Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ On the Road Again ❯ Not again! ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3: Not again!

Nightfall suddenly came in North Carolina where the old faithful RV of the Sonic crew somehow entered after hours of driving. The wheels turned and turned, around and around as the powerful engine roared in the darkness. So far, it was quite a vacation for the team, but now, they were tired, in need of rest, even the driver; a certain blue hedgehog who could never admit it.

"Sonic, let me drive." Shadow said, again for maybe the tenth time.

"No, I can do it, Shadow. It's not much further. We're almost there." Sonic said, driving.

"What if the RV Park is full, unable to take us in?" Knuckles dreaded the thought.

"Let's think positively." Tails encouraged. "Prepare for the worst, but hope for the best."

"I saw a lot of other RVs in this area," Rouge said, turning from a window. "Must be tourist."

"But we're travelers, and all we ask is for a place to stay for the night." Amy said.

"We must hope for something good." Tikal said with faith for a safe journey.

"I don't wait for something to happen. I make it happen." Knuckles said, nodding.

Shadow shrugged. "If nothing else, we can park on the side of the road." He said.

"On the side of the road?" Amy asked, afraid in her voice. "What about the wild dingoes?"

"Don't worry." Sonic said, calmly. "I'm almost positive this RV place can take us in."

"And what if it doesn't?" Knuckles asked him.

"Well, that would be a stumbling block..." Sonic sighed. "But let's not stumble over it until it's there to stumble over." Then he saw the park just ahead of them. They had finally arrived. "You guys, wait here. I'll go ask if there's a place for us." Sonic stepped outside, and closed the door.

Shadow felt nervous all the sudden, and so he began to whistle the song Live and Learn to himself, annoying Knuckles behind him. After a few moments passed, the driver's door opened, Sonic climbed in, slowly. He sat down with his hands on the steering wheel, letting out a sigh.

"Well, what did they say, Sonic?" Knuckles asked the blue hedgehog.

"I would never repeat it, but because of all the tourist, they cannot take us in." Sonic replied.

"Why always us?" Rouge asked after a sigh of disappointment.

"Now what should we do?" Amy asked, sadly looking at the floor of the RV.

"I don't know," Tikal said, "But we cannot blame the people. It's just busy these days."

"There are no other RV parks in this area…" Tails reported, using his computer map.

"I think trouble is ahead of us." Knuckles said, "If it's not one thing, it's another."

Sonic sighed again, turning away to face Shadow who was still whistling. It was quite annoying for the driver. "Shadow, stop that whistling for heaven's sake!" He begged.

"I think I did pretty good." Shadow smiled after stopping, and Freeway chuckled cutely.

"Never mind." Sonic said as he turned the key. "Let's go find another spot." He began to drive into the night, on the road with the team safe inside with him.

After some time of driving, the crew saw nothing but a road ahead of them. No other cars were passing them or were behind them. It appeared to be a helpless situation, so Sonic finally chose to stop on the side of the road. He was very tired after the long drive, and his crew felt the same way. It was still a disappointment how the park could not take them in, but at least they were together, still safe with the RV. Sonic stopped, turned off the engine, and then he stepped outside. Shadow followed him with Freeway, and then the whole crew came outside. They saw Sonic, their leader, standing alone and looking at the dusty ground as he kicked a small rock away.

"Sonic, what's wrong?" Knuckles asked him as the crew came to his side with concern.

"Nothing." Sonic quietly answered, hiding the truth from them.

"You look a little sad." Amy noticed.

"So what?" Sonic asked as he kicked another rock away.

"So we care." Amy finished for him, standing in front of him now.

Then Sonic saw that his friends had surrounded him, all worried, even little Freeway. "Look," Sonic said, after taking a deep breath. "I know you all trust me. But now, I failed you…"

"That's quite a trick. How did you manage it?" Shadow asked him.

"Because of my driving, leading us to a crowded place where the parks are full, and now you guys have to sleep on the side of the road in that thing." He pointed backward, to the RV.

"That's ridiculous," Knuckles said, "I don't care where we park. Besides, I think this is a much better place to stay for tonight. It's nice and quiet, and the stars are the only neighbors."

"Oh, how romantic." Rouge sighed, blinking and then Knuckles blushed, swallowing.

"Actually, I like this better than the park we just left back there." Tails told him.

"This is the perfect place for us, for now." Tikal said, gently. "There is no harm done."

"Yeah, you didn't fail us…. but sometimes you annoy me." Shadow murmured.

Amy shook her head slightly while giving him a look, and then she turned back to Sonic. "Really, Sonic, this is a good place for tonight. We all agree, so why not join us?" She asked.

Sonic shrugged, lifting his green eyes to them all. "Okay, if you guys agree, I do."

"Great!" Amy cheered, and then she gave him a hug, which surprised the blue hedgehog. At first, Sonic had an annoyed look on his face, but then a slight smile appeared.

"Ah, I see a smile! How nice!" Knuckles teased him, pointing.

Then Sonic began to chase him, just for fun. "Come back here, and fight like an echidna!"

"No, I can't! It's too dangerous! I could hurt you!" Knuckles laughed, running from him.

"He's back." Shadow said, after snorting. He turned back to the RV with Freeway following.

"Well, now that we're finally settled down, I'll go make some hot chocolate." Tikal said.

"Wait up, I'll come with you." Tails said, carrying his laptop, and he followed her.

"Oh, and I have another chapter of my book to read." Rouge said before leaving.

Then Amy stood alone. She did not want to go back, not just yet. She was thinking. Could it be true about what Knuckles said? Did Sonic smile when she hugged him, just a little smile? The thought of it made her smile as she danced around in a circle, under the lovely stars. She closed her eyes as she giggled, but then she suddenly tripped over a rock, falling backward to the ground. After a moment of recovery and realization, she climbed back onto her feet, standing up again. She looked down at her red dress, and then she brushed the dust away with her hands.

"Oh, my dress is a mess." She said to herself as she brushed it clean.

Just then, a voice was heard from behind her. "Well, well, young lady, perhaps I could help."

Amy turned to face the owner of the voice, and to her horror it was Dr. Eggman in his ship. Trembling, she stepped away backward, but then she bumped into someone. She felt cold metal behind her, and she looked to see Metal Sonic with his glowing red eyes. Amy then saw Chaos standing next to the robot, and after a moment of silence, staring and shock, Amy screamed loudly. She turned and ran from them, as fast as she could. Chaos simply shrugged.

"You two, go after the RV. I'll take care of her!" Eggman commanded Metal and Chaos.

Amy ran, panting with her heart pounding hard, and then she suddenly fell over a rock, falling to the ground, onto her side. She gasped with terror when she saw Eggman, fast approaching.

"Surrender, Amy Rose!" Eggman demanded, and then he laughed.

"You'll have to face me first, you big creep!" A voice challenged in the darkness, and before Eggman could guess, Sonic the Hedgehog jumped and landed between them, firmly.

"Where did you come from, troublesome hedgehog?" Eggman asked with amazement.

"None of your business, you chump! It's time that egg carton of yours blows up!" Sonic said as he jumped into a homing attack, directly hitting the ship, damaging it greatly.

But the enemy was swift as a laser was fired toward the blue hedgehog and Sonic was hit in the right arm. He fell down to the ground, in pain with his fist and teeth clenched, eyes shut closed. Eggman laughed as he aimed toward the wounded hedgehog, ready to fire again, but then Knuckles came diving from the sky, knocking the ship away, damaging it again.

"Oh no! My power is going down!" Eggman cried. "This calls for strategy…" Then he called, "Metal! Chaos! Retreat, abort mission and let's get outta here!" He escaped, swiftly.

Knuckles firmly stood in an attack pose, watching him leave, and then he saw Metal flying after the Eggman ship with Chaos hanging on to the robot's leg, screaming with fright. When they were finally gone, the air grew cold and silent. Then the red echidna turned when he heard Sonic moan in pain, holding his right arm and Amy helped him stand up again.

"Hey, Sonic!" Knuckles called him as he approached. "It's okay. They're gone now."

"So soon?" Sonic asked, weakly, and then he said, "We were just starting." He lost his balance and almost tripped over, but Knuckles caught him with his strong arm, breaking the fall.

"Are you okay?" Knuckles asked the blinking hedgehog with emerald eyes.

"I can't be better, Knuckles." Sonic replied, and then he stood on his own. "Looks like this area isn't as safe as we thought. We better split and find another place, right away!" He ran toward the RV with Knuckles and Amy following close behind him. They returned to find the others safe.

"Sonic, we just had a close encounter with the Metal kind!" Tails reported, opening the door.

"Yeah, I know, Tails. And we saw Eggman. They're gone now." Sonic told him.

"Now what? Are they going to ruin our vacation again? Not again!" Rouge said, angrily.

"I'll give him a few whacks with my rolling pin." Tikal said, bravely holding one.

"We should be patient, cautious and from now on, be very careful when outside." Shadow said.

"Hold it, guys…" Sonic said, stepping into the RV. "We're all here and that's the important thing, but right now, we better go in case they decide to show their ugly faces again."

"All aboard!" Tails called as everyone climbed inside, and then the fox shut the door.

Sonic climbed into the driver's seat, and Shadow noticed how tired he appeared. The black hedgehog came to him with an open hand. "Sonic, let me drive. Hand over the keys."

"But I…" Sonic hesitated to do so.

"Keys, please." Shadow requested again, and then Sonic finally placed them in Shadow's hand, and when he did, he gripped the helping hand tightly. Shadow could feel it.

"Thanks." Sonic whispered. And so, with everyone together and safe inside, the RV drove on.