Back to Chapter 6

Ben and Sonic strolled back through the Green Hill Zone in the direction of Green Hill Village.

“You’re a nutter, I can’t believe that worked,” Ben shook his head.

“Buddy, when I have ideas, they usually do,” Sonic boasted.

“But his trousers! Sonic, if he ever figures out what happened, he’ll kill you!”

“Ah, let him try and work it out, people like that aren’t good at thinking”

Ben looked at Sonic, who was gazing skyward, “Well, that’s what you reckon, but I say—whoof!”

“Well, of course you do, you’re a dog—oh,” Sonic realised Ben had collided with someone else and fallen over.

“Oh, ah do declare, beggin’ your pardon, suh,” the young lady replied with a heavy accent as she got to her feet, “Ah was so wrapped up in this here map, tryin’ to find mah way around this Zone, Ah plum forgot to pay attention”

Ben got to his feet and brushed himself off, “That’s okay, I wasn’t looking where I was going either. Good job you didn’t walk into my friend here, you’d have probably jabbed yourself on his spines!”

The rabbit giggled, a warm smile spreading across her face. Her orange-blonde fur glistened in the sunlight and her ears twitched a bit in the breeze.

“Yeah, well, at least I have quick enough reactions to move, unlike him,” Sonic rolled his eyes.

“Are you okay?” Ben asked the rabbit.

“Oh, sure, sure, Ah’m just fine, sugah! Although Ah’d be mighty grateful if one o’ you fellas could point me in the direction of Green Hill Village”

“Well for starters,” Sonic smiled, “you’re going in the wrong direction. We’re headed that way now if you want to tag along”

“Well bless mah stars, Ah knew this map wasn’t doin’ me no good!” She looked at the map once more, “Though now Ah notice it, Ah suppose Ah am holdin’ it upside-down. Darn it all, Ah’ve been headin’ the wrong way all afternoon!”

Sonic laughed, “That’s alright. We’ll give you a hand. My name’s Sonic, this is Ben- but we call him Mutt”

The young lady gave a little curtsy, “Right happy to make your acquaintance, mah name’s Bunnie. Bunnie Rabbot”

“Bunnie… Ruhb…?” Sonic shrugged a little.

“rah-BOH,” the corner of Bunnie’s mouth upturned slightly, “Don’t y’all worry about it, everyone seems to have trouble with it. Most people think it’s pronounced ‘rah-BOT’, kin you believe that?”

“Sounds like I’m not the only one who’s not from around here, Miss Rabbot,” Sonic led, “What accent is that?”

“Oh, now, none of that ‘Miss Rabbot’, that’s what mah tutors call me! Just plain ole Bunnie’ll do! And as for mah accent, Ah’m from the Southern Baronies of West Sahd Island”

“West Sahd… OH! West SIDE Island!” Sonic’s eyes widened, “That’s where Sally comes from!”

“Oh, you know someone from there?”

“Yeah, she’s the Pr—” Sonic became acutely aware of Ben’s elbow in his side.

Ben shook his head and whispered in Sonic’s ear, “Folks from the Southern Baronies don’t usually get along all too well with our friend’s family”

“What were you about to say, Sonic?” Bunnie enquired, an eyebrow raised.

“Uhm… that Sally’s… the prettiest girl I know around here!”

Ben chuckled. Sonic fired him a look that shut him up, “Well, be fair, she’s the only girl I know around here!”

Bunnie held back a laugh, “Well, now y’all know two! Ah’m new round here an’ Ah was hopin’ to open up shop”

“Shop?” Ben asked, “You only look about the same age as us, aren’t you a little young to run a business?”

“Mah mama always said that sometimes age don’t make a difference if you have a dream you want to pursue!” Bunnie placed her hands on her hips proudly, “And mah dream is to become a world-famous beautician!”

“A beautician, huh?” Sonic rubbed his chin as he grinned, “I guess I’ll not be much use to you as a client, since you can’t improve on perfection”

Bunnie gave a wry smile, “Smooth, handsome. But you’re half-right- Ah want to earn mah fame by giving people the most amazin’ hairdos Ah kin come up with! So Ah’m real sorry, but Ah’m just not sure there’s much Ah kin do fer you, Sonic- you don’t have any hair!”

“True, but when your spines look as good as mine, you don’t let it bother you” Sonic smiled to himself.

“Oh, don’t get him started, we’ll be here all day,” Ben shook his head, “Come on, let’s get to the village, maybe we can find you a good practice model”

***

After a comfortable jaunt back to Green Hill Village, Sonic, Ben and Bunnie arrived just as the sky was beginning to redden, heralding another warm late-afternoon in the Green Hill Zone. Ben led the trio towards a park where, as he had anticipated, Sonic’s newly made friends were spending time together.

“Hey, guys,” Sonic greeted the group, “Ben and I made a new friend. Meet Bunnie Rabbot”

Bunnie again curtsied, “How do y’all do?”

The boys variously greeted Bunnie in their own ways, with varying degrees of politeness or familiarity.

“Bunnie’s come to the village to be a beautician,” Ben noted.

“Oh no, I just thought,” Sonic realised, “That means Bunnie’s in need of a home too”

“Don’t worry about that,” Bunnie shook her head, “I’ve made arrangements. I’ve got a place on… let’s see here…” she checked a note, “Sunflower Avenue”

“Sunflower Avenue?!” Chirps exclaimed, “That’s the poshest part of the village!”

“How did you afford a place like that, Bunnie?” asked Flicky.

“Well, Ah don’t want y’all makin’ a fuss or nothin’,” Bunnie looked at each of the boys in turn as she spoke, “but mah family’s done pretty alright. Ah’ve got enough money to git mahself started. Mah home’s gonna be mah salon too, so consider it an investment if you like”

“One moment,” Tux noted, “With that accent… from a wealthy family… and, really, how many people can have the name Rabbot- you’re not related to Baron Rabbot are you?”

Bunnie sighed, “Mah uncle Beau and Ah have had somewhat of a disagreement. That’s what pushed me to move out here on mah own. But, please, let’s not make a big deal out of it, alright, sugah?”

“Certainly, madam,” Tux bowed his head, “I’m delighted to meet you the same as the rest of the fellows”

“Yeah, we’re all a pretty different sort of bunch,” Johnny commented, “We promise not to treat you any differently”

“Any differently than whom?” another female voice rang out and everyone turned to see Sally coming down a hill, accompanied by a royal escort- the younger D’Coolette.

“Hey, Sally. Hey, Antoine,” Sonic greeted his friends, “This is Bunnie, she’s setting up a beauty parlour in the village”

“Mah stars,” Bunnie was somewhat taken aback, “Y’all weren’t kiddin’, Sonic, she sure is real purdy”

Sonic blushed as the boys struggled to contain their laughter. Sally, to her credit, had the decorum to pretend she hadn’t heard the remark, “Pleased to meet you, Bunnie. My name’s Sally. So, a beauty parlour, huh? Need anyone to practice your techniques on? My hair’s driving me crazy, I can’t do anything with it”

Bunnie tilted her head as she inspected Sally’s hair, “Y’know, Ah reckon Ah might just have a thing or two to solve that problem…”

***

A short while later, everyone was gathered at Bunnie’s house. Bunnie had quite obviously used her family’s money and connections wisely as, despite it being her first day in her new home, all her furniture was perfectly set up, with the rooms bedecked with paintings, potted plants, ornaments and various creature comforts. The front room had, sure enough, been transformed into a beauty parlour. Sonic reckoned that room alone would put a lot of houses to shame but it was merely one part of the whole entity that was Bunnie’s house.

“Sacré-coeur,” Antoine managed to get out, “Zis is somesing other entirely!”

“You said it, Ant,” Sonic nodded.

“Alright, Sally-girl,” Bunnie beckoned Sally over, “you just go ahead and take a seat in that chair there”

Sally placed herself down in a reclining chair next to a sink. Bunnie gently lowered and reclined the chair.

“When you lean back like that, I can see right up your nose, Sally,” Chirps quipped.

“Shut up, Chirps,” Sally tutted.

“The craftsmanship on some of these gadgets is impressive,” Porker noted, “Where did you get them?”

Bunny smiled, “They’re not gadgets, Porker, they’re accessories- an’ Ah got ‘em out of a catalogue, don’t y’all worry! I ain’t none too good with technology and that”

“Finally,” Sonic smirked, “someone else that doesn’t have a knack for gadgets”

“Nothing quite like being surrounded by brainboxes for making you feel a bit slow, eh, Sonic?” Joe said, taking another comfy seat.

“Hey, hush your mouth, I’m never slow,” Sonic retorted.

“And what’s wrong with being a box with a brain?” N.I.C.O.L.E. piped up.

“Ah, shucks, forget I said anything,” Joe closed his eyes and leaned back, “I’m gonna sit here testing out this chair, that’s more my speed”

By this point, Bunnie had thoroughly wet and soaped Sally’s hair. Sonic hadn’t realised before just how long Sally’s hair was, given she’d worn it up before.

“So, Sally, tell me a bit about yourself,” Bunnie spoke gently to her first client, “What do y’all wanna do in the future?”

Chirps leapt into action, “She’s gonna be the P—”

Ben smacked Chirps in the back of the head and shot him a look that told everyone else to be quiet.

“Well,” Sally replied, “I know what I have to do… but I’m not sure it’s what I want to do. My parents have led a great example for me, I have pretty big shoes to fill”

“Gotta join the family business, huh?” Bunnie nodded, “Yeah, Ah know how that goes. Mah family made their money through their oil refineries. If yuh ask me, that ain’t no place for a lady”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Sally smiled, “You might be really good at it”

“What, workin’ on an oil rig? Hah, if only! Ah reckon Ah could put up with losin’ a finger here or there if it meant Ah could be mahself- naw, they wanted me to take over the business side of things. I ain’t got no interest in that. I just wanna help people by bringin’ out the best in them. An’ Ah always think if folk’re happy with how they look then that helps them to be their best and brightest”

As she spoke, Bunnie blow-dried Sally’s hair, which now sparkled with a sheen from the beauty products Bunnie had used on it.

“Alright, Sally-girl,” Bunnie spoke, “Ah hope you don’t mind, but Ah wanna try somethin’ special for my first client”

“My hair is in your hands,” Sally responded, “Just as long as I don’t go home with a crew cut, I don’t think daddy would be too pleased with that”

“Heck naw,” Bunnie dismissed the thought, “Ah couldn’t do that to hair as lovely as this! Well, not unless Ah was bein’ paid for it by you, the customer always bein’ right an’ all that”

“I’ll bear that in mind,” Sally smiled, “Just in case I want to wind daddy up one day”

Bunnie began to plait Sally’s hair. Her hands were like those of an expert, weaving the strands tight enough to hold the hair in place but not so tight it pulled on Sally’s scalp. As a matter of fact, Sally had barely felt the slightest touch as Bunnie’s delicate fingers expertly glided around her head.

After a few squirts of spray and application of an accessory or two, Bunnie finally said, “Alright, that oughtta about do it,” and sat Sally up once more so she could see herself in the mirror.

Sally looked in awe at the job Bunnie had done. Her hair was beautifully plaited, but Bunnie had also applied a spray which made her hair seem to sparkle as the light caught it whenever she moved. The whole ensemble was held together with a pink silk ribbon tied in a bow.

“Bunnie, I don’t know what to say…” Sally gasped.

“Don’t y’all like it? Shoot, Ah knew Ah should’ve gone for a wavy style”

“Bunnie, I love it!” Sally gushed her admiration for Bunnie, “You’re a genius! In fact, I don’t want anyone else touching my hair from now on! Congratulations, Bunnie- you’re officially the Royal Beautician to the Court of Acorn”

An awkward silence fell on the group.

“Oh boy,” Sonic managed to get out.

“What, what eez going on, why the big hush-hush?” Antoine asked, confused.

“Because, Lieutenant D’Coolette,” Sonic, sighed, “apparently Bunnie’s family don’t like the Acorns”

“Actually, they don’t like the D’Coolettes either,” Tux added.

“Great. Well, I’ll just be going now to sew my mouth shut forever,” Sonic clapped his hand to his forehead.

“Oh, shucks, what’s all that nonsense y’all’re talkin’ about?” Bunnie furrowed her brow, “Ah ain’t got a problem with the Acorns- if they’re all as nice as Sally here, Ah’m sure we’re gonna get along famously!”

“I appreciate that, Bunnie,” Sally looked kindly at her newfound friend, “It means a lot to me”

“Baron Rabbot doesn’t speak fer his niece, Sally-girl. Ah don’t believe in holdin’ blood grudges. So, you an’ your royal guard Sugah-‘twan over there kin rest easy. Besides,” she gave a wink, “did y’all really think Ah didn’t know what mah Princess looks like?”

“Fair point,” Sally smiled.

Antoine bowed deep, “Mademoiselle, eet eez a great honour to meet someone wiz ze good judgement beyond zeir years”

“Oh, stop,” Bunnie waved a hand at Antoine, “y’all’re gonna make me blush! Now- who wants to be next in the chair? Better git in quick- Ah might just have to put mah prices up now Ah’m royally appointed!

On to Chapter 8