#not enough love for most famous hedgehog in the world :/

[un-pearable]

sources (in miscellaneous order):

[popculturebuffet]

Here Comes Garfield: The Garfield Movie Review!: Colossal, Stupdendous one might go as far to say.. Mediocre (Patreon Review for Emma Fici)

Hello all you happy people and welcome back to here comes garfield, my look at all the garfield specials and now his film career. Which I realize now means I probably have to do Garfield The Movie At Some Point... and... Tale of Two Kittles.. and Pet Force...

That exesntial horror aside, today that means we're looking at the recently released Garfield Movie. The Garfield Movie comes to us from Columbia Pictures, which Sony will never let you forget is 100 years old and they own every year of that now with the 100 years logo they plopped in front of this and Ghostbusters: It Was Meh.

The film has gotten the predictably mixed reactions from a less ambitious kids film: Kids clearly love it, my own niece and nephew included, Critics loathe it and a lot of people who saw it ironically gave it one star on Letterboxd. In other words it'll likely get at least one more sequel and possibly a streaming spinoff on whoever pulls the biggest dumptruck of money up to sony's house.

So let's dig into this film: Why it's such an easy target, how good it really is, what dosen't work, and what delicoius layers it has.

The Chris Pratt Problem

Before we get into the movie, let's get into WHY it became such an easy target. And the first and biggest reason is the simplist: who they choose to play the fat cat the cool cat the nobody's fool cat: Mr Chris Pratt

Chris Pratt's casting became a meme quickly and it's understandable why: Not only was this on the heels of his questionable (if ultimately decent enough) casting in Mario but both castings felt.. Lazy. Like an exec googled "Celebreity Man" and went with the most afforadable option. Pratt isn't a bad actor. As a person... I didn't have the bandwith to full research that and shift out the genuinely douchey actions from the internet herasy. Seems like he might be bit of a dick, can't prove it. But as an actor he can be good: he was great on parks and rec, in the lego movie and in the guardians trilogy. The probelm is like a lot of actors, once he got famous, he started becoming the best imintation of himself: most of his parts like jurassic world tend to just be him doing what people now expect to be Chris Pratt TM performances. For instance Star Lord.. is a fleshed out hot mess of a character, with some depth and some genuinely emotional moments despite often being the butt of a joke. The Guy From Jurassic World.. is just that without the depth or any real character beyond "Raptor Pal who wants to bang Bryce Dallas Howard". It's not all his parts, the bullk is still good, but he's sliding very comfortably into not giving a shit if he dosen't have to and it's not a good look. I love Ryan Renolds but he can also be like that, and his better roles are when he dosen't like Deadpool. For as big a thing as it's become and as much money as he's making you can tell he's making the third one not because it'll make him even richer, but because he loves the part.

With both of these rolls it feels like Chris signed on because

He DOES give it a decent try, being pretty good as mario and alright as Garfield, but it's easy to see why there isn't a ton of enthusasim. When Ben Schwartz got Sonic the Hedgehog he was fukcing pumped, brought it and really sunk into the role. He's easily one of the Blue Blur's best voice actors and you can tell he loves the franchise. I'm not saying you have to love a franchise going into a part.. but it dosen't feel like Chris Pratt really put his soul into it and as corprate as Mario and Garfield are, these are characters with life to them. I'm not saying you can't do a good roll for a paycheck, see Orson Wells as Unicron, but fans aren't going to give you a lot of room if you don't seem to give a shit you got such a big part that is important to them.

I don't think Pratt sinks the film.. but he was far from the best choice. The best choice, in my opinon.. would've been nick offerman. He's a big comedy name, has a lot of talent, has done plenty of voice acting, currently headlining fox's best show The Great North, and has that low sarcastic voice that can be used for a bunch of diffrent moods. Jason Mantzokus is a close second choice as his gravly ness fits garfield and he can both be earnestly sarcastic AND energetic, both things garfield needs. I know the latter is ironic but the guy is emotive when necessary. But putting aside my choices he just feels like he's doing "Chris Pratt". He's good ENOUGH, but the film could've found better and has such a standout cast, including another possible choice in Brett Goldstein, that he sticks out as the guy whose just kinda.. there.. and he's in the lead roll. he's not bad and gets some great deliveries in places, but he's servicable. It's a hard roll to nail, for me only Lorenzo Music and Bill Murray have truly got it, with Frank Welker trying his best but just not quite nailing it. There's a reason there was a bit of a gap before Welker took up the roll: Music is a hard mountain to climb, Murray happens to just exude slacker energy it's not easy. But they could've tried HARDER instead of going with "well generic hollywood guy will sell tickets"

Garfield Sells Out

The next issue is one I can cover pretty quickly:

The Garfield Movie has gotten flack for it's various bits of product placement: Garfield eats POPChips, there's Olive Garden leftovers in the fridge, and his dad orders things from Wall Mart. There's also possible FexEx and Tinder advertisment I missed I found looking at articles or two and credit to the daily best for the first and reddit for the second. There are adds for big corportaions in this film and while that's not NEW , until a discussion with my friend Emma I hadn't realized how much the MCU advertizes (And just for clarity I love a lot of the mcu and Emma is neutral), it is wince inducing in a film primarily aimed at kids. It works decently for adults (raises hand), but I get the target demo and while they get advertised to plenty, it's still scummy to cram this into the movie itself.

I have nothing against the food tie ins: Stouffers doing one for their lasanga is too sensical not to do, as is having olive garden make a cameo in the film itself, Tastykae's garfield cake was adorablea nd delicious, and popchips, while certainly not the kind of greasy snack garfield would gravitate too, are the kind of casual snack food I could see him at least trying... or more accurately Jon buys them, Garfield eats everything else because he assumes like many boomers "Healthy=bad" and finds out he was wrong and orders more. It's still mildly manipulative, but it's nothing new: Kids get sold food to them all the time.

That being said.. it's still fucked up how much product placement is in the film, even if it's spread out well and while I do wish we'd stop getting SO MANY ARTICLES on it included Cracked claming the drones in the film are Sony trying to get kids to accept drones more

I get the impulse: We want to protect children and while I was originally going to be more critical of this, the more I thought about it the more scummy it felt. The Product Placement isn't to say add a layer of authentiity by using a real brand or because it's fun, it's just.. so cheap and blatant. It's just whatever brand wanted that garfield money. The film does HAVE food at the center: Garfield meets John in an itallian restraunt and has to pull a milk heist and neither place is a real life brand.. which begs the question why all the others were flavor blasted in there. There's no real need to shill and the movie would've been fine doing tie ins out of universe. I get we live in a corprate hellscape but you don't HAVE to advertise to chidlren and their parents and to sad middle aged men like me. You can just.. make a movie. Let that be the "product" if your that cynical. All you did to the brands involved is remind people "Oh yeah they sold out in that one movie". Well with Olive Garden if your sonic you also make me go to it .. or this film... but Olive Garden is delicious.

So onto the third major problem had with the film

We've Been Here Before

The third is something I can agree with: the plot is stock as hell. While the film has good points i'll get to, the basic plot is one seen in dozens of other animated films. A hero is thrown out of a lot in life their either happy with or tell themselves they are, but are thrown into a CRAZY adventure by circumstance that they must go on to get that life back while learning something along the way. To prove HOW common this is I decided to go through my film list on Letterboxd and put all of the animated ones I found that adhere to this formula into one image. It wasn't nearly as many as I expected.. but I still found about 40 diffrent films with this formula in some way

And please note this formula in of itself.. isn't a bad one. A lot of great films are made on this premise. To prove this let me take out the films I don't like from this grid

Your still left with a ton of stone cold classics. You'll also notice the breakdown for the original is 1/8th garfield. The first three specials, the first bill murray film and the second dtv film really do all fall into this formula somehow.

The key is that the formula isn't inherently bad: All these films start with the protagonists comfortable or about ot be and whisked into danger but they all go in such diffrent directions. Heartwarming child bonding comedies, a meditation on jealousy and our own realities, betting a black man's freedom in a way that the producers had to know was fucked up, space dolphin played by matt berry, everyone has their own way.

This film... dosen't do anything NEW with it: The film just stacks other animation tropes and cliches on top: you have our hero whose spoiled by what he has, has issues with his parents, has to go on an adventure adressing those issues, deals with a theatrical yet intimidating main villian and their two dumb and sympathetic henchman, gets training from a mentor with a tragic backstory to do a heist, the heist goes bad, the relatoinship that got built up over th efilm is semeingly shattered but OH NO IT WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING and the climax happens cumulating in everyone being one big happy family.

I could do the grid thing with practically every trope in this movie and it just kinda plays the hits. It reminds me of the Super Mario Movie last year: I liked that one too, but it's mostly carried by the visual spectacle, seeing the creators meticuously turn mario's patchwork world into a living breathing place, to see a giant version of dk island, to see Bowser's Kingdom in all it's glory. It's still a decent film, but it uses a pretty stock framework to do it because either the execs wanted that or the creators didn't feel they had the room to really push it. I could see the same problem here as you have Sony, Viacom and various sponsors Sony wants shoved in all wanting a say. This dosen't feel like say Across the Spider-Verse (Same parent companY) or Nimona (Same production company) where they had more freedom, so they just went with a formula that worked for other movies and worked for garfield before. The question is does that formula ruin the movie? Is there enough to still make it enjoyable despite being stock as hell?

Yes

The film is still pretty damn fun and feels like a welcome return to the character after being gone in other media for almost a decade. As Quinton Reviews pointed out in his review of this film, the Garfield Show ended in 2016. It's been a WHILE since the orange tabby's been animated, with his only apperances otherwise being in video games, showing up in Lasanga Party, Garfield Kart and being a guest racer in Nicktoons Kart Racers 3 and a fighter in both all star brawl games, all welcome as it's just.. fun to play as garfield. Does he have any real connection to nickelodeon besides them owning the property now? Nope. Is it fun to have him anyways? hell yeah. Have him hit the avatar with a pie, either one!

The strip still exists but like many aging comic strips it's clamped to it's formula. I've been reading it daily for a few months now and while there are occasional gems

It's mostly the same stuff. You can find better jokes by buying the first few three in ones. It's not nearly as bad as some other legacy strips, seriously why is Blondie still around, but it sticks out in an age where more cartoons like Heart of the City or Nancy are allowing someone to flat out reboot the strip and try something different.

With a movie you have that blank slate to do whatever and while it does a standard animated movie TM with it to a point, the film does try some neat stuff I can't help but admire.

The biggest point is the animation. DNEG did the animation here and went above and beyond the call. I love their designs, combinging modern garfield with some of the classic garfield heft and proportions: his limbs are still super skinny, but they aren't as gangly as they are in the strip, feeling more in line with his body and the head resembles the one from the early 80's more. The eyes are also without a line, which seems like a small detail but ups the expressivness, something key to garfield as "funny facial expressions" are one of Garfield's best bits.

Slapstick is where this franchise thrives and the film mostly does this well. I wish there were more, but it has some fun visual gags: while it was trailered to hell and back, the fluffy fur gag is pretty funny. All the gags with Roland, big bad Jinx's muscle played by Roy Bloody Kent himself Brett Goldstein has a lot of fun gags: How this wall of folds and muscle just.. will show up any time Garfield tries to leave, disappearing behind a sign and pulling a cell phone out of his folds his boss refuses to touch. It's not a ton, but it's a lot of fun and while he must've been a nightmare to animate, so, many, FOLDS, it results in a character that's just inherently funny to see walk around and Goldstein's gruff voice just adds to it.

There's other great btis like Garfield and Vic stuck to a tree and using the vines to beat the hell out of each other, garfield getting smacked into a car windsheild and more.

The animation is just gorgeously expressive: the non garfield cast may be somewhat stock but damn are they fun to watch and the main trio (and Liz and Nermal in very brief cameos) are at their best. IT's fun to look at, visually gorgeous and easily the best part of the film: the film may not remotely stack up to some of the masterpieces we've gotten, nor does it try to, but it does look great while having a lot of fun doing it.

Since we're talking character let's look at our cast and starting at the top Billing we have Garfield himself. Like I said Chris Pratt does.. fine. Would've preferred Nick Offerman, gold star to whoever brought that up, but he dosen't ruin the character and is still dryly sarcastic enough.

Characterization wise he's a tad diffrent: He's not nearly as much of a dick to Jon and Odie, something CellSpex pointed out in their own review might be corprate not wanting Garfield to be as dickish and thus less markketable. While I do think that's the case, I also think they threaded the needle well: Garfield is still a massive douchey orange blob to them, but it's in less over the top ways: him pummeling john or punting Odie siimply dosen't play as well, so instead he maxes out John's credit cards and Odie is essentially his butler. The former isn't super funny, but is fitting enough, and it's telling Jon, pushover he's always been, dosen't really push back against it, while having Odie instead be his hyper compentetn sidekick works. It could've backfired, turning Odie into something like say the minons that say s"please merchandise me", but instead it gives Garfield a foil, someone to make passive agressive dog noises or leave him tied to his dad on a tree. Odie is still dumb, but having him be garfield's slightly more emotoinally sasvy and competient sidekick still works well and gives him more than just "ain't he dumb" as a joke for a 90 minute runtime.

Jon is done incredibly well here but I wish there was more of him. This seems to be the sentiment across most reviews, and I can't blame my fellow critics on this one: Nicholas Hoult equals Thom Huge at the part, and like Garfield it's not easy. But it works by doing it a diffrent way: Thom had a dry sarcasm to his john that contrasted nicely with his manic dorky side, while Nicholas Hoult just leans into John as a loveable mess and it works. His panic as he tries to reign in a kitten garfield from eating an entire itallian restraunt, resignment as he washes the cat, and general bafflement at his pet fits the character like a glove.

Sadly the plot.. really dose't leave much room for Jon. It's understandable: Even if his mouth now moves, Jon can't undrestand garfield and the film outlines this, with an app specifically to translate animals being needed and only being known to exist by an unhinged security guard. It still would've been fun to give him more of a b plot looking for his pets, maybe rope in liz or irma from the diner as side characters.

What B-Plot we do get though.. is easily the best joke of the film. Jon is left on hold by a lost pet hotline for SEVERAL DAYS growing more hilariously deshevleed along the way. There is nothing more jon arbuckle than the world pantsing him while he's down and his deranged rant to the guard at the pound when he picks up the boys that "I'm done waiting! The Jon who is waiting is dead!" is fucking great, as is his bafflement when the boys run out on him after getting home to go save Garfield's dad, and his wondering if he triggered garfield when Garfield runs out to bring his dad home at the end. Hoult plays a perfectly pathetic jon, the relatable doofus we all know and love and I hope any future projects both bring him on board and give him more to do. The man is brillaint

Likewise Harvey Gullien is great as Odie. He has to commuincate using barely intellgible dog sounds, and of course great visuals from DNEG, but does so well. The man's voice acting career is a slow burn but man should he do more. He was great in Puss in Boots, is aces here and should be in most animated films from here on out. If Sony needs an Alan Tudyk, they've got one.

Onto supporting we have Garfield's Father, Vic, played by Samuel L Jackson. Vic is a big kitty who left garfield behind as a kitten and whose past crimes force his son into a heist wtih him. Look like Keith David I could listen to Sam Jack all day, easy. He has a talent for being awesome no matter the movie and no matter how much he's just in it for a paycheck. He's playing a fairly stock "ex con dad" type character who wonders into his child's life and tries to reconcile, but he has so much fun with it it's hard to really notice and the design, a big giant muscly blob, works well as a contrast to garfield: both are big soft boys, but Vic clearly lifts.

The plot between the two is cliche, I won't lie.. son is bitter his father left but DADDY HAD A GOOD REASON FOR ABANDONING YOU and if done wrong can have some bad implications. If a parent left you and is a dick, you have no obligation to them. Even if their not you don't really.

The twist that Vic didn't MEAN to abandon garfield was obvious from a mile away: even seeing the trailer it was clear he probably wasn't the asshole Garfield thought he was. But to the film's credit they don't hide that it's more complicated: from the get go Vic TRIES to explain he left, but Garfield's both understandably pissed he said he'd "be right back" and never came back and that Vic's old partner Jinx is forcing garfield into the film's heist simply to fuck with vic. It's also the right push to get Garfield into the plot: i've seen complaints about how "oh this big heist film isn't garfield he just lies around the house".. .but a key element of most of the specials and the other movies is garfield kinda gets.. shoved into adventure. Here Come Garfield happens because the next door neighbor has the pound come and Odie's too stupid to run for it. He tries to ignore his friend being lost, and tries to tell Jon who naturally dosen't get his charades, but ultimately goes to save him. The key to getting garfield into an adventure is to push him into it: either he has an emotoinal investment or , like in this case, he really has no choice, like that time he fought a panther to protect Jon. You CAN get plenty of good slice of life nonsense out of the boy but i get that for a specail or movie you have to kick it up a notch and having Garfield forced into a life of crime fits well.

It's a bit fucking weird, but again so is garfield. It's something people tend to forget or don't really care to look up and that came up in a lot of reviews, but the specials could get werid. Garfield was on a talent show, went through 9 very diffrent very fucking weird lives, was a private eye, had a whole spy pastiche adventure in his daydreams, went to hawaii to stop a volcano with the help of Fonzie's ghost.. or was it james dean's ghost? it was someone's ghost, and of course met ghost pirates. Not every adventure was fucking insane, but it bears repeating sometimes the strip or specials or especially the show got weird, and that's alright. Frankly the films could go weirder and less stock, but this really isn't out of his wheelhouse. Like with Scooby Doo maybe research a franchise before you bitch about it. not saying everything's gold, lord no, but I am saying the franchise is way more experimental than it gets credit for.

The twist on WHY vic left though.. is heartbreaking. This ties back to the opening which you can see most of in a trailer: vic abandons his son, Jon finds baby garfield outside the window while he's having a sad single man meal at an itallian restraunt, Garfield eats everything in sight and Jon still adores his pet. The only part left out is Jon almost leaves Garfield behind, as his apparement dosen't allow pets.. but goes back. Why they added this.. I don't know.. but their origin is truly hearwarming and may be another reason why they toned down the asshole to Garfield being less of an abusive roomate and more Jon's spoiled teenage son.

Naturally though we didn't see VIC'S side: he went to steal some food for his son, had to wait for the worker's long as hell phone call becaues some dick won't feed a stray cat. I mean I get they come back but counter argument: who cares. As long as you don't invite a roving pack of cats, help the starving kitty you ass. At any rate by the time vic got back with half a fish, his son was gone and he watched the whole scene at the itallian restraunt.. and then watched Jon come back, realizing Jon gave his son a better life. He gave his son up so he could. As for why he never visted it's the painful but truthful worry of ruining his son's new life: vic's a career heist man, an alley cat and garfield was comfortable. The sad irony is garfield.. woudl've welcomed his dad in. Jon being Jon would've gladly adopted him. Garfield wanted both HIS dads. Vic instead watched from a nearbye tree, a revelation garfield only gets in the pound after Vic fakes a double cross... when really he knows Jinx will NEVER let garfield free of her grasp and thus returns the milk from the heist himself. Naturally garfield realizes this, gets a drone fleet to help him rescue his dad along with the bull they befriended earlier, and saves the day.. and Vic still plans to leave but ultiamtely garfield convinces him to stay. Is it a tad cliche? Sure. Did it still knock my fucking heart out? yes.

Outside of this emotoinal arc, Vic is a lot like his son, but more active, having more world skills... and it's not really played up. Vic's emotinal arc is well done but outside of it he dosen't have much charater. Only the fact he's played by sam Jack really lets him be a character. He's not BAD but I wish they'd fleshed him out more outside of his tragic backstory. It moves me.. but there's not much else to the guy.

Onto our bad guys, and Jinx, our main villian is a delight. She has a decent motive too: She was once a would be show cat, but choked on stage, genuinely found family with Vic.. and turned vengeful when he left her behind on a job, her hate twisting her into the operatic selfish tyrant we see today with her two henchman Roland, the foldy brett goldstein boy I mentioned before and Rupert, his twitchy partner played by SNL and Fire Island's Bowen Yang. Roland is great mostly due to the expressive animation and Goldstein's deadpan delivery. Youc an almost feel rupert about to threaten

Good times. yang.. gets less to do. Roland is just kinda there because they felt they HAD to have a pair of henchman and coudln't have just one big british foldy boy. It's also weird to me they didn't go with another ted lasso cast member. There's tons of options and if you already got the big bad and one of her henchman from there commit to the bit. The show's lined with talent.

Speaking of which Jinx is voiced by Hannah Waddingham, who like Goldstein was a dream on Ted Lasso. She also was recently in the fall guy which you should watch. Seriously .. go.. go do that. It's fucking incredible. At any rate she makes the most of the role hamming it up to all hell, giving Jinx a nice manical quality. Jinx isn't given a ton of layers outside of her backstory, but is hilarous enoguh with her big fluffy persian cat presensce, general evil dickery and awesome villian song that for some weird reason wasn't actually put in the film proper but makes the credits a joy to sit through, she's a LOT of fun and you can tell Waddingham is knawing on the scenery in the recording booth and loving it. I like her getting to flex her range post-ted lasso, already terrific as Rebecca but now getting to play a nice variety of parts. Jinx wouldn't be the same without Waddingham and the casting was perfect

Our penultimate major character is Otto. Otto is a bull and garfield's grumpy mentor with a tragic backstory because everyone has a tragic backstory in this movie except Odie and that's because they cut the scene of Lyman getting shot to death in the falkland's war. He's a bull who was part of the farm Garfield has to heist with is daddy guy, and was removed from it because the new owners are dicks, desperate to get back his one true love Ethel. He's played by Ving Rahmes, who does a great job and the character honestly isn't bad, it's just.. weridly sandwitched into this movie. A ways in and we suddenly get this guy who should be leading this whole other movie. The heist itself fits decently enough, but this whole tragic past, his history with the guard Margie, it feels like a whole other film that Garfield and Friends just wondered into.

Otto is fun to watch, his serious as hell tone contrasting with things like assinging Garfield roadkill or his deadpan assement that Garfield and Vic are going to die and are only ready because they'd need a month and have a day. He's not bad, he' sjust a bit undercooked> he does get his happy ending with Ethel back, so tha'ts nice, it just feels like another character in a cast that probably didn't need one more guy.

Finally we have Marge, the security guard played by Schmigadoon! star Cecily Strong. Strong fucking brings it to marge, who could easily just be this obstacle of a villian but instead is this super obessed guard who has a score to settle with vic, instantly recognizes that jinx calling to set vic up (And hilariously it just being Hannah Waddingham saying meow a lot), is a cat informing on someone, and has this unhinged energy the film needs and that fits garfield like a glove. Garfield is all about unhinged weirdos wondering into his life in other media. She provides a jolt of energy for the heist section and a nice way to payoff things later as she trades the truck for ethel and takes in Roland and Rupert while taking Jinx to the pound.. or to an unmarked grave. Marge.. is hard to read. I just love her though, having this werido who understand this elaborate animal plot somehow. Beauitful.

We also have a few smaller roll: Snoop Dogg plays a cat

Dev Joshi plays Liz for all of 5 seconds, and for some reason Jeff Foxworthy plays a bird for even less time.

The cast overall is decent, if a bit overstuffed, but iwth good enough performances to make you not care.

Before we move on a complaint i've seen here or there is that they don't really use garfield's supporting cast. I agree on Jon, Nicholas Hoult was too damn good to use that little, but for the rest of the cast.. I get it. None of them really fit into the narrative that well: Arlene, The Meanest Dog in the World, Nermal might of fit as members of the heist crew, it woudl've been intresting to see them gather one, but otherwise Jon's Parents, who I dearly love, don't quite fit (It'd be fucking werid to have garfield rob people he knows instead of a souless corperation0, Irma has no real place and Lyman got shot to death in the falkland islands. Other than their neighbors who used to show up, Garfield has no other recurring characters to use. it WOULD have been neat to use the US Acres cast for the heist, again could've gone full ocean's elven, but I get not adding even MORE characters to a crowded film, and possibly saving them for another movie down the line. Again Garfield dosen't have a big bench to pull from: if you have that full a cast that can stand on it's own and possibly anchor their own film, I can't blame the mfor saving them. Same for Arelen and Nermal Garfield falling in love or having to deal with his greatest enemy are both things that could anchor a sequel.

The Big Fat Hairy Conclusoin

So overall the Garfield Movie is.. fine. It's nothing exceptional, but it has a LOT of fun energy to it and out of the films i've seen i'ts easily the best.. and frankly I doubt Tale of Two Kitties or Pet Force is better. The film does have way too much advertising, a stock plot and way more characters than it needs.. but it compesates by mostly nailing the characters from the comic, having some of the guest characters be intresting, and when they aren't all parties involved are buffered by talented voice acting and gorgeous animation. This film is okay, and if you don't like Garfield, you probably won't like this film. If you like some goofy animation and some schmaltz though, you'll likely enjoy this one like I did. It's not perfect by a mile, but it adapts the strip's tone and style well, adds some florishes here and there, and leaves the door open for more. And frankly with it's success it gives me hope that other comic strips might get adaptations. After Paramount's treament of Phoebe and her Unicorn and Big Nate, we could use somre more comic strip movies with this level of animation, and maybe some more depth. I'd love to see films for more recent strips like Phoebe and her Unicorn, Wallace the Brave or Breaking Cat News that have both intresting casts to tap into and unique art styles that would look gorgeous on screen. I'd love to see some older strips get a new spin as well like Baldo or Zits, ones with a formula sure but a lot of visual flair. With this and the peanuts movie, we're hopefully seeing more comic strip adaptations and unlike last time this could be something good instead of CGI monsters from beyond the farthest star.

So I leave this film with an "I'ts alright you might like it" and the number two spot in my rankings of the specails i've covered

Next Time (Hopefully): It's Christmas in July so that Means it's time for us to get down on the farm with Jon's family for some musical numbers, home cooking and elaborate back scratcher b plots.

[theeluisifer]

I find it really freaking fascinating that Sonic’s design was pulled from just a ton of really weird sources. Like, did you know that Sonic’s designer -  Naoto Ohshima - confirmed that Sonic’s shoes were inspired by Michael Jackson’s boots seen on the album cover for Bad? (Compare those shoe buckles and the resemblance is undeniable!) And if that’s not enough, the colors for Sonic’s shoes were lifted straight from Santa Claus’s color scheme because Santa was, according to Ohshima, “The most famous character in the world.”  Gosh, I love Sonic the Hedgehog.

[amaskofmyart]

A lot of the early doodles of my Sonic stuff, you can tell I’m still trying to figure out the style as well as the characters. Let’s see-

1: This was right around the time I saw the second movie and my eight-year old heart was so excited by the end credit scene that I thought I’d make a proper oc for my favorite boy. But I did also have an old ass oc from the eight-year-old brain that I wanted to bring back and give her more of a story. To be fair, she was just originally Hannah Montana the Hedgehog, because for whatever reason I wanted to be her (then again who at that time didn’t?). At the time of this drawing I hadn’t really begun to flesh her out. Now, Nex is not a fox. He LOOKS like a fox, but is much taller than normal mobians and darker shades on his fur - he is a Maned Wolf. And a total gay disaster! Clara there is a really early design I tried for my brother (it’s his oc) but she has a updated (and much better) look now, so look forward to that!

2: While the details of their meeting are still iffy as I write them, Nex and Shadow meet while Nex is still under Eggman’s “care”. Nex has known about Shadow and the events of the ARK thanks to all the files that Eggman had on them, and while he read every detail he could he couldn’t help but feel bad for those involved. He wonders what kind of person Maria would have been if not for her untimely death, if her disease could have been cured with the aid of Project SHADOW, and the ultimate life form himself! It must have been terrible to have your whole world ripped out from under you like some sort of circus act. Imagine his surprise when Eggman, his self-appointed new father, suddenly brings the very ultimate life form that Nex had spent many obsessive grief-filled nights over to their base! If only he wasn’t so socially inept perhaps he could… befriend him. (Or maybe date him or whateva lmao)

3: Hannah and Sonic are best buds. Hannah herself is a very famous singer, going all around Mobius preforming songs to breath hope and determination into the fearful citizens! She respects Sonic as the saviour of the world, but also knows just how fucking uncomfortable it is to be fawned over every waking minute - so she just treats him like a regular dude and in turn he does the same. Together they just get to be normal kids, doing whatever they feel like at the time, and if Robotnik comes out of nowhere to fuck them up their Speed-Power combo has most botniks out of commission in seconds! The purple one is Anti-Hannah, that’s right baby Anti-Mobius is a thing in my weird fucked up world because goddamn it I love the little fucked up versions (please no one tell Man Blenders (iykyk) about this). She’s Hannah’s opposite (duh) and is all in all a rude ass bitch. More on her later I suppose.

4: Nex is a genius. He was raised (if you can call it that) by Eggman, taken under his wing as a potential prodigy. The only problem, Nex hated Eggman. In his defense, Eggman had wiped out the entire Maned Wolf tribe Nex was apart of just because he was having a bad day - the only reason Nex was spared was because he showed great promise of ingenuity and brilliance at the young age of three - enough it reminded Eggman of himself and decided to spare the Maned Wolf and take him on as a son. Nex however never wanted to be his son, but knew that if he ever acted out, he would kill the young Nex without a second thought. Also Hannah has some real bad family trauma, more on that later as well.

5: Yin is one of two, and since her brother isn’t here I won’t go into to much detail about her just yet. But look forward to it ;-)

6: Hannah and Miley (Anti-Hannah) are both singers in their world, I imagine Hannah is more likely to sing songs like “Nobody’s Perfect” and uplifting shit like that whereas Miley is a total slut and will totally sing shit like “Gimme More” or “Radar”.

[beevean]

Opinion: How could Sonamy progress in IDW?

[note: the original article was written in Spanish by @latin-dr-robotnik​]

Today we’re going to discuss a recurring topic on my blog, with a more complete perspective.

Today’s article was inspired by an ask I got a few days ago about my possible perspective on the future of IDW Sonamy. I thought it would be interesting to revisit and expand this topic, because it’s still something of great interest for thousands of fans all around the world, and because SEGA has recently adopted a very peculiar position on the couple and their dynamic. As I detailed on my article SEGA and its most recent Sonamy side – more canon than ever, the dynamic has been going through a shift that can be distinguished into two main parts: 1) the commercial potential of Sonamy as a merchandising and marketing icon; 2) the stability of the interactions in the comics, in the short monthly stories on Sonic Channel, and so on.

That being said, there’s no need to mention that we’re going to focus entirely and nothing more than on this ship. I usually suggest other articles for those who prefer to read on other subjects, but today I will recommend our Discord server [translator’s note: the server is mainly Spanish-speaking], where discussions about ships are limited on their own canal that is separated from other themes: general discussions, music, fangames and mods, fanfics, fanart and even gaming in general. As you know, if you want to bring something else to our community, or just avoid talking about Sonamy, you’re more than welcome to join. Now, back on track.

What’s going on with Sonamy in IDW?

To recap what’s happened in these last months: Sonic and his friends finally got through the nightmare that was the Metal Virus, he and Amy hugged a few times, and since very recently they’ve been involved in a short arc about Chao races in Twinkle Park Zone, with a sinister background. In these last months after the eradication of the virus, there have been much closer and warmer interactions between our two hedgehogs, and I suspect that part of this is what inspired that question in the first place: what’s going on?

As I commented in the article where I proposed that Sonamy is “more canon than ever” (I know that it’s an exaggeration, that was the point), SEGA is treading carefully and the main canon seems to be willing to negotiate a more open representation of the relationship between the two in their different continuities, from best friends to something more. What I did not expect to happen was reading an answer from Evan Stanley (artist and writer that replaces Ian Flynn) about their dynamic, summing it up with “they like each other”.

The redrawing of Sonic’s expression when Amy hugs him in a recent drawing of hers made people wonder if this was yet another example of SEGA’s “censoring” (comparison below), to which Evan answered that it was modified to keep Sonic in character: he’s a guy that does not show much emotional vulnerability or too many negative emotions, and this is why sometimes the artists have to adjust WIPs to keep in line with this official point of view. Evan assured that this is not any kind of confirmation that Sonic does not like Amy, and doubles down by highlighting that in the official material, in the wikis and on Sonic Channel they show that, and I quote: “They like each other, but Sonic just isn’t the kind of guy who is going to make goo-goo eyes at Amy or perform grand acts of romance. If you wanna see that, that’s what fan works are for.”

And Evan’s words are a great way to sum up what’s going on with IDW Sonic right now. When it comes to interactions, they’re working with two characters who deep down “like each other”, but both show it in their own way. Amy is much more proactive when it comes to express her feelings, while Sonic only sometimes shows a glimpse of his feelings, with a smile or a small gesture. But at the end of the day they’re still friends and, depending on the situation, the comic can focus more or less on these details.

Comparison between the first sketch showed by Evan and the final product. The modification of the expression was minimal: Sonic’s slight blush was changed into a smile, maybe being a little overwhelmed by the gesture of affection.

The “progression” of the dynamic in the future

A good part of the answer to this question is based on my idea that right now, when it comes to Sonamy, we reached some kind of comfortable plateau. What am I referring to? To the fact that there have been a lot of varied interactions in these last 3 years of the comic, and they’re everything I could have asked for and then some. When we talk about Sonamy in canon, as Evan said, we don’t tend to hope for great romantic gestures from Sonic, we barely even ask for a look that hints that they understand each other beyond what it seems at first glance, so the fact that the IDW continuity is betting so much on this ship is basically a dream come true. For this reason, I don’t think things will change much in the future.

If I have to make a prediction on Sonamy’s future in IDW, I believe that there are still a lot of possibilities that our known writers (and maybe new writers!) could explore more, to see what makes this dynamic work so well. Actually, about 10 years ago, Ian Flynn wrote that if they could take advantage of the abilities and similarities between the two characters as adventurous spirits and with a strong moral sense, they would be “like poetry in motion”. This largely happens in IDW Sonic if you look carefully, but there are always new stories to tell and opportunities for them to work together and explore a bit more their strong bond, stronger than other friendships that they share. When the next major arc comes (which seems to be getting closer), they could explore aspects of their dynamic that are slightly more experimental, like being separated for extended periods of time and under dangerous situations… as long as they don’t turn it into a painful experience like the Metal Virus arc.

What Ian Flynn wrote about Sonamy, what works and what doesn’t. This was written in 2011, when Archie Sonic was still the major comic continuity, and when, according to Ian, Sonic was still “tied” to Sally Acord, leaving little room to the writers’ opinions.

The reality is that I see a stable future for the dynamic in the IDW universe. Sonamy is not fit for a lot of drama (fights, breaking up, etc.) without feeling forced or completely out of place, and only fanfics and fanart could be capable of capitalizing on this kind of content. On the other hand, for reasons I detailed in past articles, SEGA would not dare to alter the established order of the dynamic, let alone new that they managed to recover and maintain control over the ways Sonamy is being portrayed everywhere. SEGA won’t pull a Dragon Prince, which ended up confirming the main ship and then they made them go through a crisis and break up in a heartwrenching way in the graphic novel that acts as a bridge between season 3 and 4.

In short

The future of IDW Sonamy is looking bright and stable. I don’t think there will be serious changes to what we’re experiencing right now, and this is why both Evan Stanley and Ian Flynn agree that the dynamic is practically in the perfect place, keeping in line to how SEGA wants them to be represented together. This means we won’t see more affectionate gestures than what we’re seeing now (I doubt we’ll ever see again Sonic offering Amy a rose like in Sonic X), but it also means that we have now a solid basis for our expectations. In the now old IDW Sonic #2, Sonic and Amy had the chance of seriously talking a bit about what they thought of each other, with Sonic being determined to keep living life his own way (although he wouldn’t mind Amy to accompany him… or even suggesting himself that she could come), and Amy being determined to respect his way of life, because that’s what she loves about him, and she doesn’t want him to change. Since then, all we have seen and we’ll keep seeing in the comic is a consequence of this key moment; the two philosophies that they have and they share, in a constant back-and-forth with some tense moments and some cute moments.

An interesting detail that wasn’t included in the ask and that makes me think is the possibility that all of this will feature in the games as well. This is a completely different matter for another day, but I like to think that there is the possibility that we’ll see SEGA being more interested in inserting more Sonamy in the games, even if in an indirect way like in Sonic Unleashed and its emotional support, especially if the rumors that we’re about to get a soft-reboot are true. Romance is not something Sonic games are famous for doing well… at all, but that doesn’t mean it would be a bad idea to add a little sprinkle of IDW Sonamy in the mix.

And finally, I think I’ve talked enough about this topic, As you know, we’re waiting for some news, and I hope we’ll see each other again here or on our Discord. We’ll see if on this 25th something interesting happens. In any case, see you next time!

The moment that shaped the present and future of their entire relationship, 3 years ago.

[themattress]

Eras of a Franchise:

1993 - 1997: The Classic Era - Following the success of the “pilot” miniseries, a full comic series based on Sonic the Hedgehog that combined elements from the games and the two cartoon shows currently on the air is produced. It starts off incredibly silly and episodic, but gradually becomes more serious with an overarching storyline and character development. This era concludes with the “Endgame” story arc, where Sonic and the Freedom Fighters defeat Dr. Robotnik once and for all in what was initially conceived as the series finale. Writers: Michael Gallagher, Angelo Decesare, Ken Penders, Mike Kanterovich, Kent Taylor

1997 - 2000: The Adventuring Era - Continuing on past “Endgame”, the comic almost completely dropped its comedy aspects and became a full-on adventure series, first going through the Ixis Naugus arc (aka the Mobius World Tour arc), then the Return of Robotnik arc, and then appropriately enough the Sonic Adventure adaptation arc. During this era, the Knuckles the Echidna series ran in its entirety, lasting 32 issues before its cancellation. Writers: Karl Bollers, Ken Penders, Michael Gallagher, Kent Taylor

2000 - 2003: The Declining Era - When Sonic and friends returned to Knothole village following the Sonic Adventure adaptation arc, the series began a sharp decline in quality and fan reception. Sonic entered a love triangle with Princess Sally and Mina Mongoose that dragged on for issues on end, Knuckles turned green and obtained ultimate power that he proceeded to do jack shit with until his temporary death reversed the effect, and at one point there was such a lack of direction for the comic that its covers began being patterned after tabloids as a gimmick to grab reader interest. The era managed to finish strong with the “Sonic Adventure 2.5″ two-parter, but the optimism this caused proved to be premature. Writers: Karl Bollers, Ken Penders, Michael Gallagher, Romy Chacon

2003 - 2006: The Miserable Era - After being lost in space for a few issues, Sonic returned to Earth and everything promptly went to Hell. Sally broke up with him via the most infamous slap prior to Will Smith’s at the Oscars, the much reviled Tommy Turtle became a mainstay character, the origin of the Freedom Fighters was retconned, characters swung wildly in and out of character, the furry romantic drama made famous by the preceding era reached an apex of insufferability, the notorious “Mobius: 25 Years Later” storyline transpired, and of course we got THIS. At this point, many fans wondered why this series was still running. Writers: Karl Bollers, Ken Penders, Michael Gallagher, Romy Chacon

2006 - 2009: The Renewal Era - Following a clean sweep of the comic’s writers, things got more or less back on track, with many long-hanging story threads finally being wrapped up, characters mostly acting like themselves again, and the sense of genuine forward momentum finally returning. Highlights include A.D.A.M’s rebellion which resulted in Tommy Turtle’s death, the Enerjak Reborn arc which resulted in Locke’s death, and Dr. Robotnik reasserting himself as the primary threat by finally destroying Knothole and delivering a brutal beatdown to Sonic. Lowlights include the misguided continuation of “Mobius: 25 Years Later”, the utterly asinine “House of Cards” two-parter, and almost everything involving Scourge the Hedgehog. Writers: Ian Flynn

2009 - 2013: The Burdened Era - Cracks began to show in Ian Flynn’s run following the 200th issue, with the unpopular Iron Dominion story arc dragging on for over a year. The following King Naugus and Mecha Sally story arcs were also controversial, and it seemed like the rampant OOC syndrome from the Miserable Era had returned with a vengeance. Adding to the problems the comic was having was one of its own former writers, Ken Penders, whose legal battles with Archie over the ownership of his characters resulted in a full-on cosmic reboot for the series’ continuity at the conclusion of the “Worlds Collide” crossover event with the Mega Man comic, which remains a sore spot for fans of the series to this day. Writers: Ian Flynn

2013 - 2017: The Reboot Era - The majority of the reboot ended up dedicated to a single storyline: the Shattered World Crisis which very loosely adapted the plot of Sonic Unleashed. This particular arc dragged on and on for years, not helped by another crossover with Mega Man, “Worlds Unite”, interrupting it in the middle. Following the Shattered World Crisis’ conclusion, the Archie comic series was officially cancelled, having lasted for a full 24 years. Writers: Ian Flynn

[cgmayra]

I know you did a prompt a while ago about Amy having a fan and Sonic told him to basically get lost. So could you do something like that but make the guy feel more entitled to Amy and she owes him her love. And when she rejects him he gets really aggressive so it justifies Sonic being more aggressive in turn? I love how your depict protective Sonic soooo cute!

So, I have MANY jealous and protective Sonamy stories XD Shifting through them, I think you meant this one? (x) For future reference, if any of you lovely Anons want to maybe just... link?... the actual prompt I would be very much appreciative since I have over 900+ lol

(Preview prompt image provided by ArtsyAnnieRose (x) Please support the artist :)b)

As I mentioned when reviewing this Prompt on my youtube --> Pajama Blogs Ep. 1 Prompt Requests (x) Timecode: - 54:21 - I try and not do the same prompt twice, which means I like to rewrite things so that I don’t just keep making the same stories for different requests. So with this one, I’ve thought a lot about how to present it, and I think this will be fun! (Also, side note: I’m not making this cute and parody-like, I’ve changed my mind XD I have the right to do that! lol)

***TRIGGER WARNING***: (now you know it’s gonna get good.) I have subtly littered red flags throughout this story, if you have experienced stalking or manipulation strategies in your life please be aware they will be showing up in this fic. Due to the subtle nature of these traits, please be informed that I am in no way trying to downplay the danger of these situations, but showing that to the main character currently in these situations, her view of them is naïve and she sees no danger. Therefore, the gravity of the situation seems friendly and kind, but in no form am I saying these techniques are alright or acceptable. The ‘stranger’ character in this story is a creep, no matter how ‘charming’ or ‘sweet’ he may be portrayed in the innocent main character’s view. (If I write this correctly, hopefully, that message will be more clearer towards the end of the story.) I encourage any who recognize these toxic behaviors to please question your relationship with that individual and find safe, healthy relationships to pursue/keep instead. Whether your relationship with these kinds of people are platonic, friendship, or romantic in nature--please keep yourselves, families, friends, and other such loved ones safe. I will not be listing or detailing all occurrences of these moments within the story; however, with some psychology basics or google searching, you can find these common red flags or complexed manipulation strategies and how to better identify them.

Prompts are on shutdown! Do not send in any prompt requests at this time. Thank you!

Okay... let’s dive right in.

                                                 DIVE, DIVE, DIVE.

Note: This is another unconventional, more mature-themed story that I- well...

But my hope is that it’s still a story worth telling, so if you choose to, please enjoy.

Prompt:

Upon a rather dark and greying sky, as though the mentions of brief rainfall and storm weren’t apparent, many citizens in this bustling city were making their usual rounds around the mall. Carrying a thin jacket with an umbrella’s strap swinging at her side, Amy light-heartedly mused over a recent magazine’s article on the most eligible men, and read the chatty writer’s remarks on how Sonic The Hedgehog seemed to be away when the interviews for them were called.

She thought that so like Sonic, always away, but secretly just close enough to still keep tabs on what’s going on with the many locations in the world.

Eggman seemed to have a base everywhere, and while things had been pretty quiet as of late, she looked up from her magazine and once again wondered where in the wide, blue world he could be.

Was he bored? Off on another adventure? ... Napping? Eating? Was he eating enough?

She sighed with a dreamy look on her face, lost in her thoughts before a stranger flicked his wrist as he approached her, and a charging wind blasted in her direction. Blowing her back, it swiftly hit against her loosely closed umbrella, since Amy wanted to be prepared for any sudden downpour, and triggered it’s spring to further yank her back.

“Ah!” Amy tried to turn around to catch herself, the strap around her wrist forcing the sudden about-face as she grabbed her umbrella’s long steel pole to try and counter the pull.

“Woah!” the stranger that was passing her from the front suddenly stumbled at the sight and quickly rushed behind her, leaning over and grabbing where her hand was on the open umbrella as the wind suddenly stopped. His hand lingered by her side as though to brace with her and help, before noticing the wind stop and looking dumbfounded at the umbrella.

There was a silence as Amy felt the stranger was almost holding her, and turned to him with blinks, “Heh-heh... umm... Thank you.” her body was bent as she tried to use her heels against the pavement to counter-force the sudden rush of heavy wind, but with it’s immediate halt, she stepped forward and away from the strange, intimate moment to close her umbrella.

He stood more straighter, fixing himself up too before smiling kindly to her, “Does this happen to you often? Sudden, emmmm...” He swirled his palm-facing upwards hands around as he held the long, hummed note. “Bursts of photo-aesthetic air through your hair?”

Amy chuckled lightly, briefly looking back at him before continuing to fix her umbrella, worried it may be broken as the spring wasn’t going down well enough. Realizing it was probably jammed, she blew up some air to her bangs, figuring the worst, “Yeah, real convenient for a photoshoot. Maybe the photographer will settle for a water effect?” she gestured humorously up to the clouds, “All I need is a chair,” she teased, “Thanks again for the help. Really! You came out of nowhere!”

“Much like wind.” He joked back, putting his hands in his pockets, tilting his head to her. “You... wouldn’t mind if I take in the view of that shot, would you?”

“Huh?” she didn’t quite understand what he was making reference to.

He smiled as if realizing she didn’t get it and shook his head, “Nothing, nevermind. I’m clearly wasting your time,” he took out his own umbrella, looked at her a moment, then back to it. His long, brown and heavy jacket then flopped back to his side as he offered her it, “No offense, but I did just meet you. I would offer you my umbrella, but I’m worried I may never see it again. However, I have a solution,” He opened the umbrella and then gestured his hand to a restaurant near him. “So that we’re not strangers anymore, and I can trust you with something so dearly precious to me as an old, fifty cent umbrella I literally picked up from a second-hand store... might I entreat you to a meal?”

Amy smiled, relieved he was being so gentlemanly. “I wouldn’t mind at all!” she cheerily perked up, looking at her umbrella and tossing it in a garbage can. “I’m Amy,” She took his hand, curtseying. “Amy Rose.”

She did notice he was probably older than her, but he did a little bow and she realized she hadn’t notice his real height until his eyes matched her level. He held his eyes with her sights... and she wondered why he was pausing so long, “I know...” He finally whispered out, tilting his umbrella over her head, “You’re pretty famous, you know. Anyone would be lucky to help you out in a pinch. I’m Oscar, I work around here.”

Guiding her into the outdoor restaurant, he sat her at one of the white tables with it’s own umbrella on it and closed his, settling down on the opposite side of her. “Well, then! Do you mind this spot?”

“Oh, it’s my favorite, actually!” Amy chimed, knowing the location very well.

“Really?” He seemed a little less intrigued at that than Amy would have normally supposed someone would, but then after putting his umbrella away, leaned forward as though very attentive and putting his fingers together, his elbows on the wooden round table of white and letting his nose press down against his hands. He had gotten comfortable, and Amy, thinking this was his way of showing interest in what she meant, continued to sweetly respond.

“This is so funny, but I come here almost every Thursday and Friday for the new deals at my favorite store! I usually order the same thing too,... I really love ice cream.” Amy felt a strange new energy at meeting someone for the first time, and continued to feel refresh at this new-found friendship.

“Ice cream? No way! That’s my favorite too!” Oscar parted his fingers as though excited to hear this. “I have a sweet tooth. I know, I know, so silly of a man like me.”

“Oh, no! Not at all!” Amy waved her hands out, “What’s your favorite kind?”

“Well,...” He thought a moment, before smiling back to her and holding a wink, “I have an idea, you tell me yours first. I bet it’s probably very different.”

“I’m a simple girl, Vanilla is mostly my cup of tea. But... whenever I’m feeling adventurous, I go for it! Scoops of Vanilla and Chocolate with some random new flavor of mint or cookie flavored and then I top it with all sorts of stuff!”

He coughed as though shocked, “...That’s literally my favorite too!”

“What!?” Amy was excited to hear this, “I thought I was the only one that eccentric!”

“I know! That’s why I thought your answer would be completely different!” As Oscar continued to review Amy’s interests, he kept nodding along and reaffirming that they shared many similar interest and hobbies before the waiter appeared. “I love to chase certain thrills and excitements. I’m sure, being an adventurer, I figured that may be the reason why you place yourself in such perilous circumstances as well.”

“Your orders, lady? Sir?” The waiter asked, trying to kindly cut in as Oscar pulled out his wallet.

“Strawberry sunday with a hint of vanilla, you?” he looked back to her.

“Ha! That’s my Thursday order!” she giggled into her hand, “Same here, please!”

He shook his head, a little theatrically, “It’s almost like... where have you been all my life?”

“I mean, I know, right!? And you work around here! That’s so weird that I’ve never seen you before... where-”

“Ah, there’s really nothing interesting about me. I’m much more fascinated in the adventures you take. What with your friends always weighing you down and everything.” He basically ignored the waiter as he tried to ask any follow-up questions, and Amy just looked between the two and then smiled politely to the waiter, showing that that was all they were going to have.

“Weighing me down..? Oh no, without Sonic and the others, I couldn’t do anything as big as saving the world! We all need each other, you know?” She happily confirmed before he spoke again, sighing.

“I guess they would have you think that way, huh?” a offhanded comment that made Amy’s eyebrows furrow, but she just continued to speak about the wonderful traits and abilities of her friends, in which case, he kept shaking his head as though she was wrong.

“What?” She finally asked, “You don’t seem to like Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles...”

“I just think you could do with some different friends.” He shrugged, “Some that wouldn’t constantly leave you behind or undergrade your merit.” In that moment, the waiter came back to place down their orders.

“U-undergrade..?” She looked down a moment, “N-no, no one’s holding me back or anything. I choose how I help out, I can’t always keep up with Sonic and the others so-” she stopped a second and shook her head, getting frustrated, “I-I mean, I can go with them whenever I want!” she retorted, and noticing her shift in demeanor, he took some ice cream and then held out his hand.

“Oh no, no, no. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to imply you couldn’t keep up. I meant that you’re invaluable and they don’t treat you as such. But don’t worry, I’m here now, and I’ll show you how a true heroine should be treated. This meal is on me.” he gestured to her ice cream, “After this, I’ll show you some places that you probably haven’t been to before.”

“O-oh... T-That does sounds exciting!”

For a few weeks after that, Amy began to hang out with Oscar frequently. They would text back and forth, and she couldn’t help but smile when he always called her beautiful and made her feel so special. However, although the places they first went to weren’t so bad... he started showing her back alleyways with clubs and other ‘themed’ places that made her slightly uneasy.

She knew he was older than her, but would decline any invitation if he stated, “But I know a guy, he’ll let you in.” and continued to protest and remind him of her age.

That being said, the parks were lovely though!

He would often bring her little gifts and flowers too, stating that the next time she came with him, he’d bring some home-made food and had a habit of patting her head or brushing something off her hair if it landed on her. Though, Amy never noticed the ‘leaf’ that had fallen on her shoulder, or the ‘bug’ that was buzzing around her headband.

He also would usually lead her when they walked and talked, if they came to a corner, he would lightly put his hand to her back, until one time she mentioned his hand went just slightly lower than normal and he apologized profusely.

All was going very well, he even carried her bags and offered to take them home with her, but she insisted she would take the train and that he needn’t worry.

Finally, on a Friday when she was heading down for her sale, texting Oscar, a familiar wind picked up and almost brought up her dress.

“Oh, look out!” Oscar appeared and grabbed her dress, pushing it down. “Phew! Close one, aye?”

“W-where did you come from?” Amy adjusted her dress as he held his hands to the rim of her dress still, but when she looked up at him, he immediately released them.

“I suppose I just naturally come when you need me.” he scratched the back of his head, looking away as though shy. “I don’t know... sometimes, I can’t sit still, I get this feeling like you need me, and lo and behold!” He gestured to her, “You really do need someone looking after you twenty-four seven, huh?” he squatted down to look up at her, then his face turned to concern. “It’s a shame you don’t have anyone to look after you... especially in moments like this.”

“W-what are you talking about? I have Sonic!” Amy placed her Miles-Electric away and gestured for him to stand upright, but instead, he took her hands and placed them on his cheeks, acting cute but a lot younger than he actually was.

“But he didn’t save you, I did~” he whined, squishing her hands to his cheeks and rotating them around as she thought him slightly weird and took them away, pushing him back as he stumbled. “H-hey!”

“Oh, you! Sonic is just the same way! He can’t sit still when he senses someone needs him... hey, that reminds me of my article...” Amy remembered the magazine she was subscribed too, and looked over to see that within his usual trench coat, was a page of that article sticking out. “Ah!” She pointed to it, amazed, “You read ‘Famous Quips’ too!?!”

“Doesn’t everyone?” he seemed to speak quickly, before shoving the magazine back in deeper. “Ehem, kinda a girlie magazine... promise not to tell anyone? I don’t wanna lose my street-cred!”

She laughed, “You are like Sonic! Always acting so cool...” she shook her head and took his arm, what she had started doing since he offered it so many times, and they walked down the street.

He bought anything her eye rested on, which made her beg him to at least let her pay for food, as he mentioned a concert happening at the club he kept trying to get her to go to.

“Come on, you’ll love this band! We adore the same music too! I know a perfect spot in the back where no one will see us and the bouncer is my friend!” his voice was enthusiastic, nudging her every now and then with his elbow as she looked away and rolled her eyes. “You’re not a babe anymore, Amy! You’re gonna end up going to clubs eventually, might as well be with someone you know, right?”

“I don’t know...” Amy looked down,... and he gently stopped walking to look away from her.

“...Do you not trust me?”

“W-what?” Amy let go of his arm, “What do you mean? Of course I do!” she was very hurt by his accusation, “I mean, we’ve hung out so much, I just don’t really think clubbing is my thing...”

“You never want to do what I suggest.” He looked down, “I go to your favorite store with you and help you bargain hunt, I take you around the park... I’m just saying, the one time I want to go and do something, you keep saying no.” he folded his arms, and Amy began to panic that he was really offended by her.

“T-that’s not true, Oscar! I...” she looked away a moment, and he looked back at her.

“...Ah, I can’t stay mad at you.” He pulled her into a hug, holding her there. He took a deep breath, “I’m sorry, hey, let’s go get ice cream and talk about it later, okay? I’ll pay again.”

Her eyes shifted about, not sure what that was all about. “N-no, I’ll pay.” she tried to move away but kept an arm around her and led her on.

“I wouldn’t be considered a man if I let the woman pay!” he insisted, and ended up paying for the meal.

As it got late, he offered to carry her bags home again, and whined in a goofy way when she kept saying it was too late to have guests over, but maybe sometime.

“If you won’t see the concert with me, at least take me to your place sometime. It’s the least you could do for me.” He gave her the bags, then stroked her hair again, “You really shouldn’t be taking the train at night, you never know what sicko might be on it. You’re tough, Amy dear, but you’re still a girl and you know how you’re prone to cause problems.” he laughed, but that stung Amy’s pride a bit.

She held her bags and looked away a moment, “...Is that... how I come off to people?”

“Oh sure!” he then continued to stroke her head, “...You ... didn’t notice?”

“...That I look weak?” Amy shook her head and he instinctively removed his hand.

He held it in the air a moment, before letting it rest on Amy’s head again, as though realizing she wasn’t doing that to make him stop.

“No... the part where I... gave you a new nickname.” He smiled, tenderly and squatted down to her level again, keeping his hand on her head. “Amy dear. I think it’s cute!”

“...O-oh, I mean, I don’t really like how it could appear though.” Amy had a bead of sweat form and he abruptly got up, looking upset.

“Don’t like how it could appear!? What does that mean!?” He snapped.

She flinched at his sudden uproar, as he grabbed a bag from her, “I’ve been wanting to introduce the nickname to you all day! And that’s how you think about it!?” he looked as though he was going to either smash or rip the bag, but just looked furiously away from her, “I thought about it a lot, you know! It was suppose to mean something!”

Amy grew slightly afraid, but not taking this sudden mood-swing again, she opened her mouth to say something.

He interjected and looked dead in her face, “You really don’t trust me, do you, Amy?”

Thinking she didn’t want to hurt him, she shook her head, “I-I never said that!”

“Don’t yell at me,” he looked downhearted suddenly, even though she wasn’t raising her voice that much, not like he was.

“I’m not-”

“You are, and it’s really making me feel like you’re just... you don’t consider me a friend. I told you people usually reject me,... I was vulnerable to you!”

“Oscar, calm down a moment and-”

“You’re the one who’s not ‘calming down’ you can’t do a single thing I want to do! You’re being... selfish!” he flopped the bag down in front of her, startling her as he took off stomps and a hissy-fit.

Not able to process that sudden shift in behavior, Amy was lost to her thoughts and... slowly... proceeded to get the bag and head to the train station.

Numerous texts came flooding in that week as she hadn’t gone back to the plaza and mall, and she kept wondering how he knew she wasn’t there. They had hung out multiple times, maybe he was just expecting another hang out without actually asking this time...

Still, she felt somewhat obliged to text back: Sorry, I’ll see you Friday. This Thursday, I just felt sick.

Oscar: Do you need anything? Send me your address, I’ll bring you medicine and make you some food! I really am sorry if I scared you, I shouldn’t have done that. You’re beautiful and I’m just insecure. You know how I can be, just like you, I get really attached to people and just want to be accepted. I’m really sorry, please don’t not see me again! I promise I’ll get myself under control, we’ll do whatever you want to do this time! Honest!

Amy didn’t text back...

Oscar: The concert is next Friday, I won’t mention it again but... it would be really awesome if we could see Pop Pinkies together... I know it’s my favorite band and our favorite music is what they play so... just think about it at least, alright?

That Friday, Amy was wearing something that made her almost blend in with the crowd. Unlike her usual bubbly skip in the streets, she was hiding beneath her umbrella and coat, as though not wanting to be spotted.

A sudden burst of wind and she panicked, darting behind a corner and putting her umbrella away. “Dumb wind.” she mumbled, looking around to make sure Oscar wasn’t there...

The wind suddenly shifted as she poked her head out, “That’s odd, wind doesn’t usually change direction unless...” she turned and gasped as she saw Sonic, leaning his head towards her and looking confused.

“...Since when did you start taking the back-alley ways? Don’t you know that’s dangerous, Amy?” He blinked, furrowing his brow as he straightened up and folded his arms, “Heh, long time no-”

Amy’s mind was suddenly triggered by something Oscar had said, and she tuned out Sonic completely, her world going dark...

“I just think you could do with some different friends. Some that wouldn’t constantly leave you behind or undergrade your merit.”

“You’re tough, Amy dear, but you’re still a girl and you know how you’re prone to cause problems.“

“Is that... really how I appear to you?” Amy’s voice quaked as she spoke it, “Do I really look weak... even to you?”

Sonic was taken aback by the tears forming in her eyes, and immediately dropped the friendly banter, “Amy? What’s wrong? Weak?” he didn’t know where she got that notion from. “N-no, I-... Amy, is something wrong?” he moved forward to reach for her but pulled away, something Amy wasn’t used to as she really did--for a brief moment--think he was going to place his hand on her head.

Almost as if expecting that, she leaned her head in a strange way and then back, not sure why she did that.

He didn’t notice the action though, but she hugged herself, also remembering that after the light head pats was usually a strong and forceful embrace...

“...Amy?” she hadn’t responded to him, and now, Sonic was noticing a very clear change in Amy.

“N-no, of course you wouldn’t think that... I’m sorry, I really don’t... I don’t want to be around people right now.” she looked away, “I... I made someone feel really bad and I don’t know what to do.”

“Really? What did you do?” Sonic lifted his hand and she immediately looked at it, which made him pause. “...Umm... I was just gesturing... Amy...” His ears bent back, not sure why she looked so squarely at his hand. “Is everything okay?”

She really thought he was offering her hand, but she didn’t want to take it... not this time.

“I made a new friend, and he’s mad at me. I’m worried... if I hurt him again, he’ll really be in a bad emotional state, and it’ll be all my fault.” Amy put her umbrella up and started to walk away from Sonic, “I want to take a new route, I didn’t even want to come out today...”

“...Amy, you don’t control this new friend’s behavior, they do.” Sonic corrected her and walked beside her, focusing heavily on the signs of uncomfortability Amy was showing. “...What happened with this ‘new friend’ of yours?” He directly asked, and Amy relayed to him how she met him, then how he liked all the things she liked and agreed with everything in the beginning, how charming he was before the more time she spent with him, he seemed to change and start acting funny... but not in the good way.

“...He likes everything you like?” Sonic lowered his head a little, honing in on some things Amy briefly mentioned.

“Yeah, isn’t that crazy? He’s a guy but he totally loves sweet things and a popular girl’s magazine I enjoy.” Amy smiled, closing her eyes as though cheering up when thinking about it.

“...And he knew your order before you even made it?” Sonic folded his arms, putting two and two together.

“Yeah...” Amy suddenly slowed down in her steps, her eyes widening.

Sonic closed his eyes, matching her speed as he began to help her focus on the more important parts of her story, “And this... strange wind that passes by here... only comes at you and blows your dress up or opens your umbrella?”

She stopped.

He continued to walk, “And you say he works around here... which means he may have seen you come and go multiple times... and probably watched you ordered and heard what you liked, and saw what you read, and knew about you from the news and press... he disliked your friends and took you places and then entitled himself to being in charge over your Thursday and Friday venues... then, to really top it all off with the icing on the cake and all that jazz... he’s been insisting you go to a adult-themed club with him and throws a tissy-fit when you say no?”

Sonic stopped, his fists had already tightened into such hard balls of fury that he had to take silent deep breaths just to contain himself.

“And worst of all... he’s tried to copy me and put it in your mind that your friends don’t respect you the way we should... isolating you,” He put out a finger, “Grooming and manipulating you... Amy, you should have written this guy the moment he snapped at you... and probably sooner, but I’ll take that as you were just seeing the best sides of him... and not the dirty kind.” he didn’t turn around, but he felt Amy lingering behind him and knew if he said anymore, she may just start crying. “...Where do you think this creep is now?”

“He... He’s not a creep.” Amy lied, feeling in her heart that she just did lie, for Oscar’s sake...

Sonic tsk’ed and turned around, “How can you stand there and defend him!? Do you even know what Grooming is!?”

“...I... I don’t.” she wiped her eyes, “I don’t think I know anything...”

The manipulation had really set in on Amy, she was denying something she knew was true and didn’t know why. She was defending a man who clearly was up to no good, and yet... she cared about him still.

“Sonic... I think... I think I’m sick.” she held her stomach, the realization setting in. “You don’t think... he wanted me to take him to my house to..?”

“He wanted to what!?” Sonic lunged forward, holding his fists back and to his sides as he tried to remain level-headed, pulling away from her. “Amy, you know the truth now, it’s time to end this... ‘friendship’ you two have.”

Amy fell to her knees, “That’ll kill him!”

Sonic immediately looked behind him, Amy almost begging him not to make her do it as Sonic couldn’t stand to see her this broken and twisted up from Oscar’s scheming.

“Amy...” he wanted to say so many things..! But instead, just turned around and held a strong look, “You have to face this... but you won’t be alone.” He offered her his hand, “I won’t leave your side, and I’ll be there the whole way through. You deserve to go out and have fun without someone telling you that it can only be ‘their’ way of fun.” He looked so serious... but she felt a peace wash over her at how she knew his words were never lies or deceits for something devious. His words were for her and her well-being... not once did Sonic ever yell or enforce his way about things at all. He listened to her, even though she knew he must be raging inside at his friend’s predicament... it’s not like she purposefully got herself into this mess.

“You know how you’re prone to cause problems.“

She placed her hands up against her eyes, crying. “Am I... being a burden to my friends, Sonic?”

He immediately scooped her up into a bridal-style hold, “Which store did you want to visit today, Amy? Or do you want to just go home?”

“Please, I want to go home.” Amy held onto him as without a second word, he zoomed off.

The next few days, Sonic instructed that Amy block the number, but text messages seemed to not be the only thing Oscar knew... He called her home number, which surprised both of them, and the phone never stopped ringing.

That next Thursday, Sonic accompanied Amy everywhere she went, and they didn’t spot Oscar anywhere. But come that Friday...

Sonic was carrying some of Amy’s bags, she didn’t look fully recovered from anything, but at least she was wearing brighter colors in her coat she wore that day, and a nice sun hat as Sonic held the umbrella up for her.

He looked a little bored, but kept his eyes peeled when a sudden wind shoved him to the pavement.

“Ah! Sonic!” Amy turned around but was immediately grabbed around the waist, pulled back. “Gah!”

“I can’t believe you let him back into your life!!!”

Amy’s ears rang with Oscar’s voice, before shoving him back and falling down beside Sonic, who quickly shook off the wind blast and spun around to pick up Amy’s things, placing the bags by the store’s window.

“So, this is the wind-manipulator, eh?” Sonic rotated his shoulder out, having landed on it pretty roughly, “Look, I don’t know anything about you, and neither does Amy, really! So either get the hint and quit bothering Amy, or I’ll have to take matters into my own hands!” he hunkered down, getting ready for a fight, but... he also seemed not to be putting on airs or a show.

Sonic... although smiling a bit as he spoke to him, suddenly took a darker and more focused attention on how Oscar was holding himself.

Oscar looked to Amy, not even talking to Sonic, “I told you everything about me... What does that lying Sonic know about you!? I’m the one that’s been with you this whole time while he’s been off, probably with some other girl!”

Amy thought that ridiculous, and seeing him in a new light, she was able to at last come to fact with this pervert in front of her. “You... you were never my friend... were you, Oscar?”

He bit his teeth down, “Is that what he made you think?!”

“No, that’s what he made he realize!” She threw up her hammer and blasted wind at her.

She was forced to slide against the concrete, “I don’t mean to hurt you, Amy dear!” he cried out, “We’ll settle this when he isn’t around!”

“I think you’ve got it backwards, Oz!” Sonic, seeing that his hands controlled the wind, kicked it away from Amy’s direction and then spun in a rotation within the air to punch him down.

He stumbled, as though not used to physical fighting and tumbled all the way over into the street.

“I’ve known Amy much longer and deeper than you have! You’re just some creep who takes advantage of little girls!” Sonic’s fists was shaking, clearly, he didn’t want to just leave it at one blow. “Amy, get behind me!” He gestured out his hand and Amy immediately got up and moved behind him.

“I can... I think I can fight him!” She tried to state, but Sonic looked behind his shoulder and she put her head down. “I... I want to but...”

“...You still care about me, don’t you, Amy dear?”

“Quit calling me that!” Amy threw her arms down, “You used me! You weren’t my friend! I can’t believe I trusted you!”

Sonic turned to the man, “Why are you even answering him, Amy? He’s not talking to you, he’s talking to some Amy Dear girl he’s been building in his mind. You were never anything to him... it was the girl he was crafting that he was interested in.” Sonic slowly walked towards him as the man started to scoot back, clearly not able to fight Sonic The Hedgehog.

“Let’s play a new game...” Sonic suddenly lifted up a device, “Is your real name Warner Windstrom? You’ve got a bounty on your head that the cops are just dying to claim...” he pressed the button as suddenly an alarm went out, and from around the corners, police vehicles blocked his way of escape. “Oh, and that club? A typical place where your old ‘hostages’ claimed they were drugged. Trust me, pal, I’ll personally make sure you don’t get out of jail again.” Sonic let the police start moving in but Warner immediately shoved air beneath him and flew into the sky, shocking everyone as Sonic held up a arm over his eyes and moved back to Amy, shielding her as well.

She was in shock, that kind man she knew was suddenly a criminal and had previously hurt and abused other women... She didn’t know Sonic set this all up, but she probably wouldn’t have let him if she had known.

“I thought we were just gonna talk to him!” she cried out, putting her hand on his shoulder before shaking her head, “I’m defending him again... aren’t I?”

“Amy shouldn’t be with a loser like you, Sonic!” Warner cried out, “You can’t always save her! You can’t always be around to-!”

Before he could finish, a hammer slammed into his gut.

“Nice one, Amy.” Sonic complimented, as Amy stood up beside him.

She didn’t say anything, but judging from the neutral expression... and tears streaming down her eyes...

He just looked back at Warner, “I know this is a lot to take in... but trust me on this one... You’ll be alright.”

Amy summoned another hammer, “Want to give me a lift?”

“Certainly.” Sonic spun into a ball that lifted him up into the wind, then uncurled to reach out for Amy as she jumped, “Hit him hard!” he encouraged as he threw her up the rest of the length.

She pushed her dress down as he extended his arms to her, “Amy, please! You know me! I love-!”

She just growled and let out a piercing war-cry, slamming her hammer down on his face, “I’m not your friend, I’m not your anything, buzz off!!!!”

He slammed to the ground, and as the wind ceased, Sonic landed and caught her immediately, and the two watched as the police immediately took him.

He kept trying to call out to Amy but she didn’t say anything back, just ducking her head into Sonic’s shoulder.

Sonic’s eyes never left Warner’s face... but leaving the scattered bags around, he took her to the park near by and sat her down.

He waited there... as Amy was just frozen in her thoughts... unable to speak.

After some time, she got up and walked to stand beside him, “What about the bags?”

“Not concerned.” Sonic stated, then looked back to her, “You okay?”

“No,” Amy admitted, “You were right. It’s gonna take time... but I wish it would all just go away now.” she placed her hands on the side of her arms, “How... how did you know? When I was telling you about him... how did you know he was no good?”

Sonic tilted his head back and forth, then tapped his head. “When you’ve been around the block a few times... helping justice here and there... you learn a thing or two about red flags, Amy... you don’t have a lot of dating experience--or just knowing bad dudes are like that--in general! I don’t blame you... but I do think that you should be careful who your friends are.”

She scooted closer to him... then tilted her head to his shoulder.

“..Can you help me get better?”

“No,” he lightly tilted his head to hers, “But I can be with you while you figure it out.”

There was a long moment of silence as they held that comforting moment...

“Will I ever be me again?” she asked, her voice cracking slightly.

“...No,” He responded, tenderly, as though a whisper as he looked up at the rain being to slowly drop all around them. “But I can be with you as you learn to accept her.”

Amy closed her eyes, feeling the small drops of rain before it all at once, speedily came down on them.

“...Will you still love me? At the end of it all?”

Silence...

“I already do.”

Rain scattered as Sonic held his eyes straight up into the clouds... the storm in his heart subsiding as Amy cried and her shoulder’s bounced beside him.

[razieltwelve]

Agent (Final Rose)

Eclipse often considered herself the luckiest public relations agent in the business. Her clients, Lightning and Fang, were perhaps the two most powerful huntresses in the world, and they were both extremely photogenic. Of course, that wasn’t to say they enjoyed being filmed or photographed. Lightning, in particular, barely put up with it at all while Fang often approach matters with the sort of barely concealed humour that made it difficult to get anything even remotely resembling a serious shot. On the upside, Fang’s smirk was devastatingly effective.

And then there were days like this when she wondered if she’d bitten off more than she can chew.

“Hmm...” Eclipse’s eye twitched as the baby in Lightning’s arm continued to glare at her with the ferocity of a rabid badger. “Is she always like that?”

“Like what?” Lightning asked, as though a baby trying to murder people with her eyes was normal. “Are you saying Averia looks weird?”

“Uh... no.” Eclipse gave herself a mental pat on the back for not running out of the room screaming when Lightning’s Aura began to rise. Although Eclipse wasn’t a huntress, she had very keen Aura senses. Lightning’s Aura had always felt more like ice than her namesake, but when Lightning got mad, Eclipse would have sworn she could smell ozone, the kind of scent that always lingered after a storm. “It’s just...”

Fang decided to take pity on her. “Lightning, people are going to want to see our baby. It’s just a fact of life for people like us. Now, the press aren’t stupid enough to try sneaking around our house, and even if they did, Vanille’s tech, not to mention our own powers, would make sure they left empty-handed. Even so, it’s probably best to give them something. But...”

“But...?” Lightning asked irritably. As if sensing her aggravation, Averia’s scowl deepened.

“People usually think cute and cuddly when they think of babies. Averia is... well... her glare is kind of scary to most people.”

“Really?” Lightning looked at Averia. “I think it’s charming.”

Eclipse fought the urge to point out that of course Lightning would find it charming. It was very clearly an expression that Averia had inherited from her. 

“I think it’s charming too,” Fang said. “But not everybody else will.”

“Or maybe they will,” Eclipse said, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. “There’s already a sort of... meme if you will about Lightning being a grumpy hedgehog. In fact, there’s quite a bit of fan art on the InfoNet that depicts her as a hedgehog.”

“What?” Lightning growled.

Eclipse pressed on. “Having a grumpy kid might actually be more popular than having one who smiles all the time. After all, Averia has pink hair just like Lightning. She can be the little hedgehog to Lightning’s big hedgehog.” Eclipse nodded to herself. “Yes, I think people will love it.”

“Hah!” Fang threw her head back and laughed. “It’s crazy enough to work. I remember that picture of a grumpy cat that was really popular last year. Why not a grumpy baby?”

X    X     X

Author’s Notes

And that is how one of the most famous pictures on the InfoNet was born. Disapproval Baby is basically a picture of a baby Averia glaring mightily into the camera. It’s often spammed when someone says or does something stupid. For added power, people also often use Disapproval Duo, which is a picture showing Lightning and Averia both glaring at the camera. It’s for when someone does something monumentally stupid. In contrast, Approval Baby is Diana smiling sunnily into the camera.

If you’re interested in my thoughts on writing and other topics, you can find those here.

I also write original fiction, which you can find on Amazon here or on Audible here.

[another-sonic-blog]

BOO, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE 1,100 FOLLOWERS 🎉🎉🎉 Can I get uhhhh prompt Movie!Amy meeting Movie! Sonic for the first time???😳💖 I want to see your take on it so bad my guy.😖💖

Blue Meets Pink

.

 Sonic couldn't stop that anxious feeling whenever Tom drove off. His life has been too perfect, living the dream. He had to admit that he was scared that one day Tom will never come back and that all the good moments he spent with Tom and Maddie were a dream.

"But he always comes back ... he always does."

Sonic reassured himself as entered his school. The community of Green Hill had accepted him and kept his existence a secret, which he appreciated deeply. Just like in town, he was pretty popular in school as well. He wasn't the smartest one around, it was a bit hard for him to stay in one place and pay attention. He usually needed Maddie's help to finish his homework, Tom tried to help him as well sometimes but he usually gave up midway ... junior high's homework can be tricky. Or at least that's what Tom said.

However, Sonic was pretty good at sports. He was on every sports team at school. Football, soccer, track, tennis, volleyball, but of course he had to restrain himself from using his super speed. It was fine by Sonic, what matters to him was that he wasn't playing alone like he used to before.

Of course, Tom and Maddie will never miss a game. They were supportive of him and celebrated all of his wins and losses.

It was also fun to dress him as a normal boy before a game. Long pants, long sleeve t-shirts, a cap, and a facemask was all it took to convince the other school that Sonic was just a normal 12 years old.

Sonic stepped inside the building as everyone greeted him with a smile. Teachers, custodians, staff, and students.

It was a sunny day in Green Hills, Sonic had a chili dog packed on his Flash backpack and he was excited to see his friends.

Today was going to be a good day.

.

Sonic was wrong. Tom was always punctual when he picked him up but today ... he didn't show up. He waited for him for 30 minutes in the rain. What started as a good day, turned out to be horrible.

"Do they don't want me anymore? Maybe they just need a break from me ... I can be pretty annoying after all ..."

Sonic decided to walk home. Yes, he could run there but he decided to walk so he can think. He hated to be wet, overall, he hated water but for now, he will stand it.

Sonic walked through Green Hill's downtown. Coffee shops, pizzerias, small clothing shops, and small libraries were the main attraction. He passed over a dark alley, he would have kept walking if it wasn't because he heard crying coming from around the trashcans.

He was very curious at heart. Sonic also loved to help those in need, especially the townspeople who have been kind to him. He walked over the alley and walked behind the trashcans where the crying was more intense.

It was still raining but he knew for sure that he had found a pink furball.

A crying pink furball.

"What the-"

"Aaah!"

"Aaah!"

Sonic looked at the pink one up and down. She was small and pink, or so he thought. She was dirty and couldn't tell if it was pink or brown or both. She was wearing a brown dress. It looked more like a rag than anything else. The pink thing was wearing some type of sandals that looked like they could break at any moment. She was covered in mud, and if Sonic didn't know better he could tell that she was hurt as well. She has scratches on her knees and arms and a little bit of blood came out of the cuts. Unlike him, her quills were pink and down, very short and feminine, she had bangs as well. Her quills were messy and had leaves and small tree branches on all of her quills.

She had green eyes just like him.

"So, is this what Tom felt the first time he saw me?"

The pink creature in front of him had his full attention. It was obvious that they looked similar.

"What are you?," Sonic asked. He looked at her up and down.

"I am ... I am a hedgehog!" The pink one stutter. She was starting to get scared and intimidated by blue one in front of him. She walked back until she hit the alley's wall.

"I am a hedgehog too! What's your name?" Sonic asked excitedly.

The pink creature saw how the blue one expression changed. Before he was startled, now he was ... excited? It was as he had never seen another hedgehog before. She had to admit that it was a bit adorable.

"Amy," She whispered. "My name is Amy."

"Amy what?" Sonic asked.

Amy looked at him curiously, and she proceeded to ask. "What do you mean what?"

"Yes ... Amy what? What is your last name?"

"Last name?" Amy asked again.

"Yes, my name is Sonic and my last name is Wachowski," Sonic said. "I am Sonic Wachowski the Hedgehog."

"Oh ... I am just Amy," she said. "I don't have a last name."

It kept raining. Sonic looked at Amy. She looked lost and afraid. It somehow reminded him of his past self. Sonic wanted to help her at any cost.

Sonic walked closer to Amy and she flinched at his act. Sonic stopped moving and instead, he smiled at her.

"Are you hungry?"

.

Sonic had taken Amy to 'Mama's Pizzeria' the most famous place in town. Although he felt bad for taking it, Tom or Maddie always made sure to leave money on Sonic's backpack. Today, he was happy to find that they both had left him money. He could buy a really nice meal for Amy.

"Eat whatever you want! I'll pay!" Sonic said as they both sat on a booth. He noticed that Amy was at awe. She was fascinated by everything, well she was literally in another world. Sonic remembered to be like her the first time he arrived. He was young and got used to it quickly but for Amy, it must be interesting and scary at the same time.

"Oh, what is that?!" Amy asked and Sonic looked at what she was pointing.

"That's a lamp,"

"Oh, what is that?"

"That's a baby,"

"Oh, what is that?"

"That's a pizza,"

"Can I take your order?"

Sonic and Amy were interrupted as a human girl approached them. Her name was Maria, a blond blue-eyed girl. Maria worked for the pizzeria as a waitress to help out her grandfather. She was very lively and liked by everyone in the town. She smiled at them and Sonic felt relieved that she didn't say anything about Amy's appearance.

"We would like a large pepperoni pizza and two drinks please," Sonic said.

Maria wrote the order down on her notepad and she then focused on her attention to Sonic's new friend.

"Oh, it seems like you brought a date with you today," Maria said, she bent down to take a better look at Amy. "I am sorry, but you are covered in mud. Wouldn't you like to take a shower meanwhile Sonic waits for your food?"

Amy instantly looked at Sonic. Although she didn't know the hedgehog any better, the small amount of time and kindness he had shown her was enough for Amy to trust the blue one. As well that he seemed to know better of this world and was one of her own.

"You should go, Maria's house is above this place. I will wait for you here." Sonic reassured her and in that, Amy looked over at Maria and nodded accepting her offer.

Sonic watched how Amy followed Maria, a bit scared but he knew that she will get used to her soon enough.

There were many questions he wanted to ask her but that could wait until they have eaten.

.

The food has arrived already but Amy nor Maria haven't shown up yet. Sonic wanted to wait for her so they could eat together but his hunger got the best of him and using his speed, he ate a slice. He looked over the restaurant as he chews on the pizza. The restaurant had fairy lights and Italian music was playing on the background. The booth he was sitting on had a square table. On top of it, a pink rose on a crystal vase decorated the wooden table.

A few seconds after that, Maria showed up with a very cute hedgehog. Wait-

A shower can make a big difference. Amy's pink fur shined as well as her quills who looked soft to the touch. She was wearing a red and white dress with matching boots and a red hairband decorated her head.

"Wow, Amy," Sonic said as he quickly cleaned his mouth, wiping away the evidence of his previous act.

"Maria gave me this dress," Amy said as she sat down again on the booth. She moved to the side to give Maria space to sit next to her. Maria was a nice girl and she had gained Amy's trust immediately.

"I used to wear this dress when I was younger, it doesn't longer fit me so I gave it to Amy," Maria said as she accepted Amy's gesture and sat next to her. "Doesn't she look pretty, Sonic?"

"She looks um ... clean!" Sonic blurted out. He didn't know how to respond, it would be very uncool of him to say that she looked pretty. No, yeah that's not happening.

Sonic's thoughts were interrupted as he noticed Amy eating the pizza. She finished slice by slice, and Sonic thought that maybe he will have to buy another pizza.

Amy noticed the eyes on her and she felt embarrassed. She hasn't eaten anything since yesterday and she didn't know where to get food. She took a sip of her water and she gave a Sonic and Maria smile.

The two let out a small laugh and after seeing that Amy was more comfortable, Sonic proceeded to make questions.

"So Amy, where are you from?" Sonic asked.

"I am from Mobius, a planet far away from this one," Amy responded.

"And how did you get here?"

Amy looked outside the window. She didn't know if she could trust them with such information. However, noticing that they were so kind to her without knowing her, then maybe telling them about her situation could benefit her.

"I came following my friend, Tails, but I lost track of him along the way." Amy said, "Our world is in danger, a creature called Chaos has devastated our world and we came looking for a hedgehog who could save it."

"A hedgehog? Me?" Sonic asked excitedly but Amy moved her head from side to side, denying it.

"Tails was very specific ... His record shows that 50 years ago a hedgehog from our world came to this planet." Amy added, "That hedgehog was the Ultimate Life Form, he had great powers and he used them to protect Mobius ... but one day, he disappeared. After extended research, we found that this hedgehog ended up on planet Earth and that he was capture by a military organization called G.U.N. Now we are looking for him, hoping that he can help up save our world."

Amy looked over at Sonic, "It would have been great if that hedgehog was you Sonic but the one we are looking for is a black and red hedgehog."

"Wait you said G.U.N., right?" Maria interrupted as she snapped her fingers in realization. She looked over at Amy who nodded. "My grandfather used to work for them during his younger years! He even still has some of the past documents of his missions. We can look over those documents and even ask him if he knows anything on the matter and-"

"SONIC WACHOWSKI THE HEDGEHOG WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!"

The two hedgehogs and human turned to see that Tom had entered the restaurant, he looked frantic and angry as he walked towards their booth.

"Sonic, we have been looking for you like crazy!" Tom said.

"Well, if someone had picked up me at school I wouldn't be here!" Sonic said with a bit of hurt in his voice.

"In the morning I told you we couldn't pick you up today, I told you to take the bus!" Tom said, "But you were too focused eating, so it's no wonder you-"

Tom stopped midway as he noticed the pink hedgehog in front of Sonic. He was quick to take out his phone and dial a number.

"Maddie? Yes, I found him! But that's not important right now, Sonic is having his first date! Yes, yes, I will take pictures. Yes, bring the professional camera we should have this on his photo album. Yes, I will tell them to wait, ok I will wait for you we are at 'Mama's Pizzeria'."

Tom and Maddie were great but could they be any more embarrassing? Sonic covered his face with his hands.

"Oh, dear ground that is underneath me ... please eat me."

Tom began to take pictures with his phone, he was so proud of his blue son.

Sonic just couldn't take it.

"Alright, we are leaving!" Sonic said as he stood up from his seat and tried to push Tom away.

"Wait, you are not going to introduce me to your girlfriend?" Tom asked.

"She is not my girlfriend!" Sonic said and he got closer to Tom and whispered. "You are embarrassing me!"

But before leaving, Sonic needed to ask Maria for a favor.

"Oh Maria, Amy seems comfortable with you." Sonic turned to look at the blond one who stood up from her seat. Amy followed her as well. "Do you think Amy can stay with you? Looking at how Tom reacted ... I just know that at my home she will be too overwhelmed."

"You go in peace Sonic, I will take good care of Amy," Maria smiled as she looked at Amy.

Almost as if she was scared, Amy got closer to Sonic and with a panic she held his hand. "Wait, don't leave me!"

Sonic felt bad for the pink one. He saw so much of him in her. They were so similar but at the same time so different. He didn't how to express himself although he wanted to bring her comfort. Sonic wanted Amy to be safe and he made a promise to himself that he will help her and protect her.

"Don't worry, I will come back!" Sonic said as he softly grabbed her hand, caressing it.

"You promise?" Amy asked innocence filled her voice.

"I, Sonic Wachowski the Hedgehog promise to visit Amy Rose every day after school," Sonic said.

"Amy ... Rose?"

"Yes, since you didn't have a last name I thought I should give you one." Sonic smiled and for a moment Amy's heart skipped a bit. "From now on you are Amy Rose! Because you are pretty and strong like one!"

They both look at each other's eye and for a moment Amy's felt different. Her heart began to beat faster, she felt the heat rise to her cheeks especially when Sonic smiled at her with such warmness.

SNAP SNAP

Tom interrupted the moment as he began to take more pictures of them.

"Don't mind me," Tom said, "You both are just too adorable!"

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

A/N: I hope you like this boo! Thank you again for showing me support. I love your work, keep it up

I am currently working on prompts! Thank you everyone~

[loadet851]

Pc Games With Character Creation Offline

Games With Character Customization Pc

Steam Games With Character Creation

One of the things I love most in a RPG (Role-Playing Game) is the possibility of creating my own character with tons of different options and add-ons. I made a research yesterday and found some interesting PC Games I already knew about, adding them to the titles I have or plan to get with the best Character Customization. I’m going to list them here for you guys also attaching a few videos so that you can see directly how they work and what kind of possibilities they offer.

It’s the main reason I enjoy games like Skyrim and Fallout. But there seem to be so few good (single player) games with decent character creation - and not just picking from a few presets. The character creation in Dragon Age: inquisition was amazing (although I struggled to enjoy the game) as well as Saints Row (which I really enjoyed). Addicting Offline Co-op Games For PC You’ll Want To Play. Dennis Patrick / Features / Best Co-op PC Games, Co-op, Cooperative. Sonic the Hedgehog is a staple video game character. Best MMORPG with Character Creation. Final Fantasy 14 has one of the most complex and sophisticated character editors. In this game, you can change the smallest details using different sliders, pick a unique voice, or add unique tattoos, accessories and facial paint. What Are Best RPGs With Character Creation? Role-playing games let us live out some of our greatest fantasies like slaying dragons, saving the world and owning a house. Whether your main character is dead, alive, or somewhere in between, these games will let you adjust your appearance and abilities to however you see fit. I've always loved games that give you the option to create your character before you start in the world. I enjoy the game even more when it has role playing or social aspects added to it, allowing you interact with NPCs, or other players if the game has a multiplayer feature. Just character creation would interest me enough to check any game out.

Follow me under the cut if you’re curious!

I’ve been introduced to this type of creation with a game I still keep in my heart and consider one of the best of all times; The Sims 2. Seriously, I’ve created so many 3D characters that if I could win an award I’d have 200 on my shelf by now.

With that said, here you are my personal list of PC games with their awesome customization in no particular order:

I tried this game myself (the free beta that is) a few times in the past and I swear the CC included in it is currently one of my favorite. Without the complete pack I probably didn’t have a lot of additional options available in terms of clothes, makeup and hair, but what truly mesmerized me at the time was the shaping tool, not yet common in games when they released EVE. You can grab and drag different parts of the head and body, modeling unique characters every time.

2. Black Desert Online

This game has been released recently with two different packages and it seems to be quite a popular MMORPG (Massive(ly) Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) in Russia and Korea. I’m not surprised considering the quality this game seems to have and its customization is clearly no less. Just like EVE Online, Black Desert offers a good sculpt instrument to shape faces and bodies as much as you like, plus a beautiful variety of colors and combinations.

UPDATE: The game is also available on Steam!

This patch lets you play Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks with mostly non-touch based controls. The new control bindings are Control Bindings: D-Pad=Run Y+Dpad=Walk B=Wide slash B+Dpad=Long slash Y+B=Spin Attack A=Interact A+Dpad=Roll. Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks D-Pad Patch This patch implements non-touchscreen controls for essential actions in Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks. Legend of zelda spirit tracks xenophobia patched rom.

3. Blade&Soul

This is another Asian MMORPG with the classical ‘Anime’ style, you cannot freely reshape the character’s structure, only pick one of the available presets and play around with the sliders to modify the whole body. Andy mckinney molly hatchet. Still, I honestly like the bright colors, the races/classes and the fact that you can actually recreate other existing characters using additional content (just like this guy did with Cloud from Final Fantasy VII).

4. BLESS Online

Yes, another Asian online title. Hey, it’s not my fault if they look so pretty! Bless is quite recent and not yet released in its final stage, but judging by how the CC works you have as much freedom as in EVE or Black Desert and the same unmistakable Fantasy touch.

5. The Sims 4

Didn’t I mention The Sims 2? Well, looks like the latest title in the series has improved quite a lot in this area. The shaping/sculpting method is here as well, considering that we finally have more possibilities I certainly won’t complain!

Note: In this video I can see the woman has a few mods installed. If you decide to get this game (or even the previous chapters) I definitely suggest you to do the same if you don’t like the default character design.

6. Fallout 4

Another recent (and quite famous) game. Apparently you can only work on the face here, but once again we see the sculpt tool in action. Even if the hair options are a bit limited you can still customize your character and create unique features playing around with your cursor.

7. Dragon Age: Inquisition

Who knows me is well aware of the fact that I am completely OBSESSED with this game, thus I couldn’t really leave it out. The hair options are definitely questionable and just like in Fallout 4 you do not have any body morph nor slider to alter, but as you can see from this video example you are still able to personalize your Inquisitor in a good way, also using real people or other characters as reference. To be honest I like some of the default presets too, if you don’t like spending two hours working on a face (I do that all the time, but I am a basket case so please ignore my madness :P), you can pick those and get a good result nonetheless.

And don’t forget about mods! 😉

8. Skyrim (The Elder Scrolls V)

This one has been around for a very long time and it remains probably the top 1 Fantasy game out there. If you’re not into mods at all and want to keep your game vanilla be sure that the overall quality is not as improved as the current generation, you can see that from the low-res hair and general textures. The reason why I’m including this CC in the list anyway is because even if old, Skyrim looks quite good compared to other games where you only get 3/4 slider options.

9. APB Reloaded

The last game I’d like to mention (and I literally just discovered it) is this not so new title which has a kick-ass Character Creator. Not only it shows some quality graphics there, but the level of customization is unbelievable! You can make hair shorter, beards longer, create beautiful tattoos (and place or rotate them wherever you want!), add patterns to clothes and even get your personal car! 😀

Chose one serial + PILIH Salah satu WORKING 99% per 13 Januari 2013 1330-1971-4830-1762 1330-1912-2628-0850-0232-4869 1330-1148-0472-2735-6555-0617 1330-1544-4195-8131-3034-5634 1330-1886-0283-4688-9152-2034 1330-1118-3174-6558-8260-5378 OR 1330-1971-4830-5668-6067-1762 1330-1912-2628-0850-0 232-4869 1330-1148-0472-2735-6555-0617 1330-1544-4195-8131. The serial number for Adobe is available. This release was created for you, eager to use Adobe Cs6 master collection full and without limitations. Our intentions are not to harm Adobe software company but to give the possibility to those who can not pay for any piece of software out there. Adobe cs6 master collection activation key wondershare.

There are of course many other games with a Character Creator, but they all seem pretty similar or not good enough to be mentioned in my list.

What do you think about these? Let me know with a comment if you like!

Those late-night multiplayer sessions can be really fun sometimes. Surely, everything is better with friends, they say and you’ll agree with that at some point. However, after a long day of work and studying, I like to relax with offline games. Sometimes, it’s satisfying to let yourself indulge in a great single-player story and forget about any problems bothering you. So, if you are like me, then welcome to the club! Below is my list of 20 best offline games for PC and I hope you’ll enjoy them.

1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

W2k16 pc download. Well, you’ve guessed it! The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt takes first place on the list with its epic setting, characters, gameplay, and those breathtaking visuals! It’s a compelling game that will offer you more than a hundred hours of non-filler gameplay, and there’s always something to explore. The game looks amazing, and the combat system is great. This open-world title is everything you need on your free days! Combine that with the great RPG elements and fun dialogues with NPCs, and you got yourself a pretty good offline game! Go and play it now, it’s a must-play.

2. Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus

Wolfenstein series has been once again revived with Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus. The positive reviews flashed all around the globe, and this game quickly became one of the best shooting games of 2017. B.J Blazkowicz is such a badass protagonist and the characters surrounding the game are interesting. You’ll quickly start to care about each and every one of them, making this game a worthy offline title. Bethesda said that they won’t be focusing on multiplayer, so they can bring an immersive single-player experience. Well, you nailed it, Bethesda; great job!

3. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Bethesda is one of my favorite companies when it comes to gaming, at least they were a few years back. A few years back, this masterpiece called The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was released and it took the Earth by storm! This offline open-world title offers hundreds of hours of exploration and you’ll probably never get bored of it! The combat system might be dated, but it’s damn fun to play and explore every corner of the game. After six years since its release, I’m still eager to give Skyrim another go. It’s that great!

4. Fallout 4

Games With Character Customization Pc

Fallout 4 is one of those top offline games that you either like or dislike. It’s a great single-player experience, as you explore a huge world of fictional city Commonwealth. I mean, the story here is scattered here and there, and our protagonist is in search of his abducted son. However, the game often steers away from that and let you have some freedom and exploration. It’s a fantastic reboot of the series, and it’s surely the best game in the franchise. If you are up for that Stalker-ish feeling, then give this a try!

5. Hitman (2016)

Hitman isn’t a strictly offline game, but I included it because it has a great single-player campaign. While the previous entry in the series Hitman: Absolution relied more on linear, claustrophobic, and confined experience, Hitman (2016) went in a different direction. Here, you’ll experience a vast, open-world with lots of stuff to do. The levels are not that numerous, but they are as big as hell! You can complete your missions in various ways and earn certain rewards and points for doing so. Hitman is a challenging stealth experience, but once Agent 47crawls under your skin, there’s no going back!

Steam Games With Character Creation

6. Nioh

Nioh is a less-known offline game released this year, and I feel like this game is very underrated. It’s a child of Dark Souls and Bloodborne series, which can tell you much about this game. It has a single, crushing, and unforgiving difficulty that will leave you begging for mercy. It’s hard, and you’ll need some blazing fast reflexes and huge gaming skills to finish it. There are more than twenty bosses in the game, and every single boss will kick your ass! Don’t expect to finish this game in a few days; you’ll need weeks to finish it and it will be painfully slow as the bosses shame you every little time… you helpless gamer!

7. Nier: Automata

Another underrated game – Nier: Automata. How could the gaming community overlook this game? Are you blind, or what? This game offers thirty hours of a pure, refined, and amazing experience! It’s a hack-and-slash title that mergers several genres with it. The open world in this game is huge, and the post-apocalyptic environment looks depressing and feels like a void. Nier also introduces RPG elements so you can now level yourself up, upgrade weapons, buy stuff, etc. On top of that, there are some 2D sections that feel like a great platformer, and that’ very unique! Nier: Automata is better than most AAA titles and costs double the less of that price, which is one more reason to get it.

8. Dark Souls 3

Dark Souls series got a fantastic reboot with Dark Souls 3. Just if it wasn’t enough for the previous games in the series, and now we got this punishing game. What can I say? Prepare to die a LOT in this game, as it’s created to kill you. I’m not joking, the whole game is against you, and you can’t do anything about that except fight like a lunatic. Even when you die, the enemies around you respawn and you must fight again and again, which is really frustrating. However, if you have the balls to play it, and manage to finish it, then you deserve a medal, Sir!

9. Bioshock Infinite

Bioshock Infinite is the newest installment in the Bioshock series. This cheap game can give you a huge value for your buck, especially when the Holidays come. I mean, for just a couple of bucks, you can get a fantastic FPS game, which campaign isn’t short and definitely isn’t boring! Bioshock Infinite continues its tradition with great shooting mechanics, various powerups, and that fast-paced shooting in a beautiful environment of the game. Get ready to cause mayhem!

10. Alien: Isolation

Alien: Isolation is that PC offline game that will haunt your dreams every time you try to sleep. It’s a horror game in which you try to stay in one piece and escape that damn space station called Sevastopol. Sounds similar? Well, that’s because the game is based on Alien (1979) movie, which was a very disturbing experience at the time. It’s an intense game that makes your palms sweat and your heart beating so fast that you’ll think it’s gonna come out of your chest! Try this horror if you dare, and watch yourself getting swallowed by the Alien, in a single bite!

11. Far Cry Primal

Elephants are cool, but mammoths are so badass! In Far Cry Primal, you can hunt mammoths and even ride them when you get to higher levels! How cool are you from zero to riding a mammoth? This beautiful-looking game is set 10,000 years BC and no, you aren’t going to shoot guns, but bash the hell out of your enemies. The arsenal of weapons might not be that huge, but the combat is great and requires more thinking, as the enemies are sometimes overwhelming and can easily kill you. If you have the luck to tame a sabertooth tiger, you may survive in this harsh world!

12. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

There is something special about that claustrophobic feeling, especially when it comes to horror games that you can play without internet. That sense of dread and despair when you don’t have much space to move is priceless. Don’t think of me as a psycho, but I LOVE the horror genre! RE7: Biohazard is a game that caught my attention as soon as it was released. This bad boy will provide you with a horrific experience that will leave you scared to death! As the game plays from the first-person perspective, it’s much easier to get yourself immersed, but also scared.

13. Outlast 2

Outlast 2 is yet another offline horror experience, where the developers decided to leave your powerless. There aren’t weapons for you to use, and surely no means to defend yourself. So, what are you left with? Well, a camera and a journal should do the trick! The game does a damn fine job of melding the horror and the dread with stealth and great storytelling. In the end, you may feel a little let down by the ending, but I know you’ll enjoy it until the very end.

14. Dead Space 3

Cat et 2015a factory password generator. While the past games in the series focused more on that horror experience, Dead Space 3 is more of an action-horror game. Sure, there are Necromorphs and they are vicious and all, but the action part is more prominent. Needless to say that Dead Space 3 is an amazing game and I’m very sad that Visceral Games is closed by EA in October. This survival horror game is hugely underrated, but it’s awesome and I recommend you to play it. It’s just a couple of bucks for this experience, don’t be a niggard!

15. Portal 2

There’s something awesome when it comes to Source Engine. The games made with this engine looks amazing, yet they run smoothly. How did Valve manage to do that? Well, as I am not a game developer, don’t ask me! But ask me about Portal 2, which is Valve’s magnum opus, and a compelling puzzle game. The whole point of the game is to use a Portal gun in order to create portals and pass through them. However, the game isn’t that simple and requires some brain skill to finish it. Grab your Portal Gun, and let’s go on a venture!

16. Limbo

This 2D game is straight-up terrifying, dark, and misanthropic from the start to finish! In Limbo, you are a little boy that needs to survive this colorless world of the game as he overcomes various obstacles and escape scary monsters. I like the game’s artwork and the atmosphere is simply top-notch here if you like the dark ambient in the games. It’s a must-play for every offline Indie games lover!

17. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat

Speaking of the atmosphere, very few great offline games can replicate the atmosphere as it is in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat. That post-apocalyptic atmosphere of Pripyat looks great, and the game isn’t colorful, which is the whole point. Everything has that grey-ish tint, as this town suffered greatly when the Nuclear Powerplant in that area exploded. It’s based on a real-life event that occurred around 1989, which gives the game a certain weight and meaning.

18. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

With MGSV: The Phantom Pain, Hideo Kojima proved that he still has what it takes to create such immersive PC games without internet. This stealth game is challenging and full of stuff to do, due to its open-world nature. The characters are badass and the game feels somewhat dark, with a very serious tone. Oh, and not to forget that plot twist at the end that’s worth those thirty hours I’ve spent on this game!

19. SOMA

Horror fans will be pleased that I mentioned another horror title here. SOMA is an absolutely spooky and nerve-wracking experience! It creates that atmosphere that’s very unique, and with the story being told in the shape of various documents scattered through the game, it’s even more badass! You are all alone here and you’ll fight for your life, only to find out that you aren’t actually alive! A truly wonderful offline game for Windows.

20. Superhot

Superhot is a cartoonish-looking offline game that revolves around time. To make it simple, the time in the game moves when you move, so if you are standing still, nothing will happen. Vice Versa, if you are moving and shooting, then the enemies will do the same. It’s a lot of fun, but a lot of challenges too. I played it with some of my favorite death metal albums, just to ensure that I’m hardcore enough to beat it!

As we are approaching near the end of our journey through the offline PC games, I’m here to ask you a question. What is your favorite offline game for PC? I tried my best to count some of my favorite offline games, and although I’m maybe going to start a war for not including some of the games, I stand behind my words. Oh, and why don’t you tell me what game did I miss? Do you have any favorites besides these 20 games? Please, let me know, and don’t forget to do some gaming today!

[aotopmha]

Sonic the Hedgehog turned 30 years today.

In celebration, I downloaded all 3 classic games available for mobile and tried to get as far as I could before getting a game over.

For Sonic 1 it was Marble Zone Act 1, for Sonic CD it was the Collision Chaos boss and for Sonic 2 it was the Chemical Plant Act 2 boss.

I'm much better at these games on an emulator/PC, using the arrow keys rather than a controller (or apparently with the android touch controls) because that's how I've played them the most.

Sonic is probably the franchise I've (on and off) followed the longest and I remember fairly precisely when I played my first Sonic game: it was in my second year in school, but I stopped because the crusher section in Hydrocity terrified me and I couldn't get past it.

I also have vague memories of both of the most famous old cartoons and briefly trying the PC version of Sonic CD and Sonic 3D Blast.

My next notable experience with a Sonic game is actually the old Newgrounds game Ultimate Sonic Flash.

This is what opened the Sonic floodgates with other stuff for me, too.

Besides that game there were the flash animations like Nazo Unleashed and Super Mario Bros Z that also appealed to the Dragon Ball fan in me.

Through that stuff, I got into the Sonic Advance games and I was particularly drawn to Sonic Advance 2.

It's strange because Sonic Advance 2 seems to be considered the most "hold right to win" game in the Sonic Advance series, but I find the stages in that game to be the most satisfying to perfect and play.

I also dig Advance 1 and 3, but I remember having the most frustration with 3.

Discovering the Advance series lead me back to the Classic series. Sonic 1, CD, 2, 3 and Knuckles.

Somewhere around here, I also remember the demo for Sonic Adventure DX.

After that I got to the Rush games (which I also found satisfying to complete despite, again, being called "hold right to win" games).

I just found doing as good runs as possible to be satisfying to pull off.

Then I got to Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2.

I think I spent hours replaying and perfecting the Sonic Adventure 2 speed levels in particular. I think those games were absolutely worth it for just the replay value of Sonic's/Shadow's stages. Any frustration with the other gameplay styles was worth all of the play time I got out of those stages and I think the only truly bad gameplay style was Big's fishing stages.

Even then, in Adventure 1 all the other campaigns were also pretty short.

In Adventure 2, I think the only source of true frustration for me were some of Knuckles/Rouge stages.

I think the reason why the other gameplay styles are so frowned upon is that they're not what you come to Sonic for, but I think only Big actually controls badly in terms of the fishing mechanics – the frustrations really come from level design.

After those two comes Heroes, which I think could've been my favourite out of these "adventure style" games, but the controls just were too stiff to not get in the way of enjoyment.

The long stages would've actually been awesome instead of frustrating if I didn't have to fight the controls (and occasionally camera) along the way.

It had some great level design with some really good level themes.

But it just wasn't as responsive as I would've liked it to be and movement over-adjusted really often, leading to deaths and a bunch of frustration not of my own making.

If any game deserves a remake with better controls, I think it is 100% Heroes.

But I still did get some fun out of it when everything worked as well as it could. I kind of love the Haunted House level and all of the interesting things it did.

This is the point where I no longer could play the games for a while.

Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic 06 and Unleashed HD are the games I've never gotten to play in this gap. But the only bit I'm truly actually interested in are the day stages of Unleashed.

I feel like they have the Rush games effect that despite some of the cheap stuff in those stages, they are very satisfying to complete.

The next games I got to play were Unleashed and Colours Wii (though I never got to finish Unleashed Wii). I like Colours Wii more than Unleashed Wii.

Colours might be mostly 2D and more "generic" blocky stuff, but I still had fun blasting through it.

Unleashed Wii's day stages didn't really have that satisfaction of perfecting the stages like the Advance or Rush stuff. The Werehog was okay and I think sometimes actually better than the day stages, so the game as a whole was just okay.

But I think Colours DS is my favourite of the "Rush-style" games. The Wisps are really satisfying to use and the level design is more involved and less "cheap" than in the other Rush games, where sudden spikes and death pits are much more common.

Somewhere in here is Sonic Chronicles. I actually liked executing the moves with the characters for a little bit, but not much else about it. I think it's the only game in the series to this point I truly dislike.

There are more like okay games, good games and great games in this series for me because it looks like I've managed to avoid the biggest duds.

The final two games in the series I've actually played chronologically are the PC versions of Sonic Generations and Sonic Mania.

And I think both are really good!

Generations still wasn't 100% there with the controls, but I think it was the closest to Adventure series controls. Probably my favourite 3D Sonic game next to Sonic Adventure 2. I spent ages replaying all of the stages. I adore all of the open space and alternate routes there.

Sonic Mania is the best game post transition to 3D to me, though and would maybe even tie for my favourite Sonic game with Sonic CD if it was completely new.

It fixed some of the dated level design of the classic games – unfair spring and spike placement is at an all-time low, it evolved the usage of shields in a really cool way and added some really interesting level-specific mechanics, my favourite is probably the bouncy gel in Chemical Plant.

I 100% want a completely original Sonic Mania 2.

I have not played Sonic Generations 3DS, Lost World, any of the Boom games or Forces.

All of which are supposedly okay/terrible, too and honestly even don't have anything interesting going on to catch my eye in footage. Forces especially looks frustrating to me because it just looks like hallways and doesn't even look to have the satisfaction of perfecting a stage the other boost games have.

I really seem to be in a position where I've missed all of the worst stuff.

I actually probably find Secret Rings and 3D Blast to be the worst Sonic games because I remember being the most frustrated with them. Chronicles is still just mostly boring.

Black Knight has the really satisfying spin slash attack and you can keep the flow and control Sonic much, much better.

In-between all of this I've tried some of the 8-bit games which I liked just fine, but which all really blended together.

I've also tried the Sonic 4 parts, which I also find okay. Not good Genesis-style games, but okay, functional enough Rush-styled games.

So I can say that I don't think Sonic has ever "jumped the shark". There are good old games and good modern games.

From leaks, the upcoming game at least sounds much more ambitious than some of the previous games like Forces or Lost World.

I predict something like Unleashed where there is a sound foundation in there, but it is unrefined, as there seems to be talk that it's another really big switch-up – it possibly being an open world game.

I think I really appreciate the series' willingness to switch things up even if it doesn't always work out.

The Classic, Adventure, Advance, Rush/Boost games all are very different styles.

I've had a lot of fun over the years with this series and I hope I'll have more fun in the coming years.

I think the Adventure + Heroes remakes are 100% overdue. Also please, Sonic Mania 2 with all-original stages.

[alison-anonymous]

flawsome bandits pt. 1 ♡ sonic

Flawsome First Meetings

EARLY RELEASE!

Hello, my darlings and WELCOME to my second multi-part fanfic, Flawsome Bandits (a Sonic the Hedgehog Movie! x Reader). I have not yet finished the second chapter of this story yet, and I’m currently trying to prewrite these chapters so I can update them along the way, but I wanted to get the first one out to all of my patient darlings as soon as possible! Please let me know what you think, the love always encourages me to write more ;) Love you all, please enjoy!

Warnings: none

♡♡♡

If you've ever had amnesia, you'd know that things seem very quick.

Little flashbacks of what you're guessing to be your backstory come back in little spurts that never last long enough and are gone too soon. They leave huge, gaping holes in your background information from what your favorite color is to who your parents were. Try your story on for size.

You were Y/n Wachowski. A sassy, quick-witted teenage girl with a love for speed and a sharp tongue. Parents? Unknown. Distant relatives? Undiscovered. Hometown? Who the fuck knows. You were sent to live with the Wachowski's as your permanent foster parents after you were discovered wandering around the woods by a couple of hikers. They said that they found you wearing a ripped and dirty jumpsuit with pastel colors that looked like it was ten times smaller than your size. When they had tried to confront you, it was almost as if you couldn't hear them, your mouth open and unspeaking. Eyes wandering, glossy and unseeing. 

You couldn't remember much about your past. Most of the time it was like looking at a blank sheet of paper, ready to get into the printer but it's out of ink. After being diagnosed with a concussion and severe amnesia, you were seen as unfit to take care of yourself, so that was how you ended up with the Wachowskis. But just because you were lucky enough to have loving and patient foster parents didn't mean that you had an answer to every question they asked. You had no idea what your favorite color was, what you liked to do in your free time, or even if you were a night owl. 

It was like you didn't even remember who you were. Like you had just been born, only you weren't a baby and were instead a teenager. It got incredibly lonely being a child with no memories, and the kids at school found you very creepy. But it was okay. Tom and Maddie made sure to give you as much love as was humanly possible, and when the bullying at school got to the point where they would follow you home, they switched you to homeschooling. 

It appeared that you not only had no existing memories of your past, but you also had barely any idea how things on earth worked. Whenever someone mentioned examinations, vaccines, bucket lists, and even governmental agencies, you had no clue what they were talking about. 

Not everyone was as patient as Tom and Maddie were, unfortunately. Most people would assume that you were kidding when you asked them what a protractor was or why people ride animals. It all seemed so strange and new to you, like Tarzan when he was visiting the human world and not the ape land he was familiar with. But out of it all, there was one thing that you became absolutely fascinated with. 

Cars. 

The faster, the better. You seemed to have an unchecked need for speed that tickled at your mind every time you got behind the wheel. Whenever Tom allowed it, you'd take the truck or his old squad motorcycle out for a spin in the abandoned corn fields where you could do as many tricks as you wanted without putting anyone else in danger. One of your favorites was driving backwards. 

It's during one of those days where our story finally begins. The Montana sun was high up in the sky, beating down its scorching rays onto the untouched pavement. A flock of birds fled for the telephone polls in an attempt to escape from the ever increasing sound of revving coming from the abandoned corn field near Crazy Carl's traps for the supposed "Blue Devil." In the midst of the dead and crusty corn stalks, there sat a young girl on a very old squad motorcycle. Her hair fluttered gently in the slight breeze running through the air, a pair of sunglasses perched delicately atop her nose in the absence of a helmet. Before her stood a makeshift riser composed of some old wooden slabs she had "borrowed" from an old tree house a little ways south. A smirk played across her lips as she kicked up the bike's kickstand and revved the engine. 

"Alright, Y/n, if you make this jump, you'll be the most famous girl in Green Hills…" Her words got lost in the wind as she took a deep breath and began to ride towards the jump, her speed increasing with every passing second. The distance began to decrease, her growing closer and closer until an abnormal electric blue blur zipped past her. Startled, she swerved, momentarily losing control of her bike as she slowed to a stop, planting her boots firmly on the ground. Chest heaving, she flipped her sunglasses up onto her forehead and slipped off of the bike, looking around the empty field to see if she hit anything. 

What was that? She wondered. 

Unbeknownst to her, a couple feet away from her, hidden deep within some dehydrated bushes was a royal blue hedgehog. He had been on his way back to his cave after taking a turtle for a little joy ride down the interstate when he spotted his favorite human on earth, Star Chaser. She was the most amazing girl he had ever seen, and lived with Donut Lord and Pretzel Lady. He would make it a priority to hang out with her every time she was out practicing her racing tricks, a dopey grin spreading on his face every time he saw her ecstatic smile. She just never knew he was there. 

More than anything, he wished that he could get to hang out with her just once. Just for one day, spent full of speeding down the empty country roads and flying over makeshift jumps and laughing about the funny faces they made from the wind hitting their skin. But he knew better. He had to stay hidden, just like Longclaw said. Never stop running, and always stay hidden… alone. 

There was something about her that just drew him to her, something familiar. He watched with caution as Star Chaser searched the field a bit more, her footfalls making satisfying crunching sounds on the long gone plants. Her beautiful e/c eyes searched the grounds before her for whatever had interrupted her practice. Finally, after she was satisfied with not having hit anything, she got back onto the cycle, flipped her sunglasses back on, and zipped away, leaving a trail of smoky exhaust in her wake.

The blue hedgehog zoomed back to his cave himself, dodging trees and bushes with expertise. The whole time he ran, he couldn't prevent his mind from wondering what life might be like if he were somehow able to live alongside the humans. If he could have a conversation with Star Chaser that didn't exist in his imagination, to maybe even discover why she seemed so familiar. What would life be like if he didn't have to hide? 

♡♡♡

Just when things finally start getting familiar, the concept of moving decides to rear its ugly head in. Y/n had found out that her foster dad got a promotion, a job in another city with a higher ranking and a wider variety of donut holes to snack on. That meant that they were going to have to leave Green Hills. 

But, knowing her, she shoved the grief and frustration so far down inside her until it became nonexistent. Maddie had left on a trip to see her sister, leaving Y/n and Tom alone. They had had a freak power outage the night before, leaving Tom a bit on edge. His phone kept ringing off the hook as his coworker was just a bit dependent on him, and had no idea if he should just ignore the 911 phone calls or pick them up. 

“Remind me to drive by the library tomorrow,” Y/n set down her latest novel on the counter by the car keys. She watched as Tom stole a bit of frosting off of the cake and scrunched up her nose at the lack of sanitation. “I need to return this before we get fined.” 

Tom nodded just as his phone began ringing. He held up a finger to his daughter and leaned against the counter, lifting up the phone to his ear as he began to talk to his wife. Y/n turned to the fridge and was trying to decide whether or not she was hungry or just bored as she did her best to not listen to them talking about the move. Just as she was about to reach for the watermelon, a loud clattering noise came from outside. Tom and Y/n exchanged an alarmed glance and quickly shuffled over to the window, childishly trying to shove each other out of the way so they could get a good look. 

“Shit,” Y/n swore as she took in the knocked over trash bins sitting next to the garage.

“Watch your potty mouth,” Tom scolded, but a smile still stayed on his lips. “The racoons are back.” Y/n watched as he quickly turned towards one of the junk drawers and pulled out Maddie’s bear tranquilizer gun. She snorted. 

“You better not be using my tranquilizer gun,” she heard Maddie’s voice say over the speaker. “That’s for bears.”

“Good,” Tom grinned as he loaded up the machine. “Now I know it’ll work. Y/n, stay inside.” Y/n scoffed as he hung up the phone and opened up the back door. Yes, of course she was going to stay safely inside like a crappy sidekick and miss the potential action of scaring trash pandas half to death. Grabbing an extra flashlight, she raced out after her dad to see him pressed up against the side of the shed, holding the gun and flashlight near his face. He jumped once she saddled up next to him, putting her flashlight in front of her like her own makeshift gun.

“I thought I told you to stay inside,” He narrowed his brows. To his dismay, Y/n only shrugged.

“You did. I didn’t listen,” she grinned, making it obvious that he had no other choice than to let her stay. He sighed, but nevertheless nodded. On a quick countdown from three, the two burst into the shed, waving their flashlights around like mad men.

“Green Hills PD, put your paws up!” Tom hollered. Y/n slowly made her way out from behind him, flashing her light around the empty room until it finally came to a stop. Her eyes widened in shock and her jaw nearly dropped to the floor as she tried to make sense of what exactly she was looking at. An electric blue creature wearing white gloves and tennis shoes stood before them, holding what looked like a gold wedding ring between his forefinger and thumb. She couldn’t tell what was stranger: the fact that he existed or the fact that he seemed oddly familiar. The creature’s green eyes flashed from hers to her father’s before he let out a small, nervous chuckle. 

“Uhh, meow?” 

And then, Tom screamed. His fear and the sudden introduction of the loud noise caused Y/n to scream, too, which finally led to the little blue creature screaming. But the longer Y/n stared at it, the more she began to experience a slight hint of deja vu. She couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that she had seen this thing before. 

“Wait,” she whispered, barely loud enough for her dad to hear, but the blue creature’s ears perked up. He turned his attention back to her and the second they locked eyes, the same sense of familiarity began coursing through his veins. After all of those days spent watching her from afar, how did he never notice the e/c eyes? Where had he seen them before?

Unfortunately, Tom just had to go and ruin the moment by pulling the trigger on the tranq gun. 

“Dad, no!” Y/n cried, but it was already too late as the dart sank into the blue creature’s thigh. They could only watch as the animal looked down at the needle in his leg and slowly looked back up with a hurt glare.

“Ow,” he whined, his eyes already beginning to lose their concentration. Y/n was about to take a step towards the creature, but Tom wrapped his hand around her arm to stop her. The creature’s eyes floated over Tom’s shirt, zeroing in on the words that littered the old fabric. “San… Fran…sisco?” He muttered. The ring he had been holding on to loosely slipped from his fingers, and began rolling across the floor. As its velocity increased, it began expanding, deying all laws of logic as a portal overlooking the given city appeared. Y/n and Tom’s jaws dropped to the floor as they watched the creature stumble, dropping his little bag through the portal and collapsing onto the ground. Y/n’s heart ached for the poor thing as she fought to get out of her father’s grasp in order to help him. 

Within seconds, the portal closed up, eliminating the slight wind that had appeared. “N-No…” The creature whimpered before finally passing out. A thick silence crossed over the three as Tom’s grip on Y/n’s arm loosened, both humans trying to figure out what the heck they just witnessed. 

“What the actual fuck?” Y/n breathed. 

“Language…” 

♡♡♡

“Yes. Let’s shoot the poor thing and then put him in a cage,” Y/n rolled her eyes sarcastically, watching as her father poked the blue creature resting inside of their dog’s old cage. She batted at his hand, and gave him a death glare, but he just sighed. 

“Come on, kid, what if he’s an alien?” Tom asked incredulously, turning back to the sleeping creature. He nudged its head with a metal spatula and sighed. 

“I don’t know…” Y/n sighed, resting her head on her knuckle. I mean, she had to admit he was kind of… cute. The nostalgia that he was causing was just an added complication. There was something about his entire being that seemed eerily familiar to her, but she couldn’t for the life of her figure out why. Tom slowly withdrew something that had fallen onto the padding; an electric blue quill. The two slowly leaned closer to inspect the object, noting the little blue bolts of electricity that whizzed across its surface. It absolutely fascinated Y/n, while Tom seemed a little more apprehensive. He turned away from the cage and set it down on the counter, running a hand over his face. 

“This is nuts,” he whispered. Y/n took the opportunity to get a little closer to the being, scanning his body with careful eyes. She debated reaching through the bars to touch him, but before she had a chance to, his eyes slowly popped open. Her eyes widened and she stayed perfectly still as he pushed himself up to a standing position and made his way to open the cage. Her breath catches in her throat as he finally looks up at her and gives her a small, sheepish smile, stumbling out onto the counter top. Even in the given circumstances, the only thing that the girl can think of is how absolutely adorable he is. 

...wait, what?

“Star Chaser?” Y/n quickly turned her attention back to the present and furrowed her brows in confusion. Who was Star Chaser? “Donut Lord?” The blue being slurred, holding on to the cage for support. Tom swiveled around at the sound and scoffed.

“So the Blue Devil can talk. You’re not here to abduct us are you?” 

“YOU abducted ME,” the Blue Devil replied defensively, pressing his hand against his chest. Y/n rolled her eyes and stepped between the two, looking the being in the eyes. 

“I am very sorry for that-”

“Why are you apologizing to it?!” Tom cried, running his hands through his hair incredulously. Y/n just rolled her eyes. 

“I told him to just leave you alone. But, if I may ask, who are you and why were you in our shed?” She finished. Tom facepalmed behind her while the Blue Devil did his best to concentrate his fatigue on the beautiful girl standing before him. Gosh, her eyes were pretty…

“I-I needed a safe place, and Donut Lord’s house was the only place I could think of, Star Chaser!” 

“Why does he keep calling me Donut Lord?” Tom asked warily, slowly reaching for the tranq gun. Y/n quickly shot him a glare and he let out an annoyed huff. Even though he was her foster father, they acted like siblings with good-hearted and frequent quarrels. 

“Because you talk to donuts,” the Blue Devil explained. “And then eat them when they get out of line.” Y/n snorted, trying her best to contain her laughter by pressing the back of her hand to her mouth. She didn’t notice the small smile that formed on the blue hedgehog’s face as Tom shrugged, nodding his head slightly. 

“Fair. Why is she Star Chaser?” The Blue Devil got a distant look on his face, a small, thoughtful smile still lingering on his lips.

“I’ve watched her race out in the fields. It’s amazing how fast she can go. Sometimes I wonder if she’s trying to chase the stars out of the sky…” A soft smile slowly formed on your lips at his words. No one had ever talked about you like that before. 

The distant look on his face was suddenly replaced by one with worry. His eyes began frantically glancing around the room, Y/n being able to practically see the alarms going off in his head. “Wait, where are my… Why am I still on earth? Oh no, I lost my rings!” 

“Rings?” Y/n furrowed her brows in confusion. Just then, a loud rumbling sound came from outside. It had such an impact that it shook the entire house, startling the chimes that Maddie had hung up above the sink. The three looked around in confusion.

“What’s happening? Is this your mothership?” Tom began panicking, walking briskly around the table towards the window. He jabbed an accusing finger at the nervous hedgehog. “I do NOT want my daughter getting probed.”

“Dad, stop,” Y/n sighed, following him towards the window. “You’re the one who abducted him. Can’t you be just a little bit sentimental?”

“Thanks,” the hedgehog muttered just loud enough for Y/n to hear. She stood next to her foster dad at the window and peered out the glass. A giant grey vehicle that had been passing stopped and began backing up towards their driveway.

“What the hell kind of make is that?” Y/n muttered. The Blue Devil was by their side in a second and was peering through the window too. Once he caught sight of the ginormous lab van, he let out a squeak and pulled the white curtains shut.

“They’re after me!”

“Who’s after you?” Y/n questioned in concern. She got pushed behind Tom as he stood protectively in front of her, eyeing the Blue Devil suspiciously.

“And what does that have to do with us?” 

“I don’t have time to explain, but you have to help me!” He pleaded. Y/n felt her heart sink for the creature, her instant gut feeling telling her that they had to help him. He was in danger, albeit he was apparently a runaway. Unfortunately, Tom had different ideas as he furiously shook his head.

“No, we don’t!”

“But Dad-”

“Y/n, enough,” Tom ended her protests sternly. He turned back to the blue hedgehog and furrowed his brows, wondering what reason he could possibly have that would need them to help him. “Why should we help you?”

“Well, my legs, which normally would be classified as legal weapons, feel like spaghetti. I need your help, please! It’s life or death.” The Blue Devil’s green eyes pleaded to Tom. Y/n slowly made her way out from behind her dad and glanced down at him. He knew exactly what to say in order to get Tom to help him, didn’t he? It was almost as if he had been there all of those times when Tom was wishing for someone to come to him in their time of need. His facade crumbled and he caved in almost instantly.

“Alright, fine. Y/n, take him up to the attic. I’ll take a look at what’s going on outside.” Tom ordered. Y/n nodded and motioned for the blue hedgehog to follow her. They quickly scampered towards the stairs, and as they began to walk quietly up the flights, Y/n noticed two things. One, Crazy Carl was right after all. The little “Blue Devil” was a lot larger than she had expected him to be, measuring up to be about half of her height. And two, the thing was having a horrific time walking. With a strangely racing heart, Y/n slowed down her pace and offered her hand to the being. He gave her a small smile and accepted it, wrapping his gloved hand around her own. 

“My actual name is Y/n, by the way,” she finally spoke in an attempt to break the hurried silence. “But I like Star Chaser better.” He smiled beside her, trying to figure out why the girl before him seemed so familiar.

“I just thought it suited you. My name’s Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog.”

“I knew you weren’t an alien,” Y/n said as she let go of his hand to pull down the ladder. She picked the hedgehog up and set him down gently inside the attic. His name kept ringing throughout her head on an endless loop, like it was supposed to bring back some big part of her life, but it always came back empty. She gave him a small smile and was about to head back down when he stopped her.

“Wait,” his dreamy green eyes were full of concern as he looked straight into Y/n’s. “Be careful.” 

Y/n appreciated how genuinely concerned he was for her safety. It was a beautiful gulp of fresh air amidst all of the others who thought she was crazy or weird. At least his sincerity made the fact that he had been basically stalking her and her family for a while now a little bit less creepy. Y/n gave him a reassuring smile and closed the attic door, racing all the way back down to the main floor where she skidded to a halt by the door. 

There was Tom, with some very strange looking man sporting a signature Man with the Bowler Hat mustache standing in the Y/n slowly approached her dad and watched as the man turned his attention towards her.

“Oh, I didn’t realize you had a daughter,” the man smiled creepily, sending shivers down her spine. She scrunched her nose as Tom wrapped his arm around her shoulder protectively.

“I have a name,” she raised her brows skeptically. “Y/n.” 

At the sound of her name, the man got a shocked look on his face, his eyes widening to the size of saucers as he stared intensely at her. Tom and Y/n exchanged confused glances before the man quickly snapped back into reality. 

“Y/n…” he repeated. “Interesting. Anyways, where was I? Oh, yes,” he suddenly propelled himself towards Tom, becoming very uncomfortably close to his face. Y/n slowly sank into her father’s arm in order to back away from the strange man. “I was spitting out formulas while you were still spitting up formula.”

“I was breastfed, actually,” Tom responded, mildly weirded out. Y/n’s face contorted in disgust. What the hell was this conversation?

“Nice,” he nodded. “Rub that in my orphan face.”

“Okay,” Y/n spoke up, finally having enough as she pushed the two apart. “Listen, I have no idea who you are and why you are here, but I think you should be leaving.”

“Ooh, fiesty one,” the man nodded, narrowing his eyebrows at you to the point that the folds on his forehead nearly overlapped one another. “Doctor Robotnik, I-”

A sudden thump sounded from the kitchen, startling the man enough to make him shut up. Tom and Y/n froze, running through every possible excuse in their minds as to what that could have been that wasn’t Sonic. Y/n turned to Robotnik and offered him the best sheepish smile she could muster.

“Um… Racoons?”

Robotnik gave her a fake smile and shouldered his way into the house. Y/n and Tom scrambled to follow him, praying to god that their little blue friend wasn’t sitting on the kitchen counter. Thankfully, once they reached the kitchen, they were greeted with a friendly racoon, shoveling handfuls of celebratory cake into its mouth. Y/n breathed a small sigh of relief through her mouth.

“See? Racoons.” Tom spoke defiantly, placing his hands on his hips. Y/n began to search the room quietly for any sign of Sonic while Robotnik was preparing to leave. They had almost gotten him out the door when he stopped and backtracked. In confusion, Y/n and Tom followed his gaze and their hearts stopped.

He slowly held up the lone electric blue quill for all to see.

“Looks like I was right,” a shit-eating grin formed on his face. “Note the lack of surprise.” He pointed to his monotone expression and Y/n could already tell that she fucking hated him. She slowly began to back away from him when a floating egg shaped orb harnessing a bright red laser became very interested in Tom. Y/n’s heart raced, back growing tense as she began to hesitantly back away until Robotnik gave her a warning glare. 

She wasn’t going anywhere.

“So, let’s try this again. Where. Is. It?”

“Look, man, leave her out of this. We have no idea what ‘it’ is,” Tom exclaimed, beginning to hold his hands up in surrender. Robonik simply shook his head and pushed some buttons on the gloves that he was wearing. 

“I hate liars. You have five seconds to tell me where it is. Five… Four…” He began to count down, Y/n only being able to watch in horror as the white orb came ever closer to her father, the menacing light flashing. Daring someone to challenge it. Tom stared, his facade crumbling with every second that was counted down, trying desperately to find a way out. Things were looking to death when a sudden electric blue blur shot out from behind the counter and stood in front of Y/n, hands outspread in protection.

“Wait!” Sonic cried. “Don’t hurt them!”

Y/n looked down at the little hedgehog in shock, and was startled when Robotnik let out the most girlish scream anyone had ever heard come from the pipes of a man. Then Tom punched him in the face. 

“Yes, go Dad!” Y/n whooped as the Doctor crumpled onto the floor, unconscious. Their victory was short lived, however, as the second she finished talking, she was dragged behind the counter by Sonic to avoid getting hit in the face by a laser beam. The three watched in horror as the Wachowski’s custom designed kitchen became destroyed by the angry red bots, shooting around with no instructions as their master was now taking a nap on the floor. Before Y/n even had the chance to ask what they should do, they noticed that Sonic was already missing. Looking frantically around the room, Tom motioned up to one of the kitchen cupboards, and sure enough, there was Sonic preparing to jump onto one of the bots that was probably scanning for their heat signatures or something equally significant. The two shook their heads rapidly, but Sonic simply gave them one of the most adorable sassy nods Y/n had ever seen. He leapt onto the robot, trying desperately to smack it as it spun around like a horse without a head.

“This-was a… horrible idea!” Sonic screamed before he got flung off the robot, sailing through the air, and landing straight into Y/n’s arms. He offered her a sheepish smile, and Y/n rolled her eyes, a smile still playing across her lips. She set him down just in time to see her dad knock the bot out with a frying pan. It careened to a halt and collapsed onto the ground. 

“Alright,” Y/n nodded, kicking it once with the scuff of her shoe for good measure. “Shall we get out of here?”

“Yes, please.”

♡♡♡

The three runaways were able to pull out of the driveway just as a bunch of other Men in Black vans were pulling up to the house. Tom sat behind the wheel while Sonic sported a shotgun, and Y/n crouched in the middle of the backseat with no seatbelt. Because this was living on the dark side, and on the dark side, we don’t wear seatbelts.

“Okay, so now that we aren’t running from scary doctors, what the hell is going on here?” Y/n asked, leaning forward on the console and resting her head in her hand as she turned to Sonic. He leaned his head back against the seat and sighed.

“Well, I just might have been the reason for that big power explosion… and now people after me. To make things worse, I lost my rings to a place that I’ve only ever seen on your dad’s skin tight T-shirt, and I have to make it to the Mushroom Planet or else I’m putting everyone here in danger.” He finally took in a deep gulp of air after pulling out that whole explanation in one breath. Y/n furrowed her brows in concern.

“Mushroom Planet?” Tom asked, his lips pressing into a firm line. 

“You must have lost them in San Francisco,” Y/n said. Suddenly, Tom jerked the wheel to the right and pulled off to the side of the road, unlocking the doors in the process.

“Alright, get out.” Y/n and Sonic stared at him in confusion.

“I’m sorry, what?” Sonic narrowed his eyes slightly. Tom leaned forwards and opened the passenger side door for him, running a hand down his face.

“Look, this is the worst time for me to be getting into trouble with the law and my daughter doesn’t really need a track record. So, you can go off and have good luck with finding your weird little Mushroom Planet. I’ll hopefully wake up in a hospital room soon with a successful colonoscopy and a happy, totally sane teenage daughter, so goodbye.”

“What? Dad!” Y/n started to object, her blood boiling in irritation at his insensitivity. Sonic shook his head and gave her a half-hearted smile as he slipped out of the car. 

“It’s okay, Y/n. Goodbye, I guess…” But instead of leaving, he just stood there. Staring. Y/n turns to stare at her father too to double the effect. 

“Why aren’t you leaving?” He groaned in frustration.

“How the hell is he supposed to know where San Francisco is?” Y/n laughs, and Tom sighs in defeat, knowing that she’s right. He gives her a half-assed glare, but as usual she was refusing to back down. Sonic doesn’t notice the small smile forming on his own lips, his appreciation for this strangely familiar girl increasing with every second he spent with her.

“It’s West. Straight shot.” Tom finally tells him. Sonic nods.

“Okay. West. Cool. Cool, I’m totally cool with saying goodbye right now,” he exaggerates, swirling his gloved hands around with the hurt clearly evident on his face. 

“I’m not,” Y/n grumbles, pressing her cheek against the rough leather of the driver’s seat. Before anyone could say another word, Sonic shot off in the given direction faster than the speed of sound. Y/n’s jaw drops open along with Tom’s as they look down at the spot where he once was. 

“H-holy shit,” Y/n stuttered. 

“D-did he just-” Tom didn’t even get to finish the sentence before Sonic came back, only this time soaking wet. He was sporting a nice fish on his head and a bunch of seaweed hanging on to his quills, which accented his sarcastic expression perfectly. Y/n tried to stifle her laughter by pouting and turning to her father as he rolled his eyes.

“So, as I crashed into the cold, dark Pacific,” Sonic began, sending a wink in Y/n’s direction. “I noticed a couple things. A, I have no idea where I’m going. B, salt water stings. And C, I shouldn’t even be on this planet right now but I am. Why? Because you shot me.” Sonic’s eyes narrowed.

“I know,” Tom sighed, turning back to the road.

“You shot me!”

“Okay, you don’t need to rub it in,” he sniffed, glancing at Y/n out of the corner of his eye. “She was there too…”

“She didn’t shoot me,” Sonic stood up for her. Y/n gave him a kind smile as he began listing off characteristics on his gloved fingers. “I’m wet, I’m cold, there’s a fish on my head, and clearly I’m not going to be able to do this on my own!” Once he finished, Y/n slowly reached out to him and pushed the fish off his head, watching as it flopped about helplessly on the ground.

“You do owe it to him,” she subtly pressed, leaning back once again in her seat. Tom stayed silent for a moment, staring firmly at the little blue hedgehog for what seemed like forever. Finally he caved and started the ignition once again.

“Fine. Get in.”

“Really?” Sonic and Y/n chimed in hopeful unison. “You’re going to help me?” He shook out his fur at such a high speed that once he finished, it poofed out like a dramaticized afro. Y/n giggled in her seat, not being able to handle how cute it was. Butterflies began to wander around in her stomach.

“I guess it is sort of my fault,” Tom hesitantly admitted. 

“Actually, it’s entirely your fault,” Y/n teased. He gave her a playful shove, but snorted nonetheless. Sonic quickly climbed into the car and slammed the door shut behind him.

“Road trip!” He cheered, looking excitedly around the car. Y/n cheered along with him while still trying to shake the eerily feeling of familiarity. Tom shook his head, squeezing the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.

“What the hell am I doing with my life?”

♡ a.a.

[rainebowkitty]

Absolutist's Son, Queen's Devotee (Oofy Riddle Fic)

History is often warped over time as ideals change and people evolve. It’s no different for the Queen of Hearts and her legends of villainy. Only in the Twisted Wonderland her story paints her as the heroine, and poor, impressionable Riddle Rosehearts falls victim to the tyranny of not only his oppressive mother, but a boisterously absurd queen as well.

(Basically an angst fic I wrote on a whim about Riddle discovering that his mom and the Queen of Hearts are both villains terrible inspirations to look up to and how that realization literally shatters him. Oh, and for the sake of making sure he can’t deny it, the reader can make anyone relive memories and potentially alter them? by simply touching the person, so guess what kind of stuff he has to relive? I won’t spoil anything, but it’s oofy)

Warnings: Mentionings of beheading 

Now! Enjoy my first fic in weeks! 

It was nothing but a mirage. It had to be. 

Riddle was hyperventilating, his chest heaving up and down in a sporadic pattern as he absorbed the news. His first instinct was to deny it, was to force those thoughts of corruption out with every inch of his small being, with every fiber of magic his shaking form possessed. 

But one couldn’t run from a vision, right? Pulling away did nothing as the images you pressed into his mind like a hot coal into his fist still lingered. How did you-? How dare you taint the Queen of Hearts’ legacy with such fallacies. How dare you challenge his mother’s golden rules, the very rules he tried to enforce in order to benefit Heartslabyul as a whole.  

What a laughable lie all of your conjurings were. It was the cruelest slap to the face as he pushed you off of him, his shoulders tensing as he backed up, almost hugging himself. But you just reached out once more. And Riddle, his arms crossed over his chest defensively, couldn’t move fast enough to slap your hand away. 

“STOP IT!” He screamed. “UNHAND ME!” 

But he was quickly lost to his thoughts, a blank expression dawning on him as his eyes stared at nothing in particular, mercury orbs wide in disbelief.

A small, youthful redhead sat on a lonesome bench in a private garden. The boy was awaiting his new instructor’s arrival whenever a small rodent caught his eye. It was the most adorable creature the boy had ever seen. It was a pale cream color, small and petite with little spines poking from its back. Its curious, pink nose scrunched itself up multiple times as it sniffed the ground. It wasn’t long before it was sniffing the young boy’s gloved hand, ultimately deciding whether to name him friend or foe.

After the critter gave the boy a thorough security check, it allowed the redhead to gently pet its head with two fingers. Minutes ticked on until the spiny rodent allowed itself into the boy’s palms, pink nose now smelling a smiling face. Joyous, childlike laughter bubbled from the usually serious boy. It was so free, so pure in its form that you’d mistake him for any old kid with a thing for dressing up perhaps. 

But no, this boy was Riddle Rosehearts, son of a famous, stern healer, sharing a moment of joy with a wild woodland hedgehog. The two made quite the duo, both short in stature yet fierce in appearance with either spikes or a menacing glare to keep them safe. Anyone would’ve mistaken the two as friends; boy and boy’s best friend. However, Mrs. Rosehearts wasn’t anyone, and she wouldn’t allow her prestigious son to mingle with vermin such as this primitive hog. 

“Riddle, put that rodent down!” She commanded as she approached him. “I’m glad you wore your gloves today. There’s no telling how many diseases that thing has.”

The young boy hastily set the critter back on the grassy ground, the light-furred animal scampering under the bench and behind Riddle’s foot as if the boy was capable of protecting it from the intimidating woman. He couldn’t even bargain with his mother for the chance to have a real strawberry tart on his birthday, let alone secure the life of a defenseless hedgehog. 

“Sorry mother,” the boy would’ve muttered had the woman not pounded it into his head to speak clearly if he was going to speak at all. “Where’s my tutor?”

It was an honest question, one he thought was reasonable to ask whenever he was busier than any kid in town. It often felt impossible to remember everything and yet his mother just scoffed at his question as if he should already know the answer.

“We changed locations for your lesson,” she crossed her arms in annoyance. “I believe I told you during yesterday’s tea time, but I had a hunch you’d forget.”

Of course Riddle thought. How could he be so forgetful when she even reminded him? 

“Well hurry along now,” she tapped her foot impatiently as Riddle left with thin grace. He was so close to running, to sprinting just so he wouldn’t be any more tardy than he already was, but his mom would chastise him for that. He opted instead for speed walking, a heartfelt apology already forming in his mind to recite to the unlucky tutor. He knew people didn’t like their time being wasted and to do this in his first meeting with this particular teacher was unthinkable. He almost didn’t hear his mother’s last words as he sped off, but unfortunately he was conditioned to tune into her beguiling voice. 

“Please be more mindful next time, Riddle,” her tone was more bitter than she liked her tea and it didn’t take much imagination to guess the expression she wore either. “You’re on a strict schedule for a reason. Remember that.” 

Then she did something Riddle hadn’t heard her do in a long time. She chuckled.

“If you can remember, that is.”

Riddle picked up his pace without looking back.

“Riddle!” 

His mother’s distraught cries rang through the corridors as he dashed down them one by one. He checked each room, his hands clumsily fumbling with the knobs far too long for his liking. He was panting, short huffs of breath rippling through his small form as he tried not to trip over his heeled shoes with each panicked stride. 

“Riddle! Please!”

Another shriek. Riddle swore he heard a heavy sound trail his mother’s call, the thick, harsh reverb of it sending shudders through his already shaking body. When would he find her? When would he save her like the dutiful son he was meant to be? She always told him to be on schedule. Was this what she meant? Did her job as a healer leave her with such a tight grasp of time and its passing that she wanted to transmit that trait to her son too? “Son,” his mom wept, a crack in her usually smooth, authoritative tone creaking from her throat somewhere nearby. Riddle stopped dead in his tracks, the satisfying click of his heels dying with his momentum as he strained to hear anything over the throbbing of his own heart. It was silent again before he heard the precise cling of metal. That sound was followed by a burly chopping sound, the greedy blow of an axe striking its target as his mother’s sobs were abruptly cut with a gasp. 

Riddle felt the material of his gloves as his clammy hands clenched into fists. He felt an unquenchable fire bubble inside of him, but for the first time in years he couldn’t express it with his voice. Did all that time biting his tongue for his mother really leave him speechless during her death? Was yelling rendered pointless whenever he was so shaken to his core he was unsure his vocal cords would ever function the same way again?

His legs wobbled before his knees buckled, not allowing him to collapse or to take another step further. He was in the middle ground, so close to being able to escape while also being entirely numb. If he should run from whoever murdered his mother, he was left defenseless by shock, fear, guilt and shame. That desire to rescue her was now unachievable, so he surrendered, shutting his eyes tightly and awaiting the worst in his defeat.

Eternal seconds passed as tears trickled down his pale cheeks. Then he felt what he was waiting for; a clap on the shoulder. Wait, a clap on the shoulder? He almost jolted, but his frozen legs and body wouldn’t let him complete the action properly. Instead he almost fell over. He struggled to turn around and catch himself without face planting into the tiles, but he managed it, seeing his mom in perfect health, not a drop of blood in sight of her commanding presence. 

He had believed that presence was shattered. He had been so sure that the only parent he was ever devoted to had fallen and he had failed to intervene. He had failed to protect her, he had failed her as her son. And for a moment he was content dying that way by the same husky axe he was convinced someone stained on her flesh, her blood sputtering over an elite uniform well-known and revered across the world as the hope she inspired did nothing to save her in the end. He was ready to die a failing coward who’s magic was advanced for his age but deficient when it truly mattered. He was ready to be beheaded like the Queen of Hearts herself, like he was certain his mom had been. 

He was ready for that legacy, not one of crying before his mom as he stuttered out broken apology after broken apology for not reaching her in time, longing for her to tell him sorry for deceiving him in such a harsh manner. To tell him that for once she was the mistaken one. But that moment never came. Only lectures followed as he sobbed for his mommy, a mommy who would never comfort or console him. A mommy who only existed in the depths of his imagination, someone he had to force into his mind to even gain the willpower to sprint down these halls as he searched for that proud, loving figure.

But his actual mom was not that loving figure. There was a reason she chose to test him this way, and there was also a reason behind the oppressive axe as her method of execution. There was a reason he was seconds late to her calculated demise and a reason he thought he had to die the same horrible death. The same death as the Queen of Hearts.

Not her too.

There were flashes of a short figure sitting on a throne; glimpses of a wide, cruel smile as soldier after soldier was sent to the guillotine. Memory after memory cycled of someone royal and absolute going over daily tasks Riddle had grown so accustomed to. Directing people to paint the roses, hosting Unbirthday parties and kicking out the guests unfit to reside at such a refined event. Only this time unruly subjects were given a harsher punishment than simple banishment. They were disposed of to make sure the same mistakes weren’t repeated down the line. But no one was to mourn in the Queen’s court, only obey the current rule set which offered no times for heartbroken liegemen.

For countless years their activities were outlined for them, their stories pre-written until someone new and daring appeared in Wonderland. A fair lady named Alice, always depicted as malicious and mischievous for disregarding the absurd rules of such an exotic queen. However, now the Queen’s destiny was chosen, her agenda hand-picked by those she once ruled. She was the one being dragged to her untimely end by the very subjects who should obey her. Only it wasn’t the Queen’s turn to atone.

It was Riddle’s. 

“MAKE IT STOP!” Riddle sounded increasingly desperate as he pushed you away once more. He was about to see himself die like the Queen he so virtuously admired. He would pay for all of her unjust punishments. He was left with his neck stretched across the bloodied plank of the guillotine, a sharpened blade raised high above his head ready to fall and end it all with one swipe. Or maybe it wasn’t sharpened. Maybe they wanted to see him suffer that much. Maybe those peasants wanted to see the Queen suffer that much as she shouted her last command to an audience now deaf to her cries. 

Riddle was gasping at the intake of knowledge. The tales always ended with the loyal subjects corrupted by a filthy miscreant named Alice. Why did she resemble you so much in this vision? You weren’t anything like her. You had no intention to harm Riddle or to taint the Queen’s name. So why were your graceful eyes looking upon him with such stinging pity? Why was your touch causing grandeur delusions beyond his control to prance along his brain like bunnies on a time crunch? And why did it all feel so real when the storybooks never lied to him before? Was this dorm, the Queen he held on such a high pedestal, really horrible enough that all it took was someone sweet like you to talk to the lowly peasants and humble nobles to overthrow her? To overthrow Riddle himself?

He swallowed hard as his skull ached, his shoulder blades burning as he backed himself farther into the thick wall behind him. You made no move to touch him, having realized he had seen enough to understand your purpose and the lie he’s been living. Even so, there was so much frantic confusion in each detailed memory that he craved for you to explain. 

“Why?” He croaked as he stared you down fearfully. “Why did you show me that?”

“Because you were living a lie,” you spoke soothingly, but it did nothing to ease the panic in his eyes. “You deserve to know the truth about those you look up to.”

“Y-you don’t understand,” his lip trembled. “I’ve made myself to be like them in every way. When I was overwhelmed trying to abide by my mom’s rules, I’d turn to the Queen of Hearts because her rules were simple. I could follow them. I was always right by her standards. But if she was wrong all along and so was my mother then… what does that make me?” 

You were unsure of how to respond. It wasn’t your intention to leave the boy’s ideals crumbling with the realization that his top role models weren’t deserving of such an incredible, dedicated follower. You wanted him to see that he didn’t need them anymore, but whenever everything he built his seventeen years of life upon could be linked back to his mother or the Queen of Hearts, you realized telling him might have been more detrimental to his health than anything else. And your silence to his question only further engrained this inferiority into his collapsing psyche. 

“I’m just as horrible, aren’t I?” He whispered loathingly. 

Once again you were silent. 

“ANSWER ME!” He shouted, tiny fists bawled in an attempt to deny their shaking. If only he knew that his entire body was quivering as he seethed, every ounce of showcased hostility suddenly evaporating as he backed into the wall again, almost cowering away as he became aware of his sudden lash out.

The trauma you unveiled, the bittersweet fairytale you wanted to share the true nature of despite Riddle’s solid belief in the tale he’s always been told, it was incomprehensible for someone so faithful. But what were you to do when your idea of showing him the grim reality wasn’t associated with the potential need to reassure such a fragmented boy of his own personal good deeds? 

“If you have nothing else to say,” he straightened his posture and hardened his expression, though the anxiety in his frame was still evident. “I’d appreciate it if you left.” 

“But-”

“Don’t. Just return to your dorm,” he more so pleaded than commanded. “Please.”

So you left him to his feelings like he asked you to. It was a mercy you stayed quiet if you truly viewed him as suffocating as those he idolized for their severe disciplines and the success that seeped like bitter sap from following such intensive mandates. He didn’t want to know the truth behind your maze-like emotions for him just as he didn’t care to uncover the honest goals of those he strived to imitate when he thought he already knew and lived by them anyway. But if everything he was boiled down to the distorted perception of a nonsensical empress and an imperious, overbearing mother, then what original shards of himself could he rely upon for revision of his old ways? How could he become more than a Queen’s foolish prophet or the successor of an illustrious healer?

Most importantly, where did their wicked influences end and his own sense of identity begin? 

If you enjoyed this, maybe I can write more following this realization of Riddle’s? I’ve also been told I write Riddle and his mom’s relationship really well so be prepared for more oofs involving that whole mess I’ll gladly accept headcanons you’d like to see play out between them. I’m here for your angsty needs, by all means ask away

[sonicfanj]

Sonic Ring Bond - THE EYES OF THE WORLD - Chapter 1

I’ve finally finished writing chapter 1 for the first story I’m writing for the Sonic Ring Bond AU and I have it here for everyone to read! Hooray \”(^o^)”/ Now this is my first real time though trying to write Sonic fan fiction so I would really appreciate all of the feedback everyone is willing to offer ^^ I'd really appreciate it to be honest! For now though, enjoy, and please share your thoughts here, on DeviantArt, or share them on my Sonic Ring Bond Discord Server - https://discord.gg/aVjNUyG . Thank you everyone \"(^o^)"/ Now before we get started though a big shout out to @cutegirlmayra​ for writing the first story in the Sonic Ring Bond AU (Read it here) and being a huge inspiration for this one with her wonderful Sonic stories. I know you don't read others' fan fiction, but I would still love your feedback regardless. Thank again though for all of the help getting the AU off the ground \"(^o^)"/

And now please join me everyone and enjoy...

Current Status: Done – Open Draft Draft No.: 2 Story Idea: SonicFanJ – Inspired by Cutegirlmayra Main Author: SonicFanJ Secondary Author(s): None Currently Story Expanding Author(s): None Currently Editor(s): None Currently – Open for feedback

Chapter Number: 1 Chapter Title: Anxiety of a Rose Primary Chapter Author: SonicFanJ Secondary Chapter Author(s): None Currently Chapter Idea: SonicFanJ 

Chapter Synopsis: Amy “Rosy the Rascal” Rose, wakes from a nightmare about Metal Sonic and finds a sudden global shift setting her off on the start of an adventure. But a continuous chill from her tarot cards leave her feeling uneasy and she finds herself investigating the growing dread and prophetic nature of her dream.

 -----

     At the heart of the world, binding an ever-changing surface together and allowing civilization to hold any form at all are none other than the Golden Rings. Appearing spontaneously like some landmasses appear and disappear, the loops of golden hue spin in perpetual motion wherever they do appear, just like the masses of land of the world also constantly shift and give rise to new adventures. In this untamed world what few cities exists are joined more often than not by ancient ill understood technology that turns Rings into a gateway between two set locations rather than the whim of the Rings. Such whimsey was fine to the adventurers of Checkpoint, the most successful and famous adventuring supporting company, as they had access to a beacon that would always turn their Ring Gates home. As such, the joining of the world brought about by the Rings made them things of unmatched value, and though not all could see them, all felt their effects. Many even made their living gathering them for the government and adventuring companies who used them. One such adventurer, a hedgehog girl of pink hue even dreamed of them much as she would rather dream of running with the speed she was gifted through a bond forged by the Rings, the Ring Bond.

     The dreaming pink hedgehog girl was known far and wide as Rosy the Rascal, for both her perpetual good cheer and optimism as well these days her tendency to find trouble. As it was, Rosy was finding trouble even in her dreams. It was not lush meadows she ran through with Rings dangling in the air in various rows and patterns spinning freely on their axes waiting for her to collect them but rather a field of endless darkness devoid of any Rings. All save one. A ring of pitch-black hue which spun on its axis ominously, seeming to slow the longer she rested her eyes upon its malevolent form. But her blue eyes which matched the hedgehog of her dreams in hue were not the only eyes within her dream, as soon two very familiar “eyes” of red light glared out at her from within the Black Ring. The intensity of the glare upon her made her desire to retreat overwhelming, to flee as far her legs would take her, reaching for speeds nearing that of sound itself. But her body was like gelatin and the pull of the Black Ring left her both without life and strength. She could only stare into it and the eyes that hid within its twirling form as she lay helplessly in the dark. But she refused to give in, to give up. If she could just take her eyes off of the Black Ring, she could wake from this nightmare. Alas, even the darkness above offered her no refuge for seven emerald eyes opened from within the dark and looked down upon her, almost pleading her to save them as they threatened to consume her and her world before even the Black Ring did. But neither the owner of those seven eyes or the Black Ring would consume the world for her blue hedgehog hero would save the day. Now if only it was Sonic the Hedgehog himself and not his robotic doppelganger, Metal Sonic, who crushed the Black Ring in his claw like hand and scattered the eyes with a swipe of the other. All save one which he took firmly in hand before glaring back over his shoulder at where Rosy lay helpless. There was strangely an emotion in the machine’s eyes, but she could not make it out as the one remaining emerald eye looked at her with a desperation for release that made her shudder with its terror.

­–|–

     Rosy’s shuddering shook loose the black soil from her quills and it dusted down her eyes, her eyelashes trying to playfully resist the waterfall before her eyes snapped open and tossed the soil away. Rosy was wide awake now but blinked a few times before trying to move as she felt horribly pinned as she lay on her belly and chin. It was not an uncomfortable pinning however and if she were not so shaken from her dream she would have fought to curl up and return to her slumber. As it was, her cheeks puffed up as she pouted before complaining with a high-pitched voice that was pleasantly soft and cheerful.

     “Hmm! Why did I dream about Metal Sonic! If I was going to dream about Sonic, why couldn’t it have been something romantic with the real Sonic! We could have been running together along the beach and holding hands and ­– Eee!” Squealing with delight Rosy held her balled hands to her reddening face as she rolled over and kicked her legs playfully.

     Just as her dreams of Metal Sonic ruined her sleep, Rosy’s daydreaming about Sonic ruined any last chance she had of returning comfortably to sleep. Her sudden twisting had dislodged the sides of the bed of soil she had been lying in and she found herself with more weight on her body than she preferred as only her head and feet stuck out of the soil pile she lay at the bottom of. A cute frown turned her expression into an inverted smile, and she remembered where it was she had settled in for the night. Again, her thoughts drifted from a Sonic to a complaint.

     “Ooo! Soil beds are so comfy with the right soil, but they’re such a mess!” Straining her head back Rosy took in the burrow she had fallen asleep in for the night and couldn’t help but laugh at the dissonance of the soil she lay in contrasting the brick and mortar wall which hid a shower and wardrobe beyond ornate yet cute wooden doors of circular shape. ‘But how lucky am I to find a hotel that caters to so many different peoples at once! Hehehe! Normally I’d have to stay longer to clean up the mess I make in a regular room to save the wait staff some trouble, but I can’t help it if I find a loose nest more comfortable than a bed. Though I guess pillows and bedding are less trouble than a soil nest. But it feels so nice!’

     With a happy sigh that was almost a contented snort through her nose Rosy finally extracted herself from the nest she had made in the loose soil of the unusual hotel room. Standing up she stretched her arms well above her head and stiffened and relaxed her quills a few times to try and shake as much of the soil out of her quills as she could. It was a valiant effort, but she soon enough emerged from the hidden shower with a hotel bathrobe wrapped around her and joined her happy humming with the bird song filtering in with the morning light from well-hidden sun lights. A big smile on her face she let the filtered in light guide her eyes to the wardrobe and playfully tossed the circular double door aside to reveal a leotard of pretty white color hanging within. Her smile grew ever greater accompanied by her wanderlust as she looked at the garment that she always wore as she went adventuring like her hero.

     “Hehehe,” she laughed to herself nearly as much as swooned at the prospect of putting it on and setting out in search of the day’s adventure. She managed to control herself though and simply reached for one of the shoulder puffs that served as the garment’s sleeves. Reaching inside she carefully extracted a small waterproof container that seemed like it might be uncomfortable to store withing while wearing. “Can’t give in to my desires though until I see what you have to say about the day first.”

     Talking to a deck of tarot cards might have seemed unusually to most, but to Rosy they were her oldest friends and deserved as much care as all of her sapient friends. They had even led her to her first encounter with Sonic the Hedgehog and had proven their loyalty and being deserving of hers. Not that she had not been on many an adventure before then with them helping her make Fang the Sniper’s treasure hunts most lucrative.

     “I wonder where he went after our last meeting. We didn’t even get to talk after not seeing each other for so long.” The pleasant memories her tarot card case was bringing her were pushed aside as she pondered aloud about the wellbeing of the jerboa-wolf hybrid who had taken her from her tiny little adventures into her first real ones. He was so kind to her, and she could not understand why people distrusted him so much. As far as she could remember he was as under attack by Metal Sonic as she and Sonic had been in their last meeting, so he obviously was not bad. “I wonder what he was doing on Angel Island though. I hope he didn’t hear that there was treasure there. Poor Fang, Knuckles would have punched him in the nose without a second thought. I guess it was almost a good thing Metal Sonic – Kyaa⁈”

     A sudden jolt brought Rosy’s musings to an end with a cry as her hand grew freezing cold and numb all at once, her tarot card case falling to the ground. “Ah!”

     Pulling her suddenly very cold and very numb hand to her chest Rosy reached for her cards with her other hand as the case hit the ground and bounced, the cards within sprung free from the impact and scattering about the room as the case spun. “Noooo~… I’m so sorry I didn’t mean–”

     Involuntarily stopping mid-apology, a chill ran down Rosy’s spine and her quills quivered as she looked at the spilt cards upon the ground. She swallowed very slowly as she looked at the natural pattern they fell in. It was not a spread she was familiar with and she consciously felt she should not consider it a spread, but something told her that it was. But where would she even begin with such a painful looking expression looking back at her. It was so ominous that not one card had landed face up so as to give her even one clue on where to start, but the message of pain was obvious even without turning over a single card. Her cards allowed her to so accurately find treasure and know what the day ahead would hold, or maybe even give her a directive to follow, and it was unquestionable that the powers that influenced them were in untold pain. It reminded her almost of the eye from her dream, the pleading emerald eye.

     “Gah!”

     No sooner did she remember the eye Metal Sonic held mercilessly in her dream did the entire earth shift violently collapsing the entire hotel room burrow into the darkness below. The collapse of the room was as inward as it was downward and Rosy was soon buried along with her scattered cards. Fortunately, she was a hedgehog, though a sapient hedgehog, a hedgehog all the same and digging herself out was not outside of her ability. She was not as swift as would have been expected however as she took the time gather up her tarot cards and even change into her leotard and slipper like red shoes. There was suddenly an adventure to be had and it was necessary to dress the part.

     “Ooh~! What a way to start the day!” The complaint was her announcement to the world that she had survived and was none the worse for wear, but the city she had been staying in could not say the same. Where she had been in a burrow off of a hotel, she now was in a widening gorge adorned with broken mine cart tracks and water and steam pipes that would have benefited the town above. Or at least partially still above as several brick and mortar buildings along with the wrought iron fence lined streets they rested on were also shifting down into the growing fissure. The entire land mass was transforming, which was not unusual at all for the world, but Rosy still puffed her cheeks up unamused while resting the backs of her hands on her hips. “I wasn’t ready to start an adventure yet! I was supposed to check today’s fortune first!”

     As she chastised the fissure Rosy subconsciously reached up and rubbed her shoulder under the shoulder puff her cards had been returned to. In their presence her shoulder was growing cold and numb just like her fingertips after handling the cards. Though she was rubbing more to return warmth to her shoulder, it made it appear to any passing by that she might have been nursing an injury. “Miss, are you alright! We have enough room to lower a rescue team if you need help!”

     “Hm?”  Her voice lost to the sound of rushing wind, Rosy looked up to satiate her curiosity and saw the best airship that could be made with early industrial age technology hovering in the air, several propellers and wings helping keep it afloat as steam gushed out of several release vents. ‘How long was I gathering up my cards if there are already rescue ships flying around?’

     The speaker who called out to Rosy from the deck of the airship was not capable of reading minds and Rosy cheerfully waved at the ship as she provided an audible response. “I’m fine! I don’t even need rescued!”

     Running forward to the lip of the ledge she found herself on below the hotel, Rosy looked out at the fissure with greater focus. She smiled brightly and with anticipation as she saw Rings blink into being and saw the effect they had on the architecture within the fissure. Most notably she watched chunks of land simply start floating freely, revealing that there were Rings likely buried within sharing with the landmasses their penchant for floating. The sight brought a pleasant smile to her lips and she giggled aloud. “It’s just like a Ring Bond. Sharing a power with someone else and making them better. Just like Sonic did with me!

     “Ooo~ I wonder how he does it. Maybe if I collect more Rings I’ll get a feel for it too!” With a nod Rosy clenched her fists up determinably beside her face before turning towards the much closer airship. “Really! I’m fine! I’m a Ring Hunter with Checkpoint so I’m going to go collect as many as I can right now! Everyone is going to need them to run the Ring Gate to bring in more supplies, right?”

     “That’s true miss, but how? Do you see this gorge!”

     “Just leave that to me! You go rescue people who aren’t as fortunate as I am!”

     Turning away from the edge and the airship, Rosy made sure to spy one last look into the growing gorge from which giant mushrooms were starting to sprout. There was no guarantee that the landmass she settled on would still be there, but she just smiled as she walked away and pulled on the cuff of her glove so she could get a quick look at her palm within. Happy with what she saw she started running at a light pace with the non-essential crew of the airship piling up against the ship’s deck railing to see what was going on. The sight of a pink hedgehog girl though made the voice of one crew member rise up in surprise. “Wait! Is that Rosy the Rascal?”

     “Who?”

     “With Checkpoint! That hedgehog girl known for getting in trouble.”

     “What type of trouble?”

     “Forget that! She’s doing something weird!” Interrupting their crewmates one member of the airship’s crew squeezed forward beyond the deck railing to point at Rosy. Her running speed had increased tremendously, and she had gained quite a bit of ground on the airship before she leaned down hard and planted a hand against the ground bringing herself to a hard stop. Her arm strained to absorb her momentum and she leaned into a onehanded handstand in which she almost toppled over as her feet started moving fast enough to be indistinguishable from twirling ribbons of red straining to hold a figure eight shape. Twisting her wrist, Rosy forced herself to turn around and lowered her body back towards the ground and partially scrambled as she launched herself forward with restored traction. Her recovery was not seen by the crew at all though as she was gone in nearly a blink, but still not quite fast enough to generate a sonic boom. She had little concern though as she careened through the air with her arms out behind her.

     “Wheee~~~~~!”

     The joyous shout seemed completely inappropriate under the circumstances, but Rosy was known as a rascal and always sought out the best in any situation. The opening of the gorge was unexpected and completely destroyed the infrastructure of the mines that had been below the city but served Rosy well. Her leap needed a spot to land and she had chosen a stretch of mine cart railing that twisted through a loop-de-loop shape before a ramp that launched her even higher. She was so glad that Rings would burst into motes of light and be absorbed into her body at the slightest touch as otherwise there was no way she would be able to gather the Rings she passed at the speed she was traveling. A massive mushroom cap suddenly growing out in front of her ascent threatened to bring her to halt and she curled into a tight ball and spun at tremendous speeds allowing her to cut straight through the mushroom. It was not a flawless cut though and she flopped out and onto the top of the blue cap of the mushroom just as it absorbed the last of her momentum. “Achoo!”

     “Yuck!” The disgust at her sneeze was laughed off as Rosy sat up and kept rolling forward onto her knees and hands. Before bracing to set off again though she rubbed at her itching nose and promptly sneezed even fiercer. “Eugh!”

     Looking down at her hand Rosy recoiled from the sight of it covered in spores and ended up jumping to her feet in the process. As she moved back she got a clear look at herself, or would have if she hadn’t gained a full coat of fuzzy mushroom spores all over.” Ack! No~! I don’t want to be a mushroom girl!”

     Trying her best to shake them off Rosy had no luck and turned to-and-fro looking around desperately! “Aha!”

     The sight of gushing water from a likely broken water main rushing out of an exposed mine tunnel provided Rosy with her next destination and she wasted no time heading for it. As she skipped across springy mushroom caps and floating chunks of rock her lack of control over her speed started to become apparent, exacerbated by the mushroom spores that had no intention of releasing her even at the speeds she was traveling. The force of the waterfall as she finally reached it well below where she planed proved enough to finally wash them free and she took a moment under the water to make sure not one spore stuck to her. It was also a prime opportunity to wash the soil stains out of her leotard and restore its white color back to its normal vibrancy. When she finally stepped out of the waterfall though, she could not stop yet another sneeze from stopping her in her tracks.

     “Aah~~~! If I keep sneezing my nose is going to get all sore and my face will get all puffy! I need to dry off! Except…,” trailing off Rosy looked about as she rubbed her arms and saw that the top of the gorge had grown quite a way above her. It would take her considerable effort to climb up and she was too clumsy with her speed to risk just running straight up the sheer cliff. Her best bet to get back into the morning sunlight appeared to be a cobblestone street in the distance that seemed to have tilted into the gulch turning the houses upon it quite lopsided. “I hope everyone is okay.”

     Looking up Rosy could see plenty of rescue airships maneuvering through the growing mushroom forest and smiled believing they would get the job done. Holding her balled hands to her shoulders she nodded fiercely to herself and smiled brightly. “Right, I need to do my part too so everyone can fix everything when this shift finishes!”

     Hyped up, Rosy used her speed to scramble as fast as she could while still being somewhat competent to make her way to the tilted street. Much as her footing was unsure though she forced herself to tap into more and more of the speed she possessed as the road started to fracture compromising her chance to get back into the sunlight. When one smaller mushroom cap slipped out from under her when she dried to dig in with a step she tumbled over and bounced off another mushroom cap and landed in a heap as she finally reached the road and tumbled a little ways further. Pouting heavily at her crash landing Rosy took no pleasure on reaching her destination though. ‘I can’t keep being clumsy like this. Sonic said I have to make his speed look cool if I’m going to use it. I’ll get all dirty again too. I’ve already taken two showers this morning and I don’t want to have to take another one already.’

     “Um, are you okay?”

     “Huh?”

     Realizing she had tumbled right up against a house and had planted her butt on its wall as though she was seated on the ground, Rosy found herself looking up at a mother holding her child staring at her from an open window. A huge grin spread across Rosy’s face and she waved at the child before rolling over backwards and springing up to her feet. The mother and child stared amazed at Rosy’s acrobatic display and she laughed modestly.

     “I just had a little spill is all, tee-hee! I’m fine though. But what about you two? And are your neighbors stuck here too? I don’t think it’s safe to stay here much longer.” Rosy’s good cheer quickly turned to concern as she walked back towards the window and looked around at all of the other houses on the street. The mother drew her attention back to the house before her though as she spoke up.

     “I’ve heard rescue ships are coming but the mushrooms are growing so fast…”

     “Don’t worry!” Surprising the mother and child both Rosy stepped forward and grabbed both of their hands as she shouted encouragingly. “I’ve seen the rescue ships making their way down and I have a flare on me too!”

     Rosy pulled her hands back, running her fingers along the palms of the mother and child as she did, and reached up into her quills where sapient hedgehogs had a tendency to store things. After a moment of rummaging she pulled out the small fireworklike flare in her possession and smiled confidently as she showed it off. “See? I’ll go launch this so they know there are people here, but then I’ve got to go and collect more Rings. But just so you feel a little better…

     “Here, have some Rings for yourself! They’ll keep you safe until the rescue ships get here!” With a drifting of motes of golden light, a few Rings appeared in Rosy’s hand and she offered them to the mother and child. As they tentatively took a hold of them Rosy smiled brightly. “Okay, I have to go now but don’t worry, I know you’ll be fine! I gave your palms a quick read and they say you’ll be just fine! Bye-bye now!”

     Turning away with as much energy and good cheer as she arrived, Rosy hurried out to the road and launched the flare, a trail of pink smoke trailing the launched beckon. Not wanting to mess with the smoke trail and risk the lives of the people who were peeking out there windows at the flare, Rosy made sure to give herself some distance before following the road up the cliffside and into the sunlight. Even having to make some impressive leaps the road proved quite reliable and Rosy soon found herself on a separated bit of the cliff wall that had become an independent spire. It was the perfect place to dry off and warm up. Unfortunately, she could not enjoy the sunlight as something was very wrong.

     “OW~!” Clutching at her shoulder where her tarot cards were stored within her sleeve, Rosy fell to her knees with a wide-eyed grimace. “It’s so COLD!”

     ‘What is going on?’

     Even through her sleeve and glove the box of tarot cards were so cold that it felt like it was burning her flesh. She did not want to imagine what it was doing to her arm which she had already lost all feeling in the shoulder of.

     “Ow, ow, ow! You weren’t cold like this just a moment ago. Why are you so cold now when you weren’t after I fell into the gorge? Oh!” Forcing herself to stand against the pain, Rosy made her way to the edge of the road and looked down into the mushroom filled gorge. It was quite the sight filled with countless giant mushrooms and chunks of city, some of the mushrooms even glowing along with the spores that filled the air. Rosy would have marveled at the sight more than she did but an updraft of wind from within tickled her nose and she sneezed and took an involuntary step away from the edge. More importantly though…

     ‘Hey, my cards aren’t as cold now. Then it really is isn’t it?’

     Stepping back to the edge again Rosy looked down and tightened her grip on her shoulder. ‘Is there someone down there asking me for help through my cards?’ The thought pulled Rosy’s memories back to the pained spread her cards had landed in earlier and the dream of the seven eyes. A determined frown creased her features and Rosy balled her free hand up. “In that case, I’m so sorry for leaving you waiting. But you’re going to have to show me how to get to you!”

     To the surprise of the crew of an approaching rescue ship, Rosy suddenly jumped over the edge. Her jump was not without plan however and she planted her feet on the cliff side to control where she went with her descent. As her cards grew less painfully cold, she kicked off the cliff and leapt out to a mushroom cap. She allowed herself to fall over and rolled around in ball for a moment before uncurling and leaping off in the direction from which her cards grew less cold. Imprecise a method as it was, Rosy eventually found herself standing on a ledge under a giant mushroom cap with a large cave opening in a cliff. A chill wind blew from it, but as it blew over Rosy it took the rest of the cold from her cards away. It also carried ominous sounds that were all too familiar and Rosy let out a nervous laugh.

     “Don’t tell me…,” before Rosy could even finish her thought an obnoxious laugh echoed out from the cavern.

     “OH~HOHOHOHO!”

     “Eggman!” Rosy’s feet were already moving before she was even thinking and before she knew it she had to actively stop herself and hide as she easily caught up with the rotund, egg-shaped scientist and archenemy of Sonic the Hedgehog. Peeking out from behind the stalagmite that served as her impromptu hiding space, Rosy counted numerous bee robots buzzing around in the air around Eggman in his Egg Mobile as well as several rhinoceros shaped unicycle ones scooting about below him. The air of good cheer surrounding him was unmistakable and it was obvious that he was in the midst of a new sinister scheme. ‘Maybe… I can stop him?’

     The thought of stopping Eggman mid-scheme seemed like the perfect way to prove herself to Sonic and convince him to let her travel with him. But she had no luck with Eggman, especially when Metal Sonic was around. Worse, she was on her own this time with none of her friends around and had already used her flare and could not call for help. Unless…

     “No!”

     “Hmm?” Eggman stopped and turned his Egg Mobile around to check his flank in response to Rosy’s sudden shout of disappointment. She had already ducked back down behind the stalagmite and had clamped her hands tightly over her mouth. But it was too late, and she knew it. Worse, the wrist device she wore to keep in contact with Checkpoint was broken and considering how rare such advanced technology was, and that it was actually functional meant she would be in trouble for it breaking too. That would be the least of her troubles though if Eggman found her, and he was already on his way with his contingent of robots.

     “Ho~! Already gone are you?” Eggman mused aloud as he reached Rosy’s former hiding spot which she had swiftly abandoned. Naturally though he smiled a huge toothy grin and with a boisterous laugh mocked Rosy. “Hohoho! Disappearing so quickly yet not confronting me could only mean it’s one of Sonic’s troublesome little friends! But which one I wonder… Not that it matters when you have pitted yourself against the super genius scientist Dr. Eggman! You’ll lose in no time and then I’ll use you to bait Sonic to his doom. OH~HOHOHOHOHO! Erk–! What are you imbeciles doing! I needed the data from there!”

     The cave was a lot larger than what Rosy had realized when she had charged in blindly, and from a natural catwalk above she spied down at Eggman. He was more than animated as he yelled at the rhinoceros bots that scooted about where Rosy had been annihilating any source of her trail and making a fool of Eggman. ‘I guess I can run away safely now and find what Eggman’s here for and ruin his plans.’

     Trying to stay low, Rosy pressed her hands into the ground and started to enter a handstand as she kicked her feet about to get to speed before leaning back down and launching forward. Pebbles and dust flew up in her wake and Eggman snapped his gaze in the direction of the noise, adjusting his glasses with a finger.

     “If you’re already running and making so much noise, than it must be that pesky pink sow of a girlfriend of that blasted Sonic trying to interfere. Too bad girl, I, super genius scientist Dr. Eggman will not be stopped this time!”

     Eggman’s declaration and subsequent order to his bots meant little to Rosy. She was too busy swooning as she ran deeper into the cavern. “Ahh~! ♥ He thinks I’m Sonic’s girlfriend! I can’t believe it! I wonder what Sonic would think! Does he think of me that way too? I really want him too! Eee~!” Cupping her face with her hands as she gushed Rosy stopped focusing on her running as much as she needed to and slipped into pigeon-toed scrambling. By the time she realized it was too late and she mis-stepped, tripping herself up and rolling wildly before bouncing off a wall.

     By hedgehog instinct alone Rosy had curled into a tight ball to protect herself and took a moment to uncurl. “Huh?” Un-squeezing her eyes she looked up at the sight of a giant mushroom, the first of many she looked at as she got back to her feet shakily. “Did I go back outside by accident?”

     A quick look around revealed no sign of the sky, but rather a forest of giant mushrooms growing in the cave. A cursory look around also revealed that neither the rhinoceros bots nor bee bots had given up chasing her. “Ooo~! Why do you have to be so persistent!” Dashing off into the new forest Rosy tried to leave the robots behind with her complaint, and while taking to the mushroom caps took her out of reach of the rhinoceros bots, the bee bots were far better equipped to pursue her.

     “Kyaa~!” Rosy shouted out as the mushrooms suddenly exploded around her under fire from the artillery mounted in the bee bots’ stingers. “What are you doing! AHCOO~!”

     Spores filled the air around Rosy and she could not stop herself from sneezing. She was clumsy as it was trying to use Sonic’s levels of speed but running while sneezing was impossible. But she tried her best to anyway as she could not risk being shot by the bee bots. Unfortunately, she was unaware up to her next step that Eggman had also brought along a third type of robot. Leaping out of the mushroom cap right where Rosy was about to step, the mole like robot with a drill for a nose and drills for hands met her foot with its nose. If not for the Rings she had been gathering all morning the results would have been disastrous, but instead the energy of the Rings absorbed the impact and scattered from Rosy’s person as she was thrown back. Before she could recover and attempt to snag any of her lost Rings though another mushroom cap crashed into her from behind and sent her flying over the burrow bot. Disoriented, Rosy simply curled up as tightly as she could and let gravity and her momentum carry her to where it may, and winced with each collision and bounce from within her protective ball. She did not look out again until Eggman’s telltale laugh assured her that she was not safe in the least.

     “OH~HOHOHOHOHO! I had heard you were quite the treasure magnet Ms. Rose, but–”

     “It’s Rosy!” Aggravated by the use of her last name instead of her nickname, Rosy popped out of her curled up state and landed on her feet leveling Eggman with an angry pout. Her unleashed temper was quickly quieted though when she realized she was surrounded in an alcove with steep walls that curved up to a stalactite covered ceiling. The only way out was past Eggman and his contingent of robots and he offered her a toothy grin as he saw the realization in her eyes.

     “Now now, Ms. Rose, no reason to be so riled up. I’m in a good mood today. You see, rather unexpectedly, Metal Sonic came home recently and with a marvelous treasure. One with the same energy signal as what our little game has led us too. Oh~hohohohoho!”

     “What?” Risking a look behind her where numerous burrow bots were rising out of the ground, Rosy saw ‘it’ floating in the air before the back wall of the alcove. It was as wide as a saucer and perfectly spherical, and though it was a sea blue color and seemed to be an orb of polished crystal Rosy knew what it was. It was impossible not too when a vertical pupil filled with flames looked out from the face of it. “…the eye from my dream…”

     “Oh~, so you’re already familiar with the Gaia Eyes, Ms. Rose.”

     “Gaia Eyes?”

     The disappointment on Eggman;s face as his mustache drooped told Rosy admitting her ignorance was probably a bad idea as she turned back around to face the mad doctor and would be world conqueror. That he was after it was enough reason for her to keep him from getting it, but it was a question of how at that point. Her imitation of Sonic’s spin attack would let her best a few Eggman robots in a one-on-one confrontation, but here she was surrounded and had no real room to work with. Yet she could feel the desperation of the Gaia Eye behind her boring into her back. Tightening her hands into balls she looked as defiantly at Eggman as she could.

     “I can learn about them later, but I’m pretty positive it doesn’t want to go with you!” With a shout Rosy turned to dash for the Gaia Eye and left Eggman too dumbstruck with her words to give an immediate order.

     “Doesn’t want to? Absolutely preposterous! These Gaia Eyes are no different than the Chaos Emeralds; crystalized power waiting for a genius such as myself to unlock their secrets. And when I do, I will finally rule the world! OH~HOHOHOHOHO!” the laugh of Eggman’s that ended his little speech was not just in celebration of his future victory, but also at Rosy’s failing efforts. He may not have given the order, but his robots were designed to fight Sonic and her display of speed set them into motion and kept Rosy from the Gaia Eye.

     “Why can’t you just leave the world alone! It’s so much fun as it is now and doesn’t need you ruling over it!”

     “How naïve you are Miss Rose,–erk!”

     “It’s Rosy!” Her irritation reaching a head, Rosy ran straight for Eggman as she was forced to retreat from the Gaia Eye due to the antics of the robots. She was no Sonic and couldn’t take on so many head on, but the gunfire from the bee bots was making it far worse on her and she knew she had to stop them somehow. As Eggman’s Egg Mobile did not seem equipped for immediate combat charging the doctor seemed like her best chance of getting it to stop, especially since Eggman would be caught in the crossfire.

     “Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Cease your firing!” the order Rosy was hoping for spilt out of Eggman in a panic as she tucked into a ball and rolled under him. She did not linger though not trusting Eggman to not be prepared to attack and leapt up at a bee bot behind him. Spinning into a ball as fast and as tightly as she could Rosy tore into the robot and popped out the other side destroying the machine and freeing a small blue bird known as a flicky in the process. Eggman bore witness to the sight as he spun around angrily to lash out at Rosy. “Why you little! I should have expected no less from one of Sonic’s friends! Ehm?”

     Dissipating like morning fog, Eggman’s ire disappeared as he noticed Rosy acting funny as she failed to land properly. She struggled to turn around and look at the Flicky she freed, and the question in her eyes prompted Eggman to ask his own as he held up a hand to stop his robots from assaulting the suddenly vulnerable seeming hedgehog girl. “Is something wrong Ms. Rose? Or are you just surprised that I’m still using wildlife in my machines? You must understand, having a power source and a hostage is extremely helpful when dealing with Sonic. It slows him down you see, knowing he can’t recklessly attack my beautiful creations.”

     “Sonic… shouldn’t… slow down… for… anyone… whoa…!” Rosy was not sure what was wrong with her. Her speech was coming out slurred and she could barely stay standing. She was feeling lightheaded and flushed and turned her knees sharply together to keep herself standing. Her hips did not feel like they were going to support her for much longer either and the flicky she freed looked at its rescuer with great worry. She wanted to offer it a reassuring smile but her body was feeling so warm like she was sunbathing and she couldn’t bring herself to move. ‘Do I have a fever? Why am I so…?’

     “Oh, what a day of delights!” Eggman was so excited he could not keep himself in his Egg Mobile and leapt from it dancing over to the wreckage of his destroyed bee bot. Rosy struggled to watch him, but just shifting her eyes left her feeling so dizzy she fell to her knees and fought with every drop of strength she could to keep her elbows locked so her arms would support her. She could not fathom what Eggman was looking for as he rummaged through the wreckage of the robot she destroyed, but the massive toothy grin he offered he as he spun around holding up a small broken glass tube sent chills down her spine. “You really have made this day more delightful than it already was Ms. Rose”

     “It’s… Rosy…” Rosy could barely manage to correct Eggman as she less so labored to breathe as her hot breath simply seemed to escape any conscious control on her part. That was a problem in general she having was maintaining any conscious control of her body. It was as if it had simply stopped receiving orders from her and she fell onto her side weakly looking up at Eggman as he danced over. ‘I don’t understand, it’s so weird. My vision is fine, but I can’t move… I can… barely think…’

     “I can’t believe it’s actually working on a sapient hedgehog! It never worked on Sonic and I tried it on so many test subjects, but it just wouldn’t work! And yet, it’s working on you! Oh, why didn’t I try using wildlife as a power source when I first tried to study you and that blasted Ring Bond of Sonic’s. I would have found out then that it works on you. And better yet, better yet, you’re not experiencing the typical adrenaline shock when exposed to an uncontrolled atmosphere that snaps all of the pests I use back to their senses.”

     “Wh… t…” Rosy could not manage to properly utter a word and just looked at Eggman questioningly. Whatever was happening to her it had overrode her internal panic, and though she was terrified she could not act on it all and instead sought answers from the only one who could answer them. Fortunately, Eggman seemed glad to continue prattling on and squatted down next to Rosy and waved the broken glass tube he held in front of her. As it passed her nose her body grew completely limp and Rosy had no control left at all. She could still see Eggman smiling at her, but she could not even look at him anymore as she lost conscious control of her eyes.

     “Oh~hohohoho! Look at you Ms. Rose. You can’t even move. You’re completely, absolute, and utterly helpless and it’s so beautiful! But of course, I’m certain you want to know what’s happening to you. Well I’m so overjoyed right now I’ll be glad to tell you. What you are experiencing right now is a form of conscious paralysis. You might compare it to waking up before your body, a phenomenon commonly called sleep paralysis. The flushing and warmth you’re feeling is from your blood vessels widening in response to the compound that was in this vial and that you must have breathed in when you destroyed my beautiful creation. But it was a worthwhile sacrifice for this discovery. In fact, I should get another vial just to make sure you don’t recover after all.”

     Bounding to his feet Eggman ran over to his Egg Mobile and tilted it over as he began rummaging about within. As he searched and tossed things over his shoulder he gladly continued explaining. “But you see, the blood vessels need to widen as my lovely little concoction typically carries all of the bodies nutritional needs and even carries components that keep the muscles healthy and strong. An absolute necessity to keep my living batteries functional you see. The paralysis is also necessary to keep my batteries from trying to run off, but the mind must be kept active, that’s why you’re still awake. Even the most primitive of pests have minds that must be occupied.  It’s why my robots interact you see, it gives my batteries’ minds something to focus on so that way the mind doesn’t degrade followed by the body. Though you’ll probably doze off before you recover, depending on your recovery speed. Sleep is a necessity for the brain after all. I wonder though, have you dozed off already?”

     Turning away from the Egg Mobile, Eggman meant to check on Rosy and found her being checked on by a red armadillo. He looked very displeased and Eggman pulled himself into his Egg Mobile in a desperate hurry before popping up to look back at the sapient armadillo who seemed to be struggling to figure out how carry Amy’s ragdoll-like limp body. Noticing Eggman’s eyes back on him though he gave the doctor a glare. “What exactly did you do her Eggman?”

     “Hmph!” Eggman retorted snorting out of his nose as he typed away on the controls of the Egg Mobile to order his robots into action. “Don’t think I’m afraid of you Mighty. I know how much you abhor violence–”

     “When my friends are being hurt, I may find myself willing to stop who’s hurting them though,” Mighty the Armadillo countered Eggman before he could finish. There was a conviction in his own words that frightened the normally peaceful armadillo and he hoped Eggman did not pick up on that fear. He still needed to figure out how to carry Rosy safely with her in her current state and his shell was depriving him of options. That and Rosy seemed to move about quite a bit, though it was little more than her body moving on its own as it sought to grow more comfortable for the sleep forced upon it. Eggman watched her carefully trying to glean as much information out of the display as he could, and the sight of Rosy’s eyes told him she was still wide awake inside her sleeping body. His toothy grin grew and Mighty feared it might have been Eggman sensing his fear and spoke up to distract him. “What did you do to her Eggman? And she better recover, or else…”

     “Or else what you silly little fool. You may have Sonic’s speed and a strong shell–”

     “And my strength as well!” Mighty strained to say as he again interrupted while pulling free a massive boulder from under him and Rosy before hoisting it it above his head with one hand threateningly.

     “You wouldn’t,” Eggman gulped and floated back so that his burrow bots were between him and Mighty. They would surely break the boulder if he threw it now. Presuming he did not throw it higher than they could jump with their treads.

     “Just tell me if she’ll recover.”

     “I can’t say without taking her back to my base to study, but there should only be a limited amount of my genius concoction in her blood stream. She may not be experiencing the adrenaline shock that breathing in an uncontrolled atmosphere normally instills, but even without the surge of adrenaline her body will break it down naturally to absorb the nutrients in it.”

     “Is that right?” Mighty sighed heavily and the tension in his body seemed to melt away. That that made his grip on the boulder only seem stronger left Eggman feeling nervous. Mighty however seemed much calmer and relaxed now and even allowed himself to smile. “That is a relief then. I think I’ve heard enough now to know that Rosy will be okay so I think I’ll go ahead and get her somewhere she can sleep this off. But don’t think I won’t tell Sonic about this. Knowing your trapping our friends in you machines again is going to get him riled up.”

     “I don’t believe I gave you permission to take her Mighty,” Eggman sneered sinisterly with restored confidence of his own. “She’s become a very valuable test subject of mine now and I can’t afford to have you taking my things. Hehehehehe…”

     “Rosy isn’t a thing or yours, Eggman!” Mighty shouted and meant to throw the boulder to buy himself time but a number of burrow bots burst out of the ground and shattered the boulder before he could. His eyes widened in surprise in time with Eggman’s widening grin, but he wasn’t out of options yet. Curling over Rosy protectively he let his shell deflect the shots of the bee bots and absorb the impact of the rhinoceros bots. As he could not fully curl up into a protective ball himself though the first one that hit him threw him back. He held onto Rosy however and pulled a ring out of his shell and threw it behind him in his path.

     “No! not a Ring Gate! Blast you Checkpoint and your constant interfering!” For all of Eggman’s bluster there was nothing he could do to stop Mighty and Rosy from falling into the portal the Ring opened up into before disappearing with a flash. Watching the last twinkles of golden light where there had been a Ring Gate and two interlopers in his plan Eggman’s glorious mustache drooped. It did not stay drooped for long however as he was soon laughing delighted as he drummed his fingers together before him. “Ehehehehehe… Oh~hohohohoho! OH~HOHOHOHOHO! –Erk! *cough* *cough* *hack* *wheeze*”

     *Ahem*

     Having recovered from his coughing fit Eggman leaned back in his seat and sighed as a smile parted his lips and raised his mustache again. “Well, as wonderful as a discovery as Ms. Rose turned out to be, she is just an unexpected contingency plan for now. Besides, there are plenty of other fools I can use to get my hands on her for proper study later. Right now, though, right now… I have to collect you after all my pretty.”

     The light of the Gaia Eye lit up Eggman’s glasses as he spun about to face it, no longer challenged to claim the artifact he declared as akin to the Chaos Emeralds. And though he believed it possessed no mind of its own, it surely stared him down with chilling hostility as he took it in hand with his signature toothy grin.

GROWTH GULCH CLEARED Chapter 1 - Anxiety of a Rose, End

-----

I so hope everyone enjoyed and am looking forward to your feedback! Hopefully I won't be too long getting Chapter 2 rolling ^^)'

[sonicringbond]

Sonic Ring Bond: The Journey - Scene 15

And after vacation and a subsequent schedule change based on everyone's feedback, I'm finally back with the next scene of Sonic Ring Bond: The Journey. Now asides from schedule changes, such as only posting updates on Wednesdays and Saturdays now, the story has undergone some changes in presentation as well. I'll be mostly focusing on short 2-part episodic scenes for now with maybe the occasionally longer or shorter story. Prompts (I'll get to that after the story), will be one of the big determining factors in "episode" lengths and I hope everyone will be motivated by the story to send me some. For now though, let's join Rosy as she begins her solo arc of story...

     ~The Rings will always remember. It became kind of our mantra after we first heard it. Our truth and that of this world itself made of Rings which join Gaia and Chaos energy together. But the Rings can also be used to bind people and share their hearts and memories. Or at least it sounds nice that way. It’s how I gained the ability to run at the speed of sound, at least when I’m not tripping over my own feet and falling on my face. Tee-hee! Though I guess it’s funny then that I’m lying in the back of a pickup truck on my way to my destination.~

     The truck the narrator referred to was an old beat up steam truck. The bed was enclosed by wood planks not unlike a fence and was filled nigh to the brim with hay. The narrator lay within, a pink hedgehog girl clad in a white leotard and red slipper like shoes. As the truck bounced along the road of old stone slabs, she reached a white gloved hand up towards the sky and peaked between her spread fingers.

     ~Well, I suppose it’s because I got separated from everyone. My boyfriend, the world-famous Sonic the Hedgehog woke up the Rings that were sleeping like I knew he could, and everything got kind of crazy.

     ~Well, I guess he isn’t so world famous. I’ve been traveling for a while trying to find him and my friends but none of the people I’ve met have heard of him. It’s kind of lonely running around on my own, but it’s also hard to imagine what it was like running with everyone else too. I don’t know why, but the lands the Red Star Ring took us too just mess with time and memories. Ooh~! It’s so frustrating.

     ~But you know what, it’s okay. The Rings will always remember. And I know when I close my eyes and feel the bond I share with Sonic through them that we’ll never forget each other or our friends. And I’m sure Sonic will find me again too. If I don’t find him first. Tee-hee.~

     Though she laughed to herself in quiet, the narrator could not keep herself from sighing with a longing smile. Through her fingers and the tree branches the blue sky opened up adorned with clouds hung on a gentle breeze. Beyond them a small planet loomed in the sky ominously.

     ~I hope you didn’t end up there Sonic. It’d be really hard to get back together if you did.

     ~What is that little planet? I don’t know. It’s not Little Planet and everyone I’ve met is scared of it. And no matter where I go, by foot, Ring Gate, or even getting caught in a Ring Shift it is always there like the sky has an eyeball. But I only see it during the day. It’s so weird. I bet it would be fun if I could go explore it with everyone. But I can’t yet. I have to find everyone first, and before I can only remember them through the Rings. And that’s hard enough too.~

     Rolling over in the hay and propping herself up on her elbows, Rosy looked through the back window of the truck at the sapient dog who drove it. They eyed her through the rearview mirror, and she waved at them with a smile. As casually as they had checked their mirror, they returned their eyes to the forest road they drove down.

     ~I don’t know why, but everyone is just as scared of Rings as they are the planet in the sky. They consider running from those awful golems I’ve been bumping into since before I was separated from everyone more natural than collecting and using Rings. It makes me feel kind of exotic as I still vaguely remember we used Rings everyday wherever it was I came from. Ooh~! It’s so frustrating losing my memories. I know they’re still in my heart, but the words and images are all so faded now. What an awful land to steal people’s memories and time. And there are so many more types of golems now too. It makes it hard to convince people I’m just a traveling sightseer looking to catch up with her friends when I keep having to break them.

     ~The people I meet are so nervous whenever they see me fight or run. I try to cheer them up and remind them that they have guards they send out to beat the golems, but they still fuss about it. I hope they’re not dismissing me because I’m a kid. Ooh~! That would be so mean of them. But not as mean as those priests.

     ~Hee-hee. I guess I haven’t thought about them in a while. It’s almost like every town has them too. Mean priests who strike you when you arrive to take away any Rings you collected while traveling. I don’t get what they mean when they say that Rings shouldn’t be held by people. It’s so weird. But that’s part of why I’m hitching a ride right now.

     ~One of the last things I did with my friends was take a big group picture together. We didn’t have time to make the picture from the film, but someone said they saw a picture of me with a whole bunch of people so I’m hoping to find it. If I can get the current owner to let me see it, and maybe even have it, it may be enough to make finding my friends easier. I just have to be so careful though to not spook anyone. It’s so slow going though. I’m so glad the scenery is pretty. It’s kind of nice to slow down and enjoy it for a bit.

     ~I just hope none of those mean golems attack.~

     Sitting up fully, the narrator scanned the passing trees for signs of the stone constructs that had impeded her travels thus far. There were plenty of signs of ancient stone brick structures that poked out of the forest, but no sign of any stones that were animated. With a sigh of relief, she plopped back down into the hay and spread her limbs out as though to make a snow angel. In her eyes the clouds and tree branches above drifted by and the lure of sleep to stave off her boredom grew subtly powerful.

     ~I really can’t stop. It makes it harder for my friends to find me, but if they’re in trouble, I have to keep moving. Tee-hee. Rosy the Rascal can’t stop moving. I guess that’s wrong though. It’s too much trouble to be a rascal anymore. I guess I have to settle for being Rosy the Traveler. Adventurer sounds better, but the people I keep meeting are made uncomfortable by that too, so traveler it is.~

~~~~~

     “W~o~w~!” Rosy’s mouth formed a massive “O” Shape as she peered out from the truck bed at the town that erupted from the forest. More so the town that grew like fungus on the monolithic stone structure that jutted out of the woods. More than enough trees grew from it to make it look like the structure would soon be pulled back under the forest, but for now it was home to a plethora of overgrown stone buildings with tiled rooves.

     “This was your stop was it not miss?” The driver asked stepping around to lower the tailgate and provide Rosy an easier means to exit the truck bed. With a nod Rosy confirmed the driver’s suspicions.

     “It is. Jutting Rock Village. It’s so amazing, don’t you think?”

     “Maybe. I just hope you haven’t forgotten what you came here for. Nothing more awful than a traveler who lost their purpose.”

     “Don’t worry,” Rosy smiled at the driver. “I can’t possibly forget because the Rings will always remember!”

     The driver gave Rosy a suspicious frown and she laughed nervously while trying to give him a reassuring smile. “It’s okay, really. The lands I’m from considered using Rings normal. No one ever even heard of Ring Craft. We were more worried about a scary man and his machines than anything else.”

     “Say what you will miss, but remember you only endanger yourself by putting faith in those things. You’d be better off if you were one of the lucky ones who can’t even see them.”

     “That’s not true,” Rosy puffed up her cheeks and thrust her balled up hands down by her sides. “Without Rings there’s no way I could have traveled as much as I have and experienced all of the wonderful things that I have.”

     “Suit yourself as I said. But what good is traveling and sightseeing when it’ll all fade in time?”

     “It’s why you have to live in the moment. It’s what Sonic taught me to do, even though I still think about the future all the time too. But even more so because this land steals our precious memories is it more important to live in the moment!”

     Perhaps it was simply Rosy’s persistence, or maybe the driver had a soft spot for children, but he finally smiled slightly at her. Her eyes lit up at the sight of the minute smile and the driver chuckled. “So be it. Who am I to tell a child who has made it on her own how to live her life? You go do what you do, and I’ll do what I do. Perhaps our paths will cross again, and we might actually remember each other.”

     “Don’t worry! The Rings will always remember.”

     “Whatever”

     With a wave and a laugh, the driver soon departed leaving Rosy to face the town of Jutting Rock Village. Energetically pumping her fists next to her shoulders, Rosy left the road and walked up the dirt path to the village. 

Scene 15 · CLEARED Rosy the Traveler, to be continued

 -----

And there we are, the opening scene of the Rosy the Traveler arc of the The Journey. Now, my first concern out of the gate is that I took a dual narrative approach for the story and hope it was not too confusing for everyone. Especially so since the detached 3rd person narrative is primarily in present tense while Rosy's first person is kind of leaning more towards past tense. For how I want to tell the story for the most part though, and the AU on a whole it is Rosy's adventures. Preferably I would love to have her adventuring alongside Sonic, but that is still something she has to earn and that the story has to make its way to naturally. I also have to consider the rest of her friends who are along for the journey and how they tie into her experience. But it is at the end of the day Rosy's experience and I hope to be able to capture that with this dual narrative approach.I hope everyone has enjoyed the story to this point and is hyped to continue this journey Rosy. Thank you for your support, it means the world for me and I hope you'll continue to be there support me. And if you can, please feel free to contribute to the story by submitting prompts to help shape the story. You can find all of the rules on my Prompt Discord Server - -, but feel free just to DM me your prompts here if you'd like. Thank you again everyone, I hope you enjoyed.

-----

Story Format by @cutegirlmayra​ Story by @JoshTarwater/SonicFanJ Inspiring Song - Granblue Fantasy — Lumacee Archipelago Mysterious Forest

Fair Use Disclaimer

Sonic the Hedgehog and all affiliated characters and logos are the express property and Copyright© of SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS used without permission under Title 17 U.S.C Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976 in which allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. “Fair use” is use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be considered copyright infringement. The Sonic Ring Bond: The Journey alternate universe (AU) consumer written work of fiction is a non-profit transformative work primarily for personal use and can and will be taken down without warning or prior notice at the request of the copyright holder(s) should it not be recognized under “fair use”.

*Sonic Ring Bond logo created by DEE Art – twitter.com/daryliscute.

Sonic Ring Bond AU and Sonic Ring Bond: The Journey are the creation of Joshua David Tarwater/ynymbus/sonicfanj/@Joshtarwater and is to be, including all contents herein considered for all legal purposes the property of the Sonic the Hedgehog intellectual property (IP) and copyright owners, SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS. All story contributors via prompt, suggestion, written scene, art, and all and every other contribution acknowledge that all contributed material is forfeit for legal purposes to SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS upon official request from SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS.

[mostfreeee]

ABOUT

Long as the voice inside me says go, I will always keep on running.

My Sonic is primarily games & IDW comics verse. But with some small divergents here and there. 

Basics:

Name: Sonic the Hedgehog Age: Canonically 15, but my Sonic is defaulted to 19/20. ( varying greater depending on the verse ) Height: 3ft 2in / 98cm  Weight: 77 lb / 35 kg

Synopsis: Sonic is an anthropomorphic hedgehog who can travel faster than the speed of sound. “Got to go fast” is basically his occupation, when he isn’t taking down robots created by an evil genius known as Eggman. He values freedom and nature, two things Eggman seems determined to oppress and destroy. 

Generally a people person, Sonic cherishes his friends greatly and enjoys meeting new people. He even has a tendency to make nice with his foes, never one to let a bit of rivalry stop him from getting along with someone.

His carefree attitude can make it seem like he is irresponsible and reckless without ever thinking of the consequences. And while the reckless part is true often enough, he has a strong sense of justice and takes it upon himself to step up whenever the world needs saving. 

Apperance:

I see my Sonic having quills on the shorter side, a bit like these (draw by Tyson Hesse) 

As much as I adore the long quills that fall down behind him like in regular Modern Sonic designs, something about the shorter quills that spike more backwards than downwards fits so well. 

Colour Hexes:

The blue fur: #0000e6

The peach fur: #eebc9d

His eyes: #0bda51

Personality:

Sonic is a pretty laid back guy, in his own way.

He loves to travel, going at incredibly fast speeds, but he also likes to relax and read or nap. 

He's all about free will. He wants people to be able to choose what they want to do on their own. Though he knows some people just need a bit of encouragement too and that’s all fine. 

He likes being optimistic

For the most part he isn’t necessarily oblivious, he knows all about the bad in the world, but he likes looking at the bright side. 

He knows that life doesn’t always have a happy ending, but he is able to picture a better future and thus will always strive for it. Even if that means that he’ll end up severely disappointed at times, it’s better than living your whole life like nothing good will ever come.

He strongly believes in second, and even third, chances. If someone wants to change for the better, why not encourage them to? 

Because of this he doesn’t hold grudges well — at least when it comes to himself. If you harmed a friend that’ll get you a bit more of a watchful eye, but ultimately Sonic believes that everyone can change. 

(for better or for worse as seen in IDW comics) 

He doesn’t have a house, but he definitely has a home.

For all his wanderlust, he’ll always make his way back to where his friends are settled at. Most commonly he’ll go to Tails first, and then take his time making rounds to see his friends again. He eventually gets restless if he doesn’t go out exploring or if there hasn’t been a battle or something to get rid of his excess energy. But he drops by often enough to still be a frequent face. 

He loves company

Even if it means he needs to slow down, he’ll most often prefer having company than not. There is always time to squeeze in a run here and there, so he’ll never pass on a chance to hang out if someone is free.

It’s not like he’s clingly, he knows better than anyone that people have their own things to do. He’s perfectly fine being on his own for months on end, and there is usually enough things to distract him during that time. It’s just that if schedules happen to line up he’s definitely going to make the most of it.

If he ever does feel lonely

While rare, he’s first instinct is to go running and looking for a distraction. Because again, he knows people have their own things to do and he doesn’t want to be a bother of all things. 

If that doesn’t work, he can usually wander by Tails’s workshop and settle in at a corner under the excuse of wanting a nap without worrying about the weather outside. He won’t bother his buddy, but the sounds of Tails tinkering helps ease the ache in his chest. 

His impatience doesn’t come from moving slowly, it comes from not doing what needs to get done.

As stated above, he doesn’t mind slowing down his pace for other people. However, if there is something that needs to get done, whether urgent or not, he wants to get on with it so it’s complete. 

He doesn’t like leaving tasks left unfinished because all it does is drag in the back of his mind. He rather be able to go out and have fun without worrying about something else. 

If there is something that forces him to move slowly (so he isn’t slowing down by choice) then he does get very impatient very quickly. 

He enjoys using corny jokes and inserting random humour whenever he can.

He’s perfectly aware that a lot of his jokes are cheesy, but having people groan in exasperation is just as good as having people laugh in response so! 

Really no matter what you do you’ll end up encouraging him. 

He’s no genius, he’ll leave that to Tails, but he does end up well enough read.

Though he does gravitate to adventure-type stories, he does like learning about the world and enjoys fun facts. 

Often times though, if he falls asleep in the middle of reading a book he doesn’t bother to pick that book up again when he wakes, unless there was something really interesting about it. Even if the book wasn’t boring and he fell asleep due to going for days without rest, he just figures the time to read the book has passed and moves on to the next. 

He loves nature

It’s part of why he likes to travel so much. There is always a new sight to see, and nature just never disappoints! 

He likes finding all the places where nature is allowed to develop naturally without interference of settlements. When he does come across such a place, he does his best to not disrupt anything there. Which also means he doesn’t move too quickly just so he can be sure his speed doesn’t destroy anything. 

He really enjoys naps!

He likes laying down on the grass and feeling the sun shine down on him most, but that comes with the risk of getting caught in the rain so he tries to do it only when there is little chance of rainfall. Otherwise he’ll find little nooks and crannies to settle down in to sleep. 

He can’t swim, and he has mild aquaphobia.

He doesn’t mind being around water, like having fun at the beach is okay, but he absolutely hates being submerged in it. (waking up to a sudden downpour when he naps outside also gives him a scare, which is why he is careful before he falls asleep in the open) 

If given enough warning, and for good enough reason, he will do his best to hold back his fear to get whatever business done, but you can bet that he’ll be having phantom shivers for a long time after. 

He can’t hold his breath underwater for very long, not because he doesn’t have the lung capacity, but because he quickly gets so anxious that he just can’t hold it. 

After being submerged in water (whether willingly or unwillingly) Sonic prefers being surrounded by something solid. It could be anything, even a big hug is very much welcomed, but more often than not he’ll find a hole at the side of a mountain and huddle himself in it. He already has a few go to places scattered around, because unfortunately he’s had plenty of experiences being submerged in water. 

It doesn’t get any easier even after all this time.

He knows that he’s considered a hero by the mass majority, and he’s come to accept it.

A Hero was something he never wanted to be, though. He just wanted to save the distressed animals at first, and found himself speeding into something he can’t just back out of now.

Not that he would want to back out, per say. He’s incapable of not stepping in if he knows that he can do something to help. And he rather be the person to stop something bad from happening than to just leave it to someone else. 

But because he has saved the world multiple times by now, and became (in)famous, he knows that “Hero” is a title he can’t run from anymore. No matter what he says or what he wants, people will call him as such, and with that comes all the responsibility and expectations that he never asked for. He’s more conscious of that than he’d like to admit.

He doesn't really mind it for the most part, though. More often than not it falls in line with what he wants anyways — to stop Eggman. And if people end up shocked because he doesn’t act the way they thought he would, well, that’s on them and with no consequence to him. 

He doesn’t let that title dictate his actions, either. He’ll always do what he thinks is right first and foremost. Even if the world says one way is correct, if he believes otherwise he’s doing it his way. He’s not looking for random strangers approval, nor does he particularly want it. 

But, because of the title of ‘Hero’ he knows that there are some assumptions made about him. He is acutely aware that a lot of people hold him to high regard, and look up to him. And as much as he likes to think that the title of ‘Hero’ doesn’t affect him, it did change him in some ways. 

It’s mostly after being called a Hero that Sonic started putting up a front

It wasn’t a conscious decision or anything, but with so many people, children especially, looking up to him with shining eyes — he found that he wants to be someone they can rely on when they are in danger. Because he’s a caring guy, and small animals and children stir up a protective side of him. 

Besides, he figured that he’ll always do what he can to stop Eggman as long as the madman was trying to take over the world, so what’s the harm in letting kids think of him as this big Hero and thus feeling safe with him around?

With that it was all too easy to slip into the persona that the public already created for him.

After all, that persona didn’t come out from nowhere. It was basically just an exaggeration of his already there carefree personality. 

He’s generally good at understanding people, and he’ll use that to adapt himself into someone who is comforting for whoever needs it at the time. He genuinely likes being able to help people. And that’s why he’ll play into the whole Hero shtick to the extent he does. 

He’d grin widely when he’s around the public, and play off any injury that he suffered. He’d pretend that he wasn’t exhausted after a grueling battle, and that nothing bothered him. 

He doesn’t mind ‘breaking character’ if the public gets too much — again, he won’t sacrifice his principles just to live up to other people’s expectations. He’ll do what he believes to be right in the end, but the ‘cool guy who is unbothered by anything’ persona just became so incredibly easy to play. 

It’s become a part of who he is, now. That facet of his personality is what he shows the most readily, hiding anything else behind it. He’s always been fond of inserting humour whenever he could to lighten up a situation and cheer someone up, but now he does it to distract people from noticing that anything is wrong. It’s become an unhealthy coping mechanism, but Sonic isn’t about to tell anyone that.

He’d gladly accept any physical help (like in battle), but emotional help is harder for him to welcome.

Again, it comes with the Hero persona he fell into. He’s gotten so used to pretending that nothing is wrong that he sometimes believes it himself that all is fine. 

It’s been okay for the most part so far, (as ‘okay’ as emotional suppression can be). He got buy on being able to rewind after any big battle, being surrounded by his friends, and being able to have fun on his own terms. 

However, with being captured for six months (Sonic Forces) and knowing deep down that the metal virus outbreak was his fault (IDW comics), it’s a lot harder for Sonic to trick himself into thinking everything is okay.

He’ll still do what he can to fool other people, though.

But, all that said and done, it isn’t like it’s ALL an act. 

Down to the core, Sonic is still that fun loving guy. If you were to pull a Shadow and ask Sonic what he is now, he would still answer the same. That he’s ‘just a guy who loves adventure.’ Because it’s still true. He’s very good at living in the moment and making the most out of any situation. And at the end of the day, Sonic just does what he believes in and he has fun along the way.