Westopolis Dystopia

An Unwanted Return

Shadow thought he knew a lot of things, his mind wanders constantly as he walks down the smoke filled streets of Westopolis. Yet no matter where he goes, it senses a heavy feeling down his spine.
He's never seen a calm day in his life and even less so in a world like this, recalling the days it all went down and the few months that came afterwards is rather difficult for him. All he knows is that he's painted as a threat, a misfit. The question to be asked is.. Does he even care?
No. No he doesn't.
Until... recently...


[JUNKYARD. OUTSKIRTS OF WESTOPOLIS. HOUSE OF THE WILTED ROSE]

"Guys, everyone! gather 'round. Pardon the rapid intrusion yet I hast important tidings that I gathered from when I was out and about!" Called out a green hedgehog in a hood with a cybernetic bow and arrows on his back as he quickly opened the door, setting down his weapons and pouch by the same door he came through.

"Huh? What's going on, cuz?" Spoke a pink hedgehog named Amy who had been sitting on the couch of the small home, cleaning her hammer.

"HEY! Pipe down, you don't have to scream about it!" Said a semi frustrated echidna named Knuckles who had been eating in the kitchen while listening to music.

"Oh calm down dear, what Rob has to say is probably better than your aspiring rap career." Those words came from a bat in heels named Rouge with very nice clothes and makeup who walked up to the echidna to just mock him.

The only quiet one of the crowd that were present in the room, was a black hedgehog, our lovely Shadow who was mentioned before, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, pointy claws and a long tail to accompany it. All it did was lift up his head and look in the direction in which the chatter and yelling came from. He was only there because the bat had forced it to tag along. Something about 'Not being an emo loner', whatever that means.

"I be sorry if my intrusion made ye all argue. I but doth say that this is actually revolutionary information I hast gathered and it'd be best if I could tall ye as soon as possible." Rob said as he adjusted his hood once he walked to the center of the living room.

"Eeh, don't be sorry. You know that this is a very normal and calm reaction from everyone" The pink hedgehog giggled a little after saying that. "Especially from Knuckles" She also pointed out as she made a small sign to the echidna in the kitchen. Causing him to push out his chair and stomp his way over to where the two hedgehogs were.
"I'm not deaf you know, you could have just told me to come over here and not be a dick about it" He complained as he looked over at the pink hedgehog who made the snarky comment prior, who's reaction to this was just to laugh a little.

As the pink hedgehog and the equidna bickered, the bat swooped in and sat on the couch with grace as she laid down slightly leaning against the arm rest of the couch with her legs crossed on the ground, one boot in the air as she got comfy.
"Settle down now you two, you've kept the poor boy waiting. If this is as dire as he says it is, then we probably should listen instead of picking on one another."

The equidna and the hedgehog looked at Rouge and nodded. The equidna lifting up to fingers and making the typical 'I have my eyes on you' signal to the hedgehog, who just rolled her eyes and sat beside Rouge.

"Thank you kindly m'lady. As I was trying to say ere. Wherein I was out and returning from mine time of stealing riches, I befell to hast overheard some talk towards the outskirts of the Empire's base..."

"Ooh this just got interesting, hmm~" Said the bat as she was listening to Rob speak.
"What the hell is he yappin' abo-" Interrupted the equidna before being bonked on the head by the pink hedgehog.

" 'Twere a couple of guards speaking about how there shall be some supposed changes 'i this land. I couldn't hark much details, yet I didst understand that there shall be some kind of alliance going on 'twixt the Empire and another group of not so pleasant people. Whom they are? I hast not a clue. Yet I doth wot that they are not from hither"

When the green hedgehog got done talking about what he saw, Shadow got up from leaning against the wall and walked over to where everyone was gathered around.
"Alliance? And no names?"

"Ah! Yes that is correct. And I be not allowed to up and ask 'em for further details."

"AN ALLIANCE? You have to be kiddin' me! Those dirtbags are up to no good and the situation has already been hard recently" Shouted the pink hedgehog as she wasn't pleased with this news.
"Calm down sugar, we can't do anythin' if you're all riled up". A sudden voice responded as a cyborg bunny wearing a cowgirl hat walked in. Everyone turned around upon hearing the lady speak.
"BUNNIE!" Amy cheered as she got up and hugged the person who just walked in.
"Hey hey, careful there little lady" replied the cyborg bunny as she hugged the pink hedgehog. She then patted her on the back and started walking to Rob.
"I couldn't help but overhear some of your conversation, so you know about this hidden alliance that's going on behind the scenes?"
Rob was caught off guard by the fact that Bunnie understood that so clearly, mostly because Bunnie never understands him, so she must know something. "Correct, I overheard a conversation today as I was fleeing the place where I got today's riches. We hast no names of whom the alliance is with though".

"Funny thing ya say that bucko... Because I actually heard that it may be the Black Arms alien race."
As soon as everyone heard those last words come out of Bunnie's mouth, everyone was left shocked but the one who was the most stunned by it was Shadow.
"You're telling me that.."
"Mhm. I ain't sugarcoatin' it one bit. Your species has returned to make our life even more of a livin' hell."
Shadow clenched it's fist after hearing Bunnie say that, as much as he wanted to just go and punch her in the face, he knew that it shouldn't because it would make the situation worse.
"Thank you for your brutal honesty and damned opinions, but I have nothing to do with them and I thought I had disposed of them."

Bunnie crossed her arms and tapped her robotic foot on the ground as she stood there staring at Shadow. "Well, if ya did then why are they back? Answer that."
The mood in the room started to sway as the conversation started to get heated. Everyone but Bunnie and Shadow were left sitting there in silence.
"I'll be real, I don't fucking know! I killed off their leader, they should be all dead and burning in the pits of hell, they can't function without a leader!" Shadow yelled as he raised his fist a little, his claws starting to tear his gloves slightly, other than anger, he felt something more profound in it's heart as he said that.
This is now when the bat got up and decided to intervene, walking up behind Shadow and resting her hands on his tense shoulders.
"Hey..." She said as she looked towards Bunnie. "Cut the bullcrap, I understand your frustration, I feel the same way, we all feel the same way, even Shadow. If he says he isn't on the side of the Black Arms, then he is not. Alright? We're not getting anywhere with stupid fights."

Bunnie put down her arms and sighed as she faced down, before looking back up at the bat and alien hedgehog. "Right, I apologize for gettin' myself carried away. I don't trust you, but that doesn't mean I get to be mean about it. It's just stressful."
Shadow just groaned and moved Rouge off of him before turning around and heading towards the door.
"Shadow-" Rouge said as she reached out for him after seeing it's sudden actions. Shadow just looked at Rouge and walked out the door, slamming it from behind. Bunny sighed and put her hands on her hips as she shook her head with disappointment. "What troublesome times. He's gonna throw an adult temper tantrum while we sit here and suffer knowin' that those aliens are gonna use us for food."
"That's enough Bunnie." Said Rouge as she turned back to look at the cyborg bunny. "If all you're going to do is stand there and be an adult bully, then I'm leaving too. If this is all true, I am better off spending my time preparing than having to teach you a lesson about bullying."
Bunnie looked up at Rouge with a face of annoyance as she watched her also walk out the door and then fly away.

Everyone else who was gathered around the living room was just sitting there blinking.
"Wow. That was something." Said the pink hedgehog as she pushed herself upwards on the couch. "Say.. How did you even get that information anyways?"
Bunnie turned to face Amy after hearing that, lifting a hand up with a finger out to poke her own cheek as she spoke. "Uhh... I know a few folks who gather information about the government's plans and stuff."
Rob, the hedgehog in the hood, who had been sitting there quietly for a while now took a minute to look at Bunnie and then back at Amy. He then lifted up a hand and spoke. "But dear cousin, lady Bunnie hath mentioned ere about these groups of people. I also associate with 'em from time to time, one of 'em is a lady by the name of Relic Lapis"
Amy sat there thinking for a moment before lifting up her head and answering. "Huh... Interesting."


[HIDDEN ALLEYWAY. WALLED ENTRANCE OF WESTOPOLIS.]

Once again, Shadow was left wandering the streets of the city, left alone with his thoughts that taunted him every minute and the heavy emotional pain falling down his spine.

"AAUUURGHH" A 'schkhrouching' noise was heard as the alien hedgehog scrapped his claws against metallic jugs in the alleyway, only to then kick said metallic jugs that were scratched.
He stood there, breathing so heavily you could see his chest moving and his eyes glow slightly, like an enraged monster. But he then calmed down and just stared at his dark reflection in the now banged up metal. Shadow lifted one of it's hands and face palmed himself as the hand moved down from his face.

"I have to get myself together...
Nobody can stop them but me....
But why are they back...? How... How are they back...?"

Shadow said to himself as he looked out from the entrance of the alleyway, looking up to see the huge building from afar that was the Empire's main building, where the leader of everything resided. "Whoever you are... I will find you. That's my mission."
And just like that, the alien hedgehog walked back into the alleyway, returning to the place in which he stays to plan out how it will proceed with the new objective he has in mind.