The Hedgehunter: A TAWOG Fanfic

Chapter 6: Burning Green Eyes

"Good morning, people of Elmore. We're coming at you right out the gates with a shocking report." Michael Hills of Channel 6 News spoke firmly and clearly to the camera. He stood outside of Elmore Junior High as a number of firetrucks were parked outside, firefighters talking amongst themselves as curious onlookers surveyed the damage from beyond the yellow caution tape that had been set up to keep them away. The morning sky above was a light, cloudy gray. The remnants of last night's storm had yet to move on. "I'm currently standing outside of Elmore Junior High, in the aftermath of a mysterious fire that broke out following reports of a break-in and commotion that occurred late last night."

It cut to several clips from surveillance teams and cleanup workers inside the school, showing charred hallways and ceilings, along with images of massive scrapes and scratches along the lockers, walls, and floor. "Though the initial hypothesis was that the damage was done by mischievous adolescents, new evidence shows that they may have been pursued through the school by an unknown assailant. However, at this time, we do not have any names or faces. For the time being, Elmore Junior High is closed until repairs can be made."

It cut back to Michael as he continued with his report. "However, that is not the only event to occur last night. After the police detained suspects believed to be involved in the crime, a mysterious felon reportedly broke into the Elmore Police Station, laying waste to several law enforcement officers. Once again, we do not have any information either on the suspects, or whoever was responsible for the attack." He spoke as stock images of chopped-up hotdog, a spilled coffee cup, contents of a burger, and stray french fries flashed on screen. "We're now gonna go live to an interview with the chief of Elmore police as he gives his account of the assailant."

It then cut to footage from Donut Cop, sitting in a hospital bed as he gave his description of his attacker. His two halves were bonded back together with duct tape and glue.

"Yeah, I didn't get a good look at him, but he was about yay-big...about yay-wide..." He said, making the appropriate gestures with his hands to give an idea of the figure's size. "He was about, uh...about yay-tall at the shoulder..."

It cut back to Mike, who stared ahead at the camera for a few seconds before he spoke again. "What...what is 'yay-big' supposed to mean?" He asked. "Like, why do people describe stuff like that? What does it mean? Does anyone know? Anyone?"

Watching the news report on a TV monitor from inside one of many Joyful Burgers across Elmore were Gumball, Darwin, and Carrie, hunkering together in a booth as they listened in on the report. They were all weathered, tired, and downright miserable. The consolation that they had gotten all the information they could from the DVD was the only thing they had going for them.

"Ugh, what now?" Gumball mourned. "Going back home is suicide, the police are no help...what do we do?"

Carrie let out a regretful sigh, face buried in her notes from last night's escapade. "I don't know..." She admitted, closing the notebook. "I was hoping the footage would give us more to work with."

"So what now?" Darwin spoke up. "What's the move here? Do we just gotta keep running?"

"Until we can figure something else out, yeah." Carrie remarked as she stuck her notebook back in the sack. "We gotta just lay low."

Gumball let out a despondent huff and closed his eyes. Under any other circumstance, he would've thought a situation like this was utter nonsense. But not now. He had seen the Hedgehunter firsthand. They all had. There was no turning back now. "Then we gotta go off the grid." He spoke.