Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ Sonic Adventures: "On the road" ❯ Hedgehog Lake ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter 6: Hedgehog Lake

There was a sound heard outside when Sonic the Hedgehog slightly opened his emerald green eyes. He must have fallen asleep on the bed and he wondered for how long. He turned toward the window, which was right beside the bed and he moved to sit up. The green blanket covered him and he felt his shoes missing but he still had his white socks on. He quietly pulled the window curtain away and then he was surprised to see that it was raining outside. That was the sound he was hearing and the thunder was his wake up call. He was not sure if he felt sadness or gladness when he saw the rain. Perhaps it was sadness that he could not enjoy the outdoors with his friends and perhaps gladness that the rain may be protection and a helpful sign.

"Good morning, Sonic." Amy greeted him, cheerfully, entering the room.

"Amy?" Sonic asked after clearing his throat. "How long did I sleep?"

"All night, and then it started to rain this morning." She answered.

"What? All night?" Sonic asked himself, quietly. He felt the head pain gone now.

"Are you doing okay?" Amy asked him.

"Yeah, I'm okay as far as okay goes. But where are we?" Sonic asked.

"Shadow is driving us toward Texas and I think we're nearly there." Amy replied, and then she asked him, "Are you hungry? Can I bring you any breakfast?"

"Yeah, that would be great. I gotta get up now and help Shadow up front."

"Okay, your shoes are right here." Amy gave them to him. He took them.

"Thanks." Sonic said, quietly and then he slipped them on. "Sorry I used your bed."

"That's fine, I'm just glad to see you well again." Amy said, and she smiled.

Sonic hid his smile, stood up and then left the room. He came to the front where Shadow was driving through the rain. The blue hedgehog tapped him on the shoulder with his finger.

"Hey, it's you." Shadow said, surprised and glad to see Sonic standing strong again.

"Hey, it's me." Sonic said to him, "I've been told you're taking us to Texas."

"Yeah, I'm trying to get us out of this rain." Shadow told him.

"Let me have the wheel. You have a rest." Sonic said, and then Shadow stopped the RV.

"You sure? The rain is slippery on the road." Shadow warned.

"I'm sure, Shadow. I'll get us out in no time. We just need to go west." Sonic took the steering wheel and the RV moved at his command.

"Sonic, your toast is ready for you." Amy said, standing behind the driver's seat.

"I can't stop and eat now." Sonic said, keeping his eyes on the wet road.

Then Knuckles let his idea be known. "Hey, Amy, you can hand--feed him."

"What?" Sonic asked, surprised and unsure.

"Good idea!" Amy said, turning back to the kitchen. In a few moments, she came back with a plate of four pieces of toast. She sat between Sonic and Shadow, holding it. "Okay, Sonic, open up." Amy lifted the first piece to Sonic, enough for him to reach it.

Sonic let out a sigh but hunger made him take a bite of the toast that Amy held in her hand. He chewed while driving and he truly enjoyed the first bite. He turned back for another.

"Careful, Sonic, don't bite my hand off!" Amy laughed and the team with her.

Sonic had his mouth full but the smile was seen on his face. He did so enjoy his breakfast.

= = = = =

Later, it was the afternoon when the rain had finally stopped falling and the Sonic crew found themselves in a very busy city with tall buildings all around, like a forest of cement trees. It was an amazing sight to see. Tails opened the map and found the name of the city.

"Sonic, we have just entered Houston." Tails told him, pointing to it.

"Is that a problem?" Sonic asked, driving along the road safely.

"No, I hope not." Tails replied, and then he retuned to the map.

The RV made another wide turn and Knuckles could not take it. They have been driving for hours now and they entered the city where sharp turns had to be made. The poor echidna began to feel carsick. Rouge noticed his trouble and she sat beside him, wondering what was wrong.

"Hey, are you okay?" Rouge asked him, holding her lunch.

Knuckles shook his head, no. "Not quite." He answered, quietly.

"That's a shame." The bat said, taking a bite of her sandwich. "I was wondering if you would like to share my peanut butter and jelly sandwich."

"Oh, gross!" Knuckles said, and he ran for the nearest window.

"Uh-oh." Shadow said, turning to the driver. "Sonic, I think Knuckles is carsick."

"Why? Is it something he ate?" Sonic asked.

"He hasn't eaten anything today." Amy told him, "He said he woke up this way."

"We must help him." Tikal said, and of course, the team agreed.

"Okay, I think I know a place to go where we can get help." Sonic said, driving onward.

= = = = =

It was later that day when the team arrived in a much smaller place in Texas, which is my home. The RV stopped near my mailbox and Sonic the Hedgehog himself came running to my front door. I heard a knock and my brother called me to answer it. I left my computer board and walked toward the door. I had no idea who would ever come all the way out here but when I opened the door, I was so amazed. I could not believe my eyes because there in front of me stood Sonic the Hedgehog. His green eyes looked up to meet mine and I thought I was dreaming.

"Hey, Elk, you mind if I could have your carsickness medicine? My friend Knuckles is a little sick and he needs it." He told me.

I opened my mouth to speak but at first I had no voice. "Wow! It's you!" I shouted. "You're Sonic the Hedgehog! I can't believe you're real! Sonic, you're really, truly real! Sonic!"

"Yeah, that's my name, don't wear it out." Sonic grinned at me.

"Way past cool! Wait here and I'll get it for you." I said and I ran to get it. I was back in less than a minute and he was still there. "Here you go, and tell Knuckles to take it easy."

"I will and thanks, Elk." Sonic said, using my nickname. How did he know it? He took the small box from my hand. His hand was soft and warm, and yet it was strong.

"You're very welcome, Sonic." I managed to speak again. "You all take care."

"Yeah, you too. I gotta run and get back on the road again." Sonic said, and then he lifted his hand up to his forehead, saluting me and I did the same. He winked his eye at me.

"Sayonara, Sonic the Hedgehog." I said, and then as fast as a blink, he was gone.

Astonished and weak in my legs, I turned and closed the door. I heard an RV and I quickly looked outside the window but I saw nothing there. Maybe I was only dreaming. It cannot be, can it? I turned from the window and said to my brothers and sisters, "Guys, don't think I'm crazy, but I just saw Sonic the Hedgehog!"

= = = = =

Returning to our adventure story, we find Dr. Eggman disappointed in his last attempt to capture Sonic and steal the Emerald. He was so close to victory, so close to finishing his brilliant plan but in the end, something almost always seems to go wrong. He had to try harder.

"Yes, I must try harder and reach my goal because I am a scientific genius, you know." He grinned to himself, closing his umbrella now that it had stopped raining in east Texas. "That was too close. I hate to get wet. But anyway, we're ready to attack and win!"

He turned to face Metal Sonic and Chaos and he was very surprised to see them both wearing Texas cowboy hats. He slapped his forehead with his hand, shaking his head, no.

"Why on earth are you wearing those silly hats?" He asked them.

"It makes us look Texan." Metal Sonic answered and Chaos nodded, yes.

"It's hopeless." Eggman whispered, covering his face with his hands, in despair.

"Ah, don't feel bad, master. We will find them and make them pay." Chaos assured him.

"Yes, indeed." Metal Sonic agreed. "We must go now and find them in Austin, or else."

"Or else what?" Chaos asked him, curiously.

"We're toast." Metal whispered, shaking slightly and hiding his eyes in his hat.

= = = = =

Location: Austin, Texas…

"Here we are!" Sonic said, stepping outside the RV with his friends following.

"So, this is Austin…" Shadow said, looking around at the new sights around him.

"Hey, how are you doing now, Knuckles? You okay?" Sonic asked him, concerned.

"I'm fine now, thanks. I'm just glad we made it here alive. Texas is huge." Knuckles said.

"Let's go to Town Lake!" Amy said, telling them her idea.

"Great idea. We're not very far away from there. Let's go see it." Sonic said, and so then, they were on their way downtown, in the RV to see the beautiful lake.

The RV made a safe stop near the Lake and everyone stepped outside. Sonic suddenly wanted to race them there and so he ran with them following him toward the bridge. They made it there.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" All three of the girls said it together.

"I don't know." Tails said, "It makes me thirsty."

Sonic smiled and then he looked down at the water from the bridge on which he and his friends stood, and the view was fantastic to see. But then suddenly, Sonic saw something he did not expect, looking into his reflection from the lake. He saw that it was a robot hedgehog.

"Metal!" Sonic gasped and fell backwards. Shadow and Knuckles caught him to break his fall.

"Howdy." Metal waved his hand, and at least he was not wearing his hat at the moment.

Amy screamed and hid behind Tails, trembling. Sonic stood up, stomped his foot and then he pointed toward the robot with his finger, angry.

"Y--you!" Sonic said, not daring to let out another word.

"Hello, imitation of my great self. I'm here to take you and the Emerald. Surrender or perish!" The robot said, and then Chaos landed beside him, hissing while looking right at Shadow.

"Prepare for termination!" Chaos said, stepping toward them.

"You can't take me down! I'll fight!" Sonic said, bravely jumping toward Metal.

"We meet again." Shadow whispered when Chaos came in front of him.

"Yes, and it shall be the last time." Chaos threatened, and then he attacked.

"Tails, take the girls to the RV. I'll handle this!" Knuckles said, running to help.

The echidna made it just in time to help Sonic bring down Metal but Shadow was on his own, fighting against Chaos. The black hedgehog was hit in the face, the stomach and finally the head, damaging it the most. Shadow became dizzy after Chaos hit him again and his strength was failing. The hedgehog let out a cry of pain, falling down but Chaos caught him only to strike him again, and that strike sent Shadow down into the lake. He fell in the water, unconscious.

"NO! Shadow!!" Sonic cried out, and without fear, he jumped into the lake after him.

Something broke through his mind as the blue hedgehog fell. He was falling; he remembered how Shadow fell like a falling star after they had saved the people together like a true team. Shadow should have died, but Sonic later found out he survived after the fall. But now, he felt that it was happening again. He could not lose Shadow again, not now and not like this. He fell in, feet first with a splash and then he vanished. Knuckles ran to the edge of the bridge, breathless. There was no sign of Sonic or Shadow anywhere. They were gone. Then Knuckles turned around but Metal Sonic and Chaos were also gone, nowhere to be seen. They just vanished. Suddenly, Knuckles heard police cars in the distance, coming toward the lake.

"Sonic! Shadow!" Knuckles called, and he ran down toward the lake, hoping to see them. But to his despair, they were not there…