He'd been scratching for the whole evening. It had come on suddenly, and he knew what the problem was: he had fleas. Even apart from the itching, he didn't like this fact one bit. It didn't fit his slick image. It wasn't cool. He had to do something about this, and before the others got to know.
Another flea bit and he scratched at the small of his back with another resentful purr, then huffed. He checked his watch. Only another 2 minutes, he noted tetchily. The plan was simple: get into Robotropolis, raid the store room - where commercial goods had been confiscated after the coup, including bottles of flea treatment - and go home. No-one would be any the wiser.
He looked at his watch again. He'd stayed long enough; Bunnie would be here soon. He hurried down the ladder and sped off in the direction of the city before she came.
xXx
"Sugarhog! Ah'm here!" Bunnie called cheerily as she climbed the last two rungs. She looked around, expecting to see Sonic. But he wasn't there. Strange, she thought, and descended again. Although the FFs sometimes left the sentry post before the next shift, there was something strange about Sonic's absence.
She walked to his hut and knocked on the door. No reply. Where is that ol' hedgehog? she wondered. Just to be on the safe side, she walked past Sally's hut.
Bunnie knocked on Sally's door and listened as the princess approached. She opened the door.
"Bunnie!" she said. "What's wrong?"
"Sonic was already gone when I went for sentry duty," Bunnie explained. "Y'all know where he is, Sally-girl?"
"No." Sally looked worried. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah-huh," the rabbit confirmed. Sally looked more worried.
"Get the others," Sally instructed her.
"Ah'm on it."
xXx
Meanwhile, Sonic was already in the heart of the city. He hid behind a stack of barrels; the store-room was within sight. A Workerbot marched past. Okay, he thought to himself, Get into the store room and- A flea bit him. "Arrgghh!" he cried, as much out of frustration as discomfort. Then he realised his mistake, but he was helpless - he had to scratch first.
Something clamped around his wrist. He looked up: the robot had him. Oh, man! He thought, This is not cool!
xXx
Sonic stood in a space empty but for the robots that held each of his arms. He was trapped. He glared at the obese figure ahead of him.
"Well, well," Robotnik smoothed. "What brings you into my city so late, hedgehog?"
Sonic flinched again. Damn fleas! "None of your business!" he snapped.
Robotnik seemed short of patience tonight: he scowled and commanded his robots, "Take him to the prison cells." Then he leant closer and whispered, "Defy me while you can, hedgehog, for I roboticize you at dawn!"
xXx
The FFs stood inside the city walls. Sally handed them each a comm. unit.
"Bunnie: check the indoor areas, Antoine: go to the prison cells. Rotor and I will check the streets. Let us know if you find anything." The group nodded. "Okay... Go!"
And they went their separate ways.
xXx
Sonic sat on the bed in his cell, unable to believe what had happened. He convulsively scratched his leg and fumed with the injustice of it. Stupid fleas! Then his temper got the better of him and he marched to the bars.
"YOU WON'T GET ME, RO-BUTT-NIK!" he shouted.
"SONIC!"
"Antoine?" Sonic called, and scratched the back of his head. "How'd you get here?"
"Ze Princess-" he began, but Sonic shushed him.
"Look, Ant - Buttnik's gonna roboticize me at dawn. You gotta get me outta here!" Then he growled and scratched his back again. Antoine regarded him.
"Sonic? You 'ave fleas!" he said. Sonic felt suddenly embarrassed.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," he sulked.
Antoine stifled a laugh and tapped his comm. device.
xXx
"SONIC!" Sally called. Antoine had called her, and she'd called the others. She could hear Bunnie's footsteps behind her.
"SAL!" he called from ahead, near where Antoine was standing. She got to them and looked around to see Bunnie and Rotor catch up.
"What happened?" she asked, but before she could answer, the opposite door opened, and in walked Robotnik, flanked by two SWATbots.
"Ah, Princess!" the dictator greeted smoothly. "So nice of you to stop by. Catch them!" he commanded the robots, who broke into a run.
Sally turned to her friends. "Rotor - help Sonic! Bunnie, Antoine - come with me!"
The three animals worked together to hassle, buzz and distract Robotnik while Rotor freed Sonic. Sally tried not to look in Sonic's direction, in case Robotnik would see through her plan. At one point, Robotnik caught her wrist, only for his hand to be kicked away by Bunnie.
"Okay! I'm out!" Sonic called.
"LET'S GO!" Sally shouted in return and they all retreated. As they ran together, she noticed Sonic twitch and wondered what was wrong.
xXx
Antoine watched Sonic try not to flinch and fell back with him. Sonic looked angry.
"Sonic," he said quietly, "I 'ave somezing zat might 'elp."
xXx
That afternoon, back in Knothole and flea-free, Sonic felt better. He felt clean and untroubled. There was just one more thing to do: thank Sally for rescuing him. So he left to find her.
xXx
He found her by the river.
"Hey, Sal!" he called. She looked over.
"Hi," she answered. "Are you okay?"
"I am now," he said, and took her hands. "Thanks for helping me, Sal," he said tenderly and leaned in to kiss her. When he didn't feel her lips on his, he opened his eyes. She was goggling at him. "What?"
"You smell like Antoine!"
"HUH?" He was sure he'd washed all the garlic off! And Sally was laughing like she'd never stop.
"Oh, Sonic!" she giggled. "You had fleas, didn't you?"
"No!" he retaliated, but she knew. Sal always knew!
THE END.