*Chapter 4: Not Getting Along*

Shadow is pacing back and forth in the dining hall near the fireplace, breathing hard. Vanilla and Sonic are with him on top of the fireplace, watching him in silent.

"What's taking so long? I told her to come down here. Why isn't she here yet?!" Shadow snarled. He started pacing again.

"Try to be patient, master. The girl has lost her grandfather in freedom all in one day." Vanilla said.

"Master Shadow, have you ever thought that perhaps this girl could be the one to break the spell?" Sonic asked.

"Of course I have." Shadow said with a look. "I'm no fool."

"Good. So you fall in love with her. She falls in love with you and...poof! The spell is broken. We'll be human again by midnight!" Sonic said with a smile.

"Sonic, it's not that easy. These things take time." Vanilla said, shaking her head.

"But, the rose has already began to wilt. Master Shadow and the rest of us will be human by the day of Master Shadow's birthday." Sonic said. Shadow stopped pacing, letting out a sigh.

"It's no use. She's...she's so beautiful and...I'm..." He paused. He looked up at his servants. "Well look at me!" Vanilla hopped over to the table.

"Well, you can start by making yourself more presentable. Straighten up! Try to act like a gentleman!" She said. Shadow stood straight as he listens to the teapot. Sonic hopped down to the floor, standing by Shadow.

"When the girl walks in, you give her a dashing smile." Sonic said.

"Impress her and make her feel welcome." Vanilla said. Then, they hear the door open slightly. Shadow looked up to expect the human girl walking in. But instead, there is Knuckles.

"Good evening." He said, chuckling nervously. Shadow frowned at the echidna clock.

"Well? Where is she?" He asked.

"Who?" Knuckles asked. Shadow snarled at her. "Oh! The girl. Well, you see..." Knuckles tried to think of some excuse to lie to the black hedgehog who angrily stares at him. The echidna clock gulped nervously. "She's not coming..."

From outside the door, the chipmunk feather duster wanders around the hall, until she hears a angry roar from outside the door. The doors burst open, making the chipmunk feather duster move away in shock, seeing the black hedgehog dashing out of the door to get up to the stairway to get to Maria's room. Sonic, Vanilla, and Knuckles followed their master.
Shadow made it to the door, knocking on it hard.

"I thought I told you to come down for dinner!" Shadow yelled.

"I'm not hungry." Maria's voice replied from her room, not wanting to come out to see the hedgehog. Shadow's fur rises, and his eyes are glowing.

"You come out of there or I'll break down the door!" Shadow yelled.

"Ahem, master? I could be wrong but I don't think that's the best way to win the girl's affection." Sonic said.

"She's being so difficult!" Shadow growled.

"Gently, master. Gently." Vanilla said in a whisper. Shadow huffed a little, trying to remain calm. His eyes stop glowing. He looked over at the door.

"Will you come down for dinner?" He asked.

"No." Maria's voice replied. Shadow glared at his servants, but he turned back to the door. He gritted his teeth.

"It would be a great pleasure if you join me for dinner...please." He said, trying to be nicer.

"No thank you." Maria's voice said. This made Shadow very angry. He is glowing red.

"You can't just stay in there forever!" He yelled.

"Yes I can!"

"Fine! Then go ahead and STARVE!" Shadow yelled. He turned to his servants. "If she doesn't with me, then she doesn't eat at all!" He dashed down the hall to get to his wing. The servants hear the door of his slammed shut.

"Oh dear." Vanilla sighed. "That didn't go well after all, did it?"

"You heard him." Knuckles said, turning to Sonic. "Stand on watch and inform me."

"You can count on me." Sonic said, saluting to him. Vanilla and Knuckles left Sonic standing by the door. The chipmunk feather duster came up to the blue hedgehog candelabra.

"What happened here?" She asked.

"Oh, Sally, it's a disaster." Sonic said. "Master Shadow wanted the human girl to join him for dinner, but the girl refuses. She's...very stubborn."

"Give her time. I am sure things will turn out fine at the end. We need to get out of this spell. I miss being human..." Sally said. Sonic made a sad smile at her.

Shadow is in his room, throwing the broken chair aside, growling angrily. He went over to the enchanted mirror, grabbing it and held up to his face.

"Show me the girl!" He said to the mirror. It showed Maria sitting on her bed, as Rouge is talking to her.

"Honey, the master isn't really bad if you try to get to know him. Why don't you give him a chance?" Rouge asked. Maria turned away from the bat wardrobe.

"I don't want to get to know him. I don't want anything to do with him." Maria said. Shadow sighed a little, putting the mirror down. He couldn't blame her after all. He's a mobian hedgehog that no one's ever seen.

"I'm just fooling myself. She won't see as anything...but a monster." He said. He looked at the enchanted rose that is glowing. One pedal falls down. Shadow turned away from the rose. He started to sing to himself.

"How long must this go on?
This cruel trick of fate?
I simply made one careless wrong decision.
And then the witch was gone,
And left me in this state,
An object of revulsion and derision.
Hated...
Is there no one,
Who can show me,
How to win the world's forgiveness?"

The black hedgehog went over to the bed and collapse on it. After all the anger he had today, he rests in his room.