#pickle chips

[fieriframes]

[TOP IT WITH A COUPLE OF PIECES OF SLICED BACON. SMOKED CHEDDAR CHEESE. SLIDE THIS RIGHT IN THE OVEN AND ANGEL CRIES, ‘LET ME GO, LET ME GO.’ WE DON’T LISTEN. SHREDDED LETTUCE. ROMA TOMATOES. PICKLE CHIPS AND SLICED ONIONS, REAL THIN, SO THAT WHEN YOU PUT THE BURGER ON, IT ALMOST COOKS THE ONIONS--]

[rubys-kitchen]

Potato Salad With Tartar Sauce and Fresh Herbs

Original recipe’s link

Instructions

2 lb small (2- to 3-inch-long) red potatoes, scrubbed

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup minced bread and butter pickle chips, plus 5 tablespoons brine

(opt.) 2 tbsp minced, drained jarred capers

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp lemon juice

kosher salt

3 tbsp olive oil

Torn fresh parsley and dill, for garnish

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high. Add the potatoes and cook until tender when speared with a fork, about 10 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a large colander to drain and cool.

2. While the potatoes cook, prepare the tartar sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, minced pickles, 2 tbsp pickle brine, minced capers, garlic clove, and lemon juice. Season with salt; set aside.

3. Once cool enough to handle, slice the cooked potatoes crosswise into 1-centimeter thick rounds. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl.

4. Drizzle with the olive oil and the remaining 3 tbsp pickle brine. Toss to coat.

5. Add in the mayo mixture and toss to coat. Garnish with parsley and dill weed

[paulpingminho]

[itsblazedragon]

puts an entire bowl of pickles onto the dash for fun.

[everybody-loves-to-eat]

[futuristichedge]

Misc Werehog magma doodles

[donelywell]

SPAGONIA October 2

> Tornado Defense Act 1 

(Use the joystick to move the Tornado-1 to targeted spots on the Egg Cauldron where Tails is automatically firing, meanwhile use the Square or Circle button [ps3 version] to have Knuckles and Sonic knock away Missiles.)

As the trio fly overhead towards Spagonia, they’re suddenly ambushed by Eggman on his Egg Cauldron.

Once they reach Spagonia, they bolt over to the university. Tails opens the door to the Professor's room, and pauses at the scattered paper and books all across the floor. With a human male hiding behind a tipped over table. He pokes his head out and sighs of relief seeing Tails, the human turns out to be the Professor’s Assistant. 

The Assistant explains that the Professor has been kidnapped by Eggman a few days before the Earthquake. Sonic and Knuckles look pissed, while Tails and Chip are concerned. Tails is worried for the Professor’s safety (and wasting time getting to Spagonia just to find out he’s been kidnapped), while Chip is terrified that he’s starving to death. Tails reassures Chip that even Eggman isn’t cruel enough to not feed his prisoners.

The Assistant says that they can stay in a dorm room at the University for the night so they can fly out to save the Professor tomorrow morning, but Sonic (finally out of his raging ramble about Eggman) sighs and predicts that Eggman is about to move the Professor somewhere else. He ambushed them getting here, so he’s gotta know that they’re looking for him now. If they don’t find him by the end of tonight, they might never get him.

The 4 head outside of the University to ask the civilians if they might know where Eggman took the Professor. Sonic got distracted when he came across a candy shop, deciding to restock Tails’ constantly dwindling pile of mints. He also spots some Chocolate Bars, and buys a few to see if Chip would like them.

As predicted, the little fairy loved it.

Knuckles finds intel that someone heard a radio from one of Eggman's Badniks that he was going to Mazuri. So after everyone picked up a quick sandwich for dinner, they hopped onto the Tornado-1 to fly over to Mazuri.

MAZURI October 2-3

While flying out to Mazuri, Tails attempts to apologize to Sonic for wasting time, but Sonic simply wasn’t having it. Pointing out that this is Eggman’s fault, Tails didn’t know there was something Gaia related, and he didn’t know that the Professor got kidnapped. Tails thinks to himself that he’s the smart one, he’s supposed to know everything for the team, but just agrees to not upset Sonic anymore.

They had to make a quick landing just a town over to the very obvious base Eggman has built so that Sonic can change form without the fear of him accidentally falling off the plane.

Sonic nervously waits for Knuckles’ reaction, but he just asks if Sonic’s hurt. He signs ‘no’ and they continue on their journey on foot. Knuckles does have many questions, but they have a time sensitive mission at stake and questions can be put on hold until then.

>Mazuri Night Act 1

(Basically exactly how the original game went down, but Tails and Knuckles are there to help you fight now. Knuckles is a good hitter for the base enemies and grabs their attention away from Sonic while Tails does chip damage and hits arial enemies. There is plenty of dialogue in the level.) Through the dialogue, Sonic begins to slowly warm up to the idea of the werewolf form (they're still debating on what to call it) while Tails tries to lift his mood.

Once they make it to Professor Pickles prison, he starts a long monologue about how bad Eggman makes his Cucumber Sandwiches. Knuckles comments about how bland it sounds and the two quilled brothers talk about how they’d improve the sandwich while Tails flies over to help the Professor get out, muttering to Chip that it’s an acquired taste, but he does add that he throws a little bit of mint to his sandwich whenever the Professor doesn’t look.

After the Professor is saved, Knuckles ends up having to stop him from storming up to the Mad Doctor himself to say a few words about his culinary catastrophe.

Meanwhile, Sonic gets the map from the vault, knowing that if Eggman has anything locked away that it must be important.

Now that the Professor is saved and that they’re heading back to the University, Knuckles feels that he can finally ask the questions that have been plaguing his mind. Pretty much every single question is Dungeons and Dragons related, but a few are about how strong Sonic is now. In short, it was a long flight back to Spagonia for the speedster.

SPAGONIA October 3

Finally back at the University with the Professor and Gaia Manuscripts in hand, the group head over to Professor Pickles Office to get as much information from him as possible (and enjoy some tea).

The Professor tells of a repeated legend that has been going on since the planet was born. That there is an entity in the planet's core that has caused all of the monsters to show up and the planet splitting apart.

Tails is keeping note and asking questions such as ‘How do we put the planet back together?’ and ‘Do you think this could be connected to why Sonic changes into this form every night?’ 

The Professor then tells about the mythical ‘Temples of Gaia’ which used to house the Chaos Emeralds thousands of years ago. He points at a part of the scripture and says that it tells of a being that traveled to each Temple and restored the planet's pieces.

He claims that he has managed to translate and spot one of the Gaia locations, but still has yet to decipher the rest. The Professor then turns to a map on his wall and points at a pinned location. Tails and Sonic immediately realize that it’s ‘Mazuri’.

Before the duo could high-tail it back to the Tornado, they’re stopped by Knuckles and Chip at the door, demanding that they get some rest. Knuckles reminds everyone that the Assistant gave them all a dorm room to rest up in, and they have all deserved a rest after today.

So after they wash up (with Sonic promising he’ll do it in the morning when he knows he won’t clog up the drains), they all get comfortable on the bed and rest. It seems that the Assistant gave them a room fit for Mobian sized well… Mobians. So it became a tight fit with Sonic taking up extra space. He suggested that he could just sleep on the floor, but Knuckles immediately sits down next to him with Tails by his side. So no escape, huh.

With Sonic being slightly more comfortable with his nightly form (aka feeling like he might not immediately harm someone by accident), he’s a little more okay with Tails being closer. But he still makes sure to keep his mouth firmly shut and his hands far away from the others.

Angel Island

[luckyshinyhunter]

💚🍎🚜Can you guess who's my favorite bcg character?🚜🍎💚

[phonification]

big ol doodle dump of various hypothetical ii fankids ...

[unawakened-dragon]

Here’s a tierlist of what I have watched within the Disney TVA series, for real this time.

[darks-arts]

Happy March 10th! ! ... What do you mean its 4/13!?!

[rubys-kitchen]

Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

Chef’s Note: It tastes like cheeseburger! Tomatoes add some refreshment (cause it is kinda thick). And the shredded lettuce doesn't taste disgusting. Pickles add a nice crunch and salt. 

Original recipe’s link

Makes: ~ 2 quart

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 large yellow onion, chopped (~ 3 cup)

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

4 oz Velveeta

2 cups shredded lettuce

2 medium tomatoes, chopped (~2 cup)

(opt.) 6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

(opt.) Pickle chips

Instructions

0. Cook bacon in whatever manner you prefer

1. In a large skillet, cook beef with onion over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes, breaking beef into crumbles; drain.

2. Stir in flour.

3. Stir in broth and evaporated milk. heat to boiling.

4. Turn heat to low. Cook, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes, or until flavors have blended.

5. Stir in cheeses until melted.

6. Stir in tomato, (bacon and lettuce)

7. Top servings with lettuce, tomato, and crumbled bacon (and optionally pickle chips).

[tenebraevesper]

With Light In My Heart, Entry 5: Shattered Worlds and Storybook Adventures

''This is my escape! I'm running through this world and I'm not looking back! 'Cause I know I can go where no one's ever gone and I'm not looking back! But how will I know when I get there? And how will I know when to leave? We've all gotta start from somewhere and it's right there for me, the possibilities are never ending! I see it, I see it, and now it's all within my reach! (Endless possibility!) I see it, I see it now, it's always been inside of me! (And now I feel so free!) Endless possibility!''

…

''Like the sun (the sun) , I run (I run) into the heat of day! Like a knight (like a knight) , I'll fight (I'll fight) until the fight is won! In a rage (s rage) , I'll save (I'll save) each and every, each and every, each and every one until this war is won! And I live to rule by the sword, slashing through the every inch of the power, the power in you! As I sit, as I stand by the table, I command my kingdom! I'm the Knight of the Wind!''

– Endless Possibility by Sonic Unleashed (NateWantsToBattle Cover) & Knight of The Wind by Sonic and The Black Knight (NateWantsToBattle Cover)

xXxXxXx

There was a sudden flash of light, with two hedgehogs emerging from it on the street, much to a few passersby's surprise. Shadow put the Chaos Emerald back in his quills, taking note of them being in the middle of a city, the architecture being dominated by building like apartments, shops and cathedrals. The streets were cobblestone-laid, with bushes and trees planted alongside the paths. Overall, the city had a rather old and archaic, but culturally rich feeling to it.

''I love that Old World charm,'' Sonic said, happy that he and Shadow finally made it to Spagonia and excited to show his rival, who was already looking around and taking in all of the city's architecture, all the sights he knew about.

Shadow was intrigued when Sonic suggested that they visit Spagonia. He couldn't recall ever visiting it, so this was a new experience for him. He had been told by Maria that she and her family did visit Spagonia before she got sick and that she liked the food there. His expression fell as he remembered their conversation, falling silent.

''Hey, Shadow, where do you- huh?'' Sonic's bright smile disappeared in an instant when he saw Shadow's somber expression. Sonic stared at his rival, his ears pinned down. ''Shadow….''

The dark hedgehog didn't appear to hear him, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. After learning about Black Doom's return, Shadow had focused completely on destroying him before he could fulfill his plans, but that didn't mean that he didn't take short breaks in-between missions to talk to the other people stuck in the White Space, mainly Maria and Professor Gerald Robotnik. However, looking back, he wished he could talk longer to them, especially Maria and hear more about her experiences and desires. He had his chance and he made the most of it. He couldn't go back to the past anymore, not when he promised to himself that he would move on.

He steadied himself, trying to push away this sense of longing and telling himself that he should use this precious memory and perhaps try to experience what Maria experienced. Even if she wasn't with him, she still roamed through all of those streets and visited the city's shops and restaurants, so he could try to honor her memory that way. They may not be able to experience this together, but he knew that she would approve of this decision.

''Shadow? You okay, buddy?''

Shadow turned to Sonic, who gave him a look of concern. ''I am. We should go.''

''Okay, then… Let's see,'' Sonic hummed as he thought about all the landmarks Spagonia offered. ''To think about it, the last time I've been here was to show Blaze around. Now, where to go first…''

''Do you know any good restaurants?'' Shadow asked, his question surprising Sonic. The cobalt hedgehog then beamed.

''Of course I know! I'll take you to the best one in the city,'' Sonic said, turning on his heel. ''Follow me!''

''Is it a chili dog stand?'' Shadow asked, arms folded across his chest. Sonic nearly stumbled over his own feet.

''N-No, it's not!'' he responded in a somewhat annoyed tone. Admittedly, while he knew exactly where to find the best chili dogs, he wasn't going to lead Shadow to those. Well, maybe later, but that wasn't the point. His annoyance turned to exasperation and slight amusement when he saw a teasing smirk on Shadow's lips. The dark hedgehog knew him too well and he clearly enjoyed seeing Sonic so flustered. ''You'll be eating some local cuisine. This way!''

He disappeared in a flash of blue, with Shadow closely following him. Despite the sense of tension he felt earlier, he allowed himself to relax and just take in the sights.

xXx

Sonic was excited when Shadow took initiative by asking him about the restaurants, making sure to show him every location he knew about or had visited previously, with the two ending up having lunch together. He was pleased to see that Shadow enjoyed the taste of the food, even with his usual serious look. Sonic kept them occupied by talking about the other landmarks that he wanted to show to Shadow.

''We should also visit Spagonia University. I've been there with Tails and Chip to ask Professor Pickle for help when Dark Gaia…'' Sonic trailed off when he saw Shadow raising an eyebrow. It appeared that this was an event the latter remembered well. ''Speaking of which, I don't remember seeing you anywhere. What have you been doing when Dark Gaia had been unleashed?''

''I've been fighting the Dark Gaia monsters just like you. However, I believe the reason that we've never come across each other was because I've been stuck on one continental landmass and I had no Chaos Emerald that would allow me to Chaos Control to another location,'' Shadow explained, narrowing his eyes. ''I assume that's because a certain someone took all of them.''

Sonic froze, giving Shadow an sheepish smile, knowing well that he had been caught. ''Well, I had to use them to go stop Eggman's newest weapon.''

''But, you didn't succeed,'' Shadow stated the obvious in a deadpan tone. Sonic's ears were pinned back and he didn't respond, with Shadow continuing. ''Considering how his weapon managed to destroy the Earth's surface, I assume he used the Chaos Emeralds to power it up.'' Shadow leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. ''He lured you into a trap.''

''Heh… Maybe you're right, but that didn't stop me from defeating Eggman and Dark Gaia,'' Sonic said, deciding to not tell Shadow that he was also in his Super Form when Eggman caught him. He knew that he wouldn't hear the end of it if his rival knew about it. After all, Shadow was observant and smart enough to figure most things out of the clues left behind. Sonic had to admit that it was quite admirable.

''Of course not. I don't believe that even death could stop you from saving the world…'' Shadow trailed off, only to furrow a brow when Sonic gave him a sheepish look. He sighed, resuming in a deadpan tone, ''I believe that you want to tell me that had happened at some point.''

''Actually, I'm not sure about it. I mean, I have a vague feeling that something like that may have happened at some point, but I don't really remember anything,'' Sonic explained, only to shrug.

''That's another point to add to my list of reasons why I should keep an eye on you,'' Shadow told him in a dry tone, while Sonic just gave him a cheeky smile.

''Says the guy who also almost died while trying to save the world,'' Sonic responded, only to fall silent for a moment. Shadow tilted his head, noting a subtle change in Sonic's expression, as if he was remembering something unpleasant, something that brought him great pain, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. Instead, Sonic just continued in his typical carefree tone. ''What actually happened with Dark Gaia was that I got a transformation that gave me new powers.'' He had to chuckle at Shadow's expression, who wasn't even anymore surprised to hear something like that happen to Sonic. ''I became the Werehog and traded my speed for strength and stretchy limbs. It was really cool once I got used to that form, especially since the transformation only happened at night. If I remember correctly, it had to do something with Dark Gaia and the dark energy it released, which was also what kept people going bonkers.''

''I remember that. I had no idea why everyone was going berserk until Rouge gave me some intel about Dark Gaia,'' Shadow replied. At first, he believed that the people were just irritable and afraid because of the ongoing crisis, but he soon learned that the dark energy and the minions created by Dark Gaia were responsible for that behavior. He made sure to avoid getting exposed to it, but it wasn't easy. ''What about you? Since the Werehog seems to be another consequence of Dark Gaia's power, it should've been hard for you to control that form.''

''Actually, I didn't have much of a problem with it,'' Sonic replied. ''I wasn't sure why, and I thought it as because of Chip's presence, but he told me that it was my own will that kept me pure, even with the Werehog condition.''

''That makes sense,'' Shadow commented. ''At this point, it might be outright impossible to corrupt you in any way.''

''Heh, I like the confidence, but I'm still just a guy who likes to run around and beat up people who cause trouble. The way you're describing me sounds like I'm some kind of being with special powers that keep me pure,'' Sonic said, rubbing his nose and giving Shadow a bashful look.

''I'm simply pointing out the obvious,'' Shadow replied in a matter-of-fact tone, only to raise an eyebrow. ''Also, since when were you the type to downplay your accomplishments?''

''I don't think that this is such a big deal,'' Sonic replied, only to give Shadow a cocky smirk. ''But, I would never downplay my superiority when it comes to beating you in a race or a battle.''

Shadow snorted, looking rather amused by the response. Or rather, it was something he had expected to hear from Sonic. Nevertheless, there was still one more question on his mind that kept him occupied. ''Who is Chip? You keep mentioning him.''

''Oh, I guess I forgot to mention. Chip was a friend I met right after I became the Werehog. He actually had no memories of who he was, so I named him Chip and agreed to help him recover his memories. We later found out that he was actually Light Gaia and once we defeated Dark Gaia, he had to leave, getting sealed back within Earth together with Dark Gaia,'' Sonic explained, a fond smile forming on his lips as he recalled his adventure with Chip. ''He did leave his necklace behind for me as a gift and I still have it. He also promised me that he would never forget me and be always part of the earth I tread on.''

Both of them fell silent, with Shadow thinking about what Sonic had told him. It must've been hard for the hedgehog to say goodbye to a new friend, especially if the departure happened abruptly, which Shadow assumed it did. His rival was easily capable of making friends left and right, whether they were allies or enemies, but he had to wonder how he felt never being able to seeing them again. Shadow personally knew how much it hurt being forcibly torn away from the people he cared about without even giving him time to process his own feelings on the matter. In fact, it still hurt like hell every time he thought about it, but at this point he knew better than to push them away.

Shadow knew that, if he continued to act like that, they would just break through, flooding his mind and breaking his will. Unlike Sonic, it was much easier to corrupt him whenever he gave into his own dark desires, just as Black Doom had proven him during their last encounter. Even if there wasn't someone capable of corrupting him, he would still get overwhelmed by his negative emotions and choose a path that would put the people around him in danger, which was what had happened during the Metal Virus Incident. He may have been the Ultimate Lifeform, but could he really wield such title if he could easily get corrupted.

A shadow fell over his expression as another thought intruded his mind, that of him being not only created as a cure, but also as a weapon. It was possible that this was the reason why he could be so easily corrupted in comparison to Sonic, especially when he considered the fact that the two people who had a hand in him almost destroying the world were his own creators – Prof. Gerald Robotnik and Black Doom. After all, Black Doom even stated that he was created to be a warrior of destruction, and while Shadow responded that he would only destroy Black Doom, he knew that his words were still true. He had access to a power that could not only annihilate this planet, but even the universe, and if he ever decided to fully embrace that corruption. If that ever happened, Dr. Eggman and Infinite taking over Earth would be nothing in comparison to what Shadow was capable of doing.

Deep inside, Shadow sincerely hoped that he would never be brought to that point, and even if he did, that Sonic would be there to stop him for good.

''Shadow?'' Shadow lifted his head, only to see Sonic giving him a look of concern. ''Are you okay?''

''I'll be fine. I was just thinking about something,'' Shadow muttered. He knew that acting as if he wasn't affected by any of this would do him no good, but he didn't really want to talk to Sonic about it, at least not yet.

''I hope what you were thinking about was which flavour of your ice-cream sundae you want to choose,'' Sonic said in a chipper tone, his cheerfulness being quite infectious. ''Because that's where I'm taking you next. Or if you don't like ice-cream, we could get a dessert you like.''

''I'd prefer tiramisu over ice-cream, but I wouldn't mind the latter,'' Shadow replied.

''We could get both,'' Sonic said as he stood up, having finished his lunch, with Shadow joining him. ''I know exactly the place. Com'n!''

Shadow followed the eager hedgehog, feeling a sense of relief that Sonic didn't further question him about what he was going through. He hated being put on the spot and trying to explain himself, preferring to do it on his own terms, which was usually never. However, he did consider opening up to Sonic about the issue, especially since they did manage to have a productive conversation earlier. He knew that he needed Sonic to know about this possibility and to prepare him for when, not if, it happens.

xXx

Sonic hummed contently as he ate his ice-cream, while next to him, Shadow was eating the tiramisu he had bought at a cake shop. Both of them were sitting on a bench, admiring the view of the city's architecture. ''Over there is the Spagonia University. Once we're done, we can go visit it.''

''Are they really going to let us in?'' Shadow asked curiously. Sonic shrugged.

''I dunno. I guess they will,'' he replied in a carefree tone, with Shadow sighing in exasperation. Sonic grinned, focusing back on his ice-cream. Frankly, he had been enjoying himself so far, getting to visit all kinds of places in Spagonia together with Shadow. Not only that, but he had taken note of Shadow being much more interested in this trip, even if he never told him about his reasons. It didn't matter to Sonic, since he wanted his rival to have fun on this trip as much as possible before he returned back to his grumpy old self. Sonic cared about Shadow either way, but seeing him being happy and content for once was always a special treat.

Once they were done, Sonic led Shadow to the Spagonia University, both of them spotting many students and visitors coming in and out of the institute, including one old man Sonic was all too familiar with, currently struggling with carrying a stack of books.

''Hello, Professor Pickle! Nice to see you again!'' Sonic waved, with the old scholar perking up when he saw a familiar face.

''My, my, Sonic the Hedgehog! You came just in time. Could you please help me with all of these books? I need to bring them to the library,'' Prof. Pickle asked politely, with Sonic grabbing the large stack of books and dividing it between himself and Shadow. ''How is your friend, Tails? I haven't seen him for a while.''

''Oh, Tails is on a journey,'' Sonic replied, with the the two hedgehogs following the elderly man into the building.

''I see.'' Prof. Pickle's attention turned to Shadow. ''Who is your friend?''

''This is Shadow the Hedgehog, my rival,'' Sonic introduced the dark hedgehog, turning to Shadow. ''Shadow, this is Professor Pickle. He is an expert in ancient literature and sandwiches.''

''Sandwiches?'' Shadow gave him a confused look, only to realize a moment later that this was a sign for Prof. Pickle to go on a rant.

''Indeed I am! I have not only tried every kind of sandwich available, but also came up with my own culinary concoctions. I cherish my cucumber sandwiches, but just the other day, I have tried a sandwich with a pizza crust-like bread with soppressata, salami, a few cubes of cheese and a crisp crunch of lettuce, onions and tomatoes. It was quite delicious, but I wish they added cucumber to it. Definitely better than the sandwiches I tried at the conference a month ago. I'm telling you, that one was too sloppy made. The bread was too thickly sliced and the vegetables were too mushy…'' Prof. Pickle kept ranting as he led the two hedgehogs through the hallways towards the library. Shadow was completely exasperated, tuning the old man's rantings out at some point as he wasn't here to listen to what was basically How To Make a Perfect Sandwich 101. He glanced at Sonic, who didn't pay too much attention either, but looked quite amused about this whole thing. It was obvious that he was already used to it. Fortunately, they managed to arrive to the library after a few minutes of walking.

''…and that's why you need to need to be careful how much of pepper you use. That sandwich was only good for burning my mouth,'' Prof. Pickle ended his rant as the hedgehogs placed the books at the reception desk, with the librarian thanking them, as well as giving them a look of pity when she realized that the scholar roped them into one of his sandwich conversations.

''We'll keep that in mind,'' Sonic said, with the old man nodding.

''I'm sorry, but I haven't even asked why you're here,'' Prof. Pickle noted.

''I was showing Shadow around Spagonia and the university was one of the places we wanted to visit,'' Sonic explained.

''Is that so? Well, if you're ever interested in ancient scripts and lore, you can always ask me for help. I'd gladly tell you everything over a plate of cucumber sandwiches,'' Prof. Pickle said. Shadow just nodded politely. ''I need to return to my office now. Please, excuse me.''

As the scholar left, Sonic and Shadow exchanged glances, with Shadow commenting, ''He's quite… eccentric.''

''He's good at what he's doing and he helped me, Tails and Chip a lot during the whole Dark Gaia crisis,'' Sonic replied, then turning his attention to the rows and rows of shelves and books. ''Speaking of which, didn't we also agree to visit a library?''

''We did.''

''Great! Because I know exactly which books we could read,'' Sonic replied, beckoning to Shadow to follow him. The two were walking between the rows of shelves, reading the signs that informed them in which section they were. It took a while, since they weren't too familiar with the layout of the place, but Sonic eventually managed to locate two books, showing them to Shadow.

''1001 Nights and King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table,'' Shadow read the titles, glancing back at Sonic. ''Those are the books you wanted me to read?''

''Yeah! Well, either read them or get transported into them by Shahra or Merlina to go on an adventure,'' Sonic explained, only to take note of Shadow's puzzled look. He rubbed the back of his head, giving him a nervous laugh. ''Heh, I guess I should explain that one in more detail.''

Both went to the reading section of the library, sitting on the cushy armchairs, with Sonic dragging his next to Shadow so they both could read the books together, as well as talk without bothering other visitors.

''So, what did you do this time to get yourself into trouble?'' Shadow asked.

''First of all, I didn't do anything. In my first adventure, a genie named Shahra appeared to ask me for help because an evil genie named Erazor Djinn wanted to destroy not only the world of 1001 Nights by making it disappear, but also do the same to the real world. I tried to stop him, but he then shot me in the chest with a flaming arrow that would kill me if I didn't find the seven World Rings…'' Sonic trailed off when Shadow gave him a stunned look the moment he mentioned the arrow, only to quickly added. ''But, as you can see, I managed to defeat him. Oh, and I also met Ali Baba, Sinbad and King Shahryar, who for some reason looked like Tails, Knuckles and Eggman.''

''I wonder if there is a reason why the characters from a storybook looked like people you knew,'' Shadow mused. Sonic shrugged.

''Beats me, but it was weird having to save the life of someone who looked like Eggman after Erazor Djinn tried to assassinate him. In fact, King Shahryar had just as a nasty personality as Eggman, albeit without the whole murderous robots thing,'' Sonic replied, then smiled. ''Ali Baba and Sinbad were much more fun to hang out with. Not to mention, that wasn't the last time I saw a storybook counterpart of either of them.'' Sonic then tapped on the King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table book. ''For this one, I was actually supposed to meet up with Amy for a date when Merlina, a young wizard of the royal court, suddenly summoned me to defeat an evil version of King Arthur, who had become corrupted because of the magic of Excalibur's scabbard. After I pulled out the sword Caliburn out of stone, we set to off to see Nimue, since she was supposed to know how to defeat King Arthur.'' Sonic narrowed his eyes, sighing. ''Caliburn could be a bit handful, and we had a rocky start, with him calling me knave and a fool, and constantly doubting my skills…'' He took note of the amused smile on Shadow's lips, deciding not to comment on the fact that the dark hedgehog agreed with the talking sword. ''But we eventually became friends, and we both learned a lot from each other. It is also thanks to him that I met the Blacksmith, or rather, Tails' counterpart in that world. Also, Nimue was a more serene, wise and composed Amy, and she told me that she would help me if I became a true knight by completing three tests, which I obviously did.''

''I would've been quite disappointed to hear that you had actually failed,'' Shadow said in a serious tone.

''Thanks for the encouragement, Shadow,'' Sonic replied in a sarcastic tone, even though he knew that this was Shadow's way of supporting him. He then perked up ''In any case, I got the title 'Knight of the Wind' and was confronted by King Arthur's knights, those being Sir Lancelot, Sir Gawain and Sir Percival. Gawain looked just like Knuckles and Percival looked like Blaze, so guess who resembles Lancelot.''

Sonic gave Shadow a knowing smile, waiting for a response, only for the dark hedgehog to give him a solemn stare.

''Silver?''

''What? No. That was Sir Galahad.''

''Jet?''

''Nope. That's Sir Lamorak,'' Sonic responded in an exasperated tone, wondering if Shadow really had no clue, or if he was just messing with him. To his annoyance, it was the latter. ''Seriously, the dude called himself The Ultimate Knight. That should ring a bell.''

''That sounds like a fitting title,'' Shadow said with an arrogant smile, confirming Sonic's assumptions.

''Yeah, and he was just as brooding and arrogant as you can be,'' Sonic said, only to smirk. ''That's why I defeated him during our first encounter, because he got careless.'' Shadow furrowed a brow, with Sonic continuing, ''After I defeated all the knights and took their Sacred Swords, I ended up fighting King Arthur, who turned out to be an illusion created by Merlina, who actually wanted to use Excalibur's scabbard to rule the kingdom. I ended up teaming up with Lancelot, Gawain and Percival to use the Sacred Swords to put up a barrier to protect the kingdom and then confronted Merlina. She had told me that she wanted to preserve the kingdom as it is, forever, because she knew that it would eventually fall.''

''So, you were willing to let a kingdom fall into ruin instead of allowing it to be preserved?'' Shadow asked, but his tone of voice showed no accusation, just mild curiosity.

''Shadow, I know what it sounds like, but keeping Camelot and its people in an eternal stasis of darkness wasn't right. Merlina was risking everyone's lives so she could escape her own sorrow. Besides, every story has its end, no matter how sad it is. Still, one shouldn't just sit there and waste their precious time. When you want to do something, do it right away. Do it when you can. It's the only way to live a life without regrets,'' Sonic responded, his tone slightly serious, only to turn gentle. ''That's what I had told Merlina after I had defeated her, and she understood. I think she always knew that she would hurt many people if she went through with her plan, but still did it because of her own despair.''

''I understand what you mean,'' Shadow said in a quiet tone, recalling his own despair when the White Space started to vanish alongside Maria and Prof. Gerald Robotnik. ''I also had once a choice in whether I would preserve someone I cared about in a timeless stasis or let go of them… and I went with the latter. As you had mentioned it earlier, every story has its end.''

''Shadow…'' Despite keeping his tone as neutral as possible, Sonic knew that Shadow was in great emotional pain, and while he didn't know who this 'someone' was, he had his assumptions. ''You know, just because a story has its end, it doesn't mean that it's the end of the whole adventure. You can always start a new story.''

Shadow nodded firmly, and Sonic felt happy to see him cheer up a little. He then added, ''Oh, and before I forget- It turns out that Caliburn was Excalibur all along and he told me that I was the true King Arthur and ruler of Camelot.''

''…What?'' Sonic almost laughed at Shadow's flat response, the latter being stunned to hear that one. The dark hedgehog shook his head. ''What was that sword thinking?''

''I guess it was because I saved everyone and proved myself as the Knight of the Wind? Not to mention, it seemed like everyone forgot that a true knight doesn't just serve just the king, but the people of the kingdom and I had to remind them of that,'' Sonic explained, shrugging. ''Admittedly, I did end up stuck there for a while, mostly to help rebuild the kingdom while insisting that I wasn't going stay and rule it as their king. I also ended up going on a few adventures, mainly with Lancelot, who insisted that as the most loyal knight to the king, he should stick by my side.''

Shadow took note of the fond smile on Sonic's lips, his own gaze falling. ''You miss them, don't you?''

''I do, but I couldn't stay there forever,'' Sonic replied, only for his expression to sour. ''Besides, I had a date with Amy, but when I returned and tried to explain to her what had happened, she took out the Piko Piko Hammer and chased after me because she thought I made that whole thing up. I don't believe we ever went on another date after that.'' He sighed, only to smile in a cheerful manner. ''That's why I'm so glad that you believe me.''

''I have seen you doing many kinds of things that shouldn't be possible, so not taking your word for granted would go against all I know about you,'' Shadow replied, with Sonic feeling relieved, only to get blindsided by the next sentence. ''Should I refer to you from now on as King Arthur? Or maybe King Sonic?''

''Dude, I told you already that I don't want to be a king of anything. I wasn't born to rule, but to go on adventures,'' Sonic responded in an annoyed tone, pouting when Shadow kept that serious look.

''Are you certain, Sire?'' Shadow asked, doing his best not to smile. Typically, Sonic was the one who got on his nerves, so them switching positions was rather amusing, especially since Shadow had finally allowed himself to have some respite. Not to mention, if Sonic claimed that Lancelot, Shadow's counterpart, was his most loyal knight, he could try to get into that role just to mess with Sonic. That and there was a certain tone with which Sonic spoke about Lancelot that Shadow couldn't quite put a finger on. ''Perhaps a proper challenge would help you relieve yourself of your stress.''

''Do you even know how to wield a sword?'' Sonic asked, raising an eyebrow.

''I believe you should question whether you have the skill to defeat me, Knave of the Wind,'' Shadow replied. Sonic snorted, giving Shadow a confident smirk.

''That's Knight of the Wind to you, Shadow,'' Sonic replied, clenching his fist in his resolve as he suddenly stood up, only to blink in surprise. ''Uhhh, where do we even find a pair of swords?''

Shadow just rolled his eyes at his rival once again not thinking ahead, with Sonic giving him a sheepish smile. Obviously, the sword fight wouldn't happen unless they got their hands on them. ''Maybe we should go back to reading. We're at the library, not on a battlefield.''

''Yeah, you're right,'' Sonic chuckled, sitting next to Shadow, who opened the King Arthur book. ''You know, if I ever end up having another Storybook Adventure, I'd love for you to come along.''

Shadow gave him a surprised look, only to see Sonic giving him a fond smile, the kind that warmed his own heart. He then smiled back, turning his attention back to the book. ''Then, you better give me a call if that ever happens.''

''Don't worry, I will.''

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[beepborpdoodledorp]

...so I’ve been going kind of insane the past couple of days.

I got wildchip dads on the brain and they won’t let me go send help

[blasphemlm]

Statistically speaking at least one strawhat pirate is a pickle fiend. You know what I'm talking about, the kinda person who sees a deli dill spear and inhales it like a snake. Wrist deep in the pickle jar at 3 am. "Can I have ur pickle pls" energy at every meal with the blessed delicacy.

Anyways I think it's Robin and in this essay I will-

[philosophical-salad]

Did it for dtiys on insta, but hope I can share it here too. Guys I definitely like young Pickles hair :D. And also darker colour of Nathan's skin. It's good fanon, cause he's partly native American.

Btw, maybe I should post more Nickles?