31 Days of Sonic Prompt 20: Nature.

Seeds in the Breeze

Admittedly, Vector didn't know much about flowers. He knew the most common types like roses and daisies. He understood how they needed water, sunlight, and good soil to survive. Photosynthesis and pollination were some of the subjects he researched for cases. And he even kept a few succulents and potted plants on the windowsill, making the detective agency appear more welcoming to potential clients.

But when he opened the front door to start a new day, he discovered something odd. Blooming through the cracks of the wooden front steps were dandelions. He didn't know when or how they sprouted, but they irked him. It created an air of cheapness, such as the Chaotix being unable to tend to their home, nonetheless a case.

Crouching low, Vector pinched the first of four dandelions. He tugged at it, but it wouldn't budge. Confused, Vector hopped off the steps and squatted, peering into the visible foundation of the building. An unkempt bed of grass was nothing of concern, but to his surprise, the dandelion stems weaved around each other, creating a tight knot at their bases in the dirt.

Guess I'll yank 'em all up at once, he thought, but as he reached for the clump, a gasp hit his ears.

"Oh, awesome! They finally grew!" Charmy exclaimed, flipping in the air.

Vector rolled his eyes. And that explains the weeds.

Charmy landed on the top step and gathered the closest dandelion. He carefully cupped it between his hands, treating it with rare consideration. He sniffed it and broke into a grin, giggling to himself while going back for a second smell.

Vector scratched his head. He didn't know what to make of the bee's actions. Charmy loved flowers, but Vector had never witnessed Charmy's interest in weeds. When the Chaotix visited a local botanist's shop to investigate her missing Chao, Charmy was more invested in the many pretty plants on display instead of searching through the nooks and crannies of the cramped store.

But dandelions were weeds. They shared a similar appearance, but they deviated tremendously from flowers. To Vector's knowledge, they didn't bloom nor spruce up the agency. They were nothing but a nuisance and needed to be removed.

Vector decided to handle the situation quietly. "Charmy, you know that's going through the steps, right?"

Leaning away from the dandelions, Charmy beamed. "I sure do! Don't they look awesome? They're super yellow like me!"

Vector crossed his arms and rose to his full height. Leaning on the railing, he gestured at the dandelions. "Oh, yeah? I guess they do, but Charmy, you know we gotta keep the agency looking presentable. Those gotta go."

Charmy scoffed and flew up, meeting Vector with a glare. "Hey! Are you calling these dandelions ugly?" he demanded, crossing his arms.

"What? That's not what I said."

"But it's what you meant!" Charmy smirked and wiggled his legs to the side. "A good detective knows to listen for underlying meanings, and you just tried to say these dandelions were ugly 'cause they weren't presentable for the office." He flipped in the air, grinning, his delight palpable. "Am I right, Vector? Huh? Huh? Huh?"

Vector paused. Charmy's argument was sound. The bee cut to the heart of Vector's assertion, and a hint of pride swelled in him. It seemed Charmy had taken Vector's lessons on how to see through statements more seriously than he assumed. (After all, during that lecture, Charmy had fallen asleep no less than five times.)

He couldn't help but ruffle the kid's helmet. As Charmy chucked, he said. "Atta boy. That's how a real detective listens."

But as quickly as Charmy's joy came, it faded just as suddenly. He frowned and nudged Vector's hand off, remarking, "But you still don't like the dandelions."

"I'm more surprised you like them," Vector countered, and Charmy pointed at himself. "Yeah, you. You're a bee, Charmy, and bees only like flowers. Those are overgrown weeds and make the place look bad."

"No way!" Charmy zipped down to the dandelions. He knelt by the one on the top step, gesturing for Vector to come closer. "If you gave it a chance, you'd like it. C'mon, Vector, smell it!"

Vector ignored the temptation to roll his eyes again. It was a weed, not a flower, and it didn't have a pleasing scent. Glancing at the brightly colored dandelion, with its hue almost neon, agitated Vector to the point where he simply shook his head.

But Charmy insisted. He growled from the back of his throat and pointed at the dandelion as if expecting Vector's compliance. And he was right, as Vector hardly wanted to argue with Charmy in the early morning hours, so he bent low and quickly sniffed.

His eyes widened. There was a satisfying scent. It reminded him of lemons, a bitter and sweet aroma unlike the perfumes of average flowers. Peering over at Charmy, he admitted his surprise, and Charmy pumped his fists up, uttering a short cheer.

"See? I told ya! Dandelions are nice," he jeered, sticking out his tongue.

Vector raised his hands. "Okay, okay. You made a good point, but it's still a weed. It's-"

"Tut-tut!" Charmy jabbed his finger in the air. "Sure, it's classified as a weed, but they're still kind of like flowers!"

Smothering his agitation, Vector gently said, "Kind of doesn't mean they are, Charmy."

Charmy didn't wait for an answer. He flew around Vector, shouting for him to follow. When he rounded the corner of the agency, Vector groaned and dragged his hand down his snout. Arguing with Charmy was like communicating with a brick wall, and he was losing.

Still, he followed. He dragged himself to the back of the business. But Charmy wasn't in sight or the empty backyard. Befuddled, Vector called out for him, and as if on cue, Charmy popped out from underneath the agency, dirt clinging to his jacket, shocking the crocodile.

"Whoa! Don't squeeze under there again, Charmy! You could get squished or stuck!" Vector exclaimed, hand over his chest. "Oh, or that stinger is gonna cut through something and bring the house down."

Charmy didn't answer. Instead, he held up his hands, holding a bouquet of dandelions. Snow white seeds replaced the yellow petals. The breeze picked up, blowing them off. They whirled around them, falling to the ground while others soared with the wind.

Vector looked between the junior detective and the seeds that wafted above their heads like parachutes. Charmy blew as hard as he could, pushing ones that came too close back into the air. He was having the time of his life, spinning around and shaking the stems, scattering the leftover seeds.

Vector didn't have the heart to tell him otherwise. A smile slipped onto his snout. Who was he to deny Charmy's harmless fun? The dandelions weren't an eyesore to anyone. It was the folks who couldn't appreciate them who were the problem, and even if they slipped through the cracks in the doorsteps, it was still acceptable, for they made Charmy happy to see them every morning.

"You proved your case today, Charmy," Vector admitted, catching stray seeds in his palm. With a quick blow, he sent them skyward. "They are pretty nice."

"Yahoo! I told ya!" he chirped, and he blew the rest of the seeds, grinning along with Vector as they twirled in the air.