The first thing I remember about this morning… A headache. I know just what caused it. That freakish thing. I was spending to much time with it. I looked over at the clock. 8.30. I should of opened an hour ago. I rushed downstairs to find somone already there. Holding what looked like a necklace in his hands.

"You're playing with fire Rouge. How long until you get burned?"

"Are you ganna buy something Knuckles?" I stared the Echidna in the eye.

"You gave up working for the president for this?" He broke my gaze by looking at the ground.

"I repeat, are you ganna buy something?"

"No… I'm here to TAKE something."

I didn't say anything. I ran over to the doll chest.

"Rouge, Give me that."

I grabbed the top of the chest.

"You aren't really thinking about opening it, are you?"

"It won't kill me." We stood there, facing each other for a minute. "How'd you get in?"

"I know how to pick locks-"

"No you don't. How'd you get in." My grip tightened.

"… Tails got me in…"

"You brain washed him into beleaving you're helping everyone by controling this?"

"I can help…"

"No. You won't help anyone."

"….Fine… So, I guess I'll have to buy something."

"I'm not selling to you."

"C'mon. For old times sake."

"…Fine…"

"So… What's the story behind this necklace?" He held up the brilliant gold necklace.

"If you must know…"

---Wrapped in Black---

There was once a blacksmith known a throughout the whole country. People would come from around the world just to look at what he made. He was old, and losing his touch. He had to do something to save his career, or he would surely starve. He was out walking through his garden, legend has it he saw the most amazing thing. A lump of coal- growing in a rose bush. He was amazed by this, he instantly brought it into his home and began his work. He polished the stone for hours, trying to increase it's already enormous value.

It was coal, no matter what the blacksmith did. He decided to call it a day, and went to sleep. God knows what happened during the night, it is said that when he awoke, the coal had turned into the most beautiful gold. Still intent on raising the miracles worth, he began to work. He made the gold into the necklace you now hold. When he was finished, he declared an auction. The highest bidder would keep this amazing necklace.

The day of the auction, a mysterious stranger in a black cloak approached the man. She had something elegant in the way she moved.

"You shouldn't do this." Was all she said.

The man argued with the stranger, but the stranger gave no reply. The man told her if she wanted it so badly she would have to buy it.

The auction came, and there where hundreds there. Including the stranger wrapped in a black cloak. The bidding started. It lasted hours, each person there intent on owning the rare artifact. At the end, a Lord had bought the necklace for 10,000 English pounds. Right before the blacksmith was about hand the necklace to the Lord, the woman in black stepped in. "50,000 pounds." She began. "And my soul."

The blacksmith was more than happy to agree to these terms, but the Lord wasn't. The necklace had already been sold. The Lord left the town, admiring the priceless necklace he had bought. On he way out, the woman in black ran in front of his horse.

"You must not keep that!" She pleaded.

"And why not?"

"There is a legend that gold grown from a rose bush is an item of God-"

"Then I shall consider myself very lucky."

"You can not buy it! My soul! Take it!"

The lord stared at her. He was a very religious man, so he agreed. "50,000 and your soul."

"Done!" The woman handed him the money, and bowed.

The Lord had heard tales of people giving up souls, but never of receiving one. The woman collapsed on the ground, the necklace tight in her hands. "It…Is clean now…" She handed the necklace back to the man. The Lord was confused, but took her money, her soul, and the necklace.

"Insane fool" He muttered to himself as his armor was replaced by a black cloak, his skin began to crumble and his skelliton dissapeared. There was no scream. The woman appeared in the mans place, wearing the cloak that only seconds ago was on the Lord.

"It is God's bidding." She said to herself, slowly walking away.

"So take it or leave it." I said, sitting on the chest.

"Are you sure it's safe? After that story…"

"Knucklehead…"

"I don't have 50,000 pounds."

"Well, since it's pounds, not rings, and it was 1000 something years ago, 12,00 rings."

"That's a good deal…. I'll give you 10,000."

"12,000"

"10,99"

"12,00"

"12,00"

"13,00"

"I hate you."

"I know."

"12,50"

"Done!" I always's disliked Knuckles. But, he had money. I waved goodbye as he left, slowly turning around to face the chest.

"….Sorry to keep you waiting…."