Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ On the Road Together ❯ Heading Out ( Chapter 1 )

Sonic Adventures: "On the Road Together."

Written by: C. E. Rodriguez

2003

Author's note: Again, I bring to you a road adventure with the Sonic crew. I thought On the Road Again would be the last, but because of the requests I received from all over, I will accept the challenge to take the wheel once again and drive across the journey of writing. You will meet the crew from the past two adventures, but a few new characters also, like Cream the Rabbit and her pet Chao named Cheese. Metal Sonic and Chaos will make an appearance, Silver Sonic, and Dr. Eggman with evil plots to destroy a certain RV. Sonic the Hedgehog and his friends are loaded up, packed and ready to hit the road for this third trip of an RV ride. Let the journey begin!

= = = = =

Chapter 1: Heading Out

We travel now to a homeland, a peaceful place where one can call their refuge. Of course, it is good to get away from it all, to fill that need of adventure, to see news things and to build memories to cherish. The last place one might look for such a mobile home is an RV, but that is just what Sonic the Hedgehog and his friends had in mind for their next vacation. To go out on the road would not be the first time for the crew, but just as a reminder that there is so much to see. The morning of departure arrived as the sun slowly began to rise with flowing light touching everything in its path. Down the road and around a certain corner, Tails yawned, awaking from a dream. He sat up in his bed, and he turned to look at the bed beside his own. Strangely, the other bed was empty. Tails blinked in disbelief with surprise in his mind.

"Could it be?" he asked himself quietly. "Did Sonic really get up before the alarm ticked?"

He looked over at the alarm clock, which he had repaired several times in his workshop after Sonic threw a shoe or something handy at it. But this time, it was still there. Confused, Tails climbed out of his bed, and he walked over to the other one. Sonic was not there. Just before Tails believed it, he heard a quiet snore, and it was somehow familiar. Tails walked to the other side of the empty bed, and there he was. It was Sonic down on the floor, sound asleep.

Tails chuckled quietly. "I knew it," he whispered.

Just then, the bedroom alarm clock was heard on the wooden dresser. Sonic snorted in his sleep, and he reached out for his red shoe. Before Tails could stop him, Sonic threw the shoe to hit the alarm clock. Tails gasped, quickly ducking down so it would miss him, and the shoe hit the alarm clock, sending it to the floor, and the shoe fell into Freeway's little bed. The baby deer yawned, curling up next to the shoe, smiling sleepily. Tails sighed, turning to look at the hedgehog.

"Sonic, wake up!" Tails called, and Sonic just rolled over onto his side. Tails thought for a moment, and then, he spoke his quick idea. "Hey, Sonic, Amy's at the door…"

Then the sleeping Sonic rolled under the bed, hiding. Tails blinked, surprised and wondered how he could do that while sleeping. The young fox thought and he thought.

"All right, then." Tails turned away to leave. "That leaves me to drive on the road…"

Sonic opened his green eyes, awake. "What? No way! I'm the driver!"

"Well, come on out for breakfast," Tails said, and Sonic stood up, yawning.

Sonic picked up a shoe, but the other was missing. "Oh no, not again," he said, groaning.

Tails was already in the kitchen, and the hedgehog ran around the bedroom, looking for the one, trusty red shoe. He stopped at the bedroom doorway, looking again. It was not found.

"Looking for this, Uncle Sonic?" asked a young girl voice.

Sonic looked down, and then he smiled. "Thanks, Freeway," he whispered, taking the shoe.

The fawn blinked her brown eyes. "You're welcome," she said, smiling.

"Sonic, Freeway, breakfast!" Tails called from the kitchen.

"Early bird gets the worm." Sonic grinned. "Let's go!" And so they enjoyed a meal.

After breakfast, Sonic and Tails packed a few more, last minute items for the road journey, and Freeway waited outside for them, standing at the garage door. Standing with her was Metal-2, a blue android hedgehog friend the crew met during their past adventure in the RV together. Sonic and Tails raced to the RV after locking everything, and they stopped to meet their friends.

"Are we ready?" Sonic asked, and Tails nodded while Freeway winked an eye.

"As ready as we'll ever be," Metal-2 replied, and then Sonic held a remote control in his hand.

Sonic pressed a button, and at the touch command, the large garage door opened. When the shadows left and the sun touched what was inside, the crew saw the faithful Cross Country RV resting there. It was ready to go, just as they were. Sonic smiled at the white RV with blue stripes. It was just as he remembered, and he was sure his friends remembered it also.

"Okay, let's load up, team!" Sonic said, and so the crew excitedly entered the RV.

The doors closed, and Sonic sat down in the driver seat with the keys. Freeway took her place on the sofa to have a view of a window, and Tails sat in the passenger chair with his laptop computer. Metal-2 stepped inside last, and he shut the door after him.

"Everything is set and secure, Sonic. It's ready when you are," he told him.

Sonic played a music CD, and he grinned. "Then let's hit the road again!"

"Hurray!" Tails cheered, and the RV began to move out into the outside world.

"Well, where do we go first?" Freeway asked curiously.

"According to the plans, we make a stop at Knuckles' place to pick him up," said Metal-2.

"That's right," Sonic said with approval, driving. "Then comes Shadow, and then the girls."

Tails nodded. "And I've got all the maps we'll need downloaded on my laptop."

"Good work," Sonic praised, and they drove up a hill while the song City Escape played.

= = = = =

Down the road, not so far away, Knuckles the Echidna hurried outside with his suitcases. He was worried to be late, but he was glad to see the RV coming. He made it out in time.

"Great!" Knuckles said happily, and he waved his hand until the RV stopped.

"All aboard!" Tails called when he opened the door for the red echidna.

"Hey, everyone!" Knuckles greeted, standing in the RV, looking around. "Wow, we're on the road again. It's been a while since I've been in here. I wonder what's ahead of us…"

"It'll take all day to answer that," Metal-2 said, and Tails nodded, closing the door.

"Ready, Tails?" Sonic asked from the driver seat.

"Yeah, let's go," Tails answered, and after that, the RV moved once again.

"Next is Shadow, right?" Knuckles asked the driver.

"Yes," Sonic replied to the question. "And I'm sure he's been waiting before dawn."

"Doesn't he ever sleep?" Freeway asked, and Metal-2 shrugged.

Tails smiled. "I'm sure he does, but he just likes to be ready for anything."

"But why so early?" Knuckles wondered.

"It's his way," Sonic said simply, and the RV began a journey to find the crew.

= = = = =

The RV stopped at the next location. Tails opened the door, and Sonic looked outside a window. His eyes widened at the sight on the sidewalk. He could not believe what he saw, and yet, it was so very real. There was Shadow the Hedgehog, asleep on top of his one lone suitcase. Tails froze, unsure what to do, and then Sonic knew. He played City Escape music again, louder this time. When the black hedgehog heard the music, he opened his eyes, and he leaped to his feet.

"What a nightmare!" said Shadow, shaking his head.

"What's wrong, Shades? Didn't get enough sleep last night?" Sonic asked him.

"No, no, no," Shadow quickly denied. "I just got so bored waiting for you--"

"Before dawn," the whole RV crew said, finishing it, and Shadow grinned.

"Hey, Shadow, you coming or what?" Knuckles asked from the RV door.

"Do I have a choice?" Shadow asked, and Tails shrugged.

"No choice," Sonic answered, and he pointed to the passenger chair. "Get in."

"Fine," Shadow said, and he took his suitcase, stepping inside the RV.

Knuckles noticed the suitcase. "Are you sure you packed everything?"

"Of course," Shadow said, holding it. "I have everything I'll ever need and more."

"You always travel light," Metal-2 said, and Shadow nodded.

"Buckle up!" Sonic said, and when everyone was ready, they moved on.

Shadow placed his suitcase in its place, and he sat down in the passenger chair while Tails and Freeway had the sofa. Knuckles and Metal-2 sat in chairs nearby, watching the window. Shadow glared at the CD player as it played City Escape. He quickly switched the music track to Live and Learn. Sonic knew with no doubt it was Shadow, and so he switched it back to City Escape. The two hedgehogs continued this as the RV traveled on the road ahead of them. The others in the back watched, turning their heads as the hedgehogs switched and switched the music tracks.

"Very strange," Metal-2 said quietly to the red echidna with him.

"It's the pecking order," Knuckles whispered.

= = = = =

Meanwhile…

Down the road, Amy Rose lifted her new video camera to Rouge the Bat, who was busily packing some clean dishes in boxes. Tikal finished packing the shampoo and soap, and she went inside to find some towels. Amy was done with packing for the time, and so she used her camera.

"Sonic says this will be the best road trip ever. What is your reaction, Rouge?" Amy asked.

Rouge stopped for a moment to look at the camera. "If you want my saying about it," she began, "Packing and organizing, cleaning up after boys is hardly a vacation for me, but it'll work out."

"Let's hope so," Amy said, turning the camera to the door as Tikal stepped outside.

"Everything we need is finally packed, so we're all ready," said Tikal.

"And just in time," Rouge said, pointing to the street. "Here they come!"

"It's the RV! Oh, wait till they see my sweet camera!" Amy said happily, and it stopped with Sonic and Shadow still changing the music, and the three girls laughed.

The two hedgehogs froze, looking outside. "What's so funny?" they both asked.

Then the girls laughed more. "I can't imagine," Rouge said, trying to stop.

"Well, let's go," Tikal said, being the first to calm down.

Tails opened the door. "Come one, come all," he said, smiling.

Amy ran to Sonic, who stepped outside to check on the RV tires. Sonic gulped when he saw her coming, and he quickly stepped out of the path. Shadow was the next one, and he gasped, jumping out of reach. Amy kept running with her eyes closed until at last she reached someone. She hugged him tight, giggling happily. The crew looked to see that it was Metal-2.

"Oh, we're saved," Shadow said with relief.

"Yeah," Sonic added. "And he can't be choked like me, so no worries."

Metal-2 was still for a moment, and then he gently returned the hug. Rouge and Tikal gathered the things they packed, and they entered the RV. Metal-2 and Amy followed Tails inside, and then Knuckles hopped in, closing the door after Freeway came in safely. Sonic and Shadow looked at each other, glaring, and then they looked at the RV. They wondered who would enter first. Shadow made the first move to run, but then Sonic pulled him back and he tried to run, but Shadow pulled him back. They kept this up until Tails honked the horn. Sonic and Shadow covered their ears at the loud noise, and then they both went inside, using a door. Sonic chuckled while Shadow snorted, crossing his arms. Everyone was buckled and ready to go for a ride.

"Okay, guys, this is it," said Sonic, and he turned the key. The RV moved out.

"We're off for adventure!" Amy cheered. "There's no telling what we'll see next."

"No way of knowing," Tikal said. "But we're together, so there's nothing to fear."

"Only one way to find out what's ahead of us," Sonic said, and he drove out of the area.