(bit of uhhh systemphobia/ableism in this one. interalized. shadow isnt actually ableist hes just bad a grieving)
tbh at first i dont think shadow would know what a system is
like sure, he grew up in a medical environment... but that doctoring was focused pmuch exclusively on physical disabilities, not mental illnesses.
even if he did find a DSM-I or something, he wouldnt have heard anything abt DID. though there are reports of it going back literal hundreds of years, they only got the proper term for it in like 2013, and it was pmuch nowhere in the dsm until recently.
even then, so so so many people act like it doesnt exist. like it isnt legit. even now, and especially back then.
i think that would cause shadow a lotta frustration. he tries to race sonic, just to be hit w 'sonic' aaying smt like "im sorry, love, hes not at front today. i can relay the message, though!"
tbh i think shadow would get pissed. that IS sonic. its his face, his body, his voice - ignoring the completely different tone used, one shadows never heard him use, one that barely sounds like him at all - so why is who is clearly sonic acting like they aren't?
they badger tails about it later, who gives them a straight answer they refuse. they interrogate knuckles, who tells them the massive history of DID in his tribe, which shadow completely ignores. annoyed (confused) tired (desperate) they go to amy, who tells them that - well, when sonic was a kid, he wasnt safe, so his brain split and made new parts of him that could help make him safe. now that he is safe, though, his brain still makes new parts, for any reason it wants - or thinks it needs to.
despite how clear these answers were, shadow wouldnt accept a single one of them.
sonic the hedgehog is one person. one concept. one thing.
a guy who loves adventure.
he is not the villain of his own story. he is not so sickeningly sweet it surprises even his little sibling. he is not so cruel and antisocial that he leaves people behind for months, refusing to talk for any reason other than personal amusement.
he is annoying. he is bothersome. he is pushy, and loud, and deeply immature.
he is frozen in time.
when shadow met him, he was all of these things. he still is. he always will be. he doesn't change. he doesn't grow.
amy grew two feet taller and has a part-time job, tails grew three feet and looks like an entirely new person. knuckles adopts a new fashion style every month.
sonic doesn't change. he has new clothes, but they're the same style he's had them in since they first met. he has a new cane, but that's just an accessory, it's nothing unique, it doesn't mean anything.
he's a superhero wannabee, a one-trick pony, the same phrase repeated over and over and over again.
maria used to tell shadow she saw monsters. not just the regular ones under the bed or in the closet, but standing in the hallway and staring at her, whispering gibberish nonsense words until she ran away, trying not to cry.
sonic told him that it has schizophrenia, apparently. some kinda mental disorder 'categorized by hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinkin' and behavior, and flat or inappropriate affect'.
he laughed. maybe a little maniacally.
'how's that for flat?'
shadow said it absolutely was inappropriate. sonic challenged him to a race. shadow told him only if you're prepared to lose, and the two fought for hours.
they did this constantly. at least once a week. 'enjoying' each other's presence, battling their way to the top.
this routine has been changed. shattered. because one day, sonic just wasn't home.
he could grow. he could change.
he could leave
but, half a week later, he comes back, running up from behind shadow as he takes a cruise on the dark rider, scaring the shit out of him by nearly running backwards into a building
it says it heard about that race he wanted. shadow tells him the offer's off. not taking no for an answer, it says it invites him to a race.
Magneto but he has a dissasociative disorder smiles big and wide. Something like DDNOS-1a or OSDD-1a where he isn't a system persae [OSDD SYSTEMS EXIST IM NOT SAYING THEY DON'T] but he still has some personality fragmentation. He atleast denies being labelled a system.
He has a facet that holds trauma and a facet that holds rage. A facet that makes sure he keeps himself alive, stuff like that. Not Alters, but more different hims that he remembers.
Would also explain how Erik flip flops in his different itterations on if he's chill or not [Example: Rivals vs MCU/Fox]. Also explains why Erik is so reactive but not to the point he is always triggered.
Sunset shimmer from My Little Pony Equestria Girls is a cane and crutches user. It's pain is in it's legs and back due to being a pony and crossing through worlds, it never get used to the weight distribution. It is also is a system and has big gaps in it's memory, it keeps a diary to figure out what goes on when it forgets and tried to consult Twilight about it once to no avail. Pinkie pie picks up on it and helps fill it in and helps with diary entries!
gonna mention some of our sonics most important/active alters rq
sonic's polyfragmented & has well over a hundred alters so we're just mentioning the ones we have names / ideas for.
also scourge is in here. Is scourge also a guy seperate from sonic? we may never know... (the answer is literally just yes)
Pilot (he/him, neos?)
what they do: fuck all ; took away all of sonic's knowledge and muscle memory abt the tornado so he could fly it.
front tells: has a special salute he offers to everyone - two fingers on his temple, then finger-guns
relationship w/ others: when sonic realized hes the reason it suddenly started sucking at piloting the tornado, it fought him for DAYS. the two are on good terms now but sonic's still salty about the whole thing
description: dark brown fox. fur's only a little lighter than sonic's original quill/fur color
Survival (none)
what they do: keeps the body calm & focused when thrown into a survival/panic state ; fragment
front tells: acts prettymuch just like a hedgehog. snuffl snuffl
relationship w/ others: n/a
description: classic sonic but hes covered in mud
Protection (none)
what they do: split specifically to keep tails safe if sonic shut down during a battle, now helps everyone - including sonic ; fragment
front tells: completely nonverbal ; one-track mind worse than sonic's
relationship w/ others: n/a
description: classic sonic but hes covered in wounds :[
Scourge (it/he)
what they do: one-up sonic at every opportunity. obviously
front tells: usually him screaming "SCOURGE IS BACK, BABY!!!"
relationship w/ others: everyone either hates or loves him ; outside the body, amy thinks he sucks but is glad he's less sexist now, tails used to think he's scary but now just thinks he's kinda lame, and knux... has opinions.
description: YOU KNOW IT BABY!!!!
Cog (they/it)
what they do: exist. tries to keep the body away from drugs
front tells: higher-pitched voice, talks more like AoSTH / classic sonic; uses contact lenses that look like metal sonic's eyes
relationship w/ others: a lot of people jokingly hate em but most r kinda worried for em ; outside, theyre best friends with basically all badniks (though they have a somewhat rocky friendship with omega) and consider them to be its siblings
description: thinner sonic, wilting quills and its bones are painted chrome.
Mary-Ann (they/them)
what they do: split to give tails familial affection when sonic got burnt out, & later got the Secondary Task of avoiding like. CPS and stuff. ; now that they dont have to do that they get to just chill
front tells: softer tone of voice, body language is completely different and a lot slower
relationship w/ others: sonic feels bad abt pushing so much onto her even though it wasnt his fault or choice. theyre chill tho ; outside, they have a kinda-friendship with shadow since theyre the one who introduced him to the fact sonic's a system. tails loves them, and even outside of their purpose they care abt him too
description: porcupine mobian. looks a little more like an irl animal
Fleet (he/it/xe)
what they do: anger/rage/fear holder, used to be a fragment ; fronts whenever sonic goes super out of stress, or if he gets too upset when using the chaos emeralds to go super
front tells: extremely obvious. totally different way of speaking, maine/british accent (maine accent it picked up somewhere, british accent is the body's default); when fronting while super bc of the chaos emeralds, they morph him into what he looks like in headspace, but if he's just fronting due to stress all that changes is his quills are Wayyyyy messier. hard to miss him!
relationship w/ others: sonic tried to force him into permanent dormancy for years, which didnt work and caused him to take over the body for a few weeks ; he probably did meet ebony and pyjamas, both of whom unfortunately misunderstood his entire Him and hurt him a lot, but they managed to make up after xe worked thinks out with sonic and theyre rlly close friends now :]
description: it is fleetway :]
Prime (he/it)
what they do: secondary host
front tells: way, WAY more physically and verbally affectionate towards his friends; more open (obvious) about his emotions, doesnt bother hiding them as much (especially when he thinks it might be funny); a little more over the top with everything, especially his mannerisms - many of which he picked up directly from eggman
relationship with others: GREAT friends with pilot, who sorta acts like his tails when his tails isnt. yk. available (busy boy!!!). NOT FRIENDS WITH SONIC they do NOT get along :[ ; loves tails, LOVES amy, LOVES!!! KNUCKLES!!! LOVES SHADOW!!!! he loves ALL of his friends and he's gonna make it THEIR PROBLEM!!!<333
description: prime sonic! so just sort of different-looking regular sonic. he calls himself prime bc hes convinced hes the first sonic, and is totally smug abt maybe having a single memory earlier than sonic the other one.
Sonic (he/it)
what they do: primary host
front tells: it's sonic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ; rlly easy to tell when hes fronting again after a while bc he immediately picks up from the last convo you had w him (if he remembers) or challenges you to a race (if he doesnt)
relationships w/ others: VERY rocky. didnt accept he was a system for a while - he knew he was one since before the concept was given the name it has now but he was iffy on the whole "other people in his brain" thing and dealt with it HORRIBLY. this is a horrible combination of STC and IDW sonic so you know he was just being a huge inconsiderate jerk to everyone for YEARS. his reaction to the chaos emeralds giving a bunch of his alters their own bodies was fear and disgust instead of joy or even vague curiosity; even though he's repairing his relationships with everyone and going to therapy and getting support from his friends and allat, he still doesnt really like just... not having access to his body all the time. he doesnt like not being at front, it feels Bad, esp. when he misses big important dates. sorry man you got hit with the reverse curse idk what to tell you
description: ITS SONIC!!!
YUP THATS LITERALLY ALL I HAVE FOR NOW!!!
maybe ill make some more stuff with these guys and more specific alters but ive had this sitting in my drafts for like a month now so . it needs to be posted 👍
