ship_manifesto

Title: A Date to Die For
Author: insanepurin
Fandom: Sonic the Hedgehog
Pairing: Sonic the Hedgehog/Shadow the Hedgehog
Word Count: 5,222
Spoilers: Concerns SEGASonic videogame canon. Spoils Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic Battle, and Sonic Next-Gen (X-Box/PS3).

Social Butterfly. Reclusive Moth. Speed Demon. Lone Gunman. Nature. Technology. Blue Daredevil. Ultimate-Life Form. Yessir, I am talking about hedgehogs. Hedgehog slash, at that. ;D So grab a chair and popcorn, you're in for a crazy ride~

~Introduction~

The first Sonic the Hedgehog game was released in 1993, starring the speedy blue hedgehog we know and love today that changed the way we looked at gaming forever. The plot was simple: you run toward the goal of each “zone”, grabbing rings, looping loops, jumping and dashing through creative traps like walls and spikes, all the while stomping robots to release trapped animal critters and collecting the 7 Chaos Emeralds to defeat Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Also known as “Eggman”). As the series progressed, Sonic would meet a colorful cast of characters, including Miles “Tails” Prower and Knuckles the Echidna—and a certain black hedgehog who also shares the subject of the manifesto.

~Sonic the Hedgehog~

He’s the guy responsible for keeping Mario on his toes—the blue dude with an attitude. Let’s get one thing straight: he’s impulsive, impatient (“I’m waiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiing!”), honest, noble, and just can’t stay anywhere for five seconds. Sonic is a free spirit who lives in the moment, running because he can and because he wants to. He has a high competitive streak and is a REAL pain in the ass—that said, it gets him in many gosh-darn dangerous situations, and makes him a most annoying pest to squash for villains like Robotnik. Sonic isn’t afraid to risk his life for what he believes in, painting the portrait of a unique hero in people’s eyes. With a laid-back personality, he doesn’t mind the little things. He’s just busy enjoying life. ;D

~Shadow the Hedgehog~

Introduced by DreamCast, this was a character who shook gamers everywhere, whether you love him or hate him. At first glance, Shadow is easy to judge: a dark “double” and rival of Sonic the Hedgehog, matching with the anti-hero archetype and touchy issues to boot. Shadow, to be blunt, is an arrogant asshole, convinced that he was created as the flawless existence, the “Ultimate Life-Form”. Like Sonic, he too is rebellious, but unlike him, he would plot any kind of means to get what he wants, even if it causes harm to those around him. Shadow thinks through his plans and uses that knowledge and cleverness to finish the job—different from Sonic who jumps in battles without a plan. He holds a stoic front, apathetic to his surroundings unless it deals with him or holds his interest. Despite his intimidating personality, a caramel center sits beneath the white chest fluff: Shadow lies himself down the line for those he cares for, and never ever breaks a promise (more on that later). Feircely loyal and dedicated, he carries around him a code of honor that he holds dear to himself. Due to his upbringing in outer space, he displays a curiosity about the world around him and seeks his true purpose in life. In this way, he appears with a child-like innocence that far contradicts many of his outward actions, wanting to touch, feel… answer everything he can. This early naivety fits into the hands of villains that manipulate him because of his origins...

~Important Stuff (Whee!)~

Sonic has no background. We know nothing about his childhood except he was born on Christmas Island, and lived most of his life in South Island for supposedly uneventful years. Shadow, on the other hand, has a long and complicated backstory that’s caused people to scratch their heads, but it's CRUCIAL to the story of Sonic Adventure 2 (SA2) and all that relates to Shadow afterwards. Here’s a nutshell before we move on:

50 years ago, Dr. Robotnik’s grandfather, Professor Gerald Robotnik, built the world’s largest Space Colony (“ARK”), and launched it in space to begin his studies abroad. The government requested he find the secret to immortality—naturally, the professor refused. He had a granddaugter named Maria, however, who was diagnosed with an uncurable terminal illness known as NIDS. Determined to save his only family (this was before Eggman was born), Gerald agreed to start the Project, codenamed “Shadow” as a joke by the staff that “you cannot create what doesn’t exist in the world.”

The Prototype of the Ultimate Life-Form, Biolizard, was considered a success at first. It could heal, reproduce asexually with eggs—then it went berserk and the scientists had to seal it away in the deepest part of the ARK. The government was impatient and Gerald was in trouble... when the Black Comet arrived. An alien entity named Black Doom boarded the ARK, willing to make a deal: I help create this Life-Form by sharing our DNA. In return, the Black Arms and I take over the colony. Hesitantly, Gerald accepted. Which he realized later that was a baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad idea. Realizing this, he built the Eclipse Cannon in intentions of destroying the Black Comet, which around 50 years later Shadow would confront and destroy in the spin-off game "Shadow the Hedgehog" (ShtH).

Suspicions of Project Shadow leaked to the government, and Guardians of United Nation (GUN) were sent aboard to investigate. Now it’s important to know that while all this madness took place, Maria and Shadow (the result of Black Doom & Gerald's agreement) had become good friends, to the point where they were as inseparable as siblings. Gerald warns his granddaughter of GUN’s raid, telling her to run with Shadow and escape in one of the escape pods. They do so, taking out ballistic experiments and healing injured workers and scientists along the way. Maria seals Shadow in a pod, only to be caught by a GUN solider—she gives her life for Shadow by taking the bullet, pleading him to go to Earth and keep a promise to “make the people happy.”

It’s a good sign her death caused Shadow to go ballistic and go on a mass murder spree in the ARK. Gerald was arrested and when he learned Maria was one of the ARK’s victims (sealed as an “accident” by the government), he lost all sense of comprehension and sanity. His dying wish was to turn his inventions against the people and planet that betrayed him, wiping Shadow’s memories of all except those that make him desire revenge. 50 years later, Eggman would look for his grandfather’s famous creation, sealed away by GUN long long ago…

~Canon~

That’s when SA2 begins. Eggman releases Shadow from slumber, who requests him to look for the 7 Chaos Emeralds, and later meet him aboard the ARK. The mysterious black hedgehog wrecks havoc at Golden Gate Bridge (aka Radical Highway), and the government thinks Sonic is behind it because of how familiar the hedgehogs look. Trying to cage Sonic is like trying to stop a bull with ADD, so the blue daredevil grabs a piece of metal off of GUN’s helicopter and surfs into town. Big nasty GUNbot named Heavy Dog comes. Sonic PWNs him, kaboom. Then he sees our anti-hero for the first time…

Shadow: *pulls out a green Chaos Emerald* It all starts with this… a jewel containing the ultimate power.
Sonic: That’s the… Chaos Emerald!
Shadow: *he stares at the Emerald—when Sonic starts walking toward him and has his attention*
Sonic: Now I know what’s going on! The military has mistaken me for the likes of you! So, where do you think you’re going with that Emerald!?
Shadow: *says nothing, merely looks at him*
Sonic: *charging forward* Say something! You fake hedgehog!
Shadow: *finally reacts by throwing the Emerald and catching it in the air* Chaos Control! *he disappears in green light, and the two hedgehogs pass each other in slow-motion, their speed equal as Sonic turns flabbergasted, Shadow completing his warp atop the roof *
Sonic: Wow, he’s fast! Hey… it’s not his speed; he must be using the Chaos Emerald to warp!
Shadow: *watching him, tossing the Emerald and catching it in his hands* My name is Shadow. I am the world’s Ultimate Life-Form. There’s no time for games; farewell! *uses Chaos Control and the light blinds Sonic*
Sonic: *covering his eyes* Shadow… what is he…
*GUN units and police cars already have him surrounded*

Sonic rarely gets angry. It takes a lot to push him over the edge, and to do that, you've got to go really far. Sure, Eggman’s made him angry. He’s the main villain! He’s cracked jokes about Eggman and constantly mocks Knuckles, so why did Shadow tap his nerves like that from the get-go? Was he insulted because he was framed? That some other hedgehog came and waltzed around, cramping his style? If he’s supposed to be a stupid wannabe, why is he so powerful? Why does he look at me like I’m nothing, though I’ve been around longer than he has? What if he’s right? What if he IS better than me?

So go the number of jealous thoughts in Sonic’s head, until self-proclaimed girlfriend Amy Rose breaks him out of jail. He escapes to Green Jungle, looking for the prick who got him in this mess in the first place.

Sonic: *sees Shadow on the branch of a tree* Hey, that’s…
Shadow: That blue hedgehog again, of all places!
Sonic: *accusedly points finger* I found you, faker!
Shadow: Faker? I think you’re the fake hedgehog around here. You’re comparing yourself to me? Hah! You’re not even good enough to be my fake.
Sonic: I’ll make you eat those words!

Cue more corny dialogue. (“I’m the coolest!” “Not bad… for an imposter…” — Both Shadow quotes) They realize island blows up in 5 minutes. They forget each other and split. One of the interesting things is that while Sonic is infuriated with Shadow, Shadow is merely amused by him instead of hating him out of spite. He grows intrigued by this blue hedgehog, quickly learning that there is more to him than meets the eye. Typically, rivals are blind to the virtues of the other, too washed up in pride to accept the fact that their “double” is something other than useless. Shadow notices strength in Sonic, he doesn’t treat him like a joke the rest of the game, going as far as to admitting the blue hedgehog was stronger than himself. WAY stronger.

The Chaos Emeralds were meant to power the Eclipse Cannon so the ARK would shoot Earth to smithereens. Sonic and buddies climb inside ARK to stop this, only to be captured by Robotnik. Tails makes Sonic a fake Emerald, but Robotnik sees it as a trick: he locks Sonic in a space pod and shoots him in space to explode in the stratasphere. But of course Sonic isn't gonna die! Holding the fake Emerald, he uses Chaos Control to warp and rushes for the cannon. Meanwhile, Shadow (like everyone else) thinks he’s dead:

Shadow: *stares out the window, watching the pod explode* I guess he was just a regular hedgehog after all.

Here, Shads expresses contempt. But a trace of disappointment can also be found—as far as he was concerned, he was never going to find an opponent as nearly fast as Sonic is. He liked learning about him, watching him… how pleasant it would be to beat him! But his chance is gone, now it’s tough luck. Time to wander around the Eclipse Cannon…

Shadow: You never cease to surprise me, blue hedgehog. I thought that the capsule you were in exploded in space.
Sonic: You know, what can I say? I die hard! *holding up the fake Emerald* You actually saved me, ya know.
Shadow: It was a Chaos Emerald, wasn’t it? But… there’s no way you could have activated the Chaos Control… using an Emerald that’s fake.
*the two start picking pace*
Shadow: So… there’s more to you than just looking like me. Who are you, anyway?
Sonic: Whatcha see is whatcha get, just a guy who loves adventure! *turns away and faces ahead of himself in determination* I’m Sonic the Hedgehog!
*it becomes a full-pledged race*
Shadow: I see. But you know, I can’t let you live. Your adventuring days are coming to an end!

At this point, Shadow admits he’s impressed. And Sonic crediting his own rival as inspiration from becoming hedgehog fritters instead of Tails? Hmm…

Stuff happens. Sonic clogs up the Eclipse Cannon, but the ARK is veering towards Earth like a runaway motorcycle. Eggman shows everyone his grandfather’s diary, revealing his plans for Earth’s destruction. Since nobody wants to die in the ARK, everybody (including Eggman) works together and races to stop the ARK from colliding with the planet. Amy convinces Shadow to save the world and tweaks his memories back in order. The Biolizard is summoned, and Shadow’s timing couldn’t be any more perfect.

Shadow PWNs Biolizard. Or does he? Knuckles stays to utilize the Master Emerald, but not before staring bewildered and perhaps in awe as Sonic & Shadow become Super with the Chaos Emeralds. During the final battle versus Final Hazard, various cast members speak into the radio to hurry the hedgehogs or give advice. Sonic & Shadow give various exchanges too:

Sonic: Shadow, you need a rest. Let me give it a try.
Sonic: Shadow! Take care of him! I'll collect the rings; keep him busy for a while!
Sonic: Yeah, take that you creep! Shadow, are you okay?
Sonic: Shadow, at this rate your Super Form won't last! Get back to the Colony!

Shadow: He's still very powerful. What kind of monster is this? How are you doing, Sonic?
Shadow: Sonic! I can't keep this up, hurry!
Shadow: Sonic, what are you doing? You're almost out of Rings! Switch places with me!

Spend four minutes fighting, kick Final Hazard's health bar to red. Depending on who you’re controlling, you get this:

Sonic: Shadow, I understand. You're unstoppable. Let's destroy this creature now! Everyone is waiting for us back on Earth!
Shadow: Hahaha, Sonic! I think I've discovered what the Ultimate Life Form is... it might be you!

“Wow… he really IS the Ultimate Life.” They see each other as more than a title, but someone with merits. Respect is granted, and they clasp hands.

BAM! Don’t ask me how, Shadow starts plummeting toward Earth and we have no idea what’s happened to him. Sonic returns to the others in the colony, shaking. It’s rare of the blue hero to express sadness, but here he is: immobile, helpless, hurt. Of all the people he couldn’t save, it was the one who made him feel: his rival. All he has left of Shadow is a Flame Ring, which he gives to Rouge:

Rouge: Do you really think... that the professor created Shadow to carry out the revenge on all those who live there, on Earth?
Sonic: He was what he was. A brave and heroic hedgehog, who gave his life to save his planet. Shadow the Hedgehog...
Rouge: I guess you're right...

Sonic jumped to Shadow’s defense—so what if he was made to be good or evil? It didn’t dictate his choice to save Earth and go back to fix mistakes. It’s because he was Shadow. Not just a project or a weapon, but human like anyone else.

Sonic: *looking out the window* (Could he have... the Ultimate Life Form?)
Amy: What's the matter, Sonic?
Sonic: Oh, it's nothing. Come on! Let's go home! To the planet as cool and blue as me!
* Everyone leaves the room, but Sonic stops at the door, and turns back to the windows along the wall.*
Sonic: Sayonara, Shadow, the Hedgehog.

Since SA2 (and Shadow’s revival in Sonic Heroes (SH)), Sonic & Shadow have been on-again-off-again rivals. While Shadow tries to get his memories back in ShtH, Sonic is a bouncy ally who follows you in most of the Hero Paths. He frequently compliments Shadow, teasing him and playing along no matter how much his annoyed double brushes him off—in other words, Sonic's like a puppy. Shadow can mistreat him however he wants, but he's always happy and he never, ever, ever goes away. He goes as far as ruining Shadow’s angstiest moments, challenging him in a race at Final Rush—reminding him they once done the same thing long ago.

Not to say Shadow’s ungrateful. In Next-Gen, he returns the favor by saving Sonic from Silver (Not to mention clearing up an entire misunderstanding with the poor manipulated white hedgehog). The hedgehogs work together to save the future, all the while Shadow bossing him around. (“Don't be late.” “Hmph. Same to you.”) When Sonic is (temporarily) killed by Mephiles (an evil entity responsible for the whole Iblis mess in the first place), Shadow stays in the back and crosses his arms and looks away while the others mourn. Until the last moment, that is. ("Certainly, it might have been possible—if he was still alive.")

It’s debated where Sonic Battle (SB) fits in the timeline, if at all. One thing’s for sure, Shadow’s memories are back, and he isn’t afraid to get cranky. Because he believes himself to be a weapon of war, he detests the robot Emerl the Gizoid, whom he sees as a reflection of himself. They were both Ultimate Life-Forms, therefore they are trained to kill. Sonic, who discovered Emerl at the beginning of the game and befriended him, says otherwise:

Sonic: I've heard that he who collects 7 "Chaos Emerald" will be granted unlimited energy. So, are you trying to tell me that awakening Emerl is dangerous?
Shadow: {Ugh.} Dangerous? Ha! He's a weapon. One created with enough power to destroy the world. Awakening him is sheer madness!
Sonic: {Ah-ha!} I don't think he has it in him. The Emerl I know would never destroy the world. What about you?! You say he's the ultimate weapon, but weren't you supposed to be the military's ultimate secret weapon?! Maybe you've forgotten, but I seem to recall you saving humanity at some point.
Shadow: {Ugh.} ...That was for Maria.
Sonic: {Yeah!} Exactly! If you have a heart, you would never use your power for the forces of evil! There's no way you could! Weapons aren't supposed to have "hearts." But, both you and Emerl do! You guys... You aren't just weapons!
Shadow: {Huh.} Hmph! No, you are wrong. We were created as weapons. If the people of this world ever want peace, they must destroy us.
Sonic: -(!)- Shadow?! And one more thing! Rouge said that there's a keyword that can free Emerl! If we could find out what it is, Emerl could become just a normal robot!
Shadow: {Ha.} ha! Such hopeless dreams... Weapons have no need for a conscience. Freedom? What use is a weapon that does not follow orders?! I have a different kind of "Link" with Gizoid. Like me, he's a weapon! No doubt about it! He's a weapon to be used by his "Master"!
Sonic: Shadow... {Ah-ha!} All right, all right! Just take Emerl, already! If you're not going to listen to me, then do whatever you want!
Shadow: ...Yeah. {Ha.} Then you don't care if I exterminate Emerl?
Sonic: {Yeah!} I'd like to see you try!
Shadow: You don't think I could?
Sonic: You have a heart. Emerl has a heart. I don't think either of you has it in you to kill! Maybe you guys should just play games together or something?
Shadow: ...

As a Gizoid, Emerl takes in personality traits from the people he holds a “Link” with. Observe once Shadow grants his freedom:

Emerl: Hey, now! Don't go and get all serious on me like that, Shadow!
Shadow: {Ha.} Hmph. Look who's talking. You remind me a little too much of a certain spikey, smug little...
Emerl: Watch your mouth!

Emerl: *beats Shadow*
Shadow: Heh... I shall concede that you are my equal.
Emerl: Hey, man! I'm just getting warmed up!
Shadow: {Humph!} Hmph. You're just as mouthy as him, too. Looks like we've got a guest. Come back later.

Alas, our favorite shoujo anti-hero floats in de Nile, in a beach tube nonetheless.

Shadow: {Ha.} Hmph! There's no need for a weapon to have feelings. ...This is ridiculous! I am leaving! *leaves*
Sonic: {Ah-ha!} Hey! Shadow! Maybe you should try learning a thing or two from Emerl and be more honest with yourself! ...Heh! Not that I'd expect anything different out of you, though!!

~Shipping~

Why do I want to ship these guys together? They've been pretty much everything: Enemies. Rivals. Friends. Why not lovers too?

As I mentioned earlier, only Sonic and Shadow recognize each other for who they are, and understand each other better than anyone else in the entire series. Sonic never used Shadow like a tool or viewed him as a dangerous volatile weapon to be put away or fire with caution—he views him as an individual with thoughts and feelings like everyone else, and believes in the good inside of him. Likewise, Shadow sees Sonic beyond "the hero"—he doesn't blindly worship him, but recognizes him of his own merits, and he's not afraid to challenge him when he thinks he's wrong. Sonic spilled his guts in front of Shadow, and likewise may be said for the other way around. They share a lot in common: pride being one of them. If one (or both) of them broke down, what would happen?

They're also complete opposites and complement each other like milk and chocolate—Shadow earns a bit of sunshine from frisky ol' Sonic, while Sonic gets a lecture and a head still on his neck as a result. Shadow will freely plummel his double with cynical wit, while Sonic bounces right back and enjoys the ride. Neither of them back down from a fight, and both are thirsty for the thrill of competition—who else could run and keep up with the other? These guys ARE the fastest things alive, after all.

Useless Trivia: Aside from Jason Griffith (who plays both hedgehogs), Sonic & Shadow's voice actors have a habit of becoming the best of friends. Ryan Drummond (Sonic) and David Humphrey (Shadow) once starred in "Forever Plaid", a barber shop quartet show in San Diego, CA. Junichi Kanemaru (Sonic) and Kouji Yusa (Shadow) are even closer—when Kanemaru's cat died, Yusa called him to see if he was all right. Doesn't help they BOTH voiced in BL dramas: in particular, Yusa in the infamous Chintsubu.

~Puri's Story~

I was just getting back into Sonic again, via Sonic Adventure 2 Battle. I hadn't thought of getting in the fandom yet, and my first ship in the series was... you guessed it. Knuckles & Rouge. I was already a giddy slasher, but Sonadow frankly held no interest for me, thinking it was another one of those typical rivalships where the same thing happened: they fight, they bite, they fight and bite and angst, fightangstfight, biteangstbite, the Sonic and Shadow Shooooooooooooooow~~~! I fell in love with Shadow right away—but Sonic? He seemed flat and shallow compared to the vast variety of folks like Knuckles, Tails and Amy, and it may be that "Main-Character-Syndrome" thing kicking in. Doobie doo, I was playing the game around the second time. (First being a long story, with my sister and I watching my little brother beat SA2B and bonding over Sonic after being touched by Shadow's sacrifice) I approached Final Rush, watching the two hedgehogs chat before the last battle—suddenly, a light bulb went off in my head. The two start racing each other, and the tension was there. What's going on? I recalled their exchanges in the first scenes, and combined them together with Final Hazard—suddenly, everything seemed to fall into place. Then Shadow dies. Sonic wasn't the Invincible-Gary-Stu-That-Could-Do-No-Wrong I thought he was anymore—from when he started shaking in the doorway to when he left, I wanted to reach out through the screen and hug him tight so many times. When he revered Shadow and started to regard him like he was the real hero of the story—not himself—I was silent. It was through there the blue hedgehog's virtue shown a glimmer.

As expected, Puri wanted to start writing Sonadow fics, wanting to explore the mysteries the two exhibited. Soon when I started yet ANOTHER game, I paid close attention to everyone's dialogue and actions so I could write them IC. It dawned on me then—I liked, no. Loved Sonic. He warmed my heart, I grinned at his cheeky behavior and antics, he was real to me as much as Shadow was. So in a way, I have to owe shipping and Sonadow to get to see two characters for who they are and reveal about themselves in another light—which made me love Sonic and Shadow even more, be it their individual selves, their bickering, their rivalry, their partnership, their... bond that makes their relationship so amazing and timeless.

~Recommendations~

The good news is that Sonadow is the most popular yaoi ship in the fandom—not to mention if you wanted to draw or write about them together, the potential and possibilities are endless. Due to their similar and opposing personalities, this makes Sonadow darn versatile: obviously there's angst and drama (and Shad's not alone—Sonic too has his own share of issues and psychology. XDD!). But comedy too can effortlessly be pulled off, with Sonic's giddiness and pestering and Shadow's dry wit. You can make it dark and twisted as fuck, or it can be something sweet and fluffy. And yes indeedie—the sex is DAMN hot. Shameless, I know.

The bad news? Trying to find decent Sonadow is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Wait, let me rephrase that. Finding a specific needle in a pile of needles. Because Sonicdom is mostly taken up by little kids and immature teenagers, you can expect 13-15-year-old yaoi squealers to be among the bunch. Not only are the fanfics cliché and the fanart hideous, you could slap any faceless wimpy Ken doll for Sonic & Shadow and nothing would change (Drippy woobie fangirl Japanese ftw!). When the fangirls aren't stripping the hedgehogs of their spines (and dignity) or hawt man-on-man ackshun!1!11 needs, they get pretty frothy and nasty—if you draw/write Sonadow, they'll continue to pester you. And pester and pester and pester you to do more. It gets obnoxious really fast. DD:

Not to say we're all bad, of course. But if you're a Sonadow shipper, you gotta be brave and have a mellow attitude. Sonadow is often looked down upon by "elite" fancircles because to the fanbase, so watch out for discrimination issues too. But that's what I'm here for—to welcome you, share some insight, and guide you along as I let you make up your mind. Meanwhile, here's a bunch of Sonadow goodies I've gathered:

~Fanfiction~

In Memory by CarriePika You get a LOT of fics with Sonic thinking about Shadow's death. This is one of the more unique and original ones, with some sweet insight and touching pieces of writing that'll make you wanna grab a Kleenix. That's right, get that pesky runaway tear outta the way. ;D

Losing The Race by Skyblaze How would you feel if the man you chased after for so many years had already gotten together with another? A Sonadowfic through Amy's perspective that is really poignant and makes you want to give her a big hug at the end. :(

Lean on Me by MissXeli This had a really neat plot and I loved the premise of where it was going. Unfortunately, it seems like the author hasn't updated in years, so we'll never know how it'll turn out. D: Still, I love the way she characterized Sonic & Shadow, so thus, I recommend giving a shot if you don't mind abandoned WIPs. :)

A Peaceful Moment, Falling Leaves, Swimtrunks by Indilee Stand-alone ficlets written for contest winners. All of 'em are cute (though I recommend the first two. :3), and the way she has Sonic & Shadow bicker makes me giggle.

More stuff can be found at sonic_drive and bluestarrevenge. :333

Then there's my crap:

The Sonadow Fanfic Drinking Game - Don't pass out. ;D

It's Good to Be in Love - Bleeeh, I knew I should've given it a better title. XD Lighthearted parody of Sonadow fanfiction that ends pretty fl00fy.

Shifting Paradigms - Ficlet about summertime in a wintery setting.

Masquerade - Sonic & Shadow meet at a masquerade after SA2's events. Cue drama, confusion, and lots of purple flowery prose. Ick. XD

Slide (Beautiful To Me) - Inspired by "Slide" by the Goo Goo Dolls. Sonic & Shadow fluff at the beach for a dear friend's birthday.

My Sonadow 100 table for any future stuff that gets updated.

~Fanart~

Laziness - Home to various slashy Sonic art, including Sonadow, Sonuckles, Vecpio, and neat solo stuff. Personified style.

GUMSYRUP - Sonic slashy goodness of the regular and gajinka kind. :3 Stuff like Sonadow, Sonuckles, and a couple Vecpio and Mephilver.

Papurikaaka - More Sonadow, more slashiness, yay! Be careful though. Awesome the drawings are, some of it is NSFW.

Honey('s)milktea - Lots of super cute art and various pairings, both regular and gajinka. I love how shiny and colorful her work is. :)

ankreuzen (???) - Houses Gajinka art. Plus Sonic piloting a Shadow mech. Where can you go wrong? ;D

Starry Sky - Oh my god. Contains art that will make your teeth rot. Which I'm always a sucker for these sort of things.

animal trail - Another general Sonic place, with a few shippy stuff (including Sonadow) here and there. ;D

Mind Crush - The art is simply mindblowing. *______* I must warn you though that most pictures are extremely dark and gory, so if that squicks you out, clicking wouldn't be a good idea. ^^;;; The two webmasters's DA accounts are also listed.

Speaking of DA, it's a lot like the artistic version of FF.net: it's easier to find goodies if you look hard enough. (Lots of nifty Sonic vs. Shadow pictures over there. What? I consider them slashy) This is but a few of my favorite Sonadow artists:

Akiru Nyang, Blizzard Wolf, CarriePika, Crumpet, Hikaru-Michi (Hedgiepan)

~Links~

bluestarrevenge - My comm for Sonadow fangirls! :DDD Unfortunately it's dead as a doornail, but we people are very nice here, and we always look forward to a post. :3
sonicslash - Home for all kinds of Sonic yaoi (sometimes yuri). Unfortunately not very active either, but interesting stuff gets posted once in a while.
sonic_couples - General Sonic shipping comm. Updated more than Sonic Slash, though still quiet. We share songs, fics, art, icons and more!
sonic_drive - Sonic drabble prompt. Endless quality stuff hangs out over there, we're friendly and easy-going, and there's plenty of Sonadow too~
sonicstuff - For general Sonic information, like upcoming games or DVD releases.

~Special Thanks~

All my friends (and fellow converts! And whoever put up with my fangirling. XDD!) that supported me over the years, including: pimmy_pim (who let me share her adorable sketch above. ;D), momogirl12345, the_jess, carriepika, chaoscheebs, onlytalewetell, meganubunny, cammiluna, panku_tasuku, blackchain23, chicobo329, debbiedaichan, swammi, psychicninja, yamikaosu, plushiesnramen, and anyone else I missed.

~Extra Special Thanks~

obabscribbler for finally kicking me into finishing this. hedgiepan and iceclimbers87 because they know why.