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Post by Bluedramon on Oct 10, 2014 19:26:36 GMT -5
Plot: When Snap inadvertantly destroys a machine that had been causing trouble around ChalkZone, he finds himself the target of Sandra, a relatively new zoner on the block. What will happen when Snap's reputation is ripped apart and the zoners that once loved him now want him dead?
Note: This takes place after You Belong To Me.
Chapter 1: Fateful Interference
Here's the mirror. Behind, there is a screen. On both ways, you can get in.
-Gravity Of Love, Enigma
As a world made entirely of chalk, a world where drawings from a chalkboard become reality the moment they are erased, ChalkZone was home to a multitude of different locations, much more varied than what was found in the Real World. Several of these places, like Mount Runny Nose, defied logic and geography. And with all the artists in the world, this place steadily gained more and more unusual and bizarre attractions and places to visit. As such, any map of the place would forever be unfinished.
Restaurants were no exception to this rule. Since the rules of logic were much more flexible in ChalkZone, restaurants didn't just come in the mundane, regular type, as one would expect from the Real World. There were also plenty of strange and unusual ones, with foods that no one had heard of or thought was possible. And even some of the more regular ones could be quite the star, as there were no limitations on what food could taste like, and the skills of chef zoners that were rerased into ChalkZone.
That didn't mean all restaurants were big hits right off the bat. No, there could still be some problems that can occur, and result in the failure of a restaurant. There were various causes of this, such as the creator of the zoner having peculiar tastes that few other people were interested in. These restaurants typically close down, and the zoner ends up looking for a new purpose, a new calling. Luckily, ChalkZone was a huge, diverse world, so there was always something for each zoner to do.
But for those who were lucky enough to be accepted, and to gather up so many customers on a regular basis, life was hectic, but rewarding. They were able to make a ton of money per day depending on how good they were, and their food was often the talk of the town. There was also competition among the best chefs, resulting in new, even more fantastic food for other zoners to try.
But Sandra was not interested in any of that competition. She would rather not soil her pride by participating in a meaningless endeavor. She ignored whatever other restaurants were doing and always did her own thing. She had a different way of making food, and it was good enough to attract customers. She had no need to compete with another chef.
Sandra stood in behind her cash register, her red-colored eyes looking out at the people around her. She had probably twenty zoners in her restaurant, and she had a feeling she'd get more. Her restaurant wasn't that big either, so even just twenty zoners was quite a lot. She was still surprised she had this many customers, though. As a new zoner, she didn't expect to be this successful this fast. She tried not to let it get to her head.
Sandra had only been in ChalkZone for about a month. She was a small, bipedal dragon zoner with a sky blue body and dark blue markings, namely on her feather-like fingers, the tips of her ears, and between her legs and underside of her tail. Her feet, which were colored tan, just like the triangle mark on her forehead, terminated in four razor sharp claws, colored ivory. Her tail had four spikes, slightly darker than her claws, each ending with a wickedly sharp tip. She wore a flexible, metallic armor piece on her chest, connected with tough strings that looped around her shoulders and across her sides, hooking up in the back. The metal piece was shaped like a triangle, pointing upwards just like the mark on her forehead. Resting on her back was a long, thick piece of cloth. Almost like a cape, except not.
She didn't open this restaurant right away. She had to get things ready first. Unlike the other chef zoners, she wasn't drawn with a shop or any ingredients or anything. She was created with the ability to come up with fantastic recipes, yet she had no ingredients of her own. So she had to spend some time, wandering around ChalkZone, doing odd end jobs in order to save up to make this place.
Of course, she could have accepted help from that boy. What was his name? Oh yes, Rudy Tabootie. The Great Creator. He was always willing to help others. She had seen him around ChalkZone, helping out other zoners. Perhaps she should have asked him for help...
Nah, she would have rather him not to. She had a particular way of making her food, and she didn't want to be judged by anyone. Others can say she's stuck up all they want to. But she was not about to risk her ideas getting stolen, and then zoners were taken away from her. It was hard enough to make this place without a creator's help. She didn't want to worry about anything else.
Sandra's thoughts were interrupted when she realized she had another customer. She noticed it was a tall, purple stick figure zoner. It looked to be Lazlo, another chef zoner. She did not feel threatened by his appearance, and not because he was out to get her or anything. He was a chef in desserts only. He only ever made pies, pudding, whatever else. Good for snacks and parties, but it's not like zoners are going to line up and eat at his place a whole lot.
"Hello, welcome to Sandra's Alcove!" Sandra greeted him. She slightly cringed at the name. It wasn't the one she wanted, but zoners already knew this place by this name, and it was too late to change it. "How may I help you?"
"Yeah I'd like.." Lazlo looked up, rubbing his simple beard thoughtfully. He looked at the digital menu hanging overhead, which displayed LED outlines of various meals Sandra prepared. "The special, please."
"The meat roll with rice?" Sandra asked, and the zoner nodded in confirmation. "Okay then, let me crunch that in..." Sandra pressed her blue-tipped finger against the register's buttons. She added in the information she needed, and then said, "Your total is going to be $5.00 even."
"Wow, what a steal!" Lazlo cried as he pulled out his wallet and gathered up a five dollar bill. "Normally places aren't this cheap. At Hotdog World, I have to pay an extra $2.50 for a drink."
Sandra chuckled at this. "Yeah well..." She reached up towards the dollar with her left foot. She used her highly flexible digits to grab the dollar delicately and placed it in her cash register machine. "I do things a little differently around here." She pushed the register closed, the machine clanging slightly from the force. She turned around and headed towards the heavy door leading into the back. She gave the zoner a sideways glance, smiling. "Wait right there. I'll be back soon with the special." Making a motion with her hand, she added, "Have a seat anywhere!"
As Lazlo walked away towards one of the few window booths available, Sandra went through the doors, which led her down a long hallway. She didn't travel down that far. To her right was another door, and as she approached, she could feel warmth coming from it. She opened it up and walked inside.
She found herself in her kitchen. She looked all around, smiling. It was largely automated, which made things so much easier for her. She never hired anyone to help; she ran this place completely on her own. This kitchen, which was an improved version of the one found in Future Dome, was one of the reasons she could do this all by herself. She didn't spend long standing around, and soon she approached the oven located on her right.
Upon getting to it, she put on the specially made gloves and opened up the oven's doors. She took in a deep breath through her nose, the food's wonderful smell bombarding her senses. She was happy to see that the food was ready now. It often took a while to cook, and she usually had to cook it longer than most other food. But the reward was good enough for her to keep wanting to do it. She reached in and grabbed the silver pan and pulled it out. She set it on top and stared at the food she had prepared.
There was a single roll on the silvery tray, which was curved in the center almost like someone tried to stir it while it was baking. It looked absolutely delicious, but Sandra dare not eat it. It wasn't hers. Putting it on a plate, she walked over to the stove again, this time paying attention to the top. She looked at a pot that was laying there and opened up the glass lid. The rice looked like it was ready. Taking a large spoon, she scooped up what little remained of the rice onto the plate.
As she began to take the food back out, holding a bottle of soda in her tail from her fridge, she realized something. She was out of ingredients to make her meat roll special today. This didn't concern her too much, as her specials often change. But it will be disappointing for the next customer. She would hate to bring bad news to him or her, but there was nothing she could do. She would have to get more meat soon. At least she had plenty of vegetarian options in the mean time to satisfy her customers.
Soon she exited the kitchen and returned to the front of her store. She moved around the long, curved desk containing her cash register, and went towards the series of large windows on the left. She could see Lazlo sitting there, his arms resting on the table and his fingers twiddling with each other as he enjoyed the view. The mirrors were one-way; zoners could see out, but not in. Sandra liked that extra bit of privacy she gave to her customers. Something different.
"Hello." Sandra called out, holding the plate in her hands. Lazlo looked over and waved at her in greeting. "Here's your food." She set it down on the table. She put her hands together and lowered her head in a partial bow, a show of respect. "Please enjoy."
"Thanks!" Lazlo didn't waste any time. He immediately dug into the food. Using the knife and fork, he cut off a piece of the meat and put it into his mouth. His eyes twinkled as he swallowed. "This is incredible!" As he sawed off another piece, he said, "What is it? What do you use?"
Sandra smiled as Lazlo enjoyed his meal. Upon hearing his question, she folded her arms against her chest and chuckled. "Sorry, but that is top secret. I will just stay I have my own way of preparing food."
"Well whatever you do, keep it up!" Lazlo licked a couple of his fingertips. "This food is amazing!"
"Oh don't worry." Sandra's smile broadened. "I plan to."
With that, Sandra turned and walked back towards her register. She needed to be present for any new customers coming in. She didn't want to keep them waiting. It took her only a few seconds, moving swiftly between empty chairs and around a couple of her customers, to reach her station. She settled behind it, and waited patiently for any new zoners coming in.
As she waited, she took another look around her restaurant, which had a round shape almost like a dome, complete with metal support arching from the ground and ending in a circle at the top. Even the tables and chairs had a round theme, and her hallway from before had slightly rounded edges. While she preferred sharp edges, she felt more rounded ones were much more inviting. With how many customers she was getting, this seemed to be the case.
She soon caught movement in her eyes. She shifted her eyes upward, her pupils noticing her glass double doors opening up. A small zoner walked in. He appeared to be a superhero of some kind. White skin, with a light blue leotard and darker blue gloves, cape, mask, and shoes. He had large, pure white eyes and a large smile on his face. He walked into the restaurant, looking left and right, clearly admiring the place.
Sandra recognized him as Snap. She had spoken to him in the past before. He had helped her out with the place, bringing some zoners to help build certain parts of the restaurant. He had been one of the first zoners she could consider a friend. He hadn't had a chance to eat here yet, which was a shame. But she didn't mind that he took a while to get here. She wasn't about to tear him away from his creator, Rudy. She was well aware that he loved to exploriate with Rudy and...what was that girl's name...Penny.
"Hey Sandra!" Snap greeted as he approached the register. "I see things are working out great for your restaurant."
"Indeed they are." Sandra replied. She looked down at the zoner. He was a little smaller than she was. She moved her hand towards him, her fingers stretched out, exposing her palm. "And it's in part thanks to you! I don't think I could have had this place up and running if you hadn't brought over those zoners to help. You didn't even have to. You..."
"Oh don't worry about it!" Snap waved his hand dismissively. "It was my pleasure! So uh..." He licked his lips and rubbed his hands together. "Do you have any good grub around here?"
"Well, I..."
Before Sandra could answer, Snap had grabbed one of the small, paper menus she had available for those who wanted to sit down and order a bit later. Something caught his eye. There was no mistaking that smile.
"Oh wow, this sounds good!" Snap turned the menu around and pointed his round hand at a part of the menu. "I woud like some of this, if it's at all possible, please!"
Sandra turned her gaze to the paper menu. She took note of where Snap was pointing to. Realizing what it was, she lowered her ears and shook her head. Seeing Snap look disappointed did upset her. But unfortunately, if her friend wanted menu items and she was out of them, he was going to have to wait and try another time. That was just how she ran things here. Inconvenient for the customers, but easier on her stress levels.
"Sorry, Snap." Sandra said, looking at him sadly. "But that Lazlo guy bought the last special."
"He did?" Snap looked over. He watched as Lazlo finished up his plate and got up from the table to leave. Snap's shoulders slumped and his hands nearly touched the ground. "Oh nuts! I was looking forward to it, too." Sandra looked at him sympathetically. Snap turned his head up and stared back at Sandra. "I wanted to make up for not coming here sooner. I.."
"Oh no no no, don't worry!" Sandra waved her hand in front of her. "I'm not upset about that at all!" She then folded her hands behind her back, her tail swishing from side to side. "However, if you want to come tomorrow, I'll have the special up again. I should have enough ingredients by tomorrow to make a few more. I'll save one for you!" She said, smiling and giving him a wink.
This cheered the little zoner up a bit. "Okay, thanks." Snap still sounded so disappointed, but he understood there was nothing that could be done. Besides, it was just a meal. Not the end of the world or anything. "Well I'm still hungry. Hmm..."
Wanting to help her friend a little, partially out of payment for his kindness and help when she was starting out, Sandra twisted her neck so she could look up at her LED menu. She scratched her chin thoughtfully as she looked through the items, trying to find something Snap might like.
Upon seeing something, she looked back at him and said, "What about the spinach pie with three cheese? No one's ordered that yet, so you'd be my first customer for that item."
"Spinach pie?" Snap tilted his head, eyes narrowing slightly.
"If you don't want it, I can always find something else." Sandra offered, raising up a hand in gesture.
"Okay, I'll give it a try!" Snap said with a smile. "But could you give me a bag to go with it? Rudy, Penny, and Mint are expecting me soon." Sandra recognized the name of Mint. If she remembered right, he was a formerly evil creator who worked for Skrawl. He had changed his ways and become an ally for Rudy and Penny. Snap usually talked fondly of him. He was also... "I can't eat here long, so can you do that for me?"
"Sure, no problem, Snap!" Sandra said, grinning at the blue zoner. She wasn't bothered by him interrupting her thoughts. "Just sit tight now. I'll be right back." With that, Sandra disappeared into her kitchen, preparing the pie for her friend.
sss
Rudy narrowed his eyes in determination. He held up his magic chalk, fully prepared to draw whatever he needed. He hadn't expected to get into some action this fast, but then, his enemies didn't exactly give a time frame of when they would attack, because why would they?
Along with Mint, Penny, and Snap, he rushed forward through ChalkZone City. The four of them had to be careful not to run into anyone. Many zoners were running away from something, screaming, waving their hands in the air. He usually didn't see the zoners this frightened before, and the sight of it filled him with anger. He was going to get to the bottom of this and stop whatever was going on.
Snap had just gotten out of Sandra's Alcove when he had spotted the zoners in a part of the city beginning to run away n a panic. It wasn't too far away from the restaurant, so he had spotted it as soon as he stepped out. The little zoner had found him and the others not long after, informing him of the threat. Unfortunately, he did not know the identity of the attacker.
Rudy felt a bit nervous with rushing into something without knowing what was going on. But he would figure out soon enough. It wouldn't take them long to find the culprit. They just had to keep running in the opposite direction of these zoners. The four of them took note of the directions they had come from, and used that to determine the direction they themselves should go. The more panicked the zoners looked, the closer they were getting to the source.
Rudy looked over at Mint. He was disappointed that Mint could not bring Ripclaw with him. The poor dinosaur had gotten herself injured and her leg was broken. She needed to stay at a vet while she recooperates. The other dinosaurs had found a new home in a zoo, and it wasn't like the owners were going to willingly let them borrow the dinos. They were pretty strict with that. But that probably won't be a problem; Mint could always draw a dinosaur if he felt they could use one.
He still couldn't believe it had been two years since Mint joined up with them. Oh how time flies. It felt like it was just yesterday the kid first appeared and they had to tangle with him. The kid, now a first year teenager, had been a great asset afterwards, and everyone adapted well to his presence. He had become a close friend of theirs and he had kept true to his word and never tried to harm anyone again. Although at times, he would feel some anger as he remembered when Mint broke his friend's back, or guilt when he saw Mint's prosthetic leg, he had much better control over these emotions. He had no regrets with letting Mint stay.
He moved his thoughts away from that, focusing at the task at hand. Up ahead, he could see some smoke pillowing out into the ground. He couldn't see just what was causing it, but he knew it wouldn't be long. He could see some kind of shadow stretching along the ground. Then he felt vibrations in the ground. This caused him and his friends to stop, their feet detecting the vibrations spreading through the ground. Something was coming. Something big.
Rudy stopped in the middle of the road. On his left and right, he could see various zoners screamin, clamoring to get away, some shovering each other to gain more distance. Penny and Mint followed his example, taking position on either side of him as they prepared to face their adversary. Snap stood not far from Mint, his eyes narrowed and his hands clenched into fists. The four friends stood there, waiting for the enemy to show up.
Soon, he did. With a loud crash, rocks breaking, and smoke clearing into the area, they could see something mechanical coming into view.
Four legs, sharp edges with a pointed tip, moved towards them. They could hear the gears squeaking, wires stretching. There was no doubt in Rudy's head this was a robotic zoner of some kind. His first thought was Craniac 4, but that zoner did nto look like this, and Rudy didn't recall him having any kind of mechanical creature like this. It took Rudy a while to realize that this creature was a mount, not acting on its own. He could see a large, somewhat rounded figure jetting out unnaturally from the back, and a few things were floating around him.
Rudy's eyes narrowed, his teeth clenching. Recognizing already who this intruder was, he raised his chalk higher, the tip sparkling. The twelve year old would not allow his enemy to get away with what he did. This time, things were going to end a little differently.
"Well well well...look what the cat dragged in.." A cold, familiar voice called out. The voice put the four friends on edge, their minds swimming with thoughts of what happened three years ago. "I suppose I should be grateful that you came. It would have been a great insult if you didn't show up your own creation's correnation..."
Rudy gnashed his teeth together. "I didn't draw you, Skrawl! A bunch of other kids did!" He shook his head, realizing that isn't what he should be talking about. "And what are you up to this time?!"
"How nice of you to ask, Master Tabootie." Skrawl grinned nastily as he stopped his machine. "Perhaps I should let you say hello to Margaret."
The kids looked at him, puzzled. They looked all around, not seeing anything. What was this crazed zoner talking about?
At this, Skrawl growled in frustration, slapping himself in the face. "Are you serious?! Are you four really that dense?" He looked like he wanted to scream when the kids simply shrugged their shoulders. He gritted his teeth, but soon regained his composure. He pointed at the machine he was riding. "This is Margaret. I got her from the Future Dome. Isn't she..perfect?"
The machine, or Margaret as Skrawl insisted on calling it..or her, looked like a mechanical spider-like thing, kind of. It had a singular body with a single seat, which Skrawl himself was sitting in. It was a bit further back, and at the front, there were large pincers, looking sharp enough to tear through anything. There were only four legs, but they were clearly spider-like. The tips looked like they would be strong enough to help the evil zoner climb up almost any surface. There were a multitude of lights decorating the silver-colored machine, and in the back, there was a lightbulb shaped protrusion. They guessed that it shot something out of its rear end to help aid in fighting, most likely a sticky substance, such as webbing. The eyes, large, segmented, and shining with gold, stared at them, piercing through their minds.
Margaret, upon a few slaps from Skrawl, took a few menacing steps towards the group. She let out a series of synthesized hisses and growls. Her jaws snapped together, the clanging sound filling the air. Her pupilless eyes stared straight at them as she raised her two front legs into the air. She slammed back down, as if displaying her incredible strength to them. As her pointed tips of feet hit the ground, there was a crack, and the feet went in partially. This was enough to make the group flinch slightly, but still, they stood their ground.
"Perhaps it's time for you four to say your prayers." Skrawl said with a gleeful smile. He raised up a device which Rudy guessed controlled the creautre directly. If he could just get it away from him somehow... "Craniac 4 says this thing is calibrated to..."
"Oh so Craniac 4 is on this? Where is he?" Mint spoke up, cutting off Skrawl. Even when the jellybean glared at him, Mint still smirked. "Did he turn chicken and run away? Oh wait, I know what happened." He folded his arms against his chest. "He was turned off by your brilliant plan, so he decided to leave before he ended up in another of your failures." Skrawl's mismatched eyes widened at this. "Oh, did I speak too soon?"
"Mint..." Penny said in a warning tone. "Please be careful of what you say..."
Rudy nodded in agreement. Although Mint was usually a good ally, he still had something of an attitude problem that needed more adjusting. He was the most likely of them to pick a fight, and he sometimes nearly ruined things for them. This could be another of those incidents. If he accidentally angered Skrawl, they could be plunged into a situation more dangerous than they already were in. An angered zoner was an unpredictable zoner.
"What?" Mint asked, raising his hands into the air. "I was just playing with him." He loked back at Skrawl. "But in all seriousness, are you sure Craniac 4 didn't get tired of working for you and just abandoned the plan?"
Skrawl growled softly. "He was never a part of this."
Mint blinked a few times. He then sighed almsot in sadness. "That's a shame. I was looking forward to seeing him again." He gave a quick chuckle. "Oh well, watching your plans fail again is going to be quite fun."
"Watch it, Mint. Or do you want another fake leg to match your left one?" Skrawl hissed at him.
At this, Mint's bravery faltered. His eyes widened in horror. He glanced down at his left foot, which was half prosthetic, and back at Skrawl. As Mint licked his lips nervously and took a few steps back, Skrawl smiled at this fearful response. In retaliation, the other three moved closer to Mint, showing a silent, clear sign that they weren't going to allow Skrawl another chance to do that.
Rudy's eyes flashed in anger. He couldn't believe Skrawl had the nerve to strike Mint mentally like that, by reminding him of what happened all that time ago. It was still fresh on his mind. Rudy could still see the sword swing down. He could still hear it slice through muscle and bone. He could still see Mint on the ground, nearly bleeding to death. It had been a terrifying experience for him. He never wanted to see Mint or anyone in such a state again. And he knew that Mint would not want to be put back in that situation either. The poor kid was mentally scarred from having seen the sword coming down, his severed leg, and for it to happen again...
Well Skrawl was going to be sadly disappointed. There was no way he or his friends would let that happen. It was tough enough for their friend to recover and adapt, but to have another severed leg... No, not this time.
Skrawl let out a cruel chuckle at their show of determination. He lifted the device higher into the air, pointing it straight at them. "I would love to sit here and listen to you all blabber on and on about how you'd stop me, but I have a time schedule to keep."
"What are you talking about, you oversized rotten fruit?" Snap demanded, pointing a hand in Skrawl's direction.
Skrawl growled at Snap. "Don't you dare talk to your future ruler that way!" He cleared his throat, calming himself down. "Now as I was saying, the sooner I get rid of you four, the sooner Margaret and I can take over ChalkZone!" He gave a mad grin as he prepared to push the button. "So prepare yourselves, you foolish creators..." He paused. "..and blue rodent.." Snap glared at this. "You are all about to..."
The zoner suddenly went silent. The four friends looked at him in confusion. Usually this was when Skrawl would start talking about how he would win, how his plan was so brilliant, it couldn't possibly fail. But now the large zoner went silent, and they hadn't said anything to him to make him do that. Skrawl's eyes were wide, as if he just realized something, Then his expression relaxed and he shook his head.
"You know, we did this song and dance before. So let's just skip the part where I talk about my brilliant plan and get to annihilating you..." With that, the jellybean zoner pressed the button. The machine's eyes glowed brightly and she began to move towards them, her feet moving faster than before.
The four friends stood their ground. Their minds raced as the machine headed towards them. Rudy watched it intently, taking note of its structure, trying to see any weak points. He looked over at his friends, noting they were doing the same. He looked back over. As the thing got closer, he took a few steps back, as did his friends. They watched, unable to tear their eyes way, their minds swirling for a course of action.
He was relieved when Penny ushered them all over so they could quick discuss something. Penny took notice of a weird structure on the creature's legs that looked almost like antennas. She deduced that the power source for the creature was located somewhere else. This power source likely was not catered to the beast itself; Skrawl was likely using a machine somewhere nearby to power the creature. If they find it and disable it, they would be able to stop Skrawl.
The plan was pretty simple, yet effective. Penny suggested that Mint and Rudy should distract Skrawl while she went to turn off the machine. Snap's job would be to keep the Beanie Boys busy. As long as they forced Skrawl one on one, he couldn't take them by surprise.
With how little time there was, they didn't bother debating with each other of any better ideas. As the machine came closer, it was time to put it into effect.
Snap was the first one to act. Rushing towards Skrawl, the zoner began to brazingly insult the jellybean. "You're going to be our new leader? I feel bad for everyone who has to follow someone whose plans always break down in his hands like they were made of glass! This world would sure become a worse place."
"You little..." Skrawl growled.
Snap grinned at the jellybean. "What? I'm just telling the truth!" He folded his arms against his chest as he looked up at the Beanie Boys, who looked a bit surprised at how he had insulted their master. "I take it these guys will be your enforcers? Oh puh shaw!" Snap waved his hand to the side in a dismissive manner. "These guys are hardly intimidating. If you seriously try to rule while associating with these guys, no one is going to take you seriously. Oh wait, you're already identified with them, so everyone is going to know you as Skrawl The Fool!"
Predictably, Skrawl pointed a finger at the zoner. "Get him, Beanie Boys!"
Rudy resisted the urge to smile. Typical Skrawl. All that needed to be done was the right words be spoken, and he would get so infuriated, he wouldn't realize he was falling into a trap. He watched as his friend ran down ChalkZone City's streets, the three Beanie Boys accompanying Skrawl going after him.
Now that Skrawl was alone, with the exception of the arachnid-like robot, it was time for him, Mint, and Penny to go forward with their plans. He looked over at Mint, his eyes narrowed in determination. The older boy gave a nod in return, and the two boys began to move forward. They pulled out their magic chalk, prepared to take on Skrawl until Penny could find the power source.
As Penny turn and started to make her getaway, Mint and Rudy rushed towards Skrawl. The jellybean gritted his teeth, glaring at the two creators approaching him. They ran on opposite sides, one on his left, and the other on his right. The two of them prepared to draw, but they didn't get too far as Skrawl had his machine raise her leg up and strike at them with a wide swipe. The two boys jumped back, narrowly missing the sharp tips slashing into them. They didn't back away too far, and, with glares on their faces, rushed forward again.
Skrawl glared at the two boys, and with a strong slap on his beast's head, he began to charge them. Rudy glared at this unnecessary act of cruelty, but he said nothing, knowing Skrawl would not pay attention to what he said regarding the issue. He quickly draw a long piece of rope and gave a nod to Mint. The boy took the hint quickly and he mimicked Rudy's movements, producing another long rope. The two friends then rushed towards the machine.
Skrawl grinned at them. The jellybean zoner must think they were crazy to approach. Well wasn't he in for a surprise. He quickly draw heavy weights on the tips of the rope he drew, as did Mint, and he quickly drew up a large gun. He stuffed the rope in, and shot it out, a puff of smoke emitting from the barrel. The rope shot through the air. Skrawl's eyes widened as the rope landed on top of his robot, in the front precisely. Margaret already faltered with just one rope on her back, her body swaying from side to side. It got worse when Mint fired the second rope, creating a large X that weighed down on the machine.
The two friends nodded to each other, smiling. Confident that they had disabled Skrawl's machine long enough to get him away from the controls, they turned their sights on the jellybean. But unfortunately, they didn't get very far.
Suddenly, one of Margaret's legs ripped straight up, the sharp edge of her joint slicing through the rope. The two boys paused and took a few steps back, eyes widening as they stared at the beast. At their surprise, Skrawl laughed maniacally, his hands raised in the air as if for dramatic effect. Rudy and Mint glanced nervously at each other. It would seem they would need a better plan at getting Skrawl out of that machine.
"Nice try, human vermin!" Skrawl said. "I would have thought you two would come up with a better plan than that. I'm almost disappointed..."
"Like we would give up..." Rudy said, narrowing his eyes at the jellybean. "You know that we will never let you win!"
"Yeah! We'll send you packing like we had before!" Mint agreed.
"Oh is that so?" Skrawl inquired, tilting his head to the side. His eyes shifted around. Then they glinted slightly. It looked as if Skrawl had seen something, and his movements became more deliberate. But Rudy was so determined to stop Skrawl, he didn't realize just what Skrawl might have seen. "Well then..maybe today well be...my lucky day!"
Without warning, Margaret opened up her jaws. There was a wide, oval opening that appeared, and something shot out of her mouth. Letting out a shocked scream, Mint and Rudy jumped to the sides as something glowy and stretched out shot out between them. Mint sneered at Skrawl, but before he could make a comment about how he had missed, they heard a scream behind them. His heart skipping a beat, Rudy realized they weren't the true targets.
The two boys looked over their shoulders, then with a gasp of horror, turned around completely to face what had happened. Penny, who had gained some distance away as she started to search for the device, was tangled up with a glowy, sticky mess that Margaret shot at her. The girl's arms were pinned at her sides and her legs trapped together. She squirmed as hard as she could, but she could not break free.
Rudy and Mint cried out Penny's name as the twelve year old female creator was dragged towards Skrawl. The jellybean laughed evilly as Penny was quickly placed underneath Margaret, a sharp leg tip placed close to her neck. Penny glared up at Skrawl, clearly frightened, but determined to still try to get away.
"Why hello, genius girl! Fancy to see you here." Skrawl said. "It seems you got yourself into a...sticky situation."
"Up yours, Skrawl." Penny retorted.
Skrawl's mouth dropped open in shock at this. Rudy and Mint shared a quick, humored chuckle at how stunned Skrawl was by what Penny said. It was not like her to say stuff like that often. But the humor disappeared quickly as Skrawl glared at her.
"It seems my former Chalk Queen needs a little lesson about respect." Skrawl pressed a few buttons on his controller, and the robotic creature proceded to lift up her foot, positioning it over Penny's head. This made Mint and Rudy gasp in horror. "If I were you, sweet little girl, I'd apologize..."
Despite her fear, Penny still showed defiance. "No."
"Then so be it..." Skrawl said, and he reached down to press the button.
Without warning, something slammed into Skrawl. This did not surprise Rudy. He had seen Mint sneak around while Skrawl was busy looking at Penny. The thirteen year old had gotten into position and as soon as he saw an opportunity, he rushed forward. The boy managed to climb up Margaret without detection, and in seconds, he wrestled Skrawl out of her. The two slammed into the ground, Mint on top of Skrawl.
Despite the fact that Skrawl wasn't directly controlling her anymore, Margaret remained in her position. Rudy couldn't tell if it was out of fear, obedience, or perhaps she was not able to act on her own without a controller. He rushed towards Penny, and knelt down beside her. He looked over once, watching as Mint tried to keep Skrawl away from his remote control, which had dropped off to the side, and he turned his eyes back to Penny. He immediately went to work helping her out.
It wasn't too difficult. Margaret didn't make a move to stop him as he grabbed her sharp tipped leg and pulled it up to make room. He then grabbed his female friend and began to drag her away from Margaret. As soon as he got her a certain distance away, he immediately drew a pair of scissors and began to cut his friend out of the substance.
It didn't take him long to cut all the way through. Penny immediately climbed up to her feet, brushing herself off. Her face was contorted in disgust as she cleaned off the last bits of the sticky material from her body.
"That was so gross..." She shuddered.
"Hey, Skrawl!"
At this, Penny and Rudy looked over. They could see Mint was still with Skrawl. At this point, the jellybean had gotten up to his feet. His eyes were focused on Mint, who was at his side, his hands gripping the zoner's arm tightly.
"Remember this?" Mint grinned mischieviously. Without hesitation, Mint opened his jaws wide and snapped them down on the zoner's arm.
Skrawl's eyes widened and he let out a scream. He tried to yank his arm away, but Mint did not let go. He held on tightly, his teeth pressing further against the zoner's skin. Then, his eyes narrowed in rage, Skrawl pulled his arm back as hard as he could, yanking Mint forward in the process. Even as Mint saw, with wide eyes, the claws coming down at him, he still didn't let go of Skrawl's arm. He continued biting him up until the point that the claws hit their mark.
"Mint!" Rudy and Penny cried out in unison.
Mint rolled across the ground, a few long, though shallow, gashes running along his arm. He clutched his limb to himself and then stared up at Skrawl. Rudy was glad that it was his right arm, and not his left, that was damaged. But that may not last as Skrawl moved closer to the boy. He nodded towards Penny and the two began to make their way towards the enraged zoner.
Mint laid on the ground, crawling backwards on his hands. His teeth were clenched in pain, but he seemed to try to ignore that as he did his best to get away from the angered jellybean. But Skrawl was faster and soon he placed his foot on Mint's stomach, holding him down.
"You still haven't learned, have you, traitor?" Skrawl's voice was low, menacing. He narrowed his eyes, giving a chillingly familiar look that brought Rudy and Mint back to that moment, when Skrawl had chopped off his foot in a fit of rage. With an insane grin, he raised his hand up higher, the sharp tips pointing down at Mint. "Well perhaps it's time I gave you another...permanent reminder of why I'm in charge!"
Mint began to struggle frantically under Skrawl. The zoner grabbed his throat and held him down. Mint clawed at his arm, but that did nothing to make Skrawl loosen his grip. "No, please!"
Skrawl just grinned nastily, and tensed up his arm muscles, preparing to strike down.
"Leave him alone!" Rudy cried as he and Penny rushed over to help Mint.
sss
Snap panted heavily, his heart racing against his chest. He put his hand against it and flinched. He half wondered if his heart was going to jump out of his chest any second, spilling out onto the ground. He tried to cast aside the horrific imagery as he moved through the corridor.
He had no idea where he was. He had been running away from the Beanie Boys, going every which way to make sure they couldn't catch him. But he also kept himself in sight so that they would be compelled to keep following him. He had to buy his friends enough time to take care of that creepazoid, Skrawl.
He did eventually lose them when he went down a long corridor and then fell through the ground, the ground in that particular spot much weaker than it looked. He landed in some kind of dusty pile. He coughed as the stuff got into his windpipe. As he desperately cleared his throat, he could hear the familiar chanting of the Beanie Boys as they flew overhead. They apparently didn't see him fall down. Though a bit disappointed he could not lead them more astray, Snap was glad that he was able to get them this far. That should buy his friends enough time.
He wished he could get back to them, though. He couldn't climb back out of the hole he came from, and he had no flashlight. He was not able to see much of where he was. There was a strong stench here, dank, and it felt a little moist, or maybe it was just metal. He couldn't tell which it was, and at the moment, he didn't care. He just continued moving through the dark, unknown location, hoping to find a way out.
Slowly, his vision began to improve. He started to see simple shapes and shadows, giving some form of where he was. He realized he was in a network of underground tunnels. At this realization, Snap immediately shuddered in disgust. He was probably in the sewer, of all places. The thought sent chills up his spine. He was going to need to take a nice, long shower when he got out of here.
He picked what appeared to be the cleanest corridor and headed down it. He had been going down this tunnel for some time now. He moved swiftly, and yet at the same time cautiously, knowing he had no idea what was up ahead. With so little light, he could barely see where he was going. He nearly dripped a few times because of htis. He did manage to keep his balance, but that was of little comfot since he knew his next step could be a deep hole that he'd fall into, or he could end up crushing his face against a concrete wall or something.
And that is exactly what happened. He ended up walking straight into a hard surface. His face wasn't as injured as he thought it was going to be, but the impact of the surface against his face was not pleasant. He held onto his head, rubbing it gently as he used his other to figure out what he stumbled upon. Feeling around it, noting what felt like a marble structure, and then a doorknob, he realized that he had run into a door.
Curious about where this led to, Snap grabbed it and turned it. It was a little hard opening it. The hinges were pretty stiff, and he wondered if this door had even been used at all lately. When he managed to open it all the way, he struggled to get in, and in seconds, the door slammed behind him. He winced, startled. Yeah, the door was old alright. It didn't want to stay open.
Snap found himself in another corridor, but thankfully, this one was lit. He immediately moved forward, hoping to find his way out soon. As soon as he would get outside, he'd be able to tell about where he was in ChalkZone and he'd be able to find Rudy.
As he continued walking, he thought back to his friends. He hoped they were holding out well. He didn't know how far they had gotten with Skrawl before he lost the Beanie Boys. He could only hope that the Beanie Boys don't return in time to assist Skrawl. Otherwise, they might be in trouble. All the more reason to find a way out of here and go back and help them.
Up ahead, Snap could see another door. This one seemed to be made out of the same material. Marble, which was a bit unusual. He didn't really see marble doors around ChalkZone that much. He shrugged it off and walked towards it. Upon opening it, it brought him into a much larger room. Snap's eyes widened as he slowly walked in. The feeling of crampiness suddenly gave out to wide and open as he found himself in what appeared to be a large warehouse.
The place looked pretty old, but not too bad. It was apparent someone had been keeping it mostly clean. They did a good job. With the acception of some dust and a few cobwebs in sparse locations, the place looked well kept. He could see row after row of metal shelves, unlabeled boxes adorning them. He couldn't tell just what this warehouse was for, but he would worry about that later.
The zoner began to look for a way out. He thought it was going to be easy, but he soon realized it was going to be a bit more challenging than he thought. This place was larger than he realized, a lot more spacious than he thought it was. He had no idea how long it was going to take him to get out of here. But he knew the quickest way to find it: walk along the stretch of the walls.
As he did this, he kept his eyes on the rows, looking between them. He tried to see if he could notice any sign of what direction he should go in. Maybe he could find some kind of clue, like an exit sign or something.
He did eventually find something, but it wasn't what he had been looking for.
Sitting up against one of the empty shelves, in roughly the middle of the warehouse, was some kind of...weird contraption. Despite wanting to continue finding the exit, Snap was drawn to the machine. There was something...almost compelling about it. He walked towards it slowly, his white eyes focusing intently on it. It didn't take him too long to reach it, and he stopped a few feet in front of it. He looked up and down, taking note of its details.
It was hard to describe the device. The closest Snap could think of was a large juicer. There was a wide, cylinder-rectangle thing that looked like just about any small zoner could fight through. It terminated into a large, metal box thing, with several grooves and multiple wires all over, stretching along the ground. There looked to be a spear-like structure jetting out at the side, and it was glowing slightly. Despite the glow, it didn't seem to be ominous, and Snap was even able to safely touch it. Looking back at the machine, he noticed something moving slowly where the cylinder-like thing connected with the metal box thing. And right in front were some diods and buttons. The last thing Snap noticed was a sliver opening in front. It was much narrower than the top, and was rimmed with a thick, rubber edge.
Snap was perplexed by this device. It looked appealing, with its design, but at the same time, not knowing what it was kind of unnerved him. He didn't know what this machine was for, and why it was here. It seemed to be operational, yet the function was a mystery. It couldn't be a juicer; he smelled no fruit on it. Despite its appearance, it probably didn't have anything to do with food. There was probably some other function it had, something he wasn't thinking about.
Despite his desire to find out more, Snap knew he couldn't waste time on this machine. He had to find a way out of here. He stepped to the side of the machine and looked up, trying to see if he could locate a sign that he may have missed during his walk. Looking up, craning his head as far as he could go, he thought he could see a glimpse of something. He jumped up, but no matter how high he launched himself into the air, it wasn't enough to see the item in question. Having no choice, he began to climb up the shelf behind the mystery machine.
Slowly, Snap made his way up the shelf. He was careful with his footing, making sure he didn't slip and twist his ankle or break his leg in the process. He made progress, slow and steady. He gritted his teeth in determination, making to climb up about three shelves. He pulled himself onto the shelf, his round hands clawing for a grip as he tried to see what he thought was a sign. But it turned out to just be a colored box. Snap sighed in disappointment.
Suddenly, he felt himself moving backwards. His eyes bulged and he tightened his grip on the shelf. He turned his head, and out of the corner of one eye, he could see that he, along with the shelf he was on, was falling down towards the machine. Thoughts of how weak the shelves must be for him to weigh it down like this barely registered in his mind. Snap's mind raced as he reacted as quickly as he could. He let go of the shelf, crashing into the ground. He rubbed his head and then looked up. Seeing the structure coming down towards him, he rolled out of the way.
As soon as he did, there was a loud crash. Snap held his hands to his head, curling up into a somewhat fetal position as the crack ehoed in his ear. He heard loud screeching as metallic parts were stretched and crushed. Dust had been kicked out from underneath, forcing him into another coughing fit. After a few seconds, the sounds stopped, and he looked over to see what had happened.
The shelf he had been on toppled over and landed right on the machine. One of the shelves pressed against the machine, cutting into it almost like a knife through butter. One of the support bars for the shelf also smashed against it, crushing the front portion and Snap could see that not only did the antenna not glow anymore, but there was smoke pillowing out of the machine, along with some sparks of electricity. As the sparking increased, as he started to see darker smoke coming out, Snap realized what was about to happen.
Climbing up to his feet, Snap made a dash away from the machine, his eyes wide in horror. Seconds later, as he managed to get down several aisles, the machine exploded.
sss
What a day... Sandra did not expect to get that many customers, even without her special of the day. Business was booming. She wondered if Snap had anything to do with it. He was probably telling some zoners all about her restaurant. At this, she couldn't help but smile. She'd have to thank him later if that were the case.
She had locked up for the day. She usually didn't shut down this early, but despite her success, she didn't feel comfortable staying open that long without a special available. She would have to take care to get enough meat later on so that she could serve a lot more meat rolls to her hungry customers. Some zoners were disappointed that she had already locked up, but she promised them that she would be open again tomorrow.
After she sweeped up the place, wiped down the counters, and locked up the cash register, the dragon zoner made her way towards the back. She walked passed the kitchen and her personal bathroom and moved through the long corridor. It bent at some sharp angles, forcing her to turn suddenly. Despite this, it wasn't too bad to navigate and she kind of liked it, as it sort of reminded her of tunnels in a cave, her favorite type of land structure.
She wondered what her next specialty was going to be. She couldn't just keep making meat rolls. She would have to think of something else. She usually tried to have something new every few days at least. It was how she kept attracting more customers. Always something new. Maybe Snap would have some ideas for her, or those humans. Even if the humans couldn't eat chalk food, she reckoned Real World food was similiar. She could whip up a chalk version of whatever they came up with.
She reached the door and turned the knob. It creaked open and she felt a rush of air move through her as she stepped into her own personal warehouse. She took in a deep breath, detecting the smells of the building. Familiar smells that reminded her of her successes of the restaurant. But before she could continue working on the next specials, she first had to check up on something important.
She walked between two of the shelves. She looked up, noting the boxes all around. She gave a small smile. They certainly came in handy. She might need more eventually. With her hobby, there was always room for more boxes, more storage. Perhaps she could get Rudy to draw her more. She could always use some.
Her thoughts were interrupted, however, when she saw what was in front of her. She could see one of the shelves had been knocked down, but while that was enough of a shock, something else horrified her more.
Smoke...
She could smell smoke...
And was that burn marks...?
Breathing in and out quickly, Sandra rushed forward, her short cape-like thing flapping behind her, her back parallel to the ground as she approached the scene. As soon as she reached it, she went back into her tripod stance and looked around. Her eyes widened in horror at what laid before her.
It was...it was her machine. It was completely destroyed. One of the shelves fell onto it, slicing into the machine and rendering it useless. With the bits that laid all over the place, spread out all around, Sandra could tell that the machine had exploded. Luckily, it didn't seem to have started a fire or anything. But the machine itself was charred, distorted and dented, and some areas broke off and laid on the ground all around. It looked so brittle, like at any point, it would crumble into dust.
Seeing her machine in this condition caused Sandra's body to shake. A wave of emotion rushed through her body. She..she couldn't believe it. What happened here? The shelves may not be the strongest around, but they wouldn't just topple over that easily. There was no strong rush of wind through here, and as she looked at the shelf's metal support for weaknesses, she found none.
Then, as she moved around the destroyed machine tenatively, she noticed some kind of scent. She paused, and pointed her muzzle in the air. Her nostrils flared as she tried to detect the smell. She realized there was some kind of extra scent in here. It was familiar and yet it was so badly distorted by the smoke that she could not recognize it. But it was all the evidence she needed for her to realize something happened.
Someone had sabotaged her machine.
This caused her blood to boil. Someone had invaded her property and destroyed her machine. They dared to invade..dared to destroy what was hers... Her red eyes narrowed dangerously, her sharp teeth bared viciously.
She didn't care what it took. She didn't care how long it was going to take. She vowed right then and there, she was going to find who was responsible for this. She would find them and she would make them pay for what they had done.
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Post by Bluedramon on Oct 10, 2014 19:27:36 GMT -5
Chapter 2: Promise
I know the truth now. I know who you are. And I don't love you anymore!
-Everybody's Fool, Evanescence
Rudy, Penny, and Mint all glared in the direction Skrawl was being dragged off to. They had managed to hold him off long enough for the police to arrive onto the scene. A couple large zoners grabbed the jellybean and started to drag him away.
"You haven't seen the last of me!" Skrawl wailed. He jerked himself from side to side a few times. He cast a glance over at the human children, gnashing his crooked teeth together. "Do you hear me?! I'll be back!"
"Shut it." One of the cops said.
"Don't you dare tell me what to..." Skrawl never got a chance to finish. He was shoved into the police car and the door slammed, muffling his cursing. The cops then climbed into the car and began to drive Skrawl away.
As Penny watched this, her eyes narrowed, she knew that Skrawl was right. He had been successfully captured one time before, about a year ago, and he was able to get away. She had no doubts in her head that he would get away from this. All this did was delay him. He would be back, but they would be prepared for it. He could not take them by surprise anymore.
She would love for a more permanent solution to be set. Perhaps sending him to a more high security prison. It was terrifying to her that Skrawl could escape from what they were told to be tough jails. But surely there had to be some place where he couldn't escape form, right? Boorat, who was physically stronger than Skrawl, still hadn't escaped his prison. Maybe that's where he needed to be sent?
But where Skrawl went was none of their business, so they were told. Despite being guardians of ChalkZone, she, Rudy, and Mint had no authority of where a captured criminal was taken. She recalled Rudy tried something one time, and it had failed miserably.
As uncomfortable as this felt to her, it wasn't like they really needed to appeal anything or persuade the jailers or whatever. She was glad for that. She couldn't imagine what might happen if they had to try to help a falsely accused zoner who had been locked up. If the jailers won't listen to them, it was going to involve a lot of hard work gathering evidence, and even then, some of the jailers may not want to listen to outsiders like themselves.
She pushed the thoughts aside. She shouldn't worry about that right now. A more pressing matter on her mind was Snap. Why wasn't he back yet?
Penny looked off in the direction he ran in. She had only seen a glimpse of it, but she did bear witness to the Beanie Boys chasing her friend down in hot pursuit. With their flying ability, they likely caught up to the zoner very quickly. She hoped that Snap was able to find a hiding place in time.
The longer he was gone, the more worried she got. Perhaps it was time to begin searching for him. The police were done here. There was no need for them to remain. Perhaps they should...
"Penny?" Rudy's voice rang out, ripping her from her thoughts. Penny shook her head and looked over at Rudy. "What's wrong?" The boy gave her a worried expression. "You were kind of spacing out."
"I'm worried about Snap. He isn't back yet." Penny said.
Mint shrugged his shoulders. "It hadn't been that long. I'm sure he's fine."
"Mint's right." Rudy said, doing his best to sound calm and reassuring to Penny. "Just give him a little more time."
Penny wanted to feel comforted by these words. It was true it wasn't terribly long. Yet...still, half an hour..forty-five minutes, that's still quite a bit of time for Snap to be away. She couldn't help but fear that something unexpected had ocurred while Snap was leading them away. There was a number of possibilities that could have ocurred. These images played in her head, flashing in the back of her mind.
What if the Beanie Boys caught him?
What if they hurt him?
What if he was trapped?
What if he got lost?
Penny tried to shake these thoughts out of her head. She was overreacting, she knew. Snap was a capable zoner, and he had been gone longer than this. It wasn't like her to worry to this degree about whether or not Snap was coming back. She began to wonder if she was starting to lose confidence in her friend. The idea was ludicrous. She would never...
Then again, Snap had relatively recently recovered from a spine injury. Mint's attack on Snap had cracked the vertebrate and now the zoner possesses a prosthetic bone to replace an old one. It was strong, but still a weak spot. The Beanie Boys would know about this. If they hit Snap in just the right spot, they might be able to do enough damage to cripple her friend. Without his legs, Snap wouldn't be able to go far.
She soon realized one thing. She wouldn't be able to stop worrying about Snap until he got back safe and sound. Only then would she feel reassured. A part of her felt ashamed, feeling as thought she really was losing confidence in her friend.
"It's okay to be worried, Penny." Rudy said. Penny looked over at him, leveling her eyes with his. "He's our friend. It's normal to worry."
Penny looked away. "But...I'm fearing the worst, even though he hadn't been gone that long, like Mint said. You...you don't think I'm.." She looked over at her friends, giving them a silent question through a worried expression stretching along her face.
Mint and Rudy looked at each other, and then back at her sympathetically.
Mint shook his head. "I don't think you're losing confidence in him. If anything, I think you're just caring about him even more." He rubbed the side of his head. "Which is quite amazing, considering you already had a close friendship with him back when I..." His voice trailed off. Rudy and Penny nodded their heads in understanding.
"Yeah, it's nothing to be ashamed of, Penny. Being worried does not mean you don't think Snap is capable." Rudy smiled for a bit, trying to reassure Penny. Then he tilted his head, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Why would you even think that? I thought that you..."
"I'm not sure, Rudy." Penny admitted, lowering her head. "I don't know..."
All remained silent. Penny kept her head low. She could feel her friends looking at her, wondering what was wrong with her. She wished she could answer. She knew she was being ridiculous and paranoid, and she normally wasn't like this. It was almost like...
...like something in the air was causing it...
But if that was the case, why only her? Why weren't Mint and Rudy affected? And if it was something doing it...then what was it? And where was it?
"Hey guys!"
Penny felt her heart flutter with happiness as she heard the familiar shout of her friend. Her previous worry disappeared completely as she watched her friend rush towards them. She, Rudy, and Mint moved towards the zoner to greet him.
"Snap! You're..." Penny paused, her eyes widening. Mint and Rudy had taken notice as well.
"Snap, what happened?" Rudy asked, his voice a whisper.
Snap didn't look unscatched. He had a couple small tears in his costume and he had some dirt on him. But that wasn't what alarmed the three the most. That wasn't what Snap was so startled about. Parts of his limbs had burn marks on them. Dark, sooty in color. It was possible they were in other areas as well. Even though the burn marks didn't look serious, that didn't mean they were anything to sneeze at.
The burns did seem to have an effect on their friend. The zoner's teeth were clenched, his eye twitching in pain. He looked like he wanted to collapse on the ground and fall asleep. They weren't sure if it was from the pain or from whatever had happened. They felt their hearts twist as they looked at their friend sympathetically. What could have caused this? Did the Beanie Boys do this? It seemed out of their nature, but then, they did create that conconction that would have destroyed Snap had it not been for Rudy drawing the milk...
Snap jumped up and down a few times, waving his hands in the air. "G-Giant j-juicer!" The three of them stared in shock. Snap winced in pain as the three friends waited for him to continue. "D-Destroyed...explosion...!"
Mint took in a sharp gasp at this. "You were caught in an explosion?!"
Snap nodded his head. "Yeah I..." Snap stopped as he looked over at Mint. "What...What happened to you..?" He looked intently at Mint's minor injuries.
Mint looked himself over and then said, "Don't worry about me! What about you?"
Rudy looked over at Penny. "How bad do you think he is?"
Penny walked towards Snap. She made a gesture, letting him know to hold still. She gently grabbed onto him, examining his arms and legs, looking at the burns on them. Upon closer inspection, she realized they merely looked worse from afar. Up close, she could tell that these burns weren't anything too serious. Much of the blackness was just from soot that must have clung to Snap's body as he got away from..whatever had happened. His back looked a little worse, but was not too worse for wear. Whatever explosion Snap had been running from, he had only gotten grazed by it.
But that didn't mean Snap didn't require treatment. Penny believed that Snap should have at least some water-soaked rags put against his damaged skin once in a while to help the burns heal faster.
It also did little to settle her fears. The fact that there was an explosion frightened her, and glancing over, she could see looks of fear from both Mint and Rudy. None of them heard this explosion, and that alone was enough to confuse and terrify her. Just where was Snap that this happened? How come no other zoners were running around, panicked due to being hurt? Why was Snap the only one to come to them like this? Something was not right.
Penny soon realized that Mint and Rudy were still waiting for her answer. "Snap will be okay. Just minor injuries. That's all."
"That's a relief." Rudy said with a smile.
Mint took a step forward. "Just what happened anyway?"
"Yeah, Snap. Can you give us the full story?" Penny said as she drew some first aid items to help treat the minor burns on her friend's body. "We need to make sure this won't happen again, not to you or anyone else."
Snap shivered, clearly still startled by what happened. He was able to calm himself by taking in a deep breath. He nodded his head to his friends. They all listened intently as Snap began his story.
"The Beanie Boys chased me down this alleyway and I fell through the ground and..."
sss
"Hooray for Snap!"
"Thank you, Snap!"
"Snap, you're the best!"
Snap couldn't help but smile as he waved to the small crowd of zoners that gathered around him. He looked left and right, greeted by a bunch of happy, relieved faces. They were all cheering and whistling at him. And behind him, his human friends were looking on, smiling broadly as they witnessed this display.
The small blue zoner hadn't really expected to have so many zoners thanking him at once. When he came away from that explosion yesterday, he was expecting the zoners to pay more attention to that. After all, any one of them could have been hurt. But when he came in today, he and his friends got something different than what they thought.
Some zoners greeted him and began to thank him. Some others asked him if it was scary, and still others asked if he stopped the culprit. He, Rudy, Penny, and Mint were all confused, unsure of what the zoners were talking about. That was when a patrolling officer came to them and explained the situation.
It turned out that the device Snap caused to explode was causing some problems. They were certain this was the device responsible because it wasn't until it was destroyed did the events stop. The officer took his time explaining, telling them about how some electrical stuff, like parts of the local hospital and some security stuff, went haywire. Luckily, no one had been found snooping in the hospital or any other guarded area. But it was still strange. When asked why someone would build something like that, yet not act when they had the chance, the police had no answers.
Snap wasn't too worried. Rudy and Penny offered to look for clues while Mint would look around and make sure that another of these devices wasn't in the works. Snap would also help however he could. Between the four of them, he knew they would figure out what happened and locate the zoner responsible.
Despite his confidence, however, he was worried himself. When he realized that none of the other zoners were aware of the explosion, he realized it must be underground. He had been so busy running away, he didn't realize this. The idea of an underground warehouse was a bit disturbing. Why would someone need to hide a warehouse? Just what was in those boxes that would warrant them to be hidden?
And it being underground meant it could be anywhere. At least if it were a building on the surface, Rudy could draw a plane and they could fly around. With something underground, they would need a different approach. An x-ray scope might help, but they would still need to know what to look for. There might be other warehouses underground, and plus he may not even recognize it. There was also the fact that the person might have cloaked it, so a device would not pick it up.
However, Snap didn't want to worry the zoners around him. They had been scared enough of this mystery device. For now, he had to act as calm as possible. Panicked zoners could cause a lot more trouble than the device itself.
"Thank you! Thank you!" Snap said, closing his eyes and smiling as he took a bow. "It was nothing really. Always glad to help!"
He flinched a little when he realized he used Rudy's classic terminology. He looked over at Rudy, but Rudy just smiled back. He and the others were clapping their hands, celebrating with the zoners Snap's unexpected victory. Snap smiled back and turned back to the crowd, waving to them and trying his best to answer their questions.
Finally, after what felt like hours, the zoners began to leave. The cops came in and ushered them away. They then spoke to Snap, telling him they would like to talk to him later whenever he was available. They could see he had already done a lot of talking and his throat did start sounding a little dry. Snap agreed to a meeting tomorrow, and that he would answer their questions to the best of his ability. The cops thanked him and left, leaving the four friends alone.
Although Snap enjoyed talking with the grateful zoners, he was glad to have some rest from that. He was parched. He needed a drink, and he needed some rest. He looked over at his friends and he approached them. They smiled at him, and also casted a look of sympathy to him. They weren't going to be making him talk much after that, that's for certain.
Rudy looked down at his cellphone. "We have a couple hours left before we have to go back." He looked over at Snap. "Is there anything you wanted to do?"
"Maybe we could buy you something here to eat as a congratulations?" Penny suggested.
Mint gave her a confused look. "I thought we couldn't use money from the Real World here." He raised up his bandaged arm in a confused gesture. "So how..."
Penny smirked at him. "We can draw the money, remember? Some places here allow that."
"Oh.." Mint slapped himself in the face. "I completely forgot about that!"
Rudy turned to Snap. "Is that what you would like, Snap?"
The zoner thought about this. He rested his chin on his hand, using his other to rub his cheek thoughtfully. He wasn't too hungry at the moment, and food wasn't exactly on his mind. But though going to a restaurant wasn't exactly how he would want to celebrate at the moment, it was still nice of his friends to offer. Even if they couldn't eat, even if he didn't want to eat, it still sounded like a good idea. Sitting down with his friends in a chalk restaurant, chatting, spending time with them. Yeah, he'd like that.
"Sure! I know just the place, too!" Snap grinned.
"What's that?" Penny asked.
"It's a relatively new place in town. It's already gained some popularity. The owner, Sandra, she's a great cook!" Snap spread his arms out, a big grin on her face. "Oh it's just a shame you can't eat chalk. You would find her food to be a delicacy!"
"Sandra?" Mint asked, tilting his head.
Snap nodded. "Yeah. She's a sky blue dragon." He cocked an eyebrow. "Why? Do you know her?"
Mint opened his mouth, but he soon shut it. He shook his head. "No..I can't say I have..."
Snap looked at Mint in confusion at this. He quickly wrote it off. Mint probably got the name mixed up with another. It happens sometimes. He resumed his previous smiling expression and grabbed onto Rudy's hand, pulling on him. "Well? What are you waiting for? Let's go! Sandra's Alcove isn't far!"
"Is there any particular reason you want to go to Sandra's Alcove?" Penny asked. "Didn't you eat there just the other day?"
"Yeah, but Sandra promised me something when I came over today." Snap replied. "Now come on! I'm not sure how long she is going to stay open today. She might close early because of that exploding machine!"
"Oh you're right, Snap." Penny rubbed the back of her head nervously. "She's probably worried her shop is next. She'll probably be turning in early and checking her place thoroughly to see if there's any problems."
Rudy put his hand over his pocket, directly where his piece of magic chalk was. "She can always ask me for assistance. I'll be glad to help her out."
Mint leaned towards Rudy, his arms folded against his chest. "Going to show off again I see?" Mint teased, a mischevious smile on his face.
Rudy shot him a soft glare. "I'm not showing off! I just like to help people!"
"I know." Mint raised up a hand, a sign that he didn't mean harm. "I just can't help but wonder if, on the off chance her restaurant is destroyed, you'd draw Sandra a highly detailed, convoluted restaurant much like Snap's beach house."
It was now Snap's turn to glare at Mint. A part of him wondered if it was a good idea to tell Mint that story, of how he had wanted Rudy to draw him a house, but ended up with so many ideas that not only did he drive Rudy crazy, but the house looked pretty silly afterwards. He still treasured the house, since it was a gift from Rudy. He didn't take too kindly to Mint, or anyone, poking fun at it.
"See here, Mint..." Snap started to say.
Before Snap could continue, Mint looked over at him. His eyes were widened, as if he didn't expect Snap to be that upset. He then smiled apologetically, lowering his head slightly while placing a hand on his chest. "I apologize. I didn't mean to upset you guys." Straightening himself up, he looked at the others one by one. "Well, are we going or not?"
"Yeah, let's get going before it's too late." Penny said, waving her hand, gesturing the others to follow. She stopped when she realized something. Smiling nervously, she looked over at Snap. "Where is Sandra's Alcove?"
Snap walked in front of his friends. He looked at them over his shoulder. "This way. Follow me!" He began to lead them down the road in the direction of Sandra's Alcove. As they went, Snap wondered how Sandra was doing. He hoped she was doing fine. If she was frightened of what happened, he and the others would do their best to calm her down. They would ensure nothing like that happened again.
sss
"How may I help you, sir?" Sandra asked, her voice shrouded in painfully controlled anger.
The customer didn't seem to notice. He was looking up at the menu, rubbing his chin as he looked at the different items available. "I'll have the orange strawberry salad, please."
Sandra took the money the zoner handed to her. She placed it in the register, using a bit more force than usual to open and close it. "I'll go get that for you. Please, have a seat..."
Snap winced at this. So much for Sandra doing fine. It was clear she was not in the best of moods right now. She was trying her best to hide it, but her anger was apparent to most of the zoners around here. Nobody spoke up, though, fearful that they might accidentally provoke her more. An angered zoner would be unpredictable and they did not want to make the situation worse.
He wondered what the problem was. Why was Sandra so upset? It had to be bad if she was so concerned about it over an explosion right here in the city. It wasn't even that far from her place, about five blocks down if he remembered the police reports right. For Sandra to not be fazed by that... Yeah something else was clearly going on. Whatever it was, he hoped she would be able to work it out and recover from it. It was sad to see her like this.
He and Sandra hit it off as friends when he offered to help her with her restaurant. She was so grateful and thanked him for all his hard work. He was glad that he helped her get her start, and he had even gotten some zoners to come over and eat during her first week. Sandra was always a nice, friendly zoner, and her amiable aura drew zoners to her.
So to see his dragon friend act differently shook him and others up. For Sandra of all zoners to be upset like this, something serious must be wrong.
But he decided it was best not to make her tell him. That might make the istuation worse. Instead, he would wait until she cooled down before he would try to talk to her about it. He hoped that, whatever it was, he and his human friends could find a way to help her.
"I really wish I knew what was wrong..." Penny asked.
"Yeah. I know she isn't lashing out at anyone, but I know a thing or two about repressing emotion," Mint pointed towards Sandra as the sky blue zoner was bringing a plate of fruit and some lettuce bits over to her newest customer. "And that's exactly what she's doing."
"I'll try to talk to her later." Snap said. He clasped his hands together, his eyes narrowed slightly. "I really don't want to bug her right now."
"Talking would help her feel better, perhaps." Penny said. "But you're probably right. Let's not aggravate the situation more than it needs to be."
"She probably just needs a little time. I'm sure she doesn't want to bite anyone's heads off." At this, Rudy winced for a second. He shifted his gaze down. "That can have some..nasty side effects."
As everyone nodded in agreement, Snap looked at his creator and friend sympathetically. Rudy was obviously remembering the time when he had yelled at Mint, chewing him out harshly, and then wishing harm on him. Even though Mint forgave him, even though Rudy came to terms with it, the boy still felt guilty at times when he thought back to that incident. Snap himself was sometimes a tad shaken up as he recalled how Rudy sounded like back then. But he couldn't blame him, given the situation at the time.
"Good idea." Mint nodded in Rudy's direction. He gave him a small smile, a silent way of telling him it's okay. This was enough to relax Rudy's facial features. Soon Mint's eyes widened slightly as he noticed something. "Sandra's coming."
The other three followed Mint's lead and turned in the direction he was looking. Sure enough, Sandra was approaching. Judging from her expression, she was still upset, but she was putting on the best smile that she could. She had her hands folded behind her back and her tail was raised in such a way that Snap recognized it was a greeting. He interacted her long enough to know this about her.
Snap recalled he hadn't even ordered his meal yet. He didn't have to. Sandra already knew what he wanted, and she knew that Mint, Rudy, and Penny could order nothing here, being human and all. So she allowed them to grab a seat while she took care of a couple of customers that came in around the same time as them.
"Hello, Snap." The dragon stood next to them, her head turning from left to right as she acknowledged the humans. "And greetings to you, too."
"Hi. You must be Sandra." Rudy said, smiling at her. "I don't think we got a chance to meet properly." He held out hs hands.
"Ah yes, the Great Creator." Sandra said, nodding her head. She took Rudy's hand and shook it. "I heard much about you from Snap."
"I tried to get her to ask you for help, but she declined." Snap said.
Rudy looked at Sandra, confused. "Really? How come?"
Sandra shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, I just rather do things myself. That's why I run this place on my own, despite the many customers I have." She placed a hand against her chest. "I don't like asking others for help, so I do what I can." She looked over in what Snap assumed was the direction of her kitchen. "I have some things to help me out."
"That's good." Rudy said. "I'm glad it's been working out for you." He paused, then lowered his head a little. "Still, I would have been glad to help if you just asked. I wouldn't have minded..."
Sandra raised her hand. "Don't worry about it, Great Creator."
"Please, call me Rudy." The boy replied. Sandra nodded in acknowledgement.
"And you must be Penny and Mint. Snap's talked about you as well." Sandra said as she turned her attention to the other two humans. She gave them both a smile as she shook their hands. "It is quite nice finally meeting Snap's human friends. I never directly interacted with a human before. It must feel great being able to draw whatever you want, having it magically appear in thin air..."
"Yeah, but we just use it to help the zoners usually." Rudy said with a smile.
"Or occasionally playing a game." Mint said, grinning. "Like that time we drew those go-karts and drove through a part of the Candycane Forest."
"Yes, Snap did mention that you don't abuse your powers. That's good." Sandra narrowed her eyes a little. "Who knows what kind of destruction could be caused by an irresponsible creator..."
Mint gulped at this, but said nothing. Snap glanced at him. Even though that statement wasn't directed at him specifically, he could understand why it would sting him so badly. Mint hadn't exactly been an angel when he first came. Being reminded of it wasn't pleasant. Snap could understand why, even after all this time, Mint would still feel bad about it. He almost wanted to say something to Sandra, but he held off, knowing that she didn't mean any harm.
"So uh.." Penny spoke up, wanting to change the subject. "Didn't you say you had something for Snap?"
Sandra looked at her, blinking a few times. Then she snapped her feather-like fingers, her expression brightening up. "As a matter of fact, I do!" She looked over at Snap and said, "Did you still want it?"
Snap nodded his head. "After what happened lately, I could go for some of that delicious meat roll you made!"
Sandra's face contorted into confusion. "...something happened?"
Snap's mouth dropped open. His friends were just as shocked. Was Sandra being serious? Did she really not know what happened? They looked at her, waiting to see if she was joking or lying in some way. But all Sandra did was look at them with a continued confused expression. They glanced at each other, gritting their teeth. They realized one of them would have to break the news to her.
Snap, being the only one she could call friend amongst them, having just met his human pals, decided it was best he be the one.
Snap raised up his hand in gesture as he started to explain. "Didn't you hear? There was an explosion that went off not far from here. Many zoners had been talking about it. There's some police reports, and they are attempting to start an investigation."
Sandra's ear twitched. "An explosion? Where?" As the others looked at her in shock, she raised her hand up and said, "It probably happened when I was in my kitchen. The walls are pretty thick there. I would not have detected an explosion."
"Even one five blocks away?" Penny inquired, tilting her head. Sandra stared at her, wide-eyed. Penny nodded, answering Sandra's unspoken question. "Yeah it was that close. Are you..sure you didn't hear anything? Or feel something?"
Sandra stared at them. For a few moments, her eyes bulged, her mouth remaining open. Soon, she raised her shoulders up, shrugging them as she turned her head from one side to the other a couple times. "No..I can't say that I have." She turned to Snap. "Did you?"
Snap shuddered. Images of how close he was to being harmed by the explosion. He had run as fast he could and he still got a little scathed by it. The feeling of the heat hitting his back... He winced at the pain. At least it was just a mild burn. Penny had told him he was lucky enough to gain the distance he had before it exploded. Had he stayed there a second longer, he would have been hurt a lot worse.
"Yes..." That was all Snap could bring himself to say. He looked at Sandra, locking eyes with her. They shared a look for a few seconds before he turned away.
Sandra's ears raised up and then they lowered. "Well I'm sorry to hear that." She lowered her head. "And I'm sorry that I confused you all with not hearing anything. I wish I could give you more information."
"Don't worry about it. We didn't hear anything either." Mint spoke up. "We just thought you, with your long ears, would have heard something around here. We were hoping for a time frame so we could tell the cops."
"I would tell them, but I had no watch with me and.." Snap said. He didn't finish. Judging from the others' expressions, they understood what he was getting at. "I'm just glad it'll be over soon. Soon the police will find out what happened..."
"...and they will arrest whoever is responsible." Mint concluded, giving a firm nod of his head. The others shared his sentiment.
Sandra stared wide-eyed at them. It was clear that she was still startled by the presence of an explosion near her place and she did not hear it. Then she gave a small smile, nodding her head once. "Yeah..."
Snap tilted his head. Sandra still sounded pretty bummed out from whatever happened to her. Her voice didn't sound that sincere. Her mind must be preoccupied with whatever had her upset earlier. As she spoke to him and his friends, they all could tell she was hiding some anger behind her voice. None of them asked what was wrong; instead they waited for her to speak. If she didn't want to, she didn't have to.
Snap hoped that Sandra would talk to them soon. He would love to help her out anyway he could. He wanted her to know that he would be there for her, and if she needed someone to talk to, he would listen. But for now, he would not press the matter.
"So anyway..I'll go get your food." Sandra said. She grinned at Snap. "I'm sure you're going to love it. It might be a little dry since I had to refrigerate it, but it should be fine reheated."
"I don't mind. I appreciate you saving me the food." Snap smiled back at her.
"That was really sweet of you." Penny commented.
Rudy nodded. "We appreciate it."
"If you have any ideas on a celebration, by the way, let us know!" Mint called to her just as Sandra was about to leave. The dragon stopped, turning her head enough so that one of her red eyes could see him. "We're splitting the cost of the...meat roller or whatever you called it, in part to celebrate Snap's success."
"Oh?" Sandra turned around. She folded her arms as she looked down at Snap. "A celebration, eh? Well congratulations, Snap." Sandra waved her hand to the zoner, almost in salution. "I'll bring you a free dessert."
Snap grinned at this. "Thanks!"
"Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back!"
With that, Sandra disappeared into the back.
sss
Sandra pulled out the tray from the microwave. It had just gotten finished heating up. She set it down on the counter and stared at it. She raised her snout and took in a deep breath. The smell of the food hit her nostrils, making her mouth water. She swallowed and tried to keep her attention focused on what she was supposed to be doing. This food belonged to Snap, not her.
She went over to the fridge again. She looked through it, tapping her finger against her chin thoughtfully. What should she bring the zoner? She didn't usually have a lot of desserts, and when she did, they were eaten up rather quickly. Luckily, this time she had some spare ones. After hearing about Snap's success in...whatever it was, she decided she wanted to give him a reward herself. Soon she spotted what appeared to be a cup of pudding with whipped cream. Yes, this would do. She grabbed it and put it on the tray.
As she headed back out to the front of the store, she noticed some of the zoners were looking at her warily. She bit her lip, lowering her ears. She felt bad for not controlling her anger as well as she could have earlier. She hoped that this would not ruin her business. Perhaps Snap or one of her regular customers could convince them that she wasn't going to harm them.
She usually was better at controlling her anger than this. She felt guilty that, despite her attempts, some of her distraught leaked through. The aura had spread through her restaurant. None of the zoners accused her of anything, and none of them looked like they were going to jump out the window. But many of them were looking at her, silently asking her if she was going to snap at them. She took in a deep breath, feeling her heart rate slow down some more. Yeah, she needed to be careful with her temper. Anger can make even the most logical person become irrational.
After all, it was probably just an accident that her machine was destroyed. She did feel a little bad that the explosion caused so much panic among the zoners. She hadn't realized her machine would explode and some distress to the populace here. Whenever she got around to making a new one, she would take precaution to ensure that it would not be damaged easily.
But before she could do that, she would have to get to the bottom of what happened to her first machine. A part of her still thought that someone had knocked it over, but perhaps it wasn't done deliberately. And who was to say that it was even a person? Perhaps some animal zoner got in there and knocked it over, or perhaps the shelf wasn't as structurally sound as she thought. There was a number of things that could have contributed to it. She would launch an investigation of her own. As soon as she found out what happened, she would make sure that a repeat would not happen.
Soon she reached the table where Snap and his human friends were waiting for her. With a big smile on her reptilian muzzle, she set the plate down, along with his dessert and drink. "Here you go."
"Thanks!" Snap said as he picked up the fork. He looked at the meat roll longingly. He licked his lips and said, "This looks delicious!"
Sandra smiled at him, moving a hand towards him in gesture. "Go on, eat up! Tell me what you think after you are done!"
With that, she turned and walked away. As she left, she could hear the four friends speaking to each other excitedly. She smiled at this. She wished she could join in on the celebration, but she wouldn't have time, unfortunately. She needed to devote her time to getting a new machine. Then, if she could think of something, she would provide some help with a celebration for Snap. Of course, it would help if she knew what he had done, but she would ask about that later. Right now, she wanted to leave him alone with his friends.
She moved towards the cash register. She took position behind it. She didn't see anyone coming into her restaurant yet, but she knew at any moment someone would. She had to be here just in case. She hated leaving her customers waiting.
Realizing that her customers were still nervous, she decided to do something to lighten the mood. She knew just the thing. She lowered herself and pulled out a shelf that was located below the register. She lifted up a small device and set it on the counter. It was a radio she had recently purchased. It wasn't big, but it was good enough. She pushed the antenna up and flipped it on. There was a burst of static, and then music began to play.
As the soothing music played, she could see that most of the zoners were starting to look noticeably calmer. She smiled at this. The music was helping her to relax as well. This was just what she needed. Now she'd be able to better focus on her next course of action. As everyone turned back to eating and chatting, Sandra leaned against the counter, her spiked tail swishing slowly from side to side. Her mind began to grind its gears as she started to think of how she was going to prevent her new machine from being damaged.
Perhaps increased security? Better building materials? Maybe she should cave in and hire some night time guards? Nah, she wasn't sure who was trustworthy and who wasn't. She didn't want her secret methods being revealed, otherwise other people would copy them. She prided herself in her technique and it would be such a disappointment if someone else copied her methods.
She didn't have long to think about it, however. As she was deep in thougt, she was brought out of it when the music suddenly stopped. A couple short bursts of static caused her to jerk in surprise and she turned her attention to the radio. All around her, she could vaguely sense that her customers heard this as well and were looking straight at the radio, too. She hardly paid attention, and listened intently as she started to hear a voice coming from the radio.
"Hello, this is Chyrnil of the police department here to give an important announcement. I know some of you already know this, but this is to inform those who may not have heard the news yet. This is being broadcast all over ChalkZone City and neighboring areas. Yesterday, an explosion went off in the underground section of the city. No one has been seriously harmed, and I assure you that I and the police are doing whatever we can to figure out what happened and find who was responsible."
Sandra stared at the radio, listening intently. She was curious about this explosion the others were talking about. The fact that it was underground did concern her. She wondered... Nah, it couldn't be. ...could it..?
The zoner continued. "We were able to find the source of the explosion. An abandoned warehouse which doesn't seem like it's been in use in a long time. The cause of the explosion was a shelf falling onto a strange machine. The machine has been confiscated, or whatever remained of it, for further study."
Sandra's eyes widened at this. The explosion they were talking about was her machine? She had thought it was something else. But wait, if the explosion Snap and the others were talking about was her machine, then, did that mean that...?
She shook her head. She couldn't jump to conclusions like that. No, it wasn't possible. She was just overreacting.
"We all have Snap to thank for this discovery. This machine, we have determined to be the cause of some of the electrical and security ailments that were spreading across ChalkZone, especially the hospital. We do not know why the machine does this, or even if this is what it was built for. One thing we do know is that Skrawl was using this to power his own robotic contraption. Whether or not this mystery machine is his, we don't know. We will give you further update on the detail."
Sandra glanced at Snap. He could see that he and his friends were looking over at the radio, smiling. They grinned at her, looking happy by what the announcer was saying. She did her best to look happy, waving her hand at them. Her smile faded as she looked back at the radio.
"According to our report, Snap is the one who neutralized the machine. It is thanks to him that Skrawl's machine was rendered useless and the ailing parts of the electrical grid are back to normal. But even though the threat is gone, something could surface up again. We advise you all to be careful as you walk the streets and watch where you step. Report any suspicious activity to me or one of my fellow officers. This is Chyrnil signing off."
With a flash of static, the radio went quiet. Then the soothing music returned. Intermixing with that, the sounds of the zoners congratulating Snap could be heard.
"You were the one who stopped it?"
"Were you scared?"
"How did you know to destroy it?"
Snap smiled as several zoners approached him. "Aww it was nothing really."
A tall, thing zoner put his hand on his shoulder. "Tell us the story!"
"Yeah!" A female zoner cried, jumping up and down excitedly. "We want to hear how you destroyed that awful machine!"
"Whoa whoa! One question at a time!" Snap glanced over at his human friends. They chuckled softly, but remained quiet, allowing Snap to talk to the crowd. Snap looked back at them and said with a broad smile. "I'll be happy to tell you what happened!" Snap suddenl jumped on the table, taking on a dramatic stance. "There I was..being chased down the alley by the Beanie Boys. I had to make choice. Left or right..."
As Snap spoke, Sandra was watching him from a distance, from behind the cash register. None of the other zoners noticed her expression. No one was asking her what was going on inside her mind right now. And a part of her was grateful for that.
A torrent of emotions swept through her body. She started to tremble, a chilling heat moving from her hand to her fingertips. It was an unpleasant sensation, feeling as though she dipped them in hot oil. Her widened eyes continued to stare at Snap. Though her ears twitched as she picked up sound, she did not acknowledge them. She didn't hear what the zoners were saying, and right now, she did not care.
The only thing she was paying attention to was Snap.
He..he was the reason her machine was destroyed? He was the one who had snuck into her warehouse and busted the machine? He was the reason that she was going to have to get a new device?
She couldn't believe it. There were a number of zoners she would have suspected first before Snap. In fact, Snap was not anywhere near on her list of suspects. She thought that he would never do such a thing. Snap didn't seem like the kind of zoner to turn his back on someone, or to cause harm to someone else's property, or to anything like that. She had always trusted him. She had felt she could turn to him for help. She had even considered asking him for help with protecting the new machine from harm.
But now she realized just how wrong she had been. If she were to show the new machine to Snap, would he try to destroy that one? Would he come back and do more harm? Was destroying the machine an accident or had he done it on purpose?
She couldn't stop the shivers from moving through her body. She couldn't stop the torrent of emotions eating away inside of her. It was so hard for her to grasp. Snap, the same zoner who had helped her build this place up, was the one who had invaded her warehouse and destroyed her machine. It was him..it had been him the whole time. The one zoner she thought she could trust the most. She could feel her stomach being twisted, feelings of betrayal eating away at her stomach.
It...it could still be an accident. Yeah, maybe Snap didn't mean it. She took a look at his burns, and it did seem like he was just running away. Maybe it was just a misunderstanding. She could talk to him later and...
She gripped her head. Burning anger flooded her mind. No..the way the machine was destroyed..it was a deliberate act. This was not an accident. Snap..he had done this on purpose. She was sure of it. She closed her eyes tightly, gritting her teeth. A few tears moved down her cheeks. It was hard for her to grasp. Snap..he...he was the one who...
Sandra had made a vow to find the one responsible and make them pay. She was not about to go back on that promise, no matter who she figured out was the culprit. And once she makes a promise, she would never break it.
She opened up her eyes, the crimson orbs staring directly at Snap. No one saw her glare at him. No one saw her flash her sharp teeth. No one saw her shaking in angered betrayal. And perhaps that was for the best.
"Snap..." Sandra growled softly. "I...I really don't want to do this... I never wanted to...go after a friend..." She sniffled quietly, a few bitter tears moving down her face. She lowered her head, trying to steady her thoughts. The raging emotions continued to swirl inside of her. "But...I have no other options..."
As the zoners continued to congratulate Snap, as the small zoner answered their questions, as they all laughed, Sandra kept watching them intently. Her narrowed red eyes looked so sharp, anyone who would see them would think she could slice things open with just her eyes. She listened to them, and as she did, she knew what she had to do.
She had to take action. She had to keep Snap from ruining anymore of her plans. And she knew exactly how to do that.
"I'm so sorry, Snap." Sandra curled her lip up, showing off some of her sharp teeth. "But..this has to be done..." Her eyes narrowed deeply. "I promise..you will get what is coming to you."
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Post by Bluedramon on Oct 10, 2014 19:28:29 GMT -5
Chapter 3: Mystery Of The Machine
If I could just see it all, just like a fly on the wall.
-Fly On The Wall, Thousand Foot Krutch
"Wait...what happened?" Mint asked. His eyes were wide as he stared straight at Penny. He tried to see if there was any hesitation in those eyes, anyway where he could be sure that she was mistaken. Yet he found none. "You said that you..what..?" It was hard for him to take in.
"Yeah, Penny. Are you certain that it had that effect on you?" Snap folded his arms, tilting his head to the side. "It doesn't make much sense."
Rudy opened his mouth, but Penny interjected before he could say anything. "Yeah, well not all the zoners were affected, so it's obvious this signal doesn't discriminate against zoner and human."
"You do have a point there, Penny." Rudy nodded his head. He took a step towards her. "However, I do have a question for you." Penny turned her head towards him. "Why didn't you say something to Mint and I earlier?" He held his hand out in gesture. "If you were feeling strange thoughts, you should have said something."
"If we knew earlier..." Mint started to say.
"I know." Penny leaned back on the beanbag chair. She placed a hand against the side of her face. "I just..." She ran her fingers through a couple strands of her hair. "I'm not sure why I didn't say anything. I guess I was just too ashamed and.." Her eyes widened slightly. "Even that I'm not proud of. Why would I feel like this? There's only one thing I think it could be." She looked over at the others. "It has to be related to that machine."
Mint wasn't sure what to think about this. He remained silent as he let the others speak. He took a step back, his mind shrouding with multiple thoughts as he tried to make sense of it.
Having something in ChalkZone affect a human was not new. He himself had witnessed that first hand. Skrawl had taken over his body, forced him to attack Rudy. He could still sometimes feel the electricity course through his nerves, seizing control. He could still feel his arm being bent, and it chilled him knowing that if Skrawl had applied just a little more pressure, his arm would have snapped in half. Then there was the fact that Skrawl had cut off half his left leg, forcing him to wear a prosthetic.
So it wasn't a matter of the signal being of chalk origin. Being made of chalk does not mean humans aren't affected. A chalk-based knife going through the stomach fast enough, or chalk-based fire would still kill a human or any other being from the Real World. But what affects humans depends on what they were. For example, poison in the form of liquids would not harm a human due to the Real World fluids inside. The stuff would be dissolved before it could do much harm.
He would have written off Penny's experience as impossible since it was an invisible signal going to the mind. And after all, he and Rudy were not affected, a confusing development. But then he recalled how Rudy was affected by the dumb dart that Craniac 3 used on him. If he remembered the details right, Craniac 3 put a plunger-like device on his head that suppressed parts of Rudy's brain so he would be more cooperative.
So mental stimulation and manipulation was possible. But...Rudy's affliction was physical, and this was a signal, hidden in the air. He didn't want to doubt Penny. Not like she'd make something like this up. But it still puzzled him. Why only her? Why not all three of them? Why wasn't Snap affected? Why just certain zoners?
He hoped that, whatever it was, they figure it out sooner or later.
"If we can figure out what the machine was used for," Penny said, breaking the silence that settled in the room. "Then we can discuss where to go from there."
"That is easier said than done." Mint commented. His eyes were furrowed with concern, his gaze towards the ground. "This is ChalkZone. Some of the rules of the Real World don't apply."
"True, but we have to try." Rudy said.
"I know we do. I'm not saying we should give up. But something is concerning me." Mint rubbed his fingers along the bottom of his chin. He didn't bother looking at his friends. His mind was focused on the details that disturbed him the most about this case. "Whoever built this machine.. It's obvious they must have a lot of intelligence to engineer it to only affect certain zoners." He looked over at Penny. "And if it could affect you..." He looked over at Rudy. "Then you could be affected as well." He put a hand against his chest. "As could I." He sighed as he closed his eyes, shaking his head. "That brings about some problems. If we don't know how this machine is targeting these people..."
His voice trailed off. Silence permeated the room again. He looked at the others. He could see they all had a look of realization on their faces. It seemed they understood where he was getting at, why this may be more serious than they previously thought.
If this mystery zoner could use this machine to target certain individuals, if they could target humans even, then what chance did they stand against them? Mint wasn't about to give up, of course, but they would need to be a lot more careful. They had to figure out more about how these afflictions were affecting the zoners before they could figure out the possibilities. So far, they just knew that some zoners were acting a little weird, and electrical things like security systems weren't functioning properly.
But he didn't want to rule out the possibilities. Whoever this zoner was, it was clear they were willing to violate even personal identity to get what they want. He did not want to dismiss how low this zoner was willing to go. He had to be prepared for a fight. He knew Rudy, Penny, and Snap would rather avoid it if possible. But for him, if this zoner wanted a fight...
...then he would give them a fight.
"It was scary.. how I started to think a little differently..." Penny shuddered. She grabbed the sides of her head, as if she were afraid someone was about to take it away. "I knew something was wrong...yet I couldn't fight the feeling. It could have been much worse...and that's what scares me." Penny stared at Rudy wide-eyed. "What if this machine could hack into our minds and influence our choices?" Mint, Snap, and Rudy looked at each other, remaining silent. "What if this zoner would get us to go after the wrong person, and they get away scott free?"
Mint clenched his teeth at this. Penny was right. This was definitely a terrifying predicament. He wouldn't like sending the wrong zoner to prison, to allow the real culprit to escape. Even if that isn't what the culprit was going to do, it was best not to take risks. They had to consider this very real, terrifying possibility.
"Well..maybe they wouldn't try to do that?" Snap suggested. He gave a nervous chuckle, but it was clear that he was uncertain. He continued, "Maybe we should talk to some of the zoners affected?" The others leaned in at this. "We could get information on how they felt, and from there, we can deduce a similarity? If we find what they all had in common, we coud use that to determine how to deal with this signal."
"...and maybe even what this zoner wants..." Rudy said, his eyes widening slightly. "Snap, you're a genius!"
Snap smiled at this, chuckling light-heartedly. "No problem, Rudy."
"But it will have to wait until tomorrow." Penny said. The others looked at her, a little puzzled. "Don't you remember how long we've been here? It's been hours." She pointed out. She pulled out her cellphone and pointed at the time. "We need to leave soon before our families realize we're gone."
"Oh yeah..." Mint felt stupid. He hadn't realized just how long they were in the restaurant talking with those zoners. They didn't realize how long they had been at Snap's treehouse. How time flies... "My dad won't be happy if he doesn't see me in my bedroom when he comes home."
Penny nodded in agreement. "My mom will go nuts if she doesn't find me in the room. I promised I would help her with this injured bird she brought in."
"A real one, right?" Mint said with a grin. "Not a fake one you found laying around in the grass?"
Penny glared at him. "I thought it was real, okay?"
Mint's smile grew wider. "Oh I'm sure you did, amateur."
Penny's glare narrowed, but a small smile tucked away at the corner of her mouth. She placed her hand against Mint and gave him a gentle shove to the side. "Oh knock it off, rust leg."
Mint couldn't help but chuckle. Coming from anyone else, those words would have been hurtful. But between the two of them, it was nothing more than playful banter. Mint enjoyed the brief moment of humor in the midst of the serious situation they were in.
Rudy smiled at this, but only for a moment. His previous frown returned. That thinking face that Mint became quite familiar with. "This is what I propose we do. We will come back here tomorrow in the morning, before it's time for us to go to school. We will use that time to talk to some of the zoners we know were affected by the machine." He paused for a moment. "If we're allowed to talk to them."
"Yeah that's right..." Mint's eyes grew a bit bigger. "Didn't the doctors say they wanted to quarantine those affected to make sure it doesn't spread?"
"Hmm..." Snap folded his arms. "How are we going to talk to them then?"
"I could try to convince the doctors...but I have a feeling I won't go much anywhere with them." Rudy said. "Great Creator or not, they will not let me do anything they think will endanger the zoners, or delay the treatment they need, or figure out what is going on."
"Yeah, and I know they'd be less happy if I did it." Mint pointed out. With a finger in the air, he said, "Some zoners still call me the Enemy Creator."
He was greeted with three expressions of sympathy. Most zoners had forgiven Mint and moved on. But there were still the few who still retained a grudge against him. But Mint usually did not let this bother him, and normally these zoners left him alone.
Wanting to get off that subject and steer it back on track, he said, "I'm sure we can think of something to convince the doctors to let us see some of the patients. We don't need to see all of them..." He looked over at Penny. "Right?"
Penny replied, "No. We just need to see a decent amount. I would say at least five would be good enough to start with. More would be better. But getting a ballpark estimate would be good enough for now. We would be able to at least get an idea of where this could be going."
"That sounds like a good idea." Mint nodded his head. "That way, we can get an idea faster. If we tried to interview everyone..."
"That would take a while, Mint." Rudy said. "And we don't know when this zoner will strike next."
"Yeah, I know." Mint looked over at the boy. "That's what I was getting at."
For the next few minutes, the four friends began to discuss what they were going to do. They all needed a good idea of what to expect tomorrow, so they could get the plan put forward as quickly and accurately as possible. The sooner they could get all this done, the sooner they could figure out what might be going on, and the sooner they could take action.
Mint threw in some of his own suggestions into the mix. Some of the were rejected for being too upfront or too aggressive. Though frustrated, Mint was not surprised by this. Even after all this time mellowing out with these three, Mint still retained some of his hostile traits. Out of all of them, he was the most eager to use aggression to get what he wanted. This wasn't something the others approved of, and he worked to correct it. But he had a feeling it would take many more years before this was weaned out of his system.
After some more minutes of chatting, throwing in ideas, they all finally agreed on a plan. Rudy wrote it down on four pieces of paper, one for each of them. That way, they'd all remember. They didn't want to forget any of the steps, and they didn't want to have to contact each other just to remember one or two things. Not only would this take away precious time, but it could potentially garner unwanted attention from someone in the Real World if they weren't careful.
Mint rolled the piece of paper and stuffed it into his pocket for safe keeping. "Well I better get going. My dad will be home soon."
"Yeah, good idea." Rudy said. He looked over at Snap. "We'll see you tomorrow morning. Just remember to be up at seven."
Snap nodded and gave a small salute. "Don't worry, Bucko! I'll be up!" He reached behind him and pulled out a small alarm clock. "I'll just set this baby to wake me up half an hour before. That'll give me plenty of time to grab a quick bite to eat, then I'll meet you three at the usual place, okay?"
"Sounds like a plan." Penny said.
"Just to make sure, everyone agrees on the plan right?" Rudy asked. He looked at everyone in the room, searching for any uncertain expressions, or anyone to speak up. When no one did, he lowered his arms to his side. "Okay, good." He gave a nod to Mint and Penny. "Come on. Let's get going." He looked back at Snap. "See you later, Snap!"
"Bye!" Mint and Penny cried as they went towards the exit.
Snap waved to him. Before they disappeared completely, it seemed Snap had one more idea. "I might try to speak to Sandra tomorrow morning."
At this, Mint froze. This wasn't the only time he reacted to the name. Something about it just felt...familiar. He wasn't sure why. He did feel bad about lying to Penny about it, but what else could he do? He wasn't even sure if he knew this name or not. It was just a nagging feeling in the back of his head. It was one of those things where it could go either way. Until he was certain, he didn't want to bring it up.
He did his best to look calm and curious to Snap. He didn't want to look suspicious or concerned as he addressed the zoner. "Why? I thought Sandra didn't know anything about the explosion."
"I'm not sure if Sandra would have any information we could use." Rudy pointed out. "Besides, she was in her restaurant all day when it happened."
"True, but maybe she knows someone?" Snap suggested. He held his hands up. "I mean, true, she was only around for a month at least. But...she did garner a lot of customers. Maybe one of them figured something out?" He turned his head, looking at each of the humans standing before him. "It's worth a try, right?"
"Hmm..." Rudy thought about this, his eyes narrowing. "Well...you do have a point, Snap." He lifted his head back up. "If Sandra's Alcove is as popular as you say, than maybe she did have some less than pleasant customers. If she could provide us with information, that would certainly be helpful."
"Even if it's not much, every little bit counts." Penny said. The others nodded in agreement.
"If you do figure out some information from her," Mint spoke up, trying to sound as confident as he could. "Let us know."
Snap nodded his head. "Will do!"
With that, the humans began to leave the treehouse, once again saying their goodbyes to Snap as they left. As they climbed down the steps and began to go their separate ways towards their homes, Mint's thoughts returned to Sandra.
Why did he recognize the name? He doesn't recall hearing it before, yet hearing it being mentioned, he couldn't help but wonder if there was something he was overlooking. A part of him wished he brought it up during the meeting. Even if he couldn't figure out why he felt like he may recognize the name, wasn't it best that he at least bring it up? Instead, he chose to block it out.
Oh well, he could always say something tomorrow. There was more time to speak then. More time to discuss the matter at hand. For now, it was time to rest.
sss
Unbeknownst to the three humans returning home, a pair of red eyes watched them from a distance. A single blue zoner stood far back, her body partially hidden by the couple trees that she used to hide herself. She glared at the retreating humans, but did not make a move forward, knowing full well she couldn't risk it.
It was not until the humans were far out of her sight that she began to move forward. Only then did Sandra deem it safe for her to approach Snap's abode.
The dragon zoner's ears were slightly raised. She listened intently to whatever was going on around her. She needed to remain fully alert. She didn't know what zoners came by this way, and she had no idea if Snap was expecting any company.
And she especially did not want to draw attention from Snap. She was bringing him something, but she did not want to sit down and chat with him. She was still in a rather pissy mood when she found out he was the one who destroyed her machine. She needed to avoid him until she could set the plan in motion and had some time to practice controlling her behavior some more. Out of all the zoners, Snap knew her the best. One wrong move was all it was going to take to really screw this up.
She slowly approached his treehouse. He had told her that he moved around a lot, but there were places that he liked to visit a lot. This treehouse was one of them. He often came here to play games with his friends. So this was the first place she thought to go. Luck seemed to be on her side when she saw that he was indeed here. When the lights went out, she knew that he was going to remain there until the next day. This was her best chance to make a move.
In her hand, she clutched something rectangular, colored a pale yellow. She turned her head, looking down at it. She then looked back at Snap's treehouse. A part of her felt melancholy for what she was about to do. But the other told her it was either this, or she may end up losing her business entirely.
It didn't take her that long to reach Snap's treehouse. She stopped in front of it and looked up. She waited and listened. When she could confirm that Snap had no idea she was there, she walked around, trying to find where his mail would go. She didn't see any. Her ears lowered and she growled in frustration. Where did the zoner get his mail then? She soon realized that since Snap moved around a lot, he probably didn't have mailboxes everywhere.
At this, she squeezed the item in her hand tighter. Now how was she going to deliver this? She looked up towards the tree house. She didn't want to have to do this, but it seemed she had no choice. She would have to climb up the steps and force it underneath his door.
Sandra walked up to the steps, which were thick platforms ticking out of the tree. She could see some remnants of a ladder nearby and she concluded that someone put these steps here because the ladder became too inefficient. She began to steadily climb up. She had to be careful; these steps were awkwardly placed, at least for her, and a few times, her tail would hit against one of the steps. Halfway up, she began to wonder just how Snap can handle climbing up this thing and why he didn't get Rudy to draw something better, like an elevator or something.
Soon she reached the top, and felt relief as her toes touched the platform the house was suspended upon. She looked down and was shocked to see that she really wasn't that high up, yet it felt like it took forever to climb this thing. She shook her head and then turned her attention to the door.
She approached the door, taking only two steps to get there. She took care not to let her claws clang against the wooden ground. She looked at the rectangle object in her hands and lowered herself onto her knee. She attempted to push it underneath the doorframe. She hissed softly when the piece just bent as she tried to shove it in. She put her eye close and she saw there was practically no space here. She moved her head back. She was not going to get the item in that way.
Sandra straightened herself up and looked around, her narrowed eyes looking at every detail of this place. There has to be something her she could use. She noticed a satellite on the roof, but that would do her no good. She looked at the sides of the small building, but the windows were closed. She leaned against the wooden railing, tapping her finger against her chin. There had to be someway she could get this inside the house without Snap knowing she was here.
As she leaned against the railing, she felt something bend under her weight. Her ears raised up as she realized she was falling forward. The wood snapped in half and she was sent flying forward. She tried not to scream as she plummeted down. She hit against the tall, black pole that stood next to Snap's tree house and let out a groan as she slowly slid down. She hit the bottom and she rubbed her head. She shook it and looked up. Seeing that Snap didn't realize she was there, Sandra stood up and brushed herself off.
Up the steps she went again. This time, she was able to move faster, knowing now what to expect as she scaled up. Back on the platform, she looked around and realized there was only one other place she could try: the roof.
Sandra could see that there was a thick branch that bent upwards, close to the roof. She walked over slowly. She climbed up, using her claws to keep her footing. Soon the branch parted into two, and she used the smaller one to help her get on the roof. She had to swing herself back and forth in order to get the momentum. Soon, she was able to launch herself on the roof. She winced when she realized that she hit the roof a little too hard. Her claws dug deep into it as her chin slammed against the surface.
Unlike her falling down earlier, this did not go unnoticed by Snap.
Seconds later, Sandra heard the window opening. She clenched her teeth and moved back as she heard Snap's voice calling out.
"Who's there?!"
Sandra didn't answer.
"I know I heard something. Come on out!"
Sandra clenched her jaws shut tightly. It was tempting to say something, to jump down and do what had tobe done. But she had to remain still. Everything had to be planned perfectly. If she gave in..she would ruin everything.
Snap spent about a minute calling out to the intruder. But when Sandra remained quiet long enough, Snap seemed to get the message.
"Huh." Snap said. Sandra envisioned him rubbing his head. "Maybe I was just hearing things..." With that, Snap disappeared back into his house. But the window was left open. Perfect...
Sandra inched her way over towards the edge of the roof. She ignored the mild pain from her belly being scraped along the wooden surface. She moved her feet carefully, letting them soundlessly come forward without hitting against the wood. In a matter of moments, she was draping over the edge, her foot claws digging in deep to hold her up.
Dangling upside down was not fun and she could feel the blood rush to her head, so she had to do this quickly. She used her hand to grip onto the window. Despite their sharp appearance, her pointed fingers were not claws or hard for that matter, so she did not fear scraping the window when she touched it. She moved down as far as she could go. She used her tail to wrap around the satellite dish for more leverage. Soon she was able to get a peak inside the tree house.
She could see Snap laying on one of the bean bag chairs. The television light blared in her face, causing her to turn away. Snap must have the volume real low; she did not hear much from the television. Well at least Snap was distracted. That would give her time to toss in the item through his window. She just had to get the right angle and...
Good... With a single toss, she was able to get the yellow rectangle into the treehouse. She didn't hear Snap getting up and she didn't see him looking around. He must not have heard. Oh well, he would see it in the morning, she was certain. All she had to do now was play the waiting game.
"Oh no, don't go in there! Oh I can't watch!"
Sandra cocked an eyebrow. Her mouth dropped open, her teeth partiall exposed. What was this zoner talking about? Then, she got her answer.
Suddenly, a loud roar rang out through the air. Sandra's ears shot straight up as she let out a yelp of fear. She lost her grip on the roof and her tail fumbled. She flopped forward and did a flip, slamming her back against the branch she had just climbed up on. She laid there for a few seconds before sliding forward. Her eyes widened in horror as she plummeted upside down towards the ground below. She didn't have time to scream as her head smashed into the dirt, getting her muzzle stuck part way into the ground.
She began to struggle, using her feet for leverage and pushing up on her hands. She froze when she heard Snap's voice calling out again.
"Okay I'm serious. Who is here?!"
It took about twice as long before Snap went away this time. Unlike before, he closed the window this time around. She heard it shut in unison of her pushing her face out of the dirt. She coughed and wheezed, trying to get the dirt out of her mouth and nostrils. After she wiped them off, she looked up at the tree house, glaring softly. This had been more trouble than she realized it would be.
But at least the item was delivered now. She could leave. Tomorrow, she would put everything into motion. Satisfied, she bolted off away from the tree house, returning back to her place.
sss
Snap lifted up the remote and shut the television off. It was getting late. He had promised his friend that he would be up in time for the meeting. If he stayed up too much longer, he was going to oversleep, even with the alarm set.
Speaking of the alarm, he hadn't quite set it yet. He got up from his seated position and walked over towards the small table where his clock was placed. He lifted it up and pressed a few buttons. After he set the alarm for 6:30, he decided it was best to head to bed now. It was around eleven now, so if he hurried up and went to bed, he'd get at least a decent amount of sleep before he had to meet his friends.
He didn't think it would be too difficult falling asleep even after watching that horror movie. It was rather cheesy and the special effects were boring and too noticeable. Plus, it had some bad acting and horrible lines. Overall, it was a cheap movie made by cheap people. It had its moments, like that monster jumping out of thin air, but other than that, it could have been a lot better.
The only thing that really got his skin crawling wasn't even the movie. It was the weird sounds he had been hearing as he was trying to watch the television. He gave a shudder, wondering just what it was. He tried to dismiss it as just his imagination, but somehow, he had his doubts about that. Something about that theory just seemed...wrong. He heard scraping on the roof.. He couldn't have imagined that, could he? Over and over?
Someone had been here. He wanted to go out so badly and check. But his better judgment told him to stay put and wait until tomorrow. He could tell Rudy, Penny, and Mint about it. They might have an idea of who or what it was. Maybe it was just a stray bird zoner that crashed into his place. Unlikely...but still a probable scenario.
He tried his best to shove his fearful thoughts aside. There was nothing he could do right now except wait. It wouldn't be a smart move to wander out there if he thought there was a threat. What if they were waiting for him and would attack when he least expected it? Yeah, best to remain inside and talk to his friends about it the next day. Whatever it was, they were gone now. He hadn't heard a peep out of them since that crash he heard earlier. They must have fled off somewhere.
Snap gave a small smile at this. Yeah it was probably just some coward who thought they could sneak up on him. If they had come into his place, he would have shown them a thing or to about trying to mess with him. He might not be an aggressive zoner, but he had a trick or two up his sleeve. His friends sometimes got a taste of this when he was feeling particularly playful.
Of course he would not let his guard down. His windows were shut tightly and door locked, so he was safe for tonight. But he still would be on edge. Regardless if this guy was a coward or not, they could still be dangerous, especially if they were aware of his weakness. Not many zoners knew of the prosthetic in his back. His three human friends knew of course, and so did the doctors that treated him. Outside of that, he only told a few zoners, like Rapsheeba, Blocky, Lars, and Sandra.
The prosthetic was strong, but not as strong as the rest of his vertebrae. It was a weak spot that could easily break if the right force at the right angle were applied. That area was also highly sensitive. Skrawl's claws really raked him deep. The damage they caused, along with the massive bruising and broken pieces of bone from Mint's attack, left the area somewhat painful to touch. Even light pressure was enough to make him feel uncomfortable. He became quite protective of that area and could be easily set at unease at anyone but someone he trusted touching that spot.
He soon realized he was being a little silly. What were the odds of anyone who wanted to hurt him getting in here, who knew about his prosthetic? It wasn't like anyone he knew was going to spread the word or anything. He had requested it not be common knowledge, and anyone else who asked, to just say his back healed on its own. He didn't want to risk an enemy finding out about his weakness.
He glanced back at the time and realized he had wasted too many minutes thinking to himself about the intruder he had heard earlier. It was time for him to head off to bed. He walked over to the small bed in the corner, which was low to the ground, nearly touching it. He pulled the blanket back and began to crawl into it, making sure the alarm clock was set close to him.
Before he could head off to sleep, he noticed something sticking out of a small pile in front of him. He squinted, trying to get a better look. The item was rectangular and colored yellow, it seemed. He immediately got out of his bed and walked over towards it. He grabbed it and lifted it up.
Snap held the item in his hand, turning it from side to side. It felt soft, yet stiff. It wasn't too large. Flat yet wide. And it was very light. Upon turning on the light, the illumination spreading throughout the room, he identified the object as a letter.
The envelope wasn't too fancy. Just pale yellow. No decorative details. Not even a stamp. He briefly wondered if the person he heard earlier was trying to get this delivered. If that were the case, he felt a little bad for shouting. Maybe he scared them away. He turned his attention back to the letter. He shook it a few times, trying to get an idea of what it was. He could hear something move inside, and he immediately ripped it open.
It was a card of some kind. The card wasn't as simple. It was dark blue in color with some black swirls around it that had glitter in them. He examined the card some more. There was nothing tucked away inside. But when he opened it, he was greated with some thick, bold letters that had a slight glow to them even in the brightness of his room. His eyes skimmed the letter, and he began to read it.
"Dear Snap,
I apologize for not handing this out in person. I wanted to, but I wanted it to be a surprise for you to wake up to tomorrow morning. I have some wonderful news.
I heard about what you have done with that dreaded machine. It was scary how it was affecting zoners and electronics like that. I am so glad that you were able to stop it. I heard some zoners talking rather fondly of you, and some of them mentioned you deserve a party.
I couldn't agree more. You really do deserve one. It might not seem like much, stopping one machine, but that did make a big difference. You would not believe just how widespread that machine's possible damage could have been. It was definitely good that you were able to locate it and destroy it before the damage could spread further.
Tomorrow, in the afternoon, I plan on holding a large party in your honor. I would be delighted and honored if you would come and grace your presence. The party will be located at the Shrapnel Tower, that new place in town. Don't worry, there won't be any sharp edges to steop on. I had those removed.
Oh and this party is invitation only. Sorry, but only you can come over. There isn't much room in this place and I already sent invitations out to many other zoners. So no, your human friends can't come over. I'm so sorry about that.
Well I'll let you get ready. I look forward to seeing you there. I hope you will have a great time. Believe me, tomorrow at the party, you will get what you deserve.
From, Sandra"
Snap stared at the letter and, slowly, closed it. So the letter had come from Sandra. According to the time stamp on the card, the party really was dated tomorrow. He wondered why Sandra didn't say 'today' instead of 'tomorrow', but perhaps she wrote the letter late.
He wondered if that was Sandra sneaking around. If so, the thought brought a shudder to him. Sandra knew she didn't have to sneak around like that. Why would she try to hide herself? Well, in her card, she did say that she wanted it to be a surprise. He could kind of understand that. Surprises were great, and he had to admit, the idea of a party did sound wonderful.
He couldn't help but feel disappointment that his human friends couldn't go. He would have gladly brought them with. They would have enjoyed it, even if they couldn't eat any of the food. Yet, he could understand Sandra's concern. The Shrapnel Tower was not a particularl large building, so too many invites would be problematic. The building itself was located in the outskirts of town, near the very edge. It only recently appeared, and was so new, it didn't even have a purpose yet. Maybe if Sandra's party for him went well, they could use it for that.
Snap wondered if any of the machine's victims were going to be there. That was a possibility. If Sandra met a few of them, she may have invited them so they could thank him for freeing them from the thing's influence. He hoped so. He could use this opportunity to talk to them about the effects so he and his friends could try to figure out what the machine's purpose was, and just who it was targeting. That way, other zoners don't have to worry about being the next targets.
And maybe Sandra could have figured out a thing or to. If she spoke to these victims, she might have learned some important information. Even if she did not get any new information from them, he could still talk to her. She might still have some knowlege that they could use to find the culprit. He kind of wished that Sandra had stayed over and chatted with him. He would have loved to talk to her about this.
Oh well, he could always wait until tomorrow. Sandra was going to be at this party. All he had to do was wait, and he would see her again. He would need to make sure to let his friends know. It was going to be sad having to tell them that they couldn't come with. But they'd understand. It wasn't like he was purposely leaving them out or anything.
He shuddered as he thought of the machine again. Just what was it? What did it do? He asked himself this already, over and over. He tried to relax is mind, but sometimes, the thoughts just came flooding to him. The idea of there being a mystery machine out there chilled him.
This unknown threat.. It had to be taken care of soon. They stopped it, yes, but that wasn't enough. They needed to find who the culprit was. Only when they catch who did it could they rest easily at night.
He thought back to the machine's effects. He knew that the machine was trying to weaken security systems and zoners. But why, he wasn't sure. The culprit didn't try to catch anybody or steal anything. No reports on missing victims, or anyone sneaking around, trying to crawl into a building they weren't allowed in. But that didn't rule out the possibility of zoners being targeted specifically.
The machine was making zoners, and Penny, think weird, and act weird. He didn't know the full details, but from what little he knew, it was apparent that this culprit wanted some zoners to be in a weakened state of mind. But why? The compromised security system gave him an idea.
What if the machine was being used to allow this zoner to break in and capture someone? It seemed that this zoner could be after anyone, if the signal affected random zoners like that. Maybe the only reason no one disappeared yet was because someone always came into a position that would compromise their attempts.
Of course, it was possible that the zoner in question was just trying to steal something. That would be a good explanation for the security systems being affected. But..why a hospital if that were the case? What could they get stealing from a place like that? Medicines perhaps, and maybe the money, but the hospital wasn't exactly a prime target for thieves. A robber would usually go after something bigger, like a bank. Huge risk, but more rewarding in the end.
It was for this reason Snap couldn't help but wonder if this zoner was after random victims. This scared him even more than someone specifically targeting another. In specific target cases, they had a better idea of what they were potentially up against, and what to expect. But if the attacks were random... then they stood little chance of guessing when and where the attacker would strike next. And Snap wasn't sure how Rudy, Penny, or Mint felt, but a villain who indiscriminately targeted random people like it was nothing was more terrifying than one with a more defined goal.
Well there wasn't much he could do right now. He could stay up all night if he wanted to, thinking about this. But without extra information, he was not going to get much anywhere. The best thing for him to do was lay down and sleep on it. Perhaps, after a good night's rest, he could think back to the problem and figure something out. Plus, a chat with his friends, and later with Sandra and some victims, may help shed some light on the issue.
He hoped the victims didn't mind talking too much. He would understand if they didn't want to talk about their experience. If Penny's recount told him anything, it was an uncomfortable and scary experience. He knew that the victims of the machine may not feel comfortable with telling him about what happened to their minds while the machine was active. They might also feel ashamed, depending on what thoughts the machine forced through their heads.
Still, he hoped that some of them were willing to talk. If he explained to them that if they figured out what the machine did, they could stop it from ever happening again. By talking about their experience, they would be helping others, and themselves, from ever having to experience that dreaded machine ever again.
But if they didn't want to talk about it, even after explaining how it could help them, he would not push it. He knew what it felt like being traumatized and afraid, as did his friends. Pushing the issue would only make matters worse. If the zoners insisted on not talking yet, he would back down. He and his friends could always wait a few days before trying again. Perhaps, after at least a week, at least a couple zoners would have calmed down enough to speak.
He really should have to sleep now. He stayed up long enough. He not only had a meeting with his friends, but he also wanted to be presentable when he went to Sandra's celebration party for him. He didn't want to walk in there, looking like he just crawled out of bed. He pushed aside his nagging thoughts about the machine and the party so he could focus on getting to sleep.
Snap closed the letter and went over to the television. He placed the card there, pushing it partially underneath so he knew where it was when he first woke up. He straightened out his arms, feeling his muscles stretching. He let out a loud yawn and smacked his lips together.
He headed back over to his bed. As he did so, he felt his eyes get heavy, a ring of tiredness surrounding them. He felt like he could collapse at any time. Unable to stop himself, he let out another yawn. He crawled back into his bed, snuggling up underneath the covers. He pulled the blanket of his body and curled up. He closed his eyes and started to go to sleep.
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Post by Bluedramon on Oct 11, 2014 8:35:56 GMT -5
Chapter 4: A Worrying Implication
Keep the pieces in the drawer. Keep them there forever more.
-Throw Me Away, Korn
It didn't take Snap too long to finish up his breakfast. He wasn't sure if Sandra's Alcove even had breakfast, but he was glad he came anyway. The meal itself wasn't anything too different from what he had seen before. Eggs and bacon. But he still enjoyed it nonetheless. He didn't really want anything too fancy since he had to meet up with his friends soon.
He was concerned about Sandra, though. She still seemed to be upset about something. He still thought it was most likely the explosion that occurred not far from her restaurant. She was probably worried it might get destroyed, and understandably so. It wasn't the building he was concerned about; what would happen if a bomb of sorts went off while she and her customers were still in here?
Snap shuddered, not wanting to think about it too much. He reminded himself that at least the machine was stopped, and so far there hadn't been any reports of others. This helped put his mind at ease, and he could start thinking on more preventative measures. If they could figure out who the owner was...
...then perhaps they could learn what the purpose of the machines were. Then they could also locate the owner and have him or her arrested before they could build anything else. He didn't know how long they had before the owner would strike again, but he was confident they'd figure it out before it was too late.
He glanced over at Sandra. She was still acting pretty calm, but it seemed a bit forced. It was clear, from the tone of her voice, the way she spoke to the zoners, and her movements, something was bugging her. It wasn't as bad as the other day, but still noticeable.
He wondered if this party was partly for her. Maybe she wanted something more lighthearted and jovial to look forward to, in order to take her mind off the explosion, or whatever else was working her up. Snap wanted to try to comfort her, but without knowing what was wrong, there was little he could do. He could only hope that Sandra feels better soon.
Sandra had noticed that he finished up his plate. She strode over towards him, her tail tip moving from side to side as it was elevated off the ground. She folded her arms across her metal chest plate and stared intently at him. Her red eyes shifted from his mostly empty plate, then back ot him.
"I see you're already done." Sandra noted. She tilted her head to one side. "That was rather..fast."
"I can eat fast if I have to." Snap said.
Sandra nodded her head. "I can believe that." She placed a hand on her table, leaning against it. The top of her other hand was pressed against her side. "So..where are you going in such a hurry?" Snap blinked at her. Sandra chuckled. "Oh don't try to lie to me, Snap. I can see it in your eyes. You're in a hurry. Tell me, why the rush?"
Snap wondered if he should bring it up now. He had been wanting to speak to her about her customers, if she noticed anything strange. But with her being in a bad mood, would now be a good time?
He decided it was best to just ask and get it out of the way. The sooner he got the information, the better.
Snap picked up his drink, some orange juice still available in it for him. "My friends and I are going to investigate that explosion some more." He took a sip of his drink. He smacked his lips together as he tasted the citrus flavor. "Well specifically, we are going to go talk to some of the patients who had been affected by the machine's signal." He gave Sandra a sideways glance. "We hope to gather up enough information to help us pinpoint the one who created the machine."
At this, Sandra's pupils shrank for a second, her eyes widening. She soon relaxed them. "I see..." She took a small step back, tilting her muzzle downward. "Well then...I'll let you get right onto that." She began to turn away. "Good day to you, Snap."
Snap raised up his hand. "Wait!" Sandra paused, but did not look back at him. "I need to speak to you!"
"Oh?" Sandra straightened herself up. She turned her head, her long ears raising up as a single red eye looked over at Snap. "Why do you need to speak to me?"
"I know now is probably not a good time for me to ask this. I noticed you seem upset by something and I don't want to stress you out more. But...I would greatly appreciate it if you could tell me anything you possibly know." Snap explained the best he could. He spoke in a calm voice, adopting a somewhat submissive posture as to not make Sandra feel threatened. "Please, my friends and I can use it to make sure this never happens again."
Sandra was silent. She stood there, frozen and unmoving. The only part of her that had any action to it was her tail. It was moving swiftly around, almost like a cat getting ready to strike. Her eyes were narrowed in deep thought. She wasn't looking at him. She averted his gaze and looked at the ground. She remained like this for a while, and Snap felt his heart clench. Had he gone too far? Had he upset her? He leaned forward to try to apologize, but when he did, Sandra finally made her move.
The bipedal dragon slowly turned around to face him. Her feet shuffled along the ground, her claws momentarily scraping it as she nearly stripped over herself. Her arms remained behind her back. She stared at him intently, leaning forward and peering into his eyes. She appeared to be making a decision. Not wanting to rush her, Snap remained quiet, waiting.
Then Sandra gave her response.
"...all right then..." She raised her head up higher. Her left ear twitched a little. She lowered her body so she could raise up her foot. She scratched herself with her foot talons. Upon straightening herself up, shaking her head once, she said, "Go on. Shoot. Tell me what you want."
"Well..." Snap was a little caught off guard. He hadn't expected her to essentiall say 'yes' this easily. He would have thought it would take some more bribing. It took him a few seconds before he figured out how he wanted to say it. "I want to know if you can tell me about any suspicious customers that came by this way. Any one who seemed a bit too aggressive or demanding. Any one that would have wanted to destroy a part of ChalkZone, or steal something of value or...just about anything."
Sandra leaned back against the table, so fast that her weight shifted it a little. Snap moved away, giving the dragon some room. Sandra remained in a thoughtful posture for a few moments. Her mind's gears were clearly grinding. Snap wouldn't fault her if she couldn't think of much at the moment, given what happened lately.
"Well...not really." Sandra admitted. She rubbed the back of her head, her fingers toying with her right ear. "I mean, there was one customer who was ranting and raving about a bride, but I..."
"Jacko?!" Snap cried, his body straightening up.
Sandra looked at him, wide-eyed. "Yes...do you know him?"
Snap nodded his head. "Yeah." He forgot he never told Sandra about Jacko. Then again, he had little reason to. Jacko usually didn't stray out of Night Zone, and unlike Skrawl, he usually didn't target anyone outside of Rudy and his pals. He looked at Sandra with concern. "He didn't do anything to you, right? Jacko can be...unpredictable."
"Oh really?" Sandra asked. "How so?"
"Well, one time when Rudy hurt his arm a couple years back, he joined me and Rapsheeba in this parade thing...I forget exactly what it was. But Jacko had a trap laid out for him and he forced Rudy into this death maze."
Sandra's eyes widened at this. "Was Rudy's dominant arm the one damaged?" Snap nodded his head. "And Jacko took full advantage of it?"
Snap nodded his head. "Yeah..he did. Rudy was lucky to have gotten out alive."
Snap's mind flashed back to that day. He knew something was wrong when Rudy's portal wasn't more circular. He didn't expect a perfect circle all the time. But Rudy's portal was so lopsided that he knew something was up. He was proven right when Rudy showed up with a damaged arm, held in a sling. Snap couldn't recall if it was broken or if it was just sprained. Either way, Rudy was not going ot use it anytime soon.
Snap had wanted to help Rudy and to cheer him up. So he suggested that he come with him on this parade thing, celebration of life if he remembered his own description well enough. They called it a funeral, which in ChalkZone, didn't necessarily mean death. Rapsheeba was going to do a song for them.
It seemed to be working. As he, Rudy, and Rapsheeba walked down the path towards the graveyard, Rudy appeared to be cheering up. But that all changed once Jacko showed up...
Snap could still feel the bone-chilling horror he felt when he and Rapsheeba were taken captive and were forced to watch as Rudy had to flee for his life in the maze. With that damaged arm of his, Rudy was terribly weakened and stood little chance against the zombies that were trying to destroy him. And when Jacko showed up, brandishing those claws, threatening to rip Rudy to shreds...
He gave a quick shudder, banishing those thoughts from his head. The important thing was that Rudy escaped and he was still with him, alive and well. And this time, if Jacko were to try to strike, he had three contendors to deal with. He hadn't fought against Mint before, so Jacko would be ill prepared.
"I see. That sounds terrifying." Sandra's voice pulled him out of his head. "I can safely say he didn't try any kind of stunt with me. Besides, he wouldn't have gotten too far." Sandra moved her tail forward so Snap could see the spikes on it. "One swipe of this and even the most determined will think twice before messing with me."
The superhero zoner couldn't help but shiver at the sight of the tail. The four spikes looked wickedly sharp, like her talons. He imagined they could slice through anything. One well aimed hit at the head, and the gashes Jacko would get would indeed deter him.
"I do not doubt that." Snap said simply, staring at the spikes for a few seconds. He soon managed to tear himself away from them and clear his throat. "Is that all you can tell me?"
Sandra nodded her head. "Yeah. I'm sorry."
"No, don't be. This information could be helpful." Snap smiled at her. He quickly finished up his drink and set it back down. He licked his lips and wiped them off. "Well, I should get going. It's almost time for me to meet up with my friends." Snap got up out of his seat. "See you around!"
Sandra nodded her head, offering a smile of her own. "Good luck!" She waved her hand. "I hope you find something!"
sss
Penny held the card Snap gave her. She reread it over and over again, making sure it really did say what she thought, what Snap said it did. She felt a warm sensation in her chest, a smile ticking away at her mouth. She could understand why Snap was so excited.
Turning her attention to him, offering a big smile, she said, "Congratulations, Snap!"
"Yeah! You must be so excited!" Rudy, who stood next to Penny, agreed.
Snap smiled back at his friends. But then he started to frown a bit, lowering his head. He looked from side to side, as if worried about something, or that he thought he did something wrong. "You...guys aren't upset you can't come with?"
Rudy blinked his eyes a few times. "Why would we? We're happy for you and we think you should go."
"Yeah, I thought you would be." Snap said with a smile. "I guess when I finally came to tell you..I got a little worried."
"That's understandable. It's one thing to be certain of a reaction, but it's another to anticipate it when you make the move." Penny noticed Snap's expression and smiled nervously. "Sorry for the confusion, Snap. I..hope you understood enough of what I said to get what I'm saying."
"I...yeah I think so." Snap said quickly. Not wanting to stick to that particular subject, he said, "I admit, I was surprised when I got the invite."
Penny had to agree. It did seem rather sudden. Wouldn't it have been better to wait a little while before, just in case something big happened? One explosion in ChalkZone City was bad enough. But for another to happen...
Yeah the possibilities of that were very low. There were several cops patrolling the city right now, looking for any suspicious activity. If something was going on, they would know about it. Critical areas of ChalkZone City were now being monitored. It would be difficult for the culprit to set up another machine.
But...it was still possible.. This machine escaped any radar detection, and since it was destroyed, they had no way of replicating the signal so they knew what to look for. They were essentially blind. If the culprit managed to find a suitable spot and took the time to build another machine... She tried not to think about the possibilities.
Penny was still grateful that Sandra was holding a party to not only celebrate Snap's success in stopping the machine, but also to lighten everyone's moods. After the signal scare, they all could use some relaxation time. She was certain the zoners invited would appreciate what Sandra was doing for them. She imagined that, after the party, the zoners would be much more relaxed and at ease. She hoped that even those most affected by the horrible signal could be soothed after spending some time at the party.
"There is something I don't get..." Mint's voice tore through the room, causing everyone to look over at him. "I'm surprised none of you brought it up."
"We would explain why if you would tell us." Rudy said, cocking up an eyebrow.
"Yeah, Mint." Snap pointed a rounded hand at Mint. "What has you so concerned about Sandra's party?"
"Oh no, that's not what I meant!" Mint shook his head. He then raised his hands. "I was talking about this mystery machine."
"What about it?" Penny asked, curiosity filling her up. She could tell Rudy and Snap were interested as well. What had Mint noticed that they did not?
Mint began to explain.
"Well according to one of the cop zoners we spoke with, this signal had been around for a while. I forget how long, but definitely longer than just a few days. Zoners in general had acted weird for a length of time, in short bursts of course. If that is the case, then how come none of us were told about it before? Don't you think that is strange? If this signal wasn't new, then how come we were only told about it when we ourselves became aware? And how come Penny was only affected that one time, but the rest, she operated just fine? I don't know about you guys, but something about this doesn't feel right. I can't help but wonder if someone is hiding something from us..."
Penny felt her heart skip a beat this. She glanced over at her friends. Snap and Rudy exchanged nervous looks. They glanced over at her, their eyes silently pleading for an answer from her. But all she could do was stare at them with widened, worried eyes.
She turned away and started to think more. She allowed Mint's words to slowly sink in. She...hadn't thought of any of that before. Neither had Rudy or Snap. None of them thought of the idea something like a...a conspiracy going on...
Mint brought up a very good point. Why weren't they told of this signal before? Why did the zoners keep quiet about it? Why were none of them informed of strange behavior? Why hadn't they seen any odd behavior for themselves? It could be because the cops were wrong and the signal wasn't that old, but the other possibility was quite chilling and very plausible.
The creator of the machine was deliberately avoiding them...
Depending on how much control this person had over his or her machine, maybe they were able to target areas and zoners while she and the others were too far away to be of much help. Maybe this time around was an exception. Perhaps the owner wanted to get rid of her, or maybe they merely slipped up. Or maybe Skrawl's usage of the machine did something to it.
Penny tried to rationalize the situation. Maybe there was a good reason for the cops not to say anything. Maybe the cops were trying to get more informatoin before they said anything. Maybe they knew something about the signal and didn't want them getting hurt. Maybe...
But no matter what she tried to tell herself, something still didn't add up. Mint was right. Something was definitely wrong. The cop zoners had always told them what they could before. Why would this be any different?
"We'll figure something out." Rudy's confident voice broke through. He was standing up as straight as he could. He did his best to look confident. He looked at each of his friends, a hand tightened into a fist. "Don't worry, you guyus. We will get to the bottom of this."
"That's the spirit, Bucko!" Snap cried, raising a hand into the air. "This mystery is as good as solved!"
Penny gave a small smile at this. She was glad that Rudy could be the voice of confidence. She wasn't sure what to say herself. Her mind was so wrapped up in this new information that she found it hard to speak. If forced to ask, she feared she would say the wrong thing and make things worse.
She was confident that Rudy could figure something out. She believed in him, as did the others. If anyone could figure out what to do, Rudy would be the one.
She looked over at Mint and noticed him glaring...now, more like just frowning. It took her a few seconds to realize that he was not really angry or annoyed. Rather, he appeared concerned. As confident as he was in Rudy's abilities, there were times when Mint remained uncertain. And he was usually the most bold of them. For him to be worried...there had to be a good reason.
Crossing his arms, Mint took a couple steps towards Rudy. He held up his hand in gesture, his fingers facing towards Rudy. "What do you propose we do?"
Rudy looked over at him. "The same thing we already planned, Mint." He turned his head, looking at towards the horizon. "We go speak to some of the patients."
"Uh huh.." Mint nodded his head. "And if the cops try to stop us...?"
Rudy narrowed his eyes at Mint. "I don't think they are going to do that, Mint."
Mint shrugged his shoulders. "I'm just saying..." He let his shoulders relax, his narrowed eyes looking directly into Rudy's. "We shouldn't dismiss the possibility."
"I hate to say it.." Penny took a couple steps towards her friends. Her expression was etched in worry. "But Mint might have a good point. Maybe we should get ready just in case something like that were to happen."
"I don't know why the cops wouldn't let us speak to the patients..." Snap said. He paused and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Unless the patients are in no condition..."
"That is a possibility." Mint said, turning his attention to Snap. "And I'm hoping that's all it's going to be." He closed his eyes, shaking his head. "The last thing we need is a couple of zoners making things difficult for us." He sighed softly as he reopened his eyes. "It's going to make it a lot harder to find the information we want that way..."
"Don't worry, Mint." Rudy reached over and touched the older boy on the shoulder. "It will be fine. Trust me."
Mint looked at Rudy's hand, and then glanced back at the boy. Slowly, he smiled. "I hope you're right."
Rudy gave a nod to him, and then turned his head. He addressed all three of them. "Come on, we need to head to the hospital now. Hopefully we will find at least five victims willing to speak to us."
With that, the four friends headed out.
sss
"Wait, what did you kids want to do?" The receptionist asked. One of her eyes was cocked up in confusion.
Mint resisted the urge to groan. They had explained the situation at least twice with this zoner. Why wasn't she getting the point? How many times did he have to repeat himself before she got it? But despite how angry he was getting, he had to keep himself as calm as possible. If he said the wrong thing, it was going to bite them all back.
"We were wondering if we could speak to some of the patients that were affected by the signal." Mint said. He spoke as clearly as he could, taking his time forming the words without accidentally sounding as though he was mocking her. "We need to get as much information as we can to learn about this machine."
"It's really important we speak to at least a few of the patients." Penny said. She walked up to Mint, standing next to him. "If you could give us permission, and a list, to see five, just five, that would be..."
The receptionist cut her off. She shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I'm not sure if I can allow you to do that."
"What?" Rudy's eyes widened. "Why not?"
"It's for a good cause! Don't you want the culprit to be found?" Snap asked, his voice sounding a bit edgy.
The receptionist nodded her head. "Yes, yes, of course I do... It's just that..." She paused, narrowing her eyes slightly. "I'm just not sure if it's in my jurisdiction to allow visitors to see patients they don't personally know."
"Well maybe you could list off some of the patients then?" Snap suggested.
The receptionist said, "I'm sorry...I can't do that. Confidential and all."
"Confidential?!" Mint cried, his eyes widening. "Since when?!"
"Since always." The receptionist glared in his direction. Mint felt himself freeze as they locked eyes with one another. "Standard procedure. We don't usually allow strangers in strangers' rooms, on the off chance that something could happen."
"But something could still happen anyway." Rudy pointed out. "There are people who will decieve others and strike when they are most vulnerable."
"And I was allowed to see Snap when he was hurt." Mint pointed out. "I may not have been a stranger, but..."
"Oh I remember that time..." The receptionist glared at Mint. "The only reason you were allowed in was because you were with Rapsheeba and Blocky. Had it not been for them, you would have been chased out."
Mint winced as the receptionist spoke to him in a cold voice. He gritted his teeth nervously, cringing back away a little. He glared back at her, wondering why she was speaking to him that way. It was almost as if she...
Oh wait, that's right... Mint looked at her more intently, observing her features, and soon he realized who she was. This was the same receptionist he spoke to when he came over to see Snap a few years back. She was the one who only permitted him a brief amount of time to see Snap, or else she would call security or something. It would seem she was one of the few zoners who still bore a grudge against him. He wondered if one of her family members had been harmed by him. That would explain her prolonging bitterness.
Though tempted, he decided not to engage her in any kind of debate or argument. He could defend his stance all he wanted to. He could try to tell her that he was no longer a threat. But that would only waste time, and it might aggravate her even more. Mint knew when it was time to back down.
Mint lowered his head in submission. "I understand..." He took a couple small steps back, keeping his gaze lowered so he wouldn't further provoke the female zoner.
Although the others were clearly annoyed by how the zoner was speaking to him, they also understood it was best not to argue. They stayed on the topic at hand.
"Please, you have to let us see some patients." Rudy said. "Can't you give us any information? We're ChalkZone's guardians. Doesn't that count for anything?"
The receptionist glared at the four. She lowered her gaze slightly, continuing to stare at them. She rested her arms on the table in front of her. Her hands clasped together as she leaned back. She turned her head, getting a nice, long look at them. It felt like several minutes passed by before she finally answered.
"I'm sorry, but it doesn't." At this, they widened their eyes in shock. "I'm sorry, but those are the rules. Unless you know someone who is here, I can't help you."
"But...you could at least give us a list and we can tell you who.." Penny started to say.
The receptionist shot Penny a glare. "For the last time, no!" The zoner barked, her voice laced in anger.
The four friends went silent. They stared at the zoner, not saying a word. They glanced at each other, exchanging worried and confused glances. They then looked back. Looking into the zoner's eyes, it was clear they were not going to get any more information out of her this way. They took a few steps back, noticing the zoner starting to visibly shake with a torrent of emotions.
Mint felt his own body start to shake. This wasn't like last time. He didn't need to apologize to Snap on that particular day; it could have waited if he absolutely could not see him. Snap was not going to die if he didn't apologize that very day.
But this.. It was more serious than that. Several more zoners could be affected, and many zoners could be in danger of being hurt. They had no idea what this machine was going to be used for, if there were going to be casualties or not. He understood if the patients themselves would have a hard time speaking of their experience. But this zoner... How dare she try to complicate things... She knew what was going on, and yet she was still preventing them from getting the information that could save lives.
Although he usually knew when the back down, and he did his best to avoid fights, he felt his more assertive side take over. He was not about to sit around, allowing this zoner to stop them from talking with the patients. He knew Rudy and Penny, as well as Snap, would not do anything aggressive to get the zoner to talk. It was not in his nature.
But he was different.
Mint narrowed his eyes further. He could see that his friends were looking at him in confusion. They spoke up to him, trying to get his attention, but he ignored them. He marched over to the desk, staring at the receptionist in the eyes. She bared her teeth and moved back a little, looking almost fearful as he approached.
Suddenly, Mint slammed his hands against the glass, the sound reverberating through the air. He heard his friends call out his name, but his attention was solely on the zoner before him. Baring his teeth, he spoke in a low voice.
"Listen here! There's a mysterious zoner going around, building mysterious machines and we have no idea what they are going to do! Zoners, and electronic equipment, have been afflicted with this strange signal and have been acting strange, but do you realize that it could get worse?! This crazy zoner could be plotting to do a lot of harm, and they may go much further than just making some zoners feel strange!"
The receptionist's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. This expression only lasted a short time before she narrowed her eyes again and tried to speak.
But Mint cut he roff. "With how widespread the signal could be, that means that this hospital could soon be crammed full of injured patients! And that's if we're lucky! What if they could do much worse? What if it's like a disease and it spreads?! Do you really want to have something like that on your hands?!" Mint took in a few breaths, trying to calm himself down. But he found it difficult. Clenching his teeth tightly, he practically glared into the zoner's soul and spoke with his voice seeping between the gaps of his teeth. "Don't you care...?"
"Mint! Stop!"
Mint jolted himself out of his trance when he felt a pair of hands grab him by his shoulders. He shook his head and looked behind him. He could see Rudy standing there, looking at him with a stern expression.
"Stop it! You're going to make things worse!" Rudy said to him as he pulled Mint away from the receptionist. As soon as Mint was far enough away, Rudy looked over at the receptionist, giving her an apologetic look. "I apologize for Mint. He usually has a better control over himself than this..."
Mint winced as Rudy looked over and glared at him. He lowered his head, feeling ashamed of himself.
The receptionist cocked an eyebrow. "Uh huh...sure..." Rudy narrowed his eyes at this. The receptionist turned her swivel chair away and she got up from her seat. She was silent for a few moments. Then, giving them a sideways glance, she said, "...wait right here..."
The four watched in confusion as the receptionist walked away. They glanced at each other. They wondered what she was going to do.
sss
The friends walked down the hallway. They took care to look at the numbers hanging from above the rooms. They passed by several rooms, looking for one in particular. It took them a while, but they soon found the room they were looking for.
D108.
They stopped immediately and looked at the door. It was closed, probably because the patient wanted some alone time. Or maybe they were sleeping. They weren't sure. They weren't informed of that detail. But regardless, they knew they had to speak to the patient. If they didn't do this now, who knows if they would get a second chance?
"This is Ronald's room?" Mint asked in a soft voice, looking up and down. "Is this accurate?"
"Of course it is, Mint." Penny said. She looked at the piece of paper the receptionist gave them. "This is what she had written down, and see..." As Mint came closer to have a look, Penny pressed a finger against one part of the list. "She had the names listed down next to the room numbers."
Mint narrowed his eyes as he looked at the paper. He then nodded his head slowly and took a step back. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry about that."
Rudy stared off in Mint's direction. He was still a bit upset with him for nearly losing his temper with the female zoner earlier. He could have easily made things so much worse. The zoner could have called security on them, and then they would have had a heck of a time trying to get back in.
But at the same time, he was also grateful. As much as he didn't like Mint's yelling, this time around, it did give them some results. Something Mint told her had gotten through to her, and she finally agreed to help them. It seemed unwilling and she spoke to them begrudgingly. But at least she was helping and not putting up a fuss like before. She gave them a list of zoners they could speak to and told them to hurry it up and get it done with.
Rudy did his best to ignore the zoner's attitude. Now wasn't the time to be concerned with how one disgrunted zoner was behaving. He needed to remain focused on speaking with these zoners so they could try to stop this machine. If the receptionist wanted to keep bearing a grudge against Mint, that was on her.
Looking over at his friends, Rudy said, "Well? Shall we go in?"
The others gave a nod. Penny moved towards the door. They waited, watching as Penny raised up her hand and began to knock on the door. Seconds later, they heard a gruff voice speak from the other side.
"Who is there?"
The friends looked at each other. The voice sounded a little annoyed. They couldn't tell if Ronald really was annoyed or if that was just the way he spoke. After they didn't say anything after several seconds, the gruff voice came again, this time with more force, and a more definite underlining annoyance to it.
"I said who is there? Come on, I know someone knocked on my door!"
"Wow.." Snap said, folding his arms. "He sounds like a cheerful fellow."
"Oh he's probably just angry he has to be here. Not everyone enjoys being in the hospital for long." Penny said.
"Yeah well he could stand a few breathing exercises." Snap mumbled softly.
Not wanting to keep Ronald waiting for much longer, Rudy turned his friends and made a gesture with his head. "Come on. Let's go in now."
Penny, who was closest to the door still, reached over and turned the door knob. With the door now opened for them, the four walked into the hospital room slowly. They looked left and right, and it took them seconds to realize this was a one patient room.
The hospital room wasn't too large. It had a single bed in the middle of the room, the headboard pressed up against the wall. There was a single window, the curtains closed, giving the room a darkened appearance. Only some sliver of light could come through as the curtains weren't pulled down all the way.
The zoner himself, Ronald, was laying on his bed. He appeared to be a humanoid zoner, wearing overalls and had a thick beard. He didn't appear injured, but the IVs hooked up to his body suggested otherwise. And who knows what internal injuries he might have? They don't know this zoner's history. There were several possibilities.
Ronald was glaring in their direction. His deep reddish brown eyes seemed to almost bore through their souls, freezing them in place after they took a few steps into the room.
"Shut the door!" Ronald wailed, his eyes squinting. "The light!"
Rudy turned around and immediately shut the door. "There.." He looked back at the zoner. "Is that better?"
Ronald chewed on his lip for a second. "Yes. Thanks."
Rudy could tell from the zoner's tone that he was not at all that thankful. But he didn't want to aggravate the situation further. And he also didn't want to spend a lot of time with this zoner. It was clear that Ronald could easily escalate things. So he got right to the situation at hand.
"Ronald, sometime ago, there was a signal being sent off across ChalkZone City. We were informed that you were one of the several zoners affected by it." Rudy said. He took a few steps forward, putting himself in front of his friends. "Do you mind telling us how this was afflicting you?"
Ronald tilted his head to one side, and then to the other. "Why do you want to know that?"
"We need the information so we can determine how to stop this from happening again." Rudy explained.
"Hmm...I see..." Ronald stared at the four before leaning back, pressing the back of his head against his pillow. "So..how does that affect me? Why should I bother giving you anything?"
Rudy clenched his teeth, fighting against the anger that started to rise up inside of him. "Because other zoners could be affected..and so could you. Do you want to potentially be hurt? We don't know what this zoner plans on using the signal for. For all we know..." Rudy spread his arms out. "This mystery zoner could be planning to bomb this place!"
Snap nodded his head. "Anything you can tell us would be a help."
"Please, you have to be able to tell us something." Penny said, stepping forward. "Anything at all would be a great help."
"I don't see why I should tell you anything." Ronald said, a smirk spread across his face. "It's none of my business, and it's not really any of yours." He folded his arms against his chest. "Let the other zoners fend for themselves, I say. Why bother to help anyone?"
At this, Rudy and his friends were stunned. They couldn't believe just how cold this zoner was acting. How could he be this callous? Was he really that uncaring about the harm that could be brought to other zoners? Did he really not care that he himself could be afflicted again? How could he just sit there and pretend like it's not a problem he had to deal with? How...?
Rudy tried his best not to lose his temper with the zoner. Even though he could feel the anger rising up inside of him, he knew that any outburst could and would make things a lot worse. He did not want t fall into the trap that Mint nearly did earlier. There had to be a way to get this zoner to talk. There just had to. Everyone had their trigger point that got them to speak. He just had to find Ronald's.
"Please, Ronald. There has to be...something we can do to convince you to tell us." Penny pleaded with the zoner. "We could really use the information. Please you have to tell us!"
"This is important! You can't just turn your back on us!" Mint cried. He moved closer, forming a fist with his hands, shaking them. "Do you realize just how important this is?!"
"I don't see why it's a concern for you." Ronald said coldly. "Not like anybody was getting hurt." He placed a finger against his head, giving something of a crazy smile. "No pain, just a weird sensation. How is that an emergency?"
"Because it could get worse!" Rudy said, speaking louder than he had intended. The others looked at him worriedly as Rudy glared at the zoner. He took in a few breaths, and he soon managed to slow down his breathing and heart rate. "Look, the sooner you tell us, the sooner we will leave you alone."
Ronald paused at this. "Let me get this straight. If I tell you..." He put a hand against his chest, and then pointed over towards Rudy. "..what you want to know, then you'd leave me alone so I can get back to sleep?"
Rudy nodded his head. "Yes."
Ronald thought for a moment, scratching hs chin thoughtfully. Then he nodded his head once. "Okay then. I'll tell you what I know."
Rudy was glad that the zoner was finally listening to them. Even though it was a less than ideal reason, just wanting to get back to sleep, at least he was going to tell them now. He and his friends watched the zoner intently, giving him the time he needed to gather the information in his head so he could relay it to them.
Ronald began to explain. "I don't know if it was the same for everyone, but for me, this signal you talked about, it felt like someone was tugging at the back of my mind. It was spreading from the base of my skull and radiated over." He used his hand to make an approximate movement, simulating the effect. "During this state, I felt a little..different. Like, I was thinking like I used to."
"Care to elaborate?" Rudy asked.
"Well for one thing, I was restless. I was exhausted and sleepy, yet I couldn't close my eyes. I tried as hard as I could, but I just couldn't fall asleep. It felt as though..I wanted to get up.." Ronald raised his hands up, spreading them out. "..and just..walk away. My legs were awake, and it felt literal at times. They would move on their own, wanting to get a move on." He paused for a moment. He bit his lip, looking from side to side. "That was the least of my problems. The signal seemed to be...blocking something in me. I found it hard to think too much, to make decisions, to react. It was..weird."
"Sounds terrifying." Penny flinched as she listened to what the zoner was saying. "I mean..not being able to think..."
"I could still think. Just..not with as much clarity. I would try to, but my head would hurt, and I'd find myself unable to produce a thought." Ronald explained. "It was as if a part of my mind was being switched off."
This statement caused cold chills to go up everyone's spines. A signal that shut off parts of the brain? The chilling idea had so many possibilities. The friends looked at each other, realizing even more just how terrifying and serious this situation was.
Ronald continued, "I also began, for a short time, viewing things a little different. I'm not sure how well I can explain... It was like..." His voice trailed off.
Penny spoke up. "It was like you changed your mind?"
"Yes..something like that." Ronald nodded his head. "How did you know?"
"Because, for some unknown reason, the signal was affecting me." Penny place a hand against herself. "It made me start doubting Snap's abilities for a brief moment. It took me a little bit to overcome it."
At this, Ronald frowned. "Then why did you need to speak to me?"
"We need information from as many people affected by it as possible." Rudy explained. "We need an average judgment and we cannnot do that with just one person."
Snap said, "Getting information from multiple sources will better help us find a way to stop this machine's owners."
Ronald narrowed his eyes at ths. After a few seconds, he said, "I see..." He leaned away from them, laying himself back down. "Well I told you all I knew anyway." He gave them a one-eyed glare. "Now get out of here so I can return to sleep."
"As you wish." Mint said as he headed towards the door. He opened it up and walked out of it.
Snap and Penny followed Mint. Rudy remained in the room a little longer. He glared at the zoner. He still found it hard to believe that the zoner didn't care about anyone but himself. He wanted so badly to chew the zoner out for his rotten behavior. But he held himself back. They got the information they came for, and they would never have to bother this zoner again. They were done here.
"Thanks for the information." Rudy did his best to sound as honest as he could. "We're leaving now. Goodbye."
"Yeah whatever..." The zoner plopped onto his side. He turned his back to Rudy and pulled the covers over his body. "Get out."
Rudy growled at this, but did as the zoner told him to. The twelve year old stepped out of the room, shutting the door behind him. He and his friends walked down the hallway, towards the next room they had to visit.
"What a grouch..." Snap commented softly.
"Yeah, you're telling me." Mint agreed. "He had a bit of a attitude problem."
"He's probably just frustrated." Penny said, trying to be the voice of reason. "Being in the hospital can be a scary experience. Some people can get grouchy from laying around all that time."
"I was in the hospital for several months," Mint said, pointing his thumb against himself. "And I didn't bark at everyone who came close to me."
"Yeah and I was in the hospital for a year, and I didn't develop behavioral issues like that guy." Snap said.
"You know what I mean..." Penny started to say.
"Look, let's just drop it okay?" Rudy spoke up, loud enough for them to hear. The others fell silent and looked at him. "Let's not waste anymore time thinking about that guy. We got the information out of him, so let's just move on."
"Yeah..you're right." Mint said, nodding his head. He slumped his shoulders. "It is a waste of time.." Straightening himself up, he asked, "So who is next?"
Penny looked back at the list. "D128. Erma."
"Hopefully she can provide some clues on how to find this mystery zoner." Snap said.
The others nodded, sharing the zoner's sentiment. Without another word, the four friends headed down the hallway.
sss
"Well that was kind of a waste of time." Mint mumbled softly. "They all said pretty much the same thing."
"Well there were some variants..." Snap pointed out. Upon seeing Mint's expression, the zoner pulled his hand back and nodded. "But yeah, it was mostly repeat of the same stuff."
"Well that's good, isn't it? At least we know a pattern. And that's what we were hoping to find, right?" Penny said.
"True, Penny. But none of what the zoners said helps us figure out what this owner wants with them. We need more in depth information." Rudy said.
Penny nodded her head. She understood where the other were coming from. She did think that what the zoners said was going to be helpful, but she could see why the others didn't think it was that helpful. They did understand a little bit of how the beam worked, but the others were right. The information they got didn't really lead them much anywhere to a possible culprit.
There was Jacko that Snap mentioned earlier. But she had her doubts that he was involved in this. Jacko didn't seem like the kind of zoner to do something like this. She understood if Snap remained suspicious of him. But Penny was going to give Jacko the benefit of the doubt.
Other than Jacko, they had no possible suspects. The only other ones, Skrawl and Craniac 4, were highly unlikey to be the cause. Skrawl was arrested, at least for now. And if he was building such a device, he would make it affect all zoners, not just a small handful. He also wouldn't be subtle about it; he'd let everyone know he had it.
And Craniac 4... He hardly even left Future Dome, and he usually didn't target ChalkZone as a whole. It was only when he worked in tangent with Skrawl that he had a mindset even close to that. He mostly just wanted the magic chalk, which he still couldn't grasp he couldn't use himself. He probably still thinks that Rudy was holding back on him. Penny shook her head at this. Well some zoners couldn't be helped.
It was a shame that the interview with the five zoners didn't turn out quite like they had planned. They were still left relatively clueless on the situation. They didn't know anyone who would target random zoners and induce similar behavioral patterns. They had hoped that one of the zoners would give them that vital clue they needed to at least narrow it down.
Well there was someone else they could ask. Before they left, Penny suggested they talk to one other person. Not a patient, but instead someone else who might be able to get them more information.
It didn't take them long to find him.
"Hey, sir?" Penny called out, raising up her hand. The others looked at her, wondering who she was talking to. They turned their heads and, out of the corner of her eyes, she could see their eyes widen in realization. "May we speak to you?"
After some walking, the four friends had come face to face with one of the electrician zoners walking through the hallway. In his hand, he clutched what Penny believed to be a box filled with his tools. Upon seeing Penny, the zoner stopped walking and waved at her.
"Hello. How may I help you?" The electrician asked.
Penny took a few steps towards the zoner. "Please, can you tell us how the electricity here had been behaving with the signal?"
The electrician tilted his head in confusion. "Any reason you want to know?"
"We are trying to stop it from happening again." Mint said, chiming in before Penny could speak up again. "It is important that we learn as much as we can. We are hoping that you can provide some kind of clue for us."
"So what do you say? Do you have any information you feel we should know?" Snap asked, holding up his hand in gesture.
Unlike Ronald, this zoner appeared to be more cooperative. Penny was relieved by this. It was difficult speaking to Ronald. That oner had such a bad attitude. But this electrician, even his posture was friendlier than Ronald's, and it didn't seem to take as much pressuring to get him to speak.
The four of them waited patiently for the electrician to respond. Considering how challenging electricity could be, they understood if it took a while for the zoner to put everything to words. They remained quiet, giving him all the time he needed ot think of a response.
The electrician rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "For the most part, it was working fine. But..."
"But..?" Snap asked, his tone wary.
"Well..you see... the signal was causing some disruptions and anomalies in the systems. Certain lights wouldn't work. Some hospital equipment was being read wrong. Some machines didn't function properly." The electrician explained. He could see the looks of horrors in their eyes and he nodded sympathetically. "It was not a pleasant experience. We couldn't even fix the problems. It was like the electricity was obeying some other force. Even parts of the security systems weren't working, and those have passwords to them."
At this, the friends shivered, chills going up and down their spines. They didn't like where this was going. This implication...it was horrifying. The idea of someone being able to hack into a system, bypassing passwords completely... It was an unnerving feeling. If this zoner could break into a hospital security system...what else could they break into?
Messing with the machines was another great concern. This zoner could easily cause the deaths of countless patients by having the doctors misread their own machines. A zoner could get too much or too little medicine for one thing, and that was just one of the many possibilities. What about when a zoner is wheeled in for surgery? Or when they have to read things like MRI scans and x-rays? There was so much potential for disaster...
The electrician continued, "What I find strange is that not all the hospital was afflicted." He narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Only certain parts were at a time. It was always random, too...mostly. Usually only areas with patients were involved, but sometimes other areas were affected."
This did little to comfort the four friends. It made their anxiety rise. This caused a horrible thought to run through their heads: this zoner was a serial killer and this signal was merely a warm up to what he was capable of.
If that were the case, Penny knew they had little time to act. The culprit was probably remaking their machine right now, and who knows if it will still be the nonlethal variant or if they were going to go straight for the kill? Penny couldn't stop the shivers from moving through her body. If they didn't figure this out soon...
...then who knows just how widespread the damage will become?
The electrician cleared his throat, getting the nervous children to look at him. "I don't think you have too much to worry about, though. The machine was stopped. The equipment is all functioning normally now. Everything is fine." He smiled the best he could, but it was clear he was still nervous about the situation. "E-Everything will be okay...I'm sure."
But Penny knew everything was not fine. She glanced at Rudy, Mint, and Snap. They were looking at the electrician nervously, staring at each other, and her, anxiously. Worry and dread plastered over all their faces as they let this information really sink in. Their hearts clenched, a burning sensation developing in their stomachs.
The machine's capabilities...they already had an idea before, but it was only after coming here and speaking to some zoners that they got a true idea of just what this machine was truly capable of. A worrying implication, a horrific image, was painted in their heads. If this zoner meant real harm, then with this machine, they would be able to cause unspeakable damage.
And what was even more terrifying...they still had no idea who the owner was. Nothing they were told helped them. There was a low percentage of truly evil zoners; most of them were at worse jerks, but not the type they would expect to make a scheme like this. It was clear this was not the work of someone like Butch or Bullynerd. No, this was the work of a zoner with cruel intentions. If only certain parts of the hospital were affected, concentrated on security and patient equipment...
Then this was a deliberate act. Someone was doing this on purpose. Someone meant these zoners real harm. And none of them knew where to start. Without any information, any leads, they were still stuck at square one. They needed someway to figure out how to narrow the possibilities and fast.
This culprit had to be stopped. Penny knew they had to find a way to locate this owner and stop him or her before they strike again. She had no idea how much time they had left, when the culprit would strike again. But she knew...they all knew...this culprit had to be brought to justice. They had to find out who was doing this, and fast.
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Post by Bluedramon on Oct 11, 2014 8:36:42 GMT -5
Chapter 5: At The Party
Life is so sure! Life will be ready to twist up your world!
-To The Edge, Lacuna Coil
Mint laid down on the ground, his arms bent up towards his head, the back of it resting on the limbs. He looked up towards the ceiling, taking in a deep breath. He let the recent events unfold through his head as he tried to sort them out. To think, after all that has happened, they were not even a step closer to solving this mystery.
They had spoken to a few patients, including some extra ones after talking to a couple electricians. The patients they interviewed always gave similar answers. Sure there were variations, depending on their personality, where they were, among those things, but what they were told just wasn't enough to pinpoint anything. All it told them for certain was that the targets were indeed random, as the patients, other than their experience, shared little in common with what happened with them.
One had a head injury, one had some burns on her body, one had a broken arm, one had to get surgery to remove his appendix, just to name a few. Each ailment was different, not relating to the other ones. And severity of the wounds varied. Some were more severe than others.
This made it harder to pinpoint the victm target, who the culprit was after. They had hoped that they could find a way to de-randomize the targets so they could find common ground. It was through common ground they could figure something out, a way to find out who the culprit is and stop them at all costs.
When the patients didn't help, they talked to more electricians. They pretty much gave the same story as the first electrician they ran into. All systems were a go, and there weren't any signs of trouble. The electricians assured them that everything was fine and that they should relax.
But Mint couldn't relax, and he knew the others would not be able to either. How could they when there was a madman on the loose? Sure no one died...yet. Who knows how long it'll be before the culprit took the next step?
The best thing to do was try to find as much information as possible. That was the only plan they had. That was all they could do. Until they find something useful that can aid them in reducing the number of possible suspects, the only thing they were capable of doing was looking for information. Perhaps they could start talking with some zoners off the streets or something. Maybe a civilian can be more helpful.
He glanced over at Snap. Seeing the zoner reminded him that he wasn't back in his own room yet. He and the others went back to Snap's treehouse after all that time trying to find information. Everyone looked mentally exhausted, resting against whatever they could, their eyes partially closed. The only thing keeping them from falling asleep was the knowledge that they had to be back home soon. It was still early morning and if they weren't back soon, their parents would realize they were missing.
Mint continued to look up towards the ceiling of Snap's treehouse. He took in another deep breath, letting out a long, low sigh. He tried to think of what they could do. He didn't want to leave. He wanted to try something else. But if he didn't even know what that something was...what good was it going to do?
"Don't worry guys..." Snap said, trying to sound as encouraging as possible. He smiled at them the best he could. But anyone who paid close enough attention could tell that the smile was faltering. "We'll think of...we'll think of something."
"Thanks for trying to look on the bright side, Snap..." Rudy was sitting up, his elbows supporting him as he leaned forward. His head rested in the palms of his hands. "But we've talked to so many people..and none of them could..."
"Maybe we just need to try more? There were many zoners afflicted, Bucko. Maybe if we ask enough, we will be able to..."
Rudy shook his head. He looked over at Snap, giving him a soft glare. That was enough to silence Snap. "Somehow, I doubt that, Snap. We talked to enough that, if any of them had any information we could use, we would have known by now. And besides..." He looked away. "Even if ther was such a zoner, it would take us a long time to find him or her. By that time, who knows what the culprit would have done."
"I understand what you are saying, Rudy. We have no idea what this villain is like, what they want, or anything. We don't even know when they will strike again. It could be when we least expect it, and this time, there could be casualties." Penny's voice was soft and soothing. Even when she was uncertain, she tried to speak in a voice to keep everyone calm. "But...I think Snap is right. We could just keep trying to speak to the patients. Who knows? One of them might hold the information that we need to.."
Mint decided to speak up now. "We can talk to civilians, too." The others went quiet and looked over at him. Mint froze for a second as he felt all eyes on him. He hadn't thought of how he was going to word this. Licking his lips, he said, "I mean...some of them might have seen something strange, right? And weren't some civilians also affected by the machine?"
Snap rubbed his chin. His eyes widened. "Oh yeah I believe so! The officers mentioned it before, I believe."
The mention of the officers did make Mint a little angry. He was still a little peeved that they had hidden the signal from them. He wasn't sure just how they would've benefited from that. How was that going to help anyone? If they had known earlier, they could have...
Well there was nothing they could do about it now. At least they were finally made aware of the situation. And there were no cops trying to stop them in the hospital. Mint hoped the reason was because the cops realized that they needed whatever information they could find, and not because they were busy or something.
"Asking the civilians does sound like a good idea." Penny said. She raised up her hand, the palm facing upwards. "It would be easier getting to them than the patients."
"Yeah, that's for sure." Rudy said, giving a small, somewhat bitter smile. "I'm not sure if I want to deal with that receptionist again."
The others nodded in agreement. None of them were particularly fond of how she acted towards them. Mint was especially uncomfortable around her. She had treated him the worst of them because she still held a grudge against them. If it was at all possible to avoid her, he'd take it. He knew the others felt the same way. When trying to find information as quickly as possible, it was often best to avoid the aggressive zoners who would not cooperate.
"Maybe the machine affected civilians in a different way." Mint suggested, the idea just coming to him. Rudy, Penny, and Snap looked at him in confusion. Mint continued, hoping that he could help them understand the best he could. "The other zoners were in the hospital, right? Maybe the signal intermixed with both them and the security, producing a different result. The civilian zoners wouldn't have this problem..."
"..except if it was something like a bank or inside a building with a security system." Penny pointed out.
Mint's eyes widened for a few seconds. "Oh yeah..." He lowered his head. He couldn't believe he didn't think of that. "Well nevermind that then."
"I still think you made a good point, though." Penny said. Mint looked over at her. She continued, "We might indeed get different results. The other zoners were injured, but how does the beam afflict zoners who weren't injured prior? Maybe they got different experiences, and maybe.." She went silent, her voice trailing off. She looked at each of ther friends, letting the information sink in.
Rudy was the first one to respond. "That might work." He sounded more confident than he did before. It was clear that Rudy was becoming more hopeful of the situation. His eyes brightened up a little. "Maybe at least one of those zoners could reveal who the culprit is. Someone had to see a zoner sneaking around...right?"
Everyone nodded at this. No one dared to disagree. Why would they? They all knew it was true. Zoners were quite an observant species, a fact that they all learned at some point. A random even occuring in ChalkZone had little chance of escaping at least one zoner's eyes. In more secluded areas, like the temple where Mint nearly released those minerbites or whatever they were called, it was plausible to do something and escape detection if the zoner was careful. But in a more populated area like ChalkZone City? That was nearly impossible. Someone would have seen something, even some minor detail.
And that minor detail may be all they needed to locate this zoner and bring them to justice before more damage could be dealt.
"Wait! I just thought of something!" Snap cried, jumping up and down excitedly, waving his arms around. "Why don't we ask Biclops?"
Rudy and Penny glanced at each other as Mint offered a reply. "Biclops? Do you think we would know anything about this?"
"Well..maybe." Snap calmed himself down. He raised up a round hand in gesture. "But he might know something. He keeps an eye on things around ChalkZone. He might have seen something that could help us." He tilted his head and tapped against the side of it with his hand. "Plus, he can record a lot of data in that noggin of his! What he says, he can share with us!"
At this, the others began to smile. Things were starting to look up...a little at least. It was certainly better than how the situation looked just a little while ago. Snap's idea just might work.
"We can talk to Biclops after we get back." Rudy said. His voice, though hopeful, was stern, as if he wanted to keep a realistic spin on everything. "We won't be able to see him right now. There isn't enough time to get to the Chalk Mine and back in time. We need to head back into the Real World before our families realize we are missing."
Penny nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah. Plus, isn't today when Biclops does some of his exercises? I don't think he'd appreciate us interrupting him."
"Oh pee shaw!" Snap made a quick motion with his hand. "I don't think you have any thing to worry about." He raised his shoulders in a sort of half shrug. "Biclops wouldn't bite your heads off if you showed up while he was doing some treadmill stuff."
Mint smirked in Snap's direction. "Just like he didn't mind it when you installed those traps in his mind while he was away?"
Snap shot Mint a glare. "That has nothing to do with this!"
Mint couldn't help but chuckle, his hand against his mouth. He could still remember the story in detail. It had been sometime before he found ChalkZone. Snap had been left in charge of watching the mine, and he wound up setting up some traps there that resulted in Biclops hanging from the ceiling. Snap got caught in one of his own traps as well. They had hung there for a couple hours before someone found them.
Although he knew the situation wasn't really that funny at the time, in retrospect, it was hilarious. At least to him. The idea of Snap setting up traps quickly and efficiently amused him, and it made him wonder why the zoner had never tried that back when he thought ChalkZone was just a game. If the traps caught a gigantic zoner like Biclops, they would have caught him, too, and Ripclaw.
Upon seeing how the others were glaring at him, Mint did his best to stop laughing. His chortles soon vanished, though he let a couple more out just get it out of his system. As soon as he settled down, he cleared his throat and lowered his head slightly.
"Sorry about that." He waved a hand in Snap's direction. "As you were..."
Snap glared at Mint for a few seconds before he turned away. "Yeah, well then..." He cleared his throat. "Now as I was saying, I don't think Biclops would mind it if we interrupted his exercise routine if it was something important. We can just walk right in and talk to him."
"That could be. Biclops is usually a reasonable guy." Rudy nodded his head. "But...we still don't have time for that."
Snap nodded his head, realizing what time it was himself. "Yeah I agree. Too risky right now." He looked left and right, his expression showing off nervousness. "Who knows what would happen if your folks realize you're gone and they start to investigate..."
"That's always been a concern of mine." Mint confessed. He placed a hand against his chest. "My dad is the type of person who wouldn't give up until he found something. If he found I was missing, even if I came back, he'd want to know where I disappeared to, and it's not easy lying to him when he's in that kind of mood." He clenched his teeth, fearful thoughts moving through his head. "He would probably destroy this place if he found out it existed..."
Silence fell upon the room at this statement. Suddenly the air around them felt so cold and chilly. They glanced nervously at each other, not saying a word. Their expressions were good enough to let each other know what they were thinking.
The idea of something like that happening...it was terrifying. Mint knew he spoke the truth. His dad was quite upset when he lost his leg and tried to find out himself what happened. They were lucky he never got anywhere near enough to expose ChalkZone. He doesn't even know it exists. But ever since then, his dad was much more hyperaware of him, and if the slightest thing went wrong, he was going to do something about it. If he came home late, and his dad sees he's not in his room, he was going to think the worst.
His dad might not be the richest guy in town, but he had money. More than Rudy's family, and probably more than Penny's mom. He had enough money to spend on his own search parties and investigations. The chances of him finding an active portal now were low, but what if his dad finds something else? Like, what if he connected his disappearance to Rudy and Penny?
Despite what his friends might think, his dad wouldn't stop at just forbiding him from seeing them. He would go as far as have them arrested. Mint didn't want that to happen. He never brought this up with them because he thought it wouldn't be a problem. But looking back, perhaps he should have done so earlier.
"I know my mom wouldn't give up until she found me." Penny said quietly, breaking the silence. "She would get a search party and try to find me."
Rudy nodded. He leaned back, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Well we'll just have to make sure we leave in a few minutes." He turned and faced his friends. "When we come back later this afternoon or evening, we'll come back and talk to the civilians about the signal. Sound like a plan?"
The others nodded their heads affirmatively.
"Hopefully they can shed more light on the signal. It's still really creepy...the way it affects electronics and...and minds like that.." Peny shuddered, holding her arms against herself. "Gives me the creeps just thinking about it."
Snap shivered, fright registering in her eyes. "I hope it doesn't affect me." He grabbed onto his head. "I don't want someone to hack into my mind and change the way I think."
"No one does, Snap." Penny looked at him sympathetically. "My mom told me once that loss of self is often one of the most terrifying things." She looked away. "I can understand where she's coming from. It's basically like dying..only you're still there, but you are no longer you."
Another moment of silence. The four friends looked towards the ground, each lost in their own thoughts. Mint felt a cold chill up his spine. He couldn't imagine what it was like to lose who he was. The very thought of something happening, and he became a different person...it was scary. Even more scary if someone could do it at a push of a button, like this unknown villain could.
But as scary as it was for him, he imagine it was more terrifying for the zoners. They were the ones most at risk. This villain was after multiple zoners for unknown reasons. At any point, any of them, including Snap, could become a victim of the signal. And who knows how far the culprit will go next time? Would they take it a step further, and try to kill the zoners? Would they try to capture them? The possibilities swam through his head, making it ache.
For now, there was nothing they could do. They had little time and they had to get going. They can come back later and do what they could. They would do the best they could. He just hoped that it was good enough.
"Well I think we better get going." Rudy said. "It's getting late and my mom will be checking my room at any time now."
"Yeah." Penny nodded. "Same here."
Snap looked down at the invitation sitting next to him. He stared at it for a few moments before looking back at his friends. "I need to get ready for this party as well."
"But it's in the afternoon." Mint said, tilting his head in confusion.
"You have plenty of time." Penny said with a smile. "I don't think it takes you several hours to get ready."
Snap replied, "I just want to be ready as soon as possible. Sandra never invited me to anything before, and it is in my honor." He took a stance, placing his hand against his upper chest. "The guest of honor can't show up looking like a mess, now can he?" He flashed a big grin. "Their star needs to be squeaky clean!"
Mint chuckled softly at this. It was certainly nice the mood was starting to lighten up a little bit. He decided to help that along. "Yes, of course he does." He walked over towards Snap slowly. He stared intently at him. The zoner looked up at him in confusion. "He wouldn't want to show up looking like a big mess, now would he?"
Before Snap could react or ask what he meant, Mint lunged forward and pinned the zoner on the ground. He gave him a mischevious smile and began to tickle him. The zoner immmediately erupted into laughter, tossing and turning on the ground as Mint continued his assault.
"Hey! Stop it!" Snap said, loud laughs emitting from his mouth. "Back off!"
"Not until you say uncle!" Mint said, his fingers moving along Snap's side and stomach as he tickled him.
All of a sudden, Mint felt a weight on top of him. He was torn from Snap and pushed into the ground on his stomach. He let out a soft groan. He felt his arm being pulled back behind him and held there securely. He looked up with a wide eye and saw Rudy glaring down at him.
At this sight, Mint bit hs lip. Had he accidentally angered Rudy? He didn't mean to. He was just having a little bit of fun.
"Rudy, I'm sor..."
He didn't get a chance to finish when Rudy started to tickle him. Mint's eyes widened and, unable to stop himself, he began to laugh loudly. He squirmed on the ground as Rudy held him down. The boy's fingers targeted his sides, causing Mint to curve his body in that direction, trying to get away from the tickling.
"S-Stop! Please!" Mint cried as tears began to form in his eyes, a wide girn spread across his face.
"Oh you aren't getting away!" This time, it was Penny's voice. As Mint struggled, he felt additional weight, and he soon felt Penny start to tickle him. "You're mine!"
The treehouse filled with the laughter of the children as they wrestled and played with one another.
sss
"Okay! Bye!" Snap said, waving to his friends.
"See you later!" Mint shouted.
"Enjoy the party!" Penny said.
Rudy nodded. "We will be back soon!"
With that, the three humans disappeared into the horizon. Snap watched them as they left, a smile on his face. It was only when they were completely gone that he went back into his tree house, shutting the door behind him.
He felt better than he had been since he found out about that dreaded machine. He shuddered as he remembered how close he was to getting badly hurt by it. He had some mild burns, but he hardly felt them now thanks to the medication he was given. He had escaped mostly unscathed, at least physically. But mentally, that was a different story. It's hard to explain what it's like being that close to a loud explosion until it actually happens. He could feel the heat of the flames as he ran. If he had tripped and fallen...
He did his best to cast his fear aside. He took in a deep breath, managing to quickly return to the calm he had been in for the past several minutes. Mint's tickle attack was sudden and unexpected. But it was appreciated. It did help them to lift up their moods. They didn't forget the seriousness of the situation, but it would do them no good to be in a gloomy mood the whole time.
Snap turned around and looked at his now empty tree house. He glanced over at the television set and walked over. He rested himself on his bean bag chair. Penny was right. Sandra's party didn't start for a while. He had a lot of time to get ready. He had enough time to watch at least one movie. That would further help him take his mind off of what has been going on.
As he turned on the television and began to flip through the channels, he started thinking about this party and Sandra. He wondered if Blocky and Rapsheeba got an invite. He hadn't been able to talk to them yet today. But he was certain they were going to be there. Sandra wouldn't forget them, right?
He hoped Sandra would be in a better mood later today. Maybe the party will work its wonders and she'd feel so much better. He would like to see her happy again. She was usually such a friendly, approachable zoner. If she kept up her attitude, she might accidentally drive away her customers. It wouldn't be easy getting them back.
Sandra would definitely feel better once they caught the culprit and got him or her arrested. When that happened, Sandra's mind would be put at ease, and she could carry on in her restaurant without fear of some random explosion tearing through her place, or the signal disrupting her or her customers.
Yeah, she'd definitely feel a lot better knowing that she was safe. And Snap would make sure she felt that way. He considered her a friend, and friends help each other, right?
Snap soon found a movie. A comedy one this time. He wasn't in the mood for another horror. Not after what happened today. He leaned back in his beanbag chair, getting himself as comfortable as possible. He folded his arms behind his head, and let out a soft sigh. The glow of the television partially illuminated his face and the movie began.
sss
Sandra looked left and right, taking in the details of the building. Yes, this would do quite nicely. She knew she made the right choice in Shrapnel Tower. The building was perfect. It was in the right location, in town but still at the edge of town. This would help her focus her plans more yet still garner the attention she wanted. The building appeared small but it was still quite roomy inside. And it had a lot of hidden passageways and rooms.
Yes..this building would do just fine..
Sandra still had some hours left to get this place ready. She hadn't yet invited anyone else here. It had just been Snap. But that didn't mean it was going to be empty. She was going to go for a walk through town, sending out invitations to anyone who was interested. But she had to be careful of who she selected. She could not permit certain zoners inside, otherwise it would begin to complicate things. She had to stick to the zoners that met the qualifications she had listeed in her head.
She stopped in the middle of the room. She looked around. It felt like she was in a giant cylinder. The walls were around, curving around her, feeling almost as though it was spinning. She took note of the place's details, impressed with how fancy it looked despite it being so small.
Around her, she could see a few doors, flat at the sides, round at the top. They all led down curving corridors, emptying into different parts of the building. There was a staircase in front of her, which curved around a few times before terminating in a platform above her. A fancy, curly railing was the only thing keeping people from falling over. There was a door up there, this one a bit bigger and a different color than the rest. This led to the outdoor balcony, which could only fit a few people.
Sandra took a few steps forward. She felt her claws clanging against the hard marble beneath her feet. She looked down, admiring the swirly cloudly pattern the marble offered. She admired how the artist of this place managed to combine marble and metal in such a fashion. They blended so well together, sometimes Sandra couldn't tell what was what until she touched it.
She moved through the Shrapnel Tower, mentally creating herself a map so she knew where to go and when. In order for her plan to work, she needed to make sure she knew this place inside and out. Otherwise, she could end up hurting herself.
She stopped in front of one of the doorways. She raised her hand up and placed it against the frame. Her eyes narrowed a bit, bitter thoughts moving through her head. She felt a pang in her heart as her plan was coming into full fruition.
Was...was this the right thing to do..?
Lately, Sandra heard a voice inside of her, trying to tell her to stop. Perhaps she should listen to that voice. This wasn't the acceptable thing to do..was it? After all, Snap didn't really know the machine belonged to her, did he? He never once brought it up. He seemed to thnk it belonged to someone else. He...he probably didn't even mean to...
She shook her head. She couldn't afford to go soft. Not now. She knew what had to be done. There was no other choice. Snap crossed the line when he invaded her territory and destroy her machine. He was the one who betrayed her trust. He was the one who went over the boundaries. He was lucky that she didn't lose her business entirely when he destroyed her machine. Things could have been so much worse.
She needed to make sure he couldn't ever do that again. He needed to learn that she will not tolerate anyone ruining her business. Not even a friend. She needed to show him that he should be careful of what he does, because he never knew who he was going to hurt.
This was the only way Snap could see. It was the only way he would be able to understand how she felt, and the consequences of his actions. Surely, he wound understand, right? He was her friend. He'd understand why she had to do this. Yes, he might be angry at first..but in the end, he'd understand.
She was torn from her thoughts when she heard the door open up. She swiveled her head over and saw a humanoid lion zoner walking in. The zoner was pretty lanky for a male lion, and his mane was so poofy it was almost comical. He appeared to be holding some large box in his hands, effortlessly carrying it around despite the lack of muscle in his arms.
"Special delivery for Sandra!" The zoner spoke up, his voice rather deep for someone his size.
"Hello, Arno!" Sandra greeted, waving her hand to the lion.
Arno smiled and he carried the box over towards her. "Where would you like this?" He adjusted the box in his arms. He staggered bak a little, nearly falling over. Sandra winced, realizing just how heavy the box really was. "Man this is so heavy.." He stared over at Sandra. "Where can I set this thing down before it crushes my toes?"
Sandra stared at him for a few seconds, and then moved her arm to the side. She pointed towards one of the doors. "In there, please."
Arno nodded his head. He walked over towards the door. Rather, he staggered. Sandra watched through partially narrowed eyes as Arno made his way over. She shook her head. She didn't get why he didn't bring assistance. Oh well. That was his problem, not hers.
After Arno delivered the package where she indicated, he walked back towards her. He cleared his throat as he pulled out a paper and pen to sign it with.
Sandra took the clipboard from him and seized the pen in her hand. She quicky signed her name and gave it back to him. Arno took his cap off to her, giving her a small smile. Before he started to walk off, he paused, and a serious expression graced his face. Sandra remained quiet, waiting for him to speak.
"What did you want that stuff for anyway?" Arno asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Usually people don't ask for that stuff until..."
"Oh I know... Believe me, I know." Sandra motioned her hand down a couple of times, a signal to get Arno to be quiet. The lion zoner fell silent, his expression becoming that of confusion as he looked at her. "But I wanted to give Snap a surprise." She grinned, her sharp teeth glinting in the light of the room. "After all, doesn't the little hero deserve some fireworks in his honor?"
Arno rubbed the back of his head. He frowned slightly, his lip curling back at one side. He turned his head, thinking for a moment. He looked back at her. "Eh.." He gave a quick shrug of his shoulders. "Yeah I suppose so. Did you tell him?" He placed the clipboard under his arm as he said this.
Sandra chuckled, shaking her head. "It's supposed to be a surprise, remember?"
Arno blinked a few times, then widened his eyes. "Oh.." He moved his head back. "I gotcha.. Yeah." He turned his head to where he placed the box. He then looked back at the female zoner. "Well I wish you the best of luck!"
Sandra raised up her hand, waving as the zoner walked off. She turned her attention, staring intently at the box filled with the items she needed. She smirked softly, grinning as a few chuckles escaped her throat. "I'm sure I'll have all the luck in the world at my side today..." She walked up to the box, running her hand over it softly. "I have a good feeling about this."
Sandra knew she couldn't rest now. She couldn't waste time sitting around, doing nothing. She had to get everything prepared. She had what she wanted. But she still needed to set up whatever else she needed, including getting some zoners here. She knew of certain ones who would be perfect for this, but before she could get them, she had to get other things to this place. Water, cake, food, streamers, whatever she could to make this place look and feel like a party.
Then, once everything was set, the only thing left to do was to wait for Snap. Only then could she start to put things into action.
sss
Snap was taken aback by the size of the party. He looked all around, seeing zoner after zoner. There were so many. He thought that Sandra had told him there wouldn't be a lot of room. Who was she kidding? This place was small but..there was still plenty of room. Definitely more than he imagined there would be. It was difficult for him to move around, having to push through the zoners just to explore more.
This place was quite pretty and fancy. He had to admit, Sandra really knew how to pick locations. This was not in a busy part of ChalkZone, so they didn't have to worry about noise from the city so much, or random zoners trying to come in. This was a private party, so this location made it easier to keep it that way.
He did feel bad that not all the zoners could come. If he had his way, he'd have a large mansion and let all the zoners he could in. Everyone deserved a chance to have fun. It wasn't even about some egocentric urge to show off; he just liked to party and have fun, and he felt the others deserved the same.
The fact that Blocky and Rapsheeba could not come was really disappointing. He had run into them on the way here, and asked them if they were coming. They were confused and said they hadn't even known there was a party. He could only shake his head in disappointment as he thought of the memory. He wished Sandra had been more lenient and invited them. They deserved to be here just as much as he did. Oh well, there was nothing he could do about it now.
He soon managed to reach the other side of the room. There was a row of chairs placed up against the curvature of the wall. He walked towards them and sat down. He leaned back against the chair, taking in a deep breath and sighing. He needed some time to rest; he had been on his feet for awhile just trying to get across the room.
Snap turned his head from one side to the other slowly, watching the zoners around him. They were all having so much fun. Bobbing for apples, playing some card games, chatting, enjoying the snacks that Sandra brought... They were all having a great time. He smiled at this. He was glad that Sandra threw this party. He was certain that this was helping the zoners here take their minds off of what happened. They deserved some moment of peace.
He was a little confused about one thing. He didn't fully recognize anyone here. Some faces looked familiar, but he didn't know anyone here by name. He couldn't help but scratch his head in confusion at this. Why would Sandra invite zoners he did not know? Why didn't she invite anyone he did know? Well, maybe she had her reasons. Maybe she was planning a second, bigger party later on. Maybe she...
"Hey!" A zoner cried, coming towards him. "You're Snap, right?"
Snap turned his head. He could see a stick figure zoner approaching him. He couldn't recognize who it was, same with most of the other zoners. "Yeah I mean." He wathced as she smiled and sat down. "Who are you?"
"Oh you don't know me, but I know you." She replied. "I'm Galena. I'm Taima's brother." Snap looked at her in confusion. She giggled. "He's one of the zoners you saved when you destroyed that awful machine."
Snap's eyes widened. "Your brother was afflicted by it?"
"Yeah.." Galena said softly. She lowered her head, biting her lip. "I-It was awful.. He wasn't acting like himself, he..."
Snap looked at her sadly. He couldn't imagine what that must have been like. To have a family member be hurt like that, to act like someone they didn't know... He bit his lip, wanting to do something to comfort her. He reached forward and placed ahand on her shoulder. She glanced at it, and then looked at him.
Snap offered the best smile he could. "Don't worry. Everything will be all right. My friends and I will see to it that nothing like this happens again."
Galena smiled at him. She wiped away a small tear that got out of her eye. "Thank you so smuch." Without warning, Galena wrapped her arms around the zoner, pulling him into a hug. Snap was startled, but he soon hugged her back. "You're the best..."
"Aww..I was just doing what was necessary." Snap said softly. He moved away from her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Rest assured that you won't have to go through that again." His smile broadened. "Me and my friends will find out who was doing this, and we will stop them."
Galena smiled at this and nodded her head once. She wiped away another tear. "Yeah..I know you will."
"Look everyone! It's Snap!" A male voice cried.
"Yeah it is!" A female zoner said.
"I can't believe I didn't notice him earlier!"
"I wonder if he knows anything?" Another voice cried.
Before Snap knew it, he was surrounded by a bunch of zoners on all around him. Different kinds, animal and human, both male and female, some tall, some large, some small. He cringed back a little as the zoners enclosed all around him, looking at him with expressions of awe and happiness. Many were trying to ask him questions, but with them talking all at once, he couldn't answer any of them.
Eventually, Snap spoke up, using a voice loud enough for them to hear.
"Please everyone! One at a time!"
The zoners around him immediately fell silent. They looked regretful, glancing at each other and then back at Snap. They remained silent for a few moments, and Snap wondered if he used a too firm voice. He was about to apologize when one of the zoners, the first one to draw the others' attention him, spoke.
"We apologize." He placed a hand against himself. "We were just so excited to meet you, the zoner who stopped that nasty machine. We just wanted to know if you found out more about that machine, and if you know who made it."
Around him, the other zoners nodded their heads in agreement. They murmured excitedly among themselves, looking at Snap curiously. Among the murmuring, Snap could hear some statements.
"Yeah, did you find out anything new?"
"Who did this? Have they been stopped?"
"Are we safe?"
Snap cleared his throat, getting the zoners' attention as they quieted down. After a few seconds of mental preparation, Snap said, "I'll explain what I can. But I need everyone to be quiet okay?"
The zoners nodded in understanding. Snap smiled at this, glad that they were going to be cooperative. He cleared his throat again and he began to explain the situation to the zoners.
He told them about how he and his friends spoke to some patients and a couple electricians to try to figure out what was going on. He explained that they have no yet found a pattern and that they were worried that this culprit could be after anyone, uncaring of who they harmed. They were nowhere near figuring out who had done this, which unsettled the zoners.
He did his best to cheer them up by telling them that he and his friends were going to talk to some civilians across town and to more patients and electricians to try to get more information. He promised them that he and his friends would do what they could to make sure no one was hurt by the signal. He was going to make sure that the culprit gets locked away for what they have done.
This was enough to assure most of the zoners. Most of the zoners looked relieved that something was being done and that, at least for the time being, they were safe from the signal. A few zoners didn't seem too happy with this. They probably expected a more instant fix. Snap couldn't really fault them; some people just want results fast so they can move on with life. These zoners were hoping this part of their life was over so they can continue. He hated telling them the bad news, but sometimes, life just doesn't go the way one would expect. Life...can bring about nasty surprises.
After he was done chatting with the zoners, he started to join them in with the games. They wanted him to have some fun as well, since he hadn't been doing much since he got here. He played several games, including chinese chalkers, tennis, and a few other games. He enjoyed himself, and laughed and played along with the other zoners. They even managed to play a game of tag, which was incredible considering that, in this place, it was near impossible to move around effectively.
After a while of play, the zoners suddenly stopped. Snap looked at them in confusion. He then saw why they stopped.
Sandra was approaching him. She had a calm, tranquil expression on her face, her mouth ticked into a small smile. She certainly looked happier than she was this morning, and she had a calmer aura. The zoners made way for the party planner as she moved towards Snap.
The superhero zoner looked up at her and waved a hand in her direction. "Hello, Sandra! Great party!"
Sandra chuckled, folding her arms behind her back. "Why thank you! It was hard for me to organize it. I almost forgot certain things so I had to rush at the last minute."
Snap looked left and right. "Well even then, you did a fantastic job." Snap held his arms straight out, grinning widely. "This party has been wonderful!"
"I"m glad you feel that way. This party has been a..labor of love." Sandra said, making a slight bow towards Snap as a sign of respect. "Please...come with me." She reached out towards him, her hand indicating him.
"Why?" Snap asked.
"I want to show you something." Sandra said. Her eyes brightened as her smile inreased. "I made a surprise for you. I kept in the back. I didn't want anyone else to see it before you did. I know you are just going to love it!"
"Aw shucks, you shouldn't have!" Snap couldn't stop the near-stupid looking grin from spreading across his face.
Sandra waved her hand in front of him. "It was no trouble at all! After all..." Sandra moved closer to him, putting her arm around him and pulling him close. "You deserve it! After the way you stopped that awful signal, you deserve some praise!" She chuckled. "Besides, what are friends for?"
Snap continued to smile at Sandra. He was glad she was doing much better. She was definitely in a better mood right now. The party's affects must be getting to her. He was happy for that. Seeing her in a happier mood made him joyful. He hoped that she would stay like this, and not worry about that dreaded machine. And when it was finally stopped, he couldn't wait to see the look on her face.
"Now shall we get going?" Sandra asked. She motioned towards a door on the other side. "The gift is waiting for you."
"I can wait until the end of the party." Snap offered.
Sandra shook her head. "No, I insist." She paused, and she said, "Sorry. I'm just so excited to show you!" She giggled happily. "I've been waiting for hours to give it to you!"
"Well..." Snap tapped his hand against his chin. He heard some of the other zoner around him encouraging him to go get the gift. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt." Snap took a few steps towards Sandra. "Okay, I'll accept the gift now."
Sandra grinned. "Excellent!"
"Hey, just what did you get me anyway?" Snap asked as the two of them headed over.
Sandra looked at him, giving him a backwards glance. "That is a surprise. But don't worry. You'll find out in a few seconds..." She turned her head awa and continued walking towards the door. "You can handle that, right?"
Snap stared at her, then nodded his head. "Yeah, I suppose I can." Though he would have wanted to hear what the gift was now, he did realize there wasn't much of a difference. He'll find out very soon, so perhaps it was best to wait.
Soon, the two zoners reached the door. Sandra reached forward, and turned the knob, opening the door. She smiled down at Snap and motioned for him to go in first. She followed closely behind, shutting the door behind her. The two zoners began to walk down the hallway, towards an unknown destination.
After a while of walking and no sight of his gift anywhere, Snap said, "Hey, Sandra. Where's the..."
He was silenced when a loud, ear-piercing explosion ripped through the corridor. The explosion engulfed much of the building, fire and heat spreading everywhere. The screams of zoners filled Snap's ears only for a few seconds. Then, his body wracked with sudden pain, Snap collapsed on the ground.
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Post by Bluedramon on Oct 11, 2014 8:37:24 GMT -5
Chapter 6: Wake Up
Good morning, day. Sorry I'm not there.
-Drown, Three Days Grace
Pain.. So much agonizing pain...
A sense of burning against his white skin...
Smoke filling up his lungs, burning them...
So much confusion, the world around him a blur...
Snap laid on the ground, moaning in pain. His mind was muddled as he tried to think of just what happened. He couldn't remember what he had been doing. His ears were ringing, making it hard for him to hear anything affectively, although he could hear some crackles of flames around him.
He slowly opened his eyes, and he immediately hissed in pain. His eyes burned as the smoke entered them. He coughed pitifully, trying to get the dirty air out of his lungs. He gritted his teeth, unable to drive away the horrible taste the smoke had. The stench of the burning frame of the building was all around him. Despite this place being made of marble and metal, somehow, even that seemed to be catching on fire.
Through his blurry gaze, he could see the fire had a different color to it. The fact that it was pure white, and radiating heat more intensely than any fire he was used to, only grazed his mind momentarily as he became more and more aware of agonizing pain.
The stunned zoner attempted to push himself up from the ground. His hands supported him only for a few seconds. His limbs shook too much and soon he found himself collapsing back onto the ground. He let out a grunt of pain as his chin slammed, nearly making him bite his own tongue. He laid there, quivering in pain, fear starting to take over his mind as he could not remember what was going on.
Soon, as the ringing in his ears became to die down, he began to hear footsteps. He lifted up his head, looking around, trying to find where it was coming from. He soon saw a shadowy figure on the wall. The black shape wafered and distorted due to the smoke and flames. Snap's eyes widened and he tried again to get up. He had no idea who this was, and in his panicked state, his first thought was to get out of here.
He did not get far. As soon as his foot began to support him, a sudden pain swept through his limbs as he fell back down. He let out a cry as his shoulder hit against the ground. He shivered on the ground as he tried to cope with the pain. He opened up one eye and looked in the direction of the approaching being. Knowing that he was at their full mercy, Snap closed his eyes and waited for the blow to come.
But it didn't. The footsteps soon stopped. Snap, confused, opened up his eyes and turned his head towards the figure. He couldn't make much details out, except for the eye, which glared straight down at him, barely illuminated by the white fire. Snap found himself unable to tear away from this near hypnotic glare.
"...Snap..."
The zoner was surprised when the figure spoke to him. The voice seemed..familiar. But in his head, it was so echoey and distorted, and there were other noises intermixing with it, that he was unable to make a positive identification.
"I am so sorry it had to be this way. I never wanted to do this. But you have crossed the line. This is the only way."
Crossed the line? What was this zoner talking about? Snap couldn't recall doing anything that would have warranted this.
Unless... Was this zoner talking about...?
He never got a chance to finish that thought
"If you are afraid, do not fear. I will make sure you will not remember this unpleasant encounter." The figure reached towards him with what looked like a four clawed hand. "Now hold still. Soon, this won't even be a distant memory."
Unable to move out of the way and feeling desperate, Snap began to growl softly as the hand approached, an act he wouldn't usually do under normal circumstances. The figure froze as the zoner bared his teeth in self defense, but the hand kept on coming towards him.
Before Snap knew it, the hand was on him. He shut his eyes as an intense feeling rushed through his body. Then, seconds later, he blacked out.
sss
"Snap!"
"Come on, you have to wake up!"
"Please, you can do it!"
Snap's eyes opened up. He took in a sharp breath as an intense white light flooded into his head, his eyes squinting. He looked all around, trying to make sense of where he was. His vision was blurry and he could barely make out the shapes that surrounded him.
All around him, he could see mainly white. This was not the color of his room. And this bed...it didn't feel like his own. He felt around, feeling how soft it was, and yet firm. He could feel the sensation of something on his body. He glanced down, noting that there was something large, yet light, placed around his body. He could see it move up and down with each breath that he took. He turned his head and he could see what looked like a cabinet, a door, a television mounted on the wall...yet he still could not understand where he was.
He could see some colors next to him. Kind of tall, yet small. Brown and green were the dominant colors, intermixing together. He blinked a few times, and each blink made the picture a bit sharper. He did this a few more times and he was soon able to figure out these figures were human.
As soon as he recognized the figures, he spoke, his voice scratchy and dull. "R-Rudy...? P-Penny...?" He let out a soft groan as he tried to shift himself. "Wh-What happened...?"
Through his newly sharpened vision, he could see his friends look at each other worriedly. When they glanced back at him, he noted their confusion when he only looked at them with a perplexed expression. Was he not responding the way they were hoping? Was something wrong? Snap wished he knew what was going on, but his mind was a blur, a blank.
Snap tried to move some more, but realized he could not. He was not restrained in any way, but his muscles felt so tight. They would hardly obey his commands. Why not? It wasn't like he was sleeping for that long.
Or was he sleeping? Why would he sleep in a hospital? He couldn't remember how he would have gotten here. Why would he invade a hospital just to sleep?
That was when he finally registered the pain.
Snap let out a cry of agony as pain shot up and down his body, concentrating on his legs. He tried to clutch them, but his arms wouldn't move; they were too stiff and tired from whatever happened. The pain radiated from his legs, and it felt as though someone set them on fire. Rudy and Penny looked at him, horrified, Penny's mouth covered by her hand. He could hear them shout something incomprehensible.
Seconds later, a couple of zoners approached him. They were wearing some kind of uniform. But in Snap's confused state, he couldn't tell why they were here. As he felt their hands on him, he stiffened up, letting out a louder cry of pain. His heart pounding, he turned his head and bit down on the arm of the nearest nurse.
The zoner let out a painful shout and barked at the other zoner, "Call for backup! Patient is being driven mad by pain!"
The next few minutes were a blur to Snap. He heard Rudy and Penny telling him to let go. He heard the zoner giving orders. He could feel the arm being pulled away as he tried to continue biting down.
Snap wanted to stop. He wanted to let go. A part of him was telling him he was fine, that they were only here to help. But confusion reigned down over him, making everything around him too incomprehensible. All he knew was that he was in pain, and he had no idea why. His panicky state was causing him to lash out and he found it hard to stop.
Then he felt something sharp in his body. He couldn't tell where it had been stuck. There was so much pain, any new one was hard for him to fully detect. After several minutes of the injection, Snap felt his mind start to relax. His heart rate began to return normal, and his grip on the zoner's arm slacked, and the limb was pulled from it.
Snap soon laid there, his body mostly limp. His breathing, which had been quick before, slowed down and his eyes no longer had that wild, fear-filled look in them. He looked around again, and he soon realized that he had bitten down on a nurse.
At this realization, Snap started to feel guilty. He looked up at the nurse apologetically. He tried to say he was sorry, but his words were slurred and difficult to make. His eyes began to flutter as exhaustion started to over take him. He fought against the desire to go to sleep, and soon remained still on the bed, his eyes turning up towards Rudy and Penny.
The two humans were horrified by what happened. They reached out to touch him, but one of the nurses held them back, not wanting another biting incident to happen, even after he had been successfully drugged. Rudy and Penny could only stare down at him sympathetically, their eyes silently trying to reassure him despite their fears.
It was only after about half an hour of being drugged and him being relaxed, that Rudy and Penny spoke up again.
"Snap..we're...we're so glad that you're..." Penny sniffled, wiping away a tear.
"You were out for...a long time." Rudy said. He sounded like he had been crying for a long time. "We thought we lost you..."
Penny turned to Rudy, trying to smile the best she could despite of herself. "Mint is going to love to hear this." Rudy didn't answer, instead just nodding his head.
"H-H-How long...was I..." Snap couldn't finish. He wheezed, feeling a scratchiness in his throat.
Rudy bit his lip. "Please...don't talk too much. You suffered some throat damage."
Penny said, "You were out for about two weeks."
The shock of this was barely felt by Snap. In his drugged state, shock and surprise barely graced his mind. He could only stare at Penny somewhat blankly as she said that. The sight of him reacting like this must have been worrisome, as Penny put a hand to her mouth, her expression saddening.
"Y-You see, Snap, there was..an explosion..." Rudy said. His voice had a crack to it. "That party you went to... The building exploded, and you were caught in the blaze and..."
"P-Party...?" Snap groaned. His blurred mind swirled as he tried to comprehend what Rudy had said. "Wh-What party..?"
At this, Rudy and Penny gasped in horror.
sss
Rudy couldn't believe it. He stared at Snap, hoping that he was joking. But...he knew deep down that he wasn't. Snap was in no condition to joke. The drug he was injected with would make it hard for him to lie. And even if he wasn't injected, he woudn't joke or lie about something like this. He bit his lip, feeling his heart clench as he tried to make sense of it.
How could Snap not remember the party? He had been excited for it ever since he found out. Sandra had held a party for him to attend in his honor. Snap talked about the party a couple of times, and he had even gone out of his way to get Rudy early enough for it. He had mentioned he believed the party would help lighten everyone's moods, that the zoners deserved some fun after what happened.
And for him to not remember any of that... Rudy's mind swirled, his gut feeling heavy, like someone filled it with rocks. He recalled the doctors said he suffered some kind of head trauma, but they wouldn't be sure of the extent until after he woke up. Rudy was aware that amnesia was possible, but he had hoped it wouldn't happen.
Now that it did, Rudy started to fear the worse. Just how much of his brain was affected? How widespread was the amnesia? Would he ever recover from it? This and other thoughts invaded his head, swirling around it, making it hard for him to concentrate on much else.
"Snap...you really don't remember?" He heard Penny say, her voice having a pleading edge to it. "You told us all about it, how Sandra invited you, the celebration of your accomplishment with the machine..."
Snap shook his head. "I..don't remember going to...any party..." He wheezed out, coughing a couple of times.
Rudy and Penny glanced at each other, biting their lips. This was becoming even more serious than before. Even though their friend was awake now, and that alone improved his prognosis, the amnesia counteracted that. It made them realize there was brain damage, and if he had amnesia, what else could he have gotten?
They hadn't noticed the doctor in the room until he spoke up.
"I see he developed amnesia. That is rather unfortunate."
The voice caused the two children to jerk in shock. They looked behind them, and they saw the doctor, a bird-like zoner, approach. He held a clipboard in his feathered fingers, his long neck pushed forward as he peered down at Snap with his yellow eyes. The superhero zoner cringed at this, looking unnerved by the doctor being that close to him.
The doctor zoner pulled his head back, moving away as if to help Snap relax more. Only when Snap stopped whimpering in fear did the doctor zoner procede to speak with him.
"Hello, Snap. No need to be afraid." The zoner gestured towards himself. "I am Dr. Crobat. As I'm sure you are already aware, you have been knocked out for two weeks. We thought you weren't going to make it. I am pleased to see that you are are awake now, but the amnesia you have been stricken with concerns me greatly." Dr. Crobat came closer to Snap and gentl placed his hand on his shoulder. "We will need to run some scans and make sure there isn't more damage than we had feared."
Snap coughed a couple of times. "Wh-What about the others..?"
At this, Rudy and Penny's hearts twisted. They looked at each other sadly, then back at Snap. The poor guy didn't know... Snap was the kind of zoner to put others' needs above his own. He would be more devastated of someone else getting hurt than whatever happened to him.
Rudy opened his mouth to speak, but he could see the doctor already made a move to tell Snap. Rudy stood there silently, looking at Snap sympathetically as the zoner was being given the worst news he could ever recieve.
"I'm sorry, Snap.." Dr. Crobat said. "You were the only survivor."
Rudy watched as Snap's eyes widened at this. Despite the zoner's groggy and confused state, those words seemed to permeate his head. Rudy could see Penny wipe away her tears. Rudy let out a small sniffle, his head lowering.
He still remembered those words... Those awful words... They had just heard about the explosion and they rushed to the hospital where Snap had been taken. Snap looked so awful, knocked out and still in the hospital bed, many wires hooked up to him. The sight was horrible, hard for them to bear seeing. Mint nearly fell down onto his knees when he saw Snap's state.
They soon found out that the explosion happened where Sandra's party was. Thankfully, Sandra had not even arrived at the party yet; she was the one who called the police and brought them over. However, there were many zoners inside. She begged them to save whoever they could.
The flames had spread and engulfed much of the building. Nobody knows what caused the explosion, or why the flames were white. What they do know is that the building was being ripped apart by the fire.
The rescuers worked as fast as they could. They searched the building high and low, bringing out as many victims as they could, including Snap. Most of the victims were dead, burned to death by the flames. The ones that did survive longer died shortly after from their wounds. Only Snap remained.
Rudy and his friends were shaken up by this ordeal. It happened so suddenly. None of them expected something like this to happen. He wanted to punch the wall in frustration. They had recently recovered from Snap barely escaping a previous explosion, only for him to wander straight into another one. But this time, he did not escape unscathed.
Rudy let his gaze fall upon Snap. He wondered how his friend was going to take the news when he recieved it.
sss
Snap shook his head in denial. He looked up at the doctor, hoping and praying it was all a lie.
But the face never changed. The words were never altered. They continued echoing in his mind, tearing at his heart. Snap fought against the tears that began to form. Even in his muggy state, the words still afflicted his mind, buzzing around, not leaving him alone.
"You were the only survivor."
That...that wouldn't be right.. Could it? How could he be the only one? If it was a party, shouldn't there be more survivors? He couldn't be the only one left. Someone else had to have survived, right? It...It was impossible..no...
Snap couldn't stop the tears from dripping down his face. His mind raced, his breathing increasing. He thought about al lthe zoners that were probably there. There were a ton of zoners in ChalkZone City. Just how many had gone to the party? How manhy of those zoners had he met in the past? How many of them were his friends?
At the thought of this, his heart burned. What if...what if Rapsheeba were caught in the flames? Or Blocky? Or Lars? Or... He had to know if they were all right. If they were hurt, he'd never forgive himself. Despite the horrific pain he was in, the blue and white zoner began to struggle on the bed.
"No!" Dr. Crobat cried. The bird zoner rushed forward and grabbed onto one of his arms, holding it down. "You need to settle down, Snap!"
Snap didn't listen to the doctor. He continued to struggle. He jerked himself from side to side. The drug he was injected with had worn off as adrenaline pumped through his body. He could feel his heart racing again, threatening to burst open from his chest cavity.
"Hold still!" Dr. Crobat demanded, his beak gritted.
Snap turned his head from side to side. His eyes were shut tightly, teeth clenched. "No no no no! It can't be true! No!"
"Snap!" Penny cried in horror, holding her hand out towards him.
Rudy looked at the doctor, his eyes filled with terror. "Help him! Please!"
Dr. Crobat grabbed onto Snap's shoulders and pushed him down. Snap winced at this, but his struggles did not cease. He opened up his eyes, seeing the doctor's face glaring down at him. As soon as he saw his face, the doctor's words again echoed in his mind. That he was the only survivor... His struggles increased.
Dr. Crobat turned to the nurse beside him. "Another dose! Now! And you!" He turned to the second nurse. "Get some restraints! We need to keep him from hurting himself!"
Snap turned his head during his struggles. As the second nurse left to get some restraints, as the first nurse prepared another shot, as the doctor held him down, he could see the looks on his friends' faces. If he were more calm and relaxed, their expressions would make him stop. They were silently pleading with him to settle down. But he could not. He had to get out of here. He had to find Rapsheeba and Blocky and...
His eyes widened as he felt the sharp needle in his shoulder. The cool liquid was pushed inside. He let out a help, turning his head and trying to bite the nurse who pushed in the needle. She moved out of the way before he could get close enough. He felt a hand on his head, holding it down.
"N-No..." Snap whimpered as the drug started to take effect. "Please, no..."
sss
Rudy and Penny watched, their hands to their mouths, tears flowing down their faces, as Snap succumbed to the second injection. They couldn't believe it had to come to this. Another injection just to try to settle him down. The news of him being the only survivor had clearly messed with his head much more than even they could have predicted.
They remained silent, in stunned horror, as the second nurse returned with the restraints. Padded and stretchy, yet strong, they would be good enough to keep Snap from hurting himself more. The doctor and nurses worked together to restrain Snap's body to the bed. His legs and arms were quickly secured, holding him down.
Snap's breathing slowed down again and his eyes shut part way. He opened his mouth and breathed in slowly. He looked even more tired than before. Penny shivered at this, unable to believe that her friend had to be injected twice. But...what other choice was there?
Snap's panic was deep, primal, and he looked like he was determined to jump out and run away even at the expense of his own health. Snap needed to be drugged a second time to sap away that energy so he could relax. The restraints would make sure that he couldn't attempt an escape a second time.
Penny watched as Snap relaxed on the bed, sadly an affect of the drug rather than him being calm himself. There was still something of a look of fear in his eyes, and she knew that wouldn't go away any time soon.
But at least, for now, he was restrained so he could no longer hurt himself. Though she was still shaken up by what happened, she was happy to know that Snap was properly secured and no longer in danger of hurting himself.
As she looked down at her friend as he became more and more relaxed, his eyes closing a little more, Penny bit her lip. She casted a worried glance to Rudy. Neither of them knew what to expect in the near future. Would Snap react like this again? Would he suddenly spurt into a rage after he was brought home? They could only hope that he'd get better, and that the doctors can provide some medication for him.
The poor guy was goin to suffer massive mental trauma from this. She shivered, realizing it was the Mint and Skrawl incidents all over again.
When Mint broke Snap's back, the little guy was not just in a lot of pain, but he was absolutely terrified for several days, constantly thinking Mint was going to come back. He suffered a few nightmares of the incident as well, which made it hard for him to sleep at night.
The incident with Skrawl was worse. Although Skrawl did not cause as much damage as Mint had, he still had Snap restrained down so he couldn't defend himself or even see what was happening. He was, in a way, stripped of his sight. It got worse when Skrawl removed his back brace and exposed his wound to him. Then the claws came down...
Penny was not surprised when Snap had more vicious nightmares of that, and was in a worse mental state afterwards. It wasn't right away; it took time and only after things began to settle down did Snap have bad dreams of the incident.
She had no doubt in her mind that Snap would have nightmares about this. There was just...no way he wouldn't. He had escaped an explosion, got caught in a second one, and he had just been told that he was the only survivor. He was going to need a lot of help getting through this.
The doctor's voice spoke up, tearing her away from her thoughts. She looked over, seeing the doctor positioned beside Snap. Though he appeared tired, Snap looked like he was aware enough to detect the doctor standing before him.
Dr. Crobat glared softly down at Snap. "You need to take it easy. You can't get out of bed yet." Snap opened his mouth to speak, but he was so drugged now, he didn't have the energy. He turned his head to the side, taking in slow breaths. The doctor moved his head, his beak trailing above Snap's body, and soon he was looking at Snap's lower extremities.
"Your legs suffered a lot of damage."
Snap's one eye turned to the doctor widened a little at this. Penny held her breath, worried Snap was going to struggle yet again. But this time, he did not. She felt relieved.
"You will need to keep off them for a long time." Dr. Crobat said. He looked at his clipboard, flipping through it and reading its contents. He lowered his head and shook it. "But I'm afraid I can't give you an exact estimate."
"Excuse me, but.." Rudy took a few steps forward, holding a finger to the air. "Do you really think now is a good time to be telling my friend this? He still drugged and..."
"The sooner, the better. He's aware enough." Dr. Crobat said, not bothering to look at Rudy. "If he forgets, you can remind him."
Rudy tried to speak up again, but was silenced when Dr. Crobat raised up his wing hand. Rudy glared softly at the doctor, but made no reply. He merely took a step back, and let the doctor continue to speak to Snap. Penny looked sadly at Rudy. She could understand his frustration. She would speak up herself, but felt it was best not to interrupt the doctor.
Dr. Crobat peered closely at Snap's blanket covered legs before turning his head towards the small zoner. He gritted his beak, and let out a forceful sigh. "You suffered second degree burns on both your legs, as well as your feet. You will be required to have skin grafts, and you will not be able to use your legs for at least two months."
At this, Snap's eyes widened a little. He began to whimper softly. Penny bit her lip at this. Even in his current state, Snap still understood just what was said to him. He understood the magnitude, the gravity of the situation. He had been deprived of the ability to walk, sentenced to weeks upon weeks of horrific pain. The situation must be weighing down heavily on his mind.
Dr. Crobat's expression softened up and he lowered his head. "I am sorry to have to give you the bad news, Snap. We managed to begin repairing, but it will still take some time for your wounds to heal. But the good news is that as long as this keeps up, and you keep resting, you'll be back on your feet soon."
This didn't seem to do much to help Snap's spirit. The zoner was crying softly now. He was not struggling, but his body was shaking with each cry he gave. He closed his eyes softly, his teeth clenched and whimpers emitting from his mouth.
Ignoring the doctor, Penny and Rudy approached Snap. Dr. Crobat looked at them, but said nothing. He moved away, as did the nurses, and allowed them time with their friend. Penny stroked Snap's head gently while Rudy held his hand. They whispered soft words of comfort to him, trying their best to settle him down.
"Shh...it's okay, Snap. You're going to be fine." Penny cooed to him. She lowered her head and gently nuzzled him, careful to avoid the smaller, less severe wounds on his face. "Everything will be okay."
"Yeah, you'll see. You'll get better soon." Rudy gently squeezed Snap's hand, rubbing the top of it with his other. "Just wait and see. Soon you'll be out of the hospital and it'll be like nothing happened."
Snap looked up at them with wide eyes. He did not speak, but the message was clear. Snap wasn't sure what was going to happen to him, and he wanted their reassurance.
But that wasn't all they could see in his eyes. There was also sorrow, and guilt. Snap was going to be afflicted with survivor's guilt. It wasn't a matter of if, but when. She and Rudy knew Snap well enough to know that their friend would feel guilty about being the only one who survived the explosion. And then were there those who might be angry at him simply for being the only survivor. There might be accusations...
Penny shook the thought out of her head. She felt silly for having that thought. The zoners knew full well that Snap would never do something like that on purpose, and any one she, Rudy, and Mint spoke to only ever expressed concern for the zoner. If anything, all the zoners hoped he would survive because him being a survivor meant he could give valuable information. He might even be able to lead them to the culprit.
And maybe this culprit might be the same one who was responsible for that machine...
But for now, that would have to wait. Snap was in no condition to be interrogated. He needed some rest. His mental state was weakened right now, and he needed some more time before he was ready to answer any big questions...if his amnesia wears off by then. Penny hoped that Snap's memory lapse was just the result of him having just woken up. In cases of trauma like this, it may take time before memories return.
But if it didn't... Well, they'll think of something when the time comes.
"How is he doing?"
Rudy and Penny turned their heads as a newcomer came into the room. They didn't need to look for them to know who this was. There was no mistaking that sound as the person walked. A familiar thud, and then a sound that was..different, yet the same.
Stepping up towards them, his fingers interlocked in nervousness, was Mint. The thirteen year old wore a grim expression, sucking on his lip, as he approached the bed. He glanced down at Snap, his eyes flashing relief quickly that he was now awake, before looking over at Rudy and Penny expectantly.
"He's doing better." Rudy said. "He's awake now at least." He sighed softly, the sadness from it unmistakable. "But he had to be drugged twice."
At Mint's widened eyes, Penny added, "He panicked twice and almost hurt himself. He also had to be restrained."
At this, Mint glanced down. He gasped softly as he took notice of Snap's restrained limbs. He placed a hand on his cheek and shook it slowly. "Poor Snap..." He sighed and looked back at his human companions. "I wish there was something we can do for him."
"I'm afraid not." Dr. Crobat said. He stared intently at Mint. "Snap's recovery will take a long time. He might be awake now, but there's still internal damage that needs to heal. You may speak with him, make him comfortable, but that's about all you and your friends can do for him."
Penny glared softly at Dr. Crobat. But as cold as that statement was, she knew he was right. She might have some medical knowledge, but that wasn't going to help her much with aiding Snap. She didn't have that extensive of knowledge with treating burns like that, and she knew there was nothing that could be done to speed up the process. She, Rudy, and Mint could be here for him, but that would not heal his skin or get him out of bed faster.
Only time will do that. Only time, which felt like it was moving so slowly now. The longer Snap stayed here, the more the hours and days felt muddled, intermixed together with no distinction. But...eventually..things would get better. She knew it would. It was just a matter of time.
sss
Mint stared at the scene before him. He felt his heart twist as he got closer to his friends. He looked down at Snap, feeling a wave of guilt hit him. Even though he was not responsible for what happened to Snap, he still felt as though he could have done something different. He had no doubt that Rudy and Penny felt the same way. They all wished that they had seen warning signs, and done something to stop this from happening.
But how could they have known? None of them had enough information to know that the culprit would strike again, and so viciously. Mint was certain that the zoner who made the machine was the one who caused the explosion. How could it not be? It made so much sense. The culprit probably wanted Snap out of the way...
Rudy had some doubts of this, but despite that, he did not rule out the possibility. Mint recalled one of their past discussions. The reason Rudy wasn't entirely certain was because he didn't understand the need of the culprit to bring in so many zoners. They all knew the culprit didn't really care who they killed, but Min thad to admit, it did seem like a giant waste of time. It would have been more efficient to just lure Snap on his own, instead of spending time gathering other random zoners.
That did little to deter his mind. He was positive that blasted culprit was responsible for this. It was too much of a coincidence. The culprit had found out that Sandra was holding the party, and they waited until the right moment to strike.
Anger burned in the pit of Mint's stomach. How dare they do this... How dare they disrupt a moment of peace.. All Sandra had wanted to do was throw a party to not only honor Snap, but to get the zoners' minds off of what happened. But then this happened and... The boy did his best not to growl out of frustration. He did not want to do anything to further upset Snap. The poor zoner needed some time to rest and he wasn't going to be able to if there was too much tension in the aura around him.
Mint felt guilty about not coming here sooner. He had tried to get into ChalkZone faster, but his dad wanted to speak to him, and he was stuck at his house until his dad was finished. It was just another lecture on how to be on time and all that. His dad was trying to prepare him for later in life when being punctual was important.
At least it was just that. Mint was still worried about what would happen if his dad found out about ChalkZone. Knowing him, he really would try to destroy it in order to keep him safe.
He pushed those thoughts aside for now. It wasn't the time to be thinking about that. Now was the time to focus on Snap. He looked down at the zoner, biting his lip as he looked at his expression of pain. A part of him was relieved, as Snap was actually reacting, not like before when he was still. But now seeing him in pain... it caused his stomach to twist and churn.
Unable to stop himself, Mint couldn't help but think back to what happened a few years ago, when he broke the zoner's back. Snap made similar expressions of pain when he had visited him. And just like then, he felt helpless to aid Snap now. Like the others, he wished he could take away his pain, wished he could see Snap jump out of the bed and run around and have fun...
That was a long way off, sadly. Mint had seen the burns. He knew how horrible it was to have a leg injury, to be unable to walk for a long time. He recalled how his blood chilled when the doctors mentioned probable amputation. He hoped that Snap would not have to endure that.
Mint walked over to the other side of Snap. Ignoring Dr. Crobat as the doctor zoner, along with the nurses, left the room, he reached down and grabbed onto Snap's other hand. He squeezed it gently, just as Rudy was with his other. He placed his other hand on Snap's shoulders, giving him a sympathetic look.
When Snap looked up at him with those large, pain-filled eyes, Mint felt his heart twist and he jerked his head back. He felt tears form in his eyes. He looked so innocent... What did Snap do to deserve this?
This..this reminded him so much of that incident when he broke his back. He had deliberately attacked the zoner. He trapped him, threw him to the ground, and attacked him. The memory of that brought about a stronger level of anger towards the culprit. This had been deliberate as well. The culprit knew what he was doing, and he did this on purpose.
Mint clenched his teeth tightly, bitter tears flowing down his face. Whoever did this, they were going to pay. Big time...
"Do not worry, Mint."
The thirteen year old looked over at Rudy. He could see a grim look of determination in his eyes. It was clear that Rudy had known exactly what he was thinking.
"We will find out who did this. Whoever was responsible, whether it be that mystery villain or that other one, we will find out who did it, and we will stop them." Rudy said, giving him a stern yet comforting look. "Don't worry."
Mint stared at him, and then nodded his head affirmatively. "I know we will."
Although Penny did not speak herself, she looked at each of her friends and nodded. All of them now wore grim expressions of determination. Mint knew, from that point forward, they were going to find out what happened. Even if it took a long time, they would find out who did this. Whoever was responsible, they couldn't hide forever. They would see to that.
But for now, that can wait. For now, it was best to just spend some time with Snap. The zoner needed some comfort and reassurance right now. Mint could hear the zoner whimpering softly on the bed, his eyes shut, tears spilling out. The zoner was in a lot of pain, and mental anguish. The poor guy...
They can go after the culprit later. They would come up with a plan to catch him or her. But Snap needed them now. For Mint, helping Snap was more important than trying to seek revenge against the culprit.
After all, revenge could make things worse. He knew they couldn't afford that. Things were hard enough as it is. If they waste time on that..
..then something terrible could happen to Snap or another zoner. No, he would wait. The time to catch the criminal would come. He knew it would.
"You'll be fine, Snap." Mint whispered to his blue-colored friend. "Just you wait..."
Penny nodded. "Soon you'll be up and running like nothing happened. You just need to rest."
"Try your best and relax, Snap." Rudy said softly. He fought back tears, his eyes taking on a glassy appearance. "Please...everything is going to be fine."
After sometime of comforting Snap, doing what they could to help him relax, their efforts appeared to finally pay off. The zoner was starting to look more noticeably relaxed. His breathing rate slowed down, returning to normal. His face was no longer contorted, and he appeared to be finally entering a state of peace.
Mint and the others smiled at this. Seeing their friend relax was a welcome sight compared to what they had to go through before. Snap had finally woken up and now could really begin the road to recovery. They all knew it wasn't going to be easy, but they were positive Snap would pull through.
And Mint was going to do what he could to help his friend recover. It would take a long time, but he was certain he and the others could do it. Even if they had to reteach him to walk, they'd do it. And they would make sure that dreaded villain never laid a hand on Snap again. Mint couldn't stop him this first time, but he'd be damned if he allowed the villain another shot at him.
His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a small alarm go off. He looked down at his pocket as he felt a vibration coming out of it. He reached down and pulled out his cellphone. He grimaced as he looked at the time.
Turning back to the others, he said, "Sorry guys, but I have to get going."
Penny looked at him, surprised. "Right now? But why?"
"My dad again." Mint sighed softly. "I'm not so much worried about my mom. Out of the two, she is the most mellow. But my dad..if he doesn't come home to me waiting for him..."
"No need to explain." Rudy raised his hand, silencing the boy. "We understand." He looked back down at Snap. "Penny and I will stay with Snap a little longer. But we have to get moving soon."
Mint nodded his head. "I'll be back later. I trust you two will be here as well?"
No words were needed to be spoken. All Mint needed to know their answer as the nod of their heads. He smiled softly at them, and then looked down at Snap. For the final time in that moment, they locked eyes onto each other. Mint gave Snap a sympathetic look before he turned and walked away.
sss
Snap rested on the bed, trying his best to relax. He found it difficult to do so. It was hard for him to relax without his friends around. But..they couldn't very well have stayed forever. They had to go, lest they get their parents worried about them. Besides, they'll be back later.
Snap had been alone for about an hour now. His friends were forced to leave. They had run out of time for the time being. They waved goodbye to him, but with himself restrained, there was no way he could return it. He wished he had been more cooperative and didn't freak out. But it wasn't really his fault. He never asked for the tremendous pain that now coursed through his body. He did not do this to himself.
It was that blasted culprit...
Or at least, he hoped it was. The idea of an unknown attacker was terrifying. At least with the culprit, he had some idea of what to expect, even if they knew little about this guy.
Snap was able think more clearly now that the drug had weakened. He was ble to focus better on what had happened, and think inside his head what he was going to do about it. Obviously, he couldn't do much now. But when he healed up some more, he could help in the search.
He rubbed his head, his limbs no longer tied down. He hoped he would be able to help anyway. He knew his friends and the other zoners would rely on him for information on what happened. But..he really could not remember anything. It scared Snap. How could he not remember something like this? It was an explosion that killed many zoners, and yet he could not remember a thing about it, or the supposed party he had gone to...
He shuddered at the thought of all those zoners having lost their lives. He bit hsi lip, the feelings of survivor guilt rising up inside of him. So far, nobody had accused him, but then, he hadn't really had any visitors aside from his friends. At least while he was conscious. He might have had many visitors while he was still trapped in his dark void of a mind.
It was still unbelievable to him just how much he had slept. How could he have been passed out for that long? Had he been struck in the head? It didn't feel like it hurt that badly, and he detected no bumps. But he dare not touch around too much, for fear of causing more damage.
He hissed in pain as he tried to move his right leg. As soon as he tried, it felt like hot oil was being poured on it. He wanted to see his legs. He wanted to see the extent of the damage. The morbid curiosity had him in its grip, and it was so tempting to lift up the blanket and look. But all he was going to see were two bandaged legs. He knew that's all he'd find. And not seeing his leg was probably for the best; he may panic if he saw the burned skin and blistered flesh. Panicking was the last thing he wanted to do right now.
Not only did he not want another needle stuck inside of him, but he wanted to remain with a more clear mind. He was still in an uncomfortable state, and it would take a while for him to recover from that. But at least, he was now able to think more clearly than before. If he let himself panic again...
...he might do something else drastic. What if he hurt someone in his thrashing? What if he did something he may regret?
But as much as that scared him, something else bugged him more.
Just how were the other zoners doing? The relatives of the fallen? Snap was more concerned of their mental state than his own. And what of the dead? He could only hope that their deaths were swift and painless.
Snap wished he could remember what happened. He wished he remembered this party, what he had done there, who he spoke to, who was there...but he could remember nothing. He could barely even remember any invitation to the party. He knew his friends wouldn't lie, so there was indeed some kind of party. But he could not remember any specific details. He didn't know if he ever would remember.
He hoped that he would. He was the key to finding out this homical mystery. The family members and friends of the fallen deserved to know what happened to their loved ones. They deserved to know what happened, and who had taken them from them. They deserved some closure, some justice delivered to that horrible fiend.
But for now, he should rest. He was not going to get much done if he sat here, trying too hard to remember. He was going to get nothing more than a headache from that, and he was still shaken up from what happened. Only when he was more at ease and was in a better state of mind could he begin to ponder the possibilities of what took place.
"Hello, Snap." A voice called out to him. "I'm glad to see you're feeling better."
Snap turned his head. He hadn't heard Sandra opening the door. He hadn't heard her walking in. She had been silent, moving lightly along the ground. Seeing his friend approach him, Snap offered a small smile.
"Hello, Sandra." He lifted up his hand and waved to her. "Nice to see you."
"Yes, and it's good to see you, too." Sandra paused. "Alive..." Snap winced at that tone of voice. Sandra looked at him up and down, her red eyes taking in the details of his condition. "Have you healed much? You were out for a while."
Snap nodded his head. "Yeah. Though there's still a lot of pain."
This did not seem to surprise Sandra. "I'm not surprised. There was a lot of damage. A couple of weeks is not going to be enough to erase the pain." She lowered her eyes, looking at Snap sadly. "If I could, I would take away your pain for you. But I cannot."
Snap said, "Don't worry. You being here, talking with me, that's good enough." Sandra returned the smile.
Snap understood Sandra's frustration. A lot of people wished they could just heal others. That would be such an amazing gift. Snap imagined that such a power could be used to improve a dire situation. Imagine...being able to heal horrific injuries through the shere power of will...
But such a thing was a fantasy. In all his years of being in ChalkZone, Snap never once met a zoner with such a power. If there were any zoners, they were either too far away, or they simply didn't care to use their power to help anyone. Snap chalked it up to kids thinking healing was a lame power. An unfortunate belief, but there was nothing he could do about it.
Oh well. They had a healer of their own. Time. Sure it would take much longer, but time would heal the physical wounds eventually. With time, many will bounce back, and return to a life as fulfilling as they possibly could manage. Well, except for an unlucky few...
Snap was pulled out of his thoughts when Sandra spoke up again.
"How long do you think you'll be in here?" Sandra asked.
Snap thought about this for a moment. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he recalled what the doctor had told him. He then shrugged his shoulders. "I don't really know. The doctors believe it could take a month, but they aren't certain."
Sandra widened her eyes at this. "A month? That long?" She leaned her head forward. "Are you certain?"
"Unfortunately, yes." Snap said, lowering his head. "I wish it wasn't so..."
Sandra nodded her head in agreement. "Unfortunately these things can't be helped. All we can do is be grateful for what we got." She touched his shoulder gently. "Be happy you're still alive."
Snap knew Sandra was right. He should be grateful. He could have easily lost his life in that explosion. It was a miracle that he even survived. It was also a miracle that he had woken up at all. After a week of being unconscious, he was certain that some people began to lose hope. Being out cold for that long... He could only imagine the worry that he put his friends through.
At least he was awake now. He had finally opened up his eyes, and now, his prognosis was much better. He could now communicate with the doctors, and they can use this to treat him more efficiently. He still would be trapped here for a long time, but his recovery should speed up a tad.
"Well I can't stay here long. I do apologize about that, Snap." Sandra gave him a saddened expression, her ears lowering a little. "But I can't leave my restaurant unattended for that long."
"Don't worry, I understand." Snap said. He understood that Sandra was probably worried about her store being targeted by that fiend, causing more death and destruction. She wanted to be there to make sure that didn't happen. "It was nice of you to visit me, even if it wasn't that long."
Sandra seemed to beam at this. "I'm glad you understand." She began to turn around. "I do hope you feel better soon."
Before Sandra got far, Snap quickly told her, "I am sorry the party didn't turn out quite as you had planned."
Sandra's reaction was not what he had expected. The dragon zoner paused in her tracks. She turned her head, looking over at Snap with a confused expression. "...party..?"
Snap looked at her in confusion. He tilted his head to one side. "Y-Yeah...remember?" He held out his hands in gesture. "You invited me to a party. It was to be in my honor. Then there was an explosion and..."
"Snap..." Sandra's voice cut him off. It was filled with confusion and worry. "There was no party."
At this, Snap's mind froze, unable to believe what he just heard. There was no party? Then..what about his friends? Didn't they say there was a party? And if there wasn't one, who did those zoners end up in that building in the first place? Snap could feel his hands heat up as frustration swept through him. Just..what had happened..?
Snap continued to stare at Sandra, her words echoing in his head. She didn't seem like she was lying, and why would she do that? Snap had never known her to be a deceitful zoner. If she was the one who threw the party, then she'd know if it existed or not. And if she said it didn't...
..then just what actually happened that day...?
Sandra looked at him empathetically. "I know you're confused and frightened. After what you were through, that is to be expected. But don't worry, Snap." Her smile spread. "All will become clear eventually."
Snap did not answer her. He watched in silence as his dragon friend left the room, leaving him alone. As the door was shut behind her, Snap lowered his gaze. Many thoughts ran through his head. The most prominent one buzzed around, refusing to leave him alone: if there was no party, then could that mean that it had been a trap the whole time? An act of revenge from the culprit who built the mystery machine? The thought filled his heart with ice.
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Post by Bluedramon on Oct 11, 2014 19:25:51 GMT -5
Chapter 7: Issues Of Remembrance
If I can remember, to know this will conquer me.
-Remember, Disturbed
Rudy walked down the hallway slowly. Penny was beside him, and just like him, she was silent. Mint was not by his side, and instead was a little further back, his mind occupied with multiple thoughts. Rudy did not try to speak to his friends. He knew they were all thinking the same thing he was. They were thinking about Snap.
It had been twenty-four hours since Snap had woken up. Twenty-four hours since he had pulled himself out of that unconscious slump that he had been in. Neither of them knew what to expect as they approached his room. Would he have improved a bit? Or would he fall back down, once again becoming lost in his silent mind? Would they have to wait another two weeks before he'd wake up again?
Rudy tried to stay positive. He tried to assure himself that the doctors would surely not allow that to happen. The moment Snap's condition worsened, they'd do what they could. They would not want Snap to fall unconscious again, and he knew they would take the necessary steps to prevent that.
But he still couldn't help but worry that something might happen. He might be acting a little irrational. Snap was in the hospital and safe. But...he and the others thought he was safe before, and look what happened...
He knew none of them could have known about that explosion happening. There was no way they could have prepared for it. Some things just happen, and there was little he could do about it. But the fact that it had happened at all still chilled his blood. The idea that someone set this up right under their noses...
Rudy and his friends, when they discussed before coming to the ChalkZone hospital, had come to realize just how clever this zoner must be. How could someone set up a place to explode without causing suspicion? There was no way this zoner could have escaped unseen; there was almost always someone in ChalkZone City, even when it was nighttime in their world. But if this zoner was seen, and yet not reported, it must mean he or she was quite subtle, able to do what they wanted without looking dangerous or unusual. For someone to pull that off, they all realized it had to be someone quite intelligent.
But that brought them no closer to solving this case. Their only suspects whom they knew were smart didn't add up. Skrawl was locked away. Jacko only wanted a bride. Craniac 4 merely wanted to use the magic chalk to create his own stuff. Except for Skrawl, they didn't really aspire so much to rule ChalkZone, and had little reason to target the zoners.
Even if this was the work of Skrawl, it didn't seem to be his style. Skrawl had little reason to hide his involvement in attacks. In fact, he relished in the idea of zoners knowing what he had done. If they didn't know it was him, he'd probably be offended. So that ruled him out too, even if he wasn't arrested, even when he ultimately escaped, which Rudy had no doubt he would.
There was another possibility, one that chilled them to the bone. What if someone from the Real World were involved..?
That would explain why nobody seemed to really notice this trap until it was too late. It would explain a mystery machine appearing out of nowhere, causing problems. It would fit in like a glove.
There was a problem with that theory, however, that Penny pointed out to him and Mint. If a human from the Real World were responsible, then how come they hadn't heard any reports about it? They knew of few people who would keep something like an alternate dimension a secret. The discovery would be all over news. It would be the talk of the town. There'd be no way they could miss that.
On top of that, only two adults really knew about ChalkZone. Vinnie Raton and Terry Bouffant. But they were both still in jail, as they had been arrested a couple years ago for assaulting Mint, who at the time was still recooperating in the hospital. Even they were to get out, they didn't have enough knowledge of ChalkZone to launch much of an attack. They didn't even know about ChalkZone City. So it couldn't be them.
So there was only one thing they could conclude. They were dealing with a newcomer who was quite intelligent, who had no qualms of who they attacked, and had sneak skills unlike any they had ever seen before.
Rudy hoped that they would find out something soon. They hadn't really found out much during Snap's time of being unconscious. The fact that it has been two weeks and still no new information unsettled him, but he and he others weren't willing to give up. They hoped that, by uncovering what happened to Snap, they will uncover the culprit and stop them from spreading more damage and destruction.
They will not tolerate another attack again. All those zoners died for no good reason. They suffered and perished, and their loved ones are left in shock. It boiled Rudy's blood, and he knew his friends felt the same way. What kind of cruel monster could purposely inflict this kind of trauma on others? And for what? Just because they could?
Rudy clenched his hand in a fist, trying to vent out as much energy as he could. He did not want to look so aggressive to his friend. Snap had just woken up the other day, and he didn't want to do anything to frighten him. The poor guy was shaken up already as it was. He didn't need to give him more of a reason.
They soon reached Snap's room. He looked over at Penny and Mint. They nodded to him, and he turned to knock on the door. The fact that there was no answer did worry him a little, and he casted a nervous glance to the others. But he dismissed as Snap probably sleeping; he imagined he was likely tired as of late and would want to rest up.
However, upon opening the door, he, Mint, and Penny were greeted with a sight that horrified and shocked them.
Snap was...he was trying to get out of bed... It was as if he had no idea he was injured... The zoner was attempting to adjust himself on the bed, pulling and pushing away the wires that were still hooked up to him. He was pushing himself closer to the edge, his arms flailing as he tried to crawl out of bed.
The sight of this caused Rudy and the others to exchange glances of horror. They turned back to Snap. Wasting no time, they rushed towards their friend. Snap didn't seem to notice them as they approached. By the time they reached him, one of his legs, wrapped up in bandages, was over the bed. Before he could get further, they grabbed onto him and began to pull him back into the bed.
Snap struggled, his eyes wide in fear. For a split second, he didn't recognize who they were. After a few seconds, he settled down as he realized who they were. He smiled in greeting, but soon frowned in confusion.
"Guys? What are you doing?" Snap asked. "I was just going to get a drink of water."
"Snap, you can't get up." Penny said, her voice stern. Snap tilted his head in confusion. "Don't you remember? You were injured."
"I...am injured..?" Snap breathed softly. His body went lax as he began to process this information. He looked left and right, as if he didn't know what they were talking about. "What..do you mean...?"
This chilled their hearts. Did Snap really not remember what happened? They had just spoken to him the other day. He couldn't have forgotten so ...
Snap grabbed onto Rudy's arm, gently pulling on it. Rudy looked down. He could see the expression in Snap's eyes. He looked so helpless and scared... and Rudy knew that at any second, it was going to get worse. Snap was giving him a silent question, and the answer was going to terrify him. But he had to hear it.
"You were caught in an explosion about two weeks ago. You just woke up yesterday." Rudy explained, biting his lip. "You were the only survivor; the other zoners caught in the blaze perished. Your legs were badly burned and you will not be able to walk for a while."
At this, Snap's eye bulged and his body started to shake. He looked at Rudy, Mint, and Penny, his frantic eyes darting around, trying to see if they were lying or not. All they could do was lower their heards and look back at him sadly. This did little to comfort Snap. The zoner's shivering increased and his breathing got quicker. He lifted up the sheets with one strong thrust of his arm, and upon seeing his bandaged legs, his face paled. Then he appeared to realize he was in pain.
Snap let out a cry of pain, falling back on the bed. He tried to clutch his legs to himself, but the slightest movement sent bouts of pain through his limbs. He started to whimper and cry in the bed, shaking so hard it nearly affected the bed he was laying on. Rudy, Penny, and Mint held onto Snap firmly, but gently, not wanting him to hurt himself.
"No..no...I-It can't be true... No, that's impossible! You're lying!" Snap cried, his eyes wide in terror. "That couldn't have happened! I would have remembered!"
"Snap!" Mint shouted at him. "We wouldn't lie to you about this!"
Penny nodded in agreement. "Why would we give you false information about this?"
Snap didn't answer. He just thrashed on the bed, trying to get away from the pain. He let out loud cries of fear, and his heart rate had increased to the point where they could hear it against his chest, threatening to burst out. The three tried to settle their friend down, but he was in such a panicked state, their words did little to calm him down.
After what felt like several minutes, one of the nurses passed by the room. She immediately froze and gasped at what she saw. She rushed in towards him, her eyes focused on Snap.
"What happened?!" The nurse demanded, her voice having a startled edge to it.
"He tried to climb out of bed, and then we told him what happened and he panicked!" Rudy cried, speaking faster than he had intended to.
"Keep him down!" The nurse shouted. "Don't let go!"
Rudy resisted the urge to tell the nurse they weren't planning to let go, and to tell her to hurry up. He kept quiet, holding Snap down with Mint and Penny's help. The nurse rushed over to a nearby cabinet and pulled out a small bottle of some kind of fluid. She got out a fresh needle and filled it with the bottle's contents. She tapped the tip a couple of times and then she rushed towards them.
Rolling up the sleeve of Snap's hospital gown up his arm, the nurse pushed the needle into his shoulder. She injected the entire contents of the needle into his flesh. She pulled away and with a stern look from her face, silently instructed the humans to keep hanging on.
Slowly, Snap's struggles decreased. The zoner became increasingly calm as the drug took effect. Rudy and the others slowly loosened their grip. They were careful about this, worried that Snap might try something again. When it became apparent their friend wasn't going to try to jump out again, they let go entirely. Now Snap laid there, a tranquil expression on his face, his breathing returned to normal.
Rudy couldn't help but look at his friend sadly. He had not expected his friend to panic like that. He hadn't expected him to, the day after waking up, try to crawl out of bed. He hadn't expected that he needed to be tranquilized yet again to keep him from hurting himself.
This worried him deeply. How many panic attacks was his friend going to have before he can relax? Would he keep having these moments so long as he didn't remember what happened? Why didn't he remember? Was it possible there was more damage than they thought?
They already had this scare the other day. They all suspected some damage when Snap admitted he remembered no party. But they realized that maybe they had all jumped the gun; after all, Snap had just woken up. It'd take time for him to remember.
But then today happened, and Snap had forgotten that they had even visited him the other day. It was like, to him, that event never happened.
It may still be too early to call anything yet. Maybe he was still exhausted from what happened. Maybe his brain still needed some time to recooperate. But the fear was still there. The possibility still existed. And the only way to confirm it or not was to have a brain scan.
The thought was scary, but it would banish the unknown, as they would know for certain if anything was wrong or not. It had to be done, and fast.
Before they had a chance to talk to the nurse, before anyone could say anything, a loud voice suddenly echoed in the room.
"What happened here?!"
Rudy and the others turned their heads to see Dr. Crobat standing in the door way. His feathered hand was on the doorway, supporting his body. His eyes were wide in horror, his beak dropped open. He stared at the scene in shock, his tiny pupils moving from Snap, then to Rudy.
When no one answered, the zoner tried again, this time, using more volume to his voice. "What happened?!"
After a bit of stunned silence, everyone still trying to comprehend what happened, Penny managed to explain the situation to the doctor. "We had come by to visit our friend. When we came in, we saw that he was trying to climb out of bed. We attempted to stop him, but when he found out that he was caught in an explosion, he freaked out." Penny bit her lip. "He..he didn't even..." She stared at the doctor with glassy eyes. "He didn't remember."
The doctor took in a sharp gasp at this. "You mean he does not remember yesterday's events?" At this, all three of them shook their heads. The doctor exchanged a worried look with the nurse, who still stood near the bed. He looked back at the children. "This could be serious. I could let it slip if he didn't remember when he woke up the other day, but he suffered no traumatic injuries before he went to bed last night. He should have been able to remember...unless..."
Chilling silence fell upon the room. Everyone glanced at each other nervously, and then looked down at Snap. The only way any of them could think that Snap wouldn't remember yesterday's events...
...was if he suffered far worse brain damage than initially thought...
"No.." Rudy shook his head, not wanting to believe it to be true. "It couldn't be.."
"Rudy..." Penny placed her hand on his shoulder. Rudy jerked himself away from her. Penny looked at him worriedly.
Despite not wanting to believe it, Rudy knew there was only one thing that could be done. He walked over to the doctor, grabbed his shoulders, and said, "You're..you're going to do a scan, right? You can see if anything is wrong, can't you?"
Dr. Crobat opened his mouth to speak, but soon shut it. This did little to comfort Rudy. His grip on the doctor zoner tightened. The zoner began to wince, but Rudy hardly seemed to notice. Right now, the only thing on his mind was finding out what was wrong with Snap. His body shook as the possibilities of permanent brain damage entered his mind. He had hoped that they had been too quick to judge the other day, but now this happened and..
No..it couldn't be true. Please, don't let it be true. Snap...no he couldn't be brain damaged. No... Rudy tried his best to fight against the tears that formed in his eyes. They moved down his cheeks as his grip on the zoner loosened up. Dr. Crobat took a few steps back, watching the boy with a cautionary expression.
"We will do what we can." Dr. Crobat said. His voice was firm, but gentle. He reached over and gripped Rudy's shoulder. "If we find anything wrong, we will let you know right away. Okay?"
Rudy nodded his head, but remained silent. The doctor gave him a small smile and turned around. He turned to Snap's side. He looked down sadly at the zoner, hardly noticing the worried looks that Penny and Mint were giving him. The boy was so preoccupied, he barely registered what was going on behind him.
Dr. Crobat turned his attention to the nurse. "Prep the patient for a scan!" He barked.
"Right now?" The nurse looked over at the children nervously. "Shouldn't we...?"
"We need to find out what's going on stat!" Dr. Crobat said sternly. "Wheel the patient to the scan room! Now!"
Rudy realized what was going on when Snap was suddenly pulled away from his sights. He and his friends moved back in surprise. They watched as the nurse pulled Snap out of the room slowly. Their friend was still under the effects of the drugs and didn't seem to be aware of what was going on. He was just laying there, looking like he was about to slip into unconsciousness.
Rudy and his friends tried to say something before their friend disappeared, but it was too late. The nurse got the zoner out of the room, and they could hear the wheels churning as she pushed him down the hallway. They remained still for a few seconds, and then moved forward, wanting to be with their friend for when the procedure was done.
However, they didn't get far when Dr. Crobat held out his wing arm, blocking their path. They stared at the zoner in confusion, and then glared at him. In the moment of their panic for Snap, they couldn't understand why the doctor was doing this.
"Let us pass!" Mint demanded, pointing a finger at the doctor.
"That's our friend who..." Rudy said before Dr. Crobat cut him off.
"You can see him after the scans are done." The bird zoner glared back at the children. He made it clear that he was not going to back down easily. "You can stay in here and wait for your friend if you'd like." He looked up at the clock on the wall. "It will take a while. A couple hours." He looked back at them. "If you cannot stay here for that long, then I recommend you head back home and come back later."
Rudy narrowed his eyes at this. "Do you think we will leave our friend alone in this place? Are you crazy?! We.."
Dr. Crobat held up his hand. "You will be of no use to us in the scan room. You have no knowledge of these machines. All you'll be doing is being in the way of nurses that need to traverse through the room during the process. Sorry, but you must wait here."
Rudy clenched his teeth. He tried to say something else, but he soon felt a presence next to him. He could see Penny standing there. Her arm was barely brushing up against his. She looked in his direction, eyes narrowed slightly. She shook her head slowly, and Rudy looked at her in confusion.
"He's right. As much as I hate to admit it, we shouldn't be back there." Penny said. "It takes a lot of time and patience to get these scans done. Delays aren't an option. If we slow them down just a little, it may affect the results." She paused for a moment, looking at Rudy, watching his expression. "I'm sorry, Rudy. We have to stay behind." She looked at him sympathetically. She smiled the best she could. "But don't worry. We'll see Snap again soon."
At this, slowly, Rudy's face softened up. There was a part of him that still wanted to argue with the doctor. A part of him that still wanted to go fater his friend. But his rational side was taking over now. He knew that would not be the best move.
Letting out a sigh and lowering his head slightly, Rudy nodded a couple of times. "You're right, Penny. We...can't go." He sighed, and looked over at the bird doctor. "I'm sorry. I just..."
"Don't apologize. You are just worried for your friend. That's perfectly understandable." Dr. Crobat gave a small smile to the boy. "Like I said, if we find anything wrong, we'll report to you immediately."
Rudy nodded, and he and his friends watched as the zoner left the room, following the direction the nurse had gone. They stood in the room in silence for a few moments. Then Rudy spoke up.
"So what do you guys want to do?" Rudy asked. He looked over at his friends. "Do you want stay in this room and wait for them to wheel Snap back, or should we go home and come back at a later time?"
Penny and Mint stared at him, looking a bit shocked that he needed to ask that. Their answer is just what he had expected from them.
"Of course we wouldn't mind waiting here." Penny said. "We have time. And this is our friend we're talking about. I'm sure he will appreciate us staying behind and waiting for him."
"The drug will probably be worn off by then. He'll be pretty confused. It is best if we stay here so we can tell him what happened." Mint said, nodding his head in agreement to Penny's statement. "Maybe we can help keep him calm so he won't freak out like he did just now."
Rudy winced briefly at that. The memory was still recent, still fresh on his mind. He had never seen Snap react that way before...well except for one time. When Snap was brought into the hospital years ago, the poor guy had been in so much pain, he'd react even when unconscious. When he and Penny went in to see him, the zoner had freaked out and screamed for them to stop the pain. It had taken a while of comforting him before he settled down. This..reminded him of that.
He noticed the look in Mint's eyes. He bit his lip, realizing the kid must have remembered that incident as well. Not wanting him to stay on that unpleasant memory for long, Rudy quickly said, "Yeah, I agree that's the best course of action. I...would feel bad about leaving Snap alone right now."
Mint nodded his head slowly, lowering his head. "Poor guy would be so scared."
"But he'll feel safe around us." Penny interjected. "And the doctors will find out what's wrong and they will be able to help him."
Rudy and Mint nodded at this. But they all couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. What if the doctors don't find anything? What if they do find something, but it's not treatable? How would they comfort their friend then?
Only time could tell. For now, all they can do is wait and hope for the best.
sss
Dr. Crobat looked down at the tranquilized patient with great concern. He looked up and down Snap's body, taking care to make sure that he was still under the drug's effects. In order to do this scan properly, he can't be moving. Thankfully, the drug shouldn't hide anything in the scan, so they can still perform it without rousing the patient.
Dr. Crobat had worked in this hospital for a long time and seen so many patients. Despite the fact that zoners didn't die from longevity, that didn't mean they were injured less. He saw as many patients as a doctor from the Real World would see. And he saw all types of injuries, including some he doubt the humans would be familiar with.
But even in his experience, Snap's case still unsettled him. He wasn't even sure how the zoner survived the explosion. The other patients died before they could even get to the hospital, any that may have made it, he was certain they passed away before any advanced treatment could be given. How was it that Snap survived, but the others did not?
He stared down at the patient, watching as the nurses prepped him up for the scan. The zoner was placed on the stiff board, his arms and legs and head shackled in to keep him from moving, just in case. In a few seconds, he would be put into the machine, and the scan results would come in.
In the back of his mind, he replayed the scenario over and over in his head. He knew that Snap was in the same building as the others, not far actually. He would have experienced the same horrific blaze, and he had some burn injuries, most prominent on his legs. Yet some of the zoners had worse burns, suggesting they were closer to the fire. In fact, all the other zoners had worse burns, their skin so charred that large portions would have had to be removed.
But Snap...his burns were still bad, but the legs could be saved. Some skin grafting, and over time, they'd be good as new. It was clear that Snap had been further away from the blast. But why would he be far enough away, but no one else would?
Dr. Crobat thought back to the report he had gotten. He reread it mentally over and over. There was only one thing he could think of that would explain why Snap wasn't as badly injured.
He had been moving away from the blast, trying to escape it.
But why only him? Why was he only one trying to leave? Why weren't the others? It was almost as if...
..as if he had advanced knowledge of the explosion...
But that was impossible. There was no way Snap could have known. If he did, he would have had everyone evacuate. Yet..the thought wouldn't leave him. Snap being further way suggested that he knew the explosion was to take place, and if he didn't tell anyone about it, then that meant that...
Snap had been the one to set up the explosion.
Dr. Crobat shuddered at the thought, cold ice moving through his body. He tried to push away the unpleasant thoughts. There was noway that could be true. Snap would never do something like this...would he..?
Dr. Crobat could feel his stomach twist in knots at the probability. He didn't want to think that Snap would go rogue and do something like this. He just...didn't seem to be that kind of zoner. Nothing about him ever caused an alarm bell to ring off in his mind. Nothing about him after told Dr. Crobat to be cautious of him. Snap was just...Snap. A friendly, welcoming zoner who had always been so nice to everyone.
As unpleasant as it was, though, he knew he couldn't dismiss the idea. When it came to solving this crime, he knew the detectives are going to want every possible angle. If Snap does become a suspect, then he would have to let him be interrogated, despite his condition. For now, only he had any thoughts like this, but he knew it was just a matter of time before someone brought up something.
He hoped it wasn't true. He hoped he was just overreacting. But..the possibility was still there. Snap could have led the zoners in there and set off the bomb or whatever he used, and tried to get away. Why he would do that, he wasn't sure. If he did do that, then they would find out why. Eventually.
He thought about bringing this up to those three children. Maybe they could shed some light on the issue. But for now, he decided to hold it off until he had more of a reason to suspect Snap. Plus, he knew how sensitive people can be. If he asked the wrong questions, those three could get defensive. Starting a fight was the last thing he wanted to do. He will have to tread lightly, otherwise he'll put the whole mission into jeopardy.
"Sir." A voice called out to him. The doctor lifted up his head, pointing his beak towards who had spoken. "We are ready."
He realized it was the head nurse. She was standing in front of him. Behind her, he could see that Snap had been loaded into the machine, only his legs sticking out. He nodded his head, narrowing his eyes. Knowing they couldn't be in the same room, they and the other nurses moved into the back room, where they could watch everything.
Dr. Crobat stood behind the head nurse as she prepared the scanner. He watched as she pressed the buttons in such rapid succession. He then glanced over at the machine, watching as the buttons lit up as the scan was beginning.
As the machine roared to life, as the machine began its scanning, Dr. Crobat stood there and waited. When the results came in, they would know for certain what's going on with Snap's mind. Then from there, they could figure out an affective treatment. He hoped it wasn't too serious. Regardless if Snap was the culprit or not, he was still the key to finding out just what happened, and how they can prevent another incident like this from happening again.
sss
Penny shook her head in disbelief. "You..can't be serious right..?"
Dr. Crobat's eyes were furrowed in concern. He had his head lowered, sadness etched onto his features. "I'm sorry, but the scans do not lie."
Penny looked over at her friends. They all had a disbelieving look on their faces. Eyes wide, mouths open. They all wanted to think the doctor was making this up, despite how ridiculous that was. They wanted to think that there was some kind of big mistake, that soon someone would come in and correct him.
But none of that happened. Dr. Crobat just looked at them sympathetically. He could feel his feathered hand on her shoulder, a clear attempt to comfort her. Penny just looked at it, and lowered her head, her mind reeling from the information he just gave them.
It couldn't be true, could it? No, there had to be..something... Snap wouldn't... No.. She shook her head, having a hard time accepting what Dr. Crobat had told them.
"Are you sure nothing came up on the scan...?" Penny whispered softly. She looked into the doctor's eyes in desperation. "Are you absolutely positive..?"
Dr. Crobat furrowed his eyebrows and gave a firm nod of the head. "I'm afraid so. We ran multiple scans on your friend. We were quite thorough." He turned his head to the side, his arms folding behind his back. "We just can't find anything wrong with him. There's...no reason why he shouldn't remember. There's no damage in that part of his brain."
"But..that doesn't make sense..." Rudy said. Penny looked over at him. Despite the fact that he didn't want Snap to be brain damaged, the fact that he wasn't and yet was still having memory issues was more frightening to Rudy. It meant there was an unknown factor in here, one that even the doctors weren't aware of. "Maybe there was just one thing? Something so small that..."
Dr. Crobat shook his head. "I'm afraid not, kid." He gritted his beak. "We looked thoroughly. If anything was wrong, we would have noticed it, no matter how small."
"So..that means that Snap really...?" Mint didn't finish his sentence.
The doctor nodded his head once. "Yes. That means that something else is going on. Something is not adding up." He narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at each of the children. "If any of you think of some kind of explaination that we could explore, let us know, because we would love to hear it." He glanced down at Snap. "I do not want to believe that Snap is lying to us."
Penny felt her heart twist at that subtle accusation. She felt her stomach burn, emotion growing in her belly. She looked down at Snap, who was now sleeping on the hospital bed, looking quite peaceful, and then back at the doctor. What he was implying...
Unable to stop herself, she narrowed her eyes and walked closer to the doctor. He sensed her anger and moved back, giving her some space. Rudy and Mint said anothing as Penny advanced on the zoner.
When she reached him, she stared at him in the eyes and said, "...are you accusing Snap of something?"
Dr. Crobat's eyes widened and he held up his wing hands in front of himself in defense. "Wh-Why n-n-no! Of course not! I just..uh..." The zoner rubbed his hands nervously together, clencing his beak as he looked back at Snap. "I'm not really sure what to make of this case. That's all..."
Penny glared softly at him. "Snap is the most honest zoner we know. He would not lie to us about something ailing him. If he says he can't remember, then he can't remember. Okay?"
Mint nodded. "I see no reason why he would lie to us about this."
Rudy added in, "He's never done something like this before. I don't see why he would start now."
Dr. Crobat looked at them, and said, "I understand if my words had..unsettled you. I did not mean it. But..I still think you should be ready for some..unexpected results." He closed his eyes, shaking it from side to side. "It is not good to deny something just because you think it won't happen. Many people have gotten hurt or even killed this way."
Although the three children wanted to retort to that, though they wanted to continue to defend their friend, they knew, deep down, Dr. Crobat was correct. They would only make things worse if they denied a possibility simply due to feelings. If Snap was lying, then denying it would not make things better. They'd have to come to terms with it and accept it, no matter how much they hate it.
As much as they would not want it to be true, they kind of hope that someone was lying, be it their friend or someone from the hospital. They were still unnerved of the idea of Snap having amnesia and there not being any signs of damage.
But maybe they were overreacting. It had only been a day. Perhaps they needed to wait, give it some time. Maybe they should wait a few days and see how he is doing and see if there's any improvements in his memory. If he started to recover, then they didn't have to worry. But if he continues having memory issues, and if he still shows no sign of damage in his head, then they weren't sure what to think. By then, they'd know something was up, but they had absolutely no leads. And this terrified them.
"So..." Penny broke the silence. There was one thing she had to ask. It was the same thing she knew was on Rudy and Mint's minds as well. "What are you going to do for Snap?"
Dr. Crobat sucked in a breath. "Without any ailments to treat, I'm not sure what we can do." He looked down at Snap for a second before turning his attention Penny. "But the important thing is to make sure he doesn't hurt himself again. We don't want another incident of him climbing out of bed again."
Penny nodded. She felt a cold chill as she remembered that. If Snap had succeeded in placing just one foot on the ground, he would have been crippled by the pain and he would have fallen down. And when that happened, he would have indeed injured himself more. Something had to be done to prevent that. But what?
There was one though she had, and she didn't like it. "You're..not thinking of chaining him to the bed are you...?"
"What? Goodness no!" Dr. Crobat moved his hands in front of him, back and forth a few times. "That wouldn't be very practical! We don't want Snap to feel like he's a prisoner here."
"Then what do you have in mind?" Mint asked.
Rudy rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "If someone were here watching him, that could help. Someone who could make sure he did not try to climb out of bed.." He looked at his friends. "But it couldn't be any of us. We cannot stay here twenty-four hours a day, and we aren't mind readers. We won't know when he'd be awake. We won't be able to prepare to come into ChalkZone at the right time."
"That is true." Mint said, looking over at Rudy. "I do think you're onto something with having someone watch over him. But it would have to be someone who didn't have to be anywhere else. Someone who could afford to stay in this room all day long and do nothing but watch Snap."
"Fortunately, we have such a solution."
Penny and her friends looked over at the doctor, their eyes slightly widened. They had thought of the same thing as well? Minds can sometimes think alike.
The doctor turned his head to the side. He placed two feather fingers in his mouth and he blew on it. The whistling sound rang out through the room. The pitch was enough to make the human children cover their ears.
Seconds later, they heard the sound of pitter patter coming towards the room. Something large was headed in their direction. The three friends watched the door intently, seeing a large shadow moving along the walls. An elongated snout, a muscular neck, four legs..that was all they could make out at first. It wasn't until the creature popped its head in the doorway that they recognized what it was.
Penny recognized it as some ancient species of crocodile. The exact name escaped her mind, but the body shape was very much like an old species that lived millions of years ago. Unlike a modern crocodile, this creature stood on two longs. The mouth was long, but not to the point of a modern croc. The legs were bent more like a dinosaur's, but it's tail was not held up. It dragged along the ground and had ridges similiar to its modern equivilant. Each foot had five sharp claws, all of them looking ready to rip them apart at the first provocation.
The croc zoner had some kind of collar around its neck, making it look more like a pet than anything. This contrasted sharply with its feral appearance. Its mottled brown and green scaly body, and its amber eyes with slit pupils didn't exactly make it a createure they'd expect to be anyone's pet.
None of them made a move towards the croc. No one said a word to it. The crocodile moved in closer, its feet padding the ground as it got closer. It wasn't as large as they thought, standing about three feet tall at the shoulders and being about twice as long. But they were still cautious. Those jaws looked very strong. If it decided to bite...
"I'd like to introduce you all to Mosaic." Dr. Crobat said, a smile on his face.
"Mosaic?" Rudy asked softly, his eyes not tearing away from Mosaic.
Dr. Crobat nodded his head affirmatively. "She is a local resident here. Kind of new, but she already found her place here." Dr. Crobat reached down and patted her on the top of her head. "Don't worry. She will not bite you." The bird zoner stroked her along the back of her head and neck. Mosaic lifted up her leg and leaned towards the hand caressing her. "She is sentient...mostly."
"Mostly?" Penny narrowed her eyes in confusion. "How can she be mostly sentient?"
"Well she does have a sense of identity and is aware of her surroundings. She's smart." Dr. Crobat said. "But she is still an animal zoner. She still has those feral, wild instincts. She has tamed up quite a bit since she got here, so you are in no danger. Just..." He removed his hand and took a couple steps towards them. "..be mindful that she is still mostly animal. We don't want any misunderstandings."
"Okay. We understand." Rudy said. He turned his attention to Mosaic. "So..she will keep an eye on Snap?"
"Indeed." Dr. Crobat said. "She follows orders quite well. She'll remain by your friend's side and will stop him from getting out. See the collar?"
The doctor zoner motioned his head towards the collar. The three friends peered closely at it. They soon realized what the man was indicating. They hadn't seen it before, but there was a button on the collar. It was located on the front, against her throat, where it would be easy to push.
"She will press that button if Snap tries something. When she does, a nurse will come in stat." Dr. Crobat said. A smile stretched across his beak. "You have nothing to worry about."
"That's good." Mint said, looking from Snap, to Mosaic, then to Snap again. "At least he will have someone to watch over him."
"That does make me feel better." Rudy said. Penny nodded in agreement. "Will she also keep out any intruders?"
The sudden question caused the doctor zoner to take a step back. "Why? Do you think someone might come in?" His eyes were wide.
"We fear that Snap was targeted by whoever set up that machine." Rudy said, his voice bitter. He didn't look at the doctor as he continued. "The timing...it was just too coincidental... The culprit must have known that Snap was the one who destroyed their machine, and now they are making him pay for it..."
Penny looked sympathetically towards her friend. So did Mint. They both understood why Rudy was so upset. It was for the same reason they were upset. Someone deliberately targeted their friend. Because of whoever done this, Snap was going to be in a lot of pain for a long time. Even if it wasn't the culprit, some sick zoner still did this. And they couldn't prevent it. Despite their efforts, they couldn't stop this from happening. Rudy must feel so useless right now, poor guy.
She looked back down at Snap. At least he was in a hospital where he was safe. She had no doubts that Mosaic could do something to help keep him safe. But there were other zoners in this area that could further ensure her friend's safety. The machine was gone, so they had no worries, for now, of a break in. Snap would be fine here.
After the bit of silence, Dr. Crobat cleared his throat, getting their attention. "I can assure you nothing will happen." He looked directly at Rudy as he said this. "If anyone is coming after your friend, they will have us to contend with. You can trust us. Nothing will happen to your friend."
Rudy stared at the doctor, a slight glare on his face. Not from anger towards him, but towards whoever had done this to Snap. Then his expression softened up and he gave a smile to the zoner. "Thank you."
Dr. Crobat nodded his head. "You're welcome." After a couple moments, he said, "Would you..like some time with your friend?"
"That would be nice, yes." Mint said.
"It would be much appreciated." Rudy replied.
Dr. Crobot looked down at Mosaic. "Would you like me to take Mosaic out? Or is she good here?"
"She can stay." Penny said. She reached down and gingerly touched her on the head. She felt how smooth yet hard her skin was, being a crocodile and all. "I don't see a reason why she has to leave."
"Very well then." Dr. Crobat said. He turned around and raised a hand up, waving at them. "I'll give you some time to stay here with your friend. I'm sure that, when he wakes up, he will appreciate the company." With that, the bird zoner left the room, leaving them alone with Snap.
sss
"I can't believe I almost lost track of the time." Rudy lamented. "My parents will be home soon and..."
"Don't worry about it." Mint said, putting his hand on Rudy's shoulder. "We all lost track of time. It wasn't just you."
"Yeah I know. Still..I wish I kept a better handle on the time so we wouldn't have had to rush out so suddenly." Rudy sighed softly. He still felt guilty, no matter how hard he tried to tell himself that everything was fine. "Well at least we left with enough time to get back to our homes before our parents realize we're gone."
Penny and Mint nodded their heads in agreement. There was no way they would contradict that statement. They both knew it was true.
"It was a good thing it's a saturday. We wouldn't have been able to convince our parents we were sick, as well as tell our parents the same thing." Penny flinched as she said that. "Then we would have had a possibility of wires being crossed. They could have called each other and find out that we weren't at either place."
"Then we would have been in big trouble." Mint lamented. "I know my dad would have been quite strict if he found out I was out goofing around with you guys. My mom wouldn't be so happy either."
"We'll just have to manage our time better." Rudy said. "Set aside time to come here and visit Snap without triggering any suspicions from our parents. I believe we can do that, right?" His friends gave a nod. He smiled at this.
Rudy still didn't like the idea of leaving his friend alone in the hospital. Now that he was awake, now that it was clear that something was wrong with his memory, he wanted to stay there more than ever. He wanted to hold him and tell him it was going to be okay. He wanted to do what he could to help him feel better.
Snap hadn't even woken up once when he came back. They had spent about two hours there, sitting with him, being mostly quiet. They talked a bit, including what they were going to do and how they were going to try to find the culprit. But no matter how long they stayed there with Snap, the zoner never woke up. He was sleeping soundly on the bed, Mosaic positioning herself at the foot of it, on duty.
While Rudy was glad to see his friend in a peaceful state, he couldn't help but worry for Snap. He had hoped that he would wake up before they had to go so they could speak to him. He wanted to let Snap know they would be back later. But fate had different ideas and they had to go, despite his desperation to want to stay.
At least Snap was safe now. He and his friends could rest assured that Mosaic would keep Snap from hurting himself. As they left, he had looked over his shoulder, and he could see the look of determination in her eyes. She would not let harm come to him. He was certain.
"I still don't understand." Mint said. He tilted his head back, his eyes looking up towards the sky. The others looked at him, waiting for him to answer. "Why would someone waste all this time destroying many zoners, and yet leave Snap live?"
"They probably meant to kill him." Penny pointed out.
"Or maybe not." Mint said.
Rudy looked over at him. Like Penny, he was confuseed by what he was implying. "What do you mean, Mint?"
"I mean, don't you think it's odd that Snap was able to survive what others could not?" Mint raised his arms up, confusion written on his face. "It doesn't make any sense. Why would the other zoners, some even larger than Snap, die, but he survive? Snap's wounds were even different, from what we were told."
Rudy and Penny looked at each other. They turned back to their friend.
Penny bit her lip. "So...you're saying that Snap surviving was...done on purpose..?"
Mint stared at her for a few seconds. Then he nodded his head. "Yeah. I'm not sure why yet they'd leave him alive but...something tells me it's nothing good."
The three friends fell silent after that. The possibilities of what Mint implied buzzed around their heads. Their blood cooled at the thought. If this was done on purpose, then that meant that the culprit wasn't done yet. They would strike again soon. And if that's the case, then they would have to be extra vigilant.
None of them noticed the pair of red eyes watching them from a distance.
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Post by Bluedramon on Oct 12, 2014 20:21:08 GMT -5
Chapter 8: All According To Plan
You always wanted people to remember you, to leave your little mark on society! Don't you know your wish is coming true today?
-The Game, Disturbed
Sandra stood there in silence, watching as the three children walked through ChalkZone. She kept her mouth shut, not wanting to draw any attention from the humans. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and only when she knew they were leaving ChalkZone did she turn in a new direction and begin heading that way.
She didn't want them to be present while she spoke to Snap. It was about time she visited him again, and she needed to make sure everything was falling into place. If she showed up while they were there, it would be hard for her to say the right things without triggering a suspicious response from them. It was going to be hard, but she needed to avoid contact with the humans as much as she can, only seeking out Snap when he was alone.
She wondered how he was doing. It had been two weeks since he was in the hospital, and in all that time, he was unconscious. This surprised her. She hadn't meant to knock him out for this long. It was pretty grating on her to have to wait until he woke up before she could do anything. But eh, there was nothing she could do.
She heard rumors that he was awake now. It was hard to know at the time. She wasn't certain how fast rumors spread, and there was the chance that it was an exaggeration. But when she saw Snap and saw he was awake...
Soon it would be time to begin the next phase. But for now, she'll hold that off. She wanted to speak to him again. She kind of missed up. She was also curious to see how her plan was shaping up so far. If Snap still did not remember those events from two weeks ago, if he did not remember that she did this, then she was good.
She could feel her heart beating a little faster. She placed her hand on her chest plate, taking note that her earlier action caused it to still accelerate. She had to be careful of when she took this action; it could easily drain her unless she trained herself to concentrate more.
Sandra was glad she took the risk anyway. If she had allowed them to do the scan before she made her move... It would have surely complicated things. The doctors must continue to believe there is nothing wrong with the zoner, otherwise her plans would begin to fall apart. She couldn't have that.
The dragon zoner made her way towards ChalkZone City. She enjoyed the walk, the feel of the grass under her feet, the permanent blue sky overhead. She tilted her head back, smiling up towards some flying zoners that zipped by. Always a nice day here. She enjoyed walks out in the field like this. It helped her to relax her mind, and to mentally prepare herself for whatever course of action she'd have to take.
It didn't take her too long to reach the city. She began to traverse through it, walking along the sidewalks. She looked left and right, taking note of the zoners that were moving along. She stared intently at a few of them, her mind's gears turning. Seeing all these zoners reminded her of one thing.
Her restaurant.
She didn't like leaving it unintended for long, and she knew she was going to have customers soon. There were probably a lot of zoners lined up right now, waiting to have a bite of her food. She didn't want to disappoint them.
She didn't plan on staying with Snap for too long. Just long enough to see how he was doing and to make sure her plan was still progressing as she had wanted. If there is a slight deviation, she would have to analyze it, and figure out if she could use it to her advantage or if she would have to find a way to fix the anomaly. If she isn't careful, she could easily screw things up.
She made a turn onto another street and was immediately stopped. She felt herself slam against something and she staggered back. She wiped off her arms and glared at whoever had gotten in her way. Her glare softened up a little into annoyance when she realized who it was.
"Jyker... So nice to see you." Her voice wasn't the most sincere anyone had ever heard. "What brings you here?"
Jyker chuckled, eyeing Sandra up and down. "Well well well... Look who it is... How have you been..?"
Sandra growled softly at the zoner. Jyker was a spotted hyena zoner, standing on two legs and wearing a suit of some kind. He had an odd eye, which was a bit hard for her to describe to anyone. It was just...different, and rather unsettling to look at. He almost always had a grin stretched across his muzzle, fangs peaking out from his upper jaw. He had a spikey mane with blotches of dark color across his light grey fur.
Sandra took a step back away from the zoner. It wasn't like she was that frightened of him. Jyker proved to be more of an annoyance than anything. Still, he could jeopardize things if he ended up following her. She would need to lose him and fast.
"That isn't really your business, now is it?" Sandra said, her lips pulling up enough to show her teeth. This only seemed to amuse the hyena further. "I would suggest you stand aside. I have somewhere I have to be."
"Oh come now. Are you telling me I can't join you? Your old friend?" Jyker hissed softly.
Sandra growled at this. "We were never friends! You were the reason I was..." She paused. "...unable to stay at the last place I found to live."
Jyker chuckled at this. "You are bringing that thing up? Why!" He placed a paw against his mouth in mock shock. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you weren't happy with me!"
"I'm not!" Sandra barked. She tried to calm herself down. At this rate, she was never going to lose him. She took in a breath and sighed, closing her eyes. "Now...if you'll excuse me...I really have to go."
She turned and walked away, deciding to go a different, longer way to the hospital. She tried to ignore the dark chuckling behind her, and the few jeers Jyker tossed in her direction. Before she disappeared down another pathway, she heard him say one more thing before he, too, began to leave.
"I'd wish you the best of luck, but knowing you, that isn't going to be good enough. I hope you have fun here, Sandra, because you and I both know it ain't going to last!"
At that, Sandra couldn't move, her body freezing. She felt a chill go up her spine as her eyes bulged. Jyker's words echoed in her head, bringing her back to that incident not long after she had been created. Despite what she may have told Snap, this wasn't the first place she ended up. There was another area she had lived in...until the day it happened.
She didn't want to think about that right now, though. She had other things to worry about. Jyker was not going to follow her, and she doubted she would see him again for a while. The zoner tended to move around a lot, never staying in one spot for very long. She just to pick up the pace, and he wouldn't be able to find her and harass her. The sooner she was in the hospital, the sooner she'd start to feel better. She never thought she'd see the day when she would prefer seeing the white walls of a hospital over the fur from a fellow zoner.
She turned her thoughts back to her friend. She hoped Snap was awake now. She would be disappointed if she went to the hospital and didn't get a chance to speak to him. She missed talking to him. It was a bit lonely at the restaurant for some reason, despite the fact that she had a lot of customers, and that Snap had only ever gone there twice. Perhaps it was the conversations she missed; Snap was one of the more talkative customers. The others usually just got their meal and sat down. Snap, on the other hand, was willing to engage in conversation with her even while eating.
She thought about bringing him something to eat the next time she visited. She had not thought of it right now, but perhaps in her next visit, she will. Snap did enjoy her food, and he was still her friend, regardless of the punishment she was preparing for him. The punishment wasn't personal; it was merely a necessity.
Yeah, perhaps she would bring him over some kind of meat dish. She wasn't sure what yet, though. It all depended on what she could get for the specials. It would be her treat, and as a way of showing him there's no hard feelings in all of this.
Yet she could not directly tell him what she was going to do. He might overreact and misunderstand her intentions. If she ever had to tell him, though, she would. For now, it was her own little secret.
Up ahead, she could see the building's formations. She gave a soft smile at this. In a short while, she was going to see Snap again. Depending on how this meeting with him goes, it would affect how the next several weeks, even a month or so, depending, were going to be handled. Without saying a word, ignoring some curious zoners who stopped and attempted to speak to her, the dragon zoner quicked her pace, moving towards the hospital.
sss
"Ah...so this was the room, right?" Sandra asked, tapping her chin thoughtfully.
The nurse next to her nodded her head. "Yes. You were simply on the wrong floor. Easy mistake."
Sandra nodded her head. She waved her hand to the nurse. "Thank you." She watched as the zoner left before turning her attention to the door in front of her.
Sandra felt a little embarrassed. Her memory was usually better than this. She was so certain she had thought of the right number that she immediately went on her own to the room. This act was pretty stupid as it nearly got her captured by the security. She wasn't sure how she could have gotten the floors wrong; she had come here multiple times in the past. She should know it pretty well by now.
She had accidentally gone into an elderly zoner's room. She nearly freaked out when she saw that the zoner was preparing to be bathed by the nurses. She slammed the door and raced down the hallway until she hit against another nurse.
After she had calmed down enough, she was able to tell the nurse whom she was trying to see. The nurse realized her mistake, and led her towards the elevator. They went up one level and Sandra found herself being guided down the hallway, the nurse holding her hand like she was a child. She clenched her teeth at this, but did not fight back.
It hadn't taken her long to get to the right room. Sandra took mental note of what room Snap was in. She wished she had brought a paper and pen so she could write down the room number. Hopefully, she can remember this number when she got back to her restaurant.
She reached over, curling her fingers into a fist. She began to tap against the door with the tops of her fingers. She took a step back and waited. Her ears pricked up at a sound.
"Come on in."
That voice, though weak, it was unmistakeable. Definitely Snap's. She wasted no time. She grabbed onto the door knob and turned it, pushing the door completely open. She walked into the room, shutting the door behind her.
She could see her superhero friend laying on the bed. The front of it, where his head was, had been raised up. This provided support for his head so he could look around without much trouble. The blankets were pulled over him to just the middle of his chest, his arms resting on it. The zoner was wearing a hospital gown, to be expectd, but for some reason, still had his mask and cape on, making it easy to positively identify him.
She took note of the wires that hooked up to him, monitoring his vitals. Her eyes trailed along them, towards one of the machines. She could see the readings, and they appeared to be normal. She then looked at his feet, noting how, in the parts that were seen, they were covered in bandages.
Sandra approached the zoner at his bed side. She took position about a foot away. She locked eyes onto him. They stared at each other for several seconds. It took a little while before Sandra could think of what to say.
"Hello, Snap. How is everything going today?"
Snap smiled, though Sandra could tell it was forced. Something was clearly bugging him. "I'm...okay." His expression then saddened slightly, further giving away his real mood. "It's just..been a long day."
Sandra's ears lowered slightly and she bit her lip. She moved towards Snap, wearing a sympathetic expression. She sat down next to him on the bed. The zoner immediately scooched over, making room for her. Sandra looked down at him, trying to think of something to say. She looked left and right, fumbling her fingers together.
But it was Snap who ended up breaking the quietness, not her. Sandra immediately looked down towards the zoner as he cleared his throat to get her attention. When he saw that he had, he spoke.
"I..take it you heard the news?" Snap asked in a quiet voice.
Sandra tiled her head. "About what?"
Without looking at her, Snap said, "About me being the only survivor..."
Sandra was puzzled for a moment, as she thought she mentioned this the other day. But she soon realized about the amnesia thing and shook the thought out of her head. She looked down at the zoner empatheticaly. "Yeah..I have." She paused, and then asked, "I...thought you already knew about that."
At this, Snap closed his eyes. He clasped his hands together, his teeth gritted slightly. "Supposedly, I had been told about this before. The doctors told me what happened, and so did my friends when they visited me a short time ago. But I don't remember anything that happened yesterday. I don't remember seeing my friends, finding out what happened."
Sandra looked sadly at Snap. While this was indeed part of the plan, not letting him remember, it still tugged at her heart strings to see him this way. She reached over and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Snap smiled at her briefly before turning his head away.
"I still can't believe it. They're gone...they're all gone..." Snap felt tears form in his eyes. He looked like he was trying his best not to cry, but it was clear that he was failing the effort. He closed his eyes and let out more tears, before he gave a loud sniffle and said, "I don't know why..."
"Why it happened?" Sandra asked cautiously.
Snap nodded. "Why it happened. Why I'm the one who survived. Why fate can be cruel." He tried to pull his legs up, but the pain stopped him. "All I wanted was to have some fun, but instead, even that was taken from me. Those zoners are all dead now, and it's all because of that..." Snap's eyes narrowed at this. "...that stupid culprit!"
Sandra's eyes widened at this. She sucked in a sharp breath. She did her best to hide her reaction from her friend. She looked down at Snap, doing what she could to continue looking sad and sympathetic, rather than shocked. "The one who built that machine?"
Snap nodded his head quickly. "Yes! They're the ones responsible for this! They were angry at me, and they wanted to hurt me! And they killed innocents in the process, all just to get back at me!"
It took so much of Sandra's mental strength to keep quiet at this. It was so tempting for her to calm Snap down and explain to him that it wasn't what he thought it was. This wasn't done out of malice, or out of anything personal. For her, it was merely business, and what she was doing was just a necessity. She could hate herself later, but this has to be done.
But Snap wouldn't understand. He would label her a monster. They all would. Once they find out what she was doing with Snap, what else she had been partaking in... They'd chase her all away. She felt her heart clench at the thought. She was not going to allow another incident like that happen. No...she wouldn't allow it.
Moving her arm further across Snap's shoulders, her hand getting a grip on him, she pulled him to herself. Snap pressed up against her, resting the side of his face against her shoulder. Sandra looked down at him, smiling softly as Snap appeared to relax, her warmth comforting him. She continued to hold him like this, and slowly, she could feel his heart rate start to slow down. Even as it became relaxed, she still did not let go, still feeling compelled to hang onto him.
"It will be okay." Sandra found herself saying. She wasn't sure what else to do. "I promise, it will be okay."
"Are you sure about that?" Snap asked softly, his gaze still low. "What if...?"
Sandra held onto him tighter. "It will be rough up ahead. I won't lie. But I promise, in the end, all your pain and worry will go away. And you'll never have to be scared of anything again."
Snap looked reassured by these words. He cuddled up against her, wincing as he moved one of his legs a little to be more comfortable. He wrapped his arms around her, and he rested his head against her armor-covered chest. "Thank you."
Sandra smiled at this, but said nothing. She kept her arms around him, letting him lay against her. She wanted to give him some peace of mind. He deserved it before things started to go down. The next few weeks or so weren't going to be easy for her. It has to be done, but that didn't mean she felt entirely comfortable with it. Sometimes doing the right thing was really hard, but it was better to do that than to let things go. She knew what the right thing to do was.
She had to make Snap truly sorry for what he had done to her. She had to make sure that he would never try such a thing again. If she let him off the hook...who knows what'll happen? She shuddered to think about it. Yes, this was the best path to take, despite how hard it was. In the end, everything would work out.
Even though Snap may never understand, she could rest easy at night knowing that she had done all she could for him and herself. Everyone was going to be better off once everything is set in motion. Even if they don't agree with her, she knew that everything would be just fine.
She tried to think of a good time to begin the next phase. She had been planning on doing it relatively soon, but she had already decided earlier to delay it a little. She wanted Snap to have some time to relax before she initiated this step. She knew it was going to be a rather hard step to start, and a difficult one for him to go through. Perhaps an extra few days will do. Yeah, that sounded like it could work out.
She hoped to begin the phase soon. It was going to be hard to start it. But once everything was settled and everything flowing, everything would fall into place. She would hardly have to make any sort of move herself; others would do that for her.
"I...am sorry the party didn't turn out quite like I had planned." Sandra said. Snap looked up at her, his eyes still holding confusion. It was clear he did not remember this, no matter how hard he tried. She could also detect fear in those eyes, making her suck on her lip. "I was hoping it would have turned out better. I wish I had gone back sooner. Maybe I could have prevented..."
"No." Snap shook his head. "You couldn't have known. I don't blame you for..whatever you were doing away from the party. Whatever you were doing, you couldn't have known that the place would have exploded."
"Neither could you." Sandra pointed out.
"Yeah...that's true." Snap nodded his head. "I guess I..just can't help but feel guilty. I mean...why me? Why am I the one to survive?" Snap shook his head. "It just isn't fair... All those zoners shouldn't have had to die!"
Sandra ticked her mouth in a small, faint smile. "I guess that's where you and I have a lot in common, my friend." She pulled him against her. "I found myself asking the same question. Why had this had to happen? Sometimes, there are no answers, and all we can do is move on." She looked at her friend in the eyes. "Do you understand me?"
"Yeah, I guess so." Snap replied, wiping away a tear from his eye. "I still wish that..."
Sandra raised up a feather finger, silencing him. "Wishing will not change anything. All we can do is move on."
As Snap nodded his head and fell silent, Sandra's thoughts went to the zoners that perished in the flames. She gritted her teeth at the memory. She could still hear their screams of pain, them crying out for help. She could still see their bodies burning on the ground, some looking so black, she couldn't even tell if they were still alive or not. The memories stung her, tugging away at her heart, making her chest hurt. It was so unfortunate that this had to happen...
But what other choice was there? She knew that, sometimes, great sacrifices have to be made. The only way to achieve her goals, what needed to be done, was to have Snap be the only survivor. She was not too happy that she had to let the others die, but it needed to happen. If any of them survived, they could tell a conflicting story, and that would jeopardize everything.
At least it was over for them. They were dead. They would no longer feel pain. It was all said and done. But for Snap...his suffering wasn't going to be over for a while. She wished it would be, but these things take time. She just needed to exercise some...patience.
Sandra was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard a low, animalistic sound coming from the bed. She looked around, her ears twitching. Snap looked at her in confusion. He asked her what was wrong, but she ignored him. She focused her attention trying to find that sound. She turned her head from side to side. It had to be coming from here, yet...where was it?
Only her and Snap were on the bed. She saw no bulge indicating someone else was there. Yet the sound wasn't coming from anywhere else. It was in this vicinity. She gritted her teeth, getting off the bed and turning around. She stared at it intently, looking up and down.
But still no sign of whatever that sound was. She growled in frustration, wondering just what was going on. There had to be a reason why this was happening. She continued to ignore Snap's confused cries as she held her ears up, using them as radar dishes so she could guide herself over to wherever the sound was coming from.
Soon she found herself lowering to the ground. She grabbed the sheet covering the bottom space of the bed. Could this be where the sound was coming from? There was only one way to find out.
She grabbed the sheet and lifted it up. She looked at the dark space, her red eyes darting from side to side. At first, she saw nothing. But soon, a pair of eyes glowed in the dark, staring straight at her. Her eyes widened and she attempted to pull herself back, only to bang her head against the bed.
"Yeowch!" Sandra cried. She gripped her head and rubbed it. She looked over and saw that something large was creeping towards her. Her eyes widened more. "Oh no..."
In seconds, the large creature pushed against her, letting out a soft growl in the process. They rolled out from the side of the bed and towards the door. Sandra found herself pinned down, feeling the charp claws of the best press against her. She dared to open her eyes and she looked up. She sucked in a breath through her clenched teeth as she saw what it was.
A crocodile... Or so it looked like. She had never seen a croc like this before. Longer legs, looking as though it could run quite well for longer periods of time. The beast lowered its head towards her, opening its elongated jaws, its hot breath hitting against her. Sandra's heart pounded, finding herself unable to tear her gaze away from the creature.
"Mosaic! No!" Came a shout. "Off her!"
To Sandra's surprise and confusion, the beast got off of her. It slunk back towards the bed, and sat down on its haunches. She then saw Snap reach down and start petting it on its head.
Her mind filling with confusion and uncertainty, Sandra managed to ask, "S-Snap...what's going on..?"
"Oh I'm sorry about that. I should have told you when you came in here." Snap said apologetically. He stroked the top of the creature's head, treating it like it was some kind of pet. "This is Mosaic. She's my guardian."
Sandra held herself up by her hands. She took in a few quick breaths. She stared at Mosaic, and then back at Snap. "Guardian?"
Snap nodded his head. "She is to keep me from getting out of bed." His expression saddened at this. "The doctors don't know when my memory will return to normal, and the scans came up negative they said." He sighed as he looked down at the reptilian zoner. "This morning, I tried to climb out of bed and nearly hurt myself worse. The doctors hope that Mosaic being with me will help reduce that possibility."
Sandra stared at Mosaic for a few seconds. It was only after looking at her carefully that Sandra noticed the collar with a button around her neck. Suddenly, it all made sense to her.
A part of her was happy that someone would keep Snap from hurting himself before everything could be finished. She couldn't properly do this if Snap ended up doing something really bad to himself by mistake. But on the other hand, this could be a problem. Depending on how well she can communicate with others, Mosaic could prove to be an obstacle between her and her goals.
"What's wrong, Sandra?" It would seem Snap took notice of her nervousness.
Sandra tried to clear her mind, not wanting to sound too uncomfortable around Snap. "Oh...I was just...thinking that's all..."
Snap narrowed his eyes slightly. "Sandra, I know what's going on."
At this, Sandra froze. Had Snap seen through her plans? Did he figure out what she was planning to do? She did her best to keep her cool, but she could feel her heart rate speeding p. She looked over at Snap, unable to stop her eyes from widening. "Y-You do...?" She managed to choke out.
Snap nodded his head. "Uh huh."
Then came the pause. Sandra felt dread rise up in her heart. This was it. Snap was going to tell her how disgusting she was, how she was a monster... He was not going to give her a chance to tell her side of the story. He would just proceed to tear her apart.
Then when he spoke, and the words not what she had expected, she felt relief rush through her body.
"You're scared of Mosaic, aren't you?" Snap's expression softened up. Sandra tried to answer, but she just stammered. "I see." This caused Snap's eyes to furrow more with concern. He looked from Mosaic, and then up to Sandra. "You don't have to worry about her. She will not hurt you." He looked down at Mosaic, stroking her on her head. "Will you?"
Mosaic didn't do anything. She just stared at Sandra. She mode no threatening move towards her, but there was something about those eyes. Sandra couldn't look away. They were almost hypnotic. Something was going on in that lizard's eyes. She just knew it.
As if taking Mosaic's silence as an answer, Snap smiled up at Sandra and said, "See? She's harmless."
Harmless...? Sandra would have to wait and see about that. Given enough time, she will see just how harmless Mosaic really was.
Snap continued to stroke along Mosaic's back. His gaze turned to the crocodile, but when he spoke, his voice was clearly addressed to Sandra. "So...how long do you plan on staying? I do like the company, and I do appreciate you visiting me."
Sandra smiled at this. "It's not a problem at all, Snap. Really..." She looked at Mosaic for a second, feeling uncomfortable under her stare. She cleared her throat and said, "But I won't be able to stay too long." She tilted her head back slightly. "I am certain I have a long line of customers waiting."
"Yeah I'm sure. I'm not surprised." Snap gave a small chuckle. "Your food was great. It was delicious."
"Thank you." Sandra said.
"I am...glad you're getting a lot of business. It would be a shame if nobody ever got a chance to try out your food. You're incredible!" Snap said with a grin. "I do have one question, though."
"What's that?" Asked Sandra.
"Do you plan on making a cook book?" Snap asked.
This took Sandra by surprise. She had not expected a question like this to be asked. She stammered, unsure of how to reply. A cook book? This was...quite unexpected. She never thought of making a cook book before.
"I admit, it never crossed my mind..." Sandra admitted.
Snap looked disappointed by this. "Oh that is a shame. I think you should try something like that." Snap widened his smile. "I think everyone in the city would buy your book!"
Sandra chuckled softly at this. She wasn't so sure if that would be a good idea. She had her own way of making things, and some would say it was...out of the norm. She didn't want to be singled out for criticism, and she didn't want people stealing her ideas. She could make more money this way, but then again, she could lose money. If people could make their own Sandra-styled dishes, why bother coming to her?
Plus, she knew some zoners would not approve of her methods. She knew that at least a handful would be...not so happy with her, to put it lightly. There was a good reason why she kept her methods a secret.
"Y-Yeah...maybe." Sandra managed to say. She rubbed her arm nervously, her eyes shifting from side to side. "I..will think about that."
An obvious lie. She had no intentions of doing such a thing. But she didn't want to flat out say no to Snap. If he did, then he was going to ask her why, and then she'd have to come up with some kind of lie on the spot. She wasn't sure if she could explain it to Snap well enough so he'd understand. She wasn't interested in trying to brew up another complicated lie either.
Luckily, he appeared to buy her small lie. He smiled at her and then leaned back against his pillow. His hand was removed from Mosaic's back. The crocodile zoner remained where she was, dutifully at his bed side. Mosaic moved a tad closer, but her eyes never left Sandra's. The two's eyes locked for several seconds, which quickly felt like hours.
Sandra did her best to remain calm. She didn't know how well Mosaic could sense subtle changes in temperament and bodily functions. She wasn't sure how smart she was, but if she was trained to push that button, she might be able to alert a nurse in here and find a way to shift suspicion onto her.
Sandra thought about staying longer, but with that crocodile zoner staring at her like that, she could feel herself starting to grow more and more nervous. Sooner or later, the croc would catch onto this. The best course of action was to leave before anything could happen.
"Well I should get going." Sandra said. "I'm sorry to cut this short." She gave Snap a sad smile. "I was kind of hoping to stay with you longer. But.." She shrugged. "You know how life can be."
"Don't worry. I understand." Snap said, smiling at her. "You do what you have to do. It was nice having the company for a short time."
"Yeah, I hope to visit soon. Maybe later tonight if I'm lucky." Sandra said. She raised up her hand and waved to Snap. "Well see you later!"
"Goodbye, Sandra!" Snap said.
sss
Sandra was soon out of the hospital and she began her trek back to her restaurant. She moved along the sidewalk, feeling her feet and toes touch the cold concrete. It wouldn't be too hard getting back to her restaurant from here. She just had to make a few turns, and walk mostly straight. She would be there in no time.
As she moved forward, walking along the path, she could see various zoners all around her. They all seemed so busy. Chatting, or having fun, or doing their job, or even a combinationof these. She turned her head from one side to the other, taking note on how these zoners were interacting with one another.
It was so...peaceful. Despite the chatter that came from these zoners, she couldn't help but notice how...calm everyone seemed to be. Despite the explosions, the zoners were starting to recover a little. Sure, she doubted their emotional pain stopped, but they were remaining confident that the culprit would be found, and their dead loved ones would be given the closure they deserve.
They wouldn't be the only ones. Everytime she walked the street, she would hear at least one zoner mention something about that. Justice and closure and all that stuff. It had been happening for a while. It was a conversational topic she got used to hearing.
Strange they never seem to tell Snap any of this. The blue and white zoner had never talked about it. It confused the dragon zoner why Snap wouldn't know. Perhaps the zoners thought it was personal and just didn't want him get involved? Snap was kind of a child zoner. He was drawn like one anyway. Maybe they thought he was too young or something?
Well she didn't want to concern herself with that. It didn't really matter to her if Snap knew or not. All that mattered was that everything was going according to plan.
And it was. Snap remained the only survivor, with other zoners perishing in the flames. He remained amnesiac regarding the events. So long as these factors remained that way, and there were no alterations whatsoever, then everything was good. Everything was going just fine.
Of course, there was a chance that someone else survived the fire. They could have found another way out, in a lower part of the building that the police haven't searched yet. She hoped that wasn't the case. If she had to, she would go in and make sure that Snap remained the only survivor. She couldn't allow any deviations. It was just too risky.
And speaking of risky, she wasn't sure what to think of Mosaic. Snap said she was harmless, but she wasn't so sure. She could prove to be a huge thorn in her side. If Mosaic will be watching Snap dutifully, then she will have to contend with her every time she visited. She would need to be careful not to trigger any suspicion from Mosaic. She couldn't be sure just how sentient she really was.
Sandra made a mental note to herself. She would need to take care of Mosaic if it came to that. She would need to make sure she didn't interrupt. For now, she would not do anything to her. She did not want to waste her time on her if she could avoid it. But if Mosaic became too much of a problem, then something would have to be done about her.
Fortunately, Sandra had a bit of a secret weapon. She had used it before, in secret. She never told anyone about it. She was quite proud of this ability. It would allow her to disable Mosaic in a matter of moments, and she needn't even place a hand on her.
If she were to tell anyone of this ability, they would be shocked with how she was using it. One big reason, they wouldn't comprehend how she could use this power this way. It was really quite simple. It was all a matter of understanding what potentials were there, and exploiting that.
But she had no intentions on telling anyone about this power. Doing so could again cause suspicion on her, and they could find out what she had been doing. No, best to keep this a secret.
All in all, she was happy with how things were progressing. Better than she had hoped. All the factors were in place, just like she had hoped. Snap couldn't remember. He was still the only survivor, all according to plan. Things were going quite well, and hopefully it will remain that way as time goes on.
She still felt betrayed by Snap. Although speaking to Snap, it didn't seem like he had betrayed her; he was still quite friendly towards her, and he didn't seem like the kind of zoner to hide stuff. Well either way, accident or not, it was still a betrayal of her trust. She was still quite sore about it, still having some anger towards her friend. She had done her best to hide it during the meeting, but she would have to be careful in the future. She couldn't afford to lose it in front of her friend.
No matter. Sooner or later, Snap would feel sorry for what he had done. He would realize he was in the wrong and apologize to her. Then, once his punishment is complete, if he were still around, then they could move on like nothing happened. She would be more than happy to go back to just being his friend. She didn't want to be his punisher forever.
Well there was nothing she could do about that. Until all of this was over, she would have to continue on just as planned.
Soon she reached the street that her restaurant was on. She slowed her pace a little. She wanted to enjoy the scenery. It was quite pretty in this part of town, despite it being on the outskirts. She looked left and right, noting an increase in zoner activity. She could see a whole line of them. Her eyes traced along, and soon she found the cause of this line.
It was her own restaurant. Her eyes widened. She knew there would be customers, but she never knew there would be a line this long. She felt her chest swell up in happiness. It seemed her restaurant was even more popular than she had thought. She didn't think there would be this long of a line. Not wanting to keep her customers waiting, she sprinted, rushing towards her restaurant.
"Hey there she is!" A zoner shouted.
"Finally!" An irritated female zoner said. "Where have you been?!"
A disgruntled zoner snarled at her. "How long were you plan on keeping us here?"
Sandra winced. Some of the zoners sounded quite upset. She couldn't blame them. She should have been here, doors open, taking their orders. It was times like these where she wished she had hired some company. She knew she couldn't do that, so she would have to deal with the consequences herself.
As she passed by the irritated zoners, she offered them quick apologies. She unlocked the doors to the restaurant and opened them up. Immediately, the zoners rushed in, all forming a line. Some of them still glared at her. She did her best to ignore it, instead wanting to focus on getting these orders filled out so she could resume her duties at the restaurant.
"How may I serve you?"
Soon, she began to take orders from the zoners, and preparing the food that they had been long awaiting. She wasn't sure how long they had been waiting, and she felt guilty about it, especially if they were here a long time. She would have to make sure to not let this happen again.
As she continued to work in the restaurant, she thought back to Snap. Despite her anger, she still felt bad about doing this. She wished she didn't have to. She really did. But she started, and now there was no going back. She would try to speed things along in certain phases to make it a little less...uncomfortable for him.
And at least she was going to grant him one wish. Snap always liked to be the center of attention at times. He was a very social zoner after all. She was certain that he would want to be remembered for something. Well, sooner or later, he would be remembered. She would make sure the zoners remembered him for something they wouldn't forget for years to come.
That would be Snap's legacy. That would be his mark on ChalkZone. She can guarantee him that nobody would forget his name after this was all over. Even zoners far away would be likely to hear his name. So at least she could give him that.
"Did you hear about Rudy?"
"What about him?"
"He and his friends are up to something."
Sandra's ears perked up as she heard some zoners talking. She turned her head in their drection. She saw a table of what appeared to be a family of zoners. As she brought a plate of food over to one of her recent customers, she kept her ears raised up to pick up the chattering of the nearby zoners.
"They're going to try to figure out what happened to their friend."
"Yeah, that explosion did seem off... I wonder if they will find anything."
Sandra widened her eyes at this. Snap's friends... She had forgotten to completely add them into the frame of the plan. If they did investigations of their own, and they found anything suspicious...
Oh no, that was going to cause major problems. Especially Penny, if she was as smart as Snap said she was. Sandra realized she would have to prepare to confront the children sooner or later. She might end up on their suspects list. She narrowed her eyes softly. She would have to think about this after work, and prepare herself just in case.
She would make sure the human children weren't going to be a problem.
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Post by Bluedramon on Oct 13, 2014 21:31:30 GMT -5
Chapter 9: Cause For Concern
And I won't cry for yesterday. There's an ordinary world, somehow, I have to find.
-Ordinary World, Red
“Oh Snap..I’m so sorry that...” Penny’s voice trailed off, unable to say anything else.
Rudy nodded in agreement. “We were hoping that...but I guess that...” He shut his eyes, tears flowing down his face.
Mint’s body shook slightly, clearly trying to come to terms with what they found out. “We just can’t believe that...”
“I wish it wasn’t true. I wish I was wrong.” Snap said, his head lowered. He gritted his teeth, trying to manage the pain that still surged through his legs. “If I had good news, I would tell you. But...I told you all I knew.”
“Yeah...we know.” Rudy said. “We know.”
The hospital room fell silent. Nobody said a word, just staring at each other, each lost in their own thoughts. None of them expected the visit to be rainbows and sunshine, but none of them could have expected things to turn out this way. This meeting had quickly gone downhill with a horrific discovery that made them all expect the worse to come.
Snap couldn’t believe it to be true. A part of him wish that the nurse was lying to him. He wished that there was some kind of mistake made. There was...just no way that... But no, there was no way this could be wrong. The doctors and nurses...they wouldn’t be like this. They would not lie. What would they have to gain from it? Well money, but still..he wouldn’t believe they would deliberately lie about this.
It had been three days. Three long days since he was assigned Mosaic to keep an eye on him. The doctors had wanted her to make sure he wouldn’t hurt himself, and so far, she had been doing a good job. The doctors had hoped he would start improving.
But today, Snap knew the truth. It was horrible, and he wished it wasn’t the case. But he knew that it was true.
After three days, he was still having memory issues.
This stung him in his heart, making him feel sick. For the past couple days, he would wake up to a blank slate. Anything and everything that happened before he fell asleep, he would forget the next day. He would always wake up confused, trying to climb out of bed, nearly injurying himself more. If it weren’t for Mosaic, he...
Snap shut his eyes tightly, not wanting to believe this was reality. It had to be some kind of bad dream, right? Something else was pulling his strings and... No, that wasn’t true. He could only accept what was plain as day. His memory had gone bad.
He had always heard that life wasn’t fair. Indeed, he knew this to be true. Life can sometimes do terrible things, and he had been prepared for that. But that didn’t mean it was easy. He had recently recovered from a back injury, and now this was placed onto his plate. He was back in the hospital with legs too badly burned for use. He was going to be here for a long time until they healed up properly, and he had to still undergo some skin grafting.
He half wondered if this had all been a part of that culprit’s plan. Maybe they hadn’t been trying to kill him, but instead were just biding time, making him suffer longer. He clenched his teeth tightly at the thought, feeling his body shake harder in anger.
What did he ever do to deserve this? What did he do to make this culprit target him? Yeah he destroyed the machine, but it had been an accident. And that machine was causing trouble anyway. It was the culprit, and not him, who deserved to be punished. Snap hoped that they would be discovered eventually and taken into custody. He hoped to confront the culprit one day and just ask him a single question.
Why...?
Nothing more, nothing less. Snap was not interested in revenge. He was not interested in tearing the guy apart. No, all he wanted from them was to understand why they did this. He wanted closure, and the best way as to find out what their motivations were, what drove them to do this.
Nothing they say was going to dismiss the charges. Nothing they say would make Snap automatically forgive them. But at least he would have a better understanding of what was going on in their heads. That’s all he wanted to right now, aside from the culprit being taken into custody. Understanding.
But would he ever get a chance? Would he ever be able to learn why he was targeted? Would the culprit, if they are ever found, even confess? Only time would tell. Time...and luck.
“I wish we could be of more help...” Rudy’s voice cut through the silence. “I feel so useless right now. I...”
Penny took a few steps towards the boy. She put her hand on his shoulder, giving him a gentle smile. “Rudy, we are doing all we can now.”
“We are questioning the zoners whenever we can.” Mint added in. “We are trying to find out what happened. We are trying to find some leads, any ideas on suspects. Right now, that’s all we can do.”
“I know. But still..I want to...” Rudy glanced over at Snap. He closed his eyes and lowered his head. “It’s just not fair! I’m the Guardian of ChalkZone! I should be able to fix this! I...”
“Whoa! Settle down there, Bucko!” Snap looked at Rudy in shock, unable to believe what he was hearing. “Mint and Penny are right, Rudy. You’re doing what you can to help, and that’s good enough for me.”
“B-But..” Rudy stared at Snap, shocked.
Snap raised up his hand. “No buts. You might be the guardian here, but you are still a kid. You can’t expect to fix everyone’s problems right away. Things happen that you can’t control, and you won’t be able to help out everyone. The important thing is that you are doing what you can to help now, what matters the most is that you are trying your best.”
Rudy stared at Snap, his eyes widened. He looked as if he couldn’t believe Snap would say that. The zoner said nothing, just continuing to smile to his friend, silently telling him it was all right. Mint and Penny said nothing, just smiled at nodded to Rudy, echoing Snap’s words of encouragement.
Then, slowly, Rudy began to smile. He walked away from Penny, heading straight towards Snap. Soon he stood in front of his friend, staring down at him. Seconds later, he lowered himself and wrapped his arms around him. Snap widened his eyes in surprise, but soon hugged his friend back. They remained like that for several seconds, feeling each other’s warmth.
Soon Rudy released his grip. He took a step back, smiling down at Snap. He wiped away a tear that strolled down his face. “Yeah..you’re right, Snap.” Rudy said softly. “I’m...sorry I got carried away.”
“You don’t have to apologize. You were just upset. We all are.” Snap replied. “But..I’m glad you came to your senses.” Snap let out a soft chuckle. “You won’t be of much use to anyone if you kept feeling sorry for yourself and just..broke down into a miserable pile of woe.”
At this, Rudy grinned. “Oh, you mean like Mint over there?” Rudy gestured towards Mint, who was staring at him in shock. “When he had spent two weeks crying in a corner in a fetal position before he attempted to apologize to you?”
“Hey...!” Mint started to say. “That’s not what I was doing!”
“Says the amazing iron limb.” Rudy said in a slightly taunting voice.
Mint smirked. “Oh yeah? And what about you, clueless? The one who nearly single handedly stored all of ChalkZone in a vacuum bag!”
“Well technically it was Snap who activated the vacuum but he didn’t mean to.” Penny said.
“Oh of course it was Snap! How could I have been so blind?” Mint chuckled, motioning his hand towards Snap. “The risk taker who craves excitement! Snap, the destroyer of worlds!”
Snap glared at this, not feeling particularly happy about this topic being brought up. He remembered that incident all too clearly. He had messed around with a vacuum that Rudy wanted to store in ChalkZone for his dad. He had pushed the wrong button and nearly sucked up all of ChalkZone. Even to this day, he still felt guilty about it.
He did his best not to look angry. He understood Mint meant to real harm in what he said. He was just trying to lighten up the mood. And he had to admit, thinking back to that incident, it was pretty funny how all that destruction was caused by him playing around with a single device. Destroyer of worlds seemed pretty humorous as well.
Still, he couldn’t really bring himself to laugh or join in. Mint’s words only served to remind him of the seriousness of the situation. Sure they weren’t dealing with someone who wanted to destroy ChalkZone, or so they hoped. But what was going on... There was no way they could dismiss it.
Despite them trying to lighten the mood, Snap couldn’t shift his focus off the topic at hand. Who was this culprit? What did they want? What did they plan on doing next? If they could heartlessly rig an explosion to go off that killed a large number of zoners like it was nothing...
...then what else were they capable of...?
Mint seemed to realize he might have gone a little too far. He lowered his head and spoke in a softer voice. “Snap, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“Oh, it’s okay. I know you didn’t mean it.” Snap replied. “Besides, it wasn’t really that incident I was thinking about.” He reached down and patted the top of Mosaic’s head, who was standing next to the bed on his left side. Her thick tail moved slowly from side to side. “Do you...think we will ever find out what happened?”
Mint seemed a bit taken aback by this question. He looked at Rudy and Penny before turning his gaze back to Snap. The question was directed at him only. Snap made that very clear by staring at him intently, his eyes locking onto his. Mint had trouble responding, opening his mouth but soon shutting it, looking left and right. It took Mint a while before he could work enough confidence to respond.
“I...yes..” Mint said, clearly attempting to sound as reassuring as possible. “I think we will. It’ll be hard, but..we’ll succeed. Somehow.”
Althought Mint didn’t sound convincing enough to cheer Snap up, the zoner still smiled. “Thank you.” He looked over at Rudy and Penny. “What do you think?”
Rudy and Penny stared at each other, and then looked back at Snap. They both nodded their heads. No words were needed in order for Snap to understand what they were thinking.
Snap smiled gratefully to his friends. He appreciated what they had been doing. Cheering him up, lightening up the mood, doing what they could to find out who did this to him... He appreciated it all. He was still scared, uncertain of what tomorrow would bring, uncertain if his mind was ever going to fix itself. But he could rest assured knowing that his friends were doing what they could to help him.
And what was good enough for him.
Before anyone could continue to speak, they heard a knock on the door. They turned their heads, Rudy calling out, letting them know they can come in. A second passed by before the door opened up. The familiar doctor whom they’ve been getting well acquainted with walked in.
“Hello, Dr. Crobat.” Rudy said. “Do you have any news for us?”
Dr. Crobat gritted his beak. “There hasn’t been much of a change, unfortunately. But you already knew that, didn’t you?”
Everyone nodded at this.
“It just isn’t fair.” Rudy said softly. “Why Snap..?”
Dr. Crobat stared at the boy, letting out a soft sigh. “Sometimes things happen and we can’t stop them.” He looked at each of the kids, including Snap, giving them a sympathetic expression. “If it were up to me, none of this would happen. But..I’m not an all powerful being. None of us are. None of us can stop things from happening. The only thing we can do is learn to deal with them, learn to recover.”
“I would love to go home, play games, watch some home movies...” Snap said, his gaze lowering. “But I’m trapped here.”
“It’s too dangerous to let you leave. We need you here so we can properly monitor you. And you being here also makes it easier for us to run another scan, which we decided will be pretty soon. A few days.”
Penny looked at the doctor, eyes widening, as if expecting the worse. “Have you...?” She bit her lip. “..found out anything?”
The bird zoner shook his head. “I’m sorry. We have not. But...” Dr. Crobat looked over at Snap, wincing slightly, and then looked back at Penny. “If he doesn’t improve in the next few days, we will run another brain scan to see if we missed anything. There’s just..” He looked at Snap again, shaking his head. “There’s no reason why he should still not be forming new memories. Something has to be wrong with his brain.”
“What if it turns up negative again?” Mint said somewhat glumly. “What then?”
Dr. Crobat sighed. “I’m...not sure.” He was quiet for a few moments. Then he said, the only thing I can think of is exploratory surgery, but..this is the brain and that’s...”
“Too risky.” Penny finished for him.
“Yes, that’s right.” Dr. Crobat nodded his head once. “We don’t want to do something like that if we don’t have to.” The children nodded in agreement. “We’ll just have to hope that Snap either improves, or we find something on the scan. And hope that it’s treatable.”
At this, Snap winced. He could see his friends give each other nervous glances. They all knew what this could mean. Snap dreaded it. He really hoped it wouldn’t turn out this way.
Yet they all knew it could very easily happen. The doctors could indeed find something, but that didn’t mean he was out of the woods yet. The discovery the doctors would make could change everything for the worse. What if they found a tumor inside of him? Or some kind of parasite? The thought filled Snap with ice. He knew full well that either scenario would result in life-risking surgery that could deal even more damage at the end. What if he loses a part of who he was? What if he becomes someone else? What if...?
Snap tried as hard as he could, but it was hard for him to push aside the horrible thoughts. He couldn’t stop the shivers from moving through his body. Even as Mosaic pushed her head against him, giving a soft, concerned growl, he still stared ahead blankly, fearful thoughts filling his head.
Both directions frightened him. If the doctors didn’t find anything, then there was the element of the unknown. He would have to deal with not knowing what was wrong, and not be certain if things could get worse, what could happen next, among other things.
But if the doctors do find something, he could find some comfort in at least knowing what it was. But that would do little to fully alleviate his fear, and it’d create new ones. Tumor, parasite, internal bleeding, and other different possibilities entered his train of thought. Each one would bring with it fear to the zoner, and apprehension of the treament, which could still go wrong even with the best precautions available.
But in the end, he knew the best course of action was to find out what was wrong, to hope that the doctors would find something. At least then, he would have a chance at a normal life again. The doctors would have an idea of how to fix the problem.
As scared as he was, as frightened as he felt, he was still confident that they would find out what was going on. He didn’t want to keep his mind too much on the horror of what happened to him. He didn’t want to think about that explosion that nearly took his life. He wanted to instead focus on the future, and the hope that everything would work out.
Continuing to bring himself down due to what happened, and the dread that surrounded it, he knew that nothing good would come out of it. He was going to be afraid for a while, until the culprit was captured, but he would try to focus on the good things.
Yes, a positive attitude would make these days more bearable. He would have to write it down somewhere, so each day he’d remember. He needed to be grateful for what he still had, and remain hopeful that everything would be just fine.
“Well I need to get going. I have somewhere else I have to be.” Dr. Crobat said, his voice soft, somewhat apologetic. He walked towards Snap, lowering his head towards him. “And Snap?” He reached down and patted Snap on the head as the zoner looked up at him. “...good luck.”
Snap said nothing, just staring at the doctor in silence as he left the room. He and his friends watched the zoner open the door and shut it, and listened to his footsteps as he walked down the hallway. It was only when the sounds disappeared completely that they began to speak again.
“I...can’t believe it.” Rudy said. His eyes were filled with fear. “The possibility of it...” He didn’t finish his sentence. He looked over at Snap, biting his lip. “I’m so sorry that we can’t do anything more for you. I...wish we could.”
“Yeah, Snap. If it were up to me, and if I could, I would find that thug who hurt you and...” Mint only stopped when Rudy nudged him gently. The boy seemed to realize he was going off on a tangent. He cleared his throat and said, “Well, any way, if we can find something else we can do, we’ll let you know.”
Penny said, “Rest assured, we will find out who did this to you.”
Snap smiled at this. “I know you guys will. I have faith in you.” He watched as the humans smiled at him, their eyes getting glassy. “And please, don’t blame yourselves for this. You didn’t ask for this to happen. This wasn’t your fault. The only one to blame is the creepazoid who did this.”
This seemed to cheer his friends up a little. Knowing that he didn’t blame them for what happened certainly helped. They knew that Snap would never blame them for something like this. None of them could have prepared for something like this to happen. Blaming themselves would only delay action to get the real guilty party.
“And even if you don’t find out anything, don’t worry.” Snap said with a smile. “You’re still my friends. And I love you all. Just...just knowing you are willing to do all this...just to help me... That is good enough.”
“Oh Snap...” Penny said, a few tears moving down her cheeks. “We love you, too...”
Wordlessly, his friends came closer to him. Mosaic moved back, giving the humans room to be with their friend. She watched quietly, intently, as the three horms huddled around Snap, putting their arounds around his body. The four engaged in a group hug, smiles on their faces.
Snap wasn’t sure how long they stayed in the embrace, and he didn’t really care. He just continued hugging his friends, enjoyng the feeling of them embracing him back. It was comforting, and he could feel the tension in the room leaving slowly as they kept huddled up together. He could feel his mind clearing up, emptying itself of all nervous thought that was inside him before. Replacing it was tranquility, and hope.
“We will find out who did this to you.” Rudy said. “You can count on that.”
Snap smiled at this. As Mint and Penny echoed Rudy’s statement, Snap couldn’t help but feel lucky to have friends like these. They were willing to do what it took to help him. They knew it could be dangerous, that they could easily fail, or get themselves hurt. But they were still willing to do whatever it took to help him, and to help ChalkZone stop this menace. And he loved them for that.
“Yeah..” Snap said, offering smile to his friends. “I know you will...”
sss
Rudy, Mint, and Penny were walking down the streets of ChalkZone. They looked left and right, trying to find someone to talk to. Zoners moved passed them, but most of them didn’t talk to them. They had already spoken before, with little to no luck.
The trio had decided to leave the hospital so they could continue their search for information. They had apologized to Snap for having to leave, but being Snap, he was quite forgiving. Why wouldn’t he be? He was their friend and he knew they wanted to help him, and to save ChalkZone from this hideous menace. They wished they knew already who the culprit was, but perhaps that would change soon.
They did already ask a bunch of zoners. The interviews had gone on for hours each day they went to look for somebody. The first day was the longest, as they had spent as much time as they could finding residents of ChalkZone City. As the days went by, the number of people they spoke to shrank, and now it was to the point where they were having trouble finding someone to speak to.
But Mint knew they would succeed. Somewhere, there was someone whom they hadn’t spoken to yet. They just had to keep an eye out for them. There were many zoners that they passed by on the street. Many zoners looked the same, especially stick figure zoners. But there were still minor details that set them apart. They just had to know where to look.
They did eventually find a small group of zoners huddled together, none of which looked familiar to them. They looked kind of punkish in style, and appeared to be some motorcycle gang. The sight of them was intimidating, but they overcame their nervousness to speak to them.
“Hey...can we speak to you?” Rudy asked, standing in front of his friends. One of the larger members turned their heads, looking down at him. Rudy cringed, but swallowed and continued anyway. “We just want to ask a couple of questions.”
The motorcycle gang looked at each other. Then they stared down at the children. Mint winced under their stare. They weren’t necessarily glaring, but there was something...intense and uncomfortable about how they were looking at them.
“Okay...” The thinnest one of the group said. His voice didn’t seem to fit his body type very well. “Shoot.”
The children remained quiet for a few seconds, and then they started to speak. Taking turns, the three children began to relay the recent events to the zoners, explaining about the explosions, what happened to Snap, to the other zoners, explained the signal that was altering minds, and whatever else they could think of. They helped each other out remember details as they went along, making sure to include whatever they could.
Mint wasn’t sure if these zoners could be of any help. It could just be like any of the other zoners they had spoken to. In fact, he was expecting that kind of answer. He and the others got used to it. Still, perhaps, just maybe, this time will be different. They wouldn’t know until the bikers gave their answer. As they finished and waited, giving the bikers all the time they needed to reply.
The thin one spoke again. “I’m sorry.” He shook his head. “We have no information we can give.”
The group’s hearts sank. But the level of disappointmen they felt had been numbed up a bit by the fact that they had expected this anyway. Still, it was disappointing. Oh well, there was nothing they can do about it.
“That’s okay.” Penny said. “Thanks for the information.
The motorcycle gang nodded their heads. They turned and walked away, getting on their motorbikes and leaving. The three friends caughed on the smoke that pillowed out of the pipe. They swiped at the air, trying to make the smoke dissipate quickly.
“How rude...” Penny commented, glaring at the retreating motorbikes.
“Well we are back to square one.” Rudy said, folding his arms against his chest. He leaned against the building. “Is there anyone else we haven’t spoken to here yet?”
Mint shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t think so. I think we spoke to just about everyone here.”
Penny raised her finger. “Well there is someone we could ask.”
“Oh? Who is that?” Mint looked towards her. Seeing her expression, before she had a chance to speak, Mint immediately interrupted, “Oh no, you’re not talking about Sandra, are you?”
Penny stared at him, wide-eyed. “Why not?”
Mint could have told her how he was familiar with the name somehow. He could tell her that he was confused around her, and unsure of what to think of her. But that isn’t what predominated his mind. “We already spoke to her, remember?”
“Mint’s right. We spoke to her, and she had nothing to say.” Rudy said.
“Well we can try again.” Penny’s voice had some kind of edge to it. It was hard for Mint to pinpoint. “I think there just might be something she didn’t tell us the last time.”
Mint and Rudy glanced at each other. They both remained quiet, thinking about what Penny said. Perhaps she was right. Maybe they just needed to ask questions again. At this point, what else could they do? They asked just about everyone. It was getting to the point where, if they wanted information, they’ll have to ask some zoners again. Perhaps they would have something different to say. Maybe they discovered something. Maybe they found new information. They wouldn’t know unless they tried.
They all silently agreed on the next course of action. They needed to talk to Sandra again. Her restaurant wasn’t far from here. They hoped that she would have something new to tell them. Perhaps Sandra had asked some stuff around her customers; she got a lot of them.
The reminder of speaking to Sandra before made them all recall what she said about Jacko. They had investigated into that while Snap was in the hospital, and concluded that he was not the culprit. Not that they believed it before, but they were able to confirm he had been nowhere near the city when it had been under the signal’s control, nor when any of the explosions happened. And Jacko himself did seem pretty offended when they indicated that he was a suspect. He went on to say that causing an explosion to kill zoners and brainwashing others was beneatn him.
Mint hoped that, if Sandra had any other possible leads, it would be to a zoner they hadn’t thought of before. Perhaps a zoner whom they had spoken to before, that was just playing them. Mint couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was tricking them, manipulating them. After being used by Skrawl, he was pretty keen on this vibe.
The three friends continued walking down the street, keeping to the sidewalk. They saw some zoners pass by, some of them with bags of food, probably from Sandra’s restaurant. Some zoners were talking amongst each other, and though they tried to keep focused on the task at hand, they couldn’t help but overhear some things.
“Did you hear? That Snap fellow is still in the hospital.” One zoner said.
“Still? Well I’m not surprised. He probably wants it all to be so convincing.” Another said.
A third zoner joined in. “Yeah. I’m not sure why no one has not noticed before.” A seething sound. “I don’t get why they are exempting him from further interrogation. Why don’t they talk to him about what happened?”
A fourth zoner rolled her eyes. “Oh because he has amnesia of course! Or so he claims.” She folded her arms. “He’s probably getting a kick out of this.”
The chatter of the zoners made their blood boil. The three friends were tempted to stop and speak to the zoners about this. But they couldn’t waste time on that. They couldn’t allow themselves to get worked up. They were on a mission.
Brushing past the small group of zoners, ignoring any jeering remarks they got from them, they continued on their trek towards Sandra’s Alcove. They recognized some of the signs and buildings, and they knew they were getting close.
As they made a turn, they suddenly slammed against something solid and warm. They heard a grunt, and instantly realized it was a zoner of some kind. They instantly backed away, looking towards the zoner to apologize. Their eyes widened as they realized just which zoner it was.
“Sandra!” Rudy cried as he rushed forward. He held out his hand. “We’re so sorry!”
Sandra sat on the ground, using one hand to hold herself up and the other to rub her head. She glared up at Rudy, clenching her teeth. She accepted his hand, grabbing into it and allowing him to help pull herself back to her feet. She instantly brushed herself off, knocking off any dirt that clung to her sky blue body. Once she was done, she turned her attention to the humans.
“What brings you all out here?”
“We were on our way to see you.” Rudy said.
Sandra widened her eyes at this. “Really?” She tilted her head. “Why? Did you come here to ask more about that machine?”
Mint nodded his head. “Yes. We were hoping if you found out anything else.”
“Yeah. Did you learn anything from the customers?” Penny asked.
Sandra tapped a finger against her lower jaw, putting on a thoughtful expression. This lasted for a few seconds, then she replied, “No not really. Nothing really interesting anyway.” She noted the children’s expressions and she lowered her ears. “I do apologize about that.”
“That’s okay.” Rudy raised his hand, smiling at her. “We understand.”
Sandra smiled at them. Her eyes then narrowed slightly. “How has Snap been doing lately? Any improvements?”
The trio lowered their heads and shook them. Sandra looked at them sympathetically, rubbing her hands together nervously. They stared at her, none saying a word. The dragon zoner instantly realized what they were going to say.
“I’m...so sorry.” Sandra lamented. She gritted her teeth, looking away from them. “I wish...there was something I can do to help. But I..” She paused, holding out her hands in gesture as she tried to come up with something to say. But it was clear she was having a hard time. “Well, I’ll...try to think of some way to help.”
“Thank you.” Rudy said. He smiled the best he could, but Mint could tell it was a little forced. “It’s nice that you are at least willing to try.” He looked out towards the direction they saw those jerkass zoners. “Some of the zoners are starting to...” His voice trailed off.
Mint, upon seeing Sandra’s curious expression, finished for him, “Some zoners are starting to think Snap rigged the explosion.”
“What?!” Sandra gasped in horror, her eyes widening as her hand was pressed against her mouth. “Why would they think such a thing? Snap is such a sweet zoner! He’s never done anything threatening before. Why would they...?”
“I’m not sure. I’m sure there’s a reason, but I don’t care to find out right now.” Mint said, gritting his teeth. “I’ll probably blow up in their faces before they had a chance to finish.”
It was true. And he knew Rudy and Penny realized it, as well. He was the more aggressive of them, and he would, if he didn’t control himself, snap and do something risky if he got angry enough. He didn’t take too well to their friend being accused like this, and neither did Rudy or Penny. But they were noticeably more able to control themselves than him at times. He had to be careful, or he could do something he would soon regret.
“I can’t say I agree.” Penny said.
Mint looked at her. “Why?”
Penny narrowed her eyes at him. “Because it is evidence, Mint. We cannot afford not knowing anything, especially since we already know so little.” Penny paused, as if to let this sink into his head. “We should go talk to them at some point, and try to understand why they feel that way. If we learn why, maybe it could lead us to more information.”
Mint sucked on his lip when she said that. She...had a point, he had to admit. Perhaps those jerkass zoners could help them. He just hoped that he could control himself and not blow up at them when they tried to speak.
Mint couldn’t see any reason why they would blame Snap. The poor guy had already been through so much. Okay so he had some ideas of why, but that didn’t change the fact that he was enraged with the zoners for daring to blame Snap for it. He had both his legs burned, he can’t walk, and he had amnesia. He didn’t deserve to have more stuff added onto him like this. If those zoners decide to give Snap a hard time....
...he would make sure they never try it again.
“I can’t really fathom myself why they’d blame Snap. But...” Sandra shook her head. “Well some zoners can’t be helped.” She cleared her throat, her hands clasped together. “So...did the doctors figure out anything they can do for him?”
“They did say that if Snap’s amnesia continued, they were going to run another scan.” Penny said. “We don’t know if they will find anything different but...”
“We hope that they do. Even if the possibilities are frightening, we would rather them find something than nothing.” Rudy said. “At least then, it can be treatable.”
Sandra nodded in agreement. “I hope they find something, too. It would be a shame if they continued to not find anything.” Her eyes widened at this. “Do you realize what this could implicate with the other zoners...?”
This sent chills down their spines. They hadn’t really thought of it much, but now that Sandra brought it up... They looked at each other, expressions of fear in their facial features. They all knew Sandra was right. No matter how much they wanted to deny it, they all knew it to be true.
The zoners would become suspicious if Snap continued to claim amnesia but have nothing actually wrong with his brain. They would think he was lying, and start to wonder if he was hiding something. Their thoughts went back to those zoners they passed by earlier. Did they have these suspicions? Were they concerned with how Snap couldn’t remember, yet had nothing show up in the scans?
In an instant, they all suddenly realized just how serious this was. They could feel their hearts twist at the possibilities. So far, no one had confronted Snap, but..now long was that going to last? How long would it take before they begin to spread rumors? After all, rumors spread like wildfire...
Sandra’s ears lowered. A look of regret plastered over her face. “I’m so sorry. I-I didn’t mean to upset you all.”
Mint looked in her direction. He felt bad for her. Delivering bad news like that was hard for anyone. Sandra had just opened the doors for possibilities they hadn’t considered much. But...he had to thank her for that. They had to consider all angles here, and if there was a chance that the zoners would start going after Snap, then he would need to know about that. They all needed to know.
“Don’t worry about it.” Mint said. He walked towards her, giving her a gentle smile. Despite his uncertainty of her, he reached out and gently touched her shoulder. He could feel it relax. “We’re glad you told us. As Penny said, we cannot afford not knowing anything about the situation.
Penny nodded. “Yes. Thank you.”
Rudy took a few steps towards the blue dragon zoner. His eyes were narrowed slightly, determination practically glowing from them. “Have you heard anyone say anything about Snap? Anything accusatory?”
“No, not really.” Sandra shook her head. There was a bit of relief in her voice. “I just thought of that now, to be honest.” She paused for a moment, folding her arms against her chest. “Well...” She tilted her head to one side. “If you’d like...I can listen to my customers later today. I have pretty good hearing.” As if to emphasize, she twitched one of her long, pointed ears. “If I catch anything suspicious, I’ll let you know when we meet again later.”
“Okay, thank you.” Rudy said.
“We really appreciate it.” Penny smiled at her.
Sandra grinned softly. “I’m glad to help.” She then paused for a moment. Her eyes narrowed slowly. The three humans looked at her in confusion, wondering what she was thinking about. “That machine that Snap stopped... did you guys find out anything more regarding that?”
“Sadly no.” Penny shook her head. “We still have no clues on who made it. About the only thing we do know is that it was messing with zoners’ minds, which we already told you about.”
Sandra nodded her head. “Yes, I remember that.” She gave a shiver, grimacing at the memory. “It sounded so dreadful! I wonder who could be using such a thing...”
“We wish we knew.” Rudy lowered his gaze. He did his best to hide his anger, but both Mint and Penny could tell he was seething with rage underneath his seemingly calm exterior. “It would definitely make our lives so much easier if we could think of a zoner who would build this.” He held his hands up in gesture. “But we have no hints, no culprits... We can’t even think of any zoner, outside our usual enemies, who would want to try to harm Snap like this, or target ChalkZone City this way.”
“The only thing I can say is that, whoever is behind it, he or she is absolutely heartless.” Mint grumbled softly to himself. “Only someone without a heart could target so many zoners...”
At this, Rudy and Penny glared softly at Mint. He winced at this, realizing he must have unintentionally triggered an unhappy memory. He took a step back, remaining quiet as Rudy opened his mouth to speak.
“That’s exactly what I thought of you when you used to think this world was one giant game, Mint.” Rudy said sternly. His eyes narrowed further. “You had targeted a lot of zoners, destroyed large chunks of ChalkZone, all for what you thought was a game. I used to hate you so much, Mint...”
Mint felt awful. He lowered his head, guilt washing through his body. He was not surprised Rudy had felt that way. Back when he had been working for Skrawl, whom he foolishly thought was his NPC guide, he had attacked areas of ChalkZone per his orders. He had done some despicable things, even stuff that he was not ordered to do, but did anyway.
Mint winced as he remembered the details all too vividly. Zoners pleading with him, running away. Some cowering in fear, some getting injured because of his actions. He could feel his heart clench at the uncomfortable memories.
“But..I know you’re not like that now.” Rudy said, this time in a gentler voice. Mint tilted his head up, staring in his direction. “You were just confused and misguided.”
“Perhaps these zoners are no different. Maybe they just..don’t know what else to think and they’re so confused and uncertain.” Penny motioned towards Mint. “You had your reasons..maybe they have theirs. Let us actually talk to them before we place any judgment on them.”
Mint stared at them, and nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. Sorry about that.”
“Don’t worry about it. You were just upset, that’s all.” Rudy said, smiling at his friend. “Just please, try not control yourself for when we do talk to them.”
Penny agreed. “We don’t want to cause an incident, now do we?”
Mint noted the playful tone of her voice and said, “Why? Are you afraid of a challenge, amateur?”
Penny smirked in his direction. “Of course not. I’m just worried you’ll freak out when you lose like you did that one time in ChalkZone City.”
Mint remembered what she was talking about. It was their confrontation while Rudy had been away due to him getting him into trouble in school. He had underestimated Penny’s abilities, a mistake he made sure never to do again. He had really freaked out when she beat him, unable to comprehend losing to someone whom he thought was just an amateur at the time.
Well now he knew better.
Mint grinned softly and said, “We’ll see about that.” Wanting to return the topic to what they were discussing before, Mint turned his attention to Sandra. “So, do you know of anyone else we could ask?”
“No one comes to mind.” Sandra shrugged. “I haven’t heard anyone talk about any kind of machinery they were making. But...if that changes, I’ll let you know.”
“Has anyone acted differently lately?” Penny asked. “Any sign of the signal?”
“No, thank goodness.” Sandra placed her hand against her chest. If the kids had to guess, they’d say it was pumping hard against her chest. “I’m so glad the signal didn’t affect me. I feel bad for the zoners it did mess with, though.” She stared at Penny, her expression furrowed, slightly unreadable for a moment. “I...can’t imagine what it was like, when it afflicted you, Penny.”
The girl shuddered, clearly remembering the incident herself. The details were fresh on all their minds. It terrified them just how far this signal could spread, that even humans can be afflicted.
“Well hopefull it won’t happen again. And if it does...” Penny narrowed her eyes in determination. “I’ll be ready for it.”
Mint smiled at her. “Yes, I’m sure you will be.”
Penny smiled at him, and then looked back at Sandra. “If you find yourself feeling affected, try to write down everything. The more we find out about this signal, the better. Maybe I can find out how to counteract it.”
Sandra cocked an eyebrow. “Are you certain?”
Penny nodded. “I know it’ll be hard, but maybe I can figure out what frequency it is just by the information provided, and use that to work up some kind of blockade for the zoners.”
“That’s a great idea, Penny!” Rudy said, grinning. “That way, the zoners will be protected, and the culprit can’t do anything to try to harm them!”
“A brilliant idea, which I would not expect less from you, Penny.” Mint said.
“Yes, indeed.” Sandra nodded her head once. She looked over her shoulder, towards where her restaurant was. She gave the children a sideways glance. “Well I hate to cut this short, but I have to get going. Customers and all.”
“We understand. We have to leave as well.” Rudy replied. “Just...let us know if you think of anything, or find out any information.”
“Don’t worry. I will.” Sandra said. She turned her back to them and started to walk away. She raised a hand, giving them a farewall signal. “See you lot at a different time.”
“Bye!” The kids shouted after her. They watched as she walked away, going towards where they knew her restaurant was going to be. They looked at each other and, knowing there wasn’t much else they could do right here, they began to trek back.
None of them noticed when Sandra stopped. No one saw her turn around. No one saw her looking back at them. No one saw the disgruntled look etching her features. No one saw her eyes narrowing into slits. No one heard the soft growl emitting from her throat. No one saw her jerk herself around forcibly and walk away.
sss
It just didn’t make any sense. There had to be an explanation for this. There had to be a reason this was happening. Something was going on and he knew he had to figure out what it was.
But every test..they always came out normal. That wasn’t right. That wasn’t...couldn’t be correct. He was missing something. There was a key component here. There was an explanation for why all this was happening. He wished he knew what it was. He wished he could figure it out soon. But for now, he was stumped, just like everyone else was. Lost and uncertain, head aching from trying to run different possibilities in his head.
Dr. Crobat had analyzed the situation over and over again. He tried to look at it from every possible angle. He knew something was up. He knew there had to be some puzzle pieces missing. There was a reason why Snap still couldn’t remember, but he didn’t know if he would ever figure it out.
Or..maybe he had figured it out already. He did have some thoughts on what that might be. It made him feel ashamed thinking about it. He didn’t want to seem accusatory. As a doctor, that was against the rules. He could not take sides. He could not allow himself to do such a thing. That was..despicable. That was unprofessional. That was just going to land him in hot water. He..couldn’t allow that to happen.
Yet..there was nothing else he could think of. This..this thought that he had, the same one as before..it would explain everything. It did it so well that...He couldn’t simply push it all away from his mind. That was impossible to do. The puzzle pieces fit so perfectly in this theory of his. No matter how uncomfortable it made him feel, he had to consider it.
What if Snap really was responsible for the explosion...?
Dr. Crobat couldn’t fathom why he would do such a thing. Snap always seemed like a nice zoner. But then....looks weren’t everything. There were a number of zoners who seemed nice, but later turned out to be jerks. One such zoner would be Jacko. Even if it wasn’t widespread, he did start off as someone no one would expect to do anything drastic. Then he targeted an injured Rudy and all bets were off.
Due to that, Dr. Crobat knew he couldn’t dismiss the possibility of Snap not being as innocent as he led everyone to believe. What if he had a more aggressive side that was just starting to come out? He was a superhero zoner after all. Maybe he had some aggression he had been longing to bring out.
But regardless of what he thought, he knew it was best to keep it to himself until he had proof. Despite his suspicions, he still worried for Snap’s safety. Plus, if he did do this, he would want to know why. After all, Snap could still be a victim, perhaps controlled by someone else.
He made a mental note to himself not to speak loudly about his suspicions where someone could hear him. He knew some of the visitors who had come to see a loved one had heard him monologuing to himself. He had tried to explain to them, but they had already left, and he wasn’t about to chase them down to tell them. He felt guilty, being responsible for why some of the zoners began to doubt Snap, especially before he had any real proof of it, just speculation. Rumors spread very fast, and he had no doubt that a ton of zoners knew about this by now. He could only hope he could find proof of Snap’s guiltiness or innocense before irreversable damage could be done.
He would feel awful if Snap turned out to be innocent, and by the time he found proof, the zoners had all turned on him and did horrible things to him in retaliation. He knew several zoners who would really want to hurt the one responsible for causing damage. He can only imagine the heartbreak and damage that would come if the zoners target Snap when he turned out to be innocent.
He bit his lip as he noticed, out of his window, those same zoners from before walking down the street. It appeared that they were talkig with other zoners, no doubt about what he had been talking about. He felt guilt churn inside of him. He had to move quickly. He had to figure out, once and for all, if Snap was guilty or not.
As he prepared the schedule for Snap’s next brain scan, he silently hoped that he would find something this time. If nothing showed up...
He pushed the thought out of his mind. He couldn’t worry about that now. He couldn’t let himself twist up in dread on what he might find. He needed to concentrate on setting up another test for Snap should he continue to not show any improvement. Then, depending on the results, he could start to consider the possibilities.
The doctor zoner grabbed his belongings and began to make his way down the corridor. He silently hoped that, for Snap’s sake, something would show up on the next scan.
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Post by Bluedramon on Oct 14, 2014 21:59:28 GMT -5
Chapter 10: Returning To The Crime
Oh, I can't believe, no I can't deny that all this time has gone by.
-Giving My Life, I-Exist
Mint winced at the frowns he was getting from Rudy and Penny. He took a small step back, lowering his head slightly. He wasn’t sure what possessed him to bring this up, but...they were running out of options, and he wasn’t sure what else they could do.
Sure it was a risk in its own right. Sure it might make them look as though they don’t care. But...maybe it could churn out more results. Maybe it would show them something different. The only way to know was to try.
But would they agree to it? So far, judging from their glares, it seems the answer as a no. They didn’t take too kindly to Mint’s suggestion. They hadn’t said a word to him yet, but he could tell from the look in their eyes that they are more likely to chew him out than to comment on how good of an idea it was. He hoped they would at least hear him out, and consider the idea.
After a while of awkward silence, Mint sucked on his lip and said, “Look, I know you two must think I’m crazy, but...”
“Crazy? More like absolutely insane!” Rudy cried in disbelief.
“What makes you think that would be the best course of action, Mint?” Penny asked.
“Well I know it seems like it wouldn’t work, but...” Mint tried to say.
“Of course it wouldn’t work! You’re asking us to abandon our mission to find out what happened for a period of six weeks...” Rudy paused when Mint held up one finger. “Okay so I exaggerated. Still...that is quite a long time. I mean...what good can come out if it?”
“I don’t understand what you are getting at, Mint.” Penny folded her arms, narrowing her eyes. “Stopping our search and them resuming later will not do us any good. It will just delay arresting the culprit, and allow him or her more time to act on ChalkZone and the zoners. Do you really think that’s a good idea?”
In hindsight, Mint understood that his plan sounded absolutely insane. It was the opposite of what they all wanted to do. They wanted to keep asking every day, hoping to find out something. They would hardly find out anything new, and when they do, it was usually not that interesting. He could see why Rudy and Penny would think stopping that for a while wasn’t going to help. They wouldn’t understand how it could achieve more results.
But Mint think that it could help them. There was an aspect of this they weren’t seeing. Something that he picked up on during one of their most recent excursions trying to find information. If they were willing to listen, and they paid attention as he spoke, maybe they could come to understand why he was wanting to do this.
Yes, it came with its own risk. It might put them all in further danger, allowing the culprit time to act again. But sometimes, to bring about justice, unusual and risky steps must be taken. This was no different.
“Allow me to explain.” Mint said, holding his finger up to keep Rudy and Penny’s attention on him. “There is a strategy behind this.”
“Oh this I have to hear.” Penny said, cocking up an eyebrow. “I don’t see strategy from sitting around, doing nothing.”
“That shocks me, Penny.” Mint glanced over at her. “I would think that you, of all people, would get it.”
Penny narrowed her eyes a little more. “I would if you tell me.”
“Yeah, Mint.” Rudy said, lifting up a hand. “What makes you think this is a good idea? What could we possibly gain from delaying the investigation?”
Mint didn’t answer right away. He closed his eyes, clearing his thoughts and organizing them. He thought about the different ways he could explain to his friends on what his idea was. Once he figured out how he was going to do it, he cleared his throat, reopening his eyes.
Then he offered his explanation.
“It’s simple really. I don’t know why this didn’t occur to me before. I know you all want to find out more information. Believe me, so do I. But what if us constantly asking questions is scaring away the culprit? This should be pretty obvious to all of us. Of course it would. Any one zoner we spoke to could be the one, and they are just going to use the same rehearsed line to keep us away, and we may end up causing the culprit to leave, then we’ll never know until they strike somewhere much further away.”
Rudy and Penny still glared at them, still looking unconvinced. Mint wasn’t surprised. So he continued.
“Obviously, this is going to create a problem. How do we stop a villain that strikes somewhere that requires a plane? I wouldn’t be suprised if this villain does this very thing, especially if they know that we typically are around ChalkZone City and some of the outskirt fields. So maybe they’ll strike in Chalk Spain, or Chalk Australia, or somewhere else.”
Mint paused for a moment. He nearly ran into a deadend, almost forgetting about another aspect. Luckily, it didn’t take him long to figure out what it was. He resumed his speech.
“And what of the zoners? If we keep going around, asking them the same questions over and over, isn’t that going to stress them out? Isn’t that going to make it harder for them to answer?” Mint inquired. Rudy and Penny glanced at each other, but said nothing. “I don’t know about you two, but if I were asked the same thing nearly day after day, I would find it harder for me to come up with any new information; I’d just get used to rehearsing the same answers.”
“How is any of this...” Rudy started to say.
“I was just getting to that.” Mint replied, a slight irritation in his voice. “Please, don’t interrupt me.” He winced as he noticed how demanding that voice sounded. But it worked, and Rudy fell silent. Pleased with this, Mint said, “Now, if we were to delay getting more information, and just focus our time with Snap, we would uplift the tension that permeated ChalkZone. At least some of it; the zoners may get more relaxed when they aren’t reminded of the explosions via word of mouth. We could also put a false sense of security with the villain, and they wouldn’t be so tempted to leave.”
Penny tilted her head. “I think I see what you mean, but..I still don’t know if..”
“That’s understandable.” Mint said, nodding his head. “This is a bit more..complicated to explain than I thought.” He rubbed the back of his head nervously. “Sorry about that.”
“Don’t worry about that.” Rudy gestured to him. “Continue. I know that can’t be all you wanted to say.”
Mint nodded. “With the zoners’ minds a little off the incident, then we we resume our investigation, we can employ a different tactic. Not simply asking questions, but just having friendly conversations with some of the zoners we interviewed. We can subtly get information from them and compare it to what we have been told before. If we find an inconsistancy, we can investigate further.” Noting his friend’s expressiosn, he continued on, “While yes, there is the risk the villain could strike again, but if we trick them into thinking we gave up, they might begin making more risky moves.”
Penny pursed her lip, her eye narrowed deep in thought. “That...seems like an interesting theory, Mint. But I can’t say it would work.”
Mint stared at her. “Why not? Why don’t you think it’ll work?”
“Simple. It is all guess work. Your plan runs off the chance that the zoners might know more than they really do, so waiting might turn up results, yet...maybe it won’t.” Penny pointed out. “If these zoners really did rehearse these lines like you say, whoever was responsible I mean, then what’s to stop them from doing the same thing later on? What if he or she has it memorized and can recite it even after a long absense?”
Rudy nodded. “And besides, this villain could be smart. Maybe they would realize something was up when we stop asking questions suddenly. This would cause them not to feel more secure...but less so.”
“Which in turn would make them more likely to leave, not less.” Penny added in.
Mint opened his mouth to try to defend his plan, but all he could do was stare at them in shock, then shut his jaws. He looked down at the ground, feeling his stomach burn as he listened to the echoes of his friends’ words in his head.
What if they were right? What if his plan could potentially make things worse? He felt his stomach twist at this realization. He couldn’t believe he didn’t think of it before. How could he have missed this? How could he have not noticed this detail? He should have thought things through a little better. He should have looked at more angles. He should have...
“But...”
Penny’s voice cut him from his thoughts. He looked at her expectantly, curious to know what else she had to say.
Penny pressed a curled finger against the side of her cheek. “Perhaps we could sort of impliment your plan, Mint. But modify it a little.”
“But I thought you said..” Mint was confused. Didn’t she just say it was a bad idea to wait?
“Yeah, but I do admit, perhaps waiting a little bit wouldn’t hurt.” Penny said. “Perhaps instead of a week, we wait for two days.”
Mint tilted his head. He looked at her in confusion. “Two days? Why just two?”
“It would give enough of a break, but it wouldn’t be too long, so the culprit wouldn’t get suspicious as easily.” Penny explained. “This way, we might be able to get the results you want, but in less time.”
“I’m not so sure.” Mint admitted. “What if...”
“I think Penny has the right idea, Mint.” Rudy interrupted. He raised up a finger as he began to explain. “A week may be too risky. But a couple days may work better. We could resume our investigation faster, and perhaps the zoners’ minds would be more relaxed from the break. The culprit wouldn’t get as easily suspicious because they aren’t going to really notice us not talking to the zoners if it’s only a couple of days.”
“Somehow, I don’t believe that.” Mint narrowed his eyes. “A single day would be enough, don’t you think?”
“Hmm...you might have a point there...” Rudy said, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. He remained quiet for a few moments before he finally responded. “However, I think that two days is our best bet. A week is just too long and comes with too much risks. Two days would work better.”
Mint sighed softly. He knew he couldn’t convince them otherwise. He had already started to doubt his own plan. He wasn’t sure what he should do now. He felt a bit bad for forgetting some details that these two were able to think of relatively quickly. He wasn’t sure if this could even work at all.
But he didn’t want to be a downer. He didn’t want to simply quit. That would be stupid. That would be the worst thing he could do. No, he would have to make do with what was availalbe. If Rudy and Penny think they can make this work, he was going to have to trust them.
Mint nodded his head. “Okay. Let’s try it.”
The three friends nodded in understanding to each other, all agreeing simultaneously the course of action they were going to take. They resumed their walk through the ChalkZone field, towards the portal to return home.
sss
It was something of a relief to Rudy and his friends to not have to walk all around ChalkZone, trying to find zoners they hadn’t spoken to before. At the same time, it did make them feel uncomfortable. They all felt they should be doing something more to find out what was going on. But they reminded themselves that soon, they would begin the talking again.
It was going to be a bit hard to wait. Much of the time, Rudy felt the urge to say something, do something. Even though he, Mint, and Penny all agreed to wait two days, those two days didn’t seem to be short enough. He had gotten so used to asking at least one zoner a question every day for the past couple weeks that it was hard to get into the groove of just...not doing that.
The zoners were confused as well. They never said anything, but he could see it in their eyes as they headed towards the hospital. The zoners had gotten used to their question-filled interactions that for them to stop, it just confused them.
Which made Rudy and his friends worry. Had they made the wrong decision in suddenly not asking any questions, even just for a few days? It was too late to go back; they had to see this through, and wait the couple days. But they all couldn’t help but worry that they made things worse unintentionally.
They tried their best not to worry about it, and focused their attention on Snap. Not going around all the time gave them more time to interact with their blue and white friend, who was still hospitalized. Snap enjoyed the company, and appreciated them coming over to visit him even more. It brightened up his day and made his hospital stay more bearable.
Sadly, there was not much of an improvement on Snap’s part. His memory was still quite bad. Each time, they would have to remind him of what had been going on. Penny suggested something more in depth than simple notes. A video camera. Rudy and Mint agreed it was a great idea and they set up a small camera for Snap, along with a small player for him to use whenever he wanted to. Snap liked the idea and thanked them.
But as the days passed, it was clear that Snap was still frightened of going to sleep, even with a video recorder handy. He didn’t want to forget the day’s events. He didn’t want to close his eyes and not remember what had transpired. Rudy wished he could help his friend feel better, but he and his friends already did what they could. The only surefire way they could help him feel more secure was to stop that villain.
But that would take time. They had to wait a little longer before they would return to the crime, before they would resume their interrogations. Rudy had no idea if they made the right choice or not, and a part of him feared they made a big mistake. Yet...perhaps there would indeed be an upside to this. Only time would tell.
They did feel assured that Mosaic was keeping an eye on things. She had remained diligantly beside Snap the whole time during their visits. They didn’t really get to know her that well, as she kept to herself and rarely interacted with them. But Snap assured them that she was doing a great job in watching him, and that she was pretty nice. Well for a crocodile anyway.
Rudy always felt unnerved by that stare of hers. It was like she was looking directly into his soul. He wondered if she had some kind of power. He shook the thought out of his head. Perhaps he was thinking too hard. She probably just had an intense stare.
But then...what if it was true? Maybe Mosaic was just a good judge of character? Rudy put that note into his mind for later. The doctors did say she wasn’t fully sentient, so he wasn’t sure how well they could communicate with her. But maybe he should put the thought in the backburner for now. Maybe Mosaic would be useful someday.
During the two day absense from interviewing the zoners, Rudy and the others didn’t really notice anything strange or unusual happening. The culprit hadn’t attempted to make his move. This could mean that the zoner got suspicious, or maybe they are preparing for something big.
It was too difficult to say. They all couldn’t help but worry about the inaction. The zoner had been quiet for a long time. They didn’t know why the culprit hadn’t attempted to strike again yet. There had to be a reason for that.
Perhaps they would find out eventually. They just needed some time. The culprit will likely strike at some point, and when they do, they will be ready...or so they hoped. They were all on alert now, paying attention to as many details as possible. It was going to be harder for that zoner to make a move.
Rudy realized, near the end of the final day of waiting, that there was something else they could do. He recalled how the signal had happened before. And for a while at that. They hadn’t yet tried to really talk to the zoners about that, why it wasn’t common knowledge, why they didn’t know. That signal was the start of this whole thing. He and the others realized that, perhaps this time, they should target the source, not the aftermath.
It was all agreed. Before they left to head home on the second day’s night, they all silently agreed on what they were going to do tomorrow. They were going to go to the police station and speak to one of the head zoners there, and find out more abut this mysterious signal.
There had to be a reason why they covered it up, and they were going to find out.
sss
“Good morning, Snap.” The bird zoner said as he entered the room.
Snap’s eyes widened as he saw a strange, large bird zoner walk up to him. He shivered in fright, backing away on the bed. He looked left and right, realizing he was trapped in some kind of hospital room. He could hear the heart monitor going haywire as the thudding in his chest increased.
The bird zoner appeared confused by the zoner’s reaction. He attempted to reassure him, but all Snap could see was a looming figure, approaching him, appearing all menacing in the light.
Snap clenched his teeth, again looking around. How did he get here? Why was he here? Who brought him here? He couldn’t help but wonder if this bird zoner was responsible. Yeah..he had to be the one. He looked so...sneaky and sly. Snap’s eyes thought they detected a needle in the zoner’s front pocket, and he moved away even faster, scrambling to get from the zoner.
Snap attempted to get up, but when he moved his legs, he felt an intense pain. He let out a yowl of pain, falling back down, hitting his chin against the bed. He gritted his teeth, trying to cope with the pain. What happened to his legs? Why did they hurt so badly?
“Snap! Calm down!” The bird zoner cried, holding out his hand. “You’re going to hurt yourself more!”
Snap did not calm down. If anything, the zoner’s command made him even more desperate to get away. He moved backwards on the bed, using his arms for balance. In his struggles, he kicked the blanket over, and he could now see that he was many wires hooking up to his body, and his legs were covered in bandages. He looked from them, and then to the bird zoner.
Slowly, he bared his teeth in self defense. “Wh-What the hell did you do to me...?!”
The bird zoner seemed to be taken aback by his choice of language. “If you let me explain...”
Snap wasn’t going to hear any of it. “No! You’re not going to take me away! I will not be fooled!” Snap attempted to climb out of bed, prepared to use his arms to crawl away. “I’m getting out of here!”
Before Snap could get any further, something large and heavy landed on him. He let out a grunt, air escaping out of his mouth. He turned his head and he nearly screamed at the sight of a large, crocodile-like zoner standing on him. It looked at him with intense slit eyes, starting at him as though he was her prey. Snap let out another shriek and his struggles grew frantic.
“I knew it! You’re going to kill me! This croc is your lackey, isn’t it?!” Snap yelled, a wild look in his eyes. “You are not going to...”
Suddenly, he felt something sharp in his shoulder. He slowly turned his head. His heart skipped a beat as he saw a needle was stuck in there. His mind reeled at this. How did he miss this? How did he not see someone sneaking up on him? He turned his head up and to the side, wanting to see who had done this to him.
He narrowed his eyes slightly when he saw it was the bird zoner. He knew it..He knew the zoner was up to something. The glare vanished as cold fear entered his heart.
Now what? What was the bird zoner going to do with him? What was his big plan? How was he going to get out of this? Where were his friends?
“I’m sorry, Snap.” The bird zoner said as he continued to inject the stuff into his shoulder. “You gave me no choice. I really didn’t want to do this... But you need to calm down. I cannot afford to allow you to get hurt.”
Snap’s eyes widened at this. Realization struck him. Of course, this zoner was going to use him as bait. He only wanted him unharmed so he wouldn’t die when he was tortured in front of his friends. He struggled more intensely underneath the weight of the croc zoner, jerking his body from side to side.
“Rudy will stop you!” Snap cried. “He’ll make you pay for this! He’ll....”
Snap’s voice suddenly became slurred as the injection began to take affect. Fear swept through his body as he tried to fight against the urge to fall asleep. The world around him began to darken, and it continued this way no matter how hard he fought. The noises became distorted, and images blurred until shapes became incomprehensible.
No...He couldn’t allow this. He couldn’t let this guy get him. He just couldn’t. He had to get away somehow.
But his strength was slowly zapped from him. He could feel his mind shutting down, his heart rate slowing, weakening. He looked up at the bird zoner, giving him a last look of fright, a final terrified whimper, before he closed them, unwillingly surrendering to whatever the zoner wanted from him.
His world went black and silent.
sss
Dr. Crobat looked down at the prone from of Snap, laying on his bed with Mosaic holding him down like she had been taught to do. He furrowed his face with concern, taking in what had just happened.
This wasn’t the first time he woke up like this. Some days were better than others. But then there were days like these, where Snap woke up and immediately thought he was in danger. There were times that were so bad, he would fall out of the bed and hurt himself, or rip out the wires, which caused problems of their own.
It was hard to calm Snap down in this state. They would usually try to get him to read one of his notes, or watch one of the videos as of late, but sometimes Snap was too scared for that, and he’d knock them away. He would be next to impossible to reach mentally at that point, and the only course of action was to sedate him so he wouldn’t cause harm to himself or the others around him.
He always hated to do it. He didn’t want to keep knocking Snap out. He didn’t know what that would be doing for his mind. The only comfort he had was that not only would Snap be safe, but his condition would not allow him to remember what happened. So when he woke up, it would always be a clean slate and he could try to take better precautions to make sure Snap didn’t flip out when he first woke up.
He hoped they would find the cause of this soon. The fact he had been like this for a while now concerned him. He started to have some doubts of his earlier assumptions, of Snap somehow faking this. After seeing display after display of such primal fear, he realized that there was no way Snap could be making this up. It was hard to fake such fear and terror.
But the other zoners wouldn’t see it that way. He knew they wouldn’t. If he were to give the word that Snap still had no anomaly found in his head, the zoners may start to think that he was faking it. Rumors already spread even more, and he feared what might happen if the test failed.
He also feared what would happen if he lied about them. If another doctor scanned him and found nothing, he could be discredited. He had no choice but to be truthful, regardless of what he thought. Someone had to take care of Snap. Some of the other doctors might not be quite as nice with him as he was. There were already some doctors who began to suspect Snap as well...
He tried not to think about that right now. He had to keep his focus on Snap. It would be hard to kill the suspicions unless he found a way to prove his innocense. But for now, he was at a loss; focusing on a solution would be more productive than focusing on the fear of what could happen.
The bird zoner walked over towards Snap, looking down at him sympathetically. He shook his head a couple of times, then motioned for Mosaic to get off of him. As she did so, Dr. Crobat went to work rearranging him on the bed. He pulled him onto his back, and looked over his body to make sure all the wires were still in place, nothing pulled out. Once he made sure that Snap wasn’t hurt further and all the needles were still stuck into him where they should be, all the monitoring equipment still attached, he pulled the blanket back over him and gently stroked the top of his head.
Poor Snap... It was a shame that this happened to him. Well it was a shame if it happened to anybody. He couldn’t think of anyone he knew that he felt deserved something like this. Well maybe Skrawl, but that guy was an asshole. But Snap... He had been nothing but nice with the other zoners of this city. Why would anyone...?
He stopped when he suddenly remembered something. He recalled that he had Snap scheduled for some kind of appointment. It took him a few seconds to remember it was the scanner appointment. It was almost time for that. He’ll have to prepare for that.
He looked down at Snap. Perhaps now would be the best time to do it. Snap was knocked out from the drug and he won’t wake up for a while. This would give him plenty of time to run another scan. He hoped that something would turn up this time. If nothing did..
He would just have to hope for the best.
The bird zoner motioned for Mosaic to jump off. He snapped his finger and pointed to one position, a silent way of telling her to stay put. She did so. She looked from Snap, and then to him, giving him an expression that seemed to be the same as all her other ones, but to the trained eye, there was a difference. He knew what this look was.
Dr. Crobat smiled the best he could. “Don’t worry. Everything is going to be fine.”
Mosaic stared at him. She soon settled on the ground, curling up with her spikey tail draped against her. Dr. Crobat watched her for a few moments, then proceeded to wheel Snap down the hallway.
As much as he was trying to comfort Mosaic, he wasn’t sure how true his words were. All he could do was hope and pray that, this time, something, anything, would show up on the scanners. Something to prove that Snap was innocent.
He would hate to be the one to declare the message that would surely incite the zoners against him...
sss
Snap winced as he opened up his eyes. His mind was so muggy, so confused. He couldn’t tell where he was at first. He moved his eyes from side to side, noting the color of beige everywhere. Light and dark, all intermixed together, and there was some kind of rounded shape. He also felt the strange sensation of being enclosed...and yet still open, roomy.
He tried to shift himself, but he realized he was strapped down. Strangely, that didn’t seem to strike him with much fear. He was unusually calm. Even though he was confused about this, his relaxed mind didn’t care enough to really do much. He just laid there, feeling so relaxed that he wanted to fall asleep again.
He could hear a low hum all aroud him. Kind of loud, yet also soothing at the same time. It went in intervals, sometimes louder, sometimes softer, sometimes slower, and sometimes faster. It all went in a rhythm, and through this, he felt more and more relaxed.
He soon realized he must be in a machine of some kind. But why was he here? Where were his friends? Where was everyone? Did something happen to him? His confused thoughts were barely registered, his mind too tranquil to worry too much about what was going on. It felt as though there was a cloud over his mind, keeping him from thinking too much. And he was grateful for it. All he wanted to do now was close his eyes again and sleep.
Suddenly, a face popped into his head. His eyes snapped open further. Though still relaxed, he did start to feel a slight tinge of fear as something invaded his mind.
Images...lots of images.. Still, like snapshots in time. They flooded, sorting themselves together in a row, and it felt like he was in a dark room, looking at them all. He shut his eyes tightly, and the images appeared to become more clear, circling him almost like a vulture.
The pictures..they were of some place that he seemed to recognize. A building, marble and stone...tall and pointed... And then the many zoners. One zoner he spoke to... Yes, he remembered this now. The zoners at the party. This was the party. As he remembered more, the more animated the scene became. Going from jerky to smooth in a matter of seconds. He could see himself, hear himself, in these mind images.
He remembered all this. It was so familiar...this was the party he had been to. The party that he had been invited to, for his stopping of the machine. This was where Sandra had...
At that name, he suddenly felt a twist in his chest. A burning sensation, a cross between anger and betrayal. He didn’t have a moment to think of why as more images came into his mind. He suddenly saw something explode, the blazing white fire, and then Sandra standing there. He could see her face, plain as day, staring down at him. Then she reached down and....
Suddenly the mind video stopped, and rapidly became jerky again. Then it transformed back into the still images as they once where, and he felt them leave his mind. He felt a little panicked at first, but soon as they were gone, his mind felt at ease. He no longer remembered the scary images he had seen, and he was now back in a tranquil state.
Snap slowly closed his eyes. The machine’s hum became his lullaby. He soon drifted off, becoming unaware of the world once more.
sss
Sandra grumbled softly to herself. She had gotten too careless. If she hadn’t gotten here when she had, then everything was going to be ruined. She was grateful that there was a window here that she could see through. As soon as she realized Snap was being pushed into the machine, she had acted quickly, just in the nick of time.
If that machine had finished its job before she could make her move.. She shuddered to think about it. Oh well, at least she was able to do what she wanted, and her secret was still safe.
She watched as Snap was being pulled out of the machine. She smiled as she saw the doctors glance at each other in confusion. It was clear they had seen nothing while the zoner was pushed into there. Her plan was working thus far. It was imperative that they remained clueless. So long as she was careful, they would be.
She felt a pang of guilt. She did her best to push it away. Not wasn’t the time to feel guilty, and she knew that. She couldn’t waste anymore time here. She had to get going, before someone spotted her lurking around this part of the building. She had been lucky last time; she didn’t want to push it again.
There was a part of her who wanted to tell Snap what she had been doing. A part of her who wanted to assure him that it would be all over soon. She wanted to help him through this. There was so much she wanted to do.
But she knew she could not do it. Snap had to go through this on his own. She couldn’t interfere; she had to keep the process going. Snap had a lot to learn, and he had to do it on his own. He needed to suffer alone so he could fully grasp the consequences. He needed to learn what it felt like for her before she could truly forgive him, before he was worthy of being let go. And if he never learned it..
She would try to make it as quick as possible for him.
Sandra’s ears twitched and she realized that someone was coming. She had to get out of here fast. It could be one of the security officers. The last thing she wanted was to get spotted and then have suspicion thrown onto her. She turned and quickly left the premises.
sss
Rudy narrowed his eyes as he stared at the police officer. He did his best to keep his anger under control, not wanting to draw unwanted attention from his comrades all around them. They had been allowed to speak with him, but the comrades were authorized to use force if they were to lose control of themselves.
Rudy would have felt appalled by this lack of trust, but right now, his mind was on something else entirely. He glared at the zoner, his thoughts running rapidly through his head as he tried to piece together what had been happening.
“You...you can’t deny this...” Rudy said, his teeth gritted. “You have been deliberately hiding information!”
The police officer cocked an eyebrow. “I think you need to relax, kid. We didn’t do anything wrong.”
“You did nothing wrong?!” Penny stopped herself, appearing to realize she was getting a little too worked up. She sucked in a deep breath and she continued, “You are lying. We spoke to some other zoners, including other police officers, and they all confirm that there were problems going on, and that you never told anyone!”
The police officer, who called himself Granite, merely chuckled at this. But it wasn’t an evil laugh or a scheming one that Rudy would have expected. It was a calmer, more amused laugh than anything. But that did little to calm him down. The only thing it did was make him even more suspicious.
Granite looked at his fellow cops all around him. He had the trio surrounded; that was the only way he’d allow them to speak to him. Rudy felt uncomfortable like this, but he did his best to keep himself collected. He wondered if this was part of Granite’s plan. To make him unnerved so he would slip up.
Yet Granite’s facial features remained mostly soft. He looked, at the very least, annoyed with what they had been telling him. But he did not make a threatening move towards them, and he insisted that his comrades wouldn’t hurt them if they were to take action. Just hold them down at most. But none of them wanted to take that chance, and they did their best to keep their distance away from Granite.
“Dear, the reason why we never told anyone was because nothing happened before now.” Granite said, allowing the information that was given to him to roll off his back like it was nothing. “You are overreacting. Everything had been fine before. There had been no incidents prior to this.” He made a motion with his flattened hand to emphasize. “We can promise you that. We would have told you before.”
“What of those other zoners we spoke to?” Mint pointed an accusatory finger in the humanoid zoner’s direction. “What about what they had said?”
Granite smirked at this, his mouth stretching almost unnaturally across his face. “Oh dear boy, you shouldn’t pay attention to them. Some of them are a little crazy. The signal probably had a lasting effect on them and made them say things that weren’t true.”
Rudy and his friends glared at this. Despite the fact that Granite was speaking in a polite, calm voice, that didn’t make them any less suspicious of him. Something wasn’t right about this. Most zoners they spoke to confirm the signal was around for a while. Yet this zoner claimed they were all crazy...
They had their doubts of that. It just didn’t seem to make any sense. Why would a ton of zoners claim this one fact, and then all be lying? Not all the zoners had been afflicted by the signal after all. Something just didn’t add up here. The more they looked at Granite, the more they began to distrust him. They couldn’t help but wonder if he was hiding anything.
It just seemed way too strange for the vast majority of ChalkZone City to claim a longer lasting signal and then having all them be crazy. If this had been a smaller group of zoners claiming this, it would have been fine, but for most of the city to say it? Something about that just didn’t seem right.
But Rudy didn’t see a point in continuing to argue with him about this. It was clear that Granite was going to continue denying this until his last breath. His comrades would back him up, affirming everything he said. He would not listen to them, and he, just like he had been during their discussion, would just counteract anything they threw at him. They wasted enough time here. They should head somewhere else. Maybe they’d have better luck elsewhere.
“Thank you for your time.” Rudy said, doing his best to sound calm and collected. He reached out his hand, shaking Granite’s in his. “We appreciate it.”
“No problemo, kiddo.” Granite said, smiling almost creepily. “If I find out anything, I will let you know.”
“Okay, thanks.” Rudy said.
He rushed out of there, hurrying his friends along. He wanted to get as far away from Granite as possible. He would rather not see him again for however long possible. And he wanted to be far enough away so he could speak to his friends a bit.
Only when he was certain they were safe did any of them speak.
“I don’t trust him...” Mint said, glaring back down the hallway where the policemen were. “Something about him just..rubs me the wrong way.”
“Yeah. How can he say there was no signal so...so bluntly like that?” Penny narrowed her eyes, folding her arms against her chest. “That just seems quite illogical.”
Rudy nodded his head in agreement. “I think he’s hiding something. He might be working for the culprit.”
This caused Penny and Mint to exchange nervous glances. The mere thought of a corruption in the police system sent shivers down their spine. They knew it happened in the Real World, and now, they were encountering a possible ChalkZone equivilant.
“That is possible.” Penny said. “Or he could have his own agenda. Either way, his actions are...quite questionable. It’s clear to me that he is hiding information, or was.”
“He was doing a pretty poor job of it, too.” Mint pointed out. “The zoners already knew, so what did he have to gain from lying to us about it, and telling us they are all crazy?”
“It was like he didn’t want us to know, but why?” Penny furrowed her eyes thoughtfully. “There has to be a reason...”
Rudy said, “Yeah, I agree. Something just isn’t adding up...”
Rudy knew something was up with this. Why would the officer attempt to lie to them? He tried to think of all the reasons, but he only drew a blank. It left him with a feeling of confusion and uncertainty. He knew they would have to keep an eye on this officer in the near future. None of them knew what he had planned, or what he wanted.
But at the moment, they would have to put this on the back burner. There was somewhere else they had to be right now. One other person to speak to before they went back to visit Snap to report their findings.
He took a moment to reflect on how much time had passed since that accident. It stung his heart knowing that, in spite of all the time that passed, the two weeks, plus the days Snap had been awake, they still haven’t found anything fully conclusive, nothing to bring the culprit to justice. He hoped to change that soon.
“We have to head to the hospital now.” Rudy said. “We need to talk to another security officer regarding the...well, security system.”
“We already spoke to practically all of them.” Mint said, a slightly annoyed tone to his voice. “What makes you think any one left is going to say something different?”
“Well, you never know. Plus, we do need to return to the scene of the crime.” Penny said. She soon corrected herself. “Well one of them. Obviously we can’t look around that one building where Snap was trapped in. That place is guarded and off limits. They consider it a hazard zone and some parts are still falling down.”
This made Rudy shiver. He couldn’t imagine just how powerful the blast could have been for the place to still be falling apart. He recalled one of the citizen zoners stating that they were afraid of trying to do anything with the building because they didn’t know if there was still a fire still blazing down inside. The thought of a fire still rampaging through made Rudy fill his heart with dread.
“This signal is connected with the incident regarding Snap. I’m certain of it.” Penny said. “If we learn more about this signal, we may learn more about the culprit and ultimately find him or her.”
“Well what are we waiting for? Let’s get going.” Rudy said. He looked down the hallway and winced when he saw shadows moving along it. “The sooner we are out of here, the better.”
Without saying another word, the three friends rushed through the building. It didn’t take them long to get out of the police station. They looked back at it, glaring softly, and then shifted their attention to the street. They began their walk to the hospital.
sss
“You’re kidding me, right?” Penny said, her eyes wide. “You sure you...?”
The security officer shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I already told you all I knew. And that is apparently things you had known for yourself.” The security officer bit his lip. “If I knew anything else, I would have told you.”
The three friends glanced at each other, then back at the officer. They had tried numerous times, but the zoner always said the same thing. Things they already knew. The security going haywire in certain places, some patients acting up, nothing specific that they didn’t already know. No matter what they said, the answers were still the same.
The security officer seemed to start getting annoyed by their constant questioning. He took a few steps back, though made no attempt to run. He glared at them almost accusatory, silently wondering why they keep pestering him.
Penny chewed on her lip. There had to be something they could get from this guy. Anything at all. Someone around here had to know more about this signal and what it was doing. This zoner had to know something. Someone had to know more. There was just..no way there couldn’t be at least one zoner who could tell them more. Perhaps this zoner could be their lucky one.
“You don’t have any theories?” Rudy asked.
“No ideas on what the culprit could have been after? What they could possibly gain from messing with the security like that?” Mint inquired.
The security officer shook his head. “Not unless he wanted to steal some hospital stuff, which I don’t think many would find valuable enough to steal. Unless this guy is hurt, in which case, he or she could have just come here for help, or they would be too hard to come up with a convoluted plan like this.” The security officer raised his hands in the air to emphasize.
“Isn’t there anything else?” Penny wasn’t convinced. “The systems were targeting patients right?”
“Well yes. Mostly the most sickly ones.” The security officer nodded. “But it’s not like they have anything of value.”
“Except for their lives.” Penny said. Rudy and Mint stared at her, eyes widening. Penny bit her lip, feeling a sickening feeling tug at her stomach. She lowered her head. “That’s what they have to offer.”
The security offer blinked in her direction and then started to laugh. Penny stared at him in shock, feeling offended by this outburst of laughter. Rudy and Mint glared at him as well. None of them said a word, and just glared angrily at the zoner that was laughing at their expense.
“Oh don’t make me laugh, girl.” The zoner finally said after that sudden outburst. “The only deaths around here had been natural ones. The patient just couldn’t recover and passed away due to whatever injury or illness they had gotten. They weren’t caused by some stupid signal.”
“How do you know?” Mint took a few steps towards the zoner. There was some aggression in his voice. “How could you know when the security systems in those areas were messed up?!” The security officer narrowed his eyes. Mint raised his hands into the air. “You can’t possibly be that stupid, can you?!”
The security officer growled and pushed Mint away. “I’ve had it with you and your attitude, kid.” He pinned Mint up against the wall, much to Penny and Rudy’s horror. “If I hear you cop another attitude again, I’ll...”
“Leave him alone!” Rudy shouted at him. “He didn’t mean it!”
The security officer glared at Rudy and then turned his attention back to Mint. After a long, cold stare, he released him, letting the boy fall to the ground. Rudy rushed over and helped him up. He asked if he was okay, and Mint appeared to be fine.
Penny shot a glare to the security officer. “How could you treat my friend like that?”
The security officer curled his lip back in a snarl. “He was asking for it.” He turned his back to her. “Now I must get going. I wasted enough time with you.”
Oh no, he was not going to get away that easily. Penny was not going to stand by and let him just walk away like this. With her eyes narrowed, Penny rushed forward, putting herself in front of the retreating zoner. He stared at her, wide-eyed, and attempted to move around her. Penny kept repositioning herself, blocking his way out.
Penny knew she was being a little more aggressive than she normally was. But she had to do this. There had to be more information this zoner knew. She wasn’t going to just let him walk away like this. Not before he told her what she wanted to know. She had to find a way to get that information, and after that little display with her friend....
She was more than convinced that this zoner knew something. He sounded way too defensive to just simply be offended by Mint’s words.
“Is there something you aren’t telling us? Something that you are hiding?” Penny asked, her eyes narrowed. She did her best to hide her anger. That would do her no good here. When the zoner didn’t answer, she took a step forward. “You sound like you were trying to hide a piece of information from us. You claim the zoners died of natural causes, but do you really believe that?”
The security officer stared at her, and then puffed up his chest. “Well of course I do! That’s what their official diagnosis was! I...” He grabbed onto his head, digging his fingernails into his skin. “Look, I’m not the one who runs the joint with the patients. I’m just in charge of the security system. All I can tell you is that the areas with the most sickly and weak patients were affected, as well as some of their machines.”
Penny’s eyes widened at this. “Their machines?” She remembered something about that, but she didn’t ask in too much detail before. “What was going on?”
“Inaccurate readings mostly. More annoying than anything, or so the doctors have said.” The security officer said. “But there were a few cases involving those machines pumping fluid into the patient. I don’t know the details, other than they began to decrease or increase how fast they went in, both of which eventually became problematic for the patients.”
“Oh my...” Penny gasped.
“Oh it was all good.” The security officer waved his hand back and forth. “There was nothing wrong with the patient afterwards. The machines were fixed, and everything was fine.”
“And you are certain that the equipment malfunctions didn’t kill anyone?” Rudy asked, who was still with Mint not far away. “Are you absolutely sure none of the doctors said anything about it?”
“Yes, I’m sure.” The security officer snapped. He gritted his teeth together, grinding them. “I told you what I knew. Now can I go?”
Penny narrowed her eyes. She wasn’t sure if this zoner had really told them everything. But she could see how frustrated he was getting, and they weren’t going to get much of anything out of him while he was frustrated like this. So as reluctant as she was, their only option was to let him go. They can always try talking to another one later.
With a simple nod, she took a step to the side, allowing the zoner to walk by her. The security officer brushed himself off and made his way down the hall. He stopped and looked over his shoulder. He gave them all a soft glare before he continued down. The children glared after him, watching him as he disappeared down the hallway.
“Well that was a waste of time.” Mint muttered. “He didn’t know anything.”
“Or he was hiding something.” Rudy corrected. He turned his head to face his two friends. “Either way, he wasn’t exactly a bag of information. He merely just reiterated what we already knew. That doesn’t help us much.”
“He did make it seem likely that some patients had been killed by this culprit, which is a suspicion we already had. But right now, that is merely speculation. We don’t have any proof of this, and even if we do dig up their bodies from the grave, which I don’t recommend that we do, we could just find signs of natural causes, nothing pinpointing murder.” Penny explained.
“It is scary. Why would this culprit be targeting patients in a hospital? It seems so...underhanded...” Mint shuddered at the thought, cringing.
“We don’t know yet if that’s what they are doing. The security officer could be right.” Rudy said. “The attack on the hospital might not have been an attack at all. Maybe it was just a distraction of some kind, or maybe this culprit merely wanted to have fun.”
Penny narrowed her eyes at this. “They certainly had a lot of fun murdering all those zoners and hurting Snap.”
Rudy winced at this. “Yeah..point taken. Maybe the culprit really was trying to harm these zoners. He or she certainly doesn’t seem to be above it.”
The thought chilled them all to the core. The idea of someone deliberately targeting zoners who were too weak or sick to fight back...it was absolutely appalling. What kind of sick person would do such a thing? These zoners went to the hospital to be treated. They expected to get well again. But now the one place where they had hope of returning to a normal life had been under siege. And who knows if it would get attacked again?
The behavior of some of the zoners here didn’t help. Penny hadn’t exactly been thrilled with how they were treated by the security officer, or the plain denial of the police. Both of them had grated on her nerves, and she had a hard time believing just how uncooperative they both had been, not to mention how uncaring they seemed of the situation.
Then a thought crossed her mind. What if their behavior was the result of the machine? Maybe even just some lasting effects? Yeah it was probably too hardly to make that call. Still, there was the possibility the machine had some thing to do with it. It would make sense. Wouldn’t the culprit want to make sure that some of the higher ups didn’t do anything to stop them? If patients had actually gone missing, that could explain it.
She didn’t know why she didn’t think of this possibility before, back when they were dealing with that cop zoner. The signs should have been obvious. She should have realized something was just off. There was simply no reason why the cop would lie about something that was common knowledge. Not unless his mind had been messed with.
It was making sense now. Maybe this was why they hadn’t been informed. Perhaps the officer had been controlled and, since he was the one in charge, maybe he had forced the zoners to not tell them anything, fully convinced that it was nothing. But since she and her friend now knew the truth, the officer’s effects didn’t really do much and the zoners could talk freely about it.
If this is the case, then just how far did it go? What other zoners had been affected? Is the affliction permanent, or did a new machine get turned on? Penny shuddered at the possibilities.
“Penny?” Rudy asked, staring at her with concern. “What’s wrong? Did you think of something?”
Penny nodded her head. “I think I know what might be going on with those zoners...” She paused for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts. She looked over at her friends, noting their curious expressions. She then spoke, “This may be the work of that culprit.” At this, Rudy and Mint looked at each other, and then back at Penny, their eyes widened in horror. “This whole place had just become a crime scene... The culprit is responsible for the odd behaviors we had seen. I’m sure of it, just like they are responsible for the machine malfunctions, security flaws, and that explosion that killed those zoners and hurt our friend.”
“But why....” Mint’s voice trailed off, his eyes widening in shock. “Wait...”
Rudy completed his thought for him. “Are you saying that the machine might be turned back on, or there’s something else going on, and that the culprit was messing with zoners’ heads so that we wouldn’t find out what was going on?”
Penny nodded her head. “Pretty much. I mean, we already knew about it, but obviously, it could still be going on. The culprit seems to be smart enough for this. They might be screwing around with more zoner minds so that we don’t get the information that we want, or perhaps their memories had been altered somehow.” Penny gritted her teeth at this. “We are being played.”
Mint and Rudy winced at this, looking at her, apprehensive. They all knew what this meant. There was no denying it.
The crime had gotten even bigger. And they were being pulled right into it.
Before they could continue, they heard something going on somewhere. They heard a low rumble. No, not a rumble, more like chattering, like a lot of people talking at once. They looked at each other, wondering what was going on. They couldn’t tell where it was coming from at first, and it just seemed to come from everywhere. It took them a while to guess a general location. They began to walk down the hallway, towards the sound.
As it got louder, confirming they were going in the right direction, the sound began to get more distinct, more distinguished. It soon became clear that, whatever was making the noise, it was a lot of smaller nosies doing it. This wasn’t just one big noise coming from one centralized location. Instead, it was many smaller noises together, joining forces to make this rumbling sound.
They continued down the hallway, quickening their pace as the noises got louder and easier to make out. They all wondered what was going on, and why this sound suddenly went off. As they ran, they bumped into a few doctors, some of which looked just as confused as they were by the sudden, almost rumbly sound, which gradually grew more and more dissipate the further they went down the corridor.
Eventually, they began to realize what it was. They widened their eyes in shock at the realization, unable to believe it for themselves. Even as the noise became more and more clear, it was hard for them to wrap their heads around it.
The noise was a bunch of zoners.
Indeed, as they got closer, the noise sounded more and more like voices. Talking...a lot of talking. From the sound of it, Penny guessed there were at least twenty zoners outside. From how muddled their voices had sounded before, she guessed they were all tightly packed together.
Why were the zoners gathering outside? Why had they all came here? For what purpose? Had they heard what was going on with the security system and were merely demanding improvement?
No...that couldn’t be it. The zoners sounded way too angry, and their tone suggested something more personal than something more broad. They sounded as if they had been cheated, and they sounded as if they wanted to take their frustrations out on the ChalkZone City hospital. Penny hoped that the zoners would remain there until they came out and learn what was going on.
Soon, she and the others began to hear nasty words. They were able to make out more of what they were saying. Not that it was much of an improvement. Some of the things they were hearing...it was awful.
“Snap, this is all your fault!”
“I can’t believe we actually trusted you!”
“Come on out, coward!”
“You will pay for your crimes!”
Blood chilled in their veins. In that instant, they all knew that the zoners were blaming Snap for what had happened. There was no doubt about that. This made them rush faster, all determined to defend their friend from these zoners.
It didn’t take them much longer to get out of the building, but for them, it felt like hours had passed. Brushing past the swinging double doors, Penny and her friends rushed out towards the crowd. They came out just in time to hear some more terrible stuff.
“There was no way it was an accident!” A male zoner said, holding up a closed fist. “How could he have survived that explosion, but not my friend?!”
“He must have rigged it himself! The little traitor!” A small, child-like zoner yelled, others behind her nodding in agreement.
“I say we....”
“Enough!” Rudy shouted as he, Penny, and Mint got into position in front of the angered zoners.
The crowd fell silent at the voice. They seemed to finally realize that the three creators had come out of the hospital. Their response was to look even angrier, baring their teeth and growling in their direction. Though their cold stares pierced their souls, sending ice through their veins, the friends did not back down.
Rudy took a step forward, staring out into the crowd. Penny thought it was pretty brave of him to go up and face the zoners like this. They looked like they wanted to tear them apart. Despite that, Rudy stood his ground, straightening up and clearly trying to look confident.
“What the hell is going on here?”
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Post by Bluedramon on Oct 15, 2014 19:24:54 GMT -5
Chapter 11: Accusations
Black tongues speak faster than the car can crash! You supply the rumors and I'll provide the wrath.
-Blue, The Birthday Massacre
"What the hell is going on?"
Rudy couldn't believe how harsh and cold he sounded. He hadn't meant to come off like that. But at the moment, anger and shock was growing in the back of his head, and the tension the crowd was giving off didn't exactly help things either.
Mint and Penny stood beside him, staring off at the crowd. They wore glares on their faces, but he could see the confusion in them. Like him, they didn't know what was going on, why the crowd was here, or why they seemed to hate Snap so much. But they were going to find out. These zoners are going to tell them what is going on, and from there, they could begin to take the steps to fix it.
Rudy couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated. In front of him was a large group of zoners. Twenty, thirty at least. There was little space between them, as they stood really close to each other. All of them looked really hostile, ready to attack someone if they got too close. Several zoners were his height, but there were occassionally larger zoners that towered over them. Most of the zoners were humanoid, with some beast-like ones among the crowd. Their glares seemed to pierce right through his heart, making him want to cringe away.
But he stood his ground. He didn't have much of a choice. He couldn't allow this crowd to cause trouble for his friend. Snap already had to deal with so much. He didn't need this added onto it.
He couldn't help but wonder just what worked these zoners up into a frenzy. When he, Mint, and Penny had done their interviewing before, none of the zoners appeared to hold any hostility towards Snap. Now, suddenly, they were like this. He didn't know if this was the work of the machine, or repressed anger, or something else.
Soon, they were going to find out.
One of the zoners that spoke before, a young-looking male, took a step forward. He appeared to be the one willing to speak for the crowd. Rudy glanced at him, and wondered if he was the main ringleader behind this whole thing, or if he was just a higher up.
The zoner pointed a finger in Rudy's direction. "We know Snap is responsible for that explosion! We demand that you have him arrested!" Behind him, many zoners shouted in agreement, nodding their heads.
Rudy's eyes widened at this. "How can you say that? Snap had been injured! He has brain damage! How can you..."
"He's the one who has been causing problems all along! It's always been him!" The zoner cried, his teeth gritted against each other. "If you were the Guardian of ChalkZone, you would deal with him!"
"But you won't, will you? Because Snap is your precious creation, you wouldn't dare think he'd be capable of such heartlessness!" The zoner standing next to him shouted.
"He was injured! He's a victim too!" Penny cried, staring off into the crowd with widened, shock-filled eyes. "I can't believe all of you... How could you think that Snap would do this?" She held her hands out in gesture. "What in the world has he done to make you think that he could just turn on a dime like this?!"
It was Mint's turn to speak. "He has done nothing but help you guys, even before I came here. He stopped an invasion of minerbites from tearing your world apart! He's wrestled with Skrawl, took on a robotic version of Rudy, and that isn't getting into everything." He took a step forward. "How could you think that he was some kind of evil zoner, waiting to strike in the middle of the night?!"
The lead zoner sneered at him. "So says the Enemy Creator."
At this, Rudy's heart skipped a beat. He turned his head, staring at Mint. He could see his eyes had widened in shock, his body losing some of the tension it had before. Enemy Creator... Hardly anyone ever called Mint that anymore. Only those few zoners who still held reservations against him...
"Yeah, why should we listen to you?!" Snapped one zoner in the far back.
"Yeah!" Agreed a large female around the middle. "You are the one who tried to release the minerbites on us! How do we know you aren't planning something with Snap?"
Mint stammered. "I-I..." He took a step back. He looked over at Penny and Rudy, his eyes wide with shock and uncertainty. He appeared to be trying to call to them for help, his lips smacking in nervousness. He turned his head back towards the group. He bit his lip, then narrowed his eyes. "No..."
The lead zoner chuckled at this. "Of course you would deny it. You just want to let our guard down so you can attack us in the back!"
Mint cut off the zoners before they could say anything else. "Now you listen here! I know I wasn't the nicest person when I came here. I know that I hurt so many zoners with my selfishness. I made mistakes, and I acknowledge that. But I had changed, and took the steps necessary to help fix ChalkZone. If you are willing to deny that, then that's your problem."
Rudy and Penny offered a small smile at this. They were proud of their friend standing up for himself. It was a shame that there were some zoners who wouldn't move on, and continued to live in the past. Mint was right; it was the zoners' problem if they chose to keep that grudge.
The zoners seemed a bit surprised that Mint stood up for himself this time. He usually ignored them, but this time, he spoke back. They looked at each other, soft murmuring permeating the area. At first, it seemed like it was going to be over, and the trio could move on with what they were going to do.
But that didn't last too long.
Slowly, the glares returned. Mint gulped but stood his ground, as did Rudy and Penny. The zoners took on slightly more hostile postures, as though they thought one of them was going to draw something to attack them with. Rudy didn't get why they were acting this way. He couldn't understand what would bring on such behavior so suddenly.
"Be that as it may, Enemy Creator..." The lead zoner spat. "But our position still stands." He looked at some of his comrades, and they exchanged unreadable glances. "We know that Snap is the only one who could have caused that explosion and get away unharmed. He was the one who set it up, and tricked those zoners into going in there. He murdered them!"
Rudy clenched his teeth, glaring at the lead zoner. He didn't need to look at Penny or Mint to know that they were doing the same thing. They adopted defensive postures just in case one of the zoners decided to attack.
Rudy had a hard time believing that the zoners really thought Snap did this. Why would they think that? What did Snap do to get this kind of response? The poor guy had been badly hurt, unable to walk, and he was suffering from memory issues. He couldn't even leave the hospital. What kind of master plan did these zoners think he was trying to achieve with a scheme that got himself injured? None of it made any sense.
He was certain that they were going to also blame Snap for the machinery. The thought heated his blood up more. Snap had destroyed that machine, and he was positive that some of these zoners had been saved by his friend that way. The idea of them repaying Snap through accusations was just...terrible.
Rudy hoped that these nasty rumors spreading about Snap were going to remain in small portions of ChalkZone City. Though that was wishful thinking. He had a hunch that a lot more zoners than these had heard the rumors that he knew at least one zoner had started to spread. By now, most of ChalkZone probably knows, and that meant many zoners than these may believe Snap is truly responsible. He could only hope that some of the zoners didn't fall into this bullcrap that easily, and realize that the rumors were incorrect.
As much as he wanted to leave, he needed to speak more with the zoners. He needed to quell their anger the best he can, for fear that the zoners may start to attack the hospital, injuring their friend and other innocent patients and doctors in the process. But to do that, he needed a better understanding of just how they were thinking. There had to be a reason why they were thinking Snap was somehow responsible.
His thoughts were interrupted when he heard more harsh cries from the enraged zoners.
"Arrest Snap! Arrest the traitor!"
"Bag him and drag him away!"
"Hogtie and gag him before he can spew out more venom!"
"He needs to be punished for making us all believe he was a hero!"
Rudy growled at this, baring his teeth. Some of the zoners quieted down as they noticed his anger. The group as a whole began to look more nervous, and they hunched their backs as if they thought Rudy was going to attack. Realizing what he was doing, Rudy managed to settle himself down, adopting a somewhat more neutral stance.
"Look..." Rudy raised up his hands, lowering them in front of him rapidly a few times. "I know you are having a hard time believing this, but Snap wasn't responsible for that explosion. I know Snap better than that. I'm not sure what made you all believe he was the culprit, but I assure you, he isn't. Penny, Mint, and I are doing all we can to find the real culprit."
The crowd was silent for a while. The zoners had blank expressions, tilting their heads, speaking softly to each other. It seemed almost like, at first, Rudy had gotten through to them. But that soon turned out to be incorrect as the zoners began to look angry again. Rudy flinched as he noticed some looked angrier than before, as if his words did nothing but offend them.
"Of course you'd defend Snap! You are his creator! You just won't admit that he has become a monster!" The lead zoner snarled at him. "We can't count on you to convinct the real culprit, because the real culprit is in that blasted building!" He pointed a finger towards the hospital. "And you.." He shoved his finger towards Rudy. "You won't take responsibility and arrest him!"
"Even if Snap was the cause, he can't be arrested unless there is proper evidence!" Penny spoke up. "Where is your proof that Snap was resposnible?"
At this, the crowd said nothing. They merely glanced at one another, silently asking each other if they had what Penny had requested. When it became clear that they did not have any evidence, Penny folded her arms and gave a small, bitter smile to the zoners.
"You don't have any evidence, do you? You are all just going off on a hunch. You think that, just because you say you believe Snap is the culprit, it automatically means that he is warranted to getting arrested? Is that how you think this world works? Sorry, but there is a saying. Innocent until proven guilty."
Mint nodded. "Perhaps you lot should practice that sometime."
The lead zoner stared, wide-eyed, before narrowing them again, curling his lips back into a snarl. "We don't need evidence. We already have a compelling argument. One that, if you took the time and used your common sense to think about, you would realize we are right."
Rudy narrowed his eyes at this. "Oh really? Then tell us."
"What do you know about Snap and the explosion that is strong enough to tie him there?" Mint asked.
The lead zoner leaned slightly back, straightening his spine out to make himself appear taller. A mixture of confidence and dominance seemed to radiate all around him. The other zoners took small steps away, making room for him, a clear sign of respect to the zoner.
"Snap was the last one to show up at that party before the explosion. I should know. I saw him walking in there as I passed by. Nothing happened until shortly after he had arrived. No one else came after him. I don't know what he planned on doing with that machine of his, but it was clearly something awful. Now that he doesn't have the machine to do the killing for him, he turned to killing zoners themselves. He set up the party, and came late to trick everyone into thinking he couldn't set up those bombs or whatever they were in time. But I know better.."
The lead zoner's voice filled with anger, becoming a bit higher pitched as time went on. Rudy, Penny, and Mint glared at him, but dared not to interrupt.
"Snap had to set everything up first. He studied that building inside and out. Then he set up the explosives, keeping in mind where they were before he made his mode. He waited until everyone he invited was lured into that building. Then he pretended to sneak off to...oh whatever, use the bathroom or something. And that was one he did it."
"You can't be serious..." Mint breathed.
"Oh I am, Enemy Creator. Snap snuck off and waited until he was a good distance away before he set off the explosion. Unfortunately for him, he didn't get far enough away, and he ended up hit by the explosion. His own that he himself had set up."
"That's insane!" Rudy cried, his heart clenching. "You're just making wild claims based on nothing but your own emotional..!"
"Am I?!" The lead zoner snapped at him, cutting him off. "Then how do you explain why Snap was the only survivor? Why everyone else in the building died, and yet Snap escaped with just burned legs? Why the explosion only happened after he arrived at the party?"
Rudy wanted to reply, but at the moment, he was seething in anger. He locked eyes on the zoner, unable to look away. The eyes were intense, seemingly staring right through his soul. Rudy was so tempted to take a step back, yet he remained frozen there. His mind swam with thoughts, a torrent of emotions rising up inside of him.
This...this was why the zoners were blaming Snap? They were just going off on a hunch? They got a little suspicious of the fact that his friend escaped with burned legs while all other zoners died from the fire or wounds due to the flames?
A low growl escaped Rudy's throat. The lead zoner apparently heard this, and he arched his back in self defense. Rudy continued to glare at him. These zoners...they weren't being fair to Snap. And they were too angry to see that.
"I do agree that it does seem a little odd." Penny said, tapping her finger against her chin thoughtfully. Rudy and Mint looked over at her in shock, both wondering why she would say that. But soon, Penny glared back into the crowd, and even before she spoke again, it was clear what her stance was. "But that is no excuse to accuse our friend like that. You can't just take thoughts and hunches and use them as evidence. If you want us to believe that Snap was responsbile..."
Penny walked forward. She glared directly at the lead zoner in charge. She didn't stop until she was within a foot of him. They locked eyes onto each other, and for a couple seconds, there was a tense silence.
Penny lifted up a finger and pressed it against his shoulder. "Provide some evidence."
The lead zoner stared at her. His pupils moved from her face, to her finger, and repeated a few times. He snarled and raised his hand. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but he soon shut it. With a low, disgusted growl, he backhanded Penny against her face. The girl let out a surprised cry as she fell into the ground.
"Penny!" Rudy cried. He and Mint rushed to her side. Rudy looked down at her worriedly. "Are you okay?"
Penny stared up at Rudy, and nodded her head. "Y-Yeah.." She pushed herself onto her hands. Then she worked her legs underneath her body and pushed herself back up. She glared back at the zoner with a single eye. "I'm fine."
Mint shot a glare at the lead zoner. "What the hell did you do that for?!"
The lead zoner sneered at them. "The little girl was asking for it..."
"She did nothing to warrant you striking her like that!" Rudy snapped at him, taking a step in front of Penny. "All she did was point out the truth! Are you really that upset that you..."
"Oh shut up, will you?!" The lead zoner growled. Some zoners behind him murmured and nodded their heads in agreement. "We are getting sick of this. Either you bring that miserable piece of chalk you call a friend to justice..." His voice took on a dangerous edge. "Or we will..."
The crowd agreed wholeheartedly.
"Yeah!"
"He needs to be locked away!"
"He's a monster!"
"Pure evil!"
"You can't arrest something based on no evidence!" Penny cried.
"Oh poppycock!" The lead zoner growled viciously. "We don't need to search for clues when we know for certain Snap was the one responsible! We all know the story, don't we?" He turned his head, addressing the crowd. "We all heard what the doctors said! Snap has no brain injury! He has been lying to his human companions! To everyone! We all know he is faking his injury so that we will take pity on him!"
"Yeah that's right!" A female zoner greed.
A somewhat elderly zoner growled under her breath. "Such a miserable little..."
"For shame!" Cried a male zoner.
"We saw his leg injuries!" Mint said through clenched teeth. "They weren't fake!"
"Oh yeah? Why don't you provide an explanation for us then, Enemy Creator!" The lead zoner said, folding his arms against his chest. "Try to tell us exactly how Snap isn't faking anything when his brain scan always turns up positive?"
Mint tried to reply, but he couldn't say anything. Rudy couldn't blame him. He himself couldn't think of a reply to that either. He didn't think it was enough to accuse Snap, though, and he could feel himself begin to lose patience.
"Aha! See?! You can't explain it, can you?" The lead zoner growled in an accusatory tone. "You can't do it because you know it's impossible! You know that Snap can't act like he has amnesia unless there is something wrong with his brain! And guess what?! There isn't!"
"We all know the story!" A young zoner said, his eyes narrowed into slits. "We were all informed!"
Rudy narrowed his eyes. He and his friends wondered if what they heard wasn't what the doctors had actually said, but rumors. He was already certain before that rumors had spread. This provided more evidence for that.
Rumors spread like wildfire, and they can be quite nasty. People take rumors like they were fact, and don't analyze them that well. These zoners had heard rumors of Snap being responsible, and whatever else negative about him, and they were agreeing with all of it. They weren't going to bother doing the research themselves. It was clear they had already made up their minds about this, and it was going to be hard to convince them otherwise.
Rudy had to figure out something. He doubted he could come up with anything right now to make them stop hating Snap. No, they'll only do that once he proves that Snap was innocent. There was only one way to do that: find out the real culprit.
"Look, we're just as baffled by the lack of an injury in Snap's head as you are." Penny's voice was on edge, somewhat defensive. After the way the lead zoner attacked her like that, he couldn't blame her. "But that doesn't mean that he is responsible. It's still not compelling enough proof to convinct him. The police aren't going to arrest Snap just because you say you think he is responsible."
"Oh we don't think." One of the zoners jeered at her. "We know."
Penny growled at this. "With no evidence..."
The same zoner snarled back. "Now see here, you stupid little girl..." He pointed his thumb against his chest. "I had been in that hospital, and we spoke to the doctors ourselves. Some of them believe Snap is faking it, and each test always comes up negative! How do you explain that, missy?!"
Penny's eyes widened and she took a small step backwards. She stammered over her words before she soon found her tongue. "I know what it might seem like..." She soon narrowed her eyes, clutching her hands tightly into trembling fists at her sides. "But that doesn't mean anything! Something is wrong with our friend and we will find out what it is!"
Mint joined in. "We guarantee you that the reason for his behavior is not related to him pulling off some elaborate scheme to kill zoners for...whatever reason you think he might be doing it." He made a gesture towards the crowd of zoners as he said this.
"We don't know why he's doing it either." Another zoner, this one female, said. "We just know that he is doing it, and that he needs to be stopped!"
"Yeah!" A beast-like zoner said, standing next to her. His voice was pretty deep. "Before he goes and hurts someone else! Enough zoners had suffered due to his barbaric actions!"
"That monster will pay for what he has done!" The lead zoner cried. He formed a fist with his hand, raising it into the air. "If we have to, we will tear that wretched traitor apart ourselves!" He turned to the crowd. "Who's with me?!"
There was a roar of approval from the crowd. Shouts and cries erupted from them, calling for the defeat of Snap, calling for justice, calling for blood.
Rudy and his friends stared at this display in shock. They found it hard to believe that these zoners were willing to go this far, that they were actually willing to hurt their friend based off of nothing but a hunch and hurt feelings. They looked at each other, exchanging horrified glances. They didn't think it would get this far. They never thought that they would have to deal with zoners like this during a time of crisis.
But now here they were. These zoners couldn't be reasoned with as they were. They were not going to listen to them. They were just going to spew out venom like this until Snap was arrestede. And even then, they would probably still harrass their friend, continuing to blame him for something he did not do.
The behavior they were displaying was positively ugly, terrifying. It boiled their blood, and they could feel their bodies shaking as emotion swept through them. It took a lot of mental power to keep themselves from moving from where they stood. They knew they had to keep themselves from making things worse. But it was difficult holding back, and the more they listened to the crowd's horrible words, the worse they felt.
Unable to take it, Rudy stormed over towards the lead zoner. At this point, the lead zoner's arms were raised in the air as he enticed the crowd to speak louder. The zoner realized too late Rudy was there, and the boy seized him by his shoulders.
The lead zoner stiffened up, his eyes wide in shock as he felt Rudy's hands squeeze his shoulders firmly. He looked down at his shoulders, and then back at Rudy. He narrowed his eyes and began to struggle. Rudy tightened his grip, but made no move to actually hurt the zoner. He put his face close to his, and spoke in the darkest voice he had ever spoken in.
"Snap is as much of a victim in all of his as anyone else affected by the machine, and by the explosion. He has been through so much lately. He can't do anything to hurt anyone right now, nor would he ever think of doing such a thing. You should know that. You all should know that... And yet here you are, being unreasonable..."
"Unreasonable? Unreasonable?!" The lead zoner snapped at him. He pulled back his hand and punched Rudy in the jaw. "I'll tell you what's unreasonable!"
"Rudy! Are you okay?!" Penny cried as she and Mint rushed to Rudy.
Rudy nodded his head. As Mint and Penny helped stabilize him, keeping him from falling, he glared in the direction of the lead zoner. He panted heavily, anger flowing through each breath. He would of spoken up again, but the zoner was still speaking.
"My sister didn't deserve to die!" The lead zoner snapped. "She was so innocent, and she just got her brother back, too! And then that fucking Snap took her away from me! What did she do to deserve to die?!"
At this, Rudy's expression softened up a little. This zoner had lost a sibling to the flames? That would explain at least some of his sour attitude. But that did not excuse his atrocious behavior.
"I swear... I swear upon my name, Taima, that Snap will pay for what he did to Galena!" The lead zoner cried, tears flowing down his face. His body shook with emotion. "He...he won't get away with this..I will make sure he won't..." His body shook so hard that he fell down onto his knees. "Why, Galena? Why..?"
The trio watched this display with shock and sympathy. The zoners in the crowd moved in closer, looking at him sadly. Some put their hands on him, speaking to him gently, trying to cheer him up. They spoke words of comfort and reassurance to him, clearly hoping that he would settle down.
During this, Rudy and his friends remained quiet. The lead zoner, Taima, was clearly distraught over the loss of his sister. Given that knowledge, it did make sense that a lot of these zoners were family members or friends of the ones who had died in the explosion. Their anger was based off of personal feelings, and because of that, they weren't thinking very rationally. As much as they understood their anger now, they couldn't simply allow them to continue harrassing their friend like this.
Rudy thought of one way he could quell the crowd for the time being. He took a step forward, his eyes looking directly at Taima. The zoner looked up at him, his eyes red and puffy from crying. He wiped them away as he snarled at Rudy.
"What do you want?" He asked.
Rudy glared at him, but softened up his expression. "I am so sorry for what happened to your sister. Really, I am." He paused for a moment, biting his lip. "But this behavior of yours..it's not going to make things better. Do not soil the memory of your sister by acting this way. I don't think she would appreciate it if she saw you acting like this, now would she?"
Taima's eyes widened. Then he snarled viciously. "How dare you..."
Rudy raised up his hands. "Look I'm not trying to fight you. I and my friends only wish to help you all seek closure. But..." He held his hands out in gesture. "...but it can't be like this. We can't convict our own friend just because of what you say. If you really want us to arrest the culprit, you will have to let us do it our way."
Penny nodded her head affirmatively. "We promise, we will find out who did this, and as soon as we know, we will tell you."
"You will have your closure and your justice delivered." Mint said, taking position next to Rudy, as did Penny. "Whoever did this will not get away with it. You can rest assured that, sooner or later, the culprit will get found. And trust me..." He formed a fist, his eyes practically glowing with anger. "He will pay for what he has done."
Rudy smiled at his friends, happy to have their assitance. He then turned back to the crowd, spreading his hands outward. "We will keep looking for clues. We will keep looking for new information. We will keep investigating the crime until we found out who did it. Even if it takes us to our dying breath, we promise we will find the culprit and capture them. You have nothing to worry about."
The crowd looked at each other, and then back at the children. They glared at them for a while, and the tension in the area seemed to almost rise. Rudy gritted his teeth, wondering if he and his friends would have to try harder to convince them.
Slowly, one by one, the zoners' expressions softened up a little. They got into more neutral stances, and looked relatively calm. They still glared at them, their expressions silently telling them that they were going to hold them at their word. But no one attempted to argue back. None of them tried to convince them otherwise. No one appeared to protest.
Then, after a while of what felt like the most awkward and tense staring contest ever, the zoners began to back away. They began to dissipate, turning around and leaving, going off in different directions. As they left, they still had some things to say.
"Well okay..." A male zoner said. "But I'm not lowering my guard."
A female zoner said, "We hope you know what you are doing."
"We know Snap is guilty, but if you think you can find the culprit, then okay." A young zoner commented. "We'll give you a chance."
"But as soon as we find out Snap really is responsible..."
"...no more roses and petals."
The trio winced at these comments. The zoners were clearly leaving begrudgingly, unwillingly. They still wanted to tear their friend apart, even if emotionally rather than physically. They weren't fully satisfied with their offer, but only accepted it because there wasn't much else they could do.
Soon all of the zoners had left. Well except for one. Laima. The lead zoner remained where he was. He looked left and right, as if realizing that he was all alone now. He knew he couldn't do much, yet he remained there, his stance still hostile, still threatening.
Laima's face contorted, part of his teeth exposed in the half smirk he gave. "Okay, I'll play your little game. I'll let you try to prove your friend's innocense." He took a step forward, his teeth bared like a wild animal. "I know that, by the end of it all, you will realize that you were wrong and I was right. Then you will be begging for my forgiveness, which I am not going to give..." He pointed at them and hissed, "...because you don't deserve it."
Rudy and his friends narrowed their eyes. They remained silent, knowing that they would gain nothing from trying to argue with this zoner.
Laima smiled almost evilly at them before he turned his back to them. He waved a dismissive hand at them. "Well see you around, humans. I wish you the...best of luck in proving Snap's innocence." He turned his head, looking over his shoulder. "You are going to need it." He jeered before he walked off down the street.
Rudy, Mint, and Penny simply glared at Laima as the zoner retreated down the street. They remained there, staring in that direction until the zoner disappeared. Then their expressions softened up and they looked at each other worriedly.
Things had just gotten more intense. They knew that, from this point on, things were going to be rougher. They would still continue their investigation. They would continue doing what they could to find the culprit and bring them to justice. But now they had something else to worry about. Now they had to make sure that no zoner came here to hurt Snap. The fact that some of the doctors apparently think he is guilty didn't help ease their minds, and they all felt something drop in their stomach as they realized the implications of this.
They hoped Snap was doing all right. Poor guy... He didn't deserve this. They had no doubts in their minds that the culprit was doing all this on purpose. They were the ones who were framing him, making the other zoners think he was responsible. The thought filled them with burning fire. Whoever did this, they would not get away with it.
But for now, they wanted to see Snap. They want to make sure he was okay, that no one had attempted to harm him. They had no idea if any of those zoners had gotten in and...
Exchanging looks of horror, their hearts racing as they realized what might have been going on, the three humans rushed into the hospital immediately.
sss
Rudy was not prepared for the heartbreaking scene he and his friends would come to witness as they entered Snap's room. They had hurried along, moving as fast as they could. They rushed passed the receptionist, hardly paying attention to her surprised words, as they made their way towards Snap's room.
When they got there, and opened the doors, they froze at what they had seen. They couldn't have predicted it was going to be like this.
Snap was curled up on his bed. Whatever physical pain he must be feeling was completely ignored. His body was shaking almost violently, loud whimpers escaping his throat. His wide, terrified eyes stared towards the window near his bed. Mosaic was laying down next to him, gently nudging him with her long snout. Snap hardly seemed to notice.
"S-Snap..?" Rudy managed to say, his voice soft and shaky.
Snap turned his head, and Rudy felt his heart clench when he saw his friend's expression. There was so much fear and terror...more than he had ever seen in his friend's face before. Snap looked absolutely heartbroken, and his body wouldn't stop shaking. His face was reddened with tears, and they could all see more tears streaming down his face. It looked as if he had been crying for a while.
The zoner sniffled, wiping away mucous that drained from his nose. He opened his mouth to speak, but it was clear he was in no condition to do so yet. More whimpers came out of his mouth as he started to cry a little harder. He closed his eyes and turned his head away, his body shivering with intense emotion.
Horrified by their friend's state, the trio rushed forward towards the bed. They each took position by their friend and looked at him sympathetically. They began to whisper soft, comforting words to him, trying to get him to settle down.
"Shh...Snap, it's okay..." Penny said.
"Yeah, everything will be all right." Mint nodded, holding Snap's hand.
Rudy bit his lip, stroking the top of Snap's head gently. "Please calm down, Snap. Please...we don't want to see you like this."
"It's going to be okay." Mint squeezed Snap's hand gently. "Please...it'll be okay..."
Snap didn't reply. He just kept shaking and whimpering on the bed. He hardly moved, even knowing his friends were there. He remained on a fetal position, curled up. Mosaic seemed to sense something was wrong, and she gently nudged him again. But Snap didn't pay attention to her. He just cried, his whines filling the air with melancholy.
The scene was absolutely heart wrenching for the trio watch. Something had their friend so distraught, so broken. Snap was an emotional wreck right now. Even their precense didn't seem to be calming him down. Just what could have happened to him to make him this way? Their minds swam with disturbing thoughts as they imagined possibilities of what might have went on.
Had one of the doctors abused him emotionally? Did one of the doctors say something nasty to him?
Did one of the crowd zoners come in here and harrass him while they were busy outside?
Did the culprit come in here and taunt their friend about his condition?
Did something else happen?
Whatever happened, they would make sure it didn't occur again. They would do whatever it took to keep him safe from not just injuries, but mental attacks as well. He didn't deserve it. If someone messed with their friend, they will find them and make sure it didn't happen again.
Rudy, unable to stand seeing his friend like this for much longer, scooped up Snap into his arms. The others moved away a little, giving him room. He was very careful not to hit against Snap's injuried legs as he cradled his friend against him. Snap looked up at him, tears flowing heavily down his face.
"Snap...what happened...?" Rudy asked gently.
Snap's lower lip quivered. His teeth clenched tightly, his eyes becoming watery. Fresh tears moved down his cheeks, staining them even more. He let out a choked cry as he attempted to speak, and he pressed his head against Rudy's chest, sobbing loudly.
"Snap, please...we want to help you." Mint said, carefully placing his hand on Snap's quivering back. "We can't help you if you don't tell us what's wrong."
"Did someone hurt you, Snap?" Penny asked. At this, Snap shook his head. Relief shined in Penny's eyes, but they were still filled with concern. "Tell us what happened, Snap."
Rudy caressed the back of Snap's head gently. He could feel his shirt getting wet from Snap's tears. "You can tell us, Snap. We're your friends. We want to help you. Please..." Rudy pulled Snap closer, pressing his forehead against Snap. "Please tell us what's wrong. Please.."
Snap took in a few shaky breaths. Then Rudy and the others could hear his muffled voice give a reply. "I-I heard what they were saying out there...about m-me..."
Rudy's eyes widened at this and he pulled back away from Snap, staring down at him in shock. Penny and Mint also looked horrified.
Snap..had heard all of that? He heard the zoners shouting like that? He heard what those zoners thought of him? Oh poor Snap... No wonder he was like this. Those zoners had shook him up, and now the little guy was so frightened and scared... Rudy continued holding onto Snap, his eyes remaining wide as he thought of all the horrible things Snap must have heard.
Those zoners...even though they never got into this room, even though they never confronted Snap directly, they still managed to scare Snap, to put him into this terrible state of mind. Rudy could feel Snap shivering against him, and the more he felt it, the more angry he felt at the zoners for frightening him like this.
"Snap, don't listen to what they say." Mint moved in closer again, reaching out towards Snap, touching his shoulder. "They don't know what they're talking about."
"Don't let what they said get to you." Penny looked at them sadly. "They're just...frightened, that's all. Their judgment has been clouded and they are letting fear rule their thoughts."
"Don't worry. We'll find out who did this." Rudy promised his friend. "Whoever did this, I promise they will not get away with it."
What Snap said next horrified them all.
"B-But..what if they're right...?" Snap sniffled loudly. He pulled his head back, looking up at Rudy with his tear-stained eyes. "What if I really am responsible...?"
"Snap...!" Rudy gasped in shock. "H-How could you think that?"
"W-Well..I know I wouldn't have d-d-done it on purpose, but..." Snap closed his eyes. He clenched his teeth tightly, fighting back sobs that got caught in his throat. "...but maybe I still did so-something.. Maybe there was something there and I goofed around a-a-and I caused something to blow up and..." He couldn't speak anymore as his voice faded back into cries.
Rudy exchanged worried glances with Penny and Mint. Poor Snap...after what he had heard, he started to have doubts about himself. He was starting to wonder if he really was responsible. Rudy knew this was ludicrous. Snap couldn't have been the cause, he was certain. But that didn't stop Snap from being so petrified at the idea of maybe being the one who inadvertantly killed all those zoners. Considering Snap's personality, it was clear to all of them how this was messing with his mind.
"Snap...it wasn't your fault, okay? Please don't cry." Rudy whispered softly. His voice cracked as emotion swept through him. "I know you better than that. I know it looks bad, but I promise...we will find out who did this, and we will prove your innocense."
"We believe in you, Snap." Said Penny. "We know you aren't responsible."
"H-How can you be so sure?" Snap whimpered. He turned his head so he could stare over at where Penny was. "It all...it all makes sense.. It would e-explain why the explosion didn't happen until much later on... It would explain why I-I only have burned legs while everyone else..." He clenched his teeth tightly, closed his eyes, and lowered his head.
Penny looked at him sadly. She reached forward, gently cupping his cheek. "Snap, look at me." Snap sniffled, but he did what Penny asked of him. "If you were responsible, we would have found something. But we know you too well to know it wasn't your fault."
Snap didn't seem convinced. "I nearly destroyed ChalkZone with a vacuum cleaner!"
"I know, Snap. You made your fair share of mistakes. We all have." Penny gestured to herself, Mint, and Rudy. "You learn from your mistakes, just like we do. You know better now what to do and what not to do, Snap. We know you wouldn't have been foolish enough to do something that would have endangered the other zoners."
"B-But if it was b-by mistake..." Snap whined.
"Snap, please...stop this. You aren't doing yourself any favors by blaming yourself." Mint said, interjecting. "You are the nicest zoner that I know, and one of the most cautious. I know you feel like you were responsible, but please, settle down. You shouldn't allow what those zoners said about you get to you." He reached forward and placed his hand against Snap's shoulder. The zoner looked up at him, quivering. "The chances of you being the one responsible is so remote that... well I understand why you might feel that you are, please don't waste your time blaming yourself. Nothing will get done feeling sorry for yourself. Believe me, I should know this."
Rudy nodded his head to Mint. He recalled how the kid had taken a while before he could work up the courage to apologize. It was true; Mint would know fully well just how useless feeling sorry for oneself truly was.
Rudy turned his attention to Snap. "We promise we will find a way to clear your name. You have nothing to worry about." He hugged Snap tighter. "You'll see. Sooner or later, we will prove your innocense, capture the real criminal, and everything will go back to the way it used to be."
Snap still cried softly, but he appeared to be calming down. His shivering slowly stopped, and his crying became much quieter. He leaned against Rudy, cuddling close to him. Penny and Mint joined in, wrapping their arms around the two, enclosing them in a group hug.
Rudy stared sadly down at Snap. Although his friend in a more tranquil state of mind now, he didn't know how long this was going to last. Snap had been so shaken up that if those zoners were to try coming again... Rudy wasn't sure if he could help his friend as easily next time. Snap might be deeper in that terrified state, becoming unaware of what was going on around him.
Rudy felt so bad for Snap. It must be horrible being blamed for something he didn't do. Snap wasn't the one who killed those zoners. And yet, nasty rumors were spreading about him all across ChalkZone. He wondered if any of the rumors would partain to him and his two human friends. Would zoners begin to turn against them as well?
Rudy decided it was best not to worry too much about that. They would deal with it when the time comes. Right now, their friend needed their help and comfort. He and his friends huddled close to Snap, Mosaic joining in as well. They remained close, comforting Snap by being close to him.
"Th-Thank you..." Snap whispered softly as he let out a sigh of contentment. All sign of crying had stopped.
Rudy smiled at his friend. "You're welcome, Snap."
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Post by Bluedramon on Oct 16, 2014 20:17:40 GMT -5
Chapter 12: Investigation With No Results
I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end, it doesn't even matter.
-In The End, Linkin Park
Mint bit his lip, looking down at Snap. It had been about an hour since they had a run in with those nasty zoners. An hour since they found their friend a weeping mess. An hour since they tried what they could to cheer him up.
Presently, their friend rested on the bed, leaning against Rudy. His eyes were closed, but he knew that he was still awake. Snap had finally settled down. Still frightened, but at least he wasn’t freaking out anymore. He was glad for that. It was too painful to watch him squirming around and crying, plus it would be much easier talking to him when he wasn’t freaking out.
They all had been quiet for some time. No one could find anything to say. What could they say? Mint wanted to, but he feared that anything that would come out of his mouth would just make the situation worse.
But...they couldn’t remain quiet forever. Someone had to start speaking up soon. There was one particular question that needed to be asked.
He feared the answer to it, however. Dread filled his heart at the mere thought of it. Yet..he knew it had to be done. The longer he held it off, the harder it would become to ask. It was an important question that would determine their next course of action.
“Snap...” Mint spoke up, cutting through the thick fog of silence that settled in the room. At his voice, Snap opened up one eye and looked up at him. Mint paused, staring at him with a cautious expression. “I...” He looked left and right. He licked his lips nervously as he tried to force himself to ask the dreaded question.
“What is it, Mint?” Snap asked. Mint winced, noting how scratchy his voice sounded. Likely a side effect from how long he had been crying.
“How...is your memory?” Mint managed to choke out. Snap’s eyes widened at this. Mint flinched. “I’m sorry. But I...”
“No, don’t apologze. I’m sure one of you would asked me that anyway.” Snap lowered his gaze, taking in a deep breath. “I hate to report to you, but...no, my memory hasn’t really improved at all.”
Mint could feel ice shoot through his heart at this. He looked over at Penny and Rudy. He could see the looks of despair in their eyes, and he knew his own were shining with that trait as well. It was just as he had feared, what they were all afraid of. Still no improvement from Snap.
This was really concerning. Snap not being able to remember was going to complicate things. And the fact that, before, the doctors couldn’t find anything wrong with his brain..that sent chills up their spines. The idea of Snap having a mental problem that didn’t correlate in the brain... It would certainly cause several zoners to become suspicious.
Which had already happened. Mint remembered just how large the crowd had been. All those zoners, each of them with the seeds of doubt inside of them, spreading across the city. All of them hating Snap, all practically demanding his blood...
And that had just been a taste. Who knows how far this had spread? If they don’t find a way to prove Snap’s innocense soon...
He feared the worst.
“I-I wish I could remember...” Snap said. Mint and the others looked at him sadly. “I wish I could think of what happened that day...but I just can’t... I...” He stopped, trying to compose himself. He then looked back up at his friends, a smile forced onto his face. “I am glad that my memory of you guys wasn’t affected.”
This sent a wave of emotion through the three human children. They glanced nervously at each other, a bitter sensation of relief tugging at them. Snap had brought up a good point that they hadn’t considered before.
They really had been lucky that the amnesia didn’t take away what he remembered of them. If Snap forgot who Rudy, Penny, and Mint was, that would have been disasterous. They couldn’t imagine what it would have been like, trying to explain to him who they were every time they came to visit. Would he have been terrified of him because they were human? Quite possibly, and that was just one of the several issues that could have occured.
But even though this amnesia was milder by comparison, it was still causing them problems. The culprit obviously didn’t want Snap to remember that explosion. Perhaps Snap had seen who really did it? If they could just help him remember...
“We have to figure something out.” Penny said, gritting her teeth. “I don’t know how long those zoners will be willing to wait for us to find the culprit.”
“Well hopefully they will remain calm for a while.” Mint said, echoing her concern. He furrowed his eyes. “I wouldn’t want to have take extreme action to...”
Rudy shook his head. Mint turned to face him. “That probably won’t be necessary, Mint. The zoners listen to me...usually. If I say I’ll do something, they believe me.”
Mint stared at him. “So you are certain they will keep back for a while?” Rudy nodded. “Long enough...however long it’ll take us to find the culprit?”
At this, Rudy’s expression faltered slightly. Although he quickly corrected it, it didn’t do much good for Mint. The look of doubt had already been shown, and it caused him to fill with worry. “It...will be tough.” Rudy admitted. “But at least I bought us some time.”
“Yeah..that’s true...” Mint said.
Snap asked the question that was on all their minds. “But how are you going to set about proving my innocense...if you have no way to prove it?”
At this, Rudy’s eyes widened and he flinched. “Yeah...I know that will definitely be hard. You can’t remember anything, so you can’t tell us anything we could use.”
“That will certainly make this investigation a lot harder.” Penny said. “We were already having a tough time before. We had hoped that you would start remembering something. But it’s clear that you aren’t. Whatever the culprit did to you at the party, it’s working.”
Everyone became quiet for a few moments. They allowed Penny’s words to permeate in their heads and souls. She was absolutely right. The culprit had thought of a plan that was, sadly for them, was really affective. A way to keep Snap’s memory in check without drawing attention from the doctors. Long lasting as well, as Snap still had no memories of what happened on that specific day.
A great strategy for the villain. A nightmare for them.
“We’ll find a way...somehow...” Rudy said. He tried to sound as confident as he could, but it was clear, from his tone of voice, he wasn’t sure how he was going to get his friend out of this situation.
Mint looked over at him sadly. Thoughts moved through his head at a rapid pace. He could feel a slight headache coming on. He did his best to control it, but he couldn’t stop the slight pain from stretching across the top of his head, centering around his forehead.
The challenge of trying to prove Snap was innocent, without Snap’s own testimony, was going to be one of their biggest challenges yet. Nothing he did in the past could compare with how hard this was going to be. Not even breaking into Skrawl’s hideout in the desert could compare to this. At least then, he had something he could work off of. But in this case, he and the others weren’t so lucky.
“I....think I have an idea.” Penny spoke up.
“What is your idea, Penny?” Rudy asked, a tinge of hope on his voice. “Did you think of something that could prove Snap’s innocense?”
Penny opened her mouth, then her face contorted slightly and she shook her head. Rudy’s smile faded. “However...” Penny tried her best to sound sure of herself, just like Rudy had been earlier. “I think it is high time we go back to where it all began.”
The others looked at each other. They had an idea of what Penny was talking about. And if it was true.. They weren’t sure it was going to work. They looked back at her, awaiting her confirmation.
“We pay a visit to the Shrapnel Tower.”
Their eyes widened at this. Mint looked at Penny like she had gone crazy. The Shrapnel Tower? Mint had his doubts it was going to do them any good. Judging from Rudy and Snap’s expressions, he could tell they were doubtful as well.
But the expression on Penny’s face remained the same. “I am serious, you guys. We should go there and do some searching ourselves.”
“But Penny...” Mint spoke up. He bit his lip as Penny turned her attention towards him. “You know what the police had said. That place is off limits. Not just to zoners, but to us as well.” He placed his hand against himself to emphasize this point.
“Yeah and besides that...” It was Rudy’s turn to speak this time. “The police had already searched that place from top to bottom. They didn’t find anything of interest. Not even the source of the explosions. What caused them, I mean.”
“I know it might seem hopeless. But we should at least try. What do we have to lose?” Penny raised her hands at her sides. There was a look of determination in her eyes. “Need I remind you that we have nothing to go off of right now. Nowhere to go. That tower is the only place that we know is tied to the crime, because that’s where it happened.” She narrowed her eyes slightly. “When it comes to finding out what happened, all places and angles must be considered. If we want to find out what happened to Snap, we must visit that tower.”
Mint exchanged uncertain glances with the others. They weren’t sure if this was going to work or not. There were so many things to consider. What if they got caught? What if the zoners thought they were going to do something and report them? What if they end up captured by whoever was responsible? What if the building collapses on them? These and other horrific images entered his mind, not wanting to leave him alone.
“Penny, I...” Mint started to say. He stopped, clenching his teeth together. He wasn’t sure what he was going to say. He didn’t have a strong argument either way. He had nothing to suggest they do instead, and he couldn’t think of anything to dissuade Penny from going to the tower.
Penny noted his hesitation. “We don’t have much of a choice, Mint. That tower might hold clues to what happened.”
“B-But you heard what the police said.” Mint finally found his voice. “They didn’t find anything!”
“Yeah. I don’t think you guys are going to find much there.” Snap pointed out.
Penny narrowed her eyes. “True...” She nodded her head once. “But you also saw how they were acting before.”
Mint fell silent, as did Snap, and Rudy, who was going to speak, shut his mouth. They stared at Penny as she shut her eyes and lowered her head. They could all tell she was really thinking hard on this.
“They lied to us about the signal, remember? Even when we already knew, they still lied. They were willing to blatantly fib right in front of us, as if we were fucking stupid!” Penny seethed, emotion dripping off each word. “How can we possibly trust them when they were so willing to try to trick us despite knowing the truth?!”
As Penny took a few pants, trying to calm herself down, Mint took this moment to think about what she had said. Penny made a very good point there. The police did lie about the signal. They did try to make them believe that the signal did not exist before. And they weren’t even being very subtle about it. The officers really did think they could get away with lying right in front of them, despite them knowing otherwise.
He could see why she would be so doubtful about what the police said about the investigation in the tower. Maybe she was right. Maybe they were lying about that. Mint’s eyes narrowed as he thought of the possibilities.
He recalled how they all began to think that the police was being motivated by the signal, by the criminal responsible. If that were the case, then willing or not, this meant that they could not rely on the police system here. Any one of the officers could potentially be corrupt. They could be hiding evidence regarding Shrapnel Tower so that no one would try to properly investigate it.
He knew what they were going to do now.
“Okay, Penny. You’ve convinced us.” Rudy said. “Sometime later today, we will go to the tower...if we can even get in.”
“Do you think you guys can get there without running into those creepazoids?” Snap asked. At this, Mosaic’s head raised up. Snap smiled at her and patted her on the head before looking back at his friends. As Mosaic settled down, as Snap pressed himself against Rudy, he said, “It’s going to be hard getting past them without raising suspicion from other zoners.”
“Yeah, I know, Snap. But...Penny’s right.” Rudy glanced out the window, staring out into the city. “Shrapnel Tower is our least beacon of hope. It’s the only lead we have. We’ll have to find a way to sneak in there.”
“Do you think we can do it without raising alarm in the zoners?” Mint interjected. He raised a finger up as he spoke. “You know what will happen if the zoners spot us poking around where we shouldn’t be.” He stared at his friends, watching their expressions. “You know they will start getting suspicious of us, and begin to spread rumors.”
But Rudy didn’t appear to be worried. Shaking his head, he said, “I don’t think that’ll happen, Mint. They would know we are just investigating. And if they ask, we’ll tell them.”
Mint stared at him. Uncertainty was still plastered on his face. But Mint did not want to carry this converstation on longer than it needed to be. “Okay...if you say so.” He paused for a moment. “So what’s our first move?”
“We need to speak to Dr. Crobat first.” Rudy said. “We need to know if he had found anything on the second scan.”
Mint nodded his head at this. He had almost forgotten about that. The doctors had decided to perform another scan to see if they could find anything wrong with Snap’s brain. They had yet to recieve the results.
“And after that, regardless of his answer...” Rudy’s narrowed eyes looked at his friends, as if to make sure he had their attention. “..we will make our move to Shrapnel Tower. We’ll dig our way in, and search for what we can. We’ll look for anything that could be evidence.”
The decision was made. No one had to speak. Just a mere nod of the head confirmed that they all understood and agreed with the plan. Mint hoped, they all hoped, that they would find something that could help them prove Snap’s innocense. If the tower held no secrets...
Where could they turn after this?
sss
After they spent some more time with Snap, assuring him that they would do what they could to help him, the three friends headed down the corridor to look for Dr. Crobat. They had been told by a passing doctor that he was in his office, and he had been nice enough to give them directions.
They had to go down to the main floor, which took a while with the stairs; the elevators were currently pretty busy. But they did not complain. Right now, they had something more important to worry about that some elevator not working for them.
It didn’t take them that long to locate the office. It was among a string of different offices, each one for a different doctor. Rudy couldn’t tell if this was for all of the doctors, or just the most important ones. He didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about that, though, and he focused on locating Dr. Crobat’s. It shouldn’t be too far away. The other doctor did say it should be in this hallway.
Soon he could see it. On the left side, the sign stuck out like a sore thumb, and he could see Dr. Crobat’s name on it. He stopped and stared at it. He looked over his shoulder, at Mint and Penny. He gave them a nod as they narrowed their eyes. They continued forward, staring intently at the door. They soon reached it, and Rudy quickly knocked on it.
“Who is there?” Dr. Crobat’s voice could be heard on the other side.
“It’s us.” Rudy called out to him, raising his voice so the doctor zoner could hear him through the wood. “We want to talk to you.”
Rudy could hear clanging in the door as the doctor zoner unlocked it. The long handle bent downwards, and he took a step back. The door opened up, and the bird zoner stood in the doorway. He looked at each of them, a slight frown on his face.
“What did you want to talk to me about?” Dr. Crobat asked.
“It’s about Snap.” Rudy said.
“Oh...yeah I had a feeling it was going to be that.” Dr. Crobat gritted his beak, looking in a couple of directions as if unsure of what to say. The look on his face did little to comfort any of them. “I suppose you want to know how the scan results came out?”
Mint nodded. “Yes.” At the bird’s frown, Mint narrowed his eyes slightly. He lifted up a finger and pointed in the bird’s direction. “I...take it you didn’t find anything?”
“I’m sorry.. No.” Dr. Crobat said. He looked at them sadly. It was clear that, if he could, he would give them good news. But he could not do that. And he didn’t try to do that. He straightened himself up, sucking in a deep breath as he prepared to talk to them. “The scan was still the same. Nothing abnormal about your friend’s brain activity.”
At this, the three friends looked at each other. Although they had somewhat expected this, it was still a shock to recieve this news. The blow was hardly any different when they first had been told about the earlier brain scan. The intense emotion moved along their bodies, each of them still looking at one another, trying to comprehend this terrible news.
If Snap didn’t have anything wrong with this head...wouldn’t this began to make the zoners doubt him more? They were all going to think he was insane, or just plain lying to them. They all got a taste of it already. Many zoners were already doubting him. They knew that the scan results were negative. They knew the doctors could not find anything that could cause Snap’s amnesia. The zoners were going to jump to conclusions and think he was faking his condition in order to escape justice.
Rudy knew that, since the scan was, once again, negative, their only shot now was Shrapnel Tower. Despite his confidence before, he had no idea if they were going to find anything there. He couldn’t be certain if anything they find was going to help them. Or if there was even going to be a place to look. Still, it was their last shot at trying to get the zoners to ease off of Snap.
“Okay...thank you.” Rudy said. He took another step back. “That’s all we wanted.”
Dr. Crobat looked at him sadly. “I do apologize I couldn’t bring you better news.”
“That’s okay.” Penny said. “It is better that you told us the truth, even if it wasn’t that great.” She paused for a moment, biting her lip. She then looked at the doctor zoner, her eyes widening a little. “Do...the other zoners know about this...”
Dr. Crobat furrowed his eyes. “I wouldn’t doubt it. I’m sure someone here spread the news.” He looked left and right, as if he wanted to make sure no one was looking. He then leaned towards the three children. “Some of the doctors here even doubt Snap’s story.”
“That’s what we heard.” Rudy could feel his stomach burn in disgust. “There was a crowd of zoners outside, and they mentioned it and...”
“A crowd of zoners?” Dr. Crobat tilted his head in confusion. “Why were they here?”
“They were demanding that Snap get arrested.” Penny answered him. “They apparently blame Snap for the explosion.”
Mint chimed in. “But they’re gone now. You don’t have to worry about them.”
Dr. Crobat narrowed his eyes again. A concerned expression made its way onto his facial features. “That’s good...but..” He shook his head. “I don’t think they will stop. They will likely come back, sooner or later, and harrass your friend.” He looked at each of the children. He had an empathic look on his face. A glint of worry was shining strongly in his eyes. “I fear that they might try more vicious tactics. Frightened and angered zoners cannot be reasoned with.” He paused. “They might be gone for now, but do not take comfort in this. They will be back. Rest assured.”
Dr. Crobat’s words sunk in to their hearts. Rudy tried to fight against the horrible sting that spread throughout his chest. He had thought that his words would have bought more time, but now Dr. Crobat made him doubt that.
What if the zoners really did come back and start harrassing their friend? The thought sent chills down his spine. He had no idea how far they were going to go. He didn’t know what their limitation was going to be. He had no idea just what the zoners were going to do. Dr. Crobat was right. Them being angered and frightened was a dangerous combination. It was going to make them act irrationally.
And then the signal...
What if it came back...?
Urgency rose in his chest. He exchanged nervous glances with his friends. Suddenly their mission became even more crucial. They had to get to that tower and see if they can find anything to clear their friend’s name, and fast. If they didn’t do it before the zoners would come back...
Rudy gulped. He hoped that his friend was going to be all right. Even if the zoners could not get inside, he knew their voices would still reach him. He recalled how devastated his friend was when he came into the room. And for that to happen again, it was dreadful. Snap didn’t deserve any of this. He deserved to be happy and free, not trapped in his own mind, unable to remember, tormented by zoners who once cared about him.
Knowing that Dr. Crobat didn’t have anything else to add, and knowing how serious their situation was, Rudy bid farewell to Dr. Crobat. He and his friends started to make their way down the corridor.
Dr. Crobat stopped them. “Hold on!” He cried, holding up a wing hand. The three children stopped and looked over at him. “There is something I noticed that might be of interest to you.”
“What is it?” Mint asked, his tone somewhat cautious.
“Do you think it could help us?” Asked Penny.
“It could...I dunno for certain.” Dr. Crobat admitted. “I just remembered it now.”
Rudy took a few steps in front of his friends. Like them, curiosity peaked him, but he was also being a bit cautious. He had no idea if what Dr. Crobat’s next words were going to help, or if they were going to complicate the situation more. Yet, he knew he had to listen. He gave a simple nod, motioning his hand towards the bird and waiting for him to answer.
“Well, when I was giving Snap the scan, something did happen that I thought was...very strange.” Dr. Crobat said, holding a hand out in gesture. “I never seen anything like it before.”
Rudy’s eyes widened. He looked quickly at Mint and Penny, who shared the same expressions of shock. Could this be it? Could this information give them some kind of clue of what was going on with their friend?
“What happened?” Rudy asked, doing his best to control his voice.
“What did you see?” Mint took a step forward, his eyes wide.
Penny spoke up. “Will it help us?”
“I’m not sure how much it’ll help you. I’m not sure how well I can explain it. But I know you three are going to want to know this.” Dr. Crobat said, interlocking his fingers together. “I’ll do my best to explain.”
The three children moved in closer. They wanted to hear everything this zoner was about to say. They wanted to hear, with clarity, what he had seen. This filled their hearts with anticipation. What the zoner was going to say next may very well provide the clues that they need to prove Snap’s innocense.
“This is what happened...”
Dr. Crobat recounted the tale of what he had seen during the scan.
sss
“Wow, it looked like a tornado swept through this place...” Mint whispered softly, turning his head from side to side.
“That’s because something did tear this place apart.” Rudy said, his tone somewhat bitter. “I swear, when I find out who did this...”
“Please calm down.” Penny’s gentle voice came. “We can’t afford to get upset right now. Let’s just focus on trying to find something to help us.”
The boys nodded in agreement, and, silent, they moved forward, each going in their own direction.
Penny had been in shock when they came upon what remained of the building. Even from the distance the yellow tape had been stretched, they could see, in horrific detail, the damage dealt to Shrapnel Tower. Now the place really did live up to its name.
It had been reduced to mostly rubble. The building materials had all crushed into small pieces, and they laid strewn about. The metal wireframe that held the place up was all bent and twisted, leaning at odd angles. They could see some small burn marks on the outside, and some smoke, even after all this time, was still coming out. Sure it wasn’t as intense as it was in the beginning, but it was scary to think that the fire had been so hot that smoke was still being trailed behind.
Not all the building was destroyed. Some parts of it still stood. But it looked incredibly unstable, and Penny swore it was wobbling a little bit. She didn’t know how long it was going to take before it would collapse under its own weight. She and her friends would keep a sharp eye and ear out for any signs of collapsing while they were searching.
They had been lucky there were no zoners when they came. In the beginning, there was always someone looking, staring, wondering what the heck had happened. For a while, there were a ton of police zoners as well, searching the place through the use of tunnels they built for safer navigation.
Though there was no one, they were still careful when they entered in. They went along a back way, hoping that no one would spot them. Penny didn’t think the zoners would exactly start to blame them, but it was still a possibility. They were already on edge with Snap and whatever was going on with his mind. The zoners were in such a fragile state of mind that they would turn on them fairly quickly the moment they did anything suspicious. And sneaking into a condemned building like this would certainly count.
They used one of the back tunnels to get in. It was lit with small lights along the walls, making it easy for them to move through. They were grateful for that, as they wanted to conserve their chalk just in case they ran into something rather nasty down there. They didn’t know who or what made the machines, and they had nothing to say that it wasn’t some large, dangerous beast.
The entrance had a lot of dirt and metal all cobbled around it, making the edge a little sharp. Penny guessed that the police had worn some special suits to keep themselves from getting hurt. She and her friends did their best to climb in, jumping down the ground which was two feet below the hole. But they didn’t escape unscatched and they each got small scratches. Thankfully, they were shallow and didn’t bleed much.
They soon found themselves in what Penny guessed was the main room. They could see what looked to be stairs. The first fifteen steps looked intact, but then after that, it was all broken and shattered. Pieces of the stairs could be seen on the ground in large and small pieces. Up above, they could see some more remnants of the stairs sticking out of what remained of the shattered walls. There were also some loose wires hanging from large holes in the walls, a few sparks coming out of a couple of them.
They could see some blood stains, but they were so dark and black it was hard to tell what they were at first. The smoke was heavy, so thick they could barely see anything. They had to draw protective masks so they could breathe and navigate without keeling over.
There was a powerful smell hanging in the room as well. Its stench permeated and even seeped into their helmets, making it impossible for them to escape it. The smell was that of burning flesh. They knew they were smelling the dead, and this realization made them shudder, cold chills going up and down their spines.
But they weren’t going to turn away. They had a job to do. Pushing aside their disgust of the smell, they focused on the task at hand.
Now that they were in and now that they were all going their separate ways, Penny moved down one of the corridors, located on her right. The door was still there, but it had been bent in the middle and twisted, almost like a failed origami piece. Getting rid of it wasn’t too difficult. She reached over, grabbed it, and yanked on it hard. A single pull with enough strength was enough to knock it from its hinges. She dropped it and moved inside.
Penny coughed as she entered the smoke filled hallway. She wondered if this was the source of the blast. It was hard to tell. She recalled that some of the policemen, if they were being honest, believed that the blast was caused by multiple explosives being set off at once. If this was the source of one of them, if she explored this area more, maybe she could identify what was used.
She looked left and right, taking in the horrible sight of twisted rock and mangled metal. Some bits of sunlight shined through, but it was barely enough to illuminate the hallway. She could hear rocks cracking, rolling, clanging on the ground.
Suddenly there was a loud crack and Penny let out a scream. She jumped back as a large slab of marble dropped down in front of her, barely missing her. She shivered, her body frozen in shock. She managed to relax herself, and she moved in closer, examining it. She slowly looked up and she could see a part of a higher level where the slab came from. Being careful, she stepped over it, and then continued down the corridor.
She had to stop a couple of times as large rocks and marble and even some gnarled metal fell down. She was amazed that the building hadn’t fallen down yet. She did her best to control her speeding heart as she navigated through the mess on the ground, raising her legs up, taking care to avoid whatever jetted out of the ground.
So far, Penny couldn’t see anything of interest. Nothing that would help her or her friends find out what had happened. She continued along, looking left and right. She could see an occasional body part of a victim that was blown into pieces. She shuddered, and had to tear her eyes away each time. The small was getting to her, filling her with dread. Still, she had to keep moving.
But it was hard to ignore the body parts that she would see, or bits of organs that were burned into hard, black substances. The only way she could recognize what came from a zoner, blood or bone or anything else, was due to her experiences working with her mother. This was one of those times where she was both grateful and horrified to have this kind of knowlege. Not wanting to desicrate the dead, she made sure she stepped over any and all remains, taking care not to kick any of them away.
She soon became frustrated and disappointed that she was coming up empty so far. She listened intently for Rudy or Mint to speak up on the small radios they implanted on their helmets. They had agreed to talk to each other when they found something.
But so far, nothing. Just silence. They hadn’t found anything either. She narrowed her eyes with concern. She hoped they weren’t going to turn up empty-handed. That would be horrible. They couldn’t let Snap down.
Suddenly, she hit her leg against something hard. Her eyes widened as she felt herself falling forwards, her leg bending at an odd angle. She let out a cry of pain as she hit the ground heavily, her face smashing against the ground. She felt a sudden, sharp pain in her leg and she pulled it to herself as she laid on her side.
Her body quivered in pain. The intensity of the pain caused tears to form in her eyes, which were shut tightly. She bared her teeth, clenching them together as she tried to deal with the pain. After what felt like several minutes, she felt the pain start to subside a little. Only then did she loosen her grip a little and lift up her head so she could examine the damage.
She was relieved to see that her leg did not appear broken and there were no deep gashes in it. She placed herself on her bottom, using her hands as support, and tested her leg out. She winced as she felt some pain, but it seemed to be just a sprained ankle. She could see the dark bruise forming, and she winced at the sight of it. She quickly drew herself a cane for herself to use. She climbed up to her feet, leaning onto the cane so she coudl support herself. Once she was situated, she turned her head to look at what she had tripped over.
It was a metal pole. Well part of one anyway. It appeared to have been broken, and there was a sharp edge to it. She flinched, glad that she did not hit that part of it. She could see the indention where her foot had gotten caught, and she shuddered. She was about to continue her walk when she noticed something around the metal pole.
Penny hobbled over as she stared down at the substance. It was black, and seemed to have spread out in all directions. She quickly realized what it was, given away by the smoke radiating from it. This was one of the explosive locations.
At first, she was confused. If this was where one of the explosives went off, then why was all this stuff still around? Shouldn’t it be in a more clear, open area? Then she corrected herself, feeling stupid. Of course there would still be debris here. Just like in the Real World, the explosion destabilized much of the building, and it collapsed down. Pushing her stupid thought aside, she carefully knelt down, using the cane as support.
She reached down with her finger and spread it across the dark stuff. It felt soft and sooty. She lifted it up and rubbed it between her fingers as she felt the consistancy. She realized something about this explosion mark and the way it felt between her fingers seemed so familiar. Where had she seen this before?
She then remembered. Not too long ago, before all of this had began, she went with her mom to a fireworks shoot off. One of the fireworks had went off too early, and left a large burn mark on the ground, as well as several flames. It was put out quickly, but it remained there long enough for her to remember it quite well.
This mark was a perfect match for that. And the smell....the horrible smell that they had been detecting the entire time they were here.. It wasn’t just the smell of gore and blood. She was also detecting the scent of fireworks.
Her eyes widened in realization. The explosion was caused by fireworks...
But unfortunately, that wasn’t going to tell her much. Her heart sank at this. A lot of zoners loved fireworks. Any one of them could have used them. And what fireworks could cause white flames? Well this was ChalkZone, not the Real World, so the same physics didn’t always apply. It still left her baffled. Perhaps they could ask around regarding fireworks. Maybe one of the zoners could have some idea on where white flame fireworks could come from.
“Hey Penny...?”
Penny nearly jumped at that voice. She quickly straightened herself out. Pressing a button so Rudy could hear her, she replied, “Yeah, Rudy?”
“Are you okay? I heard you scream?” Rudy asked.
“Yeah. It sounded like you got shot.” This time, it was Mint speaking.
“Oh I’m fine guys, really.” Penny said. She guessed Mint and Rudy had their own problems and that was why they didn’t answer right away.”I just tripped over something. My ankle is sprained, but it should be fine.”
“Do you need any help?” Mint asked.
Penny shook her head. Realizing her friends could not see the shake, she said, “No, I’m good. I’m heading back into the main room.”
“Did you find anything?” Rudy sounded a bit annoyed. Not with her, but with the search. “Mint and I couldn’t really find anything of interest. We found remains of zoners, and some small burn marks, but nothing conclusive.”
Mint said, “How about you?”
“Well I did find something out.” Penny said. “But I don’t think it’s going to help us that much.”
“What did you find out?” Rudy asked, curiosity shining on his voice.
“I..”
Penny’s voice trailed off as she heard loud cracking and snapping everywhere. Her heart raced, skipping a beat. She realized what was happening.
This part of the building was starting to collapse...
Penny let out a scream as she heard the sound of large chunks of marble and some of rock falling further down the tunnel. It was a domino effect and it was coming straight for her. She immediately began to run, moving as fast as she could with her cane, trying to get away from the falling debris behind her.
“Penny? Penny! What’s going on?!” Rudy’s concerned voice came.
“Penny, what’s happening?” Cried Mint, terror dripping off the edge of his voice.
She did not answer her friends. She just kept on running, her heart pounding heavily against her chest. Her eyes were wide in terror as she moved quickly. Her ankle hurt tremendously, her arm ached as she used the cane quicker than it was made for. Navigating around the debris and remains of the bodies was quite difficult.
Behind her, she could hear the slabs falling down left and right, catching up to her fast. She dared not look back. She dared not turn her head and see just how close she was to getting crushed. She had to keep moving. She...
Suddenly her cane snagged on one of the sharp pieces of debris sticking out of the ground. She screamed as she landed face first. She let out a yelp as a shard of metal slashed her across her face. She grabbed onto it, feeling the blood seep through her fingers. Her body shaking, whimpers escaping her mouth, she turned her head behind her.
The collapsing was getting closer. She widened her eyes in horror and struggled to get up. But without her cane, which was knocked away from her, she could go nowhere. She fell back down, hitting her chin against the hard floor.
Penny laid there, quivering in fear and pain. She took one last look behind her and she shut her eyes, covering her head. She waited for the final blows to come.
Suddenly she felt pairs of hands grab onto her. She snapped her eyes open and looked up. She could see the familiar forms of Mint and Rudy standing over her, horrified and determined expressions on their faces. They helped her up to her feet and began to guide her out of the building.
They climbed through the back tunnel they had used to get in. They got in just in time. As soon as Penny’s damaged leg had gone in, the building collapsed. The three friends coughed as dust was kicked out their way, hitting against their helmet-covered faces.
They stared at the pieces of metal and marble that now covered the opening, blocking their way in. They looked at each other, taking in several deep breaths, their hearts racing. They couldn’t believe just how close they came to being crushed to death. It took a while for their bodies to stop shaking, for the shock to leave their system. Even as they crawled out, they couldn’t stop the trembling of their bodies.
It took several minutes for the shere shock of the situation to melt away from their bodies, and they crawled away from the now covered opening. They looked at each other, horror still etched in their shrunk pupils.
Rudy licked his lips nervously, and when he finally had the courage to speak, he said, “So...what did you find out?”
sss
Rudy felt a strong sense of disappointment permeate through his chest, his teeth gritted. He should have gotten used to disappointment, but it still stung him horribly. His friends didn’t look much better. They all looked pretty depressed. Today wasn’t as eventful as they hoped it would be.
“I still can’t believe nothing was on those monitors...” Mint grumbled under his breath.
Penny corrected him. “Well, there were some things. That single street camera did catch some zoners going on.”
“Yeah but all of them were victims that had been killed by the explosion.” Mint growled. “In other words, party goers. The ones that had been tricked by whoever was responsible.”
Penny sighed softly. “Yeah, and it did show our friend going on. What scared me is how the explosion happened not too long after Snap went in.”
“It was still a considerable amount of time,” Rudy pointed out. “But yeah. And he was the last one in there...”
This implication was quite strong. Rudy could feel his chest burn as he realized just how the zoners were so convinced. It seem pretty coincidental that the explosion happened after Snap went in, and how no one else entered after him. The last one was Snap, and then the explosion happened. If one were to think too hard, they’d come to think that perhaps Snap had set off the explosion himself, and that it was done deliberately...
But despite what the evidence was showing them, he refused to believe his friend was responsible. There was no way Snap would do something like this. It just...wasn’t like him. Snap did not like hurting others. He would not do anything to purposely endanger anyone.
Even him doing it by mistake seemed unlikely. After he and his friends examined the building, they were able to determine that it had been done on purpose. This theory became stronger when Penny told them about the firework marks. No one would leave lit fireworks around, and they have to be deliberately lit in order to go off, didn’t they? Snap wouldn’t be stupid enough to somehow accidentally light up a firework, let alone the multiple ones they discovered in the building before it collapsed more.
“I know what it might seem...But I know Snap didn’t do this.” Rudy said, eyes narrowed. “He would never do such a thing.”
“We know, Rudy.” Mint said, agreeing with him. He looked towards the ground as they continued walking along the grassy field. “I just wish that we found something. If the zoners see that footage, they are going to think he really did do something.” He held up his hand in gesture. “Why didn’t we take the footage? We...”
Penny shot him a glare. “If someone saw us, they would have thought we were tampering with the evidence.”
Mint looked down at this. “Yeah... Sorry.”
It was starting to seem hopeless. As much as Rudy wanted to be more confident, more certain, there were some seeds of doubt being planted in his head. Not that he would ever think Snap would hurt another zoner, but he was starting to wonder if he could ever prove his innocense.
He and his friends found nothing at the debris sight that could help them prove that Snap was innocent. There were no marks, no pieces of anything that would show Snap wasn’t responsible. And anything they did find, it only pointed them back towards Snap. The culprit behind this all...they had been doing a really good job with keeping them off their trail. This villain was clever, but Rudy knew, sooner or later, they would get caught.
“Do you think your idea will work, Penny?” Mint asked, breaking the silence. He sounded uncertain. “I mean, the doctors already scanned his brain and...”
“Yeah, I know. But they had been only scanning areas of his brain associated with memory. That’s the confession Dr. Crobat gave when he told us about what he had noticed.” Penny said. “If they did a full scan, they might actually find something. I mean, it’s a long shot, sure, but it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try.”
“I still can’t believe they only scanned part of his brain. I wish they had told us that earlier.” Mint grumbled softly. He sighed, and said, “Well, then again, they probably were trying to think rationally and felt it was a waste of time scanning all of the brain.”
“Yeah. But at least now they are going to scan the whole thing. Maybe they’ll actually find something.” Rudy said hopefully.
It was difficult to say what would happen. Rudy wasn’t sure if they would find anything or not, and if they did, if whatever it was happened to be located in a different part of the brain not associated with memory control, then how...
He tried not to think about it. He would have plenty of time to think about it more when the doctors decide to give him a more complete MRI scan. He was still shocked that, somehow, they were able to scan only certain areas of his brain, and even more shocked they didn’t think of doing the whole brain before. But at least they were going to do it soon.
He hoped they would find something. He recalled what Dr. Crobat had said. He mentioned, during the scan, there was a blip on the machine. It was quick and he nearly missed it. It was located in the area responsible for memory, the only spot they were really looking in.
That blip might be the key to whatever was wrong with Snap. Rudy and the others were shocked with how it appeared, then disappeared. It was too fast for the MRI scan to record it affectively, so they were unable to look at it more detail and figure out what it was. Rudy and the others, as well as Dr. Crobat, hoped that a more thorough scan would tell them more of what was going on.
He hoped that it would. He and his friends hoped and prayed that the thorough scan would turn up with something, anything. Even if it didn’t reveal the culprit, they all hoped that it would at least get the zoners off their friend’s back.
“I wish we could have seen Snap again before we left.” Mint said. “I’m sure he would like to listen to our discoveries.”
“We have to be home before our parents realize we are gone.” Rudy said, looking over at Mint. “We can come back later, when our parents are asleep, and pay a short visit to our friend before we have to hit the hay.”
“Yeah I know. Still..” Mint folded his arms behind his head as he leaned back while he walked. “It would be nice to tell him what we found out now.”
“He’ll find out soon. Don’t worry.” Penny reassured him.
“Yeah. And sooner or later, we will find out the culprit.” Rudy said, his eyes flashing with determination.
Although this statement was enough to bring some hope to Penny and Mint, they all had some doubt they’d find out who did it. The idea of the culprit getting away with murder ate away at their insides. But they knew there was nothing they could do except hope that things would turn out just fine.
sss
Almost done... Almost there... Just a little more and...
Perfect.
Sandra took a few steps back, dropping her tools to the ground. The clanging rung in her ears, hurting them, but she hardly paid attention to that as she admired what had come out of her hard work and dedication.
Her machine had been rebuilt. She looked at it up and down, folding her arms against her chest and she smirked, pride seeping through her body.
It looked just like the old one. A sort of large blender with sharp blades, a triangular antenna that was ready for use, and everything else. It was almost like it was never destroyed by Snap. The machine was all hooked up, and all it would take to run it was flip a single switch.
She hoped to begin using the machine soon. With Snap still in the hospital, she didn’t have to worry about him coming to find this machine and destroying it. She had upgraded the machine some more to better cloak it. She knew the other zoners were on the look out for this device. She had to make sure that nothing happened to this new one. Her business counted on it.
It wouldn’t be long before she would put this baby to good use. She would have to wait a little bit, but soon she would activate it, and this time, she was going to be more discrete about it. She wanted everyone to continue thinking this machine was utterly destroyed. This would allow her to keep using it however many times she wanted to, and not have to worry about some zoner coming down and trying to destroy it.
Sandra stood several feet away from her precious machine, a work of art made of metal and steal. She smiled softly, slowly licking her lips. One thought shot through her mind.
She couldn’t wait for the lunch rush tomorrow.
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Post by Bluedramon on Oct 17, 2014 17:46:00 GMT -5
Chapter 13: Guilt Trip
So why do you take this, conquer and dismay this peaceful sanity of mine...?
-The Eyes Of Tomorrow, Broken Iris
Snap rested against Mosaic, who was curled up behind him on the bed. His eyes were faced towards the ceiling. He could feel his head moving up and down slightly each time Mosaic took in a breath. He was amazed at how tolerant she was being; this couldn’t be a comfortable position for her.
Snap tried his best to relax. He tried to keep his mind calm, from getting too worked up. Things had been hectic lately, and he didn’t want to get dragged down. He had to keep his mind calm so he wouldn’t panic, because if he panicked, he wouldn’t be able to think straight. If this is what that culprit had in mind for him...well he hated to disappoint them, but he was not going to fall for it.
He didn’t want to constantly act so scared and frightened. He wanted to be braver than that. If he always broke down, then he was just going to allow the culprit to win.
Yet he knew there was nothing wrong with being afraid. Everyone feels like that sometimes. What mattered was how it was handled. If he constantly allowed it to get the better of him...well that wasn’t going to be good for him later on. What if the culprit came in a moment of emotional weakness and struck him down before he had a chance to fight back?
Fighting back... Yeah, right. Snap knew he stood little chance of that while both of his legs were burned. They did heal up some more, but they were far from being useful. He was unable to walk, even after all this time. He had to go a few skin grafting surgeries, which were painful in their own right. But it had to be done, otherwise his legs would not recover all that well. He didn’t want to be stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
Is that what the culprit wanted? To trap him in a way that would drive him mad for the rest of his life? Trap him in a wheelchair and deprive him of something that he had taken for granted for so long? Is that his way of driving him insane?
Snap growled softly to himself. He could feel Mosaic lift up her head and looked down at him, her reptilian eyes boring through his. Snap stared at her with an upwards glance for a few seconds before he looked away. She rested her head back on the bed, letting out a deep sigh.
He was glad for the company. Mosaic might not be able to talk or convey words like his friends could, but still, he felt safe around her. Mosaic was almost always at his side diligantly, and it seemed as though she was with him not just because it was required, but because she felt compelled to be with him.
Snap reached back with his hand and stroked along Mosaic’s head. He wished she could speak. He often wanted someone to speak to, but he was usually left alone. He was getting pretty lonely, and only Mosaic’s presence could stave that off. Sure he enjoyed visits from his friends, but he knew they couldn’t always be here. Mosaic was the only one who could remain by his side all the time; it wasn’t like she was from the Real World and had to leave to avoid getting caught, or a doctor with a multitude of jobs to take care of.
His thoughts turned back to the culprit. The zoner whose identity was still not known, even after all the investigations that went on. The zoner that was trying to make his life a living hell...
He was not going to let the culprit get the best of him like this. He refused to allow him any sort of victory. He was going to remain strong. He was not going to allow himself to break down. He just couldn’t...
Snap could feel emotion starting to well up inside of him. He could feel his body begin to shake and shiver, and it was difficult for him to stop. Even with Mosaic’s presence here, even as she nuzzled him as a way of trying to calm him down, Snap found it difficult to settle himself. The weight of the situation was starting to come down in all directions.
He couldn’t believe that someone would want to do this to him. He knew this was all deliberate. He knew that the culprit left him alive on purpose just to make him suffer. And all for what? For destroying their precious machine that they were using to hurt zoners? What was this guy’s problem? How could they think that them hurting zoners was fine, but him destroying their machine was somehow a sin? Snap would never understand the mindset of people like that, human or zoner.
He recalled how Mint used to be quite crazy when he first came into ChalkZone. But he was being manipulated. Skrawl had used his ignorance of the place to send him to attack it. Mint had seen just how wrong he had been and turned against Skrawl.
Somehow, Snap doubted that they were going to be lucky this time around. It seemed really unlikely that this culprit was like Mint, and simply misguided. There had been no reports of new creators since Mint. Such a thing would not go unnoticed. Even if it were another creator being tricked, that didn’t mean the creator themselves woudl be all that friendly. Snap didn’t doubt there would exist himans who would deliberately harm ChalkZone, even if they knew that it was as real as, well, the Real World.
Snap tried to remain confident that the police would find something. That someone would locate anything referring to the real culprit. Snap wanted that criminal off the street before they managed to hurt anyone else. But with their luck lately, would that even be possible?
At least not everything was so bad. Snap couldn’t wait for his friends to visit because he had some good news for them. It wasn’t much, but it would certainly help lift their moods up.
His memory was getting better.
Well kind of. It was still rather weak, and he still could not remember what happened that fateful day. But it was a little stronger than before, and he was starting to retain some information. This development was quite new, and he hadn’t yet told anyone about it. He wanted to tell his friends first; they were the first people he wanted to know about this.
He had woken up this morning retaining some memories of what happened the other day. Through this, he was able to recall that he was having memory issues because of an explosion he was caught in. He didn’t remember everything, though, and he still required Mosaic’s help as he did forget about his leg wounds. Still, this was a definite improvement and he couldn’t wait to see the looks on their faces when he told them.
He hoped that this would continue to improve. He wasn’t sure if he would eventually regain all his memories. He believed that most of the memories of events that happened after he first woke up from the explosion were gone forever.
But the memory of the explosion.... That might still be salvageable. If his brain continues to improve and recover from whatever had happened to it, then he may have a chance to at least recall the face of whoever did this to him, and he could go from there. Even if it won’t make a positive identity, he might be able to use it to narrow down the suspects.
Just then, as Snap was beginning to close his eyes to think more about the situation, he heard something from outside. He opened up his eyes and sat up. He ignored Mosaic’s confused expression as he looked towards the window. From where he was, he couldn’t see much, but he could definitely hear something. Low at first, getting louder and louder...
Then, as the sound began to disperse into several unique sources, Snap realized what was going on. He bit his lip, his eyes bulging, as he realized what it was.
The crowd of zoners were back. And this time, they were more vicious than they were in the past.
“Snap is a monster! Kill him now!”
“He needs to die!”
“He has betrayed us all!”
“Arrest him or kill him!”
“Do both! Rip the bastard apart!”
“I want to see his guts spilled on the ground! He deserves it!”
“He murdered my sister in cold blood!” That voice...Taima... “Why isn’t anyone arresting him?!”
“Yeah! Arrest the traitor!”
This and many more rather nasty comments spread throughout the air, hanging thickly, echoing in his head. Snap’s eyes widened further as he continued listening to terrible comment after terrible comment.
He tried not to listen to them. He tried to block it out. He tried to tell himself that the zoners were just frightened, and that the real culprit would be found eventually. He wasn’t the one responsible, and sooner or later, those zoners would come to realize that. The culprit was the one who did all of this. The culprit was the one who needed to pay for what they had done. And sooner or later, they would get what was coming to them.
But he was not able to stop the torrent of emotions rising up inside of him. He could feel his body being to tremble. He felt Mosaic push up against him, but even she couldn’t comfort him through this. Snap could fell all the determination and anger he had built up at that point just melt away, slipping through his finger tips and washing onto the ground below him.
In a weakened state, he couldn’t stop the terrifying questions from being asked. He couldn’t stop his heart from clenching, burning with intense emotion, as he began to question just what had happened.
The zoners words were getting to him. As zoner after zoner called out for his blood, called for his arrest, Snap could feel his mind begin to slip into doubt. He took in several quick breaths, and a terrifying question rang out in his head.
What if they were right?
Snap shuddered at the thought. He tried to push it away. He tried to tell himself that he wasn’t responsible. Rudy, Penny, and Mint were trying to find clues as to who really was doing this. They would find out eventually, and then they would tell the zoners...
Then he remembered one important fact. They hadn’t found anything yet to prove his innocense. Despite all their hard work searching, not one zoner found anything leading to the real culprit, that didn’t result in it being him.
Everything that was found, everything that went to the incident...
...it all pointed to him...
The more he thought about it, the more terrified Snap became. What if he really was responsible? He had been the last zoner in there. He was a friendly, outgoing zoner, and it would not have been hard for him to lure zoners into a singular location. He had been known for being reckless a few times in the past. Could he have been the reason that place exploded?
Snap shook his head, trying so desperately to shake the horrific thoughts out of his head. He wouldn’t do any of this on purpose. He..he wouldn’t ever want to hurt a fellow zoner.
Yet, the zoners’ harsh words outside, and the realization that he was the only zoner who fit the description of being the culprit weighed heavily on his mind, filling his head with cold dread.
Again, he tried to fight back. Again he told himself that this was all part of the culprit’s plan. They wanted him to feel guilty. They wanted him to be tormented by these zoners. They wanted them all to believe Snap was responsible. If Snap allowed himself to get pulled under like this, then he was allowing the culprit to win for certain.
But the nagging emotions, the burning sensation filling his hands, traveling up them as he shivered hard. He could barely detect Mosaic attempting to comfort him, her body laying around him in a ball, her tail curving inwards. Snap just kept shaking, unable to stop himself from listening to the horrible words that just kept on coming. And with each one, his doubt for himself grew stronger and stronger.
“Snap needs to die! He has gotten away with murder for too long!”
“We will avenge the fallen! No longer will Snap terrorize us!”
“He will pay for what he has done to us!”
Snap closed his eyes, unable to fight back against the tears that were forming. He shivered, low cries emmitting from his mouth. Despite knowing it was silly, despite knowing it was impossible, he couldn’t help but continue to wonder if he really was responsible.
Could..could he have done this? On purpose or by accident, it was still hard for him to accept. Yet, everything pointed in that direction. It was the only thing that added up and made sense. He...was responsible for the deaths of those zoners. At this realization that he could have truly been the cause, he started to cry harder.
How could this have happened? How could he have done such a thing? How did this happen? Snap sniffled as he shifted himself around and looped his hands around Mosaic’s neck. He ignored the pain in his legs, which were nothing more than dull aches with the mental anguish he was going through, and he hugged her tightly. He pressed his face against her, unable to stop the sobs that escaped his throat.
A part of him still hoped that maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t the one who did all those things. He hoped and prayed that Mint, Rudy, and Penny could find out what really took place, and that they could prove his innocense.
But what were the odds of that? And with the current evidence pointed at him...
No, it couldn’t be true. No, he couldn’t have... H-He would never do something like this. He would never hurt another zoner this way. No please..he couldn’t be responsible. No...
Despite his attempts at trying to convince himself that he wasn’t responsible, he was unable to stop the torrent of emotions from watching through him, making him feel sick. His trembling body clung tightly onto Mosaic, his chest feeling like it was burning, clutching tightly. His tears came down faster as he let out more sobs. He could feel Mosaic put her paw on him and pull him closer. He tried to take comfort in that, but he couldn’t stop himself from crying.
He silently begged for Rudy, Mint, and Penny to find something to help him, to prove to everyone he couldn’t have done it. He hoped that this nightmare would be over soon, and the one responsible would get locked up.
But the thought that it could still be him chilled his body to its core.
sss
Sandra took in a breath of fresh air as she walked along the sidewalk. The day was beautiful...well it always was, unless some kid decided to draw a storm or something. She was in a pretty good mood. The air around her, and the calmness of ChalkZone City, strongly reflected that.
She had managed to get the new machine up and running again. Sure, she had it turned on yesterday, and it made her excited for the lunch rush. But she hadn’t actually tried it out yet. She had decided to wait until today, and rather wait until lunch, she decided to do it for breakfast, when she had fewer customers and it would be easier to meet their demands.
She was impressed with how well the machine worked. Even better than the old one. And best of all, it was quieter, and thanks to the shield and encrypted code she gave it, the other zoners weren’t going to know it was being run. Their radar systems or whatever weren’t going to pick it up, which meant that her machine was safe from being targeted.
She was grateful for the machine. It had taken her a while to make it, and the fact that, in a month, she had been able to nearly perfect it was incredible. This machine had helped her business to boom. She would see to it that no one targeted her precious machine ever again.
Her thoughts turned to Snap. She felt a pang in her chest. It was a darn shame that all this had to have happened. She knew it was required, yet she still felt bad about it. She wanted someway to make it up to him...but that all depended on how everything played out. There was still a chance that...
Her thoughts were interrupted when, as she turned the corner, she heard some distant chatting. Her ears twitched, raising up as she stared out into the distance. The chanting appeared to have been coming from the hospital. She could feel her heart squeeze at this, and she soon realized just what the chanting was all about. She began to rush in the direction of the hospital, going as fast as her clawed feet could carry her, her short cape flapping behind her.
She stopped abruptly as she came onto the crowd. Her eyes widened, surprised to see what was going on. She held onto the nearest street light and watched.
In front of the hospital, she could see a large mass of zoners culminating around the building. It wasn’t a full on circling, but much of the front was being blocked. She could see that it was making it difficult for the doctor zoners to bring in more patients. And several doctors that did try were sometimes harrassed by the crowed, clawed at, grabbed onto, even bitten, in plain disregard for any patient that was being pulled through.
Sandra watched this from a distance, unwilling to get too close. She remained quiet, her ears twitching at the harsh things the zoners were saying. Most of them were calling for Snap’s death, and others were shouting at the doctors to have him arrested. The whole ordeal filled her with conflicting emotions.
One the one hand, she did feel some sense of pride. Her plan was going smoothly, and the fact that these zoners still think Snap is responsible meant that they hadn’t caught onto her yet. She was safe, out of the zone, and Snap was getting the punishment he deserved. After this, she knew that he would never try to cross her again.
But on the other, she still felt bad about it. She hadn’t realized the zoners would be this hostile against him. She didn’t predict that this many zoners would crowd around the building and chant aggressively like this. She could even see some of them holding up signs, all of them with a horrible message.
She bit her lip, trying to debate in her mind what she wanted to do. She tilted her head up, her red eyes staring towards the hospital. She bit her lip, wondering what Snap was going through. Despite feeling guilty, she did still hope that Snap was feeling bad; her plan would fall apart if he was not. There was only one way to find out.
She would have to go through this crowd to get to the hospital. But how easy was that going to be, what with all the zoners chanting, standing around, not moving? She had her doubts they’d move for her just because she asked. And with her status as being Snap’s friend, would she be targeted as well?
That reminded her. She had to wonder how Snap’s close friends, like Rapsheeba and Blocky, were holding up. She had forgotten all about them during this time. She hadn’t considered what would happen to them. Did these zoners get to them? Did they do something to chase them away? She couldn’t see any zoner anywhere with their description.
Well that wasn’t any of her concern. She didn’t really need to worry about those two. The only one that mattered to her right now was Snap. He was the one who crossed her, and since she made a promise, and promises aren’t meant to be broken, he had to be punished.
If it was any comfort to Snap, the next phase would begin soon. She wasn’t sure exactly when that would be sprung. But soon he wouldn’t have to deal with these zoners anymore. So he could rest easier with that. Then after that next phase was done, it was all over. She would explain to him what happened, and he would understand that she had no choice. She did what was right, and she just wanted it to be over with. She missed him, and she looked forward to when the punishment was lifted, and they could go on as if nothing happened.
But for now, she would permit this to continue. These zoners, their hateful cries, it would drive the point even more into Snap. After she granted him his memories back, this would be something he’d never forget.
She would have just left and allowed Snap to deal with this on his own. But something stopped her. Before she could walk away that far, she paused and looked over her shoulder. She stared back at the crowd, then up towards the hospital building. She felt a pang in her chest, and she let out a sigh.
She couldn’t leave. Not yet. She needed to pay a visit to Snap. With all she was doing to him, it was the least she could do for him.
But first, she needed to get around this crowd. She couldn’t simply go through it. She would have to go around it. She stood as tall as she could, looking left and right. When she spotted a path she could take that would take her to the hospital without having to comb her way through the crowd, she took it. It wouldn’t take her long to reach the hospital.
sss
Snap held tightly onto Mosaic, refusing to let go. He kept his face pressed against her, his body shaking with immense emotion. Outside, he could still hear the horrible chanting. It seemed to just get louder and louder, with no end in sight.
“Snap must die!”
That statement was repeated over and over again. The zoners had stopped saying anything else. Now they were only saying those three nasty words over and over again. There were some deviations, but that did little to comfort Snap. And each time the phrase was stated, it always sounded louder than before, even if the zoners didn’t raise their voices.
He sniffled, a few more tears strolling down his face. He had been crying for a while, huddled up against Mosaic. He kept his eyes closed, feeling his cold tears as mucous exited his nose. He felt his cheeks sting, knowing that they, as well as his eyes, were reddened.
He wished his friends were here. He wanted them to be here with him. He wanted comfort. He wanted knowledge that everything was going to be just fine.
But who was he kidding? They haven’t been able to help him. They haven’t found anything yet to prove his innocense. He himself was no longer certain if he was really that innocent or not. Perhaps he had some side to him that he didn’t know about. Maybe he had some kind of hidden aggression streak that was finally coming up to the surface. After all, he did torment Reggie for a while, which in turn nearly caused major problems for Rudy and Penny. He had nearly locked them permanently out of ChalkZone, and all for what? A childish game of payback...
He mentally shook his head. It wasn’t like he had meant for any of that to happen. Besides, he didn’t hurt Reggie; he just toyed with him a bit. Reggie was fine afterwards, and Rudy and Penny never really said anything about his behavior changing.
But the guilt still remained. His antics still nearly caused his friends to get trapped out of ChalkZone permanently, and that was just one of other problems that he nearly caused. If he had just...
Snap nearly screamed when something loud clanged against his window. He released Mosaic and raised himself up on his knees, taking care to avoid pressing against his burns too much. He stared towards the window, and he flinched when he saw that there was a circular crack in about the center of the window. It only took him seconds to realize what had happened.
After that second, he noticed something else being hurled towards the window. He cringed back as what he noticed was a small stone crashed through the window. He let out a yelp and covered his ears as the loud window break echoed in his head. It was over after a couple of seconds, but he still kept his hands to his head, shivering in fright. He opened his eyes cautiously and looked down.
Sitting not far from his bed was that small stone he saw being hurdled towards the window. There was a small note attached to it. Sucking on his lip, Snap made a motion to Mosaic. She jumped down and grabbed the rock. She dropped it off in front of him. Snap untied the note and looked at it. His eyes widened at what he saw.
A crude drawing of him being hanged.
Snap took in quick breaths, his heart beating faster. The chanting, now louder and clearer with there being a large whole in the window now, added to the anxious air all around him, making him feel even more terrified.
He couldn’t stop staring at the drawing. No words. Nothing else. It was just that one drawing. And he found it impossible to tear his eyes away. He licked his lips nervously, feeling them quiver as a load of tears threatened to burst from his eyes. He couldn’t hold onto it anymore and he dropped it. With a rush of emotion, he whirled himself around and grabbed onto Mosaic, pulling her close. He cried hard against her, his body shaking.
Snap perked his head up a little as he heard the sound of the door behind him opening. Then came the pitter patter of feet, and tapping. Clawed feet. It was either going to be Dr. Crobat or...
“Hey Snap...?” It was Sandra. “How...are you feeling?”
Snap turned his head towards her. He opened his eyes. His vision was wobbly, making everything unfocused due to his tears. But he could see, plain as day, Sandra standing there. Her blue body, long ears, and red eyes gave her away. She stood there, her arms crossed against her metal chest armor, a concerned look on her face.
Snap didn’t answer her right away. He took in a couple shaky breaths, looking left and right. He wondered if she had heard what was going on outside. He wondered if she suffered some brunt of her abuse. He would feel so awful if that were the case.
With more tears flowing down his face, he said, “F-F-Fine... I’m fine.”
Sandra stared at him, cocking up an eyebrow. “Do you really think I believe that?”
Snap sighed. Even though he and Sandra didn’t know each other that long, she did understand him enough to know when he was fibbing. Plus, she couldn’t have missed the horrific chanting outside. That was a dead giveaway that he was lying through his teeth.
“Okay. I was doing fine earlier. But then...” Snap turned towards his head. He did not say another word. He did not need to for Sandra to understand.
“I see...” Sandra looked towards the window. Her pupils widened slightly as she noticed the hole in the window. She moved her head, trailing her eyes along the small, sharp pieces of glass that laid strewn about. She soon settled on the rock that was on Snap’s bed, and then the note on the ground. “Not a great day, huh?”
“It’s been awful.” Snap whimpered softly. “They all think I’m guilty! They have been calling for my death and arrest for...I don’t know how long it’s been, but I...”
He couldn’t say anymore. There was nothing he could say. All he could do was whimper and cry as he held onto Mosaic. The wave of negative emotions that filled him up inside were just too much for him to handle. His heart felt like it was going to be ripped out any second, and even after that, the tears would not stop falling.
Why....? Why was this happening..? Why to him? What did he ever do to deserve this? Why was fate messing with him? Why was it screwing around with his mind? Why did fate want his mental state to be shattered? Why..?
“I know things look tough right now.” Sandra walked towards the bed. Her hardened stare from before was replaced with concern. “But you have to hang in there, okay? Things will get better soon. I promise.”
Snap stared at her. He wasn’t sure how she could be so positive at a time like this. She was not ignorant of the situation. He recalled that she knew full well what was happening to him. The zoners had almost all turned against him. He wouldn’t be surprised if some of the doctors would turn against him.
And even if Sandra somehow missed all of that, then the chanting outside should have informed her. The hateful words were filled with negative intentions. Those zoners wanted him to pay, and with how many there were, a part of him began to wonder if he really was responsible.
No...he couldn’t be. But what if...?
He nearly jumped when he felt Sandra’s hand on his shoulder. He swiveled his head, looking up at her with reddened, puffy eyes. She looked down at him, her eyes narrowed with concern.
“They are just frightened, Snap.” She twitched her ears as the haunting words came to her. She shuddered once, her teeth clenching in disgust. “You shouldn’t listen to what they are saying. Don’t let them get to you.”
Snap sniffled. “I tried to i-ignore them. But it’s hard.” He placed his hand against his forehead. “They won’t leave me alone.”
Sandra’s eyes widened slightly in sympathy, her ears lowering. “Yeah, I understand how it can be difficult.” She sat down nexto Snap on the bed. Mosaic jumped off and sat nearby, watching the two intently. “I can’t imagine what you must be feeling right now, Snap. With those zoners out there, having turned against you...”
Snap felt his heart twist. His breathing became shakier, each time he was on the verge of breaking down. He turned his head away from Sandra, staring down at his feet, which dangled over the bed now. He felt his body trembling harder, and his lower lip quivered. The river of tears continued to flow down his cheeks.
He could still hear that horrific chanting. It reverberated in his head, the angry words intensifying as if put under a large, vocal magnifying glass. As the seconds passed, it just got worse and worse. He wasn’t sure how much longer he was going to be able to handle this.
Sandra squeezed his shoulder gently. “Don’t pay attention to them, Snap.” She said, her voice gentle and reassuring. “They don’t know what they are talking about.”
Snap looked up at her. “But what if I am responsible?”
Sandra tilted her head at this. “What makes you so certain?”
“B-Because...there’s nothing else that...” Snap struggled to speak with his emotion-filled voice. It was becoming hard to speak without releasing a sob or cry after a couple words. “It only makes sense i-if I was the one who..”
Snap felt Sandra press her feather finger against his lips and he fell silent. He let out a couple whimpers as he looked up at her. He stared into her red eyes, finding it hard to turn away. He couldn’t explain it, but for some reason he was...comforted by this.
Sandra said, “If you continue to let them get to you, then you are allowing them control over you. You don’t want that, do you?” Snap sniffled and shook his head. “I didn’t think so. I know it’s hard...” She furrowed her eyes slightly. “But you have to try to fight against it. Don’t allow them to have a hold of you like this. They are just frightened, and are saying and doing things they don’t mean. Once they find out you aren’t the culprit, they’ll lay off.”
Despite Sandra’s encouraging words, despite her gentle smile, Snap couldn’t cheer up. He couldn’t bring himself to be happy. He looked at the ground, unable to stop his shivering. If anything, Sandra’s words were making him feel more worried.
What would happen if there isn’t any evidence to save him? What if the zoners don’t ever find out he’s innocent? What would they do then? How far are these zoners willing to go?
After he had seen the image on that rock, he was terrified to know the answer. It seemed as if that they found his supposed actions so horrendeous that they wanted to kill him themselves. They were already calling for his conviction and death. What would stop them from taking the steps themselves? Would he wake up in the middle of the night to a zoner attempting to strangle him?
“Snap, please. Calm down.” Sandra whispered softly. “It pains me to see you like this.”
Snap stared over at her. He gave her a soft glare. “Calm down...? That’s easy for you to say.” He said, his voice more bitter than he had intended. “You’re not the one the zoners out there want skinned alive!”
Sandra snapped her head back, obviously surprised by his short outburst.
Snap lowered his head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to...”
“I understand. Times are tough for you right now. I don’t know if I could stay in this room for that long, hearing zoners calling for my arrest.” Sandra glared towards the window, curling her lip back. She then looked down at Snap, wearing a gentler expression. “The best thing you can do right now is try to focus on the solution. Try to find out a way to prove that you were framed.” Her smile broadened. “I’m sure thinking of that would put you in a better state of mind, don’t you think? Think positive, not negative.”
Snap wiped his nose. He knew Sandra was right. He couldn’t just sit around here, feeling sorry for himself. He couldn’t allow himself to obsess over all that was going wrong. That would only continue to drag him down. He needed to start focusing on the positives. He needed to focus on a solution, not the problem.
He still wasn’t sure exactly how he was going to go about that, though. The scans were always negative. The cops didn’t find anything at Shrapnel Tower’s remains. It all really did seem like it pointed to him.
But he wouldn’t give up. If he gave up, then the culprit truly won. He couldn’t let himself be tricked like that. He wasn’t responsible. He shouldn’t listen to the harsh words being thrown at him. Although it will be hard ignoring those venomous words, he had to at least try. As Sandra said, focus on the positives, not the negatives.
Snap attempted to smile. It was broken, kind of forced, but he still managed it. He looked over in her direction. “Th-Thank you.” He choked out, wiping away his tears, clearing his blurry vision. “I appreciate it.”
Sandra smiled at him. “No problem, Snap.”
Snap smiled at her for a little while, then a frown appeared on his face again. Sandra looked at him worriedly, her expression showing that she was clearly wondering what he was thinking about. Snap looked left and right, biting his lip. “It’s still going to be hard proving that I’m innocent.”
Sandra blinked at this. She nodded her head. “Indeed, it will be.” She admitted. She tilted her head to one said, smiling gently at him. She lifted her hand from his shoulder, pressing it against his cheek. “But think of how rewarding it will be in the end. Imagine how good you will feel after all of this is done and over with.”
Snap nodded his head. “Yeah, you’re right.” He closed his eyes lightly. “I still wish there was..someway I could...” He widened his eyes and turned to Sandra. “Do you have any ideas?”
The blue dragon seemed a bit surprised that Snap was asking her for help. She moved back a little, her eyes widened and mouth open. She then tilted her head further, her eyes looking up as she was deep in thought.
Sandra shrugged her shoulders. “Not offhand...” Snap lowered his head. “Well except maybe for one thing.” At this, Snap turned his gaze back at her. “Do you think a more complete brain scan would help?”
Snap was confused. What did Sandra mean by that? He already had some MRIs done of his brain. How were they not complete?
“What do you mean?” He managed to ask.
“Well...” Sandra pressed her finger against her chin. “I have heard that these doctors sometimes only do MRI scans of certain parts of the head. Probably to save time and power I suppose.” She lowered her hand, pressing her palm against the rounded edge of the bed. “Well whenever your friends come over to visit, you can talk to them about it. They might be able to explain it better. When are they supposed to be here?”
Snap shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not sure. Soon I think.”
Sandra’s eyes furrowed with concern. “You still having memory problems?”
Snap flinched, then nodded his head. “Yeah, I am.” He felt a few tears push against the back of his eyes. “It’s not as bad. I mean, I remembered a few things from the other day this time. But I...” He placed his hands against his face. “I still can’t remember what happened at Shrapnel Tower. I don’t remember what happened when that explosion went off.”
“I see.” Sandra went quiet for a few moments. Snap could hear her sucking in a few sharp breaths, like she was trying to clear her thoughts. He looked at her, but said not a word. She closed her eyes, her ears lowering. “That’s a...darn shame you still can’t remember anything.” She looked over at him. “What is the last thing you remember? Before you woke up?”
Snap was surprised by this question. No one had asked him this before, not even one of the doctors. And quite frankly, he never really thought about it. He had been so focused on the explosion, and the dead zoners, and the survivor guilt that still festered in his stomach, that he didn’t stop to think just how much of his memory had been stolen from him. Just how far back did his amnesia spread?
He thought about it long and hard. He filtered the thoughts in his head, ignoring the dull ache that began to surge from the back of his head towards the front. He tried to think of how far back his memory began. His head began to hurt harder, but he pushed through it, his mind’s gears grinding as he began to see images in his head.
Then he remembered it. Clear as day. His last memory before everything went..foggy and blurred. He looked up at Sandra, staring at her in the eyes. “The last thing I recall was watching some movie. I..don’t think I even remember what happened... Oh and I recall some sound, and some letter. I think it was the invitation...something. But I also have some memories of my friends the following day.”
“Ah okay. Well that doesn’t seem to be too bad.” Sandra pressed two feather fingers against the bottom of her chin. “The amnesia could have easily spread further. Perhaps this was on purpose?” She held her hand up in gesture. Seeing Snap’s confused expression, she said, “Maybe the culprit only wanted you to forget things in a small time scale. If you forgot too much, the doctors might have realized you were injured and taken your case much more seriously. But because you only forgot a small time frame...”
Snap’s eyes widened in realization. “They are not as likely to believe I have amnesia...” He breathed. He took in a sharp breath, speaking a low, barely audible voice. “Especially since I have nothing in my head to indicate I have amnesia.”
Sandra nodded her head affirmatively. “You should keep trying to prove that you are innocent. I still strongly recommend you get a full brain scan...Unless of course, they are already planning on it, which is possible.”
“How can they scan my brain but not see all of it?” Snap was confused. “I don’t get it.”
“Modern technology.” Sandra said. She corrected herself. “Or rather, creator intention. That’s something I learned in this hospital.”
“Well that makes sense, I suppose.” Snap had to agree, Sandra did make a good point. A creator could have made a machine that worked like that. If she had...
Wait a minute.
How could she have..?
Snap’s eyes widened slowly, staring at Sandra in shock. The only way Sandra could know about their machines was if she knew this hospital well. But she was only around for little over a month, and he never saw her get injured and sent to the hospital for treatment. She wasn’t an employee so she didn’t work here. The doctor zoners aren’t going to just spew information about their machines to just anyone. So how in the world did Sandra...?
“How did...” Snap started to say. There was a glint in Sandra’s eyes, a flash of something he didn’t like. He cringed away from her, recognition suddenly dawning on him. “You...”
Snap was not able to say anything else. Without saying a word, Sandra shot her hand out at him. He let out a grunt of surprise as the hand wrapped around his head, squeezing it tightly. Snap attempted to struggle, but it was short lived. He felt some kind of cold, chilling energy shoot through his body, and he fell limp against Sandra.
He looked up at Sandra, his vision blurry. He could see Sandra staring down at him, a look of regret plastered on her face. She lowered her head towards him, stopping only inches in front of his face.
“I’m so sorry about this, Snap.” Sandra said apologetically. “But I have no choice. You understand, right?”
Snap’s eyes widened. He didn’t get a chance to speak as he felt a sudden bombardment of something in his head. His body let out a quiver, and his world went dark and silent.
sss
Well that could have gone a lot better.
Sandra did not expect to have to do this again. When she came here to talk with Snap, she did not think she was going to have to take away his memory again. This was going to complicate things. She could only hope that she did not remove too much memory. Just this incident.
She felt so stupid. She should have been more careful with what she said. She should have stifled herself with what she had told him. She had inadvertantly revealed to Snap that she had some little secrets of her own. If she didn’t take action, then Snap was going to tell his friends about her, and they would turn their sights on her. She could not allow that.
She looked down at Snap’s unconscious form. He was breathing in and out slowly, all traces of fear gone from his face. It was as if he were only sleeping. She smiled gently at him and pulled him back into the bed. She moved the blanket over his body and watched his seemingly sleeping form for a little while. At least he was going to get a bit of peace before the next phase of her plan would come into play.
She heard a low growl not far from the bed. She turned her head, looking at Mosaic. She recalled what Snap told of her. According to him, she was not fully sentient, and more like a smart animal. She wasn’t sure just how stupid she really was, but she felt she had to deal with her someday.
But not now. If she pulled a stunt against Mosaic, that would raise alarm bells definitely. The doctors would begin to check the security cameras again... Oh crap. She had forgotten about that. She’ll have to take care of that as soon as possible. It shouldn’t be too hard, so long as she remembered what this place was structured like.
Sandra smiled gently in Mosaic’s direction. She moved towards her, ignoring her low growls that eminated from her throat. She reached forward. Mosaic let out a loud hiss and attempted to bite her. Sandra pulled her hand away just in time. She snorted and glared softly at her.
“Naughty little thing, aren’t you?” She rubbed her hand, despite the fact that it wasn’t injured. “You really need to learn to control yourself. I’m not going to hurt you, okay?” Knowing what she had to do, she reached out towards the creature again. “Shh...it’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Mosaic backed away from her, hissing loudly, mouth open and all her teeth exposed. Sandra did not stop her advancement. She kept her hand out, moving it back whenever Mosaic tried to bite her.
“Sh sh sh, little one. Everything is going to be all right.” Sandra’s triangular mark began to glow. As it did, Mosaic froze. Her growling stopped almost abruptly. Sandra smiled. “See? It’s okay. You’ll be fine. Shh...” She placed her hand on Mosaic’s head and shut her eyes.
Mosaic stiffened up her body, her eyes bulging. Her tail wriggled rapidly from side to side. She managed to let out another hiss, and then went silent. In seconds, Mosaic crumpled to the ground. Sandra stared down at her, stroking her hand along the back of her head and down her neck and spine. She hated having to do this to the poor animal, but what choice did she have?
Mosaic would not remember this encounter. She would make sure of that. It was imperative that she did not remember. If Mosaic found a way to draw attention to her, then she was going to be in big trouble. She could have just killed her, but as she reminded herself before, that would only invite trouble. She hoped that Mosaic wouldn’t be come an issue later on.
She turned her attention to Snap. She was still saddened that this meeting went this way. She had come here simply to talk to him, and also to encourage him so that he would not suspect she was the one hurting him. But it turned out to be nearly a disaster. She would definitely need to be more careful next time.
Well it was time for her to get going. She raised her and turned towards the door. She was certain someone was going to be here soon. If she didn’t leave now, they might question what she was doing here, especially after seeing the unconscious forms of Snap and Mosaic next to her.
Before she could get far, she heard a commotion outside. Not the chanting, but instead something else. Loud sirens... What was going on? She moved towards the window cautiously, taking care to avoid the shattered pieces of glass still on the ground. She looked down, where the large crowd of zoners were still present.
She could see a bunch of cops had arrived onto the scene. There were several police cars parked, their blue and red lights flashing rapidly. She could see that some of the zoners were being dragged towards the vehicles. She needn’t hear what was said for her to know that the resisting crowd zoners were cursing at the cops.
She watched this silently, her eyes narrowing slowly. Then, faintly, she smirked. Her plan may have resulted in a reaction a bit more extreme than she had intended, but at least it was working.
sss
“You can’t do this to me! Unhand me now!” Taima snarled. He struggled, trying to free himself. Two strong policement held onto him, one for each arm. “You’re making a big mistake! It’s not me who you should be arresting! It’s Snap! Arrest him! He’s the one who killed all those zoners! He...”
“Shut it.” One of the cops said, growling in his direction. “I don’t care if Snap is guilty or not. You still committed a felony.”
“No! It’s not fair!” Taima wailed. “You have to let me go!”
“Sorry, no can do.” The second cop zoner said. “If you didn’t want to get locked away, then you should have thought about that before harrassing another zoner. Guilty or not, you should have let us handle that, not play vigilante and threaten him. Besides, what if he turned out to be innocent?”
The first cop nodded his head. He glared harshly in Taima’s direction. “Would you be able to live with yourself...?”
Taima glared back at the zoners. He couldn’t believe it. How could these cops be doing this to him? He did nothing wrong. It was that blasted Snap who... He growled to himself. It just wasn’t fair. He just wanted to bring closure to his sister. Galena died because of that monster. And these cops..they were not going to do a damn thing to stop him. They were letting a killer loose while they arrested zoners who were merely speaking the truth and demanding justice. Is that so wrong?
He struggled to get free, but it was no use. He was not going to be able to free himself. These two zoners holding him were too strong. He was dragged towards the awaiting police car. In seconds, he was going to be shoved into it.
He was not the only one. As he looked around, he could see the police grabbing other zoners. He bit his lip at this. Such a horrible sight... All these zoners were doing was trying to stop the one responsible. Snap was the one they should be dragging into the car, not them.
The thought of Snap resting peacefully in bed, acting as if he did nothing wrong, burned his blood. He was making a fool out of everyone. He was probably sitting here, laughing to himself, making comments about how he was playing everyone with his stupid amnesia scheme. Anyone can fake amnesia, and he knew Snap was doing a pretty good job of it. But the scans were negative...that should have told everyone he was a big fat liar. They need to arrest him now, before he had a chance to do anything else.
Taima let out a grunt of pain as he was pressed against the police car. He felt the cops pull his arms behind his back. The cold metal of handcuffs greated him, binding his wrists together. The door was opened up and he was shoved in. He let out a grunt as the side of his face hit against the leather seat. He managed to squirm around and sit himself up. He looked out the window.
He could see other fellow zoners being dragged off in the police cars. He couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow for them. Poor guys... All they wanted was justice, and this was how they were treated. Taima wouldn’t be surprised if Snap put the cops up to this, the bastard...
He heard the sound of doors opening, and he could see the two cops climbing into the front seats. He growled in their direction. He snarled, exposing his teeth. How dare they do this to him... How dare they help that fucker laying around in bed, faking to everyone... How dare they arrest them, when they should be arresting Snap...
He wanted to scream. He wanted to yell. He wanted to demand them to lock up that white and blue fiend. But he knew they were not going to listen to him. He forced himself to relax, leaning back against the leather as the police car began to drive away.
As they went onto the road, headed towards the jail, Taima made a vow. He would stop at nothing to make sure Snap got what he deserved. He would see to it that the little fucker got what was coming to him.
“I promise, Galena.” Taima whispered softly. He sniffled softly, bitter and sorrowful tears streaming down his face. “I will avenge you. Snap will not get away with taking you away from me. I promise...”
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Post by Bluedramon on Oct 18, 2014 18:26:42 GMT -5
Chapter 14: Negative Scan
Mayday mayday! The ship is slowly sinking! They think I'm crazy, but they don't know the feeling.
-My Demons, Starset
Snap let out a soft groan as he opened up his eyes. The blurred vision of white met him, causing him to flinch and pull his head back. He sat up on the bed, only vaguely aware of the blanket on him, or the sleeping form of a reptilian creature beside him. He placed his hand against his head, rubbing it. A dull ache was making its way across his skull, permeating his thoughts as he tried to make sense of where he was.
It took a while before his vision cleared up. He turned his head from side to side, taking in the view all around him. He quickly deduced that he was in some kind of hospital. But why was he here? The last thing he recalled, he was with his friends. Then a blank and...now this.
He looked down at the collared animal zoner, which appeared to be a croc of some kind. He couldn’t help but flinch at its presence; unsure if it was safe or not. The croc didn’t appear to be trying to hurt him, even as it opened its eyes and looked at him. Was it some kind of mascot? Why was it laying down next to him on the bed? Was it friendly or was it merely doing business?
Those questions surged through his head, but they were soon pushed away by something more pressing. Something he could not simply ignore.
Pain.
There was pain growing in his legs. He was becoming aware of it, and he could feel it practically reverberating in his limbs.
Snap lifted up the blanket and peered underneath. He caught his breath as he saw that his legs were wrapped up in bandages. The sight of this made his heart race, pounding against his chest. Just what had happened to him? Why was he burned? Where were his friends?
Then there was a nagging feeling in the back of his head. He couldn’t make full sense of it. But there was a part of him that was trying to tell him something. A thing to remember, yet he could not think of just what it was.
Just what was it his mind was trying to help him remember? Was it regarding what happened to him? Did something happen to his friends and he simply could not recall? If he could not remember, then just what happened to him? He felt around his head. He did not feel any sore spot. Maybe he didn’t get a head injury. But then, how was it that he could not remember, and yet his mind was pulling at him, trying to make him remember something important?
He grippped his head, seething through his teeth. The wave of confusion, pain, and fear that moved through him weighed down heavily on him. He gritted his teeth, trying to fight back against it. He found it impossible to stop shaking. The same question echoed in his head over and over again.
What happened to him?
There had to be a reason this all happened. He would need to find some way to find out. If he were to try to get out of bed, maybe he could find someone who could help him. His legs weren’t that badly hurt, were they? With a sense of determination, the small zoner made his way towards the edge of the bed.
The croc zoner immediately got up on its legs. Snap ignored it, pushing it away when it came too close. A risky move. He could have been bitten. But at the moment, he hardly paid attention, focusing on pushing himself over the edge carefully until his feet touched. Almost there...just a little more...
“Ahhh!”
Suddenly, a shockwave of pain surged through his body, originating in his legs. It felt like his legs had been shot full of splinters, cutting their way through even the bone. With tears in his eyes, Snap collapsed on the ground, letting out another cry of pain.
The pain...oh gawd the pain... It was much worse than he had ever imagined. His legs felt like they were being put through a blender. His body quivered, his legs trembling as he tried to cope with the pain. He tried to crawl, tried to get up, but the pain stopped him and he fell back down. Tears stained his cheeks and he let out a series of low whimpers.
He opened up one eye as he noticed the crocodile zoner beside him. In his panicked state, Snap struck out in self defense, trying to make the croc zoner go away. He was not going to become its meal. No, he was not going to die.
But the crocodile zoner did not go away. It merely tilted its head, letting out a guttural growl, and slunk closer to him. Snap attempted to strike again, but when he attempted to move, he aggravated his leg injuries, and his hand dropped down in a yelp of pain. He looked up at the croc zoner fearfully. Knowing he could not get out of the way in time, he closed his eyes and waited for the blow.
At least, soon, the pain would be over. He just wished he could have seen his friends one last time...
But soon, as the seconds passed, he realized something.
The blow had never come.
Snap felt a surge of confusion as the croc zoner pushed its nose underneath his body. No sharp teeth. No horrific pain. Just the feeling of cold, hard scales against him as the croc zoner attempted to push him up. As it supported him, its long tail moved towards the front, and pressed a button he had just noticed was on its collar.
In a matter of seconds, a couple of doctor zoners came into the room. He noticed one of them seemed legitimately worried, while the other seemed merely annoyed. They came over by his side and knelt down. They grabbed onto his arms and hoisted him off the ground. Snap found himself placed back into the bed.
Snap looked up at the doctors in confusion. It took him a little while to work up the will to say something.
“Hey...”
But he spoke too late. The two doctor zoners, as soon as they had appeared, they left, leaving him alone with the croc. Snap glanced down at the animal zoner. It took position next to him on the bed. Snap still felt nervous, but he was now more relaxed now that he knew the creature didn’t seem to want to hurt him. He turned his attention back towards the door.
Just what was that about anyway? Why was that one zoner annoyed? Did Snap do something to drive him insane? Was him crawling out of bed such a common occurance that some doctors were getting sick of it?
Snap couldn’t help but feel something else was going on around here. There was a piece of the puzzle that he was missing. But what was it? And would he ever find out? Perhaps, whenever the next doctor zoner came in, he could try to ask. For now, he tried to rest against the bed, his mind sorting through the various thoughts that kept invading.
sss
“And that’s pretty much what’s been going on.” Dr. Crobat said. “I believe I gone over everything that I know.
Snap stared at him, his eyes wide. “So...you’re telling me that I was caught in an explosion, I was the only survivor, and now I’m suffering from amnesia?”
The doctor zoner nodded his head in confirmation. “That is correct.”
Snap lowered his head. His eyes were furrowed slightly. He looked up at the doctor zoner, his eyes now filled with a tinge of fear. “...and there are zoners who think I am the cause?”
Dr. Crobat gritted his beak at this. It had been hard telling Snap everything that had happened in the recent past. It had gotten a little easier telling him about his wounds and the amnesia, but it was always hard telling him about how he was the only survivor. Telling him of the very recent events, of zoners blaming him for the death of the other party goers..that was especially difficult for him to break to the little guy.
He couldn’t imagine how Snap must be feeling right now. Just a few minutes ago, he was completely unaware of what happened. He only knew that he was burned somehow, and that’s it. That alone was terrifying enough, but now that he knew the truth, he could see it was eating away at the zoner’s soul.
He also had to inform Snap of how even some of the doctors think he was responsible. He wished he were making this up, but sadly, there was no way he could have misheard what he had detected when he was walking down the hallway. The other doctors were talking about bringing in some cop to have Snap arrested. He didn’t know if they were doing this because of the crowd that demanded it, or because they wanted to do it themselves.
Either way, it was a troubling development. He wished he could say something to Snap to help him feel better. A beacon of hope of some kind. But sadly, he had nothing he could give him. Not even any information on who could have been doing this to him.
Well there were those cameras, but they had all gone static last night for some reason. He needed to have those checked. Likely no useful footage, but with memories of that horrid signal that messed with their equipment, he wanted to take no chances. A repeat of that was the last thing they needed right now.
“So everyone hates me?” Snap said softly. There wasn’t just despair in his voice, but also exhaustion, as if Snap’s mind was finally giving way to the information he had recieved. “They all want me dead?”
Dr. Crobat stared down at Snap. He smiled the best he could and shook his head. “No, Snap. Not all of them do.” He placed a hand on his shoulder. “Why, not too long ago, I believe two of your friends... Rapsheeba and Blocky I believe, they visited you.”
Snap smiled at this. “I figured they wouldn’t think I was a monster.”
Dr. Crobat nodded. “They are doing what they can to find out information. As are your human friends, whom I believe are coming along shortly to visit you.” Snap nodded his head slowly, but said nothing. Dr. Crobat looked at him sadly. He sucked in a breath through his beak. “I...just remembered something.”
“What is it?” Snap asked.
“You are going to be wheeled into the MRI room soon.” Dr. Crobat explained. “We are going to do a scan of your brain.”
At this, Snap narrowed his eyes in confusion. “Why? I thought you said that you already did some scans and they showed up with nothing.”
“True, but we were only focusing on certain areas of your brain. This time, we are going to do the full package, which will take much longer.” Dr. Crobat said. He held out his hand in gesture as he smiled the best he could. “This may yield some better results for us.”
Snap smiled a little at this. But he did not say anything else. He lowered his head, turning his gaze away. Dr. Crobat looked at this sadly, giving a soft sigh. He could tell Snap had a lot on his mind right now, and needed some time to think. He couldn’t blame him, what with all that he had just told him and all. He would give Snap the time he needed to think about what he had just been told.
He couldn’t give him too much time, though. Soon, the zoner was going to have the MRI scan done. He needed to be as relaxed and calm as possible for the MRI to be completed correctly. He hoped that the MRI would reveal something useful. He was still shocked they didn’t think of doing this before, but oh well. At least they were doing it now.
Dr. Crobat lifted up his head as he heard someone coming down the hallway. He didn’t need too much clarity to know who it was. He turned his attention back to Snap. “Well I’m going to prepare the machine for your arrival, Snap. I’ll give you some time to be with your friends. I hear them coming.”
Snap looked up at him and smiled. “Thank you.”
Dr. Crobat smiled back, but did not respond. He turned his back to Snap and headed out of the door. He moved down the hallway, brushing past the three humans. He spared them not a glance as he hurried. He had some work to do.
sss
“Well that was rude.” Mint commented, curling his lip up slightly. “He could have at least said hello.”
“He looked like he was in a hurry.” Rudy noted, watching the bird zoner practically zip down the hallway. “I wonder why.”
Penny replied, “Oh he probably has some patient he needs to visit or some lab work to do. I’m sure it’s nothing.”
Rudy hoped Penny was right about that. He and his friends had never seen Dr. Crobat act like that before. It was brief, not much, but it was enough to make him feel a tad suspicious. He had to wonder just what he was off in a hurry for. Could Penny’s theory be correct, or was something else going on? Was Dr. Crobat hiding something from them?
He shook the thought out of his head. Right now, they didn’t have time to waste on that. They came here to visit Snap, not wonder what the doctors do on a day to day basis. He and the others had really wanted to visit Snap as soon as possible, and he didn’t want to delay that.
He wanted to tell Snap about what they had found out. Okay, it wasn’t really that much. Very minor, to the point where it was almost like they found nothing at all. Still, it could possibly help them a little bit.
Using his head to gesture to his friends, they hurried into the room where they knew Snap was. The door had been left open. Rudy assumed it was because the doctor zoner knew they were coming, and left the door open for them. That was pretty nice of him. In a matter of moments, he and his friends were now inside Snap’s hospital room.
“Hello, Snap.” Rudy said, greeting his friend.
The twelve year old could see Snap laying on his bed. His head rested back, his hands laying on his chest with his elbows bent to the sides. He looked like he was trying to rest, but the expression on his face said otherwise. It was clear that Snap must have just gotten the bad news of what happened to him. Rudy bit his lip, a pang in his chest as he realized that Snap’s memory was still bad.
Curled up in front of him was Mosaic. She appeared to be sleeping peacefully. As he and his friends walked forward, he could see her twitching. He deduced that she was a very light sleeper, which would be how she was able to help Snap whenever he fell out of bed.
Snap looked over at them. He stared at them for several moments before he eventually smiled. The zoner lifted up his hand and waved to them. “Hello, you guys.”
“How are you feeling?” Penny asked. A redundant question as they all knew the answer. But one that needed to be asked anyway.
“I’m sure you already know that.” Snap replied. The tone wasn’t out of bitterness, but more a tinge of sorrow and resignition. “Dr. Crobat told me everything. I don’t think I really need to repeat myself, now do I?”
“No...I guess not.” Penny said.
“I don’t think you had to put it quite like that.” Mint took a step forward, staring intently at Snap. The zoner didn’t bother to look at him. This made Mint’s eyes narrow slightly. “Oh come on, Snap. Don’t be like this. We will find out what’s going on soon and..”
Snap shot him a small glare, making Mint freeze and taking Rudy and Penny by surprise. “But you haven’t found out anything yet, have you? For all your hard work, for all the days you worked trying to find something.. You still found nothing.” He turned his head away. “Just for once, I’d like to wake up to some good news.”
There was an awkward silence in the room. Rudy stared at Snap in shock. He hadn’t expectd his friend to react this way. Neither did Mint or Penny. They all wanted to say something, but the initial shock prevented them from forming any kind of words. It was clear that Snap was quite upset, in a different way than the last few times.
This time, Snap was much more aware of the situation. More days had passed, more things had happened, and he had more knowledge. He would know by now just how hard they worked trying to help him, and how they keep failing. Snap knows that all their hard work didn’t seem to be enough. They were still nowhere close to finding out who had done this to him. Snap’s voice...it sounded almost as if he had just given up, and was resigning himself to his fate.
Rudy lowered his gaze, biting his lip. On the one hand, he wished that Snap would be a bit more reasonable and not behave like this. He was going to help no one, let alone himself, acting this way. But..could he really blame him? The guy had been through hell lately. They would all feel pretty bummed out in his situation.
Snap looked back at his friends. His eyes widened a little. He clenched his teeth, realization striking his eyes. “I’m sorry, you guys. I didn’t mean for it to come out like that.” He lowered his head.
“We’ve all been feeling a bit tense lately, Snap.” Rudy recalled that they seemed to snip at each other a little more lately. But should he be surprised? There was a mass murderer on the loose, and they still don’t know who it was, or their whereabouts. “So don’t worry about it.” Snap smiled at this.
Penny decided to cut right to the chase. “We searched around Shrapnel Tower.”
Snap’s eyes widened in horror at this. “But that place is condemned! You guys actually...?!”
“For you, yes.” Penny nodded. Snap widened his eyes further at this. A flash of guilt entered them. Penny smiled. “We were glad to do it for you, as well as everyone else.” Her smile faded. “The place had really fallen apart. Those explosives did a lot of damage. It collapsed...”
“Are you guys okay?!” Snap wailed, nearly jumping out of his bed.
Mint raised up his hand. “Don’t worry. We’re fine.” He paused and then turned to Penny. “Well, she will be.”
Snap looked over. He gasped when he noticed the cane Penny was using. “I can’t believe I didn’t... Penny, what happened?”
Penny walked a couple steps forward. She winced, using the cane to keep herself balanced. Rudy looked at her sympathetically. He was amazed that she could keep up before. “I twisted my ankle when the building back to collapse on us. But don’t worry, we’re all fine. My leg will be okay before you know it.”
Snap didn’t seem convinced. His eyes fell upon her leg. Even from there, his reaction showed that he could see the dark bruising on her ankle. “Okay...if you say so...” He whispered. He turned his gaze so his eyes met Penny’s. “So...what did you find out?”
“Well it’s not much, and..sadly not all of it is good news.” Penny said sadly, turning her gaze downward.
Snap flinched at this. “Please go on...” He motioned with his hand.
Rudy was the first one to reply that request. “Penny found evidence that the explosions were caused by fireworks.”
“Fireworks..?” Snap asked.
Rudy nodded his head. “Yeah.”
Penny said, “The marks that I found were a near perfect match for fireworks. So whoever did this, they were using fireworks. This does confirm this was done on purpose, and could not have been an accident. There were too many areas where the fireworks had been placed, judging from the smoke we had seen. And a single firework couldn’t have caused that much damage. There had to have been a lot of them, well hidden so the zoners couldn’t have noticed them. But also, they needed to be connected together so that all it would take was a single lighting to set them all off.”
“This does mean that the zoner responsible had to have done it beforehand. This is something we already knew, but with all the fireworks, I think it’s safe to say that this zoner had this planned for a while.” Rudy narrowed his eyes. “As for how long, we don’t know.”
“I’d say it would have taken several hours to get all that set up.” Penny said. “There’s just no way it could have been set up while Snap was there. There just wasn’t enough time between him going in and..”
“Wait, what do you mean?” Snap cut her off.
“Oh that’s something else we wanted to tell you. More like bad news, since it won’t help us.” Mint looked at the zoner sadly. He sucked on his lip before he replied. “You see, we found footage of you going into the party, but..that’s all it showed. Well that and the building exploding not long after you went in.”
Penny nodded her head, clearly remembering that hoorible footage. “Unfortunately, it points at you as being the killer, as it provides no clues to anyone else.”
Upon seeing his friend’s expression, Rudy immediately waved his hands in front of his face. “But we don’t really think you’re the killer! We would never think that!” He sighed, looking away. “But if the other zoners see it..it’s going to complicate things.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised. They were already chanting for my death the other day, as Dr. Crobat recounted for me.”
At this, Rudy’s heart skipped a beat. He heard a collection of gasps, some of them coming from him himself. He stared at Snap in shock, holding his hand to his mouth. He couldn’t believe what he just heard. Did he hear right? Did Snap really say that?
He could see his friend’s expression. The pain in his eyes. The mental exhaustion. Something major had clearly happened to his friend. He had his thoughts before. But...zoners chanting for his death...? He never thought things would go this far. How could..how could they do such a thing? He had been in ChalkZone for years and he never once noticed anything that would tell him the zoners would act this way. It came as a complete shock.
It would seem that those zoners, despite their word, had come back. The crowd that he and his friends ran into the other day, who were calling for Snap’s arrest, they had come back and harrassed their friend again. This time, they had taken it a step further.
Poor Snap... Rudy couldn’t imagine what his friend had been through when it happened. He and his friends noticed not crowd when they got here. But they all couldn’t help but wonder if something had happened. Something in the air felt...wrong. Now they knew what it was.
“Oh Snap...we...” Penny bit her lip. She moved closer to her friend. She rested her hand on Snap’s shoulder, looking down at him sadly. “I’m so sorry that happened to you.”
Snap nodded his head. “I’m just glad that I don’t remember the details. I’m sure it was much worse than what Dr. Crobat told me.”
“Where is that crowd now?” There was a tinge of anger in Mint’s voice.
Snap said, “Don’t worry. According to Dr. Crobat, they all got arrested for harrassment.”
“Good.” Mint said, folding his arms against his chest. “If they come back, I’ll...”
Mint’s voice was cut off when he and Rudy noticed Penny picking something off the floor. It was a piece of paper, sitting not far from a stone. It was in that moment that the three humans realized there was a hole in the window. This realization sent cold chills down their spine. The zoners had gone further than just yelling at Snap. They had gone to throwing rocks at him to. How could they...?
Things got worse when Penny opened up the piece of paper and looked at its contents. She let out a sharp gasp, her body jolting, nearly dropping the piece of paper. Rudy and Mint rushed towards her, and they had a look as well. Their blood practically turned to ice.
It was a crude drawing of Snap. But it was far from a flattering one. The picture depicted Snap being hanged. There weren’t any words on it, but for some reason, that made the picture all the more horrifying. It was a clear message the zoners were sending out to him. A simple yet powerful message.
They wanted Snap dead.
Rudy tried to control the shuddering spreading through his body. He tried to push back the urge to rip the horrible picture apart. He had to keep himself under control. But with the bombardment of negative emotion hitting his head, the shere shock of the discovery, he wasn’t sure how long he could pull it off. He could feel the emotions crashing in all around him, threatening to crush him under its weight.
He and his friends had already been worried of the zoners turning against him. They feared that the zoners would turn against him. This fear flared up when they had seen all those zoners crowding outside the hospital. But now things had gotten even worse.
The zoners wanted Snap to die. Now it wasn’t just having him arrested. The zoners were starting to think that Snap deserved to die for what he had done. He felt his heart clench in horror. How far would the zoners go? He had been worried before regarding this. Now he and his friends were terrified. What if a zoner did try to go far enough to...
“Don’t worry, Snap.” Rudy found himself saying. “We will figure out something.” He knew that sounded rather tiresome by now. But he wanted to say something to try to cheer up his friend.
“How can you be so sure?” Snap sounded to defeated. “The culprit really planned this out all well, didn’t he?”
“Well yeah...” Rudy said, his voice trailing off.
“But this evidence we found with the fireworks might help us.” Penny said, picking up for Rudy. “These fireworks caused white flames. There could be a chance that these are pretty rare to come by. Perhaps only a few places sell them.” She paused, letting this sink in for Snap. She continued, making sure that he understood the implications. “If that is the case, then we can find the few places in town that sold them and ask for information on customers who bought them.”
“In other words, these fireworks could help us get a list of potential suspects.” Mint said, a smile spread across his face. “Isn’t that great?”
“It certainly sounds great but..will it work?” Snap’s question did not come as a shock to them. “It might narrow down the suspects, but that’s on the off change this stuff is rare. Even if we do get some suspects, would it be enough?”
“It would certainly help.” Rudy said.
“Exactly. Having twenty suspects is much better than having a hundred or a thousand.” Penny leaned a little away from Snap. She interlocked her fingers as she turned her gaze downward. “Still, we know that it will be difficult either way. Even with twenty suspects, we would need to find a way to interrogate them all in a short time frame, and try to think of some questions that are more subtle, not outright asking about the explosion.”
Rudy remembered when they had talked about that before. It hadn’t been that long ago. They had brought it up with each other, and they all agreed that they needed to think of some new questions to ask so they didn’t raise too much suspicion. If the culprit is nearby, then if they were ask questions that were kind of crypted, and get answers that weren’t as straightforward, they might stand a chance in keeping the culprit from trying to flee. There was no doubt in Rudy’s mind that the criminal would want to flee if they found out three creators were coming after them.
He understood why Snap still seemed skeptical. He had every right to be. So far, nothing had really gone in their favor, and Snap’s memory was still bad with no sign of improvement. Rudy hoped that something would change soon. Maybe this investigation with the white flame fireworks would help them. But as Snap said, it all rested on if they were rare or not. If they were common, then they’ll have a difficult time narrowing down suspects.
“Well I’m glad you guys figured out something.” Snap smiled. It seemed a little forced and they could see sadness behind it. They smiled back, wanting to help him feel a little better. “It’s better than nothing, I agree. Who knows? Maybe you guys could find some new clues in the midst of all this.”
“That’s the spirit, Snap!” Mint said with a wide grin.
“Even if this fails,” Penny said. “Rest assured we’ll keep trying.”
Snap nodded his head. “I know you three won’t ever give up.” His smile remained on his face. He sounded a bit more confident that time. “After all, you are all my friends. And I believe in you.”
Rudy, Penny, and Mint couldn’t help but smile at this. It touched them deeply that Snap still believed in them. Even after all their failed attempts, even during his moment of weakness, of wondering if they could ever win, Snap still held some level of hope that they would succeed somehow. They all definitely needed hope right now.
And at least things weren’t all bad. He glanced down at Mosaic. The crocodile zoner had been doing a good job with keeping Snap safe, or so they had been told. She had been making sure he didn’t injure himself more and she seemed smart enough to understand when something was wrong. So long as she was beside Snap, Rudy and his human friends could rest easy knowing that their zoner pal was going to be safe.
His thoughts suddenly turned to Dr. Crobat. Recalling how he had rushed passed them, he wondered if Snap would have any idea regarding that. With that thought in mind, he turned to Snap. “Where was Dr. Crobat going in such a hurry?”
“Yeah, he just pushed us by like we were nothing.” Mint muttered.
Penny glared at Mint. “He didn’t do that.”
“Well he might as well have.” Mint folded his arms against his chest. “I hope he had a good reason for that.”
“He did.” Snap said. All eyes turned to him. “He’s setting up my MRI.”
“You’re getting another MRI done?” Rudy asked. Snap nodded. “When?”
“Soon. Dr. Crobat said they are going to be more thorough this time.” Snap replied. “They plan on taking scans of my whole brain, not just certain areas like they had been doing before.”
“That’s great!” Penny cried.
“What?” Snap asked, confused.
“That was something else we wanted to talk about. We had hoped to speak to the doctor and suggest that idea.” Penny explained, holding her hand up in gesture. “I figured that’s what they had been doing, and I was going to talk to Dr. Crobat about doing a full scan. But it seems I don’t have to do that now.” Penny smiled at this, clearly happy that the doctor had thought of the same idea without being prompted. “I hope it works out for you.”
“Yeah. Let us know if they find out anything.” Mint sounded a little excited when he said that. “Hopefully things will go much better this time!”
Rudy nodded in agreement. He said nothing in response. They could all tell what he was thinking just by looking at him. He was happy for this turn of events. He could feel a tinge of hopefulness in the pit of his stomach. It felt wonderful to sense something like that after the hardships they had been through lately.
There was still a chance things could go wrong. Rudy was not going to let go of that. He needed to prepare himself for a bad outcome. Something could happen in the meantime to make things worse, or the scan would not show anything significant.
But that didn’t mean he was quitting. He would hang onto this glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, between Penny potentially narrowing down a list of suspects and Snap getting a full MRI scan, they could finally figure out what happened.
Before any of them could say something else, they heard footsteps behind them. Judging from the sound, it was more than one zoner. Then, seconds later, a group of four zoners, one of them being Dr. Crobat, came into the room. The children moved out of the way, watching as the doctors approached Snap on the bed.
Rudy, Penny, and Mint bid farewell to their friend as he was being pushed out of the door and towards where the scanner room was. As the doctors left, Rudy couldn’t help but notice two of the doctors looked a bit annoyed. Well one did; the other looked mad. He felt his heart skip a beat. He hoped that they weren’t a couple of zoners who think Snap is guilty. And if they were, he hoped that they were not going to use that against Snap.
He glanced at his friends. He noticed their expressions. They looked worried as well. He looked back. By now, his friend was far down, near a turn point in the hallway. As the doctor zoners turned and took Snap in a new direction, Rudy bit his lip and hoped everything was going to work out.
sss
“Okay you little runt. Get on the table.” Came the gruff, irritated voice. “Let’s get this over with.”
Snap resisted the urge to groan. Of all the zoners he could have been stuck with, it had to be this one. Dr. Crobat and the other two doctors had already finished what they had to do, and were currently stationed wherever to begin monitoring. So he was stuck with the one zoner of the four who appeared to not like him that much.
The zoner was doing a good job with controlling himself. He hadn’t really lashed out at Snap. But the way he spoke to him and behaved around him told Snap that this zoner was having a hard itme fighting back the urge to give him a piece of his mind. Snap didn’t need any confirmation for him to know that this zoner thinks he was responsible for those deaths. He gritted his teeth, wishing that at least one of the other doctor zoners were here with him.
He was glad that this zoner was nice enough to give him a cane. It still hurt to walk, but the cane helped make it a little easier. He found he could tolerate some walking if he was slow and careful. Each step was light and tentative, and it took him a while to reach where the doctor wanted him.
As soon as he laid down where he had been indicated, the doctor said, “Good. Now hold still while I strap you down.”
Snap held still as the zoner applied the straps. He recalled Dr. Crobat said these were necessary just in case he attempted to move during the procedure, since they don’t know exactly how long it would take. When the straps were applied, Snap tested them out to make sure they worked. They were soft, so it didn’t hurt to pull, but they were thick enough that he couldn’t break them that easily.
“I’ll go and get you your headphones.” The doctor zoner said. “You will be in there for a while. I think you’d have to agree that time would pass much more quickly if you listened to some music, am I right?”
Snap was about to answer, but the zoner never gave him a chance. He turned around abruptly, leaving him alone. The zoner walked over towards the nearby cabinet. After rummaging through it a tad longer than Snap would have thought necessary, the zoner came back, holding a simple pair of black headphones.
The doctor zoner wordlessly fitted them on. Snap winced as the zoner used a little too much force in putting them onto his head. With a clip, the headphones were secured.
“Okay you are ready to go.” The doctor stared at Snap for a few seconds. He then shifted himself around and began to walk away. “We will activate the headphones before we begin the scan.”
Snap craned his head so he could watch the zoner disappear. He glared softly in his direction. He had a bit of an attitude, but he didn’t want to do anything to make him angrier. If his hunch was right and this zoner did think he was responsible, the last thing he needed was to give him anymore of a reason to believe he was guilty.
His thoughts snapped back to reality as he felt the platform he was on being pulled into the machine. He could feel the white lights underneath touch his skin, giving him a kind of warm feeling. It didn’t take long for him to be completely inside the machine.
He did his best to relax. Despite his growing fear that something could go wrong, he shut his eyes, gritted his teeth, and attempted to push all worry out through his hands and feet. He could soon feel it dissipate, as if just smoke coming out of ashes. He could feel his heart rate slowing down, and he was becoming relaxed. The accompyment of music helped things along. He knew it was important to stay relaxed during this procedure. He did not want to screw anything up.
Soon the machine hummed to life. He could feel a slight rumble. Fast and quick, just enough so that he knew the machine was starting the scan. He kept his eyes closed, listening to the music while hte machine did its job.
sss
Dr. Crobat did his best to ignore his assistant. He was the one running things around here, not him. And for that, he was grateful. He didn’t mind the other two he brought, since they were more cooperative. But this one, whom he had foolishlessly trusted to get Snap into the machine, he was another story entirely.
Dr. Crobat was already aware of the dissent spreading across the hospital. Several doctors were starting to think Snap was responsible. If it weren’t for their doctor codes, he knew that some of them would have taken action.
He could usually handle this sort of thing. But for one of his friends to be convinced of Snap’s guilt... That was harder to deal with.
He could hear his friend, Dr. Gelcro, behind him, a low growl eminating from his throat. He was a dog-like zoner, appearing to be some kind of husky. He stood on two legs, his bushy tail swishing from side to side, his hands folded behind his back. He was mostly black with some white fur coloring his muzzle. His doctor’s suit was a bit torn, a testament to how sharp his claws were.
“I don’t see why we don’t just turn him in.” Dr. Gelcro grumbled, his ears lowering. “We already know he’s the only one who could have done it.” He looked over at Dr. Crobat, his red eyes piercing through his. “The scan will just confirm that.”
Dr. Crobat grumbled softly. “You have so little faith. Besides...” He looked behind him, pointing his hooked back in his direction. “You know why we can’t just lock him up. There isn’t anything to truly connect him to the crime.”
Dr. Gelcro chuckled bitterly. “I’m sure there will be if you looked hard enough.”
Dr. Crobat shook his head. It was no use speaking to him more on this subject. It was clear that his friend was not in a listening mood. He, like so many others, truly believed Snap was responsible. And he wasn’t going to be swayed so easily unless overwhelming evidence were to be found. And one of the best ways to do that was if he found something on the machine that proved that Snap’s amnesia problems were genuine, not faked.
Not wanting to waste more time, Dr. Crobat went to work. He and the other doctors positioned themselves in front of the monitor. They watched as the machine formed images of Snap’s brain. He narrowed his eyes and watched with great intention.
He hoped that the anomaly he had seen before would happen again.
sss
Snap rested in the MRI machine. His eyes remained closed. The pleasantary of music filled his ears, making him feel more relaxed. He wasn’t sure how long he had been here. He could still hear the hum of the machine, and he knew he was still in the scanner room. But right now, he didn’t care how long he had been in. He was just so comfortable, even with the binds holding his limbs in place.
Feeling a bit of drool trickling down his mouth, he realized that he must have fallen asleep. He resisted the urge to yawn, keeping his eye lids shut. He waited patiently for the scanning to get done.
Suddenly, something came to him. His eyes snapped wide open. Whether or not that affected the scan hardly crossed his mind. He was focused on something that seeped into his head without warning. He tried to fight against it, but the imagery came to him, sharp and clear as if he were seeing it happen right now.
Earlier that day, he had a visitor, didn’t he? Yes... someone came to visit him. The crowd was chanting for his death. He could hear it in his mind now. He could recall the terrible things said to him. Then Sandra came to visit him and she did her best to cheer him up.
But then during the conversation, she had inadvertantly revealed something she did not want him knowing about. Then she had done something to him...then...
Sandra. It had been Sandra this whole time.
Snap’s breathing began to increase. He couldn’t believe it. How..how could she do this to him? He thought they were friends. How could she have done this? How could she kill all those zoners? How could she...?
Then something felt like it was tugging in the back of his hiead. He couldn’t stop himself from letting out a sudden grunt. It felt like an invisible, tangible hand had grabbed him from behind and yanked him down. He winced as if he felt his head bang against the hard floor below him. He opened his mouth, wanting to call out to the doctors, but something stopped him. A cold sensation rushed through him.
The memory had vanished.
sss
Sandra smirked to herself as she kept her hand raised. She looked towards the window, straight at the MRI scanner that she knew Snap was in. She had been so close, just like last time. But despite her shock of almost slipping up again, she was relaxed and calm. After all, she had fixed things, didn’t she?
She stood there in front of the window, her arms folded behind her back. She did not fear if anyone saw her there. Ever since those zoners had been arrested, the others had generally avoided the place. There were still doctor zoners coming, but during this time, there had been no one. She knew she was merely lucky and that she would need a better way to control Snap’s memories. For now, she wouldn’t worry about that.
Her expression softened up slightly as she looked at the machine where she knew Snap was. She felt bad about how frustrated he must feel, not knowing what was happening. Everything would become clear soon. That much, she can promise him.
She looked forward to when she no longer had to lie to him. She wanted to bring his memories back and tell him what had been going on. She didn’t want to keep doing this; it took some concentration on her part.
But for now, she had to keep this up. Snap can hang in there a little longer.
She could see Snap being pulled out of the machine now. She knew that the scan had been completed now. She was thankful. She didn’t know how long she was going to be stuck there, controlling his memories to make sure the doctors would see nothing, to make sure that Snap would remember nothing afterwards. She lowered her hand and took a step back, feeling her mind start to relax a little.
Despite her misgivings, she had to admit that this was starting to become a little...fun. Messing with Snap like this, it was becoming a sort of game to her. She couldn’t stop the tingling excitement from growing up inside of her.
Sandra immediately wiped the spreading smile on her face. She shook her head, feeling a sense of disgust at the thoughts that had swam through her head. How could she think like that? This was Snap she was talking about. Her first zoner friend. How could she actually be enjoying this..?
Keeping the dreaded thoughts in the back of her head, the blue dragon headed away from the hospital, back to her restaurant.
sss
“There! See! Didn’t you see it?!” Dr. Crobat cried, pointing frantically at the monitor.
“Dude...we saw nothing.” One of the doctor zoners said.
“Yeah.” Said the other. “Everything was normal in the scan. You should know that.”
Dr. Crobat looked at the others in shock. He could feel his heart begin to race, pounding against his head. “Wh-What..? How could you not have..? It was right there! A glow that was not supposed to be there!”
“Face it.” Dr. Gelcro, a sneer on his face. “Your precious little theory of Snap being innocent is endangered.”
Dr. Crobat couldn’t believe it. He shook his head in denial, not wanting to think it was true. He had been close. So close... It had been right there, under their noses. He couldn’t believe that none of his fellow doctors had seen the anomaly. It had been there. It was not there for very long. But still, it had shown up in the scan.
How could they have not seen it? It was there, plain as day. Sure it wasn’t that long. Still, it had been there. It wasn’t even very subtle either; it was quite painfully obvious to anyone who bothered to look. Were his fellow doctors really not paying enough attention to notice?
“You must be going crazy, Dr. Crobat.” One of the doctors said. “Maybe you need some rest.”
Dr. Crobat jerked his feathered arm away as the doctor touched his shoulder. He glared at them, his teeth gritted. “I’m not nuts! I know what I saw!” He jabbed a feather finger in the direction of the monitors. “I know there was an anomaly there!”
“Relax. You’re getting all stressed out. That’s understandable. These days had been taking a toll on us.” Said the other doctor.
“Yeah. Why don’t you just go home for the day or something.” Dr. Gelcro said with a smile. “You could use some sleep.”
Dr. Crobat shook his head from side to side. “I did not imagine what I saw. I swear to you, I didn’t...” He clanged his beak together, trying to cope with the surging anger and confusion that swelled up inside of him. “I would not make something like this up!”
Dr. Crobat breathed in and out quickly as he glared at his fellow doctors. They looked at him worriedly, wondering if he was going to snap at them. He realized what he was doing and tried to settle himself down He found it difficult to do so, however, and he could feel his body trembling harder.
He could see Dr. Gelcro was approaching him. Normally, he didn’t mind it when his friend approached. But now, with that expression on his face, and knowing whose side he was on, Dr. Crobat couldn’t help but feel a wave of tension surge through him. He remained still, his feet firmly planted on the ground, his talons pressing against the hard floor, as the husky zoner stood a foot in front of him.
“Dr. Crobat, you have worked did a splendid job in trying to figure things out. Truly, your tiresome works shows just how much of an asset you are to this hospital.” Dr. Gelcro. “However, in light of recent events, I think that you are starting to become a little delusional. You worked so hard that you are starting to see things. As much as I hate to do this, Dr. Crobat, we cannot afford to slow down the investigation.”
“W-What are you..?” Dr. Crobat didn’t get a chance to finish. The other two doctors came up to his sides and grabbed onto his arms, firmly yet gently. “What’s going on?”
Dr. Gelcro smirked at him. “I am going to be taking over Snap’s case.”
“What? No!” Dr. Crobat was horrified. “You can’t do this!”
Dr. Gelcro chuckled, flashing his sharp teeth. “Oh I can, old friend. And I will...”
sss
“No...you’re wrong!” Penny cried.
“We don’t care what you say. Snap isn’t lying!” Rudy snarled.
“How dare you...” Mint started to say.
The doctor before them, a canine named Dr. Gelcro, glared at them. “Are you calling me a liar? I told you what the scan results said.” He put his paws on his hips, his claws glinting slightly in the light. “We waited the two days and I guarantee you. Nothing showed up!”
“That doesn’t mean that...” Rudy started to say.
The cafeteria room erupted in an intense argument. The other patients who were there watched, listening in on the conversation. Some of the cafeteria workers also watched. The fact that there were witnesses made Penny grind her teeth in anger. How unprofessional could this Dr. Gelcro guy get?
It had been two days since the MRI scan had taken place. Well the more completed one that is. They learned that nothing unusual showed up in the scan, but they had decided to wait the two days for more detailed results to come in. She and her friends had hoped that something would show up. But the scan was negative. Not even a slightest blip had shown up, according to what she and the others had been told.
Poor Snap was more distraught lately than he had ever been. And no wonder. She and her friends were horrified when they found out that Dr. Gelcro, one of the zoners who believed Snap was guilty, had taken over his case from Dr. Crobat. While Dr. Crobat had been genuinely helpful, all Dr. Gelcro cared about was convicting Snap. And he wasn’t the only one.
Standing beside him, joining in the argument, were four other doctor zoners. One female and the rest male. They all insisted on how Snap was lying to them all. The scans show up with nothing, so therefore, Snap was decieving them. Rudy, Penny, and Mint did their best to defend their friend, but they knew they weren’t going to convince these zoners otherwise.
“I-I...I wouldn’t...” Snap whimpered softly after one of the zoners threw him a harsh accusation. “I’d never do that...”
The doctor zoner, a snake-like zoner with limbs, sneered at him, flicking his black tongue in and our. “Yeah right. Don’t lie to us, Snap. We all know you are guilty.”
“Yeah!” Said the female zoner, a tall, spikey hedgehog. “So why don’t you make it easier on yourself and just admit the truth.”
“I am telling the truth! I don’t remember anything! I swear!” Snap cried.
The female zoner snarled. “A likely story..”
“Leave our friend alone!” Rudy shouted, positioning himself in front of Snap. “He would never do such a thing! He would never lie about anything!”
Dr. Gelcro laughed coldly at this. “Oh really now?” He tilted his head to the side. His intense eye, practically glowing, stared right at the boy. “Can you provide any proof for us? Any piece of evidence that shows that your friend is innocent? Tell us something convincing...” He folded his arms against his chest. “Then maybe we’ll believe you.”
Penny and her friends said nothing at this. They kept close to Snap, offering their support. They glared back at the doctor zoners harrassing him. She wished she could say something to defend Snap with. She wished she could say something to convince these zoners otherwise. But right now, they really had nothing to go on. As much as she hated to admit it, the doctors had legitimate reasons to be skeptical of Snap’s claims.
But she wouldn’t give up. Somehow, someway, they would find a way to prove that Snap was innocent. She didn’t care what they said. They would find a way to convince even the most hardened skeptist of Snap’s innocense. It was just going to take time.
“Hmph. I knew you couldn’t do it.” Dr. Gelcro said with a sneer. “But don’t be too upset. No one can prove your friend’s innocense because it is impossible. The only logical explanation is that he is faking his amnesia to get out of jail time.”
Snap shook his head. “That’s not true!”
“Oh shut it!” Dr. Gelcro snarled at him. Snap cringed back, letting out a low whimper. Before the children could protest to how their friend was being treated, Dr. Gelcro cut them off. “Oh relax, will you? I’m not going to toss your friend in jail, no matter how tempting it is. I’ll still be doing what Dr. Crobat attempted, and try to make sense of what’s going on. But unlike that softy, if I find nothing, I will take action.”
The children glared at the doctor zoners. Dr. Gelcro and his comrades merely smirked at them. Then, with a simple wave, they turned and walked away, leaving them alone. The patients and cafeteria workers looked on, but a glare from Mint made them turn back to their business.
Penny looked down at Snap sadly. She put a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. Snap had been trying to eat his lunch, but the confrontation with the doctors had clearly unsettled him. She bit her lip, wishing she knew what to say to her friend.
She and the others still couldn’t believe that, even with a more thorough scan, nothing had shown up. Now the doctors were convinced more than ever now that Snap was lying to them all. She knew this wasn’t true. She knew that Snap wouldn’t lie about this. Even though the evidence points in that direction, she knew it was still possible that Snap was suffering from something.
She recalled what Dr. Crobat said, not long before he informed them he was no longer a part of Snap’s case. He had noticed an anomaly on the scan. It was brief, and disappeared fast. But it was still there. The fact that an aomaly was present at all did fill them with hope.
If there was really was an anomaly, that meant that something was really wrong with their friend. The situation was a terrifying one. It was clear that, if this anomaly was disappearing whenever a scan was done, then the culprit was responsible, and if they were responsible, it made them shudder to think just what they were capable of.
She hoped that they could learn more about this anomaly soon. Without it being able to show up on the scans, however, she wasn’t sure how they could prove it was there. They had to think of something, though, and fast.
“Oh Snap...”
Penny and the others turned their heads at that voice. They saw Sandra approaching them slowly, a sad expression on her face.
“Hello, Sandra.” Rudy said, waving his hand. “Did you...?”
Sandra nodded her head. “Yes, I heard the whole thing.” She shook her head. She looked down at Snap, her expression holding nothing but the strongest sympathy for the little zoner. “I’m so sorry that this has been happening to you, Snap.”
Snap lowered his head. “Yeah...”
Mint looked down at Snap. “Don’t let those doctors get to you, Snap.”
“They are just frightened and confused.” Sandra said, continuing off what Mint was saying. “They don’t understand what is going on, so they play the blame game. Don’t worry. They’ll soon learn that they are wrong.”
Penny smiled at this, as did Mint and Rudy. Snap, however, didn’t seem so convinced. After that argument, it was easy to see why he wouldn’t be in the most cheery of moods. He was finishing up his meal, eating painfully slowly, chewing at a snail’s pace. Then he put down his fork and pushed the plate of food away. He must really be upset. He hardly touched anything.
Sandra looked at Snap sadly. She took a few steps towards him, her tail swishing from side to side. “Do you want me to help you back to your room?”
Snap looked up at her. He gave a slow nod of his head. “Yeah..thank you..”
Snap grabbed onto his cane and got out of the chair. His eyes bulged and he nearly toppled forward from the pain. Sandra rushed forward and grabbed onto him. She held onto his arm, the one not holding the cane. She allowed Snap to support himself against her. She began to guide him down towards his room.
Penny, Mint, and Rudy watched as Sandra helped Snap. They smiled, glad to see that not all the zoners were so quick to label Snap a monster. They wished that more zoners would be like Sandra. Understanding, not jumping to conclusions.
She and her friends decided to follow. They still wanted to talk to their friend more, and they need to discuss the next course of action. Even though the scan results had been a failure, Penny hoped that the fireworks could turn luck into their favor.
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Post by Bluedramon on Oct 19, 2014 18:49:58 GMT -5
Chapter 15: Perplexion
Help me help you. They won't be there. Help me help you. They won't see.
-Hurt, Thousand Foot Krutch
Mosaic wasn’t sure what to think of everything that had been going on. The confusing colors and sounds, back and forth, watching this blue thing... What was it the other beings liked to call him? Snap? Yes, that was it. Snap the humanoid zoner.
Names...what was the deal with them? Mosaic never understood it. Even her name, why did she have it? Did the sky and ground need names? Did a tree need a name? Did the ground beneath her need a name? She did not like having a name, but she had come to accept it, and got used to it. Mosaic... That was the name the medicine givers around her gave her, so that is what she would call herself by.
For days on end, she had been watching this humanoid zoner. She was laying down next to him, feeling a bit tired. She had grown weary of watching him, but she remained loyal to her duties. After all, the biggest price anyone can claim, well besides food and water, was loyalty. She would not betray the loyalty that she developed with the medicine givers. Even if she did not fully understand what was going on, she would not leave Snap’s side.
She turned her head towards him, her nostrils flaring. Her vision was not the best. Or so she had heard. She could not comprehend what it was like seeing the way the others do. The one whom had given birth to her, the one in a world beyond her reach, they had made her see largely in black and white, although she was aware of some shades of blue and green. The idea of there being more colors was beyond her grasp of understanding.
But despite her supposed disability with seeing, it was more than good enough. She had sharp eyes, able to make up details that she was certain the medicine givers did not notice themselves. She often see them walk by, never paying attention to the finer details in life.
She watched Snap rest. The zoner had been taking to some place in this artificial cave...what did they call it? Hospital? Yeah that was it. He had been taken to a...room... in this hospital. Something about wanting to see his insides without ripping him open. Seeing body parts without having to slice the flesh apart... It sometimes amazed Mosaic that such things were possible.
How did these zoners wield such capabilities? How did they get these adaptations? She had not seen the roaming zoners who did not living the city do this. The ones that acted more familiar for her, just trying to survive, not working on these...machines, as they call them, or doing what she saw as meaningless tasks.
Jobs. Why jobs? Why not just do whatever it took to survive? That is the way it always had been, right? What will they accomplish with jobs, expending energy like that? Whatever. It was not her place to control them.
Why did she listen to them? Sometimes she wondered that. Perhaps it was more of a benefit than anything. She did not know how to hunt and get food for herself. The medicine givers do that for her. Another instinct, or as she refers to it, basic knowledge. Why fight for food if food is brought and delivered without a fuss? She was simply making good on an offer she could not refuse.
She had never expected to be watching over a humanoid zoner. Even from the start of her stay here, it was not something that ever crossed her mind. She did not anticipate the future as much as the medicine givers appeared to. Go with the flow, she always said to herself.
Watching Snap was sometimes annoying. She wanted to get up and walk around. She could feel her leg muscles getting stiff. They needed to be stretched. But she was put in charge of keeping Snap from hurting himself. She had witnessed it herself over and over, enough that she could understand why.
These zoners, the ones in this cave..or building is they called it, they were social. They liked to gather in groups. They liked interacting with each other. More positive interaction as well, not the kind that comes in the form of proving who is stronger or better at somethign. And these medicine givers, they did not want Snap to harm himself. That was why they wanted her to keep an eye on him.
Snap had something wrong with his head. Mosaic didn’t fully understand it. She overheard one of the medicine givers state that Snap had something in his skull. How in the world he got anything there without expiring was beyond her. But she had seen the evidence for herself, the symptoms of this item in his head.
Snap appeared to have trouble remembering that his legs were not working. Even now, she could still smell the burns, underneath all those bandages. She was surprised that Snap did not. Then again, it would seem a lot of these zoners had little to no sense of smell. They could not detect the various odors that she could. Sometimes she wondered they felt like how she did with multiple colors. Could they, too, not grasp the world of scents all around them? Was it far beyond their grasp?
Life would be so much simpler if everyone could rely on smell more, to detect more odors, to see things that cannot be seen with the eye. Sometimes, the eyes can lie. The eyes can detect things that aren’t there. But the nose... It was impossible to go wrong with that. The nose revealed so much more, including mood, intention, gender, among other things.
Her thoughts shifted back to Snap. Speaking of scents, she could tell something was wrong with him. She lifted her head and she moved closer, careful not to wake him from his slumber. She took in a few whiffs to confirm her hunch.
Yes. Strange smell.
Not bad smell, but something unknown.
Something was not right.
She had never detected a scent like this before. It was very different. She knew that this smell did not belong on the blue zoner. It had a floaty sensation to it. Lingering, but not fully bonded with the other, more natural smells the boy’s body emitted. This smell also seemed to move... If she could see it, she would notice it wrapping around his body, nearly encasing him.
Her eyes narrowed at this. She tried to think of a smell that did this. The only time she could recall something similar was when one of the medicine givers got something on him. Some strong smelling medicine if she remembered right. But Snap did not bathe in anything unusual, and unlike that strong smelling medicine, this one seemed to permeate Snap’s skin. As in, it seemed to be coming from his body, yet it was not part of his body. A confusing contradiction that made her head spin with questions.
And that dragon zoner they keep referring to as Sandra..
There was something wrong with ther.
When the dragon zoner entered her mind, something tugged away in the back of her skull. There was something about that zoner she had to remember. Something important. It was as though Sandra did something..and now she forgot what that was.
This startled Mosaic. She was not one to forget things so easily. If Sandra did something that made her apprehensive even at her name... What could she have done? And why would she forget?
Mosaic began to wonder if Sandra was the cause of Snap constantly forgetting that he was injured. There was something about her that she just did not trust. The strange smell... She detected something similiar on Sandra. Maybe it was just a coincidence. Maybe she just smelled wrong. Still, it was something worth investigating. She had to know if Sandra had any part of this.
Even though she found watching the small zoner to be annoying, she was kind of growing fond of him. He wasn’t that bad, really. And she kind of enjoyed the company. It was different than just hanging off by herself most of the time like she usually did.
She felt obligated to help him further than just simply watching him. Day in, day out, whenever she heard him scream, she felt strange. A sense of emotion she did not usuall feel before. Fear of him getting injured. The female urge to rush to him and guard him, as if he were a member of her own species. She did not want to hear his heart stop beating, nor hear the last of his breath. She wanted to ensure he remained among the living.
But to do that, she had to get to the bottom of whatever had been happening. The only way she could see that being possible was to do some investigating herself.
But she couldn’t leave Snap along. The medicine givers would not be happy with her. They might even punish her by taking away her food. Then again, would they bother? She detected some being...angry or apprehensive around Snap. And she heard talk of some wanting him to be sent to that place they call a prison. The metal cave that was off in the distance. She had been to it a few times, and she could remember, in detail, what it was like.
The dankiness, the smells, the noises, it all intermixed in a confusing jumble, making her shudder. She did not want Snap to be condemned there. She did not feel he deserved it. She would fight in his defense if she could. But sadly, she had no way of communicating with the medicine givers.
They understood nothing about the intricate art of body language, or the subtly of voice level, at least to the extent she is aware of. Even the way she hisses and growls told volumes to any who were willing to listen. But alas, she was alone in this endeavor. She knew of no universal translator to help her. She knew of no one who could inform the medicine givers of what she wanted to tell them.
Likewise, she could not understand their language either. At least written. She was pretty good with spoken. Someone tells her something, she understood what they were referring to. But written... It was all a big puzzle for her. The scratches on the walls, forming repeated patterns, the black splotches that repeated over and over... She could not wrap her mind around it. She had tried to do what the zoners call reading, but it always slipped her mind. She could not make heads or tails of these things they call words.
Some were short. Some were long. Some were in the middle. Then there small spots and slashes in certain areas. There was no pattern she could pick up, no visuals to help her. Meaning was lost, and she found it amazing that the zoners were able to see understanding in these words and know what was supposedly being said.
The only written language she could understand somewhat was some form of..picture words. What did they call it? Hieroglyphs? A difficult word to remember. So she just refers to them as picture words.
This language was easier for her to grasp. Despite not using her sight as much as smell, she did not neglect it. Strange scratches did nothing for her, but images..she could pick those up more quickly. Picture words provided more context for her. She was able to grasp them, because she often knew what the pictures were of, and from there, figure out association, and learn quickly what they were supposed to be telling her.
But would the medicine givers listen to her if she tried to communicate via picture words? Probably not. She usually saw these types of zoners write in the strange scribble and scratch language, using symbols that had little bearing on the world around them. How inefficient... This would prove making communication that much harder.
But she would find a way, somehow.
She had one idea of what she could do to being her investigation. The room that the boy was taken to, maybe she should look there. That was where they looked at his insides without cutting him upon. Machines...she believed they were what they used to accomplish that. Would the machines reveal anything to her? Only one way to find out.
She still felt reluctant about leaving Snap’s side. She knew the medicine givers would be quite upset with her. She would be able to smell it from a great distance. She might be able to detect some kind of smell that would tell her more of what was happening with Snap.
She watched the zoner sleep. She raised her head, taking a couple more smells. The strange stench from before was still there. She snorted, tryin to get the horrible smell out of her nostrils. She didn’t want that lingering in there while she went over that strange room. She could not afford getting the smells crossed like that, otherwise, she could end up smelling incorrectly, and jump to false conclusions.
Snap was not going to wake up for a while, anyway. This was the time of long sleep for him, a rest without stirring. He would not open his eyes for a while. He should be fine. She would not be gone that long anyway.
Mosaic climbed up to her feet. She moved towards the edge of the soft thing they called a bed and jumped off. She turned her head so she could look behind her. Making sure that Snap was still sleeping, she turned her attention to the flat, vertical piece called a door. She got up onto her hind legs, and used her jaws delicately to turn the metal thing that allowed the door to be pushed away, creating an opening that enabled her to slip through.
She traveled along the metallic tunnel, sharply edged, not round like she would normally expect. She had learned her way around this strange cave made of angles and flat surfaces. Using smell and some visual signals, she was able to navigate down the appropriate tunnels to reach her destinations. Today was not going to be any different.
She kept walking down, careful not to bump into anything or run into any medicine givers. If they saw her, they would take her back to Snap most likely. They would not know what she was doing, nor would they try to understand. Not like she could even tell them anyway.
Up ahead, she could see that the tunnel split two ways. She looked around as she reached the end, turning her head left and right. She looked up at the wall, looking at the strange square rocks that jetted out. She could see more of that scribble scratches on there. She paid that no mind, and instead looked at the pictures. She stared at them intently, taking a few steps forward so she could get a better idea of what they were.
One picture showed what looked like two rectangles attached together. It was hard for her to understand just what this was supposed to be, but if she remembered right, this was associated with the medicine givers treating the injured that were just brought in. Stopping the fresh flow of blood and all.
The other picture showcased what appeared to be a transparent square with a scarely detailed bone and some muscle. This was the path she wanted. This was where they take patients to have their insides checked out. She kne wthis was where Snap would have been taken. Wasting no time, she headed down the tunnel.
Unfortunately for her, it didn’t end there. She soon came to a three way split off, a trio of tunnels in front of her. She let out a low hiss of frustration. Why couldn’t they make it simple? Why not just one room for everything? Why split it off like this? How did they keep up with this?
She did her best not to think about that. She could already feel her head aching as she thought about these strange concepts that alluded her. Her brain needed to be thinking about getting to that room, not worry about concepts that, in the end, mean nothing to her. She looked up at the square rocks on the walls, turning her head from one to the other, trying to figure out which one she wanted to go in.
She was able to pick out the symbol she realized was for what Snap had done to him. The image showed what looked to be a long, nearly flat tunnel with a patient stuffed into it. She was positive this was the right one. Even as she took in a breath, she recognized Snap’s scent. She immediately headed down the tunnel.
She kept walking down until she came to a part where the tunnel curved to one side. She followed it carefully, and soon her nose was bombarded with a wave of smells. She snorted and she tilted her head up. Through her grey and blue vision, she could start to make out some shadows on the ground, moving along, bending and shortening to the whim of the ground’s shape. She could also detect speaking. At this, she had to travel lightly. She slowed her pace and walked forward until she came to the bend. She peaked her head out, looking at what laid before her.
She was in a large room of the medicinal cave. She could see wood-like rocks, oval-shaped, some with some straight edges, jetting out of the ground. She could see some medicine givers there, working at these glowing, hard things that occassionally made a blip kind of sound. She often saw them there a lot, and she could see some kind of glowing image that appeared to change depending on what the medicine giver was doing.
Luckily for her, there didn’t seem to be too many medicine givers in this part of the hospital. The medicine givers that were available seemed way to occupied with the glowing thing to really pay attention to her. She did not understand its appeal, but she used their distraction to begin to slip past them.
It was times like these she was glad they were largely scent-blind. There were some medicine givers that could smell quite well. But these zoners were more humanoid, like Snap. Their noses would be too weak to realize she was there.
She walked along the cave room’s wall, keeping her body close, but not too close so her scales didn’t scrub up against it. She kept a single eye on them while her other scouted the route ahead. She nearly froze when she heard one of them shout something. She thought that they had detected her at first. She relaxed when she realized it was actually directed at..whatever the heck that thing they were staring at. Darn her if she cared to remember what it was called.
She was able to slip into the next tunnel without attracting attention. She made her way down this new tunnel, which was straighter and had a different scent than where she had started. She walked down. About half way, she froze as something entered her mind.
Didn’t the medicine givers mention something about having a way to watch others without being there? The thought shook her. This meant the medicine givers would know that she left her duty. She clenched her teeth, wondering how she was going to handle that. Oh well, she supposed she could worry about it when the time came. For now, she had a mission to complete.
She followed the faint trail she recognized as Snap. Some other smells as well. At least one annoyed, and one a bit angrier. Those scents weren’t that important. She focused on Snap’s, who had an anxious, terrified smell to it, having an almost sweet scent wafering off the edge. She could also detect, faintly, that odd, permeating smell she detected in his room. The trail was pretty clear for her. She could almost see it, a line of pale blue moving down the tunnel, straight into another of those door things.
Unlike before, this was open. A crack, but still enough that she would push her tail in and pull it open. She slipped inside slowly. She winced as her claws clanged against the ground. She paused and listened, making sure that no one was following her. When she was able to assure herself that no one heard her, she continued in.
The room was a bit large. Not as much as other rooms she had seen. It was long and rectangular in shape. She could see a machine in the middle. It appeared to be segmented and round, almost like a giant steel caterpillar, except with no legs and sort of split open, allowing access inside.
She approached it slowly, eyeing it warily. She had never been this close to the machine before. She had no idea if it was turned on..or whatever it was called. She crept closer, her body low to the ground. She reached out with her paw and pushed against it quickly, then backed off. She kept her eyes on the machine, waiting for some kind of movement. When nothing came, she relaxed a little. This machine was not alive for the time being. She was safe, so she could explore it a bit without worry.
Mosaic climbed up onto a platform that jetted out of the machine. She stood carefully, not wanting to slip and fall down. She stared down at her feet, having been forced to keep them in a sort of straight line. She moved forward a little and poked her head inside the machine.
It was rather hollow. It was almost like a bizarre version of a dug out tunnel she had seen before, only this was crazily smooth and indented. The parts appeared to be moveable to some extent. She walked in a little further, soon stopping when she realized that her body would not carry her much further into the machine. She could feel her sides pressing up against the walls. She did not want to get herself stuck, so she stopped walking.
She turned her head from side to side. She could not make out too many details here. She was not surprised. The sense of sight was often weak, and she pitied the foolish species that relied too much on it. She lifted up her head and resorted to a much more reliable and precise sense: smell.
She could immediately detect the cold, almost damp scent of the machine. A bizarre and unique smell she usually noticed only one machines. She had to sniff a couple of times before she could detect Snap’s smell.
For the most part, he seemed much more relaxed here than he was in the hallway. A couple more whiffs, and she was able to reveal to herself that Snap, at least at one point, was nervous or apprehensive about something. His mood had clearly changed, but why? She stretched her head furher in, struggling to smell some more.
There... It was there.
Faint. Lingering. Still detectable.
That odd smell from before.
Still lingering, still permeating.
Mosaic was a little surprised with just how strong this smell was, how long it was able to last. Snap hadn’t been in here for a while, and yet the smell was still strong, clinging to the machine almost like an infant to its mother.
And there was another smell here, too. This one was a lot harder for herself to describe. It wasn’t quite as lingering as the first smell, but it was still pretty strong. It only lasted in a short area of air, suggesting that it was a short-lived smell. It had a unique scent to it, very different from anything she smelled before. It was so confusing...what was this?
She pulled herself out of the machine and sat on the hard, flat ground for a few moments, staring at the machine. She tried to make sense of what was going on here.
This smell... What was it? It was just as difficult for her to identify as the smell she recognized on Snap. It was not an emotional scent, or anything determining health. It wasn’t a chemical smell either. Yet...it almost seemed...familiar... She took a few more whiffs, her nostrils flaring, and she suddenly realized what it reminded her of.
She had spent some time outside, wandering around. She usually just went for short walks, accompanied by a medicine giver. They probably thought they would get lost or something.
The walks were largely uneventful, and just a way for her to stretch her legs. One day, she and the medicine giver came by someone who was hurt. They helped them in and, just like with Snap, she had been assigned to watch this zoner. They had given off a smell, which she had later recognized as healing.
But wait...? Healing...? Was that what she was smelling?
No, this seemed wrong. She never got worked up over the smell of healing of that one patient, or any other she had detected before. But this smell, the scent of healing, it seemed almost...tainted. It had an off-putting edge to its smell. Something about it pointed to danger.
But how could healing be dangerous? Was it actually something else? But then..how could Snap have a permeating smell that was close to healing? Why did the machine have this?
It would seem her mission just got a bit more complicated and confusing, as if things weren’t difficult enough. Now she had to figure out just what was so dangerous about healing, and if that was even what she was smelling at all. She could be mistaken. She could have smelled wrong. But it would require further searching.
She turned her head towards the clear wall, which the medicine givers called a window. She narrowed her eyes slightly as she stared at it. She had to wonder... could this help her out?
She noticed that someone could be standing there, looking on the inside, and likely not get noticed by anyone here. Maybe if she went outside and looked there, she could detect something out there that might help her. She wondered if it was possible that someone was standing out there. She had a good idea of who it might be if that were the case.
It took the croc zoner sometime to get out of the building. Navigating her way out was not as easy as simply going from one building to the next. So far, none of the medicine givers attempted to stop her. They allowed her to go about her business, too busy with their own. If any of them spotted her on their far away lookers, they didn’t bother trying to force her back to Snap’s room.
Now that she was outside, she took in a deep breathe. She could detect the metallic smells of the city all around her, intermixed with some smog, and the intermingling scents of different zoners, mostly humanoid ones. She could tell that a lot of zoners were here. Even if she didn’t hear them chanting Snap’s death a while ago, she could simply smell them, and know they were here, and know that they were angry. The stench of anger and rage was strong here. She snorted. She hoped that this, along with the smells of the thing they called a city weren’t going to disrupt her.
She walked over to where she knew that clear wall was. She moved slowly, her feet touching the small patch of soft grass. She looked intently at the window. When she got close enough, she could tell that, whoever stood here, could easily see inside. And due to how the machine was structured, they could probably also tell if Snap had been stuck up inside it.
The realization sent a chill down her spine. She was unable to completely push back the feeling of dread. The possibility of someone standing here watching... Could it be linked somehow?
That was when she detected it. A strong odor that she previously did not detect before due to the other smells. It was hovering around here, lingering in the air as if it had nowhere to go. Her eyes widened as she recognized the smell.
It was that same healing-like smell she detected earlier. Only this time, it was more clear, as if this had been the origin. It swirled around, as if it was being pulled back and forth. She did not understand how a smell could behave in that manner. This peculiarity only served to increase her anxiety of the situation.
Another sniff. She froze. What was this? Another smell? Familiar smell. She could have sworn she...
Sandra.
She immediately bared her teeth in reflex, snarling at the ground where she detected the two-leggers scent. Sandra’s stench was all over here. It intermixed perfectly with the healing smell. Not only that, but Sandra’s smell gave away a distinct determination edge. This had been deliberate. There was no other explanation.
The croc zoner’s mind raced as she began to piece together what had happened.
Sandra had been the culprit this whole time. She was the one who set off the flames that killed so many zoners. She was the one who framed Snap. She was the one who ensured that Snap would recall none of it. She..put something in Snap to make him forget. And then she had been waiting outside this clear wall, and whenever the medicine givers tried to see his brain, she would ensure they found nothing.
She looked left and right, allowing this information to sink into her head. Sandra had been tricking them. Snap and his friends, and surely everyone else. Her apprehension towards her had a legitimate cause, but who would believe her? Sandra would convince them that she was nothing more than an unthinking, unfeeling zoner. The thought made her growl.
She would need to figure something out. She remembered that those non-chalkies, Snap’s pals, they would come in soon. Rudy, Penny, and Mint, she believed. If she could somehow give them the message... Would they listen? They might. They all seemed willing to listen, especially if it concerned Snap.
Mosaic wasn’t sure yet how she would tell them anything, since she does not know written language now can she speak. She would have to figure out something quickly. She had no idea how long it would be before Sandra would make her next move.
She lifted her head up, staring back towards the entrance of the cave they call a hospital. She should be getting back to Snap. He might be waking up soon. She had been gone a while, or so she believed. Best to get back in there and make sure he wasn’t hurting himself. Taking the moment to survey her surroundings, trying to see if Sandra happened to be watching close by, she made her way back into the building.
The crocodile zoner made her way through the building. For some reason, it did not seem to be as difficult for her making her way back up as it was to come back down. The medicine givers didn’t seem to populate the hallways as much this time. Or perhaps that was just a malfunction on her brain’s part. She ignored it and continued on.
It didn’t take her too long to find the jetted area. The...stairs...was they called it. She went up them, taking care not to allow her tail to get banged up. She hated these stupid things. She could see why the two-leggers weren’t bothered by it. They usually didn’t have long tails, and if they did, they could raise them up high quite well. But with her, that isn’t possible. Her tail is just too thick and heavy for her to keep straight up into the air. Oh well, she’ll have to make do.
She was glad when she reached the top. She was tired of climbing up those steps already, despite having only been walking for less than a minute. She shook herself and she headed back towards where she knew Snap’s room would be.
As she walked over, she began to think about Sandra. When she realized that Sandra was the one who had been doing this, she began to wonder if that tug in the back of her mind was related to her. Was Sandra responsible for something that happened earlier? She couldn’t help but wonder if she and Snap had an encounter with Sandra, but their minds were messed with to keep them from talking. Well Snap from talking anyway.
Perhaps she was just being paranoid. But her discovery today has given her even more of a reason to be skeptical of Sandra. She had no doubt in her mind that Sandra had done something to them. She was determined to find out.
Suddenly, as she was deep in her thoughts, she heard a loud scream. She nearly jumped back, tumbling over her feet. She raised her head, replaying the scream in her mind. That was Snap. It sounded like he was in pain. Mosaic bolted.
When she arrived in the room, her eyes widened at what she was seeing. A sight that she had become familiar with, yet still shocked her each time she saw it.
Snap had woken up, and he had attempted to walk again. He was on the ground, a look of pure anguish stretched across his face. It was clear that Snap was in too much pain to move. His body shook, and he lifted up his head, staring right towards her. There was no recognition in those eyes, making Mosaic lower her head a bit. More of Sandra’s dirty work, she knew.
Despite knowing how dangerous a frightened person can be, Mosaic remained calm and relaxed. She knew that if she acted nervous or hostile, that aura would reflect on the zoner, and she would only make things worse. She had to show him she was not a killer, nor did she plan on preying on him. She kept a neutral posture and walked slowly towards him. She kept her gaze averted. A strong gaze in a time like this could be disasterous. She did not want to trigger Snap’s instincts to fight back.
Mosaic soon reached Snap. He let out a cry of fear and tried to scramble back. He winced as he hit one of his burned legs in the process. Mosaic kept her eyes soft, her pupils relaxed. She moved in as close as she could, trying to keep up with Snap. She brushed her long snout against his face, careful not to hurt him with her teeth.
A silent way of telling him she was not going to hurt him.
Snap appeared to get the message. As he realized, slowly, that she had no intention on harming him, he began to relax. Mosaic could smell his anxiety start to go away a little. Snap’s breathing became more under control, and he reached up and touched her on her head. Though Mosaic liked it, she needed to take action first.
Mosaic pushed her snout underneath Snap’s body, helping him crawl onto her back. She waited until he was completely on her before she climbed into the bed. She shifted herself, letting Snap slide off of her. Snap now laid down on his side. She turned her body around and used her snout to push him so he was on his back. Makes it easier for him to breathe. She then grabbed the blanket with her teeth and pulled it over Snap’s body.
Snap looked up at her. He did not speak. He made no sound. He just looked at her. She recogized that expression shining in his eyes. He was grateful, like he always was whenever she helped him back into bed.
She heard the sound of footsteps. She shifted her head, looking over as she detected shadows moving on the ground. Someone was coming. She took in a few sniffs, detecting the scents. When she realized that it was not Sandra, she relaxed herself.
One of the medicine givers arrived in the room. One of the females. Her scent gave her gender away. The medicine giver stayed in the doorway, looking at the scene. She had a tired expression on her face, likely due to working so hard.
“Oh...you got it.” Even her voice sounded tired and weak. “Good.”
With that, the medicine giver walked away, leaving Mosaic alone with Snap. She watched as she left. She gave the medicine giver no second thoughts as she turned and laid down next to Snap. She curled up beside him, pressing her body close, wanting to keep him calm so his racing heart did not complicate things.
She did not need to look over to know that Snap was settling back into sleep once more. She could hear his heart rate slowing down. She could feel his breaths returning to normal. She could no longer scent any tension or anxiety on him. Satisfied that he had calmed down and was going back to sleep, Mosaic rested her head, pressing the side of her snout against Snap’s body as she attempted to relax herself.
She wasn’t sure if she could relax, though. She was too shaken up by what she had discovered. Her mind swirled with thoughts relating to those smells she had detected. None of the medicine zoners noticed due to their noses being too weak. How would they ever figure it out if she couldn’t outright tell them?
What of Sandra? What was she going to do if she found out that she knew the truth? She had her doubts that Sandra would just let it go that easily. Sandra might figure out what she knew and go from there. Unlike the medicine givers, well most of them that is, Sandra likely had a pretty good sense of smell. That meant that she may detect if she was upset about something. And if she came into the room, Mosaic knew she couldn’t control her instincts that well. The fear and dread of what she might do would prompt her to go into defensive mode. She would give herself away.
Her best chance was if she figured out a way to tell Rudy, Penny, and Mint whenever they would come to visit their friend. She had no idea when they would arrive, however. Soon, but she did not have as strong a concept of time as these other zoners appeared to. To her, there was no strong distinction between a minute, an hour, and such forth.
She would just have to be patient and wait for them. She would figure out some way to communicate with them. It was important that she came up with a way that they would understand. Doing so would be difficult, but she knew it was possible. Language barriers weren’t always so impossible to cross.
She could think more about this after some sleep, though. She was still mentally exhausted from her discoveries. Sometimes sleeping helped her head to clear, enabling her to think better after she woke up. Yes, sleep would do her wonders. After she woke up, she could continue to think about something to help her tell Rudy and his friends what was going on. Perhaps something would hit her in her dreams.
Slowly, she closed her eyes and went to sleep.
sss
“Gawd dammit!” Taima snarled. The stick figure zoner curled his fingers into fists, shaking them. “It just isn’t fair!”
Taima tensed up his leg muscles. He lifted it off the ground. With rage powering through his body, he focused it on the object in front of him. The only thing he could take his anger out on. A small rock just laying in the middle of his cell. He watched it clang across the ground as he seethed.
But the real target of his rage was not that stupid rock, nor any of the inmates he could hear all around him, some having been from the mob he had been a part of. No, the real target was that wretched Snap.
He still couldn’t believe that the cops hadn’t arrested him. He couldn’t believe that he and the others were the ones who went to jail instead. That was just...backwards and completely unfair. They weren’t the ones who murdered many a zoner. They weren’t the ones who had lied and decieved everyone just to get out of jail.
It had been Snap. Now that fiend was relaxing in his bed in the hospital while they all rotted and suffered. He bet the little runt was enjoying it, too. He was probably sitting there, praising himself for a job well done. The thought filled him with burning rage.
Somehow, someway, Snap had to get what was coming to him. Taima didn’t care how. He wanted to see that rotten little bastard in jail. He wanted to see him pay for his cries. He wanted closure for his sister. He wanted Galena to be avenged.
He could only imagine what her final moments were like... He sniffled, tears forming in his eyes. He couldn’t begin to imagine the amount of pain she suffered when Snap set off the bombs. And to know that beast, the one who stole his sister from him, who deprived others of their loved ones, was basically free, just sitting around in some hospital... It made him realize just how cruel life can be.
Well that was going to change soon. Taima didn’t know how, but a part of him held onto the believe that justice would come crawling to Snap. He was certain that someone would see through Snap’s lies, and throw the fucker in jail where he belonged.
He hoped that Snap would be his new cellmate. He wanted that bastard in here with him. He was taller and stronger than Snap, and without his precious weapons, the little runt stood no chance. He would teach Snap a lesson he would never forget.
Taima slammed his fists together in emphasize. Oh yes, he would make sure Snap never thought of hurting anyone ever again.
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