~Moving around is good for creativity: the next line of dialogue that you desperately need may well be waiting in the back of the refrigerator or half a mile along your favorite walk. -Will Shetterly~

[RECENT UPDATES: new description under Survivor's Resolve section, new description under Undestined Future section, 'About the characters' added.]

1-1-1-1-1

You guys are too good to me. Thanks for the art! It will be linked to on my FFN profile forever. :) [EDIT: FFN links are disabled temporarily, apparently so they can take an extended coffee break or whatever. Sorry folks.]

Can You See Me? drawing inspired by Survivor's Resolve chapter 17 (by RedFireGreenThunder5): Tails is always with him in spirit. ... Colored version (colored by Sockmonkey145) (new)
Beyond the Chaos chapter 12 artwork (thanks, magenta-oranges!): It's so cute. ^v^
Beyond the Chaos Hyper Tails artwork (thanks, RedFireGreenThunder5!): Just like I pictured him.
Undestined Future Series posters! (thanks, RedFireGreenThunder5!): Sonic, Tails and the rest and Faster Than You Think poster.
A New Hero Rises fan video (in progress by StoryWolf, or xXStoryWolfXx on dA!): Sonic's gotta be bored in there.

1-1-1-1-1

ABOUT MY WRITING

Could say a lot here, but for the sake of neatness I'll keep it short. It's best to let stories speak for themselves anyway.

I'm a Sonic and Tails fanatic. Best friends, brothers, unbreakable bond... all that happy slop. My stories reflect it, and the Undestined Future series is practically based around it.

I'm also a pure Sonic fanatic. See below for that.

You'll find depth in the Sonic characters in my stories; real personality, emotions, fears, joy, pain. I type canon Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and all the rest into plot-thick, involved situations. I'm an advocate of adventures, excitement, humor... and also fears, difficulties, challenges. The worst situations can bring out the best in a character. I'm very honest in my storytelling and don't tend to censor anything if it matters to the story, for better or worse. But at the same time, nothing happens without reason. That's something that'll prove itself to be especially true of Survivor's Resolve.

Short version of the above? I write deep and sometimes dark. Take it or leave it... but take the it! ;) (Don't fret if you don't understand the reference.)

About the characters. (Disclaimer: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and the rest belong to Sega. I just write about 'em.)

All in all, I'm a fan of the Triple Threat. Though I have a wide variety of characters in my stories (mostly because I want to enrich characters who were never enriched enough in the games for me, like Amy and the Chaotix), the ones I like most are Sonic, Tails and Knuckles.

What can I say? Sonic is my favorite character of all time. He's one of those protagonists who actually cherishes the adventure, and I have way more fun writing when the characters are having fun too. He's resilient and willing, even when the going gets tough, and has an unbreakable spirit. Whatever the case is, it's just another challenge overcome to add to his collection, another adventure to get his adrenaline pumping. In Generations he tells his younger self his future is gonna be great, because he doesn't focus on the rough parts long enough to even consider otherwise. He loves and respects life, seeing the best of every situation, and spreads a little of that perspective to everyone he meets (and some he doesn't ;)). But despite this energy and confidence, he has enough vulnerabilities and flaws to be believable. He is overconfident, obliviously reckless, has no regard for consequences even if they're more far-reaching than just himself, and of course there's that notable fear of water. And he runs off without considering that Amy's probably not the only one who wants to see him more - and never looks back, for better or worse. He is selfish about his freedom. But regardless, when you get right down to the wire, he would do anything (or take anything) for his friends, and most people for that matter, and that's got to say something. He loves and values them for their help and their personalities, even if he doesn't always show it. At the end of the day, while Sonic himself is never in the same place, his compassion, resolve and spirit remain steadfast.

I also adore Tails. He's an irreplaceable and endearing character who has overcome his past to the point where he can look forward with a smile on his face. He has flaws and strengths like a well-balanced character should, is modest and always tries hard. He looks up to Sonic and I believe that's part of the reason he gained a great outlook on life, but I believe the reason today that he still has such strength is because he has come to believe in himself, not only Sonic. He has his own brand of humble, intrinsic confidence and courage. Not to mention he is a prodigy and can do things that no one else can, whether it be flawlessly tinkering with machinery or flying with two freaking tails. What's not to love?

Knuckles is pretty awesome too, despite how little he's appeared in my stories so far. He contradicts Sonic in a lot of ways but ultimately I think they both want the same thing, and both care about their friends and the world they strive to protect. What sets Knuckles apart is a type of commitment and devotion I don't think Sonic's even capable of. He is relentlessly steadfast regarding his guardianship of the Master Emerald. And although he isn't socially smart and doesn't even like associating with others that much, somewhere inside I think he wants to see the best in others, even when on the surface he is critical or hot-tempered.

It's unfortunate how many gaps are left open in the games; how many things are rarely touched upon, and how much potential is lost. But see, that's part of what makes the blue blur and his pals so enticing to me as a writer. I can fill in those gaps, give momentum to character development and relationships. All of them. I'm far from a perfect writer but if there's anything I can nail, it'd be characterization.

l-l-l-l-l

SURVIVOR'S RESOLVE (If you're gonna read one, start with this.)

Full summary: Sonic and friends find themselves in the midst of a predicament already at its worst. Now Eggman's success depends on his knowledge of Chaos energy, an area Sonic happens to be quite experienced in. But the blue blur has no intentions of playing along.

Meanwhile, circumstances bring together an unlikely but working trio: Tails, Amy and Espio. The ninja-detective informs them that Knuckles has hired the Chaotix Detective Agency to help guard the Master Emerald... but why would Knuckles request help with such an important duty? Their search for answers only brings about more questions. Fortunately - and unfortunately - it turns out all of their problems are intertwined in some kind of chaotic tree, with Eggman at the root and Sonic caught in the vines.

Knuckles has changed. Tails is suddenly carrying the world on his shoulders. Sonic is pitted against counterproductive circumstances. And everyone is about to discover that it takes something more than skills or smarts to survive the unfathomable.

Perilous waters are rising... in more ways than one.

The longest and most descriptive of all my stories, and also one that aims to give quite a few characters proper development (Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Espio and Eggman being the mains) rather than just Sonic and Tails like my series did. By the end of the story I'm confident you'll know what I mean. Having said that, while this story is about quite a few characters, at the same time, it is about Sonic. He is the main character of Survivor's Resolve in the same way he's the main character of the games.

It's also the riskiest of all my stories for a number of reasons. One is the larger cast since I'm admittedly accustomed to focusing on just two or three characters. Another is that a lot of the story, especially the first half, takes place in the same few settings, which can be less interesting for some people than having characters go to a lot of different places. The most apparent, however, is definitely the extreme lengths to which Eggman will go to get what he wants. I should point out that if you are uncomfortable with dark scenes or characters being hurt, one part thus far that you'll probably want to skip is the chapter entitled The Price of Hope. Recently the story's been edited to include a more blunt warning since I was dumb and didn't have one before. On the other hand, someone out there will go and read it just because I said that, so, umm, plugplugplugplugplugplugplugplug *shot*

All in all, it's somewhat different from my series and somewhat similar at the same time, but is an ambitious project I've been working on for two and a half years now (though it only actually took me six months to write it 0_0). It delves deep into the characters without straying from who they are at the core, and is a dark adventure with a silver lining (...most of the time ;P). I'm proud of it and of the message it'll ultimately deliver, and I hope someone out there gets half as much out of it as I did.

l-l-l-l-l

THE UNDESTINED FUTURE SERIES (also known as the Sonic and Tails series or the Kitsune Chronicles)

Capture the Fox / Fox Hunt (being reworked now!)
A New Hero Rises (will be reworked)
Beyond the Chaos (will be reworked)
Faster Than You Think
The Dark Side of the Moon

Despite my shameless plugging of Survivor's Resolve, I have a soft spot for this series that will never be replaced, which is why I'm remastering the first three stories in the series. Eventually I'll do the same with the final two, but those two were typed more recently and the difference wouldn't be as apparent yet, so I'm going to wait until I can do them justice. (Or at least try to do them justice, as a writer can never truly perfect anything.) This is the series that started it all for me, the reason I started writing, the spark that ignited the fire - not only for writing but my love of the characters. I got a lot of inspiration in my earlier days on this website, and I have to credit Asher Tye somewhat as it was his Silver Fox - now called Prophecy, to which there is a link in my Recommended Stories section below - that made me want to start writing. To this day I am not sure why, but that story just stuck with me, and got me interested in Tails as a character. Also to thank for inspiration is JudasFm even though she doesn't write Sonic much lately and will probably never know it. Her stories were just so memorable earth-shattering as far as I'm concerned. It's probably no surprise that quite a bit of my characterization of Tails in the early days was inspired by her work. It was never intentional; I was younger at the time and not as familiar with the Sonic franchise, and so I saw that as the way Tails was always characterized and went with it. Of course, things have changed since then. :P But if it weren't for these two authors I might never have made it through my first story, or come up with the idea for it.

Anyway, for those of you who don't know what I'm going on about... In a nutshell, Undestined Future is a half-alternate-universe series. Everything from the first Sonic game up until Sonic 3 and Knuckles happened. But Sonic Adventure and all plotlines henceforth never came to pass. Instead, my series picks up about two years after Sonic 3 and Knuckles and thus an alternate future is created for Sonic and the gang... hence the name 'Undestined Future.' Opens up a lot of possibilities when you don't have to conform strictly to a specific plotline. Main characters are most definitely Sonic and Tails. The entire series has a heavy emphasis on their friendship. The plotlines are all interconnected, but for the most part each story can hold its own as a standalone too. My favorite part of this series is probably the very deep focus on Sonic and Tails, and their brotherly relationship. There was something endearing about writing just them and their lovely bond, and the adventures they went on - whether they were charming and fun, or dark and threatening. If I'm known for anything it's probably the Undestined Future series, and it probably will remain that way regardless of what I type in the future - and I'm okay with that. This series was my life for almost five years.

l-l-l-l-l

SHORT STORIES

I'm a Hedgehog

Sonic and the Secret Rings ending adaptation. Spoilers.

Hold On Tight

Sonic and the Black Knight ending adaptation. Spoilers.

The Wounds Beneath the Bandage

This one-chapter story, full of analogies and struggles, came more from the heart than the mind (ugh, excuse my sounding cliche). I wasn't going to post it at first, as I only really typed it to vent, but I figured people might appreciate it or get something out of it. I'm not a huge Sonic/Amy shipper but they fit what I wanted to type about.

Concealed Scars

Similar to Wounds, this story is also about Sonic and Amy... but this time, Amy's the one doing the criticizing rather than Sonic.

A Force of Nature

A more relaxed and easygoing piece, it's probably some of my best work, despite its shortness. It delves a little deeper into Sonic's outlook on life, and says quite a lot in its humble 1000 or so words. Typed in honor of Sonic's 18th birthday.

When Enough Isn't Enough

My personal favorite of my shorter stories. Water is perhaps one of Sonic's greatest weaknesses. I've said time and time again that I use weakness to show off strength. It sounds contradictory, doesn't it? But it makes a lot of sense once you read the story. Pretty much, it's about Sonic taking it upon himself to overcome his fear of water. It is kind of brutal. The story is told mostly through Tails's eyes.

The Birth of Super Sonic

This was totally spontaneous. I was inspired to type it after watching Sonic X episode 26, Japanese version. I think it turned out really well. I'm more of a games-verse person than Sonic X, but this story was a nice change of pace.

The Way the Wind Blows

Christmas oneshot with a slight spiritual undertone. Sonic and Tails visit Knuckles on Angel Island to say Merry Christmas, but not without a few things going wrong as usual... or maybe it's a few things going right?

l-l-l-l-l

STATUS (updated 2/3/12)

Status for current stories, placeholder for future stories.

When Enough Isn't Enough - prequel to The Climax of Chaos trilogy / drama / possible continuation / 3-5 chapters

The Climax of Chaos trilogy:
Survivor's Resolve - series story / adventure & drama / Sonic / current regular updates / 40+ chapters
Chaotic Spirit - series story / adventure & drama / undisclosed characters / currently being written / late 2012?
Rise - series story / adventure & suspense / undisclosed characters / everything else TBA

The Edge of Eternity (title subject to change) - full-length game adaptation / adventure / Sonic / currently being written / TBA

The More Things Change - standalone story / friendship & hurt-comfort / Sonic & Tails / set 3 years after Undestined Future / TBA (might be a while)

Capture the Fox, A New Hero Rises, and Beyond the Chaos being reworked for quality. It might yet be a little bit before I start posting the rewritten versions since I am working on other projects as well, but just be assured that I actually am working on them now, not just thinking about doing it. ;) Your patience is appreciated. (Early- to mid-2012.)

1-1-1-1-1

RECOMMENDATIONS (listed alphabetically) [EDIT: Again, waiting for FFN links to be fixed. Check these guys and gals out anyway.]

In an effort to increase the communication and support between authors and readers (or authors and authors, or readers and readers... you get the idea), I'm going to try and start bringing some highly deserving fanfictions to attention, whether they're up-and-coming or amongst the most popular on the site. All of them are well-written, grammatically correct, and accurately characterized - three things that I think are necessary for any story. If you are looking for a great Sonic read, here is a list to maybe find one that could suit your fancy, without having to filter through all the lazily executed slop that accounts for 90% of FFN's Sonic stories.

For the best of the best. Only 25 stories will ever be on this list. I strongly encourage you to give any of these a read, and even put a list of your own favorite stories (with reasons) up on your profile! We need to spread the love and support the works of literature around us.

Bruised by bradhadair12 - a wonderful take on the final battle of Sonic 2006. Even if you don't like the game, this is most definitely worth a read. Wonderful narrative from Sonic's perspective, and great battle scene.
Hydrophobia by tiacat11 - just what it sounds like. A oneshot diving into Sonic's fear of water, even giving it a backstory, while keeping him in character. Authentic and heartwarming.
Kidnapped by tiacat11 - this story pulled me in because of its spot-on characterization, an admirable portrayal of Sonic (along with Tails and Cream) and some well done 'dark' scenes.
Letting Go of Hope by Comix28 - great story, and all the characters are handled quite well. A nice amount of focus on what's going on in characters' heads, especially Sonic, which I love.
Life could have been so different by Taranea - one of the few Shadow stories that kept me. Great character and a very believable take on what happened on ARK 50 years ago. Touching, dramatic, and funny.
Mutant Body, Mobian Heart by The Mysterious Traveller - I just got lost in this story when I read it, with its elegant wording, character interactions and heavy emotion. Great Tails and SatAm story; very moving.
Only Yesterday by Ardil the Traveller - good storyline and dialogue. Different and fresh. For some reason I always remembered this story after first reading it.
Panacea by dib07 - thick with plot and emotion and challenge, and one of the most riveting stories on FFN. Wondrous character interaction, delicious descriptions, and a distinctive brand of great characterization.
Pretence by dib07 - great action that never seems to stop, and a wonderful message about the value of freedom and friendship. A very raw, honest story. Fluent descriptions and an overall gripping read.
Prophecy by Asher Tye - the first Sonic fanfiction I ever read, back when it was called Silver Fox. Stuck with me for some reason. One of the few SatAm based stories that kept me reading.
Rising Star by JudasFm - an adorable and heart-wrenching story of Tails and Sonic's first adventures together. Action-packed, funny and inspiring.
Secrets of the Emeralds by JudasFm - probably one of the most well-known Sonic stories of its time, and for good reason. Superb dialogue, precious and memorable characterization, and wonderful touches of wit.
Sonic Concepts by Exploder - intriguing plot that makes humans a more integral part of things, and good characterization. It's like Sonic X, except for more well done and more mature. Also, Sonic and Tails. :)
Sonic Concepts 2 by Exploder - wonderful character development, moral conflict, and action. Does everything a sequel should do. (Read it even if you didn't read the first yet.) Fantastic story, especially for Tails fans.

1-1-1-1-1

COMMON QUESTIONS

Are you ever going to continue the Undestined Future series?
The Undestined Future series has reached its conclusion, and I plan on it staying that way. Typing more would just be forcing it, and I don't want to put a series I love so much through that (or myself, for that matter).

Will you write something Dark-Sonic related?
I've been asked this four or five times now, and the honest answer is I'm not sure. I've typed a Dark-Tails kind of thing before, but for some reason I think it'd bother me with Sonic, because typing him dark would mean I don't get to type his normal personality, and I happen to like his normal personality. Quite frankly, I think Sonic Unleashed did 'dark' Sonic as good as anyone could possibly do it, because even though he was being affected by Dark Gaia's energy - it was part of him - it didn't actually change him as a character. But we'll see. Apparently people think it's the kind of thing I'd type, since it's... well, dark, and Sonic. Which brings us to the next question...

Why are you such an ass to Sonic?
Because I like bright characters in dark situations. I like dark situations because they open up the doors for character development if you go about it right. I like challenge and excitement in my stories. Sonic's my favorite and he's the main character, and mains get more of everything, good and bad. I find it infinitely more fun typing tense, difficult and challenging scenes with a character who isn't stony or angsty about it like many protagonists. Sonic transcends the typical response you'd expect of someone in a bad circumstance, while still being believable. Or at least that's how I write him.

Are you going to do more Sonic X oneshots?
I plan to, actually. I'm mostly a games-verse person, but I have a spot for Sonic X too. I'm not sure when, though. Right now I'm more focused on other things.

Will you read/review my story?
Maybe. I have read stories that people have asked me to read before, and tend to only stick with them if I actually like them. Makes sense, right? I'm all for providing constructive criticism, advice, and praise where it's warranted. But please do not pester me about it too much. I'm in college and have a job, and outside of that, my own stories come first.

Can I draw artwork for your stories?
Hell yeah! Let me know so I can link to it on my profile, willya?

Will you write a story with me?
No. Sorry, I don't do story collabs. Nothing against them, just not my thing.

What's your favorite Sonic game?
Sonic and the Black Knight for superb characterization, an awesome plot-twist, great soundtrack, and... well, I think the swordplay is fun. :P Close second is Sonic Unleashed, and then probably both Adventures and Sonic 3 & Knuckles.

...Pairings?
I'm not much of a romance person as far as the Sonic franchise goes. I'm cool with mild SonicxAmy (as in, mostly friends, but Amy still has a crush on Sonic), since that's canon anyway. I also read the occasional SonicxShadow, SonicxKnuckles, or KnucklesxRouge, though I don't type them or actively endorse them.

Feel free to contact me if you have any comments, questions, suggestions, or just to chit-chat about the latest Sonic game. I love talking to people, 'specially if it has anything to do with Sonic.

~DC