Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ On the Road Together ❯ Salty Lake ( Chapter 21 )

Chapter 21: Salty Lake

 

“Are we there yet?”

“What kind of question is that, Cream?” Amy asked on the RV couch.

“I'm not sure, but you're supposed to ask it when on the road for a long time.”

“Well, we've been on the road forever,” said Knuckles. “And in Colorado, in the middle of nowhere! This is what happens when we listen to Tails' laptop.”

Tails blinked, surprised. “Stop that, or you'll hurt its feelings.”

“Shh, we're trying to sleep,” Tikal whispered, snuggled with Freeway and Cheese on a bed.

“Uhhh…Shadow?” Sonic asked in the front passenger seat.

Shadow had his eyes on the road, driving. He had been driving for hours.

“Hey, Shadow?” Sonic asked again. There was still no answer from the driver.

Metal-2 scratched his head. “He appears to be in deep driving.”

Rouge's eyes widened. “What if he's asleep with his eyes open? He does that sometimes.”

“Creepy creep,” Knuckles whispered and Cream stared.

Sonic winked an eye. “No worries. I know what to do.” He grinned.

“Not the CD again!” The crew said, referring to the Sonic Adventure 2 soundtrack.

“Wrong, but pretty close.” Sonic poured a hot cup of fresh coffee and waved with his hand so the aroma would reach Shadow, and it did.

The black hedgehog sniffed, catching the scent, blinked his eyes a few times, twitched awake, and then sang, “She'll be coming around the mountain when she comes!”

Sonic chuckled. “See? No problem.” The crew just stared.

“Problem? What problem?” Shadow asked him. He was back.

“Oh, nothing,” Sonic said. “Shadow, let me drive. You need a break.”

Shadow slowed down the RV, and then stopped to rub his eyes. “I guess so.”

“Go ahead, before you really lose it.”

“Ridiculous,” Shadow mumbled as he left the driver seat.

“Where in the world are we?” Rouge asked.

Knuckles shrugged and said, “Somehow I doubt it's the right place.”

“Look, a sign!” Amy said, pointing up ahead. “I bet it'll tell us something.”

Tails stood up and looked in the direction with a pair of binoculars. “Wow!”

“What is it, Tails? Where are we?” Cream asked.

“It says, `Welcome to Utah. Still the right place.' Amazing!”

“There's nothing in Utah but that Salt Lake.” Rouge sighed with disappointment.

“There's much more than that,” Tails corrected her.

The bat looked at him. “Like what? Any treasure?”

“Well, there's…the Great Lake Salt, and…um...” Tails chuckled nervously, unsure.

Knuckles took a big drink of water. “Talking about a salty lake makes me thirsty.”

“I say we investigate,” Metal-2 said, now sitting in the front passenger seat.

Sonic agreed with a nod. It was time to make another stop in the journey. “Guys, make sure our drinking water supply is good because we're entering Salt Lake City!”

Rouge let out a sly giggle. “Great. I bet things will get pretty salty.”

Knuckles coughed. “Stop saying that! Tikal, I need more water, please.”

= = = = =

 

Meanwhile…

Dr. Eggman cleaned his eye gear, sitting in his Egg Hornet ship. “Blast! What a sandstorm. That is one I will never forget. It covered my ship and even my goggles.”

Chaos nodded, sitting on the ship with Metal. “Yeah, it's a good thing you had them, but it would make more sense if this thing had a roof or something. I forgot my umbrella.”

“Chaos, be a good little drip and be quiet!” Eggman scolded before driving again.

After a long moment of silence, Metal Sonic said quietly, “I waited for that my whole life.”

“Hey, Metal, look!” Chaos pointed with his big hand to a sign.

“What is it now? A place where we can donate you?” Metal asked.

“No, it's much better than that. We're entering Salty Lake. What a name, huh?”

Metal shook his head. “That is Salt Lake City, you sewer drain.”

“Excellent!” Eggman laughed, looking down at the tire marks in the sand on the side of the road where Shadow had stopped the RV so Sonic could take over to drive. “Looks like we got them. Who else would be traveling in the middle of nowhere but that crazy RV?”

“Us?” Chaos asked, receiving glares from both the robot and Eggman.

“Doctor, may I?” Metal asked, holding an empty water bottle.

Eggman nodded with approval. “Do it.” He looked at the sign again, thinking while trying to ignore the screams of helpless Chaos behind him. Metal had him trapped in the bottle.

= = = = =

 

Later, in Salt Lake City…

“This is the place,” said Sonic, walking with his exploring friends in the city. “I've seen signs with that cool line, but not sure what it's all about.”

“It might be historical,” Tails said. “I told you to stop at every Historical Landmark.”

“That would take too long, Tails. Besides, I like surprises.”

“Let's go downtown and see what's over there,” Amy suggested walking ahead of them.

“Wait for me, Amy!” Cream called, running passed Sonic and Tails.

Shadow and Metal-2 decided to race there and ran ahead of them all with Tikal trying to keep up, but she was busy helping the thirsty Knuckles. After the two echidnas passed, Freeway came beside Tails. Sonic looked behind. No one was there.

“Tails?”

“Yes, Sonic?” Tails asked, walking beside the baby deer.

“They're all ahead of us.”

“Yeah, I know. They're excited, and it's nice to be out again.”

“I'm the fastest thing alive, and since when does a female lead my crew?” Before Tails could reply to that, Sonic took him by the hand and ran to catch up.

This sudden action left Freeway alone. She stopped, not knowing what to do. “Uncle Sonic…?” Just then, the blue blur hedgehog came by and snatched her, then raced back on the way.

In an alley, next to where Freeway was taken, Metal Sonic peeked out from behind a trashcan. He still had Chaos trapped inside a water bottle. He was enjoying the peace and quiet, but he had a job to do before he could take it easy. He heard they were going downtown and had a plan.

= = = = =

 

Downtown Salt Lake City…

When they arrived, the crew happily walked around a large water fountain. Buildings and green trees were around the fountain and the Salt Lake City Hall was nearby.

“Oh, it's so pretty,” Cream said, happily walking on the edges while Cheese watched her.

“Come on, I've been around it at least a dozen times!” Sonic called from the other side.

“Can you make it, Knuckles?” Tikal asked.

Knuckles held his dry throat and gave her a little nod. “Yeah, I think so.”

Amy pulled out her favorite camera. “Ready, everyone?”

“Kodak moment alert!” Metal-2 announced. “Pose, everyone.”

“Don't even think about rabbit ears,” Shadow said with a glare at Sonic.

“Why not? They taste good on Easter.” Sonic chuckled.

“Mister Sonic!” Cream said in shock. “How could you?”

“Hey, hey, whoa, I only meant the chocolate ones.”

“Oh, well, in that case, I like them, too.” Cream smiled with delight and relief.

Tails silently took a step away, thinking she might be a cannibal.

“Gather around the fountain,” Amy instructed. “Okay, that's good. Just hold it.”

She set the timer, put the camera down and hurried over to Sonic, hugging him just in time for the picture to be taken. She was hugging her blue hero, who was trying to get away to breathe, making him unable to do the rabbit ears to Shadow like before, but Shadow was free to do so. Knuckles looked thirsty, Rouge winked, Tikal was waving, Freeway was smiling with Cheese on her back while Cream had her arms open for a hug, and Tails was standing with Metal-2, who had his hand on the fox's head. It was a perfect picture, for them to be together.

“Amy, I need air!” Sonic chocked.

Well, almost perfect. He slipped away, leaping over to the other side of the fountain. The crew laughed out loud as he caught his breath. Amy turned back for her camera so they could move on, but it was gone. She looked around to see if it fell down, but it was nowhere to be seen.

“Hey, my camera's gone!”

“Good!” Sonic said, still on the other side of the fountain.

“Are you sure you left it here, Amy?” Cream asked her.

“Yes, I'm sure. Someone must have taken it!”

“Last time a monkey took it,” Tikal reminded everyone. “But I doubt he did again.”

Metal-2 looked at Sonic. “He has a reason. Perhaps he is the monkey.”

Shadow grinned. “That's the most intelligent thing I heard today.”

“No way, I don't want anything to do with that silly pink camera of suffocation!”

“Looking for this?” A voice asked from above.

Knuckles coughed and pointed. “H-hey, look, it's Metal Sonic again!”

Sonic turned around and saw the blue robot standing on top of a building, holding Amy's camera.

Amy growled. “Give that back, you thief! It has photos of our road trip!”

“Please, be careful, Amy.” Cream shivered with fear.

“Surrender yourselves and the RV first,” Metal demanded.

“We don't have to put up with this,” Shadow said and pulled out the green Chaos Emerald.

“Shadow, why get so serious for a camera?” Sonic asked him.

“I am on vacation!! And I'm tired of running into these losers.”

“You will regret this,” Metal said. “I will leave its crushed remains in the City Hall.” Then the robot fled, barely dodging Metal-2's shots.

“We must go after him!” Metal-2 said, lowering his arm down as he turned to Sonic.

“Why? It's a trap, plain as day,” Sonic said casually.

“We're taking back what is ours,” said Shadow and grabbed his arm. “Chaos Control!” After saying that, he vanished with the protesting Sonic and the willing Metal-2.

Amy ran for City Hall. “Sonic is not getting away this time!”

“Amy, wait!” Tikal called, following her with Rouge flying above her.

“I guess we're off to City Hall,” said Tails. “What a tour this turned out to be.”

“You two stay here,” said Knuckles. “It could be dangerous.”

“But where are you going, Mister Knuckles?” Cream asked.

“To find them, but first, I'm going for a drink.” And he left them there with Freeway.

Tails sighed. “Poor Knuckles. He must have a problem with salt or something.”

= = = = =

 

Meanwhile…

Sonic and the others in the away team entered City Hall with no one else there. It was too quiet.

“That's odd,” Amy said. “I thought City Hall would be busy at this time of the day.”

Suddenly they heard a familiar laugh. “Allow me to enlighten you, miserable tourists!”

“Doctor Eggman!” They said, facing the scientist on the stairs.

“Yes, I have cleared this City Hall just for our special meeting. You put me through quite a chase, Sonic, you and that RV of yours, but all good things must come to an end.”

“What do you plan to do, you bad man?” Tikal asked.

“Simple. Take over the RV, and then the entire planet!”

Rouge folded her arms. “I don't get it. How does an RV stand in your way?”

“Because it's a special RV; capable of locating the seven Chaos Emeralds in a short time, thanks to that two-tailed fox boy. Once it is under my control, the world will be mine!”

Then Rouge smiled. “I knew there was a reason why I went along for this crazy trip.”

Shadow took a few steps forward. “Enough talk. Give us back our camera.”

“Yeah, and we're not going to ask twice,” Amy added.

Metal Sonic, who was beside Eggman, was holding the camera in his sharp hand.

Eggman laughed. “You want it back? Then hand over the RV!”

Sonic sighed. “Guys, just let it go. I--”

Amy interrupted. “What? Let him take away all that film and our memories?”

“But Amy, I--”

“Time's up!” Eggman said, once again leaving Sonic interrupted.

“Can I crush the camera now?” Metal Sonic asked and his master nodded.

“No!” Metal-2 fired a shot with cunning aim and the enemy robot's hand fell off. It was still holding the camera in its deadly grip when it fell near Shadow.

The black hedgehog quickly took it, hand and all. “I got it!”

Tikal spoke for everyone when she said, “Let's get out of here, quick!” In a flash of light, they disappeared, thanks to Shadow's Chaos Control transportation.

Eggman growled. “No! It can't be that easy on you just because you're good guys! This isn't fair at all. I had them right in my grasp and yet they slip away like a herd of greased pigs.”

Metal Sonic seemed shocked at the sudden loss of a hand, staring at where it once was.

“Metal! What are you doing? Get those tourists!”

“My…my hand…”

“Wait a minute. What did you do to Chaos?”

= = = = =

 

Knuckles had been searching for water ever since they parked the RV in that city. He could not remember being so thirsty before in his life. Finally, after a journey of panting and enduring hardship, he found a water bottle. It was left on the sidewalk near City Hall. In an act of pure desperation, Knuckles opened it. Before it reached his lips, the water cried out.

“Please don't drink me!!”

Knuckles could not believe what he heard and dropped the bottle, frightened.

Chaos crawled out of the bottle, stretching. “Ah! Freedom at last. Thanks a lot, pal.”

Knuckles stared at him, absolutely speechless.

“Well, what are you looking at? You expect three wishes from me or something? Sorry, but not today. I have a ride to catch. See ya.” And then he walked away, leaving the poor red echidna to faint on the sidewalk with the empty bottle.

After Chaos left, the RV appeared on the road. The crew found Knuckles after quite a search. They were worried about what exactly he drank because they found him like that and because of the story he told about screaming water in a bottle. At least they were together again and safe.

Sonic explained why he was not very willing to save the camera. “You know, all along I had the film with me. I took it after we snapped that last photo at the fountain.” He gave it back to Amy. “I was angry, but I never should've been. I realize how important it is to treasure memories.”

“You saved our film, Sonic,” Amy said, forgiving him. “Thank you.”

“No, Amy. Thank you. Thank you all.” Sonic laid his hand on Metal-2's shoulder.

Tikal smiled. “What are friends for?”

Tails was busy examining the Metal Sonic hand. “Fascinating…”

“Let's move on,” Shadow the driver said. “I have a feeling something big is just over those hills.”

Cream was sitting beside him with Cheese in her lap. “I feel it, too.”