It Started With A... Vase?

Suspicion

Shadow stood in disbelief.

"What's wrong?" the police asked.

Instead of telling the story, since he knew he'd be locked away immediately, Shadow said, "It's... just shocking how much was taken."

"Agreed. Can you trace any of the robberies to anyone?"

Shaking on the inside, Shadow answered, "Not yet. I may need to sleep on it."

"That's fine. We'll give you a ride home."

~A Bit Later~

"If I have any ideas, I'll contact you!" Shadow said from his doorway.

Finally, the police left.

Breathing heavily from anxiety, Shadow dashed in the house and shut the door. Immediately, he sped through the house, locking every window and door leading to the outside.

Either someone was breaking into his house, or someone was looking in through a window or something. Either way, it made Shadow very uncomfortable to know that he owned many of the stolen items.

He took another look at the list. Slowly, he looked through things stolen and walked to where they were in his house.

...

He ended up in his living room. Shadow looked again to confirm it. Indeed, everything that was stolen was something or similar to that he had in his own living room.

Was someone trying to replicate his house? Frame him and get him arrested? Both?

Whoever this thief was couldn't be some ordinary homeless person. It just doesn't make sense. Why would anyone do this?

It was going to be night soon. Shadow felt uncomfortable sleeping in his house, so he decided to call Sonic and ask if he could stay the night at his house instead.

"Sure!" Sonic had said happily.

~Much Later~

Shadow was laying on Sonic's couch, thinking about the robberies.

He looked at the list again. He went through everything on the list. Almost everything in his living room had a missing twin on the list. All except for...

"My vase." Shadow said to himself.

The only significant item he had that wasn't on the list was a special vase he had next to his couch. It was one of his most prized possessions, as inside of the large lidded vase was something Shadow would go insane for if it were lost or stolen.

If this thief was only going after stores that held the things in his house, then he just had to remember what store he'd gotten the vase from. He quickly formed a plan, smiling when he was happy with it.

Feeling triumphant with himself, Shadow went to sleep.

The vase!

The dark hedgehog in his cave woke with a start. He'd finally remembered another important piece of furniture, the last one.

A single, large, lidded vase.

That was all he needed. He needed to find another like it. Once he did, he'd be complete. Just one vase away from his model home.

First thing when night fell the next day, he'd search for it.

It still hurt to think that even if he finds the vase, he still wouldn't have the home he truly wanted. It might look like it, but it would never feel like it. He didn't want the house. He wanted the one living in it.

It hurt so badly.

"I'm going to find that vase." he said to himself.