#ozzie Wachowski

[pupdoc0916]

Best Boy

Knuckles sat quietly on the back porch steps.  His eyes were trained on the sky as it glittered with stars.  He traced his eyes over each celestial body as a soft smile pulled at his lips.  The last week had been terribly overcast.  Rain and clouds that hid the beautiful orbs from sight like drapes over a window.  But tonight was the first night that the sky had begun to clear.  And Knuckles was happy for it.  Looking at the stars was soothing and inspiring.  It reminded him of home.

“Sweetie?”

Maddie’s voice startled him from his thoughts and he turned toward the sound behind him.  Her body leaned out of the door frame as she peaked  around the rear door of their home.  He grunted softly in response.

“Can I get you to come in tonight?” she asked, her voice soft, almost pleading as she stared at him through the waning light.  “Maybe get some sleep?”

He turned further towards her allowing his eyes to meet hers.  She was dressed in loose fitting pants and shirt, hair put up and pulled away from her face, likely preparing to “turn in” as the family liked to say.  He shook his head twice.    “I am fine, Healer Maddie.” he replied, voice unwavering.  “I will be starting my next patrol soon.  You need not fret.”

A soft sigh left her lips and her eyes drifted down in response.  

“I know.” she replied softly, her frown deepening.  “I just…I worry about you out here, cold and alone.”

He narrowed his eyes in confusion, turning his questioning gaze further toward her.  “You need not worry.” he answered, his voice firm.  “I can take care of myself and will ensure your and the tribes safety as you sleep.”  

She closed her eyes and blinked heavily.  Her face tightened as well as her grip on the door.  She was disappointed with his answer.  He did not know why.  This was their routine every night.  She had come to him many times to invite him in for the night, but he needed to stay on alert.  

After a moment she opened her eyes.  They seemed sad as she looked down upon him and he began to feel marginally uncomfortable under their scrutiny.  Another sigh escaped her lips and she managed to warp her frown into what Knuckles thought was an attempt at a smile.  It made his stomach squirm with unease.

“I know you will.” she said, her voice quivering ever so slightly.  She moved to turn back into the house, but paused, turning her head once more.

“Just…try to get some sleep?” she requested, eyes tired as she stared him down.

His eyes dropped from hers and he began studying the wood grain in the deck below his seat, uncomfortable with the gaze she had laid upon him.  He chuffed softly and after a moment attempted to meet her gaze once again.

“I will be fine.” he answered with a solid tone, confident in hopes it would ease her discomfort.

It did the opposite it seemed as her eyes dropped away from his and her frown returned.  He swallowed, unsure of why she seemed so unsettled with him this evening.  But she looked back toward him again, her brown eyes meeting his.

“Goodnight, Knuckles.”

“Goodnight, Healer Maddie.”

And with those words she turned and closed the door, the click of the handle causing his muscles to tense as he once again was bathed in the night’s silent ambience.

He turned back forward, moving his eyes once again to the stars.  

It was strange, he thought to himself, this new feeling that was blossoming in his gut.  He spent many years on his own with no one to count on but himself.  He was a trained warrior that was able to survive and protect against even the foulest of beasts.

And yet, since coming to live in this residence, the House Wachowski, he found that each night became a little more tedious.  A little more isolating.

A little more lonely.

He shook his head attempting to rid himself of such thoughts.  Look at him.  Already growing soft in the presence of trust and gentle touches.  He must continue to stay vigilant.  Because in his experience it was when you let yourself slip that the real attacks would come.

A few moments more passed, the kitchen lights were flipped off, and the house quieted to its restful state.  Time for his first round.  He put his gloved hands on his knees and pushed himself into a standing position.  He stretched his shoulders, took a deep breath of crisp night air, and set off into the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Knuckles made his way slowly from the roof where he had perched for a birds eye view of danger.  However, after studious observation, it appeared that he could relocate back to the ground for closer inspection.  It had nothing to due with the chilled air picking up causing him to shiver.  Nothing of the sort.

His boots hit the grass and he turned to take in the yard, eyes scanning from left to right, looking for anything that may be out of place.

It was then he heard a rustle in the bushes near the opposite corner of the house.  His body froze, muscles tense as all time seemed to stand still as he listened to what could be an imminent threat.

The rustling continued, coming and going like the waves as they hit the beach.  He narrowed his eyes and, without making a sound, made his way across the back of the house.  He moved slowly, calculatedly, like a predator stalking its prey.  He brought his gloves forward, feeling the soothing pressure of his knuckles coming together as he prepped to intercept the threat.

Closer still he stalked.  Muscles taught, attention narrowed on the location of interest.  He was now close enough to see the movement of the leaves with each rustling sound.  Something was definitely present.  His teeth clenched together and face hardened.  A few steps away, just a few farther.  He reached out his hand to meet the branches, ready to pounce at the slightest provocation.

He pulled the branches back more.  Red began to hit his eyes as he readied himself for battle.  He was almost there…

Before any further movement could be made, something burst from the leaves causing Knuckles to fall backward.  A branch scratched at his arm as his body was forced back by his attacker, landing hard on his back by the onslaught of attack.

He quickly pulled in his breath and gathered himself for an offense attack, but was too late as the intruder had already unleashed their fury upon him.

He grimaced and growled as a wet, pink tongue licked up his face in unbridled excitement.  He moved his face to the side to dodge but only found the attack continued on.  He sneered, his face scrunched in disgust as he tried to maneuver from underneath, but to no avail.

Finally he managed to get his fists underneath and push his attacker to the side giving him enough time to get to his feet and stare down the beast with a threatening look.

“Ozzie!”  he barked in annoyance and disgust.  “Why are you here, wolf?”

Unperturbed by the icy glare the canine looked right back at him with his tongue hanging out, tail wagging at what could be considered an impossible pace.  His paws danced in the yard and he panted in excitement at the sight of one of his family companions.

Knuckles brought his fist up, rubbing his gloved hand down his face and shook his head.  As his surge of adrenaline began to fade, his quills relaxed back down to his back, breaths slowing as he tried to calm his nerves.

The dog, impatient with the lack of contact, came forward and pushed his head into Knuckles glove, urging him to scratch his ears.  Knuckles lifted his glove and took a step back, once again glared back at the dog.

“Ugh, stop with this behavior.” he growled.  “You must return to your bed.”

He pointed his hand towards the back door, emphasizing his point with a nod of his head.  “Inside!” he repeated.  “Now.”

The dog looked toward the door, tail never stopped wagging, then back at the disheveled echidna, brown eyes staring toward his new found companion.  Knuckles felt a pressure growing behind his eyes as the pet disobeyed his command and seemed completely unbothered at doing so.  He sighed.

“Inside.” he tried again, but was met with nothing but soft brown eyes and warm breath on his arm.  

Knuckles growled.  “Fine…” he huffed, which only caused Ozzie’s tail to beat more quickly.  Knuckles sighed and looked toward the moon, analyzing it’s place in the sky.  He then returned his gaze back to the dog.

“It’s midway through the night.” he said, voice hard.  “I must finish my patrol.  You stay.”

No response.

“I am moving forward.  You must remain.”

No response.

Knuckles clenched his eyes shut and shook his head.  He let out another resigned sigh and turned away from the dog, continuing forward to finish patrol.  He took a few steps forward with the intent to finish the perimeter check, only to hear padding feet follow.  He turned back and glared at the dog with the best ‘stop following me’ face he could muster.  Ozzie sat down, continuing to stare at the annoyed echidna.

Knuckles huffed, then turned back to his route.  He took more steps forward into the quiet night.  As he rounded the corner of the house he almost let out a breath of relief, until he heard prancing footsteps move toward him.  A dog’s head then nudged his hand as a bid for affection.  

The pressure between his eyes grew.  He let out a breath he did not realize he was holding and turned toward the dog who seemed wholly unbothered by his companions annoyance.  

“Alright.  Fine.” he spoke defeatedly.  “But no noise.”

No response.

Knuckles released a irritated hum then turned his head back forward and began to walk.  He made his way to the front, checking under bushes, under the porch, securing the windows, all the while followed by padding footsteps and wet, drooling panting.

As he made his way around the other side of the house, he checked over his shoulder only to realize the wolf had disappeared.  He moved his head around but could not find his canine companion.  A smirk met his face and he rolled his eyes.  Weakling.

He turned back around and continued forward, but stuttered toward his next step.  The sudden absence of the dog made his breath feel a bit heavy.  And as he moved forward he found himself frowning.  Was he disappointed that the dog had left?  The thought made him bark a laugh and he shook his head, refocusing his way forward.

He ran the edge of the yard, turning toward the back of the property.  Getting used to his new found loneliness he continued on.  Until he heard barking at the corner of the home.  Knuckles was immediately on alert.  He ran through the crunching grass towards the sound of distress.  When he turned the corner he found Ozzie digging in the dirt under a bush close to the home, whining under his breath.

Knuckles quickly made his way to the wolf’s side.  He would ensure that whatever threat the canine had identified would be dealt with.

He came up next to Ozzie and placed a hand on his head in praise.

“Show yourself, intruder!” Knuckles ordered, kneeling to get a view under the bush.

A soft chittering.  Knuckles narrowed his eyes, leaning his face further.

Sudden movement caught his eye causing Knuckles to jump into the bush.  He wrestled with the branches and leaves until a small creature came careening from the plant.   Ozzie jumped and began barking at the small animal until it ran out of sight into the woods.

Knuckles stood and poked his head from the bush, sticks and leaves stuck between his quills.  He shook off some of the debris then stepped from the plant.

“That was no threat.” He growled at the dog.  Ozzie trotted back towards his companion now that the squirrel had been neutralized.

Knuckles shook his head.  “I applaud the effort, wolf, but in the future I will need to train you on what a true threat is.”

Ozzie cocked his head.

Knuckles huffed as he picked out a few sticks from his disheveled quills and fur.  His eyes gazed up and caught the moon’s position.

“The sun will be rising soon” he spoke out loud, then looked back to the dog.  He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  He couldn’t ignore how his eyelids had grown in weight as the night had continued.  He blinked a few times and shook his head.  He turned back towards the house, the porch steps looking quite comfortable after a night on his feet.

He turned to head back to the house, large boots crunching on the frosted grass as he made his way back.  After a moment he realized there was a absence at his side.  He looked over his shoulder to see Ozzie still sitting in the grass, wagging his tail.  Knuckles found himself patting his thigh, something he saw his hosts do many times to beckon the resident wolf.

Almost immediately Ozzie bounded forward, prancing in the grass next to his nighttime companion.  Knuckles climbed to the top step and sat down heavily on the wood surface.  Ozzie pranced up after, sitting next to the echidna so closely that he felt the dog lean into his side.  He glanced another look at the animal who sat next to him, then yawned heavily, shaking his head to stay awake.

They sat silently for moments, Knuckles staring at the stars and Ozzie panting lightly next to him.  There was something about the dog next to him that seemed to soothe his loneliness and give him calm.  There was no expectation or disappointment behind those eyes, just an unconditional acceptance.  Knuckles took in another deep breath.

“You were not the hinderance I thought you would be.” he spoke softly, flicking his eyes toward the canine next to him.  “I thank you for your company.”

Ozzie turned and gave him a lick across the muzzle, tail thumping against the wood.  Knuckles pulled his hand up to wipe the drool from his face and shook his head.  “Though your greeting has much to be desired.”

Knuckles released another breath, leaning slightly into the warm body next to him.  He rubbed his eyes with his large gloves and suppressed another yawn.

“It can get quite lonely as the others sleep.  I do not complain, but I did appreciate some company on my patrol.”

Ozzie laid down, placing his head in Knuckles�� lap, tail continuing to wag in calm content.  Knuckles brought his hand to the dogs head, moving it lightly across the animal’s head.

“My tribe used to read the stars.” Knuckles continued, eyes drooping as he spoke.  “They spoke of many deities that lived within the sky.  I would sit with my father and listen to the stories of old as each member communed and ate around a night fire.  It is one of my fondest memories.”

He let out a sigh, continuing to stroke the dogs head.  “I miss them dearly, my tribe.” he spoke softly.  “It has been many years since I have felt a part of something.  I fear I have forgotten how to be part of a family.”

Knuckles pulled his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs.  “I am grateful to have been invited into the Wachowski home.  It is hard for me to trust again.  And though I have been here for weeks, I fear that I cause them more trouble than I wish.”

Knuckles swallowed and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly into a cloud of precipitation at his lips.  Ozzie maneuvered back, prompting Knuckles to scoot back from the stairs and lean further into the dogs warm body.

“I just hope I can figure out my place.  This family, especially Healer Maddie, have been very kind to me.  I hope I can return the favor.  And my allies…brothers…they seem to trust me even though I have not earned it.”

Another yawn overtook him and he leaned further back into his companion, eyes half closed as he stared at the stars.

“I hope my father is proud of me.” he murmured softly.  “And I hope that, one day, I will be able to find my place within this new tribe.”

His eyes fell closed as he leaned farther into the dog’s body.  

“And, only if you wish, I would enjoy future patrols with your company.”  he whispered.  His mind began to drift with his words, and his body slackened as he finally found rest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The griddle sizzled as she turned it on and brought it to life.  She looked out the window at the rising sun as she stirred the batter, preparing to make breakfast for her husband and boys.  She pulled the sleeves up on her shirt in an effort to keep clean.  Her hair fell around her face, dislodged from her hair tie as she slept.

She turned with the bowl still in hand taking in the empty kitchen and the quiet ambience of the home.  She relished these few moments of peace before her boisterous children awoke.  Though, even with the absence of her children, it still seemed just a bit too quiet.

Then it hit her.  Dog…that’s what was missing.  Ozzie was always up with her, sitting at her feet in the hope that food would fall his way as she made breakfast.  But there was a noticeable absence of the family golden retriever this morning. 

She stopped stirring and sat the bowl down on the counter.  She quietly made her way from the kitchen, looking through the living room and under the dining room table.  There was no dog in sight.

She frowned and made her way back towards the kitchen until something caught her eye near the back door.  She made her way to the door, feeling the cool air on her feet as she made her way to the back porch.  As she opened the door, she inhaled lightly, her hand covering her mouth.  Her eyes softened as she took in the scene.

Knuckles lay on the wood porch floor shifted to his side.  He was rolled inward, breathing softly, his head cradled by the dog wrapped around him.  The echidna’s arm was wrapped around Ozzie’s torso, his hand clutching at fur on the canines back as he slept.  Ozzie’s head was wrapped around and laid gently atop Knuckles head.

At her arrival the dog lifted his head ever so slightly and eyed his mom with a soft gaze.  His tail began to softly beat against the porch floor.  He made no movement to get up or follow, seemingly content to cradle the sleeping boy nestled against his body.

Tears welled in Maddies eyes and she let out a huff, pushing down the burning in her throat.

Her oldest boy was finally sleeping.

She stared for moments taking in the sight.  She had never seen Knuckles so relaxed.  She reached for him, instinctually wanting to pull him into her arms and carry him inside.  But before her hand touched him, she hesitated.  He would likely wake with too much movement and this poor boy needed his sleep.

She tore her eyes from the scene before her and made her way into the living room, grabbing a warm blanket and bringing it back to the porch.  Ozzie raised his head once again as he watched Maddie gently place the blanket over the echidna’s body.

She gently adjusted the cover around his form to give him warmth, then knelt down, kissing him lightly on his forehead.  She then moved to Ozzie, placing a soft hand on his head and planting a kiss between his eyes.

“My best boys.” she whispered, giving Ozzie a rub behind the ears.

She stood and slowly made her way back into the house (not before she snapped a few pictures) and made her way back to the kitchen.  She picked up the bowl and began stirring again, her mind wandering to the two figures on the porch.

Knuckles had been so on edge since arriving to the home.  She knew his life had been hard and lonely, but he seemed to be struggling to find a place within the family.  She loved the boy so much, drawn into his sweet, kind heart.  But she had not been able to get through to him, not yet.

But Ozzie did.  The healing powers of a loving dog.  Maddie sighed happily and turned back to the griddle.

She loved her kids and she loved her dog.  The were the best boys.  They were her boys.

@year-of-the-echidna

[guardian-of-da-gay]

@year-of-the-echidna's first prompt 'Innocence' called for something from my Longclaw Lived au: Knuckles meets Ozzie

[niyana-the-ambiguous-mobian]

This moment was only 5 seconds long, but it's all we're getting in terms of Tails & Ozzie interactions and I'm living for it.

He even makes the kissing noises to get his attention i can't- 😭

[theknucklehead]

At the beginning of Sonic 3, the Wachowskis plan a surprise party to celebrate Sonic's coming to Earth.

Which of course makes me think of Generations, but funny enough I think it was handled better here. The idea being that Sonic isn't an easy person to surprise.

But what the Wachowskis did was distract Sonic with something that he loves which in this case was a friendly race amongst his friends.

[the-brucest-fan]

This picture right here means so much to me 🥹💖💖

What I would give to be the one hugging little Snok right there 🥹

[maswartz]

[polling-sonic-fans]

Would you want the Wachowski family to be canon in the Sonic games?

Yes, exactly like how they are in the movies

2. Yes, but unrelated to Team Sonic

3. Only as cameos/references

4. No, keep them out of game canon

Thanks anon!

Polls for the Sonic fandom on just about anything. Share polls you like to get more data. Asks and submissions always open.

[writingtraumaforever]

Courtship: Chapter 1

Notes: This is Post-Sonic 3 Mini-Series!! I’m making this because I’m obsessed with the movie-verse for these two and wanted to make a little something before the movie came out. Movie assumptions to make for this fic: 1.) Shadow tried to kill Tom because a Wachowski shot Maria. 2.) Shadow doesn’t fall from space because Sonic saves him. 3.) Shadow goes into isolation and hiding at the end of the movie out of guilt.

Summary: Sonic wants Shadow to know he doesn’t have to be alone.. Misunderstandings ensue.

Rating: G

Chapter Select: Chapter 2, Chapter 3

Link to my AO3!

Start:

‘That'd better be a licensed toy or I will freak out.’

“That’s totally him!! I’d know that voice anywhere!”

“I don’t think so, Sonic. He sounds more like Dane Dehaan,” Tails argue quietly, scratching his head as he looks up from his tablet at the movie on the screen.

They’re watching Superpets for the first time on family movie night. Sonic, Tails and Knuckles are each sprawled on their respective beanbags in the middle of the floor while Maddie and Tom take the couch behind them. Ozzie is rested beside Sonic’s bag, Sonic mindlessly scratching behind the dog’s ear.

“Dane De— no. Absolutely not. That’s my Keanu, I know it! The man is a—“

“National treasure, we know,” they all groan in unison, Sonic just nodding like it’s a fact.

“Exactly! I’d know that sweet boy’s voice anywhere!”

“Why do you not just court the man if he is so sweet to you??” Knuckles questions, a confused furrow in his brow.

“Okay, first of all,” Sonic holds up a finger, “Ew. I’m a minor, Knuckles.”

“A minor what??—“

“Second of all,” another finger, “He’s a celebrity. We’re from two different worlds! Both literally and metaphorically.”

Knuckles just looks even more confused now, “Do you mean to say he thinks he’s of higher standards than you??? Ha! You are the Blue Justice of earth! Do not let a puny human convince you that you are not worthy of his affections!”

“Aw gee, Knucks, that’s almost sweet—“

“We shall kidnap this national treasure and force him to court you!”

“Yeah- see? You’ve ruined it, Knucks,” Sonic groans with a roll of his eyes.

“You’re both ruining the movie with your yapping,” Tom points out behind them.

“And Batman is, in fact, Keanu,” Maddie adds, holding up her phone to show them all her Google search.

“Ha! See?? Told ya I know my man!”

“How is he yours if you do not court him—“

The microwave beeps in the kitchen, interrupting their repetitive conversation with the popcorn Maddie had prepared for them.

“Saved by the bell!” Sonic grins before dashing into the kitchen to retrieve their snack.

Hopping up on the counter, Sonic opens the microwave and pulls out the bag of popcorn. Emptying it into a bowl and adding extra salt and some cheese powder, he hops down and carries it back into the living room.

Pausing in the doorway, he looks at his family all huddled in front of the screen watching contentedly and can’t help but sigh. 

It’s nice for things to be settling down again. 

After the ARK incident, Sonic wasn’t sure things would ever be the same.

He has lost his family and world once before with Longclaw and the echidnas, and he almost had to watch it happen again with the ARK nearly smashing into earth.

Not to mention Tom almost being murdered for something his great grandfather had done..

It’s been three months since that. 

Sonic hasn’t seen that hedgehog since..

He had only narrowly saved him from falling to earth from space. And even then, Shadow had tried to fight Sonic’s hold on him off.. insisting he deserved this fate after what he’s done.

But Sonic wouldn’t let him go.. wouldn’t let him die like that. 

Even after everything Shadow had put him through, all he could see was a lost soul that was alone and scared and confused. Everything Sonic has been before..

Once they were back on earth, Shadow had ran off. Disappeared. No one even saw him go.

Sonic thought about him often.

Sometimes he’d secretly leave a plate of leftovers out in the woods near their home in hopes Shadow would be somewhere near. He always returned to an empty plate waiting on him the next day, but never any sign it was Shadow and not just some wild animal eating it.

He left a blanket once, too.

And a second pair of thicker gloves and warmer socks for cold weather.

They disappeared, too. No signs of Shadow.

Still.. Sonic liked to believe he was close. He was safe. He was okay..

Sitting the bowl of popcorn down between himself and Tails, Knuckles immediately began complaining that he couldn’t reach the bowl.

“Hey! What about me???”

“What about you??” Sonic questions coyly with a little smirk.

“I want some, too!” 

“Go get a bowl of grapes or somethin’.”

“Grapes are sweet. I crave salty.”

“And I crave Keanu Reeves, so hush so I can hear him—“

Their interrupted by Ozzie suddenly jumping up from his spot on the floor and barking, everyone flinching in surprise at the sudden loud noise. Knuckles immediately covers his ears and growls at the dog,

“Hush up, dog! There’s no need to shout!”

“What on earth has gotten into him??” Maddie questions with a knit in her brow, sitting up to try and reach for Ozzie’s collar to calm him.

Sonic’s eyes are locked on the window behind Tom and Maddie, though. The window Ozzie is barking at. The window he swears he just saw two red eyes staring through before disappearing.

“Uhh— he probably just has to potty,” Sonic quickly says, dashing to the coat hanger by the door and snatching Ozzie’s leash off it before appearing back in the living room to clip it to the dog’s collar, “I’ll take him out real quick!”

“Are you sure??” Maddie asks, looking at Sonic a bit suspiciously, “You said watching him potty was violating and disturbing.”

“It is,” Sonic deadpans before quickly adding, “But I’ve gotta pull my weight around here! So I’ll do it. No worries.”

He’s already walking Ozzie to the door, “I’ll be right back— Knuckles, don’t touch my popcorn.”

He’s not even out the door yet, and the echidna is already reaching to grab a few handfuls only to have his hand swatted by Tails who doesn’t even look away from his tablet.

Shutting the door behind him, Sonic is met with the cold air of the night. He shivers a bit at the change in temperature before looking over at the window he had sworn he saw the eyes in..

No one is there.

Sonic walks around the yard a moment, Ozzie sniffing like crazy at the ground. Emerald eyes searching everywhere but spotting nothing. He frowns a bit, sighing as he walks where Ozzie leads him towards the edge of the treeline.

He tries not to be too disappointed.

Maddie has already assured him that when Shadow is ready to be found, he’ll be found. Still, it’s in Sonic’s nature to want everyone safe and together. And he just wants Shadow to be okay..

Ozzie suddenly jerks Sonic forward, the hedgehog stumbling with a “woah” before regaining his composure when the pup stops under a tree. He’s sniffing with his nose straight up, one paw on the tree as he whines.

Sonic blinks at the dog then slowly looks up.

Red eyes stare wide back down at him.

Sonic feels his breath leave him with a little gasp, staring right back at Shadow with wide emerald eyes.

They stay like that, frozen for a long moment before Sonic eventually shakes himself from his daze and clears his throat,

“Uh— you can come down. He doesn’t bite.”

Shadow doesn’t respond. Just keeps staring like a deer stuck in headlights.

Sonic purses his lips and then gives a little tug on Ozzie’s leash to pull the dog back to his side. Ozzie stays whining and sniffing up towards Shadow, but sits obediently on Sonic’s left.

Shadow watches with intrigue, his head tilting just slightly as he seems to relax some. Not much, though.

“…Does he obey you?”

“Huh? Oh- well, for the most part, yeah. Though, he’s not quite gotten down the idea of not eating the food off the countertops when no one is looking,” Sonic snickers back with a little shrug, never looking away from Shadow.

Shadow just stays quiet, observing the two as if silently debating his actions..

And then he starts to climb down.

Sonic can’t help but smile the closer Shadow gets to the ground, practically beaming by the time Shadow’s is close enough to hop down with a grunt and turn and face him.

“…I didn’t mean to disturb your family,” Shadow says after a long moment of silence, uncomfortable with the way Sonic is just staring and smiling.

“Oh- no worries. I’ve read spoilers online, so I’m not missing much,” Sonic shrugs, Shadow just staring at him with a blank expression.

“I have no idea what that means.”

“Right, um-.. just don’t worry about it,” Sonic reiterates with a wave of his hand. Ozzie’s whining is getting a bit more persistent now with Shadow standing before them, tugging slightly at his leach but Sonic keeps him in place. 

“It’s nice to see you again,” Sonic smiles earnestly, “…I’ve worried.”

“You shouldn’t,” Shadow mutters quietly, eyes looking away a bit shamefully. It makes Sonic’s chest ache.

“Well, I have. And so has Mom—“

“Mom?” Shadow questions with a raised brow before he seems to remember, “Right.. you call the humans your parents.”

“They are my parents,” Sonic corrects with conviction, tightening his grip on the leash before sighing and relaxing some.

Shadow doesn’t mean offense. He just doesn’t understand.

“Sorry..,” Shadow mutters, taking a small step back as he rubs his arm awkwardly.

Sonic shakes his head and offers a small smile, “It’s cool, dude.. no worries.”

Shadow hums at that, looking back to Sonic after a moment and then to the home behind him. They can still see the bright screen playing the movie from here, the silhouettes of the Wachowski’s inside enjoying their movie night.

“..You.. could come in..?”

Shadow flinches at that.

“If you wanted,” Sonic quickly adds, not trying to scare Shadow off, “They wouldn’t try and hurt your or anything—“

“I don’t belong here.”

Sonic frowns a bit at that, “Right..”

Another pause of silence.

“…You could belong here—“

“I should go.”

Sonic’s ears droop back at this, immediately wanting to reach and grab the hedgehog before he disappears again.

“Wait!”

Shadow pauses, already halfway turned around to leave.

He doesn’t look at Sonic, but his ears are pointed to show he’s listening.

“I—,” Sonic stumbles on his words, unsure what to say but knowing he needs to say something or he’ll lose him all over again—

“You wanna race??”

Shadow blinks, turning his head to properly look at Sonic now with a raised brow, “..race??”

“Y-yeah! No one can keep up with me like you.. it could be fun!— W-well, I can’t tonight, of course, because it’s movie night. But I can tomorrow!.. if.. if you want..?” Sonic’s brows knit, his emerald eyes earnest and hopeful.

Shadow looks at him for a long moment, pondering his offer in silence and leaving Sonic practically on edge..

“Alright.”

“Alright?”

“Yes.”

“Yes,”  Sonic grins like the sun, unable to stop his tail from wagging. He bounces on his toes excitedly. 

“We’ll meet at the Green Hills sign.”

“Yeah. Yeah, that’s perfect. Cool.”

“Cool,” Shadow nods, looking at Sonic a moment and then at the dog. Then Sonic again.

“…I’m leaving now.”

“Okay,” Sonic says, still smiling and unable to stop, “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“Alright..”

Another awkward silence of Sonic just beaming, and Shadow looking at him like he’s the oddest thing he’s ever seen..

And then Shadow’s gone with a gust of wind, leaving Sonic standing there with his dog.

Sonic giggles immediately, jumping in the air with a fist pump and then holding a hand up to Ozzie for a high paw— which Ozzie promptly gives thanks to Sonic’s training.

He turns and leads Ozzie back inside, heart still pounding with nervous excitement as he opens the door and unleashes the pup to let him trot back into the living room.

Sonic follows after him with a dazed look that everyone seems to immediately notice.

“That took a minute,” Maddie points out, eyeing her blue boy suspiciously, “You okay??”

“Huh??” Sonic looks at her before blinking and, “Oh yeah! Yeah. I’m cool. Just a little chilly from the wind.”

“Well come here and cuddle with momma,” Maddie babies, her arms spreading wide and her fingers curling to beckon him into her hug. Sonic doesn’t think twice before he dashes right over, never one to pass up on cuddles.

Maddie immediately wraps him up between her and Tom in their blanket, petting Sonic’s head as Tom chuckles and readjusts to have his arm behind the both of them.

Sonic sighs and melts into the cushions between the two of them, eyes on the screen but mind on tomorrow..

Knuckles takes advantage of his distractedness and eats all the popcorn.

[piko-rose]

A Masterpost Of All My Sonic Fics and Headcanons So Far

Edited this post to add some other stuff of mine that doesn't involved fanfics.

I didn't include ALL of my fics because the first few ones I did when I started my blog were cringe as hell lmao

My Fanfics/Drabbles

Sonic Movie Series Fics

Enter Gamma - The Wachowski Bros try to come up with a new name for their new fiend UNIT. (Set after Sonic Drone Home.)

Sonic's Dream - Dreams are mysterious. They can be good or they can be bad. Sonic enjoys good dreams, whether their about running, chili dogs or his family. …But he despises bad dreams. Sometimes their about deep waters, the dark… Or being alone all over again. (Set after Movie 1.)

Sonic Told A Dumb Joke... - Sonic begins to realize that humoring up his brothers makes him come off as annoying, and vows to never say another word. (Set after Movie 2. Unsure if I'll make a part 2 since this might need some reworking.)

Sonic and Tails Talk About Tom and Maddie - Tails was confused by the way Sonic talks about Tom and Maddie. If they're not his parents, then what are they to him? (Set during Movie 2 before the dance battle sequence.)

Under the Moonlight - After hearing a ghost story about Dark Gaia, Sonic transforms into the Werehog in the middle of the night and must find a way to turn back to normal while before he looses control of himself. (Set after Movie 1. Currently thinking about reworking this fic in the future.)

Heroes Don't Fail - After Tom fell ill due to protecting him from a bullet, Sonic was left to wonder if his own friends had any faith in him to begin with during their most dangerous adventure yet. He was left to wonder if him and Shadow had more of a similarity than he thought. (Movie 3 Headcanon fic. VERY outdated now but there are some writing bits I really enjoy here that I might bring back in the future.)

Modern Sonic Fics

Rose Gold - Sonic was horrified by Amy doing all she can to make sure her hero stays alive, no matter the cost. (Platonic Sonic/Amy fic.)

What Big Brothers Fear The Most - Sonic had an unpleasant dream about the worst case scenario for any little brother in the world. Specifically, Tails. (Unbreakable Bond fic.)

Without One Another (Aftermath Of What Big Brothers Fear The Most) - Sonic talks about his nightmare to Tails, while confessing a fear greater than deep waters. (Unbreakable Bond fic.)

A Talk Between Two Hedgehogs - Shadow felt strangely guilty about his outburst at Sonic, and wanted to chat with him. (Sonic/Shadow fic.)

My Headcanons and Rambles About Characters and Ships

Sonic Movie Series

Sonic Movie 2's Official Timeline I Think? (I'm Planning On Reworking This Post)

Rambling About Sonic and Knuckles' Dynamic Throughout Movie 2

Sonic's Thinking Process While He Was Stuck And Couldn't Reach for Tom, Maddie and Tails (and what happens afterwards 😈)

Modern Sonic

Why Amy's Love For Sonic Died Down And Their Current Dynamic

If Sonic Found Out About What Amy's Going Through

Sleepy Sonic Headcanons (I edited this post because there are some words here that I used wrong and some more stuff I should've added lol) (Also Some Art Based On These Headcanons By @/sparkles-rule-4eva Thank You Dude XD but the reblog doesn't have the updates I've added on the post so I apologize for that DX)

Sonic Crying Out Shadow's Name In Sonic Prime And How It Drove Me Crazy

More to add soon.

[lazlolullaby]

Need for Speed, a Sonic Movie AU

Where Tom was previously a race car driver + came to Green Hills to retire + figure out his life after that. And bonus early Sonic adoption.

...because we don't deserve Copganda.

it's more involved than my other AUs so more is under the cut.

...

OK so this Tom is basically an adaption/foil of Sam Fair AKA "Sam Speed" from the Sonic X TV show. you know. Chris Thorndyke's uncle. the police driver that uses high-speed race cars to catch criminals. Who has a rivalry with Sonic + constantly wants to race him.

And NASCAR specifically started as a way to modify cars to outrun cops to deliver moonshine, specifically because "f*ck 'em". I do not believe that Racer!Tom would have any respect for cops + passed that to Sonic. There's some respect for laws of physics and making sure what you're putting on the road is safe, but cops? Nope.

So. Tom was so interested in going fast, he left his home of Green Hills at 16, learned engineering + car repair on the job, has a career from 18-25 as a race car driver. He won big, got sponsorships, saved up all the money so he could to send it back home.

And then there was a crash. And Tom could not race anymore. He decides to go back home to Green Hills. His father and him rebuild their relationship, but soon after Tom came back, Wachowski Sr. passed away. Every single cent Tom sent to his dad is back to him now. He doesn't have to worry about a house since he inherited, and no car because Green Hills is perfectly walkable, but...what was the point in getting up in the morning if he couldn't make his Dad proud? If he couldn't race?

Tom ends up getting Ozzie as a therapy dog. Ozzie fetches his meds, does weight compresses, guards his back in public places. Taking care of Ozzie helps him get into a routine of taking care of himself again.

Tom gets more known around town, as "that car guy" or "that helpful guy". because. he's rich and he's got time to help. Even if it's just helping someone who's car broke down or blocking traffic for ducks to cross.

Maddie is the towns only Veterinarian. Maddie + Tom end up bonding over Ozzie, fall in love and get married.

Ok. So all of the above? That's set just in the background. a little outright, a little implied. Because this isn't about Tom + Maddie and their arcs.

This is a Sonic movie. We do not have time for human nonsense except the bare emotional minimum.

Sonic has his opening scene, where he's followed back home by Echidnas, and Longclaw throws him through a portal. Sonic runs, he hides, he survives by himself for some time.

But Tom likes to go on his walks. And Ozzie is always keenly aware of his surroundings while he's on the job. They hear Sonic, and try to corner him.

Normally, Sonic is fast. But this is a younger Sonic who hasn't been able to care for himself recently. And since Tom already has natural + trained reflexes from "going fast" as a race car driver...

Tom is able to scoop Sonic up while he's running and hold him. And he's like. "Ah. my kid now."

And the only other person that had been able to catch Sonic has been Longclaw. So he's like. "New parent?"

So Tom takes Sonic home. He tries to tell Maddie, but she interpreted it as "wandering child with a hedgehog." Then she sees Sonic doodling at the kitchen table, kicking his legs. And it's like, "ok. Be super proud that I'm not freaking out."

And then the hedgehog gets adopted.

Tom starts researching hedgehog care + picking up child care books + English as a second language picture books. There was one with Pokemon + Japanese that Sonic really loved. Tom explains it as "might have accidentally adopted a kid from his old job."

Sonic grows up as a Wachowski. Tom makes carts and drones so that he can "Race" Sonic safely. They keep pranking Wade at the speed trap. Sonic also "plays" with Crazy Carl and his traps. Tom and Sonic both justify this racing and training just in case Sonic has to go on the run.

Anyway. Tom gets invited to a racing conference in San Francisco. Apparently someone (Robotnik + the US Military) noticed his cars that he's been making to race Sonic + thought he was back in the racing game.

It's the first time Sonic is without Tom for an extended period + he's got separation anxiety. Tom tries to talk to Sonic about how it's going to be fine. But Sonic takes it the wrong way and goes "I have to protect Tom!" And sneaks away to keep him safe.

Something also about both Sonic and Tom losing parents and coping without them. Holding on really tight to the people they care about after that. That's the real emotional core here.

But yeah iconic external threat Robotnik time. And speed chases. Yada yada.

Also Tom grabbing an Egg Drone + taking it apart + understanding it. Kind of taking Robotnik down a peg in the "aloof standalone genius" way but also illustrating that Robotnik could connect and be happy with people AND still be a genius but he doesn't.

Anyway. You've got blanket permission to use these ideas in your fanworks, but no AI please, it's not enrichment if you're not doing it.

[queeniesretrozone]

lol (Also Ozzie looks like such a little goober 🥺)

"A Very Sonic Christmas" was cute and I just had to draw the boys in their ugly sweaters. But I couldn't leave out Maddie, Tom, and Ozzie.

Also Tom's ugly sweater is based off of this ask I answered a year ago!

[guardian-of-da-gay]

Begrudging Trust

Read on Ao3

Part of the Longclaw Lived (Unfortunately for Knuckles) series!

For @year-of-the-echidna's prompt 'Begrudging'!

tw: permanent injury, injury recovery, language barriers, trust issues

Maddie slipped into the clinic’s isolation room, a stack of towels and a pack of fresh PPE in her arms.  If anyone were to ask, she was checking on the ‘parvo dog’ currently in quarantine.  They would be satisfied with that answer and keep their distance.

She made sure to close the door behind her and surveyed the ISO room.  A small cluster of plastic-walled cages sat against one wall.  Equipment filled the corner of the room.  Across from all this was a dog run.  The usually closed kennel sat open.  The walls and floors, draped in blankets and towels, disguised the cage-like features and made it look more like a blanket fort.

It appeared empty.

The first time this had happened, Maddie had gone running to Jade.  They’d nearly torn the building apart looking for their patient before he finally poked his head out from under a pile of blankets.  Now she just trusted he was there.

She set down what she carried, eschewing the PPE gown in favor of the tray hidden beneath it.  It was just a simple fruit tray from the grocery store.  She pulled the cheap plastic off the top and set it beside her as she sat.  Under the tray was one of her school textbooks.

Maddie sat on the floor with her back to the wall and opened the book in her lap.  Absently, she took a piece of cantaloupe from the tray and bit into it.  She kept her eyes on the text in front of her and ate leisurely.

After a few moments, she heard a soft sound.

When next she reached for a piece of cantaloupe she found the pile slightly smaller than it had been before.  She took a piece of watermelon next.  Then strawberries.  Honeydew.  She really didn’t care for pineapple, but she made herself eat a piece of that too.

She’d written down exactly how many pieces of each fruit she had before she’d come in and kept track of what and how much she’d eaten.  A quick glance at the tray and some math later and she figured their guest had had almost all he needed.

Maddie had saved the best for last. She reached for the grape tray.  She’d barely pulled her hand away before a tiny red fist darted out of the nearby blanket pile and grabbed a handful.  Shoving the grape in her mouth didn’t do much to stifle her laughter.

There were so many things that were a mystery about their little guest.  How old he was.  Where he was from.  What had happened to his family.  What had happened to him.  Heck, they still didn’t know his name.

But Maddie had learned a few things.  They never locked him in, but he seemed to know that it was better for him to stay here and recuperate and stayed put.  This wasn’t because he trusted them though.  He always kept out of sight.  He also didn’t eat food until she ate first.  

This had made uncovering his diet tricky.  Especially since his appetite had been very poor those first few days.  Based on the little toddler potty they’d tucked in one corner, he tolerated pretty much anything a human could eat.  Fruit was the most consistently successful.  And even on bad days when he seemed to have no appetite at all, she’d learned she could still get him to eat grapes.

Maddie had also learned that if she sat still and quiet for long enough, curiosity would get the better of her little guest.

A few moments after the last grapes were finished, she became aware of a small presence at her elbow.  She kept him in the corner of her eye, but didn’t look directly at him.  She didn’t know his natural behaviors, but if he stayed out of sight, he probably preferred not to be stared at.  Maddie flipped the pages of her textbook, the little red alien child peering over her arm.

Eventually, he plucked up the courage to speak.  He pointed to a letter on the page.  “What is that?”

“An ‘e’,”  Maddie said.  “‘E’ makes a sound like ‘ee’ or ‘eh’.”

“Ee-eh,” the little alien repeated under his breath.

This was becoming a ritual for them.  Eat together, read, and when he finally got comfortable with her presence, he would ask about what she was reading.  Maddie tried her best to answer as simply as possible.  Their guest was still learning English after all.  If she answered all his questions, he’d reward her with begrudging compliance when it came time to check his bandages.

He didn’t like bandage changes.  He’d almost cried when he first got a glimpse of what was left of his arm.

“All gone!”  He’d said as his breathing sped.  “Gone!”

“I know,” Maddie said sympathetically.  She didn’t know what to say to that.  “I know your arm is gone.  I’m sorry.”

“No,” he moaned.  “No fur.  I have no fur too…”

Oh.  Maddie had looked down at the incision site.  They’d trimmed all the fur off his shoulder and side.  The fur was shaved away from the stitches on his face too, but he couldn’t see that.  She wasn’t a furry little thing herself, but she could imagine if she was, she’d think losing her fur on top of her arm was adding insult to injury.

“The fur will grow back,” she had reassured him.  “You’ll get new fur.”

The child sniffed.  “I have no fur…never before.  You know?  You know I will get new fur?”  He looked up at her imploringly.

“I promise,” she’d pressed a hand over her heart.  “Your fur will grow back.”

Knuckles sniffled again.  Finally he nodded, rubbing his nose with his remaining fist.  He let her re-wrap the injury and took the pain meds… which he also didn’t like, but tolerated if Maddie tucked them into a raspberry first.

There were no tears today, but he still didn’t like the bandage changes.  He sat stiff, quills flared slightly, while Maddie contorted herself around him to get the right angles.  She had to be more gentle than she’d ever been while still tying the bandages tightly.  She didn’t know what he’d do if she actually hurt her, but she could guess the tiny scrap of trust he’d begrudgingly given her would be put to the test.

If he hadn’t already tore his stitches once before, they’d probably forgo the bandages entirely.  Better to keep the stitches covered with frequent bandage changes than deal with that disaster again.

Maddie cut away the wrapping and checked that the skin beneath wasn’t showing signs of infection.  She was pleased to see no swelling or redness.  There was a little bump where Maddie had to do the emergency second set of stitches, but that was looking better too.  Throughout her exam, the little guy watched her like a hawk.

She offered his painkillers to him in the usual way, tucked in a raspberry.  That had been a hard negotiation.  Their guest would rather be in pain than trust them, but Maddie had managed to win this particular battle… with gifts.

The ISO room would be hideously boring to an adult, to a child it was intolerable.  Maddie had bribed him with all kinds of coloring books, building blocks, and toy tools.  He’d destroyed the beach ball in less than a day, but the basketball was still going.  Today’s reward was a little stuffy.  It was technically a hedgehog, but they’d pretend it was an earth echidna.

Sometimes her guest would pretend to not be interested in her gifts and she’d just find them moved all over the place whenever she visited.  Sometimes he genuinely did not care, like with the little toy cars that were gathering dust in the corner.  But not this time.  This time he stared at the little toy, eyes wide with wonder.  He reached out and poked it with one of his long, dull claws.  When the toy didn’t react, he reached out again.  He ran his whole hand over the toy, letting his palm rub the soft, fluffy material.

Gingerly, he lifted the toy and brought it to his lap.  He traced the doll’s button eyes and squeezed its nose.  He admired its belly and stared hard at the tag sticking out of its butt.  For someone who couldn’t read English, he was very fascinated by it.  Maybe he was trying to identify all the letters he recognized.

Maddie knew it was time to excuse herself when he disappeared.  It was shocking how well he could vanish when he wanted.  She knew he was somewhere under the blankets draped all across the floor and kennel walls, but she couldn’t guess where.  He’d taken the toy with him, that was good enough for her.

She slipped out of the ISO room, fruit tray and textbook once again hidden under her stack of unused PPE.  The clinic was quiet, most of the staff were at lunch or making themselves busy while there weren’t any clients.  She thought she was in the clear.  So she had quite the surprise when she turned and nearly walked into Jade.

“Careful now,” Jade grabbed her stack before Maddie could drop it.

“Sorry!” Maddie adjusted the PPE to hide the tray.  It didn’t really matter of course, no one else was in the treatment area and Jade was in on the secret in the ISO room.

“How’s our patient doing?”  Jade asked casually, glancing around the room.

“He ate well today,” Maddie said with a smile.  There had been a few days there where it was touch and go so it was a relief to get their little guest eating again.  She lowered her voice slightly.  “He took his meds and I changed his bandages–it’s healing well.”

Jade sighed, but she was smiling.  “I’ll take your word for it.  Nobody else can get that close.”

Maddie shrugged and ignored how her cheeks warmed.  She started walking toward the back of the clinic so Jade couldn’t see her face.  “You just have to put in the time.  He’s like a feral cat, you just take it slow and let him get used to you and he settles right down.”  She set the unused PPE on a storage shelf on the back wall and made for the employee’s locker room.

“Yeah…”  Jade followed after her.  Like a serial killer she seemed to step slower but kept perfect stride with Maddie’s hustling footsteps.  “Speaking of settling down.  I just keep wondering where he’s going to go once he doesn’t need to be in there anymore.”

Maddie’s stomach fluttered with nerves.  It always did when she considered the future for their little guest.  There were no perfect answers.  He was a kid and an orphan, so he couldn’t just be released to be out on his own.  He was also an alien so they couldn’t call CPS.  The list of people who knew about him was longer than it had been, but was still pretty limited.  All of them had multiple kids of their own.  Maddie was the only one who didn’t have children.

She shoved the textbook in her locker and turned around to see Jade was staring at her.

“I can’t,” she said.

“Mhm.”  Jade nodded like she thought Maddie had said something genuinely valid, but Maddie could tell she didn’t.

She passed the tech, moving quickly so she wouldn’t be spotted with a giant fruit tray and no explanation.  Long strides carried her to the break room.  Luckily the weather was good enough that everyone on their lunch was taking it outside or in their cars where they could have some time to themselves for a little bit.

“We don’t have time,” Maddie explained.  “I’m in school and Tom’s working three jobs.  We can’t even manage a pet right now, let alone a kid!”  

Jade nodded as she trailed after Maddie.  “Of course.”

She shoved the tray to the very back of the bottom-most shelf and closed the fridge door.  “We don’t have the money,” she said.  “I mean, yeah thanks to Tom I probably won’t have any school debt, and the house is paid off since it was his parents’ but still, kids are expensive!  I mean… we probably won’t have to worry about paying for school or doctor’s appointments since he can’t really do those… but that just opens another can of worms!  Whoever he goes home with will have to teach him and care for his medical needs by themself!”

“I know.”  Jade seemed completely genuine this time.  This was good, it meant Maddie was reaching her.  Now she just had to drive it home:

“And we weren’t really planning on having kids.  I’m not sure we’re equipped to handle it.  And he’s not a normal kid either, he’s got physical and mental trauma–I don’t think a first time parent would be the best fit for him, you know?”  She felt she’d made a really good point with that last one.  It was the thing that worried her most: being out of her depth handling someone else’s mental health, especially a child’s.  She looked to Jade, willing her to understand.

“I understand,” Jade said, voice soft with sympathy.  Then she cocked her head slightly.  A soft smile found her lips.  “So are you coming back later tonight?

Maddie allowed the shift in topic.  “Yes, I’m sneaking back in after the front desk closes.”  Together they strode out of the break room.  Maddie lead the way to the nearest computer station.

“Staying the night again?”  Jade asked.

“Yeah.”  Maddie wiggled the mouse and the dark screen lit up.

“Doesn’t Tom miss you?”

“Oh, he’s… well, he usually comes too.  When he doesn’t have work.”  Maddie brushed hair behind her ear and pulled up her timeclock.  “I’ve got a test this week so I’ll be studying.”

“And you can’t do that at home?”

“I mean obviously I can but… I just hate him being here all alone, you know?”  She typed in her password and clocked in.

“Mhm.”

She turned back to her companion, leaning against the table.  “I just figure it must be hard, being a little kid in that dark room all night long with nobody even in the building.”

“Of course.”

“And Tom picked up some board books from the library.  He always seems fascinated by what I’m reading but it’s way too advanced.  We thought he might like if we could get him started on something more at his level.  Plus, wherever he ends up, knowing how to speak and read English better will probably come in handy.  you know?”

“I know.”

“But it won’t be with us,” she felt the need to remind Jade of this.  “He needs someone who’s better equipped to raise him.  Someone who can earn his trust and give him the attention he needs.”

Jade nodded sagely and smiled.  “I understand.”

[niyana-the-ambiguous-mobian]

I think we're all forgetting to ask the most important question about Sonic 3 here....

Where's Ozzie, and will we be able to see him pull off his marvelous disappearing-randomly reappearing trick he's done during the first two films?

He's just a dog, but he is THE dog. Love that doggo to bits

[butterflyscribbles]

I wonder how parental Ozzy feels about Tails in particular since he's technically also a dog

It’s funny you mention them bc I think Tails and Ozzy would be absolute besties fr. Not necessarily parental….but definitely protective🧡

[piko-rose]

This face never fails to kill me istg XDD

New Sonic Movie Ad! Watch out for spoilers!

[lexxicona]

Sometimes family is you, your wife, your three adopted alien kids, your sister-in-law, your niece, your G.U.N agent brother-in-law, your unnamed brothers, and your golden retriever Ozzie.