In this AU it kinda takes some ideas from the Archie comics. The Robotnik family worked with the Acorn kingdom, but upon discovering a hidden echidna temple under the castle, Eggman becomes obsessed with it, enraged that the kingdom has hidden what could be, ultimate power. Against his grandfather's wishes, he and maria run experiments, only for them to fail, leading to Maria and Eggman's parents vanishing, along with several mobians. Eggman escapes, but Maria is struck with a strange chaos ilness that seems to be nullified through contact with Chaos energy... but the Chaos emeralds are off limits. Eggman is exiled, but he vows to return for the emeralds and take the castle with his genious creations. Despite Gerald and Maria being under strickt watch, Gerald Robotnik tries to create a living emerald in secret, underground, drawing up the god of chaos and creating Shadow... But he's found out as Eggman attacks for the first time. He escapes with Shadow and Maria in the chaos, passing off Shadow as an orphan from the city. Suspicions arise as Shadow begins showing strange powers... it isn't long before the war catches up to them, and Sonic meets the mysterious hedgehog again, years later.