If you went back far enough, it was really the caretaker who was to blame for the great calamity that befell Mobius that year. Sam was an old dog (literally) at Spagona University and had worked there for many decades (some students would even say centuries). His continuous employment however was more to do with his sentimental rather than practical value as the years had worn on his cleaning and maintenance duties. Even in his younger days he had a habit of making amusing muddles; like waxing the lawns then mowing the gym floor or confusing Fahrenheit with Celsius on the thermostats (although that could get rather annoying in winter). This bumbling was further exacerbated by poor eyesight which Sam refused to deal with, and he was a little bit deaf. So maybe it was the University's management to blame for all the trouble that the planet would go through in the coming weeks.
Sam was going about his usual evening lockup of the archaeological department at SU. He had just watered a painting of some tulips, deposited an empty soda can into an ancient amphora and in the process of picking it up had knocked over a row of suits of armour causing a tremendous clang of metal which Sam completely failed to notice. He also failed to notice another sound of clanking metal, this time coming from outside. Two robots, one a lanky silver chicken and the other a squat turquoise robot with caterpillar treads and drills for hands and nose. Scratch and Grounder, Badniks in service of evil genius Dr Robotnik, were skulking outside in the dusk.
"Are you sure this is the right place?" said Grounder.
"Of course it is dimbot! I brought us here!" snapped Scratch smacking Grounder on the back of the head.
The two did not have time to argue however as Sam had appeared outside and was putting a key into the lock of the oak front door. Scratch and Grounder carefully (which given their clumsiness was not very) snuck up behind the old dog, only for him to snap round to face them and say, "My, what are these suits of armour doing outside?"
Before they could do anything Sam picked up the two robots with a strength that belonged to man thrice his size, opened the door, and placed them on top of the pile of metal garments that was the row of armour. He then closed the door to the building muttering under his breath something about 'those darn students' while Scratch and Grounder were still trying to grasp what had just happened.
They regained their composure and quickly set off for a room labelled 'Storage' which was filled with row upon row of shelves on which sat various archaeological finds. They walked along the ends of the shelves until the came to the one marked 'G'.
"Right, it should be along here," said Scratch as he looked up and down the shelves.
"What are looking for again?" Grounder asked.
"Do you even listen to me? A metal box labelled Gaia ya klutz!" replied an exasperated Scratch.
"Like this one?" said Grounder, producing a metal box with the word 'Gaia' written on it.
"Yes exactly like that on… urgh, give it to me!" Scratch yanked the box out of Grounder's hands. "Right, now let's get back to Dr Robotnik before someone catches us!"
"Incredible! For once you two nincompoops have managed to do something right!" said Dr Robotnik in his usual bombastic voice.
Scratch and Grounder had returned to their dark master's mountaintop lair with the stolen goods and he was certainly not disappointed.
"Why thank you your repulsiveness!" said Grounder sycophantically.
"Yeah, when have I ever let you down?" added Scratch.
Robotnik's voice suddenly turned cold, "don't make me answer that…"
He rapidly regained his gloating attitude however and proceeded with his pontificating.
"This, gentlemen (Scratch and Grounder swelled with pride at this word; Dr Robotnik treating his peons with dignity was always a sign he was happy with them) is something I have been seeking for long time." He held the box aloft with reverence. "It would have taken me years of research, exploration and excavation to discover this priceless artefact, but why go through all that rigmarole when you can let someone find it and take it from them?!" He laughed sadistically, "What I have in my hands is the key to making me undisputed master of all Mobius!"
He opened the box.
Documents, old documents and a tablet.
Scratch jumped in the air and was caught by Grounder as they both cringed in fear and awaited the salvo of insults that was to be thrown at them, but to their surprise, none came.
"Behold, the Gaia manuscripts!" said Robotnik striking a dramatic attitude.
He was disappointed to see his two minions completely bemused by what he intended to be a dramatic revelation; such was the difficulty of being surrounded by morons.
"S-so, we didn't screw up?" was all Grounder said.
"You iron-clad ignoramuses! These manuscripts hold the information about one of the most powerful beings of legend; Dark Gaia!" Again, Robotnik struck the dramatic pose to no adequate response. He put a hand to his brow.
"Dark, Gaia," he said putting dramatic pause between each word, "is said to be an ancient entity of great power, power which I can exploit, enough power for me to finally realise my dream, Rrrrobotnikland!" He then pulled a cord from seemingly nowhere which drew open a curtain covering a picture of a garish amusement park featuring a giant Robotnik head with its mouth open as the entrance.
"But, er, how do these papers help with that?" said Scratch who was only more confused than ever.
"It is beyond your comprehension" Robotnik said loftily, "I will study these documents and uncover the secrets of Dark Gaia, then we shall set about awakening him and then my mastery over the world will be at hand!"
"And what the Hedgehog?" said Grounder.
Robotnik laughed maniacally, his gleaming with malice.
"Sonic?! HA! What is a mere Hedgehog to the most powerful being on the planet?!"
Robotnik continued to laugh, reaching such extents of hysteria that Scratch and Grounder fled from the room in terror. It was nothing to the terror the world was about to endure in the coming days…
Authors Note: Welp, my second story and I hope you've enjoyed it so far. I had this idea in my head for a while but I didn't know how to start it until recently. Anyway, please leave a review and as I'm still writing I'm still open to suggestions by PM if you have any.