*Chapter 1: No Matter What*

Maria walked in the house and see Ivo and Isabella sitting in the living room, and the house is a mess. As usual. Maria sighed and place her book on the table and grab a broom. Ivo turned and smirked at his cousin.

"It's your welcome home gift." He taunted. Maria ignored him and sweep the floor, until she hears noises below the house. Her grandfather is working on the invention for the fair. Maria went down the basement and see an old man with a white/gray mustache working on a project.

"Grandfather?"

"Oh, hello, my dear." The man greeted as he turned around. He is Professor Gerald Robotnik. "Back to soon? What book did you borrow this time?"

"Well, the owner gave me one for free. It's the same one from days ago." Maria replied. "I ran into Mardic, and...Myrin."

"Myrin? How has he been?" Gerald asks.

"I don't know. He was so into me, and he asks if I wanted to get married someday, and I told him I don't want to get married soon." Maria said by sitting on the chair. "He said that everyone thinks that I am...different. Do you think I'm...odd?"

"My granddaughter odd?" Gerald asks as he came over to her. "It doesn't really matter that you are not like anyone else in the village. You are you."

"People talk."

"They talk about me too."

"My cousins think I'm odd too." Maria said. Gerald sat next to her.

"Ivo and Bella may be like everyone, but...you will always be who you are." He told her. "No matter what they say, you will always accept you who you are. Married or not, you're always a happy girl I always loved." Maria smiled at him.

"I guess you're right."

"That's my girl. Now, this invention was almost complete, and I will be off to the fair." Gerald said by going back to work. Maria returned up to the house to do her chores, but sees Ivo with a bucket.

"After you're with done house chores, you need to feed the chickens." Ivo said, placing the bucket on the table and left. Maria rolled her eyes.

Later that day, Gerald is on the horse that is dragging the invention, waving his grandchildren goodbye. Maria wished him good luck and told him to be careful on the way.
As the old man is far away from the town, he looked ahead to see the woods with faded signs. He looked at the map he brought along, and he thinks that he went to the wrong way.

"Hmm. I should be there by now." He says. He guided the horse to the right direction, where the path is very dark. The horse was uneasy about going that direction, but he had to obey Gerald. And owl is heard above the trees, and sounds of howls. Gerald looks around. "Oh dear. We have to turn back." The horse backed into a tree, and the bats flew out of the hole. Gerald let out a cry as the horse runs off. Gerald fell off his horse that ran off to the dark woods, and howls are getting loud. Wolves are coming close.

'Oh no. I need to find shelter.' Gerald thought in worry. He walked down the path until he hears growling behind him. He turned his head and see pack of wolves. Gerald started to run away. The wolves are running after him, growling and howling at him. Gerald then sees gates ahead of him. He must get inside before he will be dinner to the wolves. He reached for the gates, opened them, and quickly shut them as the wolves crash against the gates. They are snarling at the old professor.

"Oh that was close..." Gerald sighed as he backed away from the gates. He turned and gasped at the sight to see what's in front of him. A castle. Flash of lightning appeared in the sky and thunder is heard. It began to rain. Gerald rushes up to the doors. He knocked on them and open one of them. The castle is dark and gloomy. Gerald shuts the door behind him, and look around. "Hello? Hello?" He quietly calls out.

"The poor man must've been lost from the woods." A male voice whispers.

"Keep quiet! Maybe he'll go away." Another male voice hissed. Gerald looks around for anyone who spoke. But, there wasn't.

"Is someone there?" He called out. Beside him, there is a red echidna clock with red dreadlocks, and next to him is a blue hedgehog candelabra. "I don't mean to intrude, but I lost my horse. And I need a place to stay for the night." Gerald says. The blue hedgehog looks at the professor in pity, he turned to his friend.

"Aw, Knuckles. Have a heart." He says. Knuckles covers the hedgehog's mouth to keep him silent. The hedgehog brings his candle hand over to the echidna's hand to burn him a bit.

"Ow ow ow!" Knuckles cried out and blow his hand.

"Of course, good sir, you are welcome here." The blue hedgehog said. Gerald went over and grab him, not noticing that the candelabra was the one who spoke to him.

"Who said that?"

"Over here!"

"Where?" Gerald felt a tap on his head. He lowers the hedgehog who gave him a smile.

"Hello." He spoke. Gerald gasped and dropped him. The hedgehog groaned a bit. "Incredible..." Gerald spoke. Knuckles jumped down.

"Now you've done it, Sonic! Splendid. Just perfect." He said, crossing his arms. He was then picked up by Gerald. "Ahh! Put me down!"

"How is this thing accomplished?" Gerald wondered, studying the echidna clock. He shakes him a bit and wind him. Sonic chuckled a bit. Knuckles glares at the professor.

"Do you mind sir?! I am not a toy!" He snapped.

"Oh, I beg your pardon. It's just that-" Gerald was about to finish until he started to sneeze and drop Knuckles. Sonic can see that Gerald is cold from being in the woods.

"You need to be warmed up, sir. Come, we will have the fire start for you." Sonic says by leading Gerald to the room where the fireplace is. Behind the stairway, a dark silhouette watches them go in the room. He made a glare and ran down to the shadows.

"No! The master wouldn't like that!" Knuckles says, trying to stop the hedgehog and the professor, but he sees Sonic start the fire and Gerald sat down on the chair. "Oh no, not the master's chair." Knuckles groaned. Then, a rabbit teapot came over with a little rabbit cup.

"How about a nice cup of tea, dear?" The teapot spoke. Gerald smiled in amazement. "My name is Vanilla, sir. Here, let me pour some tea for you."

"No tea! No tea!" Knuckles protested. Gerald picked up the little cup, and it giggled.

"Hehe. His mustache tickles, mother!" She said.

"Oh. Hello there, young lady." Gerald said.

"This is my daughter, Cream." Vanilla said. Before Gerald can speak, the door bursts open, and the fire went out. Sonic's candles went out as he turned to see the dark figure standing by the door. Vanilla shook as Cream went behind her. Gerald began to shake as he hears a soft growl behind him.

"Stranger here." The dark figure spoke.

"Master Shadow." Sonic spoke. "This kind man is lost in the woods and-"

"SILENCE!" The dark figure spoke. Knuckles cleared his throat a bit.

"Uh, master, I have some things to say... I was trying to throw the man out myself, but Sonic wanted to-" Shadow began to growl and his body glows red. Knuckles lets out a squeak and hid under a rug, shaking in fear. Gerald looks behind him and see a black hedgehog, glowing red in anger, and his red eyes burn into Gerald's. The professor gasped and nearly fell out of the chair.

"Who are you?! What are you doing here?!" Shadow asked.

"I-I was just lost in the woods, and-"

"You're not welcome here!"

"I-I'm sorry..." Gerald says, staring at the black hedgehog. And it makes him more angrier. Shadow felt his fur rise a little.

"What're you staring at?!"

"Nothing!"

"So...you come to stare at the hedgehog! Aren't you?!" Shadow shouted, making Gerald crawl backwards on the floor. For a mobian hedgehog, Gerald is afraid of him.

"Please! I don't mean to stare at you! I just need a place to stay! If you wish for me to leave, I will-" Gerald was then grabbed by the throat. Shadow snarled at him.

"I'll give you a place to stay!" He said. He is dragging Gerald out of the room who is pleading. The servants are left behind in the dark room.