I’m listening to my CD with ‘Inside’ by Stiltskin and ‘Crawling’ by Linkin Park on as I write this, and it really works with the pic
…
Well, this has been sitting on my hard drive for a couple of weeks… It was supposed to be a Fleetway-ish entry for the 's latest contest, but I’m not really sure if it still fits the criteria after all the changes it’s gone through. I’m entering it anyway though, and it’s not as if I had any choice in what it ended up like… this was one of those pics that just seemed to have a life of it’s own.
It’s probably the most difficult Sonic pose I’ve ever drawn… well, okay, I’ve *drawn* worse but it is the hardest one I’ve actually *finished*. It simply refused to die, unlike most drawings I do that look like they could muck up at any minute. (there’s actually another version of this that didn’t quite work out, I may upload it into Scraps for a laugh later) This is one of those drawings that looks wrong even though it’s actually right though, unfortunately. Because Sonic’s head is down you can’t see how his body twists round and where his shoulders are, so one of his arms looks too long- it’s not really, I measured. Also, yes, his head does look that way from that angle, at least my action figure’s does….
But anyway. Sorry I didn’t do the ‘Reflections’ pic, Latifah, but like I said it mutated as I was drawing it. And once I got to the colouring, well… I started out with a generic and quite boring drawing that wasn’t attached to any particular fanfic. But probably because I’ve been working on it for so long (and because I needed to disguise the horrible, horrible mess I made of Super Sonic’s legs and feet), Other Things Happened. Cue transparency effects, and a background *gasp*

One thing I am pleased with… Super’s glowy eyes. Ooooh.

The story behind the image- it’s an idea I’ve had for years, but never written up as a proper fanfic because I have… heh… ‘Other Plans’ for Super. But I suppose there’s no harm in a little A.U now and then… might write it up properly later, but for now, a rough little snippet-thing.

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“Sonic hit the floor of the cell with a grunt of pain, and was unable to turn his battered self around in time to glare at his captors before the heavy door slammed shut.
He groaned under his breath and shook his head. The place was impregnable- escape attempt number three had failed just as miserably as the others. At least he thought it was number three. He had been quite thoroughly concussed when they had dragged him in here the first time, and his head still spun.
“They’re playing with you, Sonic. You know there’s only one way out of here.”
… Still hearing things, too. He gritted his teeth, struggling into a sitting position. Refusing to look at where the voice seemed to be coming from.
“Get lost.”
“I can help you… look at yourself, you’re too weak to make it out of here.”
“I am not,” he lied. It was a hallucination, that was all. Brought on by the blow to the head. The windowless, gloomy room with its bare metal walls and dirt floor was real, although he wished otherwise. The voice which seemed to echo inside his head, identical to his own apart from a slight roughness, was not.
He looked across- the translucent apparition wasn’t real, either. Not even worth acknowledging its presence. The hedgehog looked straight through it to the metal bench fixed against the wall; it would at least be more comfortable than sitting on the floor…
“You can’t ignore me forever,” the vision continued. “I exist and we’re stuck with each other.”
Sonic looked away.
“The only way either of us is going to escape is if we work together,” It insisted doggedly.
“Work together?” The blue hedgehog snorted. “I wouldn’t believe that even if you were really there. I know what you want.”
“For once in your life, trust me! All you have to do is agree-“
“Trust you?! I trusted you last time.” He touched the metal band on his wrist. “Never again.”
The apparition straightened.
“You don’t remember, do you?” there was something like a sigh. Sonic was surprised by how well the creature was faking the regret in its’ voice. A pause. “I didn’t kill Shadow. He fell because he chose to.”
Sonic growled, turning to glare at the ghostly figure for a few seconds. Super Sonic was exactly as Sonic remembered. Coarse fur and spines stuck out in every direction, and the eyes glowed eerily.
“You’re not real. Leave me alone!”
He lashed out with his arm, cutting through the translucent form. It dissipated like mist, parting words hanging in the air.
“Whether you like it or not, I’m as real as you are…”

Time passed. Sonic had no way of knowing how long he had been a prisoner. There were more escape attempts, none of which succeeded.
Elsewhere, Dr. Robotnik looked at the video footage from the cell’s hidden camera and chuckled. It was a brilliant plan, truly brilliant… Sonic knew his friends were being held captive. He knew they wouldn’t remain unharmed forever. Robotnik would let him bash his brains out against the cell walls, then unlock the door and let the exhausted hedgehog ‘escape’-only to dash his hopes at the last moment. Over and over again. Each time, he was returned to his cell more beaten than the last, both physically and mentally.
Not only was it entertaining to toy with his old enemy like this, but it served a purpose. Sonic would eventually learn that it was useless to fight back. That he was completely helpless. It wouldn’t be long now- he had even started to talk to himself, which was very amusing.
Robotnik had no intention of repeating the mistakes he had made with Shortfuse. Sonic would make a wonderful Cybernik… but only as soon as he was completely broken, with no more will to fight.

His spin attack bounced ineffectually off the cell door. Sonic barely hit the ground before he was running at it again, shouting wordlessly.
The impact threw him to the ground. For a few moments he stared at the unscathed Megatal alloy of the door, willing it to swing open.
Nothing. He lurched to his feet and beat his fists against the metal, which was too thick to make more than a muffled bonging sound. Again, nothing.
He groaned and let himself sag as the brief adrenaline rush faded, sliding down the door until he folded into a miserable-looking pile on the floor. Even if the cell hadn’t been made of a near-indestructible material he doubted he’d have been able to escape now. His original injuries and the cuts and bruises earned from failed escape attempts, along with lack of food had badly sapped his strength.
Still, somehow he had to get out. With every moment that passed it became less and less likely that Tails and Amy were okay. As usual he was he one who had got them into this in the first place, and he couldn’t face the thought of losing anyone else because of his own carelessness… Johnny had died because Sonic had been afraid. And Shadow… he still couldn’t be sure quite what had happened to him.
But the hedgehog knew deep down that this time there was no way out.
He hated being helpless. More than anything.
A snarl, a frenzy of movement and several dull metallic clangs in quick succession as he threw himself against the reinforced door again and again, ignoring the explosions of pain as hard metal connected with already bruised flesh. The final impact was the worst; he felt some of his quills splinter under the pressure and was thrown clear across the cell, skidding to a halt next to the bench.
Exhausted, he lay with arms wrapped around his aching sides, panting through gritted teeth. If only he wasn’t so drained…
After a moment or two his ears flattened in anger as he sensed that he was not alone.
“I thought I told you… to go away…” he hissed between breaths.
“I can’t,” was the reply. The voice was calm. It was amazing how reasonable the creature could sound when it wanted to, Sonic thought. “You can’t go on like this. You’ll just hurt yourself even more-“
“Better than hurting other people… I don’t need you. I can do this myself.” He coughed, struggling to sit up, aiming a glare at Super Sonic’s translucent image. The yellow hedgehog shook his head.
“You know that every door and wall in this place is made of Megatal. You couldn’t make a dent… not without my power.” A pause. “I feel what you feel, Sonic… you’re in pain. I doubt you can even stand by yourself now.”
“I can…” he shot back stubbornly. He clenched his teeth and reached out for the support of the bench as he tried to get his feet under him, but was not completely surprised as his legs shuddered then buckled from the effort. Even with one hand gripping the ground for support he would have collapsed to his knees if something hadn’t been holding him up. But it wasn’t the bench; it had been just out of his reach.
He couldn’t understand how something he knew existed only in his mind could be physically supporting him, but his arm was over Super Sonic’s shoulders and the apparition was somehow easily taking his weight. Or at least it looked that way; he couldn’t feel anything solid in contact with him, not even where Super Sonic’s hand was apparently holding on to his wrist. But although he felt just as weak as before, there was a vague tingle of energy in his limbs, like a low electric current.
Sonic was partly incredulous, partly humiliated.
“What are you doing…”
“Helping you. I’m your only way out. The only way to save the others…”
“Since when did you care?” Sonic snapped, shaking his head. “I know what you’re like. You’re trying to trick me… you just want a chance to destroy everything.”
“No… I can’t expect you to believe me, but I’ve changed. I don’t want to hurt anyone, not any more…” He hung his head slightly. Sonic gave him another look of disbelief.
“You said that before… Just before you tried to kill me…”
“That wasn’t me. The power…. does something to me…” The unreadable red eyes narrowed and looked away. “I’m tired of fighting, Sonic. Whenever you change it’s always a battle between the two of us… but if we work together this time, I think you can help me keep control.”
“Your power and my reason…? Nice speech, yellow boy. But I’m not convinced.”
“It’s the only chance we have,” Super Sonic insisted. “Trust me,” he said again, holding out his free hand. His blue counterpart looked at it for a few seconds. The slightly transparent glove looked too big for the thin fingers, except where vestigial claws strained at the material.
Green eyes tracked up to meet red.
“No,” Sonic said firmly. “I. Don’t. Need. You.”
Super Sonic looked annoyed for just a moment, then resigned. His image began to fade.
“I hope you’re right, Sonic.”
Sonic felt the energy that had been keeping him upright disappear as the vision did, and was powerless to stop himself sinking to his knees. His head drooped onto his chest.
Silence, except for an almost inaudible whisper.
“I hope I’m right, too…””

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Don't you just love open endings? Lol, I am evil. Who wants to guess whether Super is good or evil here? XP
*is chased across country by enraged Sonic*