Who Framed Sonic The Hedgehog

Chapter 12

Great World After All

"Coconuts, what the hell?" Sonic snapped, "You were behind all of this?"

Coconuts laughed, and pressed a few buttons on his shirt. The chest opened up, revealing a mechanical suit inside. The monkey jumped out, "I'm surprised you remember me."

"Yeah," Sonic replied slowly, "We worked together for years."

"That's right," Coconuts turned to face Shadow, "And I'm sure you remember me, Shadow."

Sonic looked down, to see Shadow frozen where he stood, eyes wide face pale, "What you do you mean Coconuts?"

"I was there remember Valiant," the Toon laughed, "The night I killed your partner," his voice rose and octave with each word till it was practically a screech. "And I talked just like this!"

"You what?" Amy gasped.

"You killed Maria?" Sonic growled, "Why?"

"They were catching on," Coconuts explained, "They chased me all the way to Toon Town, I had to do something. So I dropped a piano on them!"

And then he laughed.

Shadow flinched as Coconuts laughed at them; he took each breath with great difficulty. This couldn't be the Toon that killed Maria, it couldn't be. But as Coconuts went on, it was harder to deny.

"I needed money to win the election, so I stole some from the bank, and they chased me." Coconuts sneered, "But when I dropped a piano on their heads, I only killed the girl," he twisted his head slightly, "But you got away didn't you Shadow?"

"Why are you doing all of this," Amy demanded.

"To get revenge!" Coconuts shrieked. He pointed a finger at Sonic, "Everyone loved you, they cheered your name when you walked by. The whole world was thrilled when you became an Animation. But they forgot me! They left me to live in the drenches of Toon Town, forcing me to watch your growing fame. They. Didn't. Remember. ME!"

"This doesn't make sense-" Sonic started.

"No!" Coconuts screamed, "It does, now, the whole world will pay for what they did to me. Toon Town will be as forgotten as I was, come dawn. No one will care." Daggers gleamed from his eyes, "And I'm going to finish what I started with you Valiant!"

The monkey leapt as Shadow and with surprising strength and speed, knocked him aside. "I'm going to enjoy killing you," he sneered, as he reached inside the Dip Machine, and turned the ignition on.

Amy and Sonic cried out as the Dip turned on, slowly rising up towards them.

"No!" Amy screeched, "Shadow get up!"

Shadow shakily stood, Coconuts advanced, slowly pulling off his glue stained glove. Shadow felt his breath stop as the gloved hand fell away, and the maniacal Toon's hand turned into a very large, very solid looking, black anvil.

The monkey hissed with glee and shoved his anvil hand forward. Screeching with delight as it struck Shadow square in the chest.

The breath in his lungs was knocked out of him, and Shadow flew across the room with such a force, that he was sure something broke the moment he landed. His back screamed in pain and he cried out as he landed on the concrete, sliding a few feet from the momentum alone.

"Let's dice things up a bit shall we?" Coconuts called, turning away with a slick twist of his heel.

Shadow started to get up, but stop as Sonic's and Amy's face's twisted into horror, staring at Coconuts in complete shock.

"Shad's run!" Sonic called.

Shadow watched as Coconuts turned around, grinning almost impossibly wide, even for a toon. The anvil was gone, much to Shadow's short lived relief, only to realize the monkey's former weapon was now replaced with a three foot long, and growing, saw blade.

Coconuts just grinned as the blade got larger and larger; it kept growing till it stopped. By this point it extended the monkey's arm by six feet, the blade itself at least three to four feet wide. He tilted his head in mock innocence, then casually turning to a thick set of chains hanging from the ceiling. With a single sweep of his arm the saw blade met the chain. Instead of jamming up, sparks flew, and the blade cut through the metal in a matter of seconds. All the while, Coconuts just grinned.

"Imagine how fast I'll cut through you Valiant," he sneered as he advanced slowly.

Shadow scrambled to get up, his legs shaking, only to slip hard on the concrete and fall once more. He looked over his shoulder, the monkey now all the more closer.

He wouldn't be able to get away.

He looked forward again, eyes freezing on a broken crate not too far to his right. A hammer about two feet long and about a foot and a half wide at the hammer section.

He squinted, he remember one of the officer's using it earlier this morning. But that seemed like such a long time ago, what it did again- Shadow set his lips into a grim line, he then rolled over onto his back, staring coldly at the advancing murderer. He was done running away. It was ending here, and now.

"Not fighting anymore?" Coconuts as in mock of child like innocence, his eyes flashed red, "I expected more from you Valiant."

"Shadow run!" Amy cried, "Don't just sit there,"

"Come and get me asshole," Shadow sneered, "It's taking you longer to kill me then it did Maria, are we perhaps getting rusty?"

Coconuts screeched in rage, hastening his advance, the blade's continuous scraping against the floor hurting Shadow's ears. The others kept calling out, telling him to run, move, anything. But Shadow sat firm, all the while occasionally glancing at the hammer a few feet away.

"You failed your partner," Coconuts yelled, "You failed your job, you failed your friends, you failed to stop me! You will succeed at nothing Valiant! They will die, you will die, all of Toon Town will be forgotten by the stroke of midnight!.

Coconuts, just stopped right at his feet, lifting his weapon arm high, "Prepare to die!" Then swung his arm down.

"No!" Amy and Sonic yelled nearly simultaneously. Ignoring the spray of Dip now just under their feet.

Shadow rolled, the blade hit the concrete, sparks flying as it carved a gash into the ground. He grabbed the hammer before the shocked monkey could recover. He swiftly stood, dodging another swing of the saw.

"Die!" shrieked Coconuts.

Shadow held the hammer firm, "You die first asshole!" Then he fired.

The punching glove flew out of the hammer with great force and speed. Coconuts much faster dodge the glove with a hiss.

"You missed," he sneered.

Shadow smirked, "Did I?"

Coconuts turned, just as the punching glove slammed into the valve at the bottom of the Dip Machine. The cap snapped off. And all the hot pressurized Dip, came spewing out, like a geyser, straight at the killer.

Coconuts let out a blood curling scream.

Shadow felt the fur on the back of his neck rise from the sheer terror that came from the sound.

The pressure from the Dip sent the monkey flying, he rushing past Shadow, crashing to the ground behind him.

Amy screamed as the cannon's spray nearly brushed her feet. The spray suddenly weakened as the pressure dropped and the contents spilled out. Leaving the two hedgehogs swinging safely, for good this time.

Amy let out a sort of gurgling wheeze, "I think...I think I'm gonna faint."

Screaming brought Shadow to turn around, hot liquid sloshing around his feet. Coconuts stood in a massive puddle of Dip, shrieking and screaming as the lethal concoction melted away his life's essence, sapping it out of him.

Shadow frowned, the guilt of murder briefly hit him, till, "For Maria," he mumbled.

Coconuts continued screaming as he shrank towards the ground, body part by body part melting away. "I'm melting!" he wailed, "What a world, what a world! Curse you Valiant, Curse you!"

Smoke bubbled up, and with a final death wail, Coconuts, the judge, the killer, sank beneath the green hell he had created.

Shadow felt weak at the knees, but a little at ease. Maria had been avenged, and Toon Town was saved. He could rest easy now.

"Shadow, not to pull you from your dramatic victory stance," Sonic called, "But the machine is still moving!"

Rest easy in a second then.

Shadow dashed across the room, kicking up Dip and knocking crates aside as he hurried over. With a lunge he grabbed the remote for the cable. Quickly slamming his finger on the button, he looked up to see Sonic and Amy being pulled away. Just as the former Doom's machine plowed through.

It hit the wall and didn't even slow down and the brick and the concrete gave away. Sunshine and music poured through and Toon Town was exposed in its glory as the machine chugged on towards the unknowing citizens going about their day.

It moved out of the factory completely into the land of the Toons, and -

Was hit full speed by a train.

Sonic, Amy, and Shadow all cringed, as the machine shattered into a thousand explosive bits, scattering about the landscape. The bulk of it shoved down the line by the train that showed no signs of slowing.

"Well shit," Sonic gaped. "Forgot how dangerous Toon Town really was."

"At least we know it can't hurt anyone anymore," Shadow sighed.

"Speaking of hurting," Sonic replied, "How are we going to get down? There's Dip everywhere and I'm not ready to reenact Coconuts death yet."

Shadow looked around, "Hmm," His eyes lit up as he spotted an emergency fire hydrant valve, "Give me a second."

He walked over, and with one heavy twist, using pretty much the last strength he had, turned the pressure to high.

All around the factory floor, fire hydrants rattled, and shook, till their caps blew off and water, pure, clean, safe, water, spewed around the room. Dip swirled around like a dangerous cocktail, mixing with the clear water and swiftly swirling down the drain.

In a matter of minutes the whole floor was two inches deep in water, which quickly drained away, taking the last of the Dip with it.

Amy bit her lip, "God I hope there aren't any Toons hanging out in the sewer again."

Smiling wearily , Shadow pressed the cable button one more time, waiting as the two other hedgehogs were lowered to the ground.

He picked up Coconuts sword on the way, and with one swing, Sonic dropped free. His feet hitting the floor water splashing everywhere. Together they untied Amy and lowered her to the ground.

Amy looked rather green, for a pink hedgehog.

"You okay honey?" Sonic asked, worried.

"Just let me sit down a bit." she wheezed, moving gingerly over to a crate to sit.

"I guess that's it then," Shadow said quietly, moving to the smoldering remains of Coconuts.

"I really thought we were going to die there for a minute," Sonic sighed, moving in next to him, "Thanks Shadow, for everything."

"Don't mention it,"

Sonic smiled for a second, before looking sorrowfully down at what was left of his old co-worker, "But still," he let out a heavy sigh, "If I had maybe known, about Coconuts that is...None of this would have happened."

Shadow raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"Well you know," Sonic shrugged, "If I had helped him, instead of forgetting about him. Maybe he wouldn't have been driven to do all of this. He wouldn't have been driven to kill Snively, or try to destroy Toon Town, or kill Amy and I," He looked away, "And Maria would still be here to."

Shadow blinked in surpise, before elbowing Sonic gently, "Hey, don't beat yourself up for this. Coconuts made his own choices, he killed Maria not you."

"Yeah but-"

"Let it go Blue," Shadow said, placing a hand on the other's shoulder, "I don't blame you for a single second of this. If you start regretting now, you're gonna get drunk, and look worse than me," he gave a wry smile, "So don't okay?"

Sonic stared for a moment, before smiling back ,"That was uncharacteristically nice of you Shadow,"

"Yeah, yeah," He teased, "Enjoy it while it lasts, because that's an added service fee, and trust me, you will be getting my bill."

They began to laugh, when suddenly a wail of sirens was heard, and Dulcy herself came crashing through the front doors, followed quickly by a force of police cars.

"Dulcy!" Amy smiled, joining the boys, "You're alright!"

"Little beat up," Dulcy laughed, "But I'll live," she stopped short of Coconuts remains, "Sweet Mobius, what the hell is that!" she gagged in disgust. "I've been a cab driver for thirty-six years and I have never- and I mean never- seen a mess like that!"

Vector got out of the lead police car, nose scrunching at both the sight and smell of the crime scene, "Jesus is that a mask?"

Shadow stuffed a hand into his slack pocket, "Yeah, if you take paint off the glove you'll find it will match the paint on the rope that killed Acme."

"So Judge Doom killed Acme?" Vector whistled.

"His name was Coconuts," Sonic corrected, "A former college of mine."

"He not only killed Acme," Shadow continued, "He killed Maroon too, and Maria all those years ago."

Vector looked up sharply at Shadow, before nodding silently, then , "That's what I call one deranged Toon."

The residents of Toon Town themselves were moving in through the hole in the wall, curious of the commotion an all. They gathered in dozens, Toons from every franchise all together, Disney, Warner Bros, Pixar. All to inspect the Toon who had almost killed them all.

"Gosh, I wonder what he really looked like?" Mickey stated aloud.

"Tell you one thing, doc," Bugs Bunny piped in, "He weren't no rabbit."

"Or a duck!"

"Or a dog!"

"Or a little wooden boy!"

Soon dozens of Toons were voicing their opinions. Stating what the killer could not be. All unaware that he had once been a monkey, and harmless, innocent monkey. That had merely been forgotten by the world.

"Shadow!" a familiar voice cried out in the throng of people.

"Rouge?" Shadow gaped, turning around to find the source. He didn't have time however, as soft lips crashed with his and strong arms wrapped firmly around his shoulders. She pulled away after a moment.

"Wha-" Shadow began.

"Thank God you're alive!" Rouge gasped, "Don't you ever, and I mean ever scare me like that again!" She kissed him again, though with not as much force as before. Her arms hurt his bruised shoulders, and her weight made on a strain on his aching legs and back. Not like he'd ever tell her that. She was close, closer than to him than they had been in a long long time.

And it felt perfect.

Shadow kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her waist, dirt, blood and all. And she didn't seem to care, smiling into his lips.

Sonic and Vector's snickering pulled him from the perfection, and he worked up enough pride to give them both the finger, not bothering to pull away from kissing her.

Rouge however did eventually pull away, looking at him with happy eyes, before widening in shock, "Oh, my God! Are you hurt?" Her hand went to his chest; black color stained his white shirt.

Shadow was momentarily surprised, hand coming up to touch the spot, it wasn't blood. "No, it's the ink from last night. Acme sprayed me with some, disappearing ink I think he said it was. I can't imagine why it's coming back."

Sonic leaned in, "Well that's simple really," He inspected it, "It's Acme's disappearing, and reappearing ink, shows up after twenty-four hours. It was one of his more irritable sellers."

"That ass!" Shadow frowned.

"He was kinda a twisted genius like that," Sonic admitted.

Suddenly Knuckles pushed his way through the crowd of Toons, "So what? If he was such a genius why didn't he leave his Will where the Toons could find it? Without it, the Toons will be waiting for another big-shot to come and buy them out. It's only a matter of time before another wrecking ball shows up."

Toons around the room murmured in agreement. Some even looking over their shoulder's towards their wacky, but still cherished home.

"Didn't Acme give you his will Amy?" Shadow asked.

Amy sighed, "He said he did, last night, but when I opened it, it was just a blank piece of paper, and there was nothing on it.

Shadow frowned irritated, he looked down trying to think, pausing at the ink stain on his shirt, "Wait, did you say blank?"

"Yes?"

"Did you leave it at the club?"

"There was no point in keeping it."

Shadow's eyes went wide, "Sonic didn't you say you went to the club, after Maroon showed you the photos?"

Sonic shrugged, "Yeah so,"

Shadow pointed at him, "You said you were going to leave a letter for Amy, telling her you needed a break, you took a paper off her dresser."

The azure hedgehog thought about it, "Yeah, I did. But I never got to finish it, the Weasels started to chase me."

"But you had it,"

Sonic nodded, "Yeah, I held on to it for no reason really, I gave it to you when-"

They both looked at one another, "The decoy!"

"What the hell are you two talking about?" Vector asked.

Shadow began quickly searching through his coat pockets, as Sonic explained, "I gave Shadow the letter when we went to trick Maroon into thinking we had the Will. I took it from Amy's dressing room."

"So?" Knuckles asked irritated.

Shadow pulled the paper out, "Maybe Snively Acme was more of a genius then we thought." He handed the paper to Sonic.

The paper was dirty and ragged, with some of Shadow's blood stained on it, but otherwise intact. Sonic gently unfolded it, the paper as blank as it was that morning.

The clock struck midnight.

Slowly but surely letters began to appear on the once blank paper and Sonic squinted to read, "I Snively Acme, in sound mind and body-"

Amy gasped, "It was the Will!"

Shadow grinned, "He used the ink on it."

The Toons all started chattering in a wave of excitement.

Sonic continued, grinning, "I do hereby decree, in my death, the property known and Toon Town, shall be given, to those loveable characters, the Toons!"

The room erupted into cheering, Humans, Animations, Toons, all together, cheering for their victory, and the man who had cared for the town so much. Some of the older toons even began singing. Joined quickly by others, till the whole room was a large chorus.

Rouge wrapped her fingers around Shadow's hand, "So what shall we do now detective?" she asked with a smile.

Shadow paused, pondering, "I think we could use a vacation," he replied, as they began walking towards the exit.

Sonic and Amy fell into step next to them, "A vacation sounds lovely," Amy sighed.

Sonic grinned, "It does, doesn't it?" He looked at Shadow, "Hey Shad's?" He asked, as they walked out to face the presses together. They looked at each other, finally able to address each other as friends."Ever been to Catalina?"

The Toons were singing in the background. Smile, Darn Ya, Smile, you know this whole world is a great world after all...

And Shadow smiled.

Because right now, it really, truly was.

The End.

Drops keyboard.

Done!