemed Metal Sonic actually knew where Sonic lived and even knew where Sonic and his colorful friends would be,

Sonic, the two tailed fox, the red echidna, and Amy Rose… and Tom and the female Wachowski

Shadow didn’t know their names yet, oddly enough. He should probably try to learn them soon so it wouldn’t be awkward if they ever encountered each other again.

Metal wrote the names Shadow did not know in the dirt: Tails, Knuckles, and Maddie Wachowski. So Shadow was now in the know.

Metal did not want to be detected by the family, and neither did Shadow, so they hid in a bush just a little away from the baseball field to watch,

Under the watchful gazes of two unseen spectators, Sonic, the blue blur himself, was throwing a few warm-up pitches toward Tails, who was just as enthusiastic as ever. The two-tailed fox eagerly caught each ball, his bright eyes filled with excitement. Knuckles was off to the side, stretching his powerful muscles, while Amy twirled her bat, a confident smile adorning her face.

Shadow turned over to catch Metal’s expression. The damn robot had hearts in his eyes as he watched Amy. Even Shadow wasn’t that bad when it came to his feelings! 

Metal was raised by Agent Stone so… like father, like son or however that went. At-least Metal and Stone could be weird together.

Shadow shook his head and looked back to the field. 

The sound of the bat cracking against the ball echoed through the air, and Shadow couldn’t help but watch as Amy’s confident swing sent the ball flying into the distance. She stood tall, twirling the bat with a smirk as the ball sailed over Tails' head and toward the edge of the field before she broke into a run and ran around the field.

"Nice hit!" Sonic called out as he and Tails ran for the ball.

Amy dashed down the field, her focus sharp as she rounded first base, heading for second. Sonic zipped across the field after the ball, he scooped up the ball just in time to make a desperate throw toward second base.

Knuckles prepared to catch the throw. His muscles tensed, ready to pounce like a coiled spring. Amy’s feet hit the dirt as she rounded second, pushing herself harder, a competitive glint in her eye. The ball was in the air now, and it looked like Sonic was aiming for a close call at second.

Shadow’s eyes followed the ball’s arc. Metal, still by his side, was unusually silent, his mechanical eyes locked on the action.

Shadow was actually invested in this, there was a knot tying up in his stomach at the thought that Amy might not to make it to wherever she was supposed to. Was Sonic gonna throw the ball at her face? Was that how the game worked? Knuckles was aiming to catch that ball so maybe it’d be him who throws the ball at Amy’s face.

Metal wouldn’t like her to get hurt.

Shadow shuddered, glancing at Metal and hoping the robot didn’t decide to go homicidal and reveal their location to the Wachowski’s. Shadow had just been forgiven by Sonic, were they gonna need to fight in super forms again just for Shadow to be forgiven if Metal launched Knuckles to the moon?

Just before Amy reached second, Knuckles leaped, catching the ball mid-air. The crack of the ball meeting Knuckles’ glove was loud, and for a brief second, Shadow thought they might’ve had her. But Amy was too quick—she dove for the base, sliding low just as Knuckles reached out with the ball.

It was a close call, but Amy was safe, her hand brushing against the base just a moment before the tag.

“Safe!” Tails called out, giving a thumbs up to Amy.

Amy pushed herself up from the dirt, brushing off her clothes with a satisfied grin, her chest puffing out with pride. She glanced at Knuckles and gave him a playful wink. “Better luck next time!”

Knuckles chuckled, shaking his head. “I swear, you’re graced with luck,” he grumbled good-naturedly, though there was no denying the respect in his voice. “But that was a good slide, I suppose.”

Tails gave Amy a high five. “You’re killing it out there!”

Amy tossed her hair back, beaming. “I told you guys I’m the undisputed champion of baseball!” she said, her confidence radiating. 

Amy Rose was… not what Shadow had expected. 

He had expected someone softer who spoke only kind words, who’s every word made you rethink your life choices. The type of person whose hair was always flowing in the wind like it was on their side—the wind actually was on her side but that's not the point. Shadow had expected someone who was… quieter? Or less competitive. He couldn’t quite find the words to describe her.

To put it simply, Amy was bold. She radiated an aura of confidence mixed in with radiance. Shadow had expected her to be strong considering she carried around a massive hammer, but she also struck Shadow as the determined type of person, the type of person who doesn’t give up no matter what.

Amy Rose was someone to be admired.

She was kind and soft yet brave and strong at the same time. She spoke the kindest of words to those close to her while she bashed enemies in with her hammer. She was more than what Shadow had expected her to be, he could see why someone like her ended up finding something worth loving in a robot.

Amy Rose was a good person.

Sonic’s voice rang out, breaking the silence. “Alright, alright! Let’s keep it moving! Tails, you’re up!”

As Tails trotted to the plate, Sonic gave him a playful nudge. “Show us what you got, buddy. Maybe you’ll finally get me out!”

Tails laughed, his enthusiasm never faltering. “You’re going down, Sonic! I’m ready!”

Shadow shifted his position, keeping his eyes on the field while also keeping an eye on Metal, who had been oddly quiet since Amy’s play. The robot’s optics flickered, but Metal didn’t seem ready to make any sudden moves. Shadow couldn’t quite read the robot’s expression—if there even was one to read—but he suspected Metal was still processing something, like a machine trying to make sense of the human emotions he couldn’t understand. Shadow didn’t know what it was about Amy that seemed to stir something in Metal, but it was clear something had shifted in the robot’s demeanor.

The game continued, but Shadow’s attention remained divided. His thoughts were constantly drifting back to Metal. Could Metal ever truly understand any emotions? Could Metal ever understand what made Amy, Amy, or what made Sonic the energetic force he was? Was Metal sentient? And could Shadow ever love him like family.

Tails’ turn to bat came and went, and soon enough, the game carried on, each player showing off their skills. Shadow couldn’t help but think back to what Stone had said—about Amy, about her impact on Metal. Did she really leave that kind of mark on him?

“Alright! Time to head home! It’s late!” Tom yelled.

Sonic sighed and fell to his knees on the grass. “Awhh!!” He yelled before pressing a hand against on the grass. “I’ll miss you… you beautiful baseball field…” he fake sobbed, wiping away a fake tear.

Shadow regretted ever admitting having feelings for that guy.

Metal looked like he wished he was never created.

Tails giggled patted Sonic on the back. "You know, Sonic, you can always come back tomorrow if you miss it so much!"

Sonic grinned, jumping to his feet. "Nah, I’m good. Let’s head home, guys. We’ll be back at it soon enough!"

Amy, looking satisfied with the game, tossed her bat onto the bench and started walking toward Tom and Maddie. "I’m gonna take a shower. This was fun! Who knew I’d be so good at baseball?"

Knuckles gave a playful shake of his head. "I’m still not over that slide of yours. I’ll have to catch you next time."

As the group started making their way back toward the car, Shadow kept his eyes trained on Metal, who stood silently beside him, still processing the game. The robot had barely beeped since that moment with Amy. Something about the way Metal watched her, the way his optics lingered, made Shadow realize that maybe, just maybe, Metal was starting to understand something beyond his programming.

“Let’s go,” Shadow muttered under his breath. He knew that the game had stirred something in Metal—whether it was something akin to understanding or confusion, it was clear that Metal was feeling something, even if he couldn’t articulate it.

Metal beeped softly in response, his eyes dimming slightly as he followed Shadow without a word, heading into the shadows where no one could see them. Shadow glanced back at the field one last time before turning away,.

Metal beeped again, this time softer, quieter.

Shadow looked over at the robot, his gaze softening. Maybe, just maybe, there was more to Metal than the metal and wires that made him.

“Wanna play a game?”

Shadow eyed the glove hands, still unsure of what exactly he was supposed to do with it. He’d seen enough of the game to get the gist of it—throw the ball at that running person, they hit it then  run to the bases, and get back home. Simple, right?

Metal, on the other hand, stood poised at the plate, ready for action. His movements were confident, it was a little nerve wracking for Shadow. A silent beep escaped his system as he seemed to size up Shadow’s stance, and the slight tilt of his head made it clear that the robot was waiting for him to make the first move.

“Alright,” Shadow muttered under his breath. “Let’s see how this goes.” He wound up and tossed a lazy pitch toward Metal, testing the waters.

Metal’s optics flickered once, then he swung the bat with a smooth, practiced motion. Whack!

The ball soared high into the air, far past Shadow’s reach. It felt like a slap to his ego. Metal was clearly good at this. He turned to Shadow, his mechanical eyes flashing with something resembling amusement as the ball landed far off before he ran around to the bases.

Shadow wondered if he should give up. He decided it’d be better to go fetch the ball for his next try, he disappeared in a flash of red before appearing again.

Metal beeped when he returned with the ball, tilting his head as if inviting Shadow to try again.

Shadow took a deep breath, trying to push aside the awkwardness of holding the bat. With a determined grunt, he tossed the ball again, this time aiming for a little more speed. The ball arced in a lazy, unimpressive loop, falling easily into Metal’s range.

The robot swung again, effortlessly connecting with the ball. This time, Metal didn’t just hit it—he launched it, sending it sailing well beyond Shadow’s expectations. The ball soared into the distance, and for a moment, Shadow was just staring at it in disbelief.

Shadow scowled. “Okay, so you’re really good at this.”

Metal beeped a soft acknowledgment, but there was something in his stance that seemed to say, Your turn. Shadow could see that Metal was getting into it—no longer just playing out of curiosity, but now, actually enjoying the challenge.

“Alright, alright,” Shadow muttered, still feeling a bit off balance. “Let’s see if I can keep up.”

This time, Shadow aimed to be more focused, his competitive edge starting to kick in. He pitched the ball harder, trying to keep it low, hoping to catch Metal off guard.

But Metal reacted faster than Shadow could process. With a quick flick of his wrist, the bat made contact with the ball, sending it into a perfect line drive. It whizzed past Shadow’s ear, barely missing him, and hit the ground with a satisfying thud.

Shadow sighed. This is what he got for trying to be nice and play baseball instead of going back to his comfortable bed that was calling his name.

He pitched the ball again, this time putting more power into it, pushing himself to match Metal’s skill. As the ball sped toward him, Metal seemed to calculate the trajectory in an instant. With a sharp, confident swing, he knocked the ball out of the park once more.

“Nice…” Shadow muttered, stepping back and trying to keep his cool. “You’re good, but I’m gonna catch up, eventually.”

Every swing Metal took seemed to push Shadow to try harder, and every hit Shadow made seemed to bring out a little more precision from the robot.

“Alright, that’s it,” Shadow grinned, his eyes narrowing. “This is the last round. Let’s see who wins.”

With that, Shadow wound up, his body coiled like a spring, and threw the ball with every bit of force he could muster. Metal immediately adjusted his stance, the mechanics of his body whirring as he prepared to strike.

The bat cracked against the ball with an almost violent force, sending it hurtling toward the far end of the field. Shadow was so caught up in the competitive energy that he barely processed it. He was already running toward the ball, determined to get there before it touched the ground.

He dove for the ball, stretching out his hand at the last second to make a diving catch, landing hard on the grass. For a moment, there was silence.

Then Metal beeped, a sound of approval, as he looked at Shadow with what could only be described as an almost impressed glance.

Shadow grinned, rolling onto his back and catching his breath. "Did I win?"

Metal’s optics flickered in that odd, thoughtful way as he beeped softly. Metal tilted his head then glanced at the bases. 

Metal hadn’t ran any bases since the first round. 

They technically hadn’t even played the damn game right.

“That was fun,” Shadow finally said, sitting up. He shot Metal a look, raising an eyebrow. “Maybe next time, I’ll actually beat you.”

Metal beeped once more, a soft, almost smug sound. 

“Explain your purpose here or face my fists.”

Shadow jolted up from the grass to face the echidna warrior looming over him and Metal. Shadow thankfully did not overreact, unlike Metal who whipped out a gun. Shadow froze, his eyes narrowing as Knuckles stepped closer. The echidna’s stance was tense, his arms crossed in a way that made it clear he wasn’t in the mood for any jokes. Not that Shadow made jokes at all

“You’re still alive,” Knuckles growled, his voice low and rumbling. “I thought you were dead after the mess with Robotnik.”

Shadow slowly stood up, dusting off his back. He shot Metal a quick, silent warning, signaling him to stand down. The robot still held his gun, optics flickering with readiness, but Shadow placed a hand on his shoulder, a rare moment of control over the strangely unpredictable machine.

"Yeah," Shadow said coolly, his voice just as steady as it had always been. "It’s a long story. You wouldn’t believe it even if I told you." Shadow didn’t even know the story himself, he hoped Knuckles wouldn’t ask.

Knuckles wasn’t buying it. He looked from Shadow to Metal and back again, suspicion in his eyes. "If you’re really alive, then what’s this about? What’s your connection to... that?" He jerked a thumb toward Metal, who was still standing at the ready, gun still in hand.

Metal beeped, a sharp, challenging sound. The robot’s optics flashed once, but he didn’t move any closer to Knuckles. Shadow took a step forward, positioning himself between the echidna and Metal.

"Metal’s... complicated," Shadow replied, keeping his voice steady. "But he’s not a threat right now. And neither am I."

Knuckles’ eyes narrowed further, clearly unconvinced. "He attacked Sonic. We heard of this fake robot clone” He shot a glare over at Metal Sonic before turning back to Shadow. “We hear about him just as much as we hear about you!" Shadow didn’t dare question that.

Metal Sonic remained silent, his gaze locked onto Knuckles, unmoving. Shadow could tell the robot was processing everything, calculating possible outcomes. Metal’s posture wasn’t aggressive, but Shadow knew that if Knuckles so much as twitched in a threatening way, Metal wouldn’t hesitate to shoot a missle at him. If they fought it would create unnecessary drama and tension between the two’s families. Shadow wanted anything but that.

Shadow let out a slow breath, shaking his head. “Look, Knuckles, I’m not interested in fighting you, and neither is Metal.” He glanced at the robot, silently willing him to keep his weapon lowered. “He’s not aggressive once you get to know him.” Shadow wondered how stupid that sounded.

Knuckles looked at him like he had grown an extra three heads, so it probably sounded pretty stupid.

“It’s a machine, hedgehog. It’s got as much of personality as my fridge—“ Metal began to let out a mass of angry beeps, if Metal could talk then those beeps would not be child friendly. Shadow held out a hand to keep Metal Sonic back, he gave Knuckles a warning look.

“Metal Sonic was just offended, does that not show at-least some form of sentience? That he’s more complex than your fridge?” Shadow asked. Knuckles just shrugged his shoulders.

“The fridge screams at Sonic every time he tries to open it late at night” Knuckles said, earning an unimpressed look from Shadow. Knuckles sighed and shook his head, “Eggman was human, he was obviously sentient. But that doesn’t mean that if you saw him would you not knock his teeth out?”

“I mean he never did anything to me—“ Shadow broke off when he saw the suspicious look Knuckles gave him. Didn’t they literally turn the death ray with him? Did they not blast the moon with him?

“The point is he may be able to feel but that doesn’t mean we just—“ Knuckles broke off, snapping his head over to Metal Sonic. Metal beeped in confusion when Knuckles look at him with the rawest horror in his wide eyes and his mouth hung open so low it might soon break off.

“…are you in love with Amy…” 

What the hell

Metal Sonic beeped in what sounded like confusion. His head tilting slightly, and then he let out a series of beeps that Shadow could only hope translated to something like what the actual hell are you talking about? Metal caught his gaze and tilted his head even further, probably asking for help. Shadow shook his head at him

Knuckles, however, was already stepping back, pointing at Metal like he’d just killed Sonic. “No… No way… Tell me I’m wrong! Tell me my detector is wrong!” He begged as he fell to his knees and buried his head in the grass, screaming into it.

“It is a soap opera… This is a robot with a crush… on Amy… the kind of love Sonic has in  his eyes when he looks at chilli dogs…” Shadow was beginning to rethink his existence. “…or talks about the more impressive hedgehog…” it’s like he was just handing out gossip… like Gossip Girl…”

Should Shadow run away at this point?

Knuckles stood up and patted Metal’s shoulder. “It’s okay, but you must know: When a man and a woman love each other very much—“

Metal screeched. It wasn’t even a beep this time—it was just straight-up static noise, like a computer crashing. He was shaking his head violently now. Shadow feared he might explode. Metal turned and walked away another beep, disappearing into the trees.

Knuckles then turned to Shadow. “You like men, I know, my gaydar is top notch” what “Now, you may not be able to conceive, or you might… I don’t know hedgehog anatomy, but it’s still important to be safe during intimacy—“

“Nope!” Shadow yelled before turning tail and running at Metal Sonic to run back to New York with him.

[adventures-of-team-dystopia]

A Hedgehog Day Afternoon

Written by Darkqueen and Wandering Angel (@wanderingshadowangel)

Cover Art by Darkqueen

Content Warning: This story contains very mild swearing (READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED)

Summary:

What do you get when four certain hedgehogs come together for a simple afternoon hangout? Why, a very chaotic time, of course, and we’re not talking about Shadow’s Chaos abilities! Something tells him he should prepare himself for unbridled chaos…

The ultimate lifeform himself skates on over to the town of Green Hills, having recharged most of the Chaos Energy within him at this point, thanks to his chill relaxing time at Club Rouge. He would have been good to go already, but he supposes he should rest and enjoy his free time a little more before he goes to take on more missions from GUN. Better safe than sorry.

So that’s how Shadow is currently waiting at the front door of the Wachowski house after having skated all the way over there. He has knocked on the door already, so perhaps it’ll be any second now before anyone answers–

Ah. Just as he thought. Someone did answer the door. And that someone happens to be Sonic.

“Why, hello there, Shadow! I honestly didn’t expect you to accept my invite!” Sonic stated rather bluntly.

“Hey, even the ultimate lifeform needs to take a break every once in a while. Nobody is perfect after all.” Shadow replies with his usual deadpan snark cadence while crossing his arms.

“Sheesh, alright then, no need for a lecture!” Sonic says while laughing. “I’m just happy that you’re here! Come on in!”

Shadow simply nods right before entering the blue hedgehog’s home, looking around with curiosity as he walks into the living room. “So, what are we going to do exactly? And did others join in on this event?” He asks.

“Oh, I’ll keep what we’re doing a surprise for now! Trust me, it’ll be fun!” Sonic answers with a confident thumbs up. “As for the others, you’re actually the first one to arrive! I’m expecting two more, and they should arrive any second now…”

Just then, another knock on the front door sounds out throughout the building, prompting Sonic to immediately speed back to the front door. Soon after, the blue hedgehog returns, along with his certain pink and white hedgehog buddies.

“Amy? Silver? You accepted the invitation too?” Shadow questions with even more curiosity than before.

“Yapperdoodles! I figure to stick around this town for a little longer before resuming my wandering journeys! Who knew that this humble little town would turn out to be one of the most fun destinations I’ve ever been to?” Amy responds with a happy thumbs up of her own.

“True! It certainly is a town of adventure, that’s for sure…” Silver replies while rubbing his head sheepishly, recalling how he had to deal with so many enemies in such a short span of time, back when a certain dystopian team attempted to invade Green Hills (and the world by proxy)…

“I know, right? This town is so fun and cool after all!” Sonic chirps, still keeping his upbeat attitude, of course.

“That’s all cool and all, but now that we’re all here, can you now explain what we’re doing here?” Shadow asks while raising one eyebrow.

“Oh, right!” Sonic said as he dashed over to the TV in the living room. “So you wanna know what we’re all gonna do today, right? Well, we’re gonna play one of the most fun games of all time!”

“Oh boy, the suspense is already getting too much!” Silver claims, looking around with mild curiosity.

“At least it’s better than whatever surprise invasion we dealt with not too long ago…” Shadow lightly snarks with a sigh.

“True that… At least we all did it together!” Amy chimes in, which Shadow can’t help but feel that she’s making a vague reference to something he just can’t put his finger on… Must be the side effect of not being too attuned with the pop culture scene.

“Hah, you said it, Amy!” Sonic replies, of course. “Anyways, let’s do this already!”

And with that, Sonic quickly picks up the remote and turns on the TV, revealing a title screen to a certain card game turned video game…

“UNO?! Oh my goodness, I have heard legends that this game has caused so much friction for any type of bonds one may have!” Silver states with wonder, looking at the title screen as if he just saw some extraordinary event. It probably isn’t much of a surprise though, considering he hailed from the future and all…

“Sounds more like something I would hear from some salty forum!” Sonic replies in his usual chipper tone.

“Of course you would know about something like that, Sonic…” Shadow shakes his head.

“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” Amy cheers, using her own phone as a controller, with everyone else but Shadow following suit, with the ultimate lifeform taking the role as a primary player for this game.

Once everything is all set up, the game starts without a hitch! The four hedgehogs received 7 cards each, each set having their own chaotic twist to them…

“Alright, looks like I’m up first…” Shadow stated as he uses the handheld Nintendo Switch controller in order to make his first play. He’s not too sure about whatever move to make, but he supposes a red 6 card would do for now…

“Ah, starting off simple, I see! However, it’s not exciting enough, so let me help with that!” Sonic replies, throwing down a color switch card. “Let’s make this card a superior color now!” Of course he chose blue.

Amy squeaks with joy. “Ooh! Thanks, Sonic! Now I have a perfect opportunity to use this!” She declares…throwing a blue skip card in Silver’s direction.

“Huh? Are you serious right now?” Silver replied with mild bafflement.

“Let’s hope this doesn’t become some sort of recurrence for your sanity’s sake…” Shadow snarked as usual, putting down a blue +2 card. “Here, I’ll make sure you’re not the only one who’s suffering.”

Sonic gasps with indignation. “Ugh, I hate the +2! It’s inconvenient, unfair, and skips my turn every time!” He complained as he received 2 extra cards and got his turn skipped, as expected.

Amy immediately throws down a blue UNO reverse! “Haha, no u! You’ll get your chance to redeem yourself!” Cue thumbs up from her.

“Heh, thanks!” Sonic responds, and a blue +2 followed, aiming towards Shadow thanks to the reversed turn order. “Hah! Revenge is a dish best served with more cards!”

Shadow glances over at Sonic, deadpan as always. “Sonic, why would you do that?” He asks, clearly unamused. “And for the record, revenge guac is much better.”

“Hey, you drew the first +2, not me!” Sonic replied with a cheeky smile.

…However, Shadow smirked. “…Why would you do that to Silver?” He said, revealing another +2 of his own, stacking the effects! Due to not having any cards that can combat this, Silver ends up receiving +4 cards as a result…and the kicker is, his turn got skipped too!

“Wow! Not even the ruined future spouts off this much bad luck! What is this?!” Silver groans, crossing his arms with indignation.

“I have no idea, but I’m sure it won’t keep happening!” Amy tries to console as she plays a green 3 card, since Shadow’s +2 is green.

“Here’s hoping…”

“Enough moping! Time for me to shine!” Sonic claims, throwing down a green 7 card. It would have been like any other occurrence except…

“Wait a second, what is happening here? Why did that card just…flash all of a sudden?” Shadow questions with one eyebrow raised.

“Oh, you’ll see real soon!” Sonic replies with a cheeky smile. All of a sudden, Sonic and Shadow’s card decks swapped with each other, with one of these hedgehogs now having fewer cards than before after that exchange.

“…Did you seriously just steal my cards?” Shadow asked incredulously.

“Oh, I didn’t steal them! I was just borrowing them! It’s Free Cards Day after all!” Sonic quipped, laughing hysterically all the while.

“…What? I seriously doubt that this day exists, and I’m not even as familiar with Earth as you are.” Shadow snarked while rolling his eyes.

“Haha, gotta love that competitive banter, am I right, Silver?” Amy asked with a chuckle.

Silver chuckles somewhat awkwardly. “Yeah, for sure! It sure would be more fun if I actually took part in this competition…”

Unfortunately for the silver hedgehog, Shadow decided to try out a green skip card.

“And just like that, you’re once again proving that IT’S NO USE!” Silver bemoaned as he floated around the room with frustration.

“Hey, do not look at me. I certainly am not the one who came up with this whole luck gimmick. Hmph, personally, I wouldn’t depend on so much luck when it comes to my missions…” Shadow replied while crossing his arms.

“Alright, enough discussion about work matters! Sonic, I have a great gift for you!” Amy gives off an innocent smile.

“Oh? Is it a chili dog?” Sonic says, bouncing with much excitement.

Cue a yellow skip card.

“What?! How is that a gift??” Sonic complains.

“Hehe, I forgot to mention that it’s moreso a gift to me. Sorry!” Amy giggles.

“Ugh! I totally should have seen that coming!” Sonic lamented.

“Oh well, better luck next time!”

Shadow immediately throws a yellow 7 card in response to that. “Actually, I want them instead. Go get your own.” And thus, Shadow and Amy’s card decks are swapped. One can sense that Shadow is inwardly smirking at that very moment…

Amy hangs her head with frustration. “Ugh, that’s not how I planned it!”

“You know what’s also not planned?” Another yellow 7 was thrown into the pile, swapping decks between Shadow…and Silver?!

“That’s right, I finally got my turn, everyone! So there IS some use after all!” Silver cheered, and every other hedgehog in the room clapped, even Shadow. They thought it could never be done. They thought he was gonna keep being skipped and overlooked the whole game, but lo and behold, Silver finally gets to do something! And frankly, that’s worth celebrating…either that, or it’s probably some inside joke between them. Who knows?

Either way, Silver is now the one with the fewest cards now. He might win at this rate–

Oh wait, Sonic just jumped in with a red 7 card.

“Psych! They’re my cards now, buddy!” Sonic teased as he swapped Silver’s cards with his own.

“Oh man! I swear, I will get you back for this, blue hedgehog!” Silver responded with some frustration and a little vitriol.

“Here, allow me to add insult to injury.” Shadow adds as he throws in a red skip card…towards Silver.

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW???” Silver said, using his telekinesis to throw his own phone controller around out of rage.

“Sorry, had to do it to ya.” Shadow replied, although something tells Silver that he’s enjoying this chaos quite a bit…

“Well, in that case… Time for a change of pace!” Amy exclaims as she throws down the color changer card. She then proceeds to choose the green color, of course. “Green is where it’s at!”

“Oh, come on! I don’t have any green cards!” Sonic complained as he ends up drawing from the default card deck. “Oh well, at least I won’t have to draw too many cards to get the card I need, right?”

30 card draws later…

“UGGGHHHH. THIS IS SO NOT GOTTA GO FAST!” Sonic screams with incredulity as he draws THE 31st card, where he finally gets a green card. And that green card happens to be a 7, OF COURSE.

“Here, you deserve this gift much more than me, Amy!” Sonic stated right before using that card and swapping decks with Amy, saddling her with that disadvantage now.

“Hmph! How amusing!” She said sarcastically while crossing her arms.

“Heh, glad you think so!” Sonic replied in such a tongue-in-cheek way that literally everyone can pick up on that.

“I think she was being sarcastic, blue hedgehog…” Silver answers, still salty about what happened to him earlier.

“This pointless exchange is a waste of time.” Shadow shakes his head. “This is how you truly get revenge guac.”

“A what?” Sonic questions, just now noticing Shadow’s inside joke.

“You wouldn’t get it, weakling.” Shadow replies with a smirk…and Sonic is starting to figure out why, considering Shadow just used a red 7 card! Cue Shadow and Silver’s card deck being swapped.

“What was that for?!” Silver asked incredulously. “I wasn’t even a part of that exchange!”

“It’s called ‘playing it smart’. That’s how the ultimate lifeform plays this game.” Shadow quipped, as if that was obvious.

“Bro, any experienced UNO player could have made that play, you’re not that special!” Sonic complained.

“And yet, I can teleport around and use the Chaos Energy within me to perform strong attacks and unique abilities in order to protect the planet from would-be invaders. I don’t think you understand exactly who you’re talking to here.” Shadow replies to Sonic with the usual snark he reserves for him, prompting an annoyed eye roll from Sonic.

“Oh wait, breaking news! I have a turn again!” Silver cheers, prompting more clapping. This really says a lot about his UNO luck if that’s the reaction he garners… “AND I actually have less cards than before too! Wait, Shadow’s strategy doesn’t make a whole lot of sense then…”

“Hey, I said I’m the ultimate lifeform, not the expert UNO player…” Shadow replied with a sigh.

The telekinetic hedgehog shakes his head with confusion before continuing. “Anyways, TAKE THIS!” He shouted as he threw down a simple red 6 card, only leaving him with one card left! However…

“HA! You forgot to call UNO!” Sonic laughs right as he hits the call-out button before Silver does, granting him a penalty of adding two cards to Silver’s deck. “You’re too slow!”

“I SWEAR, I WILL CHANGE MY FUTURE! THAT WAY, MY UNO LUCK WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER!!!” Silver screamed, flying all over the living room.

“Wow, someone is certainly invested in this game now…” Amy commented with a smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll give you a chance to redeem yourself, Silver!” She said as she puts down a red UNO reverse card, switching up the turn order.

“Wow, thanks, Amy!” Silver responds. “Now I shall make you all suffer for my setbacks!”

“I just helped you though…” Amy replies with a sigh.

“Oh, except you, Amy, please continue being a nice soul.”

“Will do!”

After that wholesome little talk, the vibes of that moment shifted as soon as Silver chose to use a red skip card on Shadow. “Here’s a taste of your own medicine, you ultimate annoyance!”

“Whatever.” Shadow says with a shrug.

“Man, it’s not as fun when you’re not as invested as I am…” Silver lamented.

“Oh, don’t worry, I’ll make this exciting for you then!” Sonic replies, choosing to use his own red UNO reverse card, switching up the turn order himself.

“Oh, thanks for providing me an opportunity to skip this futuristic hedgehog yet again.” Shadow said in such a casual manner, using a red skip card against you-know-who.

Silver is glowing with pure psychokinesis energy now…until that glow goes away with a sigh. “You know what, I’m not even gonna lose myself over this. Just know though, that my disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined.” He complained.

“Hah, I knew it! I knew that would get him!” Sonic cheered, dancing around with joy.

“Sonic, that was mean! Here, maybe this should teach you a lesson!” Amy (mostly) playfully scolded right before dropping a red 7 card on him, happily taking Sonic’s cards while giving her own oversized deck to him.

Needless to say, Sonic’s dance of joy stopped at this very moment.

“Wow, how dare you! Do you not have any sense of honor playing this game?” Sonic bemoaned.

“As if you have any honor yourself, Mr. Impostor.” Shadow snarked, recalling Knuckles’ comment back on the day of a certain huge invasion.

“Ha! Well, I’m gonna call your bluff now, wandering hedgehog!” Sonic replied, cockily putting down a red UNO reverse card. “I bet you don’t have any more red cards, do you?!”

Cue Amy putting down a red ZERO card.

“Erm actually, I do have one more red card to use here! Better luck next time!” Amy gloated.

“Wow, and here I thought that was Tails’ whole thing to explain things like that…” Shadow sighs.

Amy giggles in response. “You might as well call me the wandering angel, with how blessed my luck is and all.”

All of a sudden, every hedgehog’s card decks got swapped over, leaving Amy with the oversized card deck as a result.

“Wow! You were saying something, Amy?” Sonic laughs.

Amy facepalms. “Shoot! I forgot that the zero card swaps everyone’s decks in accordance to the turn order!”

Shadow’s eyes widen. “Wait, then that means…”

“UNO!” Silver called out, managing to say it before everyone caught on to the fact, now only having one card left. “You’re all in for it now!”

“Damn it, we totally forgot that Silver is here! Now he’s going to use that current advantage against us!” Shadow stated with some concern.

Amy smiles with her usual confidence. “No worries, I did say that I only had one red card left before pulling that last resort of a move. I’m sure Silver will be struggling here!”

Sonic jumps with utter cheer. “Yeah! Time for the real super power of UNO strategy-”

Cue Silver putting down a yellow ZERO card…which happens to be his final card, utterly winning him the game. “This’ll end it!”

The crickets chirping in the backyard of the Wachowski home would not be enough to do this utterly baffling moment between them justice.

“WHAAAAAT?!” Sonic and Amy screamed. Meanwhile, Shadow is just standing there, glowing with Chaos Energy. Yup, he’s THAT shocked.

“How the hell did you even pull that off…?” Shadow commented with much confusion.

“Simple! Because I’m an optimist AND a realist!” Silver said while striking a hovering pose.

“Well, that totally makes sense!” Sonic said with a shrug. “Anyways, that was a fun game regardless!”

“Yup, can’t help but agree with you there!” Amy nodded.

Just then, the rest of the Wachowski family arrived at the living room at that very moment.

“Hey, we’re back from the store! How are things back at home, bud–” Tom started before noticing the rest of the hedgehogs. “…Huh. I see you invited your buddies over.”

Knuckles glances over at the screen and then gives an approving nod towards Silver.

“Congratulations for winning this match, literal future warrior.” Knuckles complimented. “I’m sure it was no easy feat winning against Sonic’s dishonorable tactics.”

“Hey!” Sonic shouted, clearly offended.

“Erm actually, most tactics in UNO would technically be considered dishonorable, Knuckles!” Tails clarified.

“Way to prove my point there, Tails…” Shadow snarked while crossing his arms.

“Hm?”

“Never mind.”

Maddie looks over at the group with a smile. “Either way, it’s so nice to see that you guys had fun together! Seems like our child truly is flourishing in this friend group, huh, Tom?”

Tom nods. “It would seem so.”

Just then, Shadow’s wrist communicator beeped, grabbing his attention. After gazing over the alert, he then sighs.

“Sorry everyone, but I have to go now. GUN just gave me a new mission, and I should go deal with some small troublesome group or something like that…” Shadow recited from his mission log, internally grateful that his Chaos Energy is now fully charged at this very moment.

“Right. Good luck, Shadow.” Tom replied.

“And make sure to stay safe!” Maddie called out just as Shadow skated out of the building.

“Heh, knowing him, he sure isn’t gonna let anyone get the best of him!” Sonic stated confidently.

“Yup, indeed!” Tails nodded with agreement before looking at the other remaining hedgehogs. “How about you guys?”

“Oh, I was just about to leave, actually.” Amy said while waving her hands and giving them a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll stick around this town for a little longer. Who knows what cool adventures I might stumble on, you know what I mean?”

Sonic gives her an approving high five. “Awesome! Hope you have fun, bestie!”

Amy smiles back. “You too, bestie!”

And just like that, she zoomed out of the building as well, which leaves only Silver.

“So, how about you?” Tails asked the futuristic hedgehog out of curiosity.

“Oh, I’m just gonna stick around for a little bit and soak up the amazing moment of my victory!” Silver stated, clearly still super invested over this game.

“Truly an honorable warrior’s victory, if I have ever seen one.” Knuckles nods with approval.

“Hehe, well, why don’t we celebrate this with a warrior’s feast? Nondestructive, of course.” Maddie said, eyeing Knuckles after saying that last part.

“Yes! Let’s go have some chili dogs!” Sonic cheered while Tails and Silver fly around the room with joy, with everyone else simply cheering.

And thus, the hedgehog day afternoon of playing UNO has come to an end. Some may say it’s the most amusing display of competition, while others may say it’s the battle for the ages. One thing’s for sure though, and it’s that the hedgehogs are definitely planning to do this again sometime and play more games together!

A Hedgehog Day Afternoon

THE END

[rosemaryreality]

Day 60:redraw of a screenshot from Sonic Dash.

Original:

[smallpwbbles]

Hi there!

I just wanted to swing by and let you know that I ADORE your art style. It's so simple, so clean, and so expressive. I love the little comics, the animatics, the Wachowski brothers antics, it's all so incredibly entertaining and always makes me smile when I see them cross my dash.

Thank you for sharing your talent, and I hope you have a great day!

ACK YOU COME INTO MY HOUSE WITH NICE WORDS AND NOW IM CRYINGBDHD THA NK YOUU

[a0iakuma]

@warriorscend asks: "I am the death of the party!" Someone should tell him that yelling such things actually makes the party more rowdy than putting a stop to it. ( Parties & Gatherings Sentences / accepting! )

The party was pumping — as most parties do; the crowd going wild and the music blasting so loud that the floor feels like it's just vibrating right underneath you! Sonic spin-dashed right into the middle of the dance floor. Who needs Wachowski supervision anyway? Not this hedgehog! He jumped up, did a quick pose before getting back into the groove of his own dance moves. ( The many dance moves he's seen over those seven years he's been here on Earth for. ) He was in the middle of doing the robot when the blue hedgehog heard a familiar yell.

Oh no.

Spinning around, Sonic's green eyes widened. I am the death of the party! Doesn't help the fact that Knuckles raised his fists in the air. His knuckles really do look like the rock and roll gesture. Poor guy doesn't even know! And the crowd eats it up and goes wild! Rowdy as ever!

“ Oh god, if Knucklehead over there keeps that up. Tom is going to KILL HIM. ” Sonic gasped at the sudden revelation.

“ If Knucklehead keeps that up. TOM IS GOING TO KILL ME. ”