Red and The Beast (Rewrite)

15 years later

The door opens and knuckles now grown up walks out tying back his long red hair. "Knuckles you go on ahead I'm still perfecting my face for the ladies" his older brother said making knuckles roll his eyes. "Why am I not surprised" he said to himself and shuts the door. He walks down the stone steps of the house. He pulls out one of his books and starts to read as he walked to the village that is already full of people. "Good morning young Echinda the usual lilles for your mother's grave?" Asked a male bee. "Yes thank you Charmy" knuckles smiled and pays him before going back to his book. "What are you reading this time knuckles?" He asked wrapping the small batch of flowers. "It's a really intriguing story on how a boy got tricked in buying magic beans that grew a large beanstalk and lead him into a giant's castle in the clouds. Then finds himself freeing a goose that can lay golden eggs." He said and looks up then saw a weirded out face on Charmy. "You always find the most unusual stories" he said and hands the flowers to knuckles. "So I been told... thank you" he said knowing charmy finds him odd once more and walks away as Charmy shakes his head. "I worry about that boy" he muttered. Knuckles sighs and goes back to his story before being stopped by one of the local thugs that yanks the book from his hand. "Give it back" he said not amused to the green hedgehog. "Pay me and I will bookworm." He laughed with his buddy. "Seriously it's not even mine it's the library's" knuckles said still not amused. "Well then pay up" the purple chameleon hissed then laughed. Knuckles sighed and pulls out a silver flat circle then flips it in the air. They drop the book and go to catch it only to land in the fountain. Knuckles picks up the book and walks away just as the two grab the coin. "WAIT THIS IS NAILHEAD! HE TRICK US!" The hedgehog said and tossed the nailhead back in the fountain as Knuckles laughed as continuing to walk. "Haha get them again knuckles?" A large purple car asked. "They're never gonna learn that I will always find a way to trick them." Knuckles smiled. "Well then on the house" the cat said holding out a tray of honey rolls. "Thanks Big the wife and kids doing ok?" Knuckles asked taking one. "Yep they are" Big replied. Knuckles nods and walks away enjoying his treat and finishing the book. Though knuckles had grown into a smart, kind and humble man he knows he's an outcast to the majority of the village. The only people who don't see him as one is his father, Big the baker, and his mother's old friend who runs the library Mrs. Avery. Yet knuckles is very close to Mrs. Avery especially since she became the closest mother figure to him after his mother passed away when he was only ten years old. A month later on a cold night he was woken up by a flash and looked out his window to see the castle had vanished. He alerted the villagers and they searched for the castle and the royal family but found nothing. Since then they been governed by the village elders who served the king in the village over the hills which was also under the rule of royal family. That is where his father would travel along with their village elders sometimes to bring back any news or new laws. So far it's stayed the same and people are happy. Well except for knuckles who wants to leave this village and travel the unknown just like his mother wanted. Yet she died before she could and that made his father want him to stay in the village more to keep him safe. As for his eldest brother who had grown spoiled and entitled would gloat about being the one to leave making knuckles wish he start learning his father's duties earlier. Yet trading and being a merchant wasn't what he wanted to do with his life and he knew he was meant to do something important just doesn't know it yet.
The bell rings when the door opens and knuckles smiles once the smell of leather and ink fills his nose. "Good morning knuckles." A sweet voice rang and he turns to see an old jackal woman. "Morning Mrs. Avery" he smiled. "Come to return your books?" She said and he smiled pulling them out. "You got a lot of time dont you my sweet boy" she chuckled. "Actually I learned to read and do my chores at the same time" he said walking over to the three shelves of books. "Of course you did" she said smiling. He traced his finger tips on the hard leather spines and smiles seeing his favorite was back. He pulls it out and flips through the pages to the very back and sees his mother's initials on it. Ever since she died his father donated a lot of her stuff and accidentally donated this book to the library but knuckles figured someone else can enjoy their favorite story. This made his father feel less guilty and saw his wife's heart in his son. So when he turned thirteen and was allowed to wonder the village by himself once more he would barrow it whenever he sees it on the shelf and check the back every time to see her initials. He closed the book and grabs two more stories before bringing it to Mrs. Avery. "Ooo I see you picked out a new one. I will say you might feel bad for the character in this." She said. "Oh yeah? How so?" He asked and she winked. "Right now spoilers" he said and she chuckled. Then she gets to his favorite. "This is your twentieth time reading this book?" She smiled and he shrugged. "What can I say it was me and my mother's favorite." He said. "Ya know you're the only one who truly reads this book front to back." She said. "I think it's best if you keep it" she said. "I can't my fathe—" "I know but frankly you read this more than anyone here. Consider this my an early birthday gift from me." She smiled and he hugs her. "Thank you" he said. "Of course sweetheart I'll see you tomorrow" she said. He nods and grabs the books as his image appeared in a dusty mirror.

"We found him!"