[RECENT UPDATES: 2/23/13: Linked to an SR-related piece of art by Speedy1236; see below! 12/12/12: Soulfully Sadistic has posted a story based on Survivor's Resolve. Give it a read!]

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To my continued surprise and excitement, some people have been inspired to do artwork (...or translations, or fanfiction-fanfiction... the gang's all here XD) for my stories! The least I can do is link back and try to share what they've done. Thanks so much guys! Sorted newest to oldest.

Survivor's Resolve stuff

Resolute Will (by Soulfully Sadistic) - a fanfiction that takes place in Meka Tower, based during the events of SR! If you like Sonic-Lucas interactions and the general vibe of intensity that came with that part of the story, you'll probably like this too; it's a good read so far. Give it a spin!

German translation by Tikal on the Sega-club forums. The first eight chapters are complete so far!

Refraction (by Speedy1236) - a beautiful depiction of a moment from the story's finale. (NEW)
Reunited (by NessaCity and Sonicspeed5) - one of the happiest moments in the story, from chapter 31.
These Bars (by NessaCity and Sonicspeed5) - from near the end of chapter 12. Watch your click if stuff bugs you easily.
The Aftermath (by LightningChaos2010), with SR logo - beautiful and heartbreaking work right here. Currently the story cover!
Survivor's Resolve logo on its own (by LightningChaos2010) - it's just full of win.
Knuckles saving Sonic from falling off the fortress (by SONICFAN11LUV) - a drawing of a scene in chapter 33.
Colored version of below (by Sockmonkey145) - the unbreakable bond given more life through color.
Can You See Me? drawing inspired by Survivor's Resolve chapter 17 (by Sonicspeed5) - they're with each other in spirit!

Undestined Future stuff

Series poster (by Sonicspeed5) - drawing that captures the essence of the series!
Faster Than You Think drawing (by Sonicspeed5) - Sonic and Tails.
A New Hero Rises 'screenshot' (by xXStoryWolfXx) - Sonic trapped in Eggman's base.
Hyper Tails from Beyond the Chaos (by Sonicspeed5) - colored pic of Tails looking determined in his advanced form.
Tails asleep on a lilypad (by magenta-oranges) - what Tails felt like doing in chapter 12 of Beyond the Chaos. xD

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RECOMMENDATIONS (listed alphabetically)

Trying to spread support around for other writers a bit! This little area is for what are my personal favorite Sonic stories! Sometimes I like a story to the point where I feel the need to tell the world why, even if just briefly. Like any story, none of 'em are perfect, but enjoying them and getting immersed in their plots and characterization is enough for me. Maybe you'll like them too. 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, yeah? :)

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. Fantastic 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 - this became part of my mental canon unintentionally, that's how good it is. 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. It gripped me incredibly. Great Tails and SatAm story; very moving.
One Look by ZehHyperactiveAuthor - a short, somewhat AU story with a remarkable take on Sonic, further magnified by the other character's realizations about his attitude. Sometimes it's the captured that sets the captor free instead of the other way around. ;) This story gave me chills.
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 - it's one of those reads that made me nostalgic to read it again years after I thought I'd forgotten about it.
Panacea by dib07 - thick with plot and emotion and challenge - not for the faint of heart. Wondrous character interaction that almost becomes family-like, delicious descriptions, and a distinctive, graceful kind of writing.
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. I still love it. 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. I tend to forget it's an adaptation of Sonic 2.
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. Feels like a Sonic story... if a bit dark in tone later on. Absolutely thrilling and captivating read.
Shadow: Transcending Lifetimes by Child at Heart Forever - an emotional and introspective oneshot that captures a heartwarming instance of character development for Shadow - and does a naturally great job at portraying other characters in the process, too. Wonderfully executed.
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. Lots of Sonic and Tails.
Sonic Concepts 2 by Exploder - great 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, but Sonic fans too.
The Wind In The Abyss by Speedy1236 - a thorough exploration of characters (particularly Sonic and Knuckles) that is full of meaning, great defining moments, and an undeniable grasp of the characters' personalities. It's one of those stories that feels like it could have happened in a canon, and fits in pretty seamlessly.
Unleashing Sonic: Story Mode by Child at Heart Forever - an adaptation full of charming character and wit and excitement. It's thorough and fills out the content of this already-loveable game.

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ABOUT ME

About the name: Really, it's one of those dumb names born of childhood impulsiveness. DC stands for Dark Chocolate, which was my favorite chao's name at the time I started creating Internet accounts. He was always abbreviated to DC because the chao garden name system only let you put seven letters. He was called Dark Chocolate because he was dark-aligned and chocolate colored. (Yeah. I know.) I just made it my username once, and it stuck. Oh, and the 1s are just because most sites won't accept two-character usernames. Not exactly inspired, but to the day I can't imagine associating myself with a different name, so... thereyago.
Gender: female.
Age: 20.
Now: I'm a university student majoring in journalism and working (though the latter is deliberately a light load right now because I do need my time to write). ;) I feel the need to get a degree in something even if I'm not convinced what I'm going to do with it, and it seems like that's best option for me since I do actually like to write outside of Sonic.
Later: Writing is pretty much my life, and I can't see myself living without that deeply-engrained pastime. I have FFN to thank for helping me discover such a gripping passion, and for continuing to nurture it. I'll be writing Sonic stories for a while because I just love that hedgehog. However, I'm also working on original stuff that I'd like to try and get published down the road. Other than that I also aspire to have a career in editing/publishing. Ultimately though, I'll make do with whatever opportunity comes along, so long as it means I can still do what I love regardless of whether or not it has anything to do with my career.
Give me a laptop with Word, a vanilla latte, and lotsa free time... and I'll be happy. ;) At the end of the day, I'm just a person who hopes to share adventure, depth and inspiration with whatever big or small portion of the world I can reach... with characters as the vessels.

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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.

Like any writer, I have plenty of room for improvement. My writing has errors. Sometimes I repeat things too much. Sometimes things aren't foreshadowed adequately that should have been. I have needed to grasp at straws in a plot before in order to make it work (though I'm quite sure anything grating is older, heh). But... if there is anything that I can say for myself and my writing, it's that I can write characters.

My favorite thing about writing is taking a character, whether already well-developed or completely bare-bones, and weaving them into something even more memorable from that foundation. This is the case for my Sonic fanfiction and for the original characters I've created myself - but in the case of this site, mostly Sonic. ;) I grew up with these characters. One day, as a kid, I wanted to write a story like I'd seen so many people do on this website. I did so and never stopped, and eventually the characters became my own, in a sense. They became the vessels through which I projected the stories and themes I wanted to share. It carried over into my adult life and now I don't see myself ever stopping writing completely, even though I'll eventually transition into entirely original work.

But that's not yet. ;)

You'll find depth in the characters in my stories; real personality, emotions, fears, joy, pain. I type canon-based 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.

For as close as I try to stay to canon and good characterization, my stories do NOT have the usually comparably-lighter tone that the games do. If that's what you're looking for, that's perfectly fine, but you will not find it here. I write deeply, intensely, and with no holds barred. This isn't even entirely deliberate; it's just the way the story comes to me. I'm very forward in my storytelling and do not edit for the sake of censorship alone if it matters to the plot or characters. Some things in my stories are descriptive, emotional, or otherwise heavy (just the way I like it! ;P). But at the same time, nothing happens without reason, and nothing is at the expense of the characters' personalities. I strive for as close to perfect characterization as I can get, building on the foundation the Sonic universe has already laid, enriching it, fleshing it out... but staying true to the core.

Feel free to glance for yourself! I'd recommend Survivor's Resolve, The Dark Side of the Moon, Faster Than You Think, When Enough Isn't Enough, Hold On Tight, and The Birth of Super Sonic as these ones are mostly recent (and therefore, of better quality than some of my older stuff).

Short version of everything? I write deep and sometimes dark. Take it or leave it... but take the it! ;) (...Yeah, 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.

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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. (However, I think this physical stillness tends to allow for a lot more emotional movement and thorough development and depth for the characters.) The most apparent is probably its lack of subtlety all throughout - this story doesn't censor itself in any capacity and has quite a few dark moments. It is simply told 'the way it happened,' if you will, with nothing left on the cutting room floor.

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. 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). It is an exploration of character and a journey full of danger, threats, adventure and hope. 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.

Also, if you wanna know what Kai (from Survivor's Resolve) looks like, I did a quick pic of him here.

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

Capture the Fox / Fox Hunt(being reworked now!)
ANew Hero Rises (will be reworked)
Beyond the Chaos (will be reworked)
FasterThan 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.

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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. (EDIT: Lol, best work. It's full of purple prose. Oh well.)

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?

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STATUS/UPCOMING - EVERYTHING IS TENTATIVE AND LIKELY TO CHANGE

Status for current stories, placeholder for future stories.

Survivor's Resolve - story / adventure & drama / Sonic / current regular updates / 45 chapters

When Enough Isn't Enough - oneshot / drama / possible continuation / 3-5 chapters

N/A title - adventure, drama, friendship & tragedy / undisclosed characters / TBA (On hiatus. Sorry. I hate having to do this but I need to for now.)
-How did the Chaos Emeralds come to be? Where did the Gaia Temples come from? Destruction and adventure seep into their present and future. There is usually one root cause for such problems, in the form of an evil scientist. But this time even Eggman has fallen victim to consequences - and has been a victim of consequence for longer than he realizes. He is not the only one to be trumped by his own oblivious decisions, though. His blue archenemy will face problems of his own, ones that not only affect him catastrophically but everyone around him. Their journey forward, ironically, will reach intimately into the unknown experiences of characters' pasts. Meanwhile, lives hang heavily in the balance and it seems not all fights can be won.

The Edge of Eternity - full-length game adaptation / adventure / Sonic / currently being written / TBA (On hiatus. Updates are slow because I need to get further in it. Delayed but in progress.)

The More Things Change - friendship & hurt-comfort / Sonic & Tails / 10-15 chapters / set 2 years after Undestined Future series / TBA (low priority for now)
-Sonic struggles with the morality of his past decision to twist fate irrevocably and keep Tails alive. Tails is hurt by the implications of his friend's worries, and the two grow apart. An unthinkable accident happens that seems more like cruel punishment, only solidifying Sonic's worries about his young brother's fateless future. But soon the blue blur discovers that Tails isn't the only one having unexpected problems...

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. TBA (current projects take priority but these will be focused on again soon)

*Original novel/series* - adventure & fantasy. Currently being written, and I am going to attempt to get published if I like it enough when it's finished. If not, then it will likely be put up on fictionpress. More info soon! Watch this spot!

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[Questions area deleted. Profile's getting too long. Got a question? Ask. :)]

Feel free to contact me if you have any comments, questions, suggestions, or just to chit-chat about the latest Sonic game. I like talking to people even if I don't always have time to answer promptly.

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