Chapter 1: What's Wrong with the World?
It was a cheery summer evening in central park. The sun was just settling down and could just be seen just above the lush green trees, the cars could be heard moving in the distance as people carried on their daily lives but there was a sense of danger in the air, the animals were fleeing the area, all of them trying to avoid a dark shady area in the trees, in a frenzied panic, where a Mobian obviously stood. Nothing could be seen of this Mobian except for the top of bare feet covered in black fur and amethyst eyes that seemed to glow through the darkness.
A dark blue middle aged fox clad in a business suit, suitcase in hand, suddenly walked across the clearing that was over looked by the dark shady area that the unknown Mobian was in. From within the darkness a hand covered in black fur with a peach palm flurried as words were muttered inaudibly. A snake like bolt of yellow Chaos energy flittered across the grass towards the fox who caught the noise and turned as if in slow motion to find out what was causing the noise on the grass. The foxes eyes widened as the snake like thing lashed out and wrapped around his neck, choking him while holding him in the same place. His hands scrabbled at the tether of energy, as the suitcase was dropped to the floor, forgotten in panic, the energy was completely surrounding his neck and a sharp stinging pain started to surround his neck with it. He quickly realised that it was starting to burn his fur and the flesh beneath. Because his hands were not gloved, his hands burnt upon contact with the energy rope, causing his hands to recoil before snapping back, trying to free his neck, once again with renewed vigour, from his restraint. The hand was seen flurrying again with more mutterings as a yellow bolt shot through the air, piercing through his left shoulder. The arm fell to the ground, useless, whilst blood spilled out of the gaping twitching hole that he now had in its place, the fox tried to shout in pain, but he simply found that the burning rope was blocking his airways far too much for even his loudest scream. His vision started to blur from a mixture of shock, fear, pain, not to mention lack of air as well as blood loss while his shoulder continued stream with the crimson liquid. He fell to his knees and found that the tether of energy had shrunk to accommodate, no way was he getting back up now. Another mumble was heard then a second later the same fiery pain erupted in his right leg, causing him to fall flat on his face as blood oozed out of the new larger hole. He knew that it was his end a second before it happened. One last whisper and the rope contracted, beheading him and causing blood to squirt out of his neck and his heart gave off its last remaining beats before it realised it was no longer attached to the brain. His head rolled over to show his face as the rope dissipated, contorted with fear and pain and despair it was.
Suddenly a scuffling was heard from somewhere not too far off from the winding path that fox had come from. Amethyst eyes flashed as the figure disappeared into the undergrowth just as ruby red ones came into the clearing. The eyes traced the blood which had scattered all over the small meadow. They widened upon seeing the body of a fox scattered in four pieces before tracing a faint lines of burnt grass that seemed to almost squiggle towards a dark shady area that couldn't be seen very well by normal eyes from the sun lit areas. But the owner of the red eyes did not have normal eyes and could see clearly into the darkened area, but when no one was there he frowned. He turned his attention once again to the body as his nose wrinkled at the smell of the blood, it was fresh blood, that he could tell, deep red and not yet coagulated, he knew nothing could be done for the poor soul that had been killed here and decided that instead of waiting around to be blamed he would set off in pursuit of the only clue he could see. With that in mind he walked into the dark area and quickly glanced back, he had a perfect view of the entire meadow from here, before he set off down into the undergrowth after what he assumed must have been the path of flight for the murderer.
An indefinite amount of time passed, maybe it was a few seconds, maybe a few minutes, but after what seemed like an age, movement was once again heard coming from the same hidden path that the two previous had come from. This time a fully purple hedgehog entered the field; he was wearing pale blue combat jeans, dark blue sneakers and a bright blue t-shirt that had the 'Shadow the Hedgehog' symbol on it in an opaque black. Pale blue sapphire eyes darted around before widening to having witnessed such scene of demise, he had never seen such a horrific image before! The blood seemed to be everywhere and was all trickling down the slight slope of the field towards where he was. His face showed utter repulsion at the scene as his hand flew to his face, covering his mouth in fear of vomiting. With no idea on what to do he pulled out his mobile phone – a black Samsung genio qwerty - and dialled the emergency serves, whom told him that they would be on their way immediately and that he was to stay there for them to arrive. The blue clad purple hedgehog sat down on a nearby bench that overlooked the grizzly scene. He once again found the need to vomit, luckily there was a bin attached to the right hand side of the bin, and he emptied the contents of his stomach before wiping it off his mouth in disgust.
Several minutes passed where nothing happened, it seemed that even the wildlife had grown still and mournful for the death of the unknown fox in his blood stained business attire. Sirens were suddenly heard not too far off in the distance, gradually getting louder and louder until they stopped. Car doors slammed close by and many seconds later no less than five police officers came roaming towards the small meadow. One of them spotted the hedgehog sitting on the bench and immediately made way to him while the others roped off the area. "You Spall?" The hedgehog looked up from his daydream. Spall noticed that she was a policewomen, a purple hawk to be precise, and then decided that the police uniforms hid gender well. The purple hedgehog looked into her eyes and nodded half heartedly, she sat down next to him and shook his hand (which was a greeting that Spall didn't expect from a female), before the Hawk talked again. "I'm Claire, leading officer in this possible case of Genocide, I'm need to ask you a few questions if you don't mind?" Spall finally seemed to snap to his senses as his head snapped up and looked at her alert.
"Genocide? But that would mean that there have been multiple killings! I haven't heard about any killings in the area!" Spall almost shouted in surprise. His voice sounding deep and smooth despite the fact that his colourings made him seem girly. The police women looked awkward like she had just said something she wasn't meant to before replying to Spalls question.
"We haven't yet informed the public of the more recent killings, we are trying to avoid mass panic. There have been five killings this week including this one. All finished in the exact same way, beheaded with no equipment. There used to be on and off spots of killings in the same way as this dating back over four years. The first one was on Friday the 13th March 2009." The Hawk commented, twiddling her thumbs. Awkwardly. Spalls insides froze at this piece of information however. Such a thing happened on his 16th birthday and he knew nothing of it?
"So how many killings have there been?" Spall asked. He didn't know why he asked, he didn't even know whether he wanted to know. All he knew is that he was going to be disgusted by the answer. The Hawk stopped twiddling her thumbs and held her hand to her chin as if thinking, frown upon her brow.
"I don't know whether I should be telling you all this. So please don't repeat it. There have now been over one hundred murders. This makes one hundred and two." Claire replied looking at him awkwardly. Spall's vision went fuzzy and marginally black at this information. A sharp breath of air brought back his clarity however as he once again fought the urge to vomit. Claire glanced at the body and then at Spall. "This isn't probably the best place to talk. Come on, we'll go to the station." The Hawk helped him up and supported him as she walked them to the place the police had all come from as a team, whom were carrying odd instruments between them, that looked like forensic experts ran towards the body.
"I'll feel like I've done something wrong if I'm going in a police car." Spall mumbled just loud enough so that Claire could hear. Claire giggled at the innocence in the tone of his voice.
"Don't worry sweetie. You can go in the front with me." Spalls eyes lit up a bit at this and he let off his first smile since stumbling across the body. After she helped him inside the car she closed the door and went to get in the other side, just to find it was locked and that she had dropped the keys on Spall's lap (who had also just noticed.) As her cheeks went a bright crimson she tapped on the window of the door and pointed towards the lock mechanism. "Could you open in it for me please?" She asked him with crimson cheeks. Spall just smiled sweetly at her as he unlocked the door for her, in her flustered state she clumsily got inside the car, almost falling twice, and Spall handed her the keys. "Thankyou." She smiled at him genuinely through her even redder blush as he had not made a single comment nor even laughed at her clumsiness like she was used to from everyone. She started the car and drove out the park.
It was a short drive from the park to the station but it was one Spall would never forget. For one thing he had just seen the most gruesome thing in his life, for another the women sitting next to him blushed every time he caught her eyes. But the thing that made Spall remember the most; he was sitting in the front of a police car.
"Can I switch on the siren?" Spall asked excitedly like a little boy. His eyes lit up as he looked at Claire in glee, it was obvious in Claire's eyes that she turned around to say no, but the second she saw the puppy dog eyes her heart melted.
"Well I'm not supposed to switch it on unless it's an emergency. But yeah, if you want. It's that one just there." She pointed at the appropriate button on the dashboard. A happy beam of a smile fixed itself upon Spall's muzzle and he pressed the button which grew (if that was even possible) the second the noise started. Claire pulled out of the queue and shot down to the station with great speed, Spall bouncing like an excited teenager the whole way.
With the siren on it took next to no time to get to the station and before Spall knew it he had to get out of the car. His face dropped. Claire saw this and spoke.
"Don't worry, you can ride a police car at anytime!" She exclaimed. Spall looked at her excitedly as they walked up the stairs together. "Just break the law and you'll be right in one, can't guarantee the front though." Spall's face drooped once again before Claire realised her joke hadn't cheered him up at all. She stuttered as she tried to correct her mistake. "Well if you really want to I suppose I could possibly take you in mine again sometime." Claire ameliorated as she opened the station door for him. Spall smiled at her happily as he walked through the door into the reception. "Follow me."
Spall followed Claire to a back room Spall sat down at the table expecting for Claire to sit opposite to him, much to his surprise Claire sat next to him instead. "What do you need to ask me?" Spall asked.
"Ah, it's just a few routine things!" Claire announced, seeing the scared look on his face. "Now then, let's get started shall we?" She asked, Spall nodded in agreement. "Now then..." She muttered as she looked at a clipboard.
Several minutes later they were done. All Claire needed was a small witness statement, which he gave despite the disgust that came with the memory, and some generic questions like whether he saw anyone else around. Claire stood up to leave as someone else came in. A black wolf stood at the door with a lab coat, he had a small container in a bottle. "May I take a DNA sample?" He asked Spall rather bluntly. Spall, being too fearful to refuse, immediately accepted to having the small cotton wool bud prodded in his mouth. The black wolf left again in a hurry without another word as Spall sat there confused and worried. Claire's voice cut across his worry though.
"Don't worry about him, he's overly cautious. Likes to make the witnesses think they're suspects by taking DNA samples. I won't lie to you, he's serious. But as long as you're telling the truth you have nothing to worry about!" She smiled at Spall, whom nervously smiled back. She walked to the door and went to open it before pausing. "Oh yeah, how could I forget! I need your contact number in case we need to get in touch with you!" Clair said merrily holding out a small note pad and a pen. Spall quickly jotted it down on the note pad and handed both items back.
"Claire?" Spall half whispered. Claire turned around to look at Spall quickly, it was the first time that he had used her name so she looked at him deadly serious. "Could you inform me if there are any more killings?" He asked politely, but with an undertone that was hard to disagree with. Claire looked at him sympathetically for a second.
"Of course we ca-" She start to reply before being abruptly cut off.
"I don't mean the police in general when I say 'you'. I mean could you tell me if there are anymore killings, personally." Spall asked in a very specifying voice. This time Claire smiled.
"Of course I can Spall." She replied as she opened the door to let him out and started walking him towards the entrance as she spoke her next sentence. "I may even call you to go on call with me sometime. As long as you promise to behave." Spall let off another one of his pure honest smiles before leaving the station into the last of the sun.
It took about fifteen minutes for Spall to walk from the police station to his block of flats, and as he arrived he saw someone who he did not recognise, a pink hedgehog in a pair of red skinny jeans and a purple t-shirt, at first he didn't know what to think of this newcomer to the area, but he quickly tried to catch up with her, as he moved closer she went inside and there was a squeal and a dull thud. Spall quickly ran through the doors to find her sprawled all over the floor with a load of groceries that she was apparently carrying. Spall quickly helped her up and, before she had time to thank him, starting picking up the scattered stuff and putting it in bags. When he came to the last item he sighed, the eggs inside had completely smashed. "Sorry about your eggs." Spall said as he pointed to them. The pink hedgehog looked taken aback.
"It's okay, you've done more than enough!" The hedgehog said merrily as she brushed dust off her clothes before taking the bags off Spall. "Thank you! My name is Amy by the way, Amy Rose" Spall smiled at her.
"Hi. I'm Spall." There was a short silence before Spall spoke again. "Have you just moved here? I haven't seen you around before!" Spall exclaimed, trying to start up a conversation. They started making their way up the stairs as Amy replied.
"No! I've been living here for about a year now, it's so convenient for getting into town, yet it's not too far in!" Amy replied cheerfully, clearly pleased about learning she had an unacquainted neighbour. "How long have you been here?"
"I've been here since the end of March 2009. So over four years!" Spall answered with confidence. Amy looked at him impressed.
"Wow! You must have moved out young!" Amy stated, Spall just smiled so Amy didn't press the subject. "I guess you live alone then?" Amy asked. Spall nodded at her in reply before she grinned at him. "I'll cook you dinner then! Least I can do since you helped me earlier." Spall beamed at her.
"That would be great. When you cooking?" Spall asked, looking hungry. Amy noticed this and smiled in a bemused and amused way.
"Right away, you can come in if you want. What floor you on anyway?" She asked, they had just got off the stairs onto the first floor corridor, but they didn't stop at one of the doors and instead carried on to the next flight of stairs.
"I'm on the second floor, door 2C." Spall replied before thinking of the way the building was laid out, there was four flats per floor and five floors in the building. A and C we opposite each other and B and D were also. Amy looked at him in an amazed and shocked voice.
"I'm on the second floor. Door 2A!" Amy half shouted in surprise. Spall was also surprised, how could something have gone on so long without his notice?
"Have you noticed that's happening often?" Mumbled the small voice in the back of his head.
'Go away stupid conscious, I'm not doing anything wrong.' He thought, growling the last bit in his head. "That's just weird!" Spall exclaimed out loud. 'What's weird is I keep basically arguing with myself.'
"So what you been up to today?" Amy asked politely to keep the conversation rolling.
"I was down at the police station earlier, they wanted to ask some ques- Are you okay?" Amy's eyes had suddenly turned wide, as if she was distressed. Spall realised that they were on the 2nd floor right outside 2A. Amy fumbled with the keys and swiftly open the door. Almost shutting it on Spall before he held his hand out to stop it closing. "What about dinner?" Spall asked.
"Dinner? Maybe some other time." Amy said before closing the door on a confounded Spall. Spall turned around, but instead of heading through his own door, he headed straight outside and rushed across the street to the nearby florist, praying it was open, luckily the shop owner was running late with closing. He quickly walked into the shop and looked around, no idea what to get. The owner quickly darted to him, obviously pleased that she had a customer.
"Konbanwa! How can I help you today." She asked in her Japanese accent. A pale yellow cat stood next to Spall and looked at him expectantly. Spall continued to look at the flowers while frowning. "Flowers for a girlfriend?" She asked. Spall quickly looked round at her, finally deciding that it'd probably be best to ask an expert.
"No no, for a friend. I've upset her somehow and want to try and make it up to her." Spall said while looking at her. She looked bemused for a second before almost jumping up, she quickly dashed off to the left and returned with a bunch of yellow roses. "I said friend. I can't give her roses!" Spall almost shouted exasperatedly.
"Hai! Yellow roses are for friendship, and caring, which is what you want to come across with!" The owner said equally as exasperated. Spall looked at her thoughtfully as he realised she was perfectly correct and nodded in agreement. She rushed over to the desk and wrapped them up before bringing them over to him. Spall reached for the wallet in his pocket but she shoved the roses in his hands. "You don't need to pay, I'm happy to help out! Just come tell me how it goes sometime." She smiled at him as he walked out of the shop.
"Thanks a lot!" Spall said before the door closed behind him and she locked it. 'Didn't even ask her name' He thought as he walked back into the flats and headed back up the stairs. Half jogging he made his way up quite fast and was at Amy's door in no time at all. He knocked loudly and waited, after a couple minutes had passed he knocked again, this time basically thumping on the door. Without thinking he tried the door, much to his surprise it was unlocked. Spall paused on the outside for a second before deciding on opening it and entering. He immediately finds that the apartment is set up the same as his so he headed straight for the living room with the arch to the kitchen. As soon as he entered the living room a smell that was oddly familiar hit his nose, a smell that he had experienced just earlier this very day. His eyes widened as he saw Amy sprawled on the floor, wrists bleeding all over the floor. He rushed right to Amy's body, dropping the yellow roses right in the puddle of blood forming, staining them red. Placing his finger on her neck he found a weak pulse before he started shouting to himself.
"Shit shit shit!" Spall's eyes darted around looking for a phone and upon spotting on immediately ran over to it and dialled for the emergency services for a second time in a day. "A murder and a so far working suicide. What's wrong with the world?"
"This is your fault you know." The voice chipped in. Spall just ignored it as the phone continued to ring.