This is part of an upcoming Sonic fanfic series I'm writing. Now, this first entry is not a fanfic, but an essay which will explain the workings of this new version of Mobius. About its history, its people, about the laws of physics and supernatural elements of this universe. This builds the world so I can build the story later.

Today we delve into Mobians, humans and superpowered beings.

Thanking my buddy Reece once again for being my beta reader.

MOBIANS

Mobians are one of the two major sentient and dominant species on Mobius. They are anthropomorphic versions of animal species known on Earth. For every animal species we know, at one point a Mobian variant existed on Mobius. Even in the ancient past Mobian version of Dinosaurs, Sabertooth tigers, Mammoths ect. Existed.

PHYSIOLOGY

Despite being a wide variety not only in sub species, and color schemes not found on the non-Mobian versions of said animal, the difference between two Mobians is not any different then one's ethnicity for humans. Not different then being Caucasian, African-American ect.

All Mobians, despite their Earthern counterparts, are considered one species, and are all generally warm blooded like humans. Sizes vary on the species, with some like whales and elephants being many times larger then humans, though the most common ones are the size of a human child, with the smallest adult Mobians being the size of a toddler.

Though each Mobian keeps traits from the animals they are based on like a hedgehog's quills, flight for bees or birds, able to breathe underwater for fish ect.

Some species have due to necessity, the ability to partially morph their physique for certain situations. Most prominent aquatic Mobians, whom normally have a mermaid-like tail to move in the water, can briefly transport them into legs when going on land.

The same type of subspecies can temporarily develop a raspatory system to breathe air, but that is limited and most often resort to water charms or other similar tools to sustain themselves on land.

Bird Mobians can morph between wings and arms at will. Mobians with pincers have something similar, morphing between clawed hands and pincers depending on the situations. These are only a few examples of Mobian adaptability.

Mobians are often stronger then what their size suggests. Normal sized Mobians, while child sized are much more durable and are able to go up against a human which in most cases are larger.

MOBIAN REPRODUCTION

The reproductive organs of a Mobian are mostly hidden in a skin pouch and/or cover by their feathers/fur/scales ect. Only coming out during the copulation. It doesn't mean that they are protected from crotch shots during fights.

Any two Mobians of opposite genders can breed if we don't take artificial means into account. Since like was mentioned before, despite the variety technically Mobians are one big species.

Children of Mobians of the same sub-species will have the same species of Mobian kid. If the parents are different species, the child can be either species of the parents. While they can take a species from the parents, they can take coloring of eyes, fur/feathers/scales from the other parents' fur/scales/feathers. For example, if a Mobian hedgehog and squirrel have a family, their children are able to have a family, and the children could either be born hedgehogs or squirrels themselves.

Hybrids exist but they are rare. And Mobian crossbreeds exist, but only between species that can actually crossbreed in real life, like a lion and a tiger making a liger. However, the Mobian variants do not have the same genetic defects those real life animals would suffer from.

A Mobian species can only carried over from one generation to the next. So it is not possible for two Mobian mammals to have a bird child naturally due to one of the grandparents or ancestors being a bird. The generation is only determined by the natural parents' species.

Despite the variety of Mobians, all Mobian reproduction works like a human's. One child at the time, carried for nine months, in rare cases twins or more. All female Mobians have mammary glands and nurse their babies.

Species that lay eggs like reptiles or echidnas still do that, but once they hatch they are treated like human infants are supposed to be treated by their parents.

HUMANS

Humans are basically what they are on Earth too. Difference is Mobius' humans can have eye and hair colors that are not seen on Earth humans unless they use hair dye. Green or blue hair is possible, purple eyes exist ect.

Overlanders are also not a different subspecies, it is a term for a nationality. A human born in the Overland is an Overlander. It is not different from being American, British or Belgian.

While racism still exists among humans, this universe's humans are also more integrated compared to their Archie counterparts pre-reboot and more willing to live next to Mobians in mixed villages.

EMPOWERED

The Empowered is a collective term for Mobians or humans whom have greater power then normal Mobians or humans.

There are many categories in which these type of enhanced Mobians and humans can fall, with the odd occasion that one can fall into multiple categories.

The following subcategories are the following:

CHAOS ADEPT

The Chaos Force is the energy field that connects everything and everyone on Mobius. Every being on the planet has a spark, but very few can tap into their 'spark'. For those who can, they unluck greater power. Once unlocked, either at birth (like Sonic and Tails) or through traumatic events in life (like Mighty the Armadillo), they become super-Mobian or super-human.

They are by standard physically much more powerful. The have greater strength, speed, endurance, healing and durability. It depends from Adept to Adept which of these aforementioned traits are more prominent. Sonic's is speed, Knuckles' is strength…

A common trait among Adepts is controlling the density of their body in certain ways, which allows them take blows that would kill normal Mobians or humans and shrug them off or at least heal faster from them. They can also do this to make their own attacks more powerful. Sonic's quills are soft to the touch and safe if he is relaxed and feels safe. If danger is nearby or he has to get ready for action, he can harden his quills and fur to the point that he can use it to slice through metal. Most Adepts can consciously control this, but for some it requires some training to safely use it.

Each Adept has also a unique power which is known as an Aptitude (think the Semblances from RWBY, the metagen from DC comics or the X-gene from Marvel comics). These can vary wildly from a boost to their already enhanced traits, to some things that can be considered supernatural, to a sort of mutation that gives them an extra sense or appendage.

Adepts are also more sensitive to other big sources of Chaos like Rings and Chaos Emeralds, though they need training to fine tune this sense. They can, though it is considered more difficult, to track other Adepts down. With training and concentration they can also hide or lessen their own Chaos signature.

Some Adepts can absorb Chaos energy to boost their prowess, in some ways even gaining temporary super-powered fighting forms, depending on the amount of Chaos energy one absorbs to external factors. Depending on either positive or negative emotions.

The Chaos Gene that makes one an adept is hereditary and considered a dominant gene.

Adepts are divided in categories depending on their prowess:

Alpha Level Adepts are not strong enough to acquire true Super forms but can still get stronger from absorbing Chaos energy.

Beta Level Adepts can assume a Super form if they acquire enough Chaos Emeralds, Rings or similar sources of power.

Gamma Level Adepts can go beyond Super form and into Hyper Form.

Omega Level Adepts are a level beyond Super and Hyper. Those whom had achieved this level have been believed to have become the Gods of the Mobian Pantheons of myth.

MAGICAL MOBIANS AND HUMANS

Mobians and Humans can also learn magic. Magic is different from the Chaos force, though magic can be enhanced with the use of chaos energy. For a long time it was difficult to distinguish Chaos Adepts and Magicians depending on what power they tap into.

Magical beings tap into the quantum field separate from the Chaos Force around them to warp their surroundings and to a mild degree the reality. If one can give off such a reaction that disturbs the quantum field but not the chaos force, one is considered magical. While Chaos energy can enhance magic, it is not needed to perform magic.

While everyone has a spark of chaos, not everyone can do magic. One needs to have the affinity for it. Magic can also be hereditary, but it is not always the case. There have been First-Gen magic users that either have no magic in the family up until then or haven't been in the family for a long time. Magic also needs and open mind, focus and motivation to use.

There are some species whom are naturally attuned to magic, or have evolved to be such. Most of these are Mobians or humans based on mystical beings like dragons, Youkai ect.

Some species that have human traits, like mermaids and centaurs, whom have both a Mobian and a human subspecies. Which means there are centaurs, mermaids, ect. With either human traits, or which the human traits are replaced by Mobians.

There are also some species that are neither Mobian or human like the Elven race, which are considered separate species. However, some of these uncategorized species can breed with either Mobians, humans or both depending on the species. The elves for example can breed with humans.

ESPER

There are a series of Mobians and humans whom have enhanced mental capabilities which can use their mind to manipulate their surroundings or surrounding energy fields. These mental prowess can include telepathy, telekinesis, empathy and more.

Silver the Hedgehog is an example, but he is part Esper, part Adept. Gold the Tenrec is an example of a normal Esper.

ASCENDED

Those whom are not born with magic, an Adept Gene, Esper powers. Though through other means they are able to surpass normal humans or Mobians, and there is a variety of ways to doing so.

Several people can use spirituality to achieve this. Monks through live of meditating gain a higher power, essentially channeling their chi.

A second way and more common in the modern days is through scientific means. So genetically or cybernetic enhancements count and are the most common way.

Moss the Sloth through his life of meditation has achieved a level of spirituality, making him an Ascended. Jinx the Bat also falls into this category, as there is simply no other way to explain her powers as she doesn't have magic or the gene of Esper or Adept.