Oh hai, everybody. How's it going? Now you may be wondering to yourself, 'why is he putting up a new story when he's only gotten through the prologue of another one?' Well, it's because I have been stricken with about the biggest writer's block of my life. Seriously, I cannot think of anything to write in that next chapter right now. Just to show you how bad it is, it took me almost a month to write part of the chapter of that story, but this chapter here took about three days. I am not joking. Well, here's to taking a break and focusing on something new. Enjoy.

Chapter 1: Down the Familiar Rabbit Hole

Normal days like this came and went with ease in Sonic's head. No matter how many times the world seemed to be in grave danger, it always seemed to have time for a bright sunny day in-between global crises. Sonic mused to himself that the world in need of saving would soon become the norm, and a relaxing day like this would become a rarity. Not that he wasn't content with kicking Eggman's toys to the next continent and back, but every hero needs a little break, right?

He was reclining under the shade of a tree on a hill, eyes closed. It was somewhat of a stereotype, he thought, but he wasn't one to argue with a little consistency. If his normal-day calculations were correct, however, he would be hearing the shrill voice of Amy Rose before too long. To Sonic, this was all the more reason to enjoy the pleasant setting and relax. A strong breeze blew through his quills, ruffling them slightly. He joked to himself about how picture-perfect the whole scenario was. "Seriously," he thought, "my life might as well be written by some talentless hack who can't think of another way to start a story about me than with a perfect sunny day."

Just then, a vengeful and ironic storm gathered around the area where Sonic lay, soaking him within seconds. "Oh great, water," he said with dismay. Luckily, the city of Station Square wasn't very far from the hill where he was. Getting out of the rain was as simple as finding a suitable-looking building, then taking off.

Sonic would have rather enjoyed the running, were it not for the buckets of water spraying in his face, nor the puddles of mud that left marks on his shoes. If it weren't one of the basic needs for life, Sonic would have wished that water didn't exist. Apart from drinking, it was completely good for nothing to him. All it did was just sit there and stir up storms like this one. Not to mention the fact that he'd have to dry himself off later which would take forever without a towel. Even with a towel, he'd have to be extremely careful to avoid skewering it with his quills. And why? Because stupid water just clung to his body like so many tiny Amy clones.

It occurred to him that he would probably want someone to talk to until the storm blew over. Tails would be the obvious choice, but he felt like changing things up a little. Sonic loved him like a little brother, but it was okay to get away every now and again. It would probably be good to hang out with other people too; get to know them better. Knuckles was, of course, guarding his Master Emerald, and usually didn't take kindly to unannounced visits. He didn't talk that much anyway. The Chaotix might be a good choice, though his last encounter with them had ended up in a broken television, several angry neighbors, and a trombone around an unconscious Espio's neck. Amy's company would mostly consist of marriage demands and constant touching. Shadow, he knew, would sooner make pleasant conversation with a concrete brick than Sonic. But he was staying with Rouge. Maybe he could go see if he could get her to stop staring at her jewels for five minutes and talk to him.

Eager to accept a new challenge, he dashed through the streets of Station Square to find the ever-ostentatious Club Rouge. The night club doubled as a living quarters for Shadow and Rouge. It wasn't a bad place for a good time, but he wasn't really fond of being around a bunch of drunks all night. He had had more than his share of awkward experiences with scantily clad women under the influence of alcohol.

When he reached the inner city, he had to slow considerably. Most people didn't appreciate him creating sonic booms, running in front of their cars, making huge gusts of wind. They'd be even angrier now that he could splash water all over them from the storm. Slowing down for him now was twice as exasperating as it normally would be. Once he started running, he wanted to keep going until he got to where he was going. Slowing down left him feeling very unfulfilled along with the loss of adrenaline. Now, it left him without a way to get out of the stupid rain quickly. Nevertheless, if he didn't want to cause angry shouts in his wake, he'd have to to it.

He clenched his teeth in frustration at the relentless rain drops that kept on pestering his face. The wind wasn't particularly strong, but he still got a face full of irritatingly cold rain with every step. He looked around and saw that the streets were relatively empty. Maybe just this once, he could take off. There was nobody around, and the rain would become completely unbearable before long. It was so tempting to him that he felt an itch at the pit of his stomach begging him to do it. He took one last look around. Still nothing but streets and rain.

It felt like there were was a rope tied around his waist and two parts of him were pulling in opposite directions. One side of him was telling him to forget the rest of the world and just get to where he needed to go. The other told him that it would be indecent to just do whatever he pleased when he knew that it angered others. It was tearing him apart. He wanted so badly to tell one side of him to shut up and just follow the other one, but they were both screaming in his ear. The rain seemed to be pounding even harder. Club Rouge seemed to be even further away than usual. He thought he saw someone with an umbrella walking ahead of him, but it turned out to be a poster. No matter what he chose, it probably wouldn't leave him with both happiness and a clean conscience. But the road was clear, and the itch at the pit of his stomach would not let up. They said that you can never be too careful, but getting caught in this rain would be just pointless if there was nobody around.

Sonic picked up speed and began running at breakneck speeds towards the club. He could feel the watery wake that he was creating, but he didn't care anymore. It was him vs the rain, and he was not about to lose. Luckily for him, the streets remained empty as he finally reached the building with the unlit neon sign that read 'Club Rouge.'

He grabbed the handles to the glass double doors and pulled, but they would not open. It figured, he thought. It was way too early for them to be open. The rain was still colliding irritatingly with him, so he began knocking loudly on the doors. "Hello?" he called. "Rouge? Shadow? Anybody home?" He persisted his knocking for a minute or so. Finally, someone came to the door. To say that Sonic was startled would be somewhat of an understatement. Giant robots were common to him, but walking arsenals with glowing red eyes in what he considered to be a relatively safe area were very rare.

"Hey!" he called to the hulking metal figure on the other side of the doors. They were almost too short for him, and just wide enough for him to possibly squeeze through. Sonic recognized him as having accompanied Shadow and Rouge on some occasions. "Zeta! Er, Alpha, no, that's not it. Um..." He looked at the O-like letters on the robot's shoulders. "Omega! That's it! Could you let me in?"

The robot's red eyes had never ceased to stare at him since he had come into view. Sonic felt like he was talking to some intimidating monster that was completely ignoring his words, just sizing him up to eat him. But after a few seconds, Omega spoke. "Subject identified: Sonic the hedgehog. Organic life form. Arch nemesis of Dr. Eggman. Status at previous encounter: ally. Noted that Shadow does not enjoy his company. Causes for violence: none at this moment."

Sonic rolled his eyes slightly, the rain turning him somewhat irritable. "Yeah, that's great, big guy. Could you let me in now? I think my fingers are pruning up."

The robot continued to scrutinize Sonic. "Negative. This unit is not permitted to grant access to unauthorized personnel before or after business hours. Please return in 6.5 hours."

Sonic was now becoming desperate. "Couldn't you just go get Rouge to let me in? I'm dying out here!"

Omega seemed perplexed by Sonic's words. "This unit cannot sense any danger within the hedgehog's immediate vicinity. Is the meatbag experiencing any of the following symptoms? Choking, shortness of breath, dizziness, weakness of legs or other appendages-"

"Just go get Rouge!" he shouted.

The robot tilted backward slightly. "Despite behavior that many societies would consider rude, this unit cannot find any reason not to comply with the meatbag's request." He turned and walked further into the club.

Sonic wanted so badly to be in there right now. It was probably all heated and dry. No rain to keep pounding all over you, just nice warm blankets. The only thing standing between him and that was a pair of glass doors and a robot that called you a meatbag. He felt like he should apologize for snapping at him like that. Then again, did Omega really have any emotions at all? He couldn't understand exaggerations, that's for sure.

Soon enough, though, the white bat that he had been praying for appeared behind the doors with a key. She was looking very tired. She unlocked the doors and let Sonic in. He immediately crossed the doorframe into the well-heated club, breathing a sigh of relief, despite his shaking from the cold.

Before he could even thank Rouge, a towel was thrown at his face. "Dry yourself off, I don't want to have to clean up after you." Rouge sounded very tired and irritated. When he turned to look at her, she was wearing a pink robe and slippers. There were rings under her eyes, and her fur was quite disheveled. She was wearing a look of utter annoyance.

"Um, thanks for letting me in," he said as he dried himself. She only grunted in response. "Uh, any reason you look like I just interrupted an aftetnoon hibernation?"

"Bats are nocturnal, Sonic," she said, curtly. "If you're looking for a nice chat, you'll have to settle for Mr. Smiley upstairs until the club opens." Without waiting for a reply, she turned and walked off towards the door that led to their rooms.

"Um... Okay. Thanks again," he said.

"And don't touch anything," she called over her shoulder.

When the door closed behind her, he said, "Sheesh, she's crankier than Eggman when he runs out of double cheeseburgers."

The door opened again. "Bats have advanced hearing, too," Rouge called, irritably.

"I'll keep that in mind," he thought as the door slammed behind her again. Well, so much for getting to know her. In fact, he was completely out of options now. Most of the lights were off in the club, and he couldn't play any music. He looked towards the bar area. Alcohol wasn't his thing. It had gotten him in trouble on more than one occasion. He saw Omega, powered down in a corner. Sonic guessed that he acted as a bouncer once the club opened. So there was another person he couldn't talk to.

He finished drying himself off and looked toward the door that Rouge had recently disappeared behind. It was going to be difficult, but he had no choice but to try to socialize with Shadow. A nigh impossible task, but one that must be done to cure the intolerable ailment of boredom.

Slowly, he walked towards the door on the far side of the room. With Shadow, it probably wasn't going to get much more entertaining than walking across a room, so he might as well enjoy it while he could. Then it hit him how pathetic he was to be reduced to walking around as a means of entertainment. Picking up speed, slightly, he reached the door and opened it. The stairwell was, much like the rest of the club, painted black with pink hearts scattered across the walls. He walked up the carpeted stairs to the landing, then turned left to climb the second flight of stairs. When he reached the top, there was a door in front of him which he opened.

There was a long hallway that stretched to the left and to the right of him. To the far left, he saw a door with a large pink heart on it with a word that he couldn't quite make out from a distance. He guessed that it said 'Rouge.' To his right was simply a hallway with doors on the left side. There were small signs on the doors, but they mostly said things like 'Electrical,' 'Janitorial,' 'Storage.' He couldn't see any signs that said 'Shadow,' or had skulls, or had 'Ultimate Life Form's Quarters' in shining golden lettering like he had imagined.

He thought that since Rouge had that super hearing, he should probably try his luck with the right side of the hall. He crept along as quietly as if he were hunting wabbits, on the lookout for a sign that read 'All Non-Ultimates Keep Out,' or something to that effect. It wasn't until he reached the end of the hall that he found a door that didn't have a sign or any sort of marking on it.

Prepared for the worst, he reached out his hand and knocked as lightly as he could to not wake Rouge, but loud enough for anyone on the inside to hear. A few seconds later, and the door opened to reveal a black hedgehog with an emotionless frown on his face.

"What's up, Sha-" Before Sonic could even finish his cheerful greeting, the door was slammed loudly in his face. "-dow?" he finished, dejectedly. On the other end of the hall, a door slammed open as hardly as Shadow had slammed the door in Sonic's face. Without even looking, he could feel the rage emitted from the normally-composed bat flooding down the hallway before she was even there. When she was, she looked even angrier than before, the rings under her eyes more defined.

She completely ignored Sonic and banged on the door. "Shadow, if you don't let Sonic in, he's going to drive me insane. Open the door and bear his company for at least a few hours. I need the sleep; you don't." Her voice was harsh and cranky. Sonic would definitely not want to be in Shadow's shoes right now. In fact, he didn't even want to be in his own shoes.

"There is nothing that you could possibly do to me that would be worse than trying to talk to him," said Shadow, through the door. They did realize that Sonic was right there, didn't they?

"Do it or I will play nothing but Ke$ha, Black Eyed Peas, and Pitbull on loop tonight," threatened Rouge.

There was a pause. "You're bluffing," said Shadow.

"I control the music, you control the drinks," said Rouge. "It's your choice. I can even throw in a little Justin Bieber if you like."

After a few seconds of interval, the door finally opened, and Shadow let Sonic inside. "A hedgehog is more tolerable than a chipmunk," he said.

"Wait, I thought Justin Bieber was a human," said Sonic.

"I know what I said," replied Shadow.

Shadow closed the door behind them and sat down on his bed. Shadow's room was mainly black, including his bed and pillows. The carpet was a dark red. The room wasn't particularly big, with a bed on the far corner, a bookcase with a small collection on the other far corner, a nightstand with a lamp next to the bed, and a small dresser near the door.

"Like to keep things simple, huh, Shadow?"

"Shut up and read," said Shadow, tossing a book from the shelf to Sonic. Sonic caught it rather clumsily, though this being due to the fact that it was a sudden toss.

"Talkative as always, aren't you?" Sonic said, sarcastically, as Shadow chose one for himself. "What's this? 'How to Deal With Amnesia for Ultimate Life Forms?'"

Shadow ignored him and started reading his own book. "You know," said Sonic, "I usually don't read that much. When I do, I usually get sucked into the book and have to go on an adventure to get out of it."

"Fascinating," said Shadow, sarcastically. "Maybe the books take pity on you for your illiteracy by letting you experience them instead."

"Hey, I can read!" said Sonic, defensively. "Just watch!" He opened to the first page of the book without looking at the cover. Before he could even read the first word, lightning struck, and he vanished. The book hit the ground.

"Is thunder really that scary to you?" asked Shadow, still not looking up from his book. When no whiny defense came, he decided to look up, and found that there was no hedgehog at the other end of the room at all. He put his book down to see that the one he had given to Sonic was lying open on the floor. "Sonic?" he called. No reply came. He got up from his bed and walked towards the book, half-expecting Sonic to jump out of nowhere and try to scare him. The other half of him wondered whether Sonic really had vanished into the book, as he said had happened. He bent down and looked at the cover of the book that had just been in the hands of the blue hedgehog. He smirked.

"Well, if he really is in the book, it's too bad it had to be that one," he said.

XOXOX

Sonic wasn't sure how he had gotten there or what had just happened. The only thing that he knew was that the ground was rocking beneath him, and it was raining. Life sucked.

So, can you guess what the book that he's been sucked into is? Don't worry, it'll become apparent in time. In any case, please review if you can. This whole story's going to be centered around Sonic, so if I'm getting his characteristics wrong, let me know now rather than later. Hasta luego.