The Plague of the Shadow Usul
Chapter 4: Discovery, Murder, and Betrayal
Time was being lost. It had been a week since the Murder of Marcus, and Denver had found no more clues. There was something right in front of his face and he knew it. He sat at his desk, flipping through the bank accounts. If money was the clue, then why did she kill them? Why not Bruce Billionaire, the richest Neopet in Neopian Central? Money couldn't be the issue. . .
"I'm on the wrong track!" Denver screamed, picking up his lamp and throwing it across the room. It hit the wall and shattered into tiny pieces. He ran his paw through his hair. He looked down at the shards. One was square, and as Denver saw his reflection in it, he realized the worst. "Oh my gosh!" Denver ran out the door, leaving the glass scattered on the ground.
He raced to his scooter and quickly kicked off towards the town. It was another week till Christmas, and the pets of Neopia started bustling again. Many had forgotten the Murders. Yet some still stayed barricaded in their homes. Denver rode into town. The people about him shouted words of joy and yuletide splendor, but he paid no heed to them. He stopped his scooter right in front of the Collectable Card Store. There, in the window, was an empty showcase with the words "Shadow Usul Collectable's Sold Out."
"Damn!" Denver shouted, and he ran inside.
Larry was sitting behind the counter, talking to no body. He was mumbling a little, twitching.
"Told him it wasn't safe" he said, his big bulgy eyes watering.
"Larry?" Denver said. Larry came back to his senses, or so Denver thought.
"Yes, what can I do for you. . . Denver" Larry said, his eyes twitching.
"I need the sales records of the Shadow Usul cards. Can you show me those?" Denver asked.
"..sss...Sure" Larry said. He suddenly went back into his other mode, while he walked into the back room. "I'm too superstitious am I? Well, look what happened now?"
Larry appeared again and walked over to Denver. "Here" he said. He held out his shaking hand with the records towards Denver. Denver tried to grab them, but Larry's grasp on them was too strong.
"What's your problem?" Denver asked. Larry looked up at him as if suddenly angered.
"PROBLEM?!?!?!" He screamed, his eyes twitching, "NO PROBLEM! JUST FINE, NOW TAKE THE RECORDS!!!" He let go of the papers and ran around the room, screaming the same words over and over.
"MURDER! MURDER! MURDER!" Larry screamed getting on his back and rolling around the shop. Denver was a little freaked out. Suddenly there was a scream from outside. Denver ran out leaving Larry curled up in a ball on the ground.
A Tonu stood outside in horror pointing towards the bakery. Denver ran over to him.
"What's the screaming here?" Denver said, not quite sure it came out right.
" . . . . . . You don't see it?" the Tonu said, pointing to the window again. Denver reluctantly looked towards the window. He wish he hadn't. There was blood splattered all over the window and there were a few odd objects sitting on the ground inside. This was when Denver hated being a detective. Denver slowly walked towards the bakery. He tried to open the door but it was locked. He pulled out his rainbow gun, and shot at the glass. The door fell down. . . and so did the bread masters head. His ears, eyes, nose, lips, and tongue were all missing. The odd objects on the ground were his pancreas and liver. Denver walked inside. All the bread, cookies, muffins, everything had been taken off the shelves. Instead, in the showcase were a few disgusting objects. There were ears of the bread master on a plate, and eyes in a bowl labeled "Eye Candy". There was a tongue with chopped up lips surrounding it on a plate sitting next to the eye candy, and on the counter, there was a plate of doughnuts. They were blue, and had a red frosting. Denver reached for one, but quickly pulled back. The frosting was blood, and the actual doughnuts were the bread master's legs and arms, chopped into circles. He could see in the back a decorated kacheek torso, made in the shape of a cake. Denver couldn't contain himself, and he saw his breakfast again.
"I didn't have any corn!" Denver said, reuniting with his breakfast. Just then Trista walked in.
"Oh my god!" Trista screamed.
"Miss, step back!" Denver said. Trista did as she was told. Denver sniffed the air. The stench of fresh blood still wafted through the air, and Denver felt sick again. He ran over to the cash register, pulling off the tail of the bread master. It was empty, save the one thing that Denver had discovered. There was a Shadow Usul Special Edition Collectable Card.
"It's not money" Denver whispered to himself. He looked at the sales records. Sure enough, The bread master had bought one. But the picture was different then the original. The Usul was smiling in the card, and there was blood dripping from her paw.
"Oh great" Denver said. He picked up the card. It felt heavy. He shoved it into his evidence pocket, and walked out of the shop, Trista tailing him.
Neopets crowded around the shop. A few reporters lingered also. When Denver walked out, they all ran towards him, drowning him with questions.
"What happened here?"
"Is this another attack of the Shadow Usul?"
"What's the casualty number?"
"Is it true that the Bread Master is 'Budding up Daisies'?"
"Are you any closer to convicting this criminal?"
Denver signaled for them all to shut up. The crowd went as silent as the grave. Denver took a deep breath, and began to explain the situation.
"The Bread Master has been murdered. The obvious suspect is the Shadow Usul. The Bakery will close in a few minutes. No one is to go in or out. For now, everyone is to go on with their lives. We don't want to let the enemy know that we're frightened. No other comments" He stepped forward, and the crowd parted. He walked towards his scooter.
"DENVER!" Trista called out. Denver turned. She ran towards him.
"Coffee?" she asked.
"Coffee sounds great" Denver said. He got off his scooter and walked with her over to the art center.
Ashton watched as the two of them walked off. He sighed and looked down at his sandwich, then looked inside the bakery. Before long, the fresh deli sandwich was in the trash can, joined by doughnuts, cakes, and chia pops of all assorted flavors. He watched as Denver and Trista walked into the coffee shop, and suddenly an anger grew in his gut. He got up and marched towards the coffee house. Half way there, he stopped to think out loud.
"Yeah right! Ashton, what are you thinking? Like Trista would date outside her species!" He laughed but stopped abruptly.
"Or would she?. . . . Oh pull yourself together! I can't barge in there and crash her outing!" That's when a little lightbulb went on.
"Well ,I don't have to go in for her. . . ." Ashton laughed again, but his tone had changed greatly. He ran towards the coffee house, and opened the door quickly. He pulled his hat over his eyes, and walked up to the counter.
"I'll take a Kraku Berry Mocha Mocha, with whipped cream please" he said, smiling. The Cybunny at the counter handed him a orange card with the words KBMM on it.
"Your coffee will be done in a second sir" she said smiling.
"Wonderful" he said, evilly. Her smile faded.
Ashton looked around. There, sitting at the back of the coffee house , were Denver and Trista. There was a booth right next to them, and Ashton hurried over towards it. He picked up a menu to hide his face, as he listened intently to there conversation.
Denver cleared his throat.
"So, how have you been?" he asked Trista. Ashton's stomach churned.
"Good" Trista answered, "What's that in you hand?" Ashton stopped breathing. He needed this information.
"They're records. Sales records I got from the Card Master, Larry"
"You don't think. . . "
"That's what all the clues are pointing towards. It looks like the card's the key. See here. . " Some papers rustled.
"Isabella, Marcus, The Bread Master, they all bought those cards. . ."
"So whoever still has them is dead!?"
"No, whoever bought one is dead. Marcus's was in his fireplace and he still died."
"Oh my god, I bought a card!"
"Then we better solve this mystery quick"
Ashton's face burned up. We. He contained himself, as a waitress yelled out " Grande Kraku Berry Mocha Mocha, with whipped cream?"
Ashton got up. He'd heard enough for the day. He grabbed his coffee, and walked out the door.
"Denver Draik" Ashton whispered to himself, as he took a sip of coffee. "The Draik that would be king of my girlfriend." Ashton looked down at the ground. He could see the two of them together, which made his insides boil.
"Denver should Die!"
Chapter 4: Discovery, Murder, and Betrayal
Time was being lost. It had been a week since the Murder of Marcus, and Denver had found no more clues. There was something right in front of his face and he knew it. He sat at his desk, flipping through the bank accounts. If money was the clue, then why did she kill them? Why not Bruce Billionaire, the richest Neopet in Neopian Central? Money couldn't be the issue. . .
"I'm on the wrong track!" Denver screamed, picking up his lamp and throwing it across the room. It hit the wall and shattered into tiny pieces. He ran his paw through his hair. He looked down at the shards. One was square, and as Denver saw his reflection in it, he realized the worst. "Oh my gosh!" Denver ran out the door, leaving the glass scattered on the ground.
He raced to his scooter and quickly kicked off towards the town. It was another week till Christmas, and the pets of Neopia started bustling again. Many had forgotten the Murders. Yet some still stayed barricaded in their homes. Denver rode into town. The people about him shouted words of joy and yuletide splendor, but he paid no heed to them. He stopped his scooter right in front of the Collectable Card Store. There, in the window, was an empty showcase with the words "Shadow Usul Collectable's Sold Out."
"Damn!" Denver shouted, and he ran inside.
Larry was sitting behind the counter, talking to no body. He was mumbling a little, twitching.
"Told him it wasn't safe" he said, his big bulgy eyes watering.
"Larry?" Denver said. Larry came back to his senses, or so Denver thought.
"Yes, what can I do for you. . . Denver" Larry said, his eyes twitching.
"I need the sales records of the Shadow Usul cards. Can you show me those?" Denver asked.
"..sss...Sure" Larry said. He suddenly went back into his other mode, while he walked into the back room. "I'm too superstitious am I? Well, look what happened now?"
Larry appeared again and walked over to Denver. "Here" he said. He held out his shaking hand with the records towards Denver. Denver tried to grab them, but Larry's grasp on them was too strong.
"What's your problem?" Denver asked. Larry looked up at him as if suddenly angered.
"PROBLEM?!?!?!" He screamed, his eyes twitching, "NO PROBLEM! JUST FINE, NOW TAKE THE RECORDS!!!" He let go of the papers and ran around the room, screaming the same words over and over.
"MURDER! MURDER! MURDER!" Larry screamed getting on his back and rolling around the shop. Denver was a little freaked out. Suddenly there was a scream from outside. Denver ran out leaving Larry curled up in a ball on the ground.
A Tonu stood outside in horror pointing towards the bakery. Denver ran over to him.
"What's the screaming here?" Denver said, not quite sure it came out right.
" . . . . . . You don't see it?" the Tonu said, pointing to the window again. Denver reluctantly looked towards the window. He wish he hadn't. There was blood splattered all over the window and there were a few odd objects sitting on the ground inside. This was when Denver hated being a detective. Denver slowly walked towards the bakery. He tried to open the door but it was locked. He pulled out his rainbow gun, and shot at the glass. The door fell down. . . and so did the bread masters head. His ears, eyes, nose, lips, and tongue were all missing. The odd objects on the ground were his pancreas and liver. Denver walked inside. All the bread, cookies, muffins, everything had been taken off the shelves. Instead, in the showcase were a few disgusting objects. There were ears of the bread master on a plate, and eyes in a bowl labeled "Eye Candy". There was a tongue with chopped up lips surrounding it on a plate sitting next to the eye candy, and on the counter, there was a plate of doughnuts. They were blue, and had a red frosting. Denver reached for one, but quickly pulled back. The frosting was blood, and the actual doughnuts were the bread master's legs and arms, chopped into circles. He could see in the back a decorated kacheek torso, made in the shape of a cake. Denver couldn't contain himself, and he saw his breakfast again.
"I didn't have any corn!" Denver said, reuniting with his breakfast. Just then Trista walked in.
"Oh my god!" Trista screamed.
"Miss, step back!" Denver said. Trista did as she was told. Denver sniffed the air. The stench of fresh blood still wafted through the air, and Denver felt sick again. He ran over to the cash register, pulling off the tail of the bread master. It was empty, save the one thing that Denver had discovered. There was a Shadow Usul Special Edition Collectable Card.
"It's not money" Denver whispered to himself. He looked at the sales records. Sure enough, The bread master had bought one. But the picture was different then the original. The Usul was smiling in the card, and there was blood dripping from her paw.
"Oh great" Denver said. He picked up the card. It felt heavy. He shoved it into his evidence pocket, and walked out of the shop, Trista tailing him.
Neopets crowded around the shop. A few reporters lingered also. When Denver walked out, they all ran towards him, drowning him with questions.
"What happened here?"
"Is this another attack of the Shadow Usul?"
"What's the casualty number?"
"Is it true that the Bread Master is 'Budding up Daisies'?"
"Are you any closer to convicting this criminal?"
Denver signaled for them all to shut up. The crowd went as silent as the grave. Denver took a deep breath, and began to explain the situation.
"The Bread Master has been murdered. The obvious suspect is the Shadow Usul. The Bakery will close in a few minutes. No one is to go in or out. For now, everyone is to go on with their lives. We don't want to let the enemy know that we're frightened. No other comments" He stepped forward, and the crowd parted. He walked towards his scooter.
"DENVER!" Trista called out. Denver turned. She ran towards him.
"Coffee?" she asked.
"Coffee sounds great" Denver said. He got off his scooter and walked with her over to the art center.
Ashton watched as the two of them walked off. He sighed and looked down at his sandwich, then looked inside the bakery. Before long, the fresh deli sandwich was in the trash can, joined by doughnuts, cakes, and chia pops of all assorted flavors. He watched as Denver and Trista walked into the coffee shop, and suddenly an anger grew in his gut. He got up and marched towards the coffee house. Half way there, he stopped to think out loud.
"Yeah right! Ashton, what are you thinking? Like Trista would date outside her species!" He laughed but stopped abruptly.
"Or would she?. . . . Oh pull yourself together! I can't barge in there and crash her outing!" That's when a little lightbulb went on.
"Well ,I don't have to go in for her. . . ." Ashton laughed again, but his tone had changed greatly. He ran towards the coffee house, and opened the door quickly. He pulled his hat over his eyes, and walked up to the counter.
"I'll take a Kraku Berry Mocha Mocha, with whipped cream please" he said, smiling. The Cybunny at the counter handed him a orange card with the words KBMM on it.
"Your coffee will be done in a second sir" she said smiling.
"Wonderful" he said, evilly. Her smile faded.
Ashton looked around. There, sitting at the back of the coffee house , were Denver and Trista. There was a booth right next to them, and Ashton hurried over towards it. He picked up a menu to hide his face, as he listened intently to there conversation.
Denver cleared his throat.
"So, how have you been?" he asked Trista. Ashton's stomach churned.
"Good" Trista answered, "What's that in you hand?" Ashton stopped breathing. He needed this information.
"They're records. Sales records I got from the Card Master, Larry"
"You don't think. . . "
"That's what all the clues are pointing towards. It looks like the card's the key. See here. . " Some papers rustled.
"Isabella, Marcus, The Bread Master, they all bought those cards. . ."
"So whoever still has them is dead!?"
"No, whoever bought one is dead. Marcus's was in his fireplace and he still died."
"Oh my god, I bought a card!"
"Then we better solve this mystery quick"
Ashton's face burned up. We. He contained himself, as a waitress yelled out " Grande Kraku Berry Mocha Mocha, with whipped cream?"
Ashton got up. He'd heard enough for the day. He grabbed his coffee, and walked out the door.
"Denver Draik" Ashton whispered to himself, as he took a sip of coffee. "The Draik that would be king of my girlfriend." Ashton looked down at the ground. He could see the two of them together, which made his insides boil.
"Denver should Die!"