Tomato Red
Team Dark was on a mission. Their mission was to retrieve an emerald that had been located somewhere in the forest.
"Keep your eyes open, it could be anywhere." Shadow ordered, to which Rouge and Omega nodded in acknowledgement.
The three continued walking through the forest. Rouge and Omega had communicators to help find the emerald, while Shadow could merely just sense it's power.
"It's somewhere around this area." He announced. "Let's split up and look around. We should be able to find it in no time."
"Right." Rouge and Omega confirmed, setting off on their own different paths to find the emerald.
Shadow continued on his own path, his Chaos sense getting stronger, letting him know he was getting closer to the emerald. His path eventually led him to a little hole in the ground. He could sense the Chaos Energy coming from it.
Shadow knelt down and carelessly stuck his hand in the hole, not worried about snakes or other venomous animals that could be inhabiting it. He was the Ultimate Lifeform. He could handle a little venom.
He felt his hand touch something smooth and hard. He could feel the energy wrapping around his hand.
"Aha! Gotcha!"
Shadow grabbed the emerald in his hand, and just as he was about to pull it out, something bit his hand.
"Ouch!" The ebony hedgehog yelped as he pulled his hand out, along with the shiny white Chaos Emerald. "What the hell?"
Suddenly, something came rustling out of the hole, hissing angrily at the black and red hedgehog, furious that it's home had been so rudely disturbed.
At first glance, Shadow thought it was some weird black cat, until the animal turned and he realized in horror that it had a white stripe going down it's back and tail.
"Oh no!" He gasped as the animal lifted its tail.
…
It was mid afternoon when a knock came from the door of the shared house of Sonic and Shadow. Sonic got up from the couch, pausing his show, Supernatural, before heading to the door. When he opened it, Rouge was standing there with an amused grin on her face.
"Oh hey Rouge." The blue hedgehog greeted the white bat. "What are you doing here?"
"Just came by to say that the mission was a success." Rouge said to him. "We found the white Chaos Emerald and Towers has it now."
"Oh, well that's good." Sonic nodded, then tried to look behind her. "Is Shadow with you? Did he come back?"
Rouge was so very obviously trying not to laugh.
"Oh he's here alright." Rouge chuckled. "Though I wouldn't let him into the house just yet."
"What? Why not?"
"I'll let you ask him. Just try not to get too close."
And with that, the bat took off, laughing.
Sonic stood there a moment, watching the bat in confusion. Shrugging it off, he looked back forward and saw his ebony boyfriend, standing a few feet away from the house.
One look at him, and Sonic could tell that something was wrong.
Shadow had his arms crossed over his chest, but it was more tense than usual. His ears were pinned to his head as he hung his head, his dull ruby eyes staring at the ground, a bright red blush covering his face. His legs were crossed shyly, and his tail hung between his legs.
"Shadow?" Sonic called in concern as he started to approach. "Are you alright? What's wrong?"
"Don't come any closer Sonic." Shadow said in a panicked voice, taking a few good strides back away from the azure one. "Trust me, you don't wanna be anywhere near me right now."
"Why? What's wrong?" Sonic asked, more concerned than ever now.
"... Something… happened on the mission." The ebony started nervously. "I was relieved from duty because of it."
"What happened?"
"It's rather embarrassing."
"Shadow. You can tell me anything." Sonic smiled warmly. "I promise I won't laugh."
"... I got… sprayed…"
"Sprayed?"
"Or as some people would call it… skunked."
"Oh."
Shadow looked up at Sonic and frowned at the amused smirk. "It's not funny! You said you wouldn't laugh!"
"I'm not laughing, Shadow." Sonic shook his head, still smiling. "I find it amusing, yes, but I said I wasn't gonna laugh, so I'm keeping my word on it."
Shadow sighed in relief, dropping his arms to his sides. He was glad his boyfriend wasn't gonna laugh at him for this mishap. But now he really stunk and he wanted to get rid of it, ASAP.
"So what now?" Shadow asked the azure one.
"Don't worry, this is an easy fix." Sonic smiled sympathetically. "Head to the backyard, Shads. I'm gonna head to the store and get what's needed."
Shadow sighed and nodded, heading around back to the backyard while Sonic went to the store.
…
A few minutes later, Shadow perked up as the gate to the backyard opened and Sonic walked through. He tilted his head curiously as he saw his boyfriend carrying a light blue kiddy pool and at least five bags filled with some kind of canned product.
"What is this, Faker?" Shadow asked him.
"Well Shadow, from what I know when I was skunked before, there is only one way to get the smell out." The blue one explained as he set the kiddy pool down.
"And that is?"
"This…"
With that, Sonic grabbed the bags and started dumping the cans into the pool. Shadow watched with wide eyes as can after can of tomato juice fell into the pool. When Sonic was done, the whole floor of the kiddy pool was covered.
"Sonic, what am I supposed to do with all these cans of tomato juice?!"
"Well, you're gonna have to bathe in it." Sonic said. "More specifically, the juice itself."
"B-bathe? In tomato juice?" Shadow asked in horror.
"Yes Shads, it's the only way."
"I don't wanna bathe in tomato juice!"
"Do you want the smell to go away." Sonic frowned, putting his hands on his hips sassily. "More importantly, do you want back in the house at all? Because you're not going in smelling like that, I can smell you all the way over here."
Shadow blushed a deep crimson and frowned. It was true that he wanted to get rid of the smell, but was this really the only way?
"It's either tomato juice or vinegar Shads. You're choice."
Shadow grumbled. He absolutely hated the smell of vinegar. It was too strong and it gave him a headache. He sighed and took off his gloves and shoes, stepping up to the kiddy pool. Sonic smiled.
"Good choice." He nodded, taking off his own gloves. "Just go ahead and get in and we can get started."
Shadow sighed and stepped into the pool, moving the cans aside so that he could sit down. Sonic smiled and picked up one of the cans, this is when Shadow realized that each can had a pull-tab on it. Quick and smart.
"This may be a little cold, Shads." Sonic warned as he opened the can and positioned it over his boyfriend's head. He covered Shadow's eyes with one hand and dumped the contents onto his head quills, the juice rolling from his head, down his back and to his tail.
Shadow gasped at how cold it was, but otherwise sat still.
Sonic continued this with many more cans until Shadow was soaked to the bone in tomato juice, the floor of the kiddy pool mostly covered in juice. Sonic hummed as he scrubbed at Shadow's fur, working the skunk spray out of it. This continued for an hour and a half until every single can had been dumped onto the ebony hedgehog and he had been thoroughly scrubbed and 'rinsed'.
"That should do it." Sonic smiled as he helped Shadow out of the juice filled pool. "Hold right there."
Sonic quickly ran to the side of the house and grabbed the water hose, turning it on. He came back, turned the nozzle to its gentlest setting, and sprayed at Shadow's fur, rinsing the tomato juice out. When he was finished, Shadow shook his fur out and smelled his arm.
"How do I smell?" He asked his boyfriend.
"Like a fresh tomato." Sonic smiled. "Way better than the skunk spray."
"Thank goodness." Shadow sighed in relief and walked up to him. He wrapped his arms around Sonic's waist and pulled him into a passionate kiss.
"Mmm." Sonic purred as he kissed back. "You've been waiting to do that, haven't you?"
"Maybe." Shadow chuckled, pressing their foreheads together. "Thank you, my love."
"Heh, no problem babe." Sonic smiled before they went right back to kissing.
