Issue 2: The Return

## The Return

**The Return** is the second issue within *The Murder of Me* comic series created by Gigi Dutreix and serves as the start of the story. It was first published in March 27 2012, and reached completion March 17 2013. It proceeds **Issue #1: The Sands of Time** and proceeding Issue #2 is **Issue #3: Shadow**.

### Plot:

Set in the year 3.237, **Bernadette the Hedgehog** steals away a necklace that belongs to a sinister creature. Little does she know that one choice would lead to the death of millions by the creature's hand. Elsewhere, **Sonic the Hedgehog** returns to Tin-Can after 5 years of forced labor, but will everyone welcome him back?

## Summary

We open the story to 3.237 (approx. two-thousands of years into the future; this year is changed according to issue 4) to Bernadette the Hedgehog. She is fleeing after having just stolen an important artifact from the dark god who is following her. She is furious at the god and had taken the artifact as payback for what he stolen from her. The dark god then gives her a warning shot, wounding her arm and giving her a chance to surrender what is his, or tempt fate by escaping and risk unforeseen consequences. Bernie flees, making her decision. It is here that Zielo refers to her as a "spark that started a storm of flames."

Meanwhile, we see a chipper Sonic the Hedgehog making his way back to his hometown of Tin-Can after being in human enslavement for 5 years. He has had no contact with his friends, family, or the outside world for that amount of time, leading to many changes in the town.

The first place he opts to visit is Tails' Workshop, where he reunites with his ex-best friend, Miles "Tails" Prower. Tails accuses Sonic of abandoning him, his friends, and family for 5 years, and refuses to tell him where his mother is. Sonic tries to tell him the truth, but Tails kicks him out of his workshop before he can explain. Sonic doesn't want to make his day any worse and leaves, leaving an emotionally conflicted Tails in tears.

Sonic then heads to Vicky's Secret, hoping to find his mother but instead runs into Amy Rose, the owner of the store. At first just as furious as Tails at Sonic for having been gone for so long. Sonic tries to ask where his mom is, but Amy refuses to tell him. He says that the way Amy is speaking to him isn't how he remembered her being 5 years ago, asking where the Amy he knew and ~~loved~~ was. He tries to correct himself, but that offhand comment makes her blush and tell him where he can find his mother. She says that she last saw Bernie down by the creek taking a swim.

Just outside of Tin-Can, Sonic wondering how he can mend the friendships he lost with Tails and Amy. As he walks down to the creek, he sees a wildfire in the distance. As he's about to go investigate, his mother steps out of the water and they reunite. Bernie is relieved to see that he's alive and Sonic explains the reason why he was gone: he was kept against his will as a prisoner in the human government for 5 years. Bernie begins to feel an intense headache, which the dark god is causing. Seeing through her eyes, he spots Sonic, one of the Sons of Heephis. He begins to make Bernie feel worse, attempting to harvest her soul. Bernie gives Sonic the artifact and tells him to keep it from him. Bernie is then teleported to the dark god's dimension, leaving a completely bewildered and confused Sonic there. Fearing abandonment and loneliness again, Sonic begins to call out his mother. As he calls out for his mom, he hears the sound of someone running, which is revealed to be Knuckles. Sonic hopes that his mom will be alright and opts to follow him. As he leaves the area, the ground he and his mother were once standing on begins to fall apart, leading to an explosion of lava and fire.

Sonic asks why Knuckles is in such a hurry, to which Knuckles exclaims that he needs to warn the townspeople that the Master Emerald is cracking. Chaos energy itself is in turmoil from the Master Emerald breaking, which is causing spontaneous eruptions. The entirety of Angel Island and the world that chaos energy makes up that they inhabit is essentially dying. Fearing that his friends and family (mainly Amy) will be killed, Sonic and Knuckles quickly create a plan to try and evacuate the people of Tin-Can to a nearby hill, hoping to save them from certain death. As they race through the quickly eroding town, Sonic rescues a mobian rabbit who is thankful for his timing as she would've been killed if he was a moment too late.

On the hill, we see that some survivors have made it except for Amy. Sonic rushes back to town to save her. Unbeknownst to him, she is trapped under the rubble of her store, her legs crushed. She calls out for Sonic as she passes out.

Meanwhile, we cut to an unknown location. We see various cyan eyed creatures with marks on their hands surrounding the dark god himself. One is at his feet begging for forgiveness after failing to retrieve the energy controller from Bernie. He also says that the destruction of the Master Emerald has begun, hoping to retrieve the other two energy controllers for his master, and hopes that he will still find a use for him. The god coldly ignores his begging and turns the creature to ash, killing him instantly. The lord says that he tires of the constant failures that his followers hand him and he expects them to act as his perfect slaves. The camera pans to Bernie who is glaring at the deity, who is taunting her. He then proclaims that he believes her spark has burned for long enough and takes a piece of her soul, leaving her in the exact same state as the other creatures. The god says he expects nothing more than perfection from his followers: his Soulless. The issue ends with the god's followers praising him and shouting, *"All hail to you, my lord!"*

## Trivia

* Sonic was the narrator for issue 2. This was retconned by Gigi in exchange for a third person omniscient perspective following issue 3 forwards.
* Bernie has been affectionately nicknamed "Bernie god puncher" for the scene where she punches Zielo.
* Halfway through the issue, the art style changes. This is due to Gigi adding additional scenes after issue 2's completion.