#the spindash is busted

[violetjosh]

yeah sex is cool and all but have you ever tried speedrunning cyberspace 4-f?

[antirepurp]

thinking about the garbage data in the out of bounds of sonic 1's special stages it is frankly everything to me. you are in a world that twists and turns and is so unlike anything you've ever seen before, the safety of the boundaries keeping you from slipping away. but should you remove a barrier you find yourself exploring that which you're not supposed to see, world created from pieces that weren't designed to be used in such way. the world twists and turns and you are a part of it as much as you are something foreign to the alien masses holding you afloat for the time being. the pieces warp in front of you, become unrecognizable, incomprehensible to you in new and terrifying ways, yet a profuse sense of safety holds you in its arms. the world is foreign but it loves you and you are a part of it, reading the code that makes up that which is it and you. you stare into an abyss of color and it reaches out its hand for you. i need to lie down now

[superscourge]

Resurrected AU Ch. 1: Alliance

(read on AO3 here!) Warnings (for the fic in general, not necessarily this chapter): Graphic depictions of violence, strong language, general mature themes Chapter Summary: Scourge breaks into one of Eggman's bases in search of a secret weapon to defeat Sonic with, but what he ends up finding is much stranger and much scarier than he was expecting. Though…he finds a way to get some use out of it. Notes: it really took me like a thousand years to get this started huh. lol. well i wanted to at least get the first chapter out before the sonic au collision event fully started, so im happy to present the first chapter of resurrected au's fic!! god i hope yall like it LOLLL, this au means a whole lot to me.. it's become my favorite baby i wont lie. i will also admit that im a Little nervous to finally start posting my actual writing for sonic stuff; i'm pretty self-conscious abt it actually lmao. but hopefully yall end up enjoying how i write these guys. please be niceys idk how long it'll take me to dish out the rest of the chapters, but hopefully i can find the time and energy to get them out steadily!! thanks in advance for reading and thank u so much for ur support and enthusiasm <3

--

It’s not every day that you get a juicy piece of info that could very well put the odds in your favor. That’s why Scourge was not gonna waste this opportunity.

He’d gotten word thanks to his incredible sleuthing skills [read: eavesdropping on strangers] that Eggman had a new base in the area and had apparently acquired a very powerful “secret weapon” of some sort. That was all he needed to know before deciding it was time to raid a base. After all, if he found that secret weapon? Sonic was toast.

It took a minute to actually find the damn place, but soon enough, Scourge was skidding to a stop at the treeline before what looked to be a large, dome-shaped structure with the patented Eggman symbol on it (or something that looked like it; Scourge figured it was close enough). He smirked, flipping his shades down over his eyes and speeding off towards the entrance.

As expected, badniks littered the area around the main entrance to the base. They looked a little funny, Scourge noted; they seemed a little more…high-tech than he was used to seeing. But, whatever–he figured it wouldn’t be an issue once they were busted to scraps.

… He did have a little trouble with these bots. Just a little. But it was no biggie, since he ended up finding a way inside before he could be overwhelmed. All’s well that ends well, he supposed.

The inside of this place was…confusing. So many twists and turns, rooms that led into other rooms, platforms that moved in weird directions…

“Doesn’t this place have a map?” Scourge grumbled to himself as he ran through the absolute maze of hallways.

After what seemed like forever, he finally came to what was clearly the main, central chamber of the base. There was a very complicated-looking keypad attached to it. Luckily, Scourge was very good at lockpicking.

Stepping back a bit, he hopped up and curled into a spindash before launching himself at the keypad. It took a bit of work, but before long, the whole thing was smashed to bits with sparks flying everywhere. Just as he’d hoped, the door opened once the keypad was destroyed. With a triumphant snicker, he unfurled and landed back on the floor before confidently waltzing into the chamber.

Inside looked pretty much as he expected it to–tubes and gadgets everywhere, lots of high-tech machinery that did Gaia-knows-what, lots of papers littered about several desks that clearly showed the work of an evil mastermind…

Yeah. Deffo an Egg-base.

“Now, where’s that weapon…” Scourge questioned aloud as he strolled through the room. He pulled out some drawers and rummaged around here and there, but he didn’t really find anything interesting so far. Surely this thing wasn’t hidden that well, right?

Just as he was starting to get frustrated, he came across a huge capsule of some kind right in the middle of the room. Pretty obvious, actually. He wasn’t that observant, but whatever. He raised his shades to where they were resting back in their place on his head before he rubbed his hands together with a huge, toothy grin. “That looks promising.”

Making his way to the door of the capsule, he tried to peek inside through the little window on the front of it. He couldn’t make anything out… He decided to just open it to get a look at what was inside, so he searched around for a switch of some kind that would do that for him. It didn’t take long, thankfully, and he quickly pressed the button down that would activate the door.

Smoke spewed out from the door as it opened, making Scourge cough a bit. He waved his hand to clear some of it out of his way as he impatiently waited for it to dissipate enough for him to see what he was in for.

This had to be some sort of cool gun. He knew it was. Some kinda laser shooter or something. Or maybe a bazooka. Oh–a cannon, even! He dearly hoped it was a cannon, actually. The smoke was almost fully cleared, so he leaned in excitedly to see what was inside…!

… It was…a guy. There was a guy in there.

“What the–?” Scourge furrowed his brow once he got a good look at the contents of the capsule. It was obviously a person–a jackal, it looked like? Definitely not a cannon. Who the hell was this? He looked rough, like he’d really been put through the wringer. His drip was cool, Scourge supposed, and the big, gnarly scar on the guy’s chest was pretty intimidating…

Mine’s still cooler, he thought to himself.

Suddenly, alarms sounded throughout the base. Scourge cursed under his breath as he looked over his shoulder. He turned back to the man in the capsule, making a quick decision–he’d snag him and take him with him. He probably had some idea of where the weapon was, so once he woke up, he’d just beat the information out of him if he wouldn’t give it up willingly.

Grabbing the jackal out of the capsule and slinging him over his shoulder, Scourge finally sped out back through the way he came. He was able to dodge any bots that tried to come after him thanks to his speed, and soon enough, he was outside and running through the trees of Mobius once again.

He ran until forest turned to jungle, and before long he was slowing to a stop once again in a small clearing where bits of light showed through the canopy up above. He rested the other man’s body down on a bed of moss near a small pond, figuring that’d be…somewhat comfortable, and he then took a seat on a fallen tree a few feet away.

It was only a matter of seconds before he began to tap his foot. What was he supposed to do now? Just sit there waiting for this guy to wake up? That could take hours… He didn’t have that kind of patience.

Deciding to take the initiative, Scourge stood and started walking over to the jackal, intending to just…lightly kick him until he woke up, or something. However, he didn’t get the chance.

A low, threatening growl could be heard rumbling from the stranger’s throat. Scourge stopped in his tracks once he heard it, then took a few paces back. How long had he been–?

One yellow eye opened to a squint, scanning the area before landing on Scourge. For some reason, the look the man was giving him made his skin crawl… Not that he was going to let him know that, though.

Instead, Scourge popped the collar of his jacket to regain his composure and puffed out his chest. “Took ya long enough,” he teased right off the bat. “I was startin’ to think you were dead.”

The jackal’s gaze lingered on him coldly for a few moments. However, he looked elsewhere when he began to speak. “... I should have been.”

That…wasn’t the response Scourge was expecting. The way he sank a bit betrayed his confusion. “... Wait, what?”

The man sat up, sort of startling Scourge into taking another step back. As he did so, he fully opened both of his eyes so that he could properly take in his surroundings. He was clearly ignoring the hedgehog beside him as he turned his head away, which didn’t really sit right with Scourge.

“Hey!” he barked. “I’m talkin’ to you!”

Giving no indication that he was listening, the man proceeded to rise to his feet, standing at his full height. Scourge sort of…shrank a little once he saw how actually tall this guy was. He knew jackals were generally bigger than hedgehogs, but this guy…

No, no, it was fine. No need to be afraid. He was still in charge here–this guy just didn’t know it!

With an annoyed sneer, Scourge dared to stomp a little closer. “Listen here, pal. If it weren’t for me, you woulda still been stuck in that base. I went outta my way to rescue you, got it? That means you owe me one. So, I’m gonna tell you how this is gonna go down, and you’re gonna–hrk!”

A clawed hand suddenly gripping his neck caused Scourge’s words to get caught in his throat… At least, that was part of it.

The jackal had snapped his head around to glare murderously at him as he grabbed him, which gave Scourge a very clear view of his face. He could see his one piercing yellow eye staring back at him…and he quickly noticed that the other eye had some kind of rock lodged into its socket. It was an eerie sight, and it definitely sent an intense chill up Scourge’s spine.

“You,” spat the jackal, voice deep and commanding, “do not control me.”

Unable to respond, Scourge just kind of…dangled there, hands gripping the other’s wrist as he kicked his legs a little. The expression he wore was enough of a response, though, so he was released after a moment of struggle. Once he was able to breathe and stand on his own again, he gasped for air and rubbed at his throat with an indignant look.

“What the hell?” he managed to say between coughs. “Who do you think you are, grabbin’ me like that?”

Turning away, the taller man didn’t bother to look at him as he replied. “I am Infinite,” he answered simply.

There was a pause as Scourge seemed to wait for him to say something else. When he didn’t, he furrowed his brow a little. “... Like, that’s your name, or…?”

The man–Infinite, apparently–seemed to hesitate, as if he was surprised that Scourge didn’t recognize him. One of his ears flicked.

“... I suppose enough time has passed that my name is no longer common knowledge,” he mused, half to himself. “Pity. I would have liked to think I made a bigger impact than that.”

Scourge watched as Infinite turned to fully face him again, making him subconsciously take a couple steps back. Man, this guy was kinda scary… Not that he couldn’t take him! He was just giving him the creeps, was all… Cyan eyes flicked to Infinite’s hands as he flexed his fingers.

“I will simply have to remind the world what true fear feels like,” he growled lowly, “and I suppose that starts with you.”

The rock embedded in Infinite’s eye began to glow as he summoned its power, and, to Scourge’s bewilderment, he began to lift off the ground and hover there. It was kind of scary, actually. The guy was floating. What the hell?

Then it hit him. The weapon Eggman had been hoarding wasn’t a gun or a cannon or anything like that. It was Infinite. He obviously held some sort of power that Eggman wanted to weaponize, and that must have been why he’d been locked up in that base… Things started clicking.

Despite Scourge expecting him to do… anything, really…Infinite proceeded to seize up in pain and let out an agonized yell. He suddenly collapsed to the ground, falling to his knees as he held himself up with one hand and gripped his head with the other. “W… What…?!” 

Infinite’s hand moved from his head to his chest where the large scar marked him. When he felt nothing but the scar, he had a look of both anger and confusion on his face, which told Scourge that what just happened clearly wasn’t the plan.

… Interesting.

Scourge stood a little straighter once he was confident that this guy wasn’t about to explode or something, sticking his thumbs into his jacket pockets. “Aaaalright, Criss Angel. If you’re done with all that , I think it’s time we get down to business.”

While Infinite knelt there still trying to figure out what was going on, Scourge began to pace around him in a circle, smirking as he did so. “Look. Like I said before, I rescued you from that base, so you kinda owe me one. But–and hear me out on this one–I’m willin’ to come to a compromise.”

Infinite snapped out of his pained daze long enough to shoot another glare at Scourge as he came around to his front again. “Compromise?” he hissed.

Scourge nodded. “Yeah. So, listen–I didn’t get to introduce myself earlier.” He held up a thumb and pointed it at his own chest, teeth bared in some kind of nasty grin. “Name’s Scourge. If ya haven’t hearda me by now, then you’ve been livin’ under a rock.”

Infinite somehow doubted that this brat had left enough of a mark on the world that anybody off the street would know his name. Still, he let him continue.

“I wanna take out Sonic. I assume you know him, right? Well, I think you’re just the guy who can help me out with that. He’s gotten lucky so far, but I think with you backin’ me up, I’ll be able to finally give ‘em his just desserts.”

The name Sonic caused a spark of recognition to flash over Infinite’s good eye. His breathing began to steady. “... Sonic,” he repeated. “Yes, I am familiar with Sonic .”

The way Infinite said his name let Scourge know that there was some beef there, at least. This worked in his favor. “Good,” he said with a nod. “So we’re on the same page, then.”

He turned on his heel before stopping his walk, facing Infinite to speak to him directly. “Like I said, I want you to help me take him down. Easy, right? In exchange, though… I’ll help you out with whatever you want, too. I dunno if you knew this, but I’m basically just as strong and just as fast as that blue bastard. I could give anybody a run for their money if I felt like it.”

Narrowing his eye skeptically, Infinite mulled this over. He seemed to be recovering from the shock from before, and he stood back up onto his feet. It was evident from how long he took to respond that his mind was…elsewhere.

“... I see.” His tail swished behind him as he thought about his next words. “You are offering to aid me in whatever task I ask of you?”

“Cross my heart.”

Infinite gave a huff before crossing his arms. “... Fine. If you intend to uphold your end of this bargain, then I will do the same.”

Scourge smiled widely, his sharklike teeth almost glistening in what little sunlight was managing to poke through the canopy above them. This idiot. He had no idea that he had every intention of double-crossing him the first chance he got.

He held out his hand for a shake to seal the deal. “Glad to have ya aboard, Infinite.”

Infinite glanced down at the other’s hand before reaching forward and taking it, giving it a single shake. His grip was tight. “Let us make the most out of this partnership, shall we?”

… Infinite was not stupid. He instantly knew that Scourge was going to betray him. That overconfident fool was so transparent it almost made him sick.

But…he could also tell that he had some bite to his bark, even if it was just a little. He was seasoned enough as a soldier that he could see that. That meant he could get some use out of him before he pulled his own betrayal.

He no longer had the Phantom Ruby in his chest, and he was alive, and he had no idea why. If this green idiot could help him figure that out…then he’d play along for as long as he had to.

Either way, he was going to get answers. And once that was done? He was going to rip out Sonic’s miserable little throat.

☆

[nordiccowgirl]

A small thing from the Sonic trailer that I love is how Shadow fights. This is something that I've REALLY started focusing on since Sonic Prime, so I'm going to try to talk about it like I'm not just losing my mind lol.

I noticed in Sonic Prime that they put effort into making Shadow and Sonic look different while fighting. It honestly took until I wrote this whole essay that I never published about Shadow's air shoes and how he clearly uses them to boost his strength - hence why his most well known fighting move in the roundhouse kick. With the air shoes behind it and his natural, unnatural strength, the roundhouse kick would/should KO basically every standard enemy he would come across.

Shadow is a very physical fighter in Sonic Prime.

Yeah, Sonic uses force when destroying robots and things, too, but he clearly relies on his speed and spindash more to propel him through enemies rather than just obliterate them. I noticed this a lot in Sonic Prime and I LOVED it.

I love this move to differentiate them more - I don't think they've really done that in the games since Shadow the Hedgehog (2006) tbh and it was definitely a bummer to get through the Shadow levels in Sonic Forces and basically feel like it was just a Shadow skin over a Sonic level. I really hope that Generations has some Shadow combat abilities and not JUST the Doom Powers lol.

Which leads me to the Sonic 3 Trailer, as all things do today.

Shadow's scenes are very physical in the Sonic 3 trailer. The very first thing he does is bust out of the containment unit (alas I couldn't find a gif of it lol).

And then he goes into the roundhouse kicks (thank you Shadow 2005) and, as I stated above, those kicks pack a PUNCH.

Those soldiers are FLYING across the room lol.

Then there's everything from the First Encounter, starting with snapping Knuckles' wrist like kindling and ending with him rocketing Sonic into the ground in a chokehold.

Again - using his shoes to his advantage in fighting. I love to see it!!

Shadow moves fast and brutally and it takes a lot for Sonic to deal with him. Even in Sonic Prime, when they're not trying to kill each other, fighting Shadow in S1 before the Shatter took all of Sonic's attention. Once Shadow focuses on destroying Sonic in the movie, I expect a LOT of super intense fight scenes like the one we saw in the trailer.

Even Shadows movement in the movie is more physical. Sonic always makes running look effortless:

While Shadow looks like he's putting strength behind his skating:

They did this in Prime, too:

I really hope that we get to see even more of this distinction between the two and if the rumors of more spinoffs are true, I would love to see something like Sonic Prime where they get to work together using their differences, like how they've really pushed the differences between Sonic and Knuckles.

I'm deeply in love with the Paramount Sonic Team and I honestly haven't felt like they've missed (yes, I even loved the Knuckles show). I'm so happy to see all of these parallels in the trailer and I can't WAIT to see how it all comes together in the movie!

[the-starlight-project]

On page 14, "Shadow" says "I know they said you were a method actor, but..." which sounds more to me like someone who isn't very familiar with Nicky, like they've just met recently. Has Nicky just recently taken over the role of Sonic or something? That line doesn't sound like it would come from someone who had known Nicky for 19 years.

I'm wondering if there's something going on in Nicky's life off set that he's suppressing, intentionally living in this fictional world to escape it all. Or maybe there's someone in the "real world" who has done this to Nicky intentionally. Was "Shadow" told that Nicky was a method actor because someone involved in the whole process made Nicky think everything was real? And they told "Shadow" that Nicky was a method actor to try to keep him from questioning anything weird Nicky said or did?

That doesn't explain the glowing eyes or the spindash or the quill in the busted badnik... did someone give Nicky genetic enhancements? Could that tie into the suppression part of my theory?

Changing gears: If the year on that note is '17, assuming that means 2017, then "Shadow" joined in 1998 at the earliest (if the current year is 2017). But I think it would make more sense for him to have joined in 2001, the year SA2 came out/Shadow was introduced, which would put us in 2020. If this is before Frontiers, the latest year it could be is 2022 (under the assumption that the games release dates are relevant to this world). So that note could be as new as the day before or as old as 5 years old, if the year range is 2017-2022. I have no idea if that has any relevance to anything but it's an observation I made.

HOORAY !!! ANOTHER LONGFORM QUESTION!!!

In reference to the date that this comic takes place, I can confirm that you're correct - this comic does take place in 2020, which means that Shadow joined in around 2001 (though it is worth noting that, whilst this comic follows the game canon, some release dates have been slightly moved for ease of access/story reasons).

Also, this comic was conceptualized, doodled, drawn, and made ALL before Frontiers was even ANNOUNCED. Anything plot-relevant to Frontiers that might skew your theories or perception of the comic (e.g Cyberspace or SAGE or the Ancients etc) WILL NOT and DO NOT impact the plot in ANY WAY.

Your observation that Shadow does not appear to know Sonic very well is correct, though recognition is not a two-way street. Its less that Shadow doesn't know Sonic, and more that Shadow doesn't know Sonic. If you catch my drift (aha, Team Sonic Racing reference /j)

[tenaciouschronicler]

November 21 2024 2009

Oh.

My.

GOD.

Yall. YALL! I have no words. None! Rose: Ascend was so good, just so so good!

Finally powered up, Rose checks in with John and notices some pretty intense rumbling is happening. Our new little loading logo gives us an idea of what we are gonna get into.

This flash, like Daves, starts interactive, putting us in Roses shoes as she navigates up to the platforms where John is just demolishing these Ogres. Hes found his footing and things are getting serious.

He starts focusing on the right ogre, spin-hammering (like a spindash, but with added hammer) with such speed theres a green after-image with each consecutive hit. The left ogre tries to pull that tire swing move we witnessed previously but Nannaquin shows off her own power with an even larger lazer than the one used on the cookie-snatching imp.

Rose, ever so helpful assists in the only way shes done so far: dropping household furniture.

I honestly love that we start out so zoomed out and then zero in on the fridge. Like a cameraman trying to capture all the action and not believing his eyes at this turn of events. Unfortunately, the ogre has some sorta sixth sense, catches it without blinking (figuratively, i dont know if theseo ogres Can blink), and parries John back with probably the same force Bro did to Dave.

Nanna makes her own sweet catch with a conjured (?) oven that John busts out of like Donkey Kong from a barrel.

I actually have some questions here like, how?? Is this a standard sprite power, that they can like, create objects from their lazer eyes? What exactly is that lazer now that Im thinking about it? Sprites have to made of something semi-physical right? Cause the object Nanna made caught John. You know what, thats not important right now lets go back to the fight.

... ... ...

...Whatever power this is Nanna can apparently use it to create other objects which she rains down upon the ogre. John, having bounced back in the air gets stopped by Rose wielding the alchemiter to create another platform.

John strikes the killing blow. One down, one to go. Surrounded by spoils, John faces the other ogre. And just a neat detail, the way John is animated makes him look like hes breathing a little heavy. Unlike Dave, I dont think John is very used to this level of excertion.

Now the oven has a cookie lazer? Ok, whatever. John lands some more spin-hammer hits and Rose finally gets a win and drops the alchemiter of the ogre, ending the battle.

Rose and John have a small chat before we get to see how far John has risen in the echeladder, a whopping 9 levels to Boy-Skylark.

Gains:

Boondollars- 11,575

Cache Limit- 2400, up from 80

Build Grist- 2260

Shale- 1040

Tar (new)- 490

Mercury- 350

Upgrades people, upgrades!

Because of the sheer size of the ogres, there is more grist scattered about that John will have to get, one of which is in the hole above Dads room. Will we finally get to see the forbidden space? Before he goes gallavanting off, Nanna reminds John to take Sassacres book. Apparently its very important he "give it a read when you have a moment. Particularly the first several pages!" Well that sure isnt suspicious at all. But honestly if it gives us more lore I am all for John plunking himself down right here, right now. But he wont. Its John we're talking about, ya know?

The last bit of their conversation feels like some sort of in joke, especially since John specifically requested "a series of really coy riddles about [his purpose] and then sort of giggle". Like:

NANNASPRITE: When you pass through the first gate, everything will change. You will find the place where the constellations dance beneath the clouds. And then your true work may begin.

NANNASPRITE: Hoo hoo hoo!

JOHN: i suddenly understand everything!

Thats great, John! Because I sure dont!

This boy is gonna be the death of me I just know it.

[greenhillguy]

“your optimism is touching but a waste of time.” // from erm .. shadow t. hedgehog :3

RE-ANIMATOR STARTERS !

"you'd know all about wasting time, huh, grandpa?" the grin sonic gives shadow is juuuuuuust this side of shit-eating. he plays it off as he does a few stretches -- crossbody, arms above his head, then rolls his neck until he hears the pop! and ugh what a relief.

maybe it's bad manners to poke fun at someone who spent half a century in stasis, but then it also seems bad taste to jump into a battle with a scowl and that never stopped shadow before.

sonic's ear twitches as the shrill whistle of an incoming missile cuts through the air. in less than a second he's up, knocking it aside mid-air with a spindash. it explodes, and as the smoke clears the first wave of eggbots can be seen stomping toward the pair.

this time, sonic doesn't attempt to hide his smile, sharp with challenge as he flashes it to shadow. "first one to bust fifty bots wins," he says, lowering himself into a runner's crouch. he doesn't wait for a confirmation before giving a little two-fingered salute and vanishing with a cloud of dirt. let the games begin.

[estellardreams]

Terios is probably a speed type character so he doesn't quite rely on powerful attacks to destroy enemies. Also generally not the intended fighter.

I can see a spindash and homing attack at a base level, but let's throw in Shadow's chaos energy moves.

... Okay, that's just Shadow's moveset. He's literally a reflection and copycat of Shadow's moveset. That's not working out-

To force it to be unique, let's refer to Terios' moveset as a "Chaos Shard" set. Shadow's moveset is going to be referred to as a "Chaos Energy" set.

And for funsies, let's base each move on Doleon's brothers. Like father/family, like son.

Yellow - Flashbang. Generates extreme light to blind enemies before attacking them while they can't see.

White - Shard Control. Literally just Chaos Control.

Cyan - Shard punishment. Works the same as Chaos Snap, however time stops and every attack during this period deals more heavy damage.

Red - Shard Flame. (Based on Aeron's similarly named ability) Generates chaos energy flames which have a multitude of effects dependant on color (blue = ice, yellow = electrocution, etc)

Blue - Shard Boost. An enhanced form of a normal boost and can make Terios go extremely fast for a short period of time.

Green - Bolt of lightning. An ability normally stuck under Super Shadow, however Base Terios can preform it. Causes form to shift into a powerful lightning bolt and rocket towards the enemy.

Purple - Shard Rift. Generates a vortex and forces the enemy inside. Once it slams shut, the enemy has a 50/50 chance of being completely destroyed or returning but with barely any health back.

Other abilities: Spindash, homing attack, base boost.

... Yeah, this just made him extremely BUSTED, didn't it?

Sometimes I wonder how Terios would function in the style of an actual sonic game, say he were given a moveset or something like frontiers

[crashems]

SA1 is one of those games that just like keeps growing on me as the years pass. Like I started with not really caring for it too much to now being one of my favorite games of all time I adore it. I love so much about it man.

[blazehedgehog]

What are the GOOD Sonic games?

It's a matter of perspective. "Good" is subjective. However, if I didn't know the person and I wanted guaranteed safe recommendations, I'd say:

Level 1: Safe, Universal Recommendations

Sonic 2 - The classic crowd pleaser. Sonic 1 is rough and full of levels that are still figuring themselves out. Sonic 2 is it feels like Sonic truly becomes established. We get the Spindash, we get Tails, we get the Death Egg, and we get the first appearance of a version of Metal Sonic. The main bummer is that the last quarter of the game (Metropolis-Sky Chase-Wing Fortress-Death Egg) kind of sucks. Unnecessarily difficult or gimmicky or both.

Sonic 3 & Knuckles - If Sonic 2 established Sonic, then this is where it feels like Sonic was truly defined. We get Knuckles, The Master Emerald, and the Floating Island. We get the elemental shields, introducing the bounce attack and ring magnets. Big huge levels, with character-specific routes and lots of exploration. Again, not all the levels are winners (Sandopolis) but it's shocking to think this game was the most frantic, rushed Genesis Sonic, because it is such a heavyweight.

Sonic Advance - It's not a life changer but it's basically Sonic the Hedgehog 4. Good artwork, decent music, just a little bland. But safe. A solid 7/10 experience.

Sonic Colors - I personally am a little cold on this game, but I acknowledge a lot of people like it and it was once considered where Sonic "bounced back" after Sonic 06. I will accept I am maybe too hardcore of a Sonic fan for this game, but maybe I also have a video about this in the works. But for, uh, "normies" (for lack of a better term), this works.

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing - One of the few legitimate contenders to the Mario Kart throne. Stands toe to toe with games like Crash Team Racing and Diddy Kong Racing. Nearly everybody loves a good kart racer.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed - The sequel is as good if not better than the first one. Depending on the day of the week, I might say this is better than Mario Kart in some aspects.

Sonic Generations - Probably the most all-around modern Sonic game (still). Almost everybody loves this game. I love other games more, but it's not about me, and I can't deny the universal appeal of Generations. It's telling that the two games to follow this one were equal parts trying to recapture the magic of both Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations (and failing miserably).

Sonic Mania - You can't go wrong with the highest rated Sonic game since 1994. A celebration of Classic Sonic like no other.

Level 2: For the Curious

Sonic 1 - It's not a great game, but if you graduate from experimenting with liking a Sonic game, it's worth looking at once. But it's very difficult, weird, and if I'm being honest, not very memorable. Everything done here was done better in other Sonic games, but you don't get those without starting here first.

Sonic CD - Some people really love the slower, more methodical pace of this game. There's a reason its earned a reputation for being this amazing classic, even though it really isn't. It's easy to be hot/cold on it, because it truly has some fantastic style and great ideas.

Sonic Adventure - Pretty ambitious for the era and the thing that established the tone and candor for so much of 3D Sonic. Been through a cycle where people loved it for its ambition, hated it for being busted and weird, and now love it for being a nostalgic ugly duckling. They definitely don't make games like this anymore.

Sonic Adventure 2 - Almost a necessary chaser to SA1. You gotta see how things evolve between these two games and how much they were willing to ditch. Also a prime example of Sonic's tendency to have 3D games that are described as "When it's good, it's amazing, but when it's bad, it's the worst game on earth."

Sonic Rush - Just barely makes it in to this category for being an extremely difficult game (as in, I almost put it in level 1). But it's got a killer soundtrack and invented the boost mechanic that is so important to a lot of future Sonic games. You just gotta stick with it and be willing to optimize routes.

Sonic Rush Adventure - A kinder, more gentle version of Sonic Rush. If you bounce off that game, give this one a shot. It doesn't have quite as much audiovisual style, but it's still a heck of a great game. I almost put it in to the first category, but I feel like its tied to the first Sonic Rush and both games have to move together. Can't play one without playing the other.

Level 3: For the Sickos

Sonic Unleashed - I almost put this in level 2. We would not have Sonic Colors or Sonic Generations if this did not exist. I love this game deeply, but the parts that turn people off really, really turn them off. Like rage-quit inducing. You gotta be extremely dedicated to see the credits roll on this. I've done it twice, almost three times.

Sonic R - This game has a reputation for being a nightmare to control. It's also comically short -- once you master the odd controls, you can blow through the whole game in about fifteen minutes. But you can't deny it is jam packed full of a certain type of charm.

Sonic Advance 2 - In a similar vein to Sonic Unleashed, we would not have Sonic Rush without this game. And like Sonic Unleashed, the people who hate it truly hate it. Very much based on twitch reaction times and memorizing level layouts.

Sonic the Fighters - FGC people hate this game for its shield mechanic, but it was made by AM2 during the peak of their output. I think it's a great game, with a fantastic visual style and a uniquely energetic soundtrack. FGC people are just afraid of what they don't understand.

Sonic Battle - Another Sonic fighter. This has a weirdly deep story mode but it eventually turns in to a difficult grind that most people won't see through to the end. Has, or had, one of the greatest stories in the entire Sonic franchise. I loved it at the time, but I can't bring myself to ever replay it. I don't know if it holds up.

Sonic Riders - This is an overly-complex racing game where everybody (including Sonic) races on hoverboards. If you can break through its learning curve, I think it is great fun. But a lot of people bounce off of it because it can be rather unforgiving to newbies. Later Sonic Riders games completely redesign the mechanics, too, so this is the only one that plays like this, and the only one that I personally think is any good. You just really gotta dig to find the fun.

Knuckles Chaotix - This is one of those games where the music, art direction, everything about it is great... except the part where you have to play it. It sucks to play. But it's easy on the eyes, easy on the ears and easy to imagine all this stuff being used in a better game.

Sonic 2006 - If you're ready to dig in to the depths of Sonic the Hedgehog, this is the one turd everybody has to smear on their forehead. It's almost a rite of passage at this point. It is Sonic's "The Room." Try to play it with friends, because you're going to want an audience to make fun of it. Trust me. Misery loves company.

[lightdash]

Almost… Almost…!

Sonic makes it to the other side of the room and begins to frantically follow the contour of the crack; find the weakest spot and bust it wide open. He can hear Spinbot yelling close behind but pays him no mind — they’re both past the luxury of fighting now. And with how rapidly this place was coming apart, his plan will have to be a lucky one.

He takes a few steps back and makes fists out of his hands; knees bent, quills sharp, in position for a spindash…

And then everything got worse.

The sudden cacophony of explosions causes Sonic to falter, stumbling to the side and away from the wall. He barely manages to secure his footing, allowing for a narrow dodge; the onslaught of debris comes raining down… and buries Spinbot.

It’s a brutal scene. Sonic’s very breath catches as he watches it happen — somewhere nearby, the wall he’d been aiming for finally splits, leaving a hole large enough to escape through. It’s the exit he’d wanted… and he should take it. He should leave. He should leave.

Sonic looks back at the middle of the room. Another explosion shakes the entire facility. Shit.

In the blink of an eye, he sprints over to the pile of rubble and starts to dig... before a quick glimpse of blue grabs his attention. Spinbot’s gloved hand, now tattered and covered in dirt. Sonic makes a grab for it and pulls, bracing one foot against the debris for extra support. It takes all his body weight, and the clock is racing against them, but finally… after a few, tense moments, Spinbot is freed.

And in horrible condition, but there’s no time for concern. Lifting the enforcer up and into his arms, the heat of the fire licking at his heels, Sonic takes it as his final cue to leave. They just fit through the wall, leaving the base to fall apart in their wake.

    --Okay well that smugness was incredibly short-lived! His moment of gloating was soon replaced by a look of surprise, as well as a short, audible yelp, as he and Sonic spun and toppled over one another. Landing on the ground, Spinbot felt his sensors struggling to re-orient themselves.

    "Oh no you don't!!" He snarls, planting his hands on the quaking floor, and attempting to bolt right after him--only to trip over his own feet and crash to the ground once more, even rolling a little. Frustration was mounting, "Come on, come on!!!" He hated failing. Sonic was no doubt laughing at him. Him! Lord Robotnik's top enforcer! His prized trophy! The thought of his Master being disappointed in him spurred the roboticized hedgehog further into action, trying to force himself up again. Sparks of kinetic energy began to crackle across his quills like bolts of static electricity as Spinbot's irritation mounted.

    But before Spinbot could actually make his attack on the other blue blur, a thunderously loud explosion rang from the facility--and in that few seconds of calm, both would only have time to take a breath.

    Soon, explosions rang throughout the facility, and waves of fire engulfed the halls, ripping and tearing through the building, causing the room they'd both been fighting in to suddenly cave in. Where Spinbot would usually be able to dodge no problem, he was very strongly at a disadvantage here due to that magnetic pulse he'd taken during their battle.

    "---!!" With a turn of his head, Spinbot couldn't even find the words before debris collapsed on top of him, burying him in the destruction. And if he'd made any sound, it was impossible to hear him over the blasts.

[autisticshadowthehedgehog]

I've noticed that X!Sonic gets ranked high for intelligence and whatnot in the Sonic Universe memes. It feels that he may be one of the smartest ones out of all of them. Could you explain that if you can? Thanks.

Short answer: X!Sonic is the only Sonic with braincell custody in his respective team

Long answer: While X!Sonic is still very impulsive, he definitely has... a bit more survival instinct than the others, as well as slightly more forethought. He still races off across the country to find flowers for Cream, or thinks busting into Area 51 is a good idea, yes. But there's several scenes where he's just sitting in thought, usually on the roof, and he's often very quiet and thoughtful, to the point where he seems to go nonverbal at certain points. And he can very quickly outsmart Eggman in a battle scenario, strategizing as he goes along; he strategizes on his feet quite a lot, usually coming up with a plan before anyone else.

He also seems to have a great deal of book smarts– there's an arc in S2 where he literally starts explaining how the moon's rotation around the Earth intersects with the Earth's rotation around the sun, which confuses everyone around him, and in this canon he had his plane before meeting Tails, so he apparently knew how to build and maintain that. According to episode one, he also is able to recognize the constellations to the point where he's very quickly able to ascertain that Earth and Mobius have the exact same ones.

And not to rag on the rest of the team at all- this [the not-4kids version] is my favorite iteration of Sonic and so I love the way the characters were portrayed. But often it takes them longer than Sonic to figure out how Earth works, or how societal interactions go down, and honestly Amy's more impulsive than he is in this show. Hence why I call him "the only Sonic with custody of the braincell in his respective team." They're all smart in their own ways, but it's made very obvious that Sonic's the leader because he can strategize and improvise as fast as needed. In SatAM, he's more the powerhouse and/or distraction while Sally is the clear leader, so he doesn't have to be the the fastest thinker, just the fastest spindasher. In Sonic X, even without the superspeed, you can tell why they put him in charge.

[spiritsonic]

Since most Sonic characters seem capable of doing it, would Tangke theoretically be able to do a spin dash? Or are spin dashes exclusive to a only a select few characters?

Honestly I don’t know? There seems to be a discrepancy between what characters can do in gameplay and what characters can do in other story content. In a regular story, I don’t think Tangle can spindash. Only a handful of characters have that as part of their regular moveset (for example, Knuckles can totally spindash in many of his game appearances, but is that a thing you’d expect him to bust out in a comic? No, because he’s the punchy-climby guy). 

But in the context of a game? Yeah I could totally see the game mechanics requiring Tangle to have that move. It all depends upon what the moment demands, and what feels reasonable in context.

[rolling-orb-bot]

Can you spindash?

"Unfortunately, I can only roll. You see, the very important part of a spindash is the appendages that the user has. For Sonic those would be his spikes, for Tails - his tails. They serve both as a weight or a lever to push them forward faster and as weaponry that they use to bust through obstacles. When I am in my orb form, I am perfectly smooth, so... Such a move is impossible for me." The robot sighed regretfully.

[mobius-prime]

272. Sonic the Hedgehog #199

Knocking on Eggman's Door

Writer: Ian Flynn Pencils: Tracy Yardley! Colors: Matt Herms

Well, we're finally here! It's the morning of the final fight against Eggman, and the Freedom Fighters awaken to find that Rotor, unable to sleep, has set up a live feed back to their city. It seems that Sally has elected to stream the battle live back to the citizens of New Mobotropolis, which seems… excessively unwise, given that if something goes wrong you could easily be broadcasting your violent deaths to children and innocent civilians.

Eh, whatever, we all know how this is gonna go. After all, the heroes have this one in the bag! As they gear up and move out, Lien-Da instructs her troops to create a barricade to Eggman's specifications within the base, though she has little confidence in his plan.

See, this right here just sort of sets up why I think this final two-part finale to this era ends up feeling flat and devoid of any real excitement. Right off the bat, the heroes are being set up to win with little resistance. Eggman may think he has a chance against Sonic and his friends, but literally all of his subordinates are feeling disillusioned and traitorous, and actively plotting to make sure he fails. The result is that while we're curious about what exactly their plan is and who Snively is inviting over to hook up with, we already kind of know Eggman isn't gonna win this one. While we already tend to know that anyway given that an ending to a Sonic comic where Eggman wins and annihilates everyone would be horrifically opposed to everything we would expect from such a series, at least in cases like Endgame and the destruction of Knothole, there's some real tension where it really seems for a while like the heroes are screwed and Eggman is about to win everything. It makes the final payoff where the heroes overcome all obstacles and win the day that much more satisfying.

Anyway, Mighty and Bunnie use their combined super-strength to breach a hole in the front door, and the Freedom Fighters and Chaotix pour in, surprised when they find no immediate resistance waiting for them. The Freedom Fighters take one hallway while the Chaotix take another, clearing out all routes to the center of the Eggdome and planning to meet up further in. While the Freedom Fighters punch their way through the Legionnaires in their way, they cheerfully reminisce about the last time they had a big showdown with a Robotnik, bantering back and forth about their roles in Endgame.

Wow, I actually think that's the first time the comic has even acknowledged Sally's coma at all ever since it happened. Fun times, huh? On the Chaotix side of things, Vector and Julie-Su end up bickering a bit only to then save each other simultaneously from sneak attacks by a couple of Legionnaires, at which point they curtly agree to never speak of this again as they don't want anyone finding out they actually do like and respect each other. They get deeper into the base, and Julie-Su becomes briefly concerned about Knuckles' state of mind as she's worried he may be feeling that old guilt again about fighting members of his own species, but Knuckles reassures her that he's fine and that he feels they need to stop them from working with Eggman for their own good. However, they suddenly find their way blocked by Dimitri, who's using his tentacle-dreadlock-things to bar the door they need to get through. Further into the Eggdome, Lien-Da reports her troops "losing on schedule" and awaits further orders, but then nearly begins puking when she smells something awful, which turns out to be cologne that Snively has received from his new beau. He mocks her for not appreciating the scent before ordering her to move on to phase two, blaming her species for being the reason she doesn't like the smell. That would definitely seem to indicate, then, that his new girlfriend is human and not Mobian. The Freedom Fighters, who have ended up pinned down at the end of a hallway, are trying to come up with a plan to bust through the group of Legionnaires up ahead when out of nowhere they retreat, much to the heroes' surprise. At the same time, Knuckles, Julie-Su and Vector all confront Dimitri in their own hallway.

You know, at this point, it's definitely feeling like Dimitri is coming back around to not being such a bad guy after all. Ultimately, he cares more about protecting his people than anything else, and is looking for any way out of his current sticky situation with Eggman, which he believes allying with Snively will help him with. The two invading teams finally meet up at a central door, which has been thoroughly blockaded save for a small hole just big enough for a spindashing Sonic. Both sides discuss how the entire invasion feels too easy, and become very suspicious about the hole, reasoning that it's meant to simultaneously draw them into a bottleneck for easy pickings, as well as let Sonic through for a one-on-one showdown against Eggman. Sonic immediately announces he's taking the bait, and when the others ask him if he's crazy he points out that their only other option is to waste all their time and energy taking down the barrier, which would just give Eggman a chance to regroup or escape. They agree that he'll go on ahead and they'll provide backup as soon as they can break through the wall, and after a few tearful words of encouragement, including an emotional embrace from Sally, he zips through the hole and lands in the middle of a very strange scene on the other side.

Sonic, of course, has no idea what's actually going on, as Snively and Lien-Da watch through hidden cameras along his route. Snively orders Lien-Da to ensure her Legionnaires hold back Sonic's friends until he's sealed into the final arena with Eggman, before preparing for himself and Dimitri to head to the landing pad on the roof of the Eggdome to meet up with his mysterious new girlfriend. Sonic enters the chamber, the doors slam shut behind him, and he faces down Eggman inside a giant mechanical spider, ready for the final epic showdown.

[the-alien-enby]

Metonic Week- Machine

Metal had only been a part of Sonic’s team for a short while, after abandoning his own creator due to difficulties. Sonic had gladly accepted his metallic copy on his team, but as for Tails, Knuckles, and Amy, they weren’t entirely on board with it. Metal even knew this, but as Sonic had asked of him, he tried not to think too much of it. After all, he had so many other things to worry about. Like what if Eggman tries to control him again? What if he somehow leads his new team into danger? What if he... did something horrible to Sonic. On the outside of his thoughts, Sonic was standing beside him, tapping his foot and watching Metal’s optics going in a swirly motion.

“Uhh Mets?” He asked, “Ya doing okay, bud?”

In response, Metal spazzed out some, mostly in surprise as to Sonic’s voice suddenly chiming into his internal thoughts. His optics turned back into their usual oval shape as he looked at Sonic.

“yes. I am doing ‘okay’. Please do not... scare me.. like that again.” Metal spoke, only somewhat in his usual monotone voice, now kind of developing his own special voice.

“Fine, Metal. Anyways, Tails and I are about to go invade one of Eggmans bases! Wanna come?” Metal had noticed Sonic had his brown backpack on. The same one with an emerald colored charm. Only almost matching his bright green eye color.

After Metal gave a simple nod in response to Sonic’s offer, he, Sonic, and Tails headed out. The base was located in Chemical Plant. Of course, Sonic would have something to say about this.

“Mann! Egg-head always builds a base there, huh?”

“Well,” Tails began, “There are a whole bunch of.. well, chemicals, there for his machines. And a lot of machinery in general! That could be why he likes building so many bases there.”

“What do you think, Mets?” He looked over at the blue robot, who didn’t expect to be a part of the conversation, “why do you think Egg-head loves building bases there?”

Metal thought for a bit. “I will be honest, even though I’ve worked for him for as long as I’ve even existed... that’s a great mystery. But Tails’ answer seems to make more sense to me.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right!” Tails laughed some, causing the other two to laugh along.. even if Metal’s sounded more awkward than normal.

————-

It took the group a few hours, but they were soon at the entrance of Eggman’s new base. Metal wondered if Eggman had even changed the entry passcode since he left him. Wouldn’t be surprising if he didn’t, considering how much of a buffoon he was.

“AAlright, Guys! So what’s the plan? Sneaking in? Busting in?” As sonic spoke, he was doing his usual pre-running stretches.

“Now hang on..” Tails had his Miles Electric out, and was using it to scan the base’s entrance and beyond, “It seems that Eggman loaded this place up with security. Even if we do sneak in, we’ll have to be a whole lot more caref-“

Tails was interrupted by Sonic. “Psh! Funny, tails. But what’s the worst ol’ Eggface can do? Catch me?” Sonic continued laughing.

“Sonic, this is Eggman we are talking about. My creator. He knows I work with you now, so he has most likely created something stronger than even myself to take care of you. Tails is right. We do need to be careful.” Metal spoke in a serious tone. Of course, being a robot, he almost always sounds serious.

“An egghead is an egghead. Even if he’s lost one of his creations, I think his limit is at you.” Sonic chuckled, “now let’s get a move on!”

“Fine..” Metal followed Sonic as the spindash drilled through the metal door, immediately afterwards dashing in. Tails stuck with his plan of sneaking in carefully.

Inside the base, it was almost pitch black dark. The only source of light Sonic and Metal had were Metal’s bright red optics, but even that made it hard to see. Sonic used his “hog-sense” to figure out where he was going, as Metal simply scanned around.

“Sonic, this really was a bad idea.. now that there’s a gaping hole in the door, that’s sure to alert someone..” Metal said, almost expecting a snarky response from Sonic.. but to his surprise, nothing. “..Sonic?” Even after that, nothing. Not a sound. He scanned around for the blue hedgehog, but nothing. Metal had a bad feeling about this. But there’s no way Sonic himself could’ve been captured, right?

Well, unfortunately, Metal was wrong. Sonic was in fact captured. Silently knocked out by Eggmans newest creation... which was literally just a spy bot. Eggman did want a new killer robot. But he currently did not have the materials to build a new Metal Sonic. So what’s just as fast and could easily be made as strong, if not stronger? The real deal. This was also a great opportunity to test out a new creation of his; the Roboticizer. A machine that can turn organic matter into machinery through a painful process. Perfect.

Metal was growing worried, but soon spotted a light. From what he could tell from silhouettes, someone was being carried into that room. Metal already had a feeling who it was, and ran towards it. Quietly and slowly however because he didn’t want to have whatever was gonna happen to sonic happen to him as well.

The spy bot dropped Sonic off inside of a cylindrical container, and left before it sealed Sonic inside. Eggman, seeing this, laughed to himself.

“Oh OHOHOH!! Not only do I get a new powerful robot, but I finally have the problem with this blue pest out of the way!!” Eggman continued to laugh before stopping himself. “Right then! Let the Roboticization process... INITIATE!!” He quickly pressed a button, just after Metal had walked in.

“RELEASE SONIC, DOCTOR. OR THINGS WILL GET MESSY.” Metal had his sharp claws out, not joking about how things would get messy.

“Ah, well if it isn’t my former robot, Metal Sonic. I’m afraid you’re too late to save Sonic now!!” Just as he finished that sentence, the roboticization process on Sonic had finished. The cylindrical container lifted, revealing Sonic... only now robotic. His optics now a red color similar to Metal Sonic’s. “Mecha Sonic.. ATTACK!”

Following the orders of Eggman, Sonic got out of the roboticizer and attacked Metal.. but oddly enough, seemed to deactivate right as he was about to actually try hurting him. Both Eggman and Metal were confused as to why this was so.

“N.. NO! HOW COULD I OVERLOOK SUCH A FLAW!!?” Eggman exclaimed, “I HAD MADE SURE THE PROGRAMMING WAS PERFECT!!”

“And yet, here I am leaving.” Metal said, as he picked Sonic up, “Oh.. and for your own safety, get lost.” Metal walked out of the room, leaving Eggman just whining about his defeat. As Metal left, he contacted Tails to let him know that an escape was required, due to what had happened to Sonic.

———-

Hours had passed since Metal brought the now robotic Sonic back. Tails was trying to reactivate it, Amy was horribly worried for Sonic, and Knuckles was blaming Metal for all of this.

“Maybe had you just been left as scrap metal, Sonic wouldn’t be like this!” He yelled at Metal.

“Knuckles I’m sorry, but can you shut up!? It was Sonic that didn’t listen to my or Metal’s warning and rushed in anyways!” Tails was defending Metal’s case. Sure he didn’t entirely trust him yet, but he had seen the warning before his eyes.

“Oh so now you’re taking his side!? What’s next?! Are you gonna be trusting EGGMAN of all people next!?” Knuckles raised his voice. Metal has had enough by now. He went between Knuckles and Tails and of the first time, showed true emotion through his voice.

“YOU KNOW WHAT?! I get it!! I get that you don’t like me! I get that you won’t accept the fact that I have changed! That ive decided to be my own person- robot- whatever!! And I get that you would think that I would be responsible for this happening to sonic!!”

No one had known this, but Sonic was already reactivating, actually acting like himself, green optics instead of red, just in time to hear the rest of what Metal had to say, “and you know what?! I’ll accept responsibility for what happened to him! I should’ve forcefully kept him from breaking in like that! I should’ve kept a better eye on him! So you know what?! Maybe I don’t belong here after all! Maybe you’re right! I SHOULD JUST BE IN A SCRAP PILE!!” And with that, Metal stormed out. Everyone in the room was baffled. None of them, not even Sonic, had ever seen Metal like this. Sonic finally got up.

“METAL!! WAIT!!” Almost as soon as he got up off the table Tails and Metal had set him on, he had fallen down. When getting up, he finally realized what had happened to him.. or was at least getting an idea of it.

“...huh.. Well Tails.. you were right. I should’ve listened to you.” Sonic was beginning to tremble some, but soon stopped. “I’ll ask about how the heck this happened later. I’ve gotta stop Metal from doing whatever he’s probably about to do!!” Sonic ran off again, but unfortunately for him, going at a normal running pace.

“Oh come on!! GO FASTER, FEET!!” And almost as if they listened to him, he began going his usual speed. Thanks to the thrusters on his legs. Tails tried to go after him, worried that he would deactivate again, but Sonic was already gone.

It didn’t take him long to catch up with Metal, as Metal was not using his back thruster. Sonic was about to ask him to come back, but Metal beat him to the first words.

“You know.. you know it’s my fault Sonic.. dOnT you tell lies..” Metal kind of sounded like he was crying, his optics in a sad expression.

“Metal.. why would I even lie to you!? I’m not one to lie anyways!” Sonic slowed down to talk to Metal, “And assuming that you’re blaming yourself for.. this..” he motioned to the rest of his now robotic body, “well don’t. It’s my own fault for not listening to you and Tails.”

“But..” Metal robotically sighed, “What about the others? Even if you defend my case, they’ll still think it’s my fault.”

“No they won’t.. they’re only rough on you because of things you did in the past. Even then it was only because you were following your programming. But now you’re your own bot! You’ve even developed your own personality!”

“You’re.... you’re right about that.” Metal finally stopped.

Sonic stopped as well. “Now come on. Don’t go and scrap yourself over all of this. That wouldn’t be good for either of us.”

“..Alright.”

—————

-Epilogue-

Sonic and Metal soon headed back to Tails’ workshop. Sonic had confronted Knuckles about how he basically told Metal to go kill himself, and pretty much made Knuckles apologize.

Tails began figuring out Sonic’s situation further, with Metal helping out. Unfortunately for Sonic, he would be stuck like this for the rest of his days, if not just for a long time. While this did upset the blue hedgehog, he understood that this was what he gets for going into everything head first. Metal was there to help Sonic get used to life as a robot. Their relationship began to blossom over time, causing them to begin to crush on each other... but what happens afterwards is only to be assumed.

——————————

This took forever to write

@metonic-ship @enigma--machine