FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Robotnik walked into the interrogation room, his hands clasped masterfully behind his back. As he entered he deigned to look at the animal his Hoverbots had captured.

It looked no more recognisable as a species close up. Its bizarrely brightly-coloured transparent eyes were set in an angular face of either feline or canine descent, but he was undecided which. Feathered wings blended into a furry back. Despite the wings, not a trace of a beak. Very large and prominent mammaries that betrayed a level of hybridisation that should have been impossible.

He came to a stop and leaned forward to investigate her more closely still.

Ah yes, he thought, This girl would make a fine robot. He took a moment to admire the strong set of those wings and their potential as not only metallic engines of flight but also as weapons. The lightly-built frame and retractable feline claws would add to her strengths. But first, let us determine where she came from. If there were more of this Mobian than one then he had an opportunity. A whole population of these creatures would make a useful army indeed!

She stared back at him, jaw jutted forward with practised impudence. But it was a tenuous rebellion, Doctor Robotnik was easily experienced enough to see that. He took a purposeful step forward and she flinched. Her wings half-unfurled, but there would be no chance of escape.

"Good afternoon, my dear," he asked in a honeyed tone. "And what brings you to my domain?" Danger underlined his words.

She hardened her expression and glared back, eyes as hard as an eagle's. He saw the beginnings of panic under the bravado and decided to hold back on menacing her too much until after she'd told him everything he wanted to know.

"We're here to bring you down, Robutnik!" she snapped.

We? Snively hadn't reported any other intruders, only this one. However, resistance forces usually attacked in groups and this news did not come particularly unexpected. Did that mean there were more of these creatures in Robotropolis at this very moment? Such potential! But that did imply a problem and he narrowed his eyes: it did not do to have invaders. Depending on what she said next he would give the order for a search.

"Is that the case?" he replied slickly and took to pacing up and down in front of her. "Who are 'we'?" At this, the prisoner fell quiet. He stopped pacing and looked into her unnatural, jelly-like eyes. There was fear there but he also saw a plain lack of information. She didn't know anything. That could mean she was either an amateur or a menial foot-soldier. And if she was a foot-soldier then where was her captain?

"Snively! Send a search! I want all intruders caught!"

"Right away, sir," his nephew replied quickly as he saw Robotnik's temper flare and left the room to make the order.

The beast's allies had to be found. In the meantime, a little further interrogation before he roboticized her...

xXx

Sonic led the others between pillars and around tanks, under bridges and across streets, confidently following a memorised map that kept them all hidden from the cameras. As he walked Sally caught up with him.

"The sooner we send her home the better," she whispered. Sonic nodded.

"How did she even think those daggers were any help?" he asked frustratedly after a pause. "She was lyin', Sal. There's no way she's done any trainin'."

Sonic was right, of course. Although the only one of the Freedom Fighters who had ever had any professional battle training was Antoine - and even then only at an early age - they a had a wealth of practical fighting and espionage experience between them. So far, Starla had broken every rule in the book: deliberately demoralising other team members, going off by herself, doing nothing to compensate for her conspicuous colour... the list went on and on.

They came to the building that housed the interrogation room. Sonic had guessed this was where Starla would be brought, so this is where he'd led them. They entered.

xXx

Robotnik's patience was wearing thin.

"Tell me what you were doing, you little fool!" she hissed at Starla.

Through his simmering anger, Robotnik looked carefully at his hostage. Something about this monster's story didn't fit: she claimed to be part of an organised attack group and she had heavily implied at first that they had, between them, a plan. But she genuinely didn't seem to know what that plan was. That suggested she was part of a group that either comprised individuals who didn't know each other well enough to want to protect its members, or that they were extreme enough to know each other and didn't mind sacrificing each other. This was more extreme behaviour than he knew to expect even of Sonic Hedgehog's rebels.

Or - and this thought made even the dictator look around the room for signs of immediate danger - she had been used as bait. Had he walked into a trap? That idea made him angry. Very angry. Soon, if this animal did not say something useful, she would suffer.

Very soon.

xXx

Sonic led Bunnie through the ventilation system. He'd insisted on being part of the rescue team, and Bunnie would be the best help if they had to use brute force to break Starla out of there. Sally, Rotor and Antoine he'd sent to the prison cells to check for new inmates, just in case Robotnik had sent Starla there.

He stopped at the grille that opened onto the interrogation room and shuffled aside to give Bunnie space to see the situation for herself.

There was Starla: wings set like twin shields at her back, feline tail-tip flicking with tension. Secured by both wrists to vertical bars set in the floor, she stood helpless. Robotnik was standing over her, teeth bared with fury.

Sonic held his breath for a moment. He desperately hoped Starla wouldn't say anything. Then he relaxed as he realised she had nothing to say. Sally had pointed out earlier that Starla had absolutely no idea what the Freedom Fighters wanted to do in Robotropolis. Not beyond the general theme of overthrowing Robotnik, anyway.

But that meant she was in danger. She needed to be rescued. Now. And he knew how.

He turned to Bunnie with a plan.

Her face was set. I'll help get her out of there, her look said, but I don't want to. Sonic guessed he looked the same. Quickly and efficiently, he told her what he wanted her to do.

xXx

"FOR THE LAST TIME: WHAT IS YOUR PLAN, YOU MISERABLE MISFIT?" Robotnik thundered, his face close to Starla's, his nose virtually pressed against her muzzle. She looked thoroughly scared but the dictator did not feel satisfied: he still had to break her spirit. He stood up to his full height. "Tell me," he murmured after a pause, fully aware if the extreme potency of a quietly-delivered threat. He used the tactic well when his prisoners didn't make him too angry. The results were often very satisfying.

Starla's - for she claimed that was her name - eyes were wide with fear and her jaw slack, and she simply gawped silently back at him. She gulped... and said nothing. She shook her head gave told him no plan. Robotnik finally lost patience. "DAMN YOU!" he whipped around to speak to Snively. "PREPARE HER FOR ROBOTICIZATION!" He turned to face her again and lowered his voice to a malevolent hiss. "Do you know what is going to happen to you?"

She shook her head. Her ears trembled with a fear that shook her from head to toes.

"We'll turn you into a mindless bot. Your friends will never see you again. You'll turn on them without a single thought." That didn't seem to move her as much as he'd expect and he almost changed his order right then to one for torture. She was hiding information, he was sure of it.

Which to do? Torturing her would ruin her as a robot. He weighed up the choices...

"No!" she squeaked with terror, every part of her shaking terribly. "don't, please-"

"Yo, Butt-nik!" came a familiar confident call. He whipped around.

"Sonic!" Starla said with palpable relief. The little beasts knew each other!

"Rodent!" he snapped. "Curse you!"

"Ah, come on, Ro-Butt-nik," Sonic drawled, "When you gonna try an' catch me? I ain't got all night!"

Robotnik gritted his teeth and drew his laser gun. "Say goodbye, rodent!" he grated. He shot a blast in Sonic's direction. But the hedgehog was no longer there.

A blue streak darted around Robotnik, making him turn once to try to keep up, before returning to the same spot as he'd started in. Sonic grinned, riling Robotnik. He walked over to the wall and leaned against it, feigning indifference.

"You know what your problem is, Buttnik? You're too darn slow! You can't even keep up-"

A metallic bang sounded behind Robotnik and he turned instinctively to investigate, only to be kicked on the behind by Sonic. With a mighty bellow of rage he turned back and shot another laser bolt.

Too late. Sonic had already moved on.

Behind him Bunnie Rabbot was rescuing Starla, but Robotnik didn't have the capacity to care any more: he was furious. He could feel his skin glow red with pure anger. How he hated that hedgehog! Sonic was darting to and fro, skirting the walls and constantly making the human change direction in a vain effort to keep up. Robotnik knew only one thing: he wanted that hedgehog dead, NOW!

"There!" Bunnie cried triumphantly, breathing deeply with the effort of pulling Starla's restraints apart. Before Starla could say or do anything Bunnie bullied her in the direction of the door.

Robotnik was in a blind rage, still trying to shoot Sonic. But as the prisoner escaped with Bunnie Rabbot, Sonic's voice sounded behind him once more with a, "Gotta go, Fat-Butt!"

And with that, he was gone. They were all gone.

Robotnik virtually screeched with rage and flung his gun at the wall.

xXx

Snively took a few steps back, an inadequate distance away from his uncle. He knew what happened when Robotnik got this angry: he turned his anger on his nephew. Escape was futile. Snively had tried that before only to be hunted down by a robot of his own design and punished all the more heavily. One time he'd been put into solitary confinement for a week, not only showing that he was dispensable, but that punishment could last a great deal longer than one short, sharp beating. Snively had only needed to spend that time in the dark and cold and utter isolation once to learn that he preferred the violence to those seven days of silence and loneliness.

That didn't stop Snively being afraid so he stood there, quaking in his boots, waiting for Robotnik to stop ranting and to pick him up by the collar.

It would be far from pleasant...