Chao (Pre-Super Genesis Wave)


 * For the version of this species after the Super Genesis Wave, see Chao (Archie).

The Chao are creatures that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics. They are a mystical species that dwells in various magical locations around Mobius.

Anatomy
The Chao are small creatures with pudding-like bodies. In general, Chao have round waterdrop-like heads with large eyes but no noses, round torsos smaller than their heads, smooth feet with no legs, and arms with no visible hands. Neither their arms or feet have digits. They also have a short tail, small wings, and an emotion-dot floating above their head.

While Chao can have various looks over time, "Normal Chao" have light blue skin with yellow tips on their arms, feet and head, blue eyes and pink wings.

Characteristics and culture
Chao are mysterious but lovable creatures that live almost exclusively in Chao Gardens. Spawned by Chaos, Chao hatch from eggs, and usually spend their existence eating, sleeping, and playing. However, they are noted to have usually short lifespans. To compensate for this, after a certain amount of exposure, Chao will envelope themselves in a cocoon before entering adolescence and then again at the end of their adulthood/life-cycle, emerging as an egg once more. This egg will then hatch into a new Chao with all the characteristics it had in its past life.

Whoever raises the Chao also affects its development. If a virtuous person raises a Chao, it will probably mature into a kind of Hero Chao. If someone who is not so virtuous raises the Chao, however, it can turn into a kind of Dark Chao. Whether Dark, Hero or normal, all Chao are cute and loving. Chao can also become attached to individuals, as evidenced by the friendship between Cream the Rabbit and her Chao, Cheese.

Chao can only speak one word which is their own species' name. However, they have a very distinct form of communication: their emotion-dot. The emotion-dot, which floats above a Chao's head will change shape depending on what it thinks or feels.

Powers and abilities
All Chao are capable of flight. Chao are also very special in that they tend to borrow the traits of animals they come in contact with. Their shape and color changes as they mature into one of five special types: Running, Flying, Swimming, Power and Normal. For example, a trio of Chao gained enhanced speed, flight, and strength after spending time with Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles while a fourth one took on Robian qualities by bonding with Jules Hedgehog. However, a well-balanced Chao can look like it did on the day it hatched.

Interaction with the Knuckles Clan
The first recorded Chao were found on Soumerca inside the Mystic Ruins of Pais Misterioso. While the Echidna colony of the Knuckles Clan from Albion were embroiled in a war with the native Felidae, Chief Pachacamac's daughter, Tikal, befriended the Chao and their mutated brethren-turned guardian, Chaos. When Pachacamac and his warriors tried to seize the Super Emeralds the Chao guarded in order to win the war, many of the Chao were hurt in the attack. This enraged Chaos, who turned his wrath on the Knuckles Tribe and wiped them out until the Chao worked together with Tikal and used their powers to seal Chaos and themselves inside the Black Emerald.

The Chaos incident
Centuries later, Dr. Eggman released Chaos with intentions of using it to conquer Mobius as Perfect Chaos. Ultimately though, Chaos went rouge and went on a rampage as Perfect Chaos until Super Sonic stopped Chaos and nullify its rage. Afterwards, the Server Chao reverted back to normal from their emerald forms and returned to the Black Emerald along with Tikal and Chaos to spend the rest of their existence there.

Rediscovered
Sometime in 3237, Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles discovered a Chao garden full of Chao at the former Power Ring Grotto and each befriended one that began to mimic their abilities. Eventually, Dr. Eggman detected the energy coming from the garden and went to investigate. At first suspecting it to be a repository of magical energies, he found the garden with Sonic and his friends already there and decided to destroy them all to make up for the disappointing results. Once the battle was over, a Chao followed them back to Knothole and became attached to Jules and took on features similar to his. Following Knothole's destruction, Chao have been seen living in New Mobotropolis. Many of the Chao from Knothole were found relocated in the Chao garden on Cream and Vanilla's estate in the Southern Baronies, but after it was ruined in an attack by Snively Robotnik they reunited with their other brethren in the city.
 * Note: From this point, the Chao's history continues from their new life in the altered timeline.

Known Chao

 * Chails
 * Cheese the Chao
 * Chocola
 * Chronic
 * Chuckles
 * Omochao