Lightning the Hedgehog

This article is about an Fan Character created by the artist Shiro_Sonic.
Lightning the Hedgehog (ライトニング・ザ・ヘッジホッグ Raitoningu za Hejjihoggu) is an artifical anthropomorphic hedgehog. She was one of many Prototypes that Gerald Robotnik created to prepare for Project Shadow. Lightning's Prototype status was left unfinished due the invasion of G.U.N. on the Space Colony ARK. After surviving G.U.N.'s attack and setting off as a free spirit, Lightning learned to level up her Prototype status on her own and became a better version of herself. Nowadays Lightning is a Vigilante residing in Cyber City Zone.
Lightning makes use of her electrokinesis, a powerful ability which she needs to recharge by absorbing electricity or conducing lightnings to herself as soon she runs low on electricity. With her electrokinetic powers she's not only able to discharge powerful attacks but also capable to move fast as the speed of lightning.
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== Concept and creation ==
Lightning the Hedgehog was created in 2013. Her design got tweaked a few times but her electrokinesis powers always stayed the main trait. Just like it is with Sonic, Tails and other Canon Characters, it is easy to remember their names hence they are based on the character's appearance or abilities. So my goal was to apply the same for Lightning. I wanted to create a design that would give away her name and powers by her look alone.
== Appearance ==
Lightning is a white and yellow furred anthropomorphic hedgehog. Her fur has a pearl-like shine. She has vibrant blue eyes. As an albino, her original eye color was red, but it was altered during experiments. Lightning has a dark brown nose, a tan skin that covers her muzzle, insides of her ears, belly and chest. She has small, triangular ears on top of her head. Her ear tips are pointy and bend back. 
Her smallest quill on her forehead is her lightning conductor quill. Behind her small conductor quill and ears, she has another set of three small white quills. Hats and caps fit perfectly on them. Her two biggest quills in the middle curve downwards. On each side she has big jagged quills that looks like the shape of a lightning bolt striking down. She has also two spines protruding from her back behind her shoulders, and a short tail. 
Lightning discharges electricity from the yellow fur pattern: The yellow bolt shaped pattern are on the side of her jagged lightning shaped side quills and on both sides of her two biggest middle quills. On the side of her eyes she has a yellow fur line that looks like an winged eyeliner pointing upwards. Starting from her middle fingers, she has again yellow bolt-shaped pattern going up on the side of her arms and legs as well. And on her smallest quill on her forehead, she has the smallest lightning shaped pattern on it.
Her two bigger middle quills are very long. The longest reaches her knees. This means when she falls backwards, she gets cushioned by her quill. When Lightning runs, her long quills don't disturb the "players view" since they go up with the velocity and one can see her body like when playing as Sonic.
For attire, Lightning wears dark blue fingerless gloves with a window on the back of her hands. Her gloves lenght are asymmetrical just like her pants. She has slip-on running shoes with dark blue, white, neon yellow and pink colors. The pink and neon yellow colors on her shoes form two lightning bolt symbols. Her shoe sole has a lightning symbol on the front and a "dagner high voltage" symbol on the heel. She wears short pink socks to match the colors of her outfit. Lightning also has pink regulator rings around her wrists with a bolt shaped cut that is the opening for removing them. She wears a dark blue top with pink a border and dark blue asimetric pants which have a pink elastic band around her hip and a yellow lightning print symbol with white borders on her left thigh. Additionally she wears a knee sleeve on her right leg.
== Personality ==
Lightnings personality was inspired and is a mix of Bakugo and Deadpool. 
Lightning is cocky, short-tempered, impulsive and aggressive, this is why she tends to come off as unheroic. She's also overconfident about her powers, which most precieve as arrogance. She's sarcastic, snarls and bares her teeth whenever she is annoyed or angered. Lightning tends to use her electricity also in situations outsite battle, such as to intimidate someone, to punctuate a point, out of frustration or even if she just feels like showing off. 
Lightning has a lot of self-esteem and courage, this is because she has experienced many battels in her 50 years of functioning. She only fully opens her eyes when she uses her electrokinetic powers. Lightning's general expression is confident with half closed eyes. It's not difficult to pick up her interest however as she has a curious nature. 
Lightning has a strong sense of justice and is protective towards the ones who can't protect themselves, which she handles in her usual aggressive way. She's easily angered by perceived accounts of unfairness or threat towards others. Lightning is extremely straightforward - sometimes a little too much - to the point her brash candor is seen by some as insensitive. She doesn't hold back to say what she thinks in a honest but rude way. She loves to make electricity puns and uses words associated with electricity. She uses her broken humor and teasing if she doesn't like someone, to put them down. Lightning doesn't seem to care very much about what others think of her, barely containing herself from her aggressive behavior (although she avoids other typical delinquent practices and severely harming others.) Lightning shows compassion for enemies whose destiny made them turn to villains.
Lightning values honesty highly and never lies nor pretends, as she sees this behavior only for the weak. Shadow for example also never lies. While he does that naturally, the difference with Lightning is that she does it deliberately, because she knows how much power the truth holds. In her eyes the ones who have no loyalty are not worth to be spared and enjoys it even more to beat them down. Lightning possesses a feral cunning and has a knack for quickly exploiting any opening her opponent reveals. In addition, she is quite teasing, revealing a psychotic grin or laughing maniacally whenever she becomes excited. Despite her bad temper, she always puts the others well being before herself. She does not trust anyone that easely. But she would risk everything for the ones she trusts. 
Lightning's (also Shadow's and the other Prototype's) being was shaped like Marias Soul with the hope that their character would be good and not turn evil and a threat for humanity. In the end of the day, she decided to use her powers to better the world around her.
== Powers and abilities ==
Lightning is a speed type. She can keep up with Sonic and Shadows speed, but only by using her electrokinetic power. She's not a nature talent as Sonic. Her speed must be activated with her ability of controlling electricity. Her max speed equivalentes the speed of lightning.
Lightning's Prototype body is build that she can store and discharge electricity. One can basically use her as a lightning conductor. She will always be outside when it rains. She senses storms from afar and lightnings before their impact and can attract them to herself to recharge her electricity. Needless to say she is not afraid of water and loves any kind of water environments. Lightning is also able to absorb electricity from any kind of places.
She can amplify her speed with electricity to boost, spin dash, quick step, jump higher, slide ect. When she spin dashes or homing attacks her enemies, instead of a blue blur like Sonic, she leaves a yellow bolt shaped trail in her wake. While her electrokinetic powers are active, her eyes and yellow pattern glows. It is barely recognizable during the day, but at night it's clearly visible. She tended to overuse her electric abilities and this caused her to lose consciousness. This is why she wears regulator rings. Her regulator rings do not only restrain her electric powers from overcharging but also prevent her sysem's energy to hit 0%. Lightning is aware of the strenght of her powers. Reason why she prefers to fight alone so she doesn't have to pay attention to her surroundings and can unleash her electricity to the fullest at her enemies without holding back.
Lightning doesn't need to eat or sleep, but her stamina is based on how much electricity she has absorbed. To put it more simple, she works like a phone battery. When her "battery" runs low, she tends to drink a lot of coffee, it doesn't help recharging - it's just a side effect.
=== Thundering Lightning ===
Lightning can't transform in a Super state with Chaos Emeralds however, she has her own way to trigger her Super form. She transforms into Thundering Lightning by overcharging her electricity powers over 1000% after taking off her regulator rings. In her Thundering form, her withe fur turns golden and her yellow pattern colors white. All her quills turn upwards, bending like the shape of bolts. Her yellow electricity turns to a shining white, her blue eyes colors a bright red, the iris glows white, while her pupils shape distorts like a star with several diffraction spikes. Lightning's regulator rings keep hovering next to her wrists during this transformation, as if there is a magnetic force between them. 
Thundering Lightning is Lightning's strongest form. In this state, all of Lightning's abilities far surpass her normal ones. She's able to stockpile an enormous amount of raw power, allowing her to significantly enhance all of her electrokinesis abilities to a superhuman level. This resulted in unbelievable levels of strength, speed, agility, and durability. She is also able to fly and is nearly invulnerable. However, this transformation consumes a lot of energy, meaning it cannot be maintained for long.
=== Dark Lightning ===
Different from regular lightnings, dark lightnings are caused by high energy electrons during thunderstorms, colliding with surrounding air molecules, resulting in the release of gamma rays. A negative energy, build up of an unnatural electricity source when it is about to strike creates a magnetic field and charges up electrons that causes everything in the surroundings to float upwards.
Her electric powers uncontrollably unleashes when negative emotions like agony or anger gets the better of her. Her emotions have an impact on her energy, too much of negative emotions causes her electricity to turn to dark lightnings. During this transformation, her quills are upturned and even more bent like lightnings, her white fur and her electricity color turns black. Her eyes becomes blank and due the reverse gravity arund her, her tears float upwards. 
Lightning's rage and grief are out of control and she has even gained the intention to kill. However, she can still control her actions to an extent, as this form is rooted in the darker aspects of Lightning's natural instincts, including the desire to live, trample and impose over opposition, and on a metaphysical level, the natural occurrence and manifestation of loss, decline, destruction and death. Lightning's Dark status ends either when she stops crying or faints. Up to now, Amy was the only one who was able to restore Lightning back to her normal state. Despite the danger to get hurt, Amy hugged Lightning and managed to make her tears stop.
=== Werehog Lightning (and Wereyena Sigma) ===
A bestial, werewolf-like form. This extreme physical transformation was created when when Dark Gaia was active and Lightning and Sigma accidentally absorbed a dose of Dark Gaia's energy, although the transformation itself would only be triggered by nighttime and remain active until daytime. After using it on a number of occasions, Lightning and Sigma lost this form permanently when Dark Gaia reclaimed the energy that caused the transformation.
In this form, Lightning loses her speed in exchange for incredible strength and stretchable arms. Sigma gains even further strength which enhances her powers to an uncanny superhuman strength. They also gain a bit more feral and bestial behavior as a Werehog and Wereyena, including a slightly deeper, growly voice, a tendency to roar and howl, occasional quadrupedal movement patterns, and a shorter temper. Even when Lightning and Sigma turns into this form, though, their heart is almost no different than usual.
In this form, Lightning and Sigma resembles a werewolf and gains increased muscular density and weight. They grow slightly larger, with a broader torso and hips, a longer muzzle, larger hands, and longer, more muscular arms. Additionally, their fingernails become claws, their mouth becomes much larger, their inner lips become black, and his teeth become bigger and sharper fangs; two of which always protrude even when their mouths are closed. Likewise, the ears become more curved, fluffier and thinner, resembling a pair of horns in Lightning's case. Their skin and fur color does not get altered in contrary to Werehog Sonic. But their fur grows into a lush, heavy, dense coat. Lightning also gains fur in places she normally does not, such as in her ears. While their eye colors remain the same, they become a lot more angled and pointy, with more prominent brows.
For attire, Lightnings white gloves gets ripped off, turning her gloves to fingerless gloves, exposing her fingers. Lightning's yellow fur on her middle finger can be seen. Her yellow fur patterns is of where she discharges electricity. Lightning gains heavy metal chunks on her shoes, but she does not feel any weight due the massive amount of muscle gain in this form. Sigma gains more metal spikes on her attire, around her wrists and the metal knuckles grew longer to a cylinder form. Her hair style turns to a pointy Stegosaurus-looking tomahawk haircut which gets longer on the back of her head.
== Weaknesses ==
Without her electricity, Lightning is just like Sonic without his speed. In a situation where she runs low on electricity and is isolated or in an open field with no electricity to absorb or any conductor to pull out enegry of the area around her, she is powerless. Without her electricity Lightning can not run fast, attack or defend herself. 
Despite her immortality, Lightning can be knocked down if taken off-guard. Most noticeably, this will leave her unable to walk and speak immediately after the attack. Though she can still fight later on, this will risk her life if she pushes herself too far, and it takes her several days to fully recover.
== History ==
=== Past ===
Lightning the Hedgehog was the 13th Prototype of Gerald Robotnik's creations. Hence, she was given the Prototype name Thirteen. After Gerald tested the initial Prototypes, he quickly remarked the lack of potential in them for becoming a bigger project to help find a cure for his granddaughter Maria Robotnik. After the creation of small sized Prototypes, he created Biolizard. While the Biolizard was successful in the way that it could regenerate, restore itself, and self-reproduce, it was also unruly and dangerous. It was closed down when Gerald, with the aid of the alien Black Doom, created a more advanced being: Shadow the Hedgehog. Next to Project Shadow, Lightning and the other creations were merely Prototypes, most of them unfinished and untested artificial creatures, not even worth to be called a Project. Gerald decided keep those Prototypes inactive in their capsules for later optimizations in the future. Unfortunately he didn't get the chance to work on his Prototypes as the Space Colony ARK was overrun by G.U.N..
When G.U.N. came to Space Colony ARK in order to put a stop to Gerald Robotnik's plans, they found the Biolizard and shut it down. It didn't go without a fight, however, and it destroyed almost the entire group of G.U.N. soldiers. Somehow Gerald Robotnik retrieved and programmed the creature to destroy the Earth, by fusing with the ARK to keep it on its collision course as a contingency plan in case someone tried to interfere with his original plan. Sereval of Doctor Robotnik´s experiments were destroyed during the fight. Capsules got shattered, consequently many Prototypes awakened from their induction sleep and could escape. As Lightning's capsule broke during the invasion of G.U.N., Shadow's and Lightning's paths crossed briefly for the first time. Trough unlike him seeing her, she didn't notice Shadow among all that chaos.
The Biolizard then used Chaos Control to teleport outside and fuse with the space colony itself, becoming the Finalhazard, the final boss of the game. It was fought by Super Sonic and Super Shadow, who with their combined power, managed to defeat it, then used Chaos Control to place the ARK back into orbit. Both Shadow and the Finalhazard fall to their apparent deaths (though it is later revealed that Shadow survived). However neither the Biolizard died after the collision. It could free itself out the residues and freaked out, threatening to destroy everything around on his path. Biolizard may was a giant creation, but it wasn't as intelligent as the Prototypes. He was already wounded from the fight with Super Sonic and Super Shadow, therefore the Prototypes had a higher chance to defeat him. United, the Prototypes fought and triumphed against Biolizard, finally putting it to an end. 
After the fight against Biolizard, the Prototypes scattered. Prototype Seven and Prototype Eleven teamed up and checked the destroyed area for other survivors. As the two were about to give up their search, they found another survivor. Prototype Thirtheen got stuck with one leg between metallic residue during the fight. The two Prototypes helped her out of the masses. Thirtheen's leg was brocken and there wasn't much hope for her to function in that state. Gerald Robotnik, the only one who could have repaired her was nowhere to find anymore. Despite the fact that the two Prototypes knew the road would be difficult with a wounded ally, they decided to stick together because they figured that Thirtheen's electrokinetic powers could be useful for them along the way.
On their way out the battlefield, they got surrounded by G.U.N. agents. Thirtheen turned around to convince the two Prototypes to run away, but they were nowhere to be seen anymore. G.U.N. took Lightning along other captured Prototypes to a undercover government lab, where they were put into deep sleep again. They went trough several experiments, trying to discover the formula of Gerald Robotnik's creations for his Prototypes and Projects. However, during these analyses they couldn't find any clues since the data in each Prototype was well hidden. A young Doctor who worked at the lab was secretly an admirer of Gerald Robotnik's works. He recognized that those Prototypes are much more than just a machines. They are living beings with own will. He soon planned to free them all, and so he did. One night, after Thirtheen's leg got repaired, the young Doctor awakened the Prototypes from their sleep and created an opening for them to escape from the lab. It turns out that it was Seven and Eleven who convinced the young doctor to free the Prototypes. At this point Thirtheen realized that they ran away back then so they could have a chance to help everyone escape.
Seven, Eleven and Thirteen concluded to remain together as a Team since their abilities: speed, flyght and power, balances each other out well. Soon they decided to give each other new names based on their abilities. However they kept their Team Name "Team Prototype", to never forget about their origins.
The Prototypes didn't know about the creation of Shadow the Hedgehog. They only found out more later on, as they sneaked in G.U.N.s facility and checked trough data on their computers with the goal to find out more about their past. It was shocking for them to see that Gerald Robotnik abandoned the Prototypes and worked on a new Project that should and did result better as them. Rouge the Bat interrupted their stealth heist and revealed herself to be an agent who works for G.U.N.. It seemed that the Bat also had her own reasons why she was there in the middle of the night. To Lightning's surprise, Instead of trying to arrest or report them for their intrusion, Rouge listened to their story. The next day, Rouge convinced the authorities of G.U.N. to hire Team Prototype as agents. Rouge made a deal with Team Prototype: She wouldn't tell the agents anything about their origins and in exchange, they would deliver her all the beautiful jewels (and Chaos Emeralds...) they would find during their agent missions. Team Prototype didn't know anything about Chaos Emeralds at the time, nor cared enough to comprehend why the Bat was after those gems since their main goal was to have access tp G.U.N.'s data to find out more about their past and Project Shadow. 
=== Sonic Timeline ===
From there on, Team Prototype made it to their mission to work for G.U.N. in order to keep being up to date with G.U.N.s informations and have easier access to their data to discover more about their past. Unfortunately G.U.N. never got a hold of the complete information about Gerald and his inventions. Lightning encountered Shadow only after he was awakened again by Dr. Eggman. Unlike Shadow, Lightning was lucky to escape and was not put to sleep for 50 years. The two Hedgehogs only met after these 50 years passed as both were working for G.U.N.. By the time Lightning met Shadow, she was alone on her journey. 
=== Future (Current) ===
Lightning kept working for G.U.N., while Eleven and Seven went their own way after Team Prototype dissolved. After working for G.U.N. for so long, they didn't see any purpose in staying anymore and wanted a change of pace. In the distant future of the Sonic mainline, G.U.N.'s main residence was build in Cyber City Zone, is a a technology and body modification-obsessed city of the future. In this future, G.U.N. slowly turned out to be an oppressive force, thus Lightning refused to stick around for any longer. Ever since she quit G.U.N., Lightning became one of the vigilantes of the Cyber City Zone, and therefore wanted by G.U.N.. There are wanted posters of her and the other vigilantes around the city. Lightning mainly stays around the gigantic center of the City, Midtown. 
== Relationships ==
=== Sigma the Hyena ===
Sigma is Lightning's best friend! She's a tough, cocky, and assertive Hyena. She's also boisterous and outgoing, with a very contageous crazy laugh. Sigma herself is determined and selfless, bravely putting the safety of others before herself. She's is very honest and kind-hearted, having a straightforward way of thinking and following a specific code of chivalry that motivates her to live without regret. She's Lightning's best friend! 
She's a Power Type, mainly a boxer and kickboxer. She used to be a professional fighter before the loss of her right forearm, which was replaced with cyber enhanched technology. A bigger loss than her arm for her was that with her cyber fist, she wasn't allowed to participate in any official fighting tournaments any longer. Thus, Sigma turned her back to her career as a fighter and became an underground fighter instead. The undergrounds where no rules and limitations exists also became her new home. After battles, Sigma sprays her "Σ" symbol on walls. (The "Σ" symbol means Sigma and is the eighteenth letter of the Greek alphabet.) With this she leaves a message for everyone to show she was here and is not afraid to fight anyone who stands in her way. Hyenas are known for their bone crushing jaws. However Sigma uses her bite only as last resort.
Her hair have a pink hue called punch. The inspiration for her hair and also for part of her personality is VI from Arcane.
Sigma is pretty fast with her punches. She can reach high speed making her arms look like blurs! If at this point she increases the velocity even more she can preform a move she called "Meteor Shower. Her fists begins to heat up like when a meteoroid enters the Earth's upper atmosphere due to friction from the air. The heat causes gases around the her fists to glow brightly making her punches look like meteoroids. Once she charged up enough heat she can create an explosion. That's her final move called "Focus Blast".
=== Thrash the Shark ===
This tall Shark is also Lightning's friend. Thrash (also known as "the Tidal Queen") is the skull crushing leader of the Tidals. The Tidal Queen is fierce, resourceful, and no stranger to survival, happy to rush headfirst into battle. During battle she turns bloodthirsty, an adrenaline rush that enhanches her powers which she calls "Bloodrush". In that state, Thrash becomes a very oppressive brawler and compleately ruthless . 
She has car-like engines cyber boots, giving her additional running speed on land and swimming speed underwater! She also uses her engine to throw powerful kicks and smash trough obstacles.
=== Rouge the Bat ===
Lightning met Rouge the Bat as she infiltrated in G.U.N.s facility with her team mates in order to find out more about their past on the Space Colony ARK. Rouge decided they could be useful for her own plans and recruited them to work for G.U.N. as agents. However they soon became good friends and grew even closer after Lightning lost her teammates. Although Rouge tended to use Lightning for her own interests at first, it changed as she couldn't kept dealing to decept someone whose always so straightforward and honest. This side of Lightning angered her since it is the reason she can't really get upset at her. In the end, despite the polar opposite personalities they go along surprisingly well and make a great Team. The two albino girls know each other in and out by now to the point Rouge actually is one of the few who doesn't get intimidated by Lightning's short-temper and aggressive characteristics. She knows Lightning wouldn't hurt her even if she threatens her to do so.
=== Amy Rose ===
Amy Rose never ending love, compassion and courage is what left an impression on Lightning. Though Lightning doesn't understand why Amy always helps people that are weaker than her, even if it doesn't directly concern her, it's the reason why she started to respect Amy. Lightning admires Amy because she's able to empathize with everyone and always manages to reach others hearts with her words. She also likes Amy because she's staunchly protective of those she bonds with and because her positivity and character who always wants to improve herself and has a mind of her own. Amy saved Lightning once as she turned Dark which made Lightning's respect for her only grow stronger. Everyone who mistreats her will get in trouble with Lightning as she would get furious at everyone who doesn't value her.
== Gallery ==
File:Lightning Ref - high res.png|Lightning the Hedgehog - Reference Sheet
File:Lightning the hedgehog by shirogahara dfj10zf-fullview (1).jpg|Lightning the Hedgehog - Reference Sheet 2
File:Dark lightning by shirogahara dfe3c0o-fullview.jpg|Dark Lightning Reference Sheet
File:Super lightning by shirogahara dfei9jw-pre.jpg|Thundering Lightning Ref Sheet
File:Sigmas meteor punches by shirogahara dfozn9c-fullview.png|Sigma the Hyena - Meteor Shower Punches
File:Sigma s fight style ref by shirogahara dfp2osd-fullview.jpg|Sigma the Hyena - Fighting Style Ref
File:Sigma ref by shirogahara dfnric0-fullview.jpg|Sigma the Hyena - Ref Sheet
File:Ver 3@0,25x.png|Sigma the Hyena - Ref Sheet + Expressions
File:Werehog and Wereyena by shiro sonic.png|Werehog and Wereyena
File:Pewpew by shirogahara dfjchr2-fullview.jpg|Blade n Gun v1
File:Pewpew ver2 by shirogahara dfjcmm4-414w-2x.jpg|Blade n Gun v2
File:Old2013SonicOCDrawings.png|Old Concept Art - Lightning the Hedgehog
File:Lightnings anatomy ref1 by shirogahara dflidjw-fullview.jpg|Lightning the Hedgehog - Anatomy Ref1
File:Lightnings anatomy ref2 by shirogahara dflidk8-fullview.jpg|Lightning the Hedgehog - Anatomy Ref2
File:Classic lightning by shirogahara dgale0m-fullview.jpg|Classic Lightning
File:Deadpool sketch.png|Deadpool - Lightning Sketch
File:Deadpool but lightning by shirogahara dfjl3lo-fullview.jpg|Deadpool Sketches 2
File:Psd@0,25x.png|"Piece of Shit" - Thundering Lightning
File:Game night by shirogahara dfmmx57-fullview.jpg|Game Night
File:Illustration2d@0,33x.png|Expressions Practice
File:Pika screen redraw PSD@0,33x.png|Pikachu Screen Redraw as Lightning
File:Isn t she the cutest by shiro sonic.jpeg|Isn't she the cutest
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