31 Days of Sonic Prompt 11: Swap.

Highway Switcheroo

"C'mon, you beautiful bike! Start! Start already!"

Fang's frantic voice fought against the frenetic sputtering of the Marvelous Queen. A worrying electrical whirr replied every time Fang started the engine. He jabbed against the pedal, causing the ignition to groan, and Fang gnashed down on his teeth, the veins in his forehead more prominent than usual.

Bark rolled his eyes. It was another heist gone wrong. While they had infiltrated the Studiopolis Zone without much fanfare, it was where Fang parked that had all eyes on them. Using the High Class Hornet news van as coverage at Bean's suggestion was a mistake that had Fang smacking his forehead. Cameras were instantly on them, broadcasting their images throughout the entire city. It was only a matter of time before the robotic officers were on their tracks, and if the sirens in the distance didn't spell out disaster, Bark knew Fang's insufferable screaming did.

"All I did was turn you off! That's it!" he cried, twisting his key and jostling his air bike. "So, why, why, why won't you start?"

Sitting in the other sidecar, Bean yawned. He kicked up his legs, further agitating Fang. "Maybe it's time to ditch this hunk of junk and beat feet while we still can?"

Fang snatched Bean by his bandana. Dragging him closer, he snarled, "Ditch my gorgeous bike? Are you crazier than usual?"

"Haven't checked my lunacy levels today, so I can't be too sure about that," Bean replied with a halfhearted shrug.

Bark glanced over his shoulders, his ears twitching at the sirens. Red and blue lights flashed across the skyscrapers, which blended in with the flashing neon lights. Hitching his thumb over his shoulder alerted his leader to the commotion. He sighed as Fang released Bean, resuming his desperate struggles to restart the Marvelous Queen, and Bean huffed, fixing his loosened bandana.

"You should listen to me, but per the norm, my brilliant ideas go ignored," Bean remarked, sharing a glance with Bark.

"I did listen to you, and look at what happened, you moron!" Fang screeched and punched the handlebars.

But as if his words were a trigger, the Marvelous Queen roared to life. Fang gleefully cried out and crushed the pedal underfoot. They shot out just as the hum of the helicopters rushed toward them.

Bark shifted in his seat, the wind cutting through his fur. He held down his hat, fearing it would fly off when Fang took a sharp turn into the city that never slept. Bark saw flashes of violet. With how daringly quick Fang raced through Studiopolis, he hardly made out the signs and structures surrounding them. He caught glimpses of the mad doctor's face, but he was more preoccupied with the helicopters gaining on them despite Fang breaking through speed limit rules.

"Bomb mook! Blow 'em to smithereens already!" Fang ordered, swerving onto the highway.

Bean snapped to attention. He cackled and summoned a bomb out of thin air. Leaping up in his seat, Bark fearing he would fall out, Bean thrust it at the leader of the three helicopters following them. It exploded upon impact, casting a wild rush of smoke and metal to fill the air.

Bean pumped his fist, cheering, "Bullseye! Two more to-!"

Bean was cut off by the missiles fired from the other two helicopters. He hummed, blinking, and Fang shrieked at him to launch more bombs. Bean clicked his tongue, and Bark pinched the bridge of his nose, wondering why they couldn't have just stayed in Mirage Saloon Zone for the day.

"Well, I would, but I gotta do this artistically. See, guys, they're not lined up for me to-!"

Fang grabbed his shoulder and thrust him into the driver's seat. He coiled his tail and lurched into the sidecar, exclaiming he would blast them himself. Bark stared at Fang as if he had gone mad.

"Don't give me that look! Bomb mook, drive us outta here, and I'll shoot the bozos down! Scarf mook, you give that dimwitted woodpecker directions!" Fang ordered, and he steadied his pop gun.

As Fang fired corks at the missiles, the resulting explosions rocketing the very air, Bark huddled closer to Bean. He pointed straight ahead at a sign that led toward Mirage Saloon. But as the cars hurried out of their way and detonations sparked above them, Bean's uncanny silence more than perturbed Bark.

Bean met his gaze and offered a sheepish smile. "I don't know how to drive this thing."

Without hesitating, eyes bulging in his skull, Bark snatched the handlebars. He forced the bike to remain between the lines, Bean laughing and pressing buttons at random. Just as Bark gained control over the steering, Bean activated the downward spring, launching the bike into the air just as the last of Fang's corks connected with the remaining missile.

Fang and Bark caught eyes. He had never seen his boss appear so distraught in his entire life.

The inevitable explosion blasted them forward. Fang screamed, Bean laughed, and Bark crossed his arms as the trio of bandits flung through the air. The world was a flash of violet and smog before they crashed, somewhat safely, in an open, large trash bin in a dirty alleyway. Plastic bags ruptured around them, sending filthy debris scattering across them, and Bark grimaced, wrinkling his nose at the smell of rotten eggs.

Jerking upright, Fang wailed and flung a brown banana peel at the adjacent building. He groaned and wiped his mouth, eyes watering. "Ugh! I can still taste it! Doesn't that crazy doc have anyone cleaning up this joint?" he screeched, and spotting Bean's tail feathers wriggling, the poor bird trapped in the garbage, he jumped back in the filth to throttle him.

As Bark listened to them fight, he silently sighed and closed his eyes, sinking into the trash.

And after recalling that event, Bark found Amy gawking at him across the table.

"Wow," she breathed out, holding her teacup. "That was entirely reckless and astonishing."

He nodded, and he downed the rest of his peppermint tea. Amy had been kind enough to invite him over for a tea party, and he had spent the last few minutes retelling the bandits' latest blunder. At the very least, despite his embarrassment, it made for a good story.

"I'm just glad you're okay," Amy said, taking the teapot decorated in pink roses. She poured him another cup, and he nodded in thanks. Smiling, she added, "I guess that was also a learning experience for Fang."

He cracked a smile. Since that disaster, Fang forbade Bean from driving and spent extra care recharging his bike. Bean had also promised to obtain his driver's license, which neither believed, considering they were wanted fugitives, but Bark supposed the promise was agreeable.

And as Amy recounted her latest adventure with Sonic and Tails, Bark found it just as enjoyable as his tale of woe.