Sonic came screeching to a hault in the center of a small grassy opening. A few miles ahead of him above the tree line was the Marble Zone. Few mobians had ever been the Marble Zone as it was said to be a very perilous landscape. It was a series of small mountains, made of purple-obsidian volacnic rock. It was said to be very unstable, pools of smoldering liquid magma bubbled about its creviced surfaces. The Mobians who had originally explored it had built, underneath it, a series of caves and caverns to guide travelers through the mountains, but few used these treachersous paths for many who attempted them were never heard from again. A dangerous land indeed, but Sonic knew he had to cross it.

Knowing it would be a tiring hike, Sonic decided to take a small break in this grassy meadow. However as he took a load off his feet, little did he know that he was being watched from a short distance away..

"Damn that hedgehog.. destroying one of my precious creations. It looks like I will have to deal with him personally. No one crosses me, no one..."

From his relaxed position in the grass, Sonic began to hear another buzzing sound coming from the forrest. "Ugh.." he said to himself. "Not this again." But as the sound grew nearer, he could tell it was different this time. Just as he jumped to his feet, he saw a round metallic object hovering over the treetops, heading his way. It quickly descended and halted before him. It was a roofless circular hovering craft, a one-man vessel. Seated firmly inside, and glaring down at him, was the man he was searching for, Ivo. "You..." Sonic clenched his fists.

"Me..?" Ivo asked mockingly, questionably gesturing to himself as he turned his head to look over his shoulders, knowing fully well no one was there. "Why what ever do you mean?"

"I know what you've been doing!" Sonic shouted. "And it ends here!"

"Mm.. I knew it was only a matter of time before you found out. You animals are a persistent bunch. Not too bright though. But I'm working on that." A reserved yet mocking grin spread his flubbery cheeks. By Sonic's expression, Ivo could tell he was furious. "Why yes, once I'm through with you, you will all much much better off."

Sonic's expression changed to one of disgust. "Why..? Why all this now?" A simple direct question.

"Why..?" He let out a soft maniacal giggle. "Oh, I'll tell you why.." His craft very gradually descended as he spoke. "For years I lived in your pathetic village. You animals.. you are such a close and tight-knit group. I was but an outcast, the only human. So I locked myself away, working on my beautiful creations, they were my only comfort. I was able to create mechanical beings, wonderful and lifelike machines that were so realistic in personality. In fact, they were beyond realistic... they were perfect. And every time I looked out my windows and saw you pathetic animals I was reminded of imperfection. But that doesn't have to be anymore. One by one, I will cleans you all.. and make you perfect! You will all be roboticized and this world will know the perfection of life.. thanks to the most brilliant scientific mind alive: Dr. Ivo... Robotnik!"

Sonic took a step back, he couldn't believe it. "You're.. insane.. That will never happen!"

"Oh really now, and who is going to stop me?" Sonic took an offensive stance and glared up at Robotnik, silently but clearly answering him. "Oh, you?" Robotnik unleashed a hearty laugh. "A mere rodent thinks he cant stop me? Ra ha ha ha ha ha! I'll make an example out of you, pest! Your worthless life ends now!" His tone was serious, he meant business. His craft sharly ascended, about 15 feet off the ground. "You dont know what you've gotten yourself into, hedgehog!" A large compartment on the hull of the craft slowly opened and with a cranking sound a giant metallic sphere descended, attached from a steel linked chain. The sphere rapidly swung back, away from Sonic. "Goodbye, my foolish adversary." The sphere swung forward with sharp velocity. Sonic didn't move.. or at least thats how it looked to Robotnik. "Ha, that fool!"

Robotnik scanned the ground for Sonic's body, but could not find it. "Now where is the little bugger.. He's no use to me since he's dead, but he'll make a fine ornament once I stuff him!" For a minute or so, Robotnik searched the ground, but could find no trace of his victim. "Where..?" A confident voice from behind him interrupted his search.

"Looking for something, Ro-BUTT-nik?". Robotnik quickly spun his ship around. There he was, standing confidently with his arms crossed over his chest, looking to the side non-chalantly. "You'll have to be quicker than that."

"Grr.. why you little!" The sphere came swinging again at Sonic, but by the time it reached him, he was gone.

"Over here, big guy!" The voice came from behind him. Robotnik could not contain his anger. Another swing, another miss. "Awh, c'mon Ivo, I know you're faster than that."

"You pesky rodent! Nobody mocks me!" As the sphere again came swining towards Sonic, a quick snap and a loud thud followed. Robotnik looked in astonishment as the giant sphere rolled on the ground, eventually coming to a stop, its chain severed.

"Pretty nifty quills, eh fatso?" Sonic asked with a hint of laughter in his voice. Robotnik looked like he was about pop pop a vein, he knew he had been shown up. His craft sharply ascended.

"Mark my words, Hedgehog, you havent seen the last of me! You'll pay for this!" With those words he made his retreat, flying back over the treeline towards the Marble Zone. He was quickly out of sight. Sonic collected himself, he knew he had not much time to spare. He took off and zoomed to the end of the meadow and into the forrest. Soon he was out of the woods and at the base of the Marble Zone's volcanic mountains. Not stopping to think, he rushed forward, into the Marble Zone.