talesfromthelittleanimals

<big><big><big><big><big>> Areth</big></big></big></big></big>
<blockquote>A dimension that lays unconnected to that of the original earth where Sonic lives, but was -- at the time of creation -- instead made as a mirrored reflection of it. In this dimension, similar people are often (but not always) born, leading to "alternates" with differing appearances, names, and personalities. The personality differences are often also mirrored, though not entirely; the different life experiences mold them in different ways, so while there are some traits that are recognizable but flipped, they are not completely based on their opposites -- in either direction.

Areth itself is a world of beauty, but violence. Long ago, the world was split into many tribes and rulers, all of which claimed a part of the planet as their own. This, naturally, led to many wars, leaders of each territory also wanting what others had. This anarchy continued until a single hedgehog stood up with the ideal of peace; over a span of years, he worked with each country and tribe, coming up with a better idea for ruling. Firstly, the whole planet would bow to a single king, though this king would have a cabinet to keep them in check. Secondly, the king would be decided by competition; each country could send their best to it, and the one who rose above them all would be crowned. The seats on the cabinet would then be opened for one from each country but the king's, thus allowing a single authority that would still have to work for the best interests of everyone.

Miraculously, though it took so much of his attention, the hedgehog's proposal was eventually approved. The world found itself at peace for the first time since anyone could remember. But it was a peace that wasn't to last.

Only a few years after the appointment of the first king, the legendary hedgehog was found dead, the circumstances and culprit never fully known. A scant couple of years after that, the new king found himself challenged by the child the peacebringer left behind, known as Scourge. Thinking nothing of it, this threat was taken lightly, the king dismissing Scourge without a thought.

It would be the last thing he would do.

All it took was a few weeks and the fragile peace had been utterly shattered. Though one could not call the world it became anarchy...

...when everyone bowed to the same king.</blockquote>

<big><big><big><big><big>> Noteable Things</big></big></big></big></big>
<blockquote><img src="ICON" align="left">
<center><big><big>Anarchy Beryl</big></big></center>
<blockquote>The Anarchy Beryls are gemstones of varying colors, possessing an unlimited store of energy similar to their mirror counterparts of the Chaos Emeralds. This is where the similarities end, however; while there are only seven Chaos Emeralds, there are an unknown but large number of Anarchy Beryls, and while even a single Chaos Emerald can power most anything, the actual output of the Beryls, while limitless, is very small. This means that to equal a single Chaos Emerald, a few tens or so of Beryls are required.

While the Anarchy Beryls can be used to change into a Super form, an immense number of them is required. Furthermore, while the Super form will last a little longer than the Super form granted by the Chaos Emeralds (requiring less rings), this is because it draws on the energy of the user rather than its own energy. As such, when the Beryl Super Form is deactivated, the user becomes completely drained and passes out within minutes, being completely unconscious for at least half a day.</blockquote></blockquote>

<blockquote><img src="ICON" align="left">
<center><big><big>Master Beryl</big></big></center>
<blockquote>A large, golden gem that once sat in the underwater city of Angelopolis. It had the power to negate or boost Anarchy Beryls, and could be used to recharge someone after the Beryl's "withdrawal" kicked in. It had a single family of echidnas guarding it, though the people living in Angelopolis gave whatever assistance they could.

It was destroyed when Scourge absorbed all its power and killed its guardian, becoming useless, gray shards of rock. This, in turn, destroyed Angelopolis, as the barrier keeping the water out was fueled by it, though the guardian-in-training managed to evacuate a large number of civilians despite being wounded by Scourge.</blockquote></blockquote>

<big><big><big><big><big>> Residents</big></big></big></big></big>

<big><big>> Royal/Castle Members</big></big>

<blockquote><img src="https://v.dreamwidth.org/11292645/3106845" align="left">
<center><big><big>King Scourge the Hedgehog</big></big>
<big>"All hail the king, baby."</big></center>

<blockquote>Scourge (real name unknown) used to be just a small time thug. Coming from a broken family with a father who cared little for him, he quickly learnt not to care about anyone but himself, and eventually became adept at taking advantage of others. Eventually, he made an attempt to steal the Master Beryl, but was attacked by Riley's father and wounded across the chest while attempting to use it. In the process, however, he absorbed its' powers and became far stronger than he was before, using them to kill the guardian.

Though for a time he was still focused on low level crime, a stray comment from an opponent led to him realizing his potential and he became determined to seize power and become something that everyone would be forced to show respect to. For the first time, he tried pushing his limits to utilize all of his strength, and wound up taking over the world as a result.

Arrogant, impetuous, petty, and sadistic, he has very little sense of conscience and absolutely no compassion. He has two major fixations: being stronger than everyone else, and getting all the tail that he can. The only thing he cares about is his own amusement, and anyone who gets in his way will quickly come to regret it.</blockquote></blockquote>

<blockquote><img src="https://i.imgur.com/0aZFhNt.png" align="left">
<center><big><big>Advisor Miles Prower</big></big>
<big>"Of course, your highness... I'm always here for you."</big></center>

<blockquote>Miles is Scourge's childhood "friend", in the loosest sense of the word. Left in the woods because of his strange mutation, he was saved when he stumbled into Scourge's home and was allowed to stay by Scourge himself. The two grew up together, with Miles becoming more and more dependent on Scourge, something the latter was all too happy to take advantage of. Over time, Scourge undermined everything Miles thought, replacing it with his own "correct" versions. While Miles pushed back at first, eventually, he had been completely confused and turned around, to the point that he felt the only thing he could completely trust was Scourge and his words -- even his own eyes could lie to him.

In a desire to help his "friend", Miles threw himself into studying, practicing strategy and developing both his intelligence and his skill at flight. It didn't take long for him to become an invaluable asset to Scourge, but the short leash and collar that he couldn't see made sure his loyalty remained and he never stepped a toe out of line. Miles, well and truly, was brainwashed into thinking Scourge was the only authority that mattered and that would tell him what was real and what wasn't.

Calm and calculating, all of this makes Miles a dangerous opponent, especially with how difficult he can be to anger. The one major weakness, however, is if one can push deep enough to make him start questioning his loyalty and trust of Scourge; in such a situation, Miles completely loses control, and is much easier to handle.</blockquote></blockquote>

<blockquote><img src="https://i.imgur.com/xRIgPWv.png" align="left">
<center><big><big>Amelia Nightshade</big></big>
<big>"My 'darling' Scourge... I'll make sure to break every last bone in your body."</big></center>

<blockquote>"Possessive" would be a good word for Amelia, if one considered terrifying violence a sign of possessiveness. She is deeply and truly in love with Scourge -- if one believes what she says, anyway, as her actions seem to be far closer to hate -- but it's clear the claim she's placed on him goes far and above not only what is normal, but any consent (or, in this case, lack of) that Scourge gives.

She puts on the act of a sweet girl much of the time, though the aura she gives off is deeply unnerving, making that not very convincing. When she gets upset, she becomes a calm type of angry, turning drastically violent and outright shattering whoever or whatever in her way. Because of Scourge's constant refusals, he is often the target of her anger, though his strength and speed means that he can repel her.

Most of the time, at least. It's far better to keep Amelia calm, and she does stay that way enough to take orders -- in fact, being given actual tasks seems to make her think Scourge is giving her attention -- but her mood can change at the drop of a dime, making dealing with her a delicate balance of diplomacy and being ready to get the hell out of dodge until she's expended her violence.</blockquote></blockquote>

<blockquote><img src="https://i.imgur.com/jkcCxxE.png" align="left">
<center><big><big>Shade the Hedgehog</big></big>
<big>"I have an idea. Why don't I shut up that fat mouth by tearing it off your face?"</big></center>

<blockquote>One of the "royal guards", it would be more apt to call Shade a wild beast kept on the king's leash. Shade is violent, fierce, and impatient, despising boredom and idleness in any form. His sadism is immense, and he seems to get the most joy when destroying things or toying with his victims. Because of this, Shade's boredom is always followed by heavy destruction; combine that with his natural affinity for the Anarchy Energy and he's certainly one of Scourge's most feared.

How, exactly, Scourge got him under control is a well-kept secret, as Shade's lack of intelligence and lack of genuine loyalty means that he could easily be turned against the king. What is known is that Shade obeys Scourge completely and that Scourge's demeaning talk seems to go far over his head. Even Scourge has to step carefully, however, and there are a few scars in the castle that act as reminders to that.

Where Shade came from is as much of a mystery as how Scourge controls him, kept that way because people who look too far into it tend to disappear. One report that was recovered before it was fully destroyed, however, noted that one of Shade's possessions seemed to be a statue depicting a winged human woman with a kind face.</blockquote></blockquote>

<big><big>> Dr. Kintobor's Vet Tower</big></big>

<blockquote><img src="https://i.imgur.com/k7K4ZrV.png" align="left">
<center><big><big>Dr. Ivo Kintobor</big></big>
<big>"All I can do is protect those here from everything going on outside."</big></center>

<blockquote>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque nec risus a massa faucibus congue quis vel diam. Integer sagittis malesuada erat ut tristique. Aenean iaculis urna vel sagittis molestie. Nulla in velit non felis rutrum fringilla. Nulla ultrices finibus magna, quis tristique dolor porta vel. Nulla pharetra dui nulla, in fringilla orci rutrum ullamcorper. Cras non ligula hendrerit, iaculis tortor sed, sodales mauris. Nullam lacinia tempus nisl, id commodo purus aliquet quis. Sed viverra ante consectetur, iaculis arcu a, posuere urna. Donec placerat nec lacus sed hendrerit. Cras ullamcorper quis nisl vel placerat. Nunc aliquam felis eget orci suscipit, et dapibus erat congue. Donec quis sem dolor. Phasellus consectetur nulla nec ante ornare vulputate et eu purus.</blockquote></blockquote>

<blockquote><img src="https://v.dreamwidth.org/11292914/3108007" align="left">
<center><big><big>Mela Stripes</big></big>
<big>"It's just frustrating sometimes! How can we fix things if we can't fight?"</big></center>

<blockquote><img src="https://i.imgur.com/wSxYvWU.png" align="left">
<center><big><big>Metallic (Metal Scourge)</big></big>
<big>"The Doctor means well, but... sometimes, pacifism won't bring change."</big></center>

<big><big>> Neutral/Unaffilated Parties</big></big>

<blockquote><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ZrhPI6O.png" align="left">
<center><big><big>Riley the Echidna</big></big>
<big>"Me? No, n-no, I can't... I'm just a treasure hunter..."</big></center>

<blockquote>Riley was born in Angelopolis, slated to be the next Guardian of the Master Beryl. Unfortunately, his somewhat doormat nature made him an unfit candidate for the Guardian position even taking into account his skill for reading people. Because of this, though his father cared deeply about him, he was often pushed into various situations or training to try to get him to grow more confident.

While some progress was made, all of it was destroyed when Scourge came to take the Beryl. Riley saw Scourge give a fatal blow to his father, foolishly attacking the hedgehog in a rage and getting wounded for his trouble (which would eventually heal into the half-moon scar). Luckily, Scourge's distraction with the Beryl and what little strength the Guardian had left let Riley escape, saving a large number of those in the city from the water breaking through the collapsing barrier.

With nowhere to go and his confidence shattered by the trauma he'd witnessed, Riley became even more fearful and timid than he was before, making it hard for him to accurately work with people. Rather than stay around those he'd saved and be reminded of what happened, Riley threw himself into treasure hunting in hopes that he could simply block out everything that happened. However, being compacted instead of dealt with meant that the trauma still affected his life, one way being an immense, paralyzing fear of Scourge.</blockquote></blockquote>

<blockquote><img src="https://i.imgur.com/5DlNcsd.png" align="left">
<center><big><big>Mascara the Bat</big></big>
<big>"Don't you get it, sweetie? All that matters is I get paid. I don't care by who."</big></center>

<blockquote><img src="https://i.imgur.com/HBVyw0Y.png" align="left">
<center><big><big>Cham Wasp</big></big>
<big>"Just shut up and do what I say. When I want your opinion, I'll give it to you."</big></center>

<blockquote>The leader of the Anarchix Detective Team, Cham's background is unknown (and kept secret). While he can be witty and sometimes charming, Cham's major drawback is that he can simply be described as a schoolyard bully. Though fast and sharp, he lacks any real backbone when confronted with threats and does his best to avoid conflict if at all possible. This doesn't make him any less dangerous, however, because what Cham lacks in self-power he makes up for in contacts, cleverness, and the stolen strength of his two "team members".

Cham uses various techniques to keep the two in line, from promises to threats, making it difficult to wrench the Anarchix from his control. Strangely enough, however, despite the unhealthy relationship the three make up, there seems to be some kind of genuine feelings, as Cham will occasionally put himself in harm's way to protect Vic or Nage. He has an especially soft spot for Vic, as well, and has been known to translate things to simplier terms for him.</blockquote></blockquote>

<blockquote><img src="https://i.imgur.com/sa4vJFw.png" align="left">
<center><big><big>Vic the Crocodile</big></big>
<big>"What? Oh, sorry, I wasn't listening..."</big></center>

<blockquote>The muscle of the Anarchix Detective Team, Vic is what most people would call "not all there". As a child, he was constantly knocked around by older kids and storms he somehow always wandered out into, making him a little slower on the upkeep than other people would be. It was his difficulty figuring things out that led to him gravitating to Cham, who -- in his words -- "always seems to know everything." What's more is that Cham was one of the few people who never made fun of him for his disability.

At least, not that Vic could tell.

Vic tends to have trouble focusing and often disassociates, which earns him being yelled at quite often to try to bring him back to the situation at hand. Despite this, he can quickly snap back if his two "friends" are in trouble, and his massive strength makes it easy to protect those he wants to... sometimes to the despair of those fighting them, because Vic doesn't see anything Cham has them do as "too bad". To him, Cham knows better and would never tell them to do anything without a good reason.</blockquote></blockquote>

<blockquote><img src="https://i.imgur.com/OUIm8BJ.png" align="left">
<center><big><big>Nage the Chameleon</big></big>
<big>"Do you have a job or not? Spit it out or get out."</big></center>

<blockquote>The shadow of the Anarchix Detective Team, Nage is incredibly hostile to everyone not the other two members. Despite being a chameleon and a ninja, Nage can be easily angered at times, making it possible to draw him out -- something for which he was constantly punished for in his old village, especially considering his bright pink and blue coloring didn't help things. When he finally fled out of misery and desperation, he came across Cham, who promised to help him learn how to properly harness his rage and eventually get back at those who mocked and bullied him.

Because of his skills, Nage acts as the assassin of the team, taking out threats either because he feels they need to disappear or under Cham's orders, a secret they both keep from Vic. Though he's hostile and explosive, Nage does care for his two "friends", making sure to help Vic by slipping things he forgot back into his gloves or room and obeying Cham absolutely -- the only two things he can think to do to show that affection.</blockquote></blockquote>

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