Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ Sonic Adventures: "On the road" ❯ Unquenchable friendship ( Chapter 18 )

Chapter 18: Unquenchable friendship

Early in the morning, the sun began to rise up into the sky and a small beam of light peeked in through the tent, reaching the face of Sonic the Hedgehog who was still asleep. The sunbeam seemed to tickle his nose until he sat up, fighting the feeling to chuckle. He rubbed his green eyes, awakening them and then he looked around. Tails was asleep beside him, but Shadow and Knuckles were already gone, so they must be outside somewhere. The blue hedgehog stepped outside of the tent and the morning was cold in the forest. He welcomed the morning sunlight to warm the air and he looked toward the lake for a moment of silence.

"Sonic?" The sleepy voice of Tails broke his thoughts. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"You were too cute in there, Tails, and besides, you're always close behind me." Sonic grinned and stroked Tails on the head. "You hungry, kid?" He asked.

"Yeah, a little, but once morning wares off, I'll be really hungry." Tails replied.

"Okay, let's prepare to move out. I hope to reach a town so we can find a few supplies there." Sonic told him, and then they began to take the tents down.

Shadow and Knuckles were on top of the RV, and Sonic gave them the ropes for the tents. Knuckles had the tents secured, the ropes were stored away and the girls were making sure the campfire was out before leaving. Shadow turned and reached for the last rope but he suddenly tripped and fell from the RV, falling until he reached the ground.

"Shadow!" Sonic called and he ran to him with Tails closely following.

Freeway stepped out from under the RV and she gently licked Shadow's face, nuzzled him on the cheek and then he opened his eyes only to see a baby deer face looking down at him. Unharmed, Shadow sat up as Sonic quickly came to his side, concerned.

"Are you okay, Shadow?" Sonic asked, and he gripped his hand, lifting him up.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me." Shadow answered, quietly. He turned and saw Freeway, holding a flower in her mouth and she gave it to him. "Thanks." He whispered.

"That's so sweet! I'll take a picture." Amy said, and then with a flash, a photo was taken.

"Hey, come back here with that camera!" Shadow began to chase her, but then he remembered that he was holding the flower. He turned and gave it to Sonic. "Here, take this." He said, and then he ran after Amy who was escaping with the camera. "Come back here!" He called.

Sonic watched him leave and then he looked at the flower, then at Tails, and then finally down at the confused Freeway. "You'll understand one day." Sonic told her, quietly.

After a morning of packing, the team was ready to leave. The RV moved once again, leaving the forest camp and they traveled toward Idaho where they would find a town to gather a few needed supplies and refill the RV before they continue in the journey on wheels.

= = = = =

Location: Idaho…

The beautiful sight of the mountains amazed Sonic and his team when they saw the place. The RV stopped for a moment and they watched a flock of birds fly over them like kites. The wind was gently blowing and a cool breeze was in the air. It was dry in that area because no rain had fallen in a while, but when the Sonic team arrived, they saw rain clouds gathering. The sign of a storm was above them. After a moment of rest, the RV moved again, driving into a small town with Sonic as the driver and Shadow sat beside him to help navigate when needed. They reached a place to refill the RV and the girls were able to find the supplies inside a store. It was a quiet place and Sonic watched the dark clouds overhead, wondering if a storm would strike. Soon they were ready to leave and everyone entered the RV but Freeway was under it, trembling with fear of the thunderstorm. Knuckles found her and he tried to call her to come out. But it was not easy.

"Freeway, come out now. We have to go." Knuckles called, but she closed her eyes, trembling. Then the echidna stood up and called for his friend. "Sonic, she won't come out. She looks afraid of something. I don't know what's wrong." Knuckles explained to him about it.

Sonic jumped outside from the driver seat and he came to the location where Knuckles was pointing. "Freeway?" Sonic called her, gently.

He saw the baby deer tremble again and then she opened her eyes, facing him with her ears laid back. "Hey, Freeway, come out and let's go. We're not leaving without you." He reached out for the fawn, using his hand and then Freeway smelled it, gathering courage to move. She stepped outside and she found herself in the arms of Sonic and he hugged her. "There now, it's okay. We'll try to find a camp before any storm hits the area. Here, Knuckles take her in."

Knuckles took Freeway and carried her inside while Sonic climbed back into the RV, sitting down and buckling himself to drive. Shadow wondered what the problem was but he did not ask. He sat quietly in the passenger seat next to the driver and the RV began to move again. Soon after they left the town and nothing but trees of the forest was seen, thunder was heard outside.

"It looks like we're going to have rain." Sonic said, quietly and Shadow heard him.

"Yes, but the road will be dangerous here when it's wet. We should find a campsite."

"I know, Shadow. I guess that's the best thing to do." Sonic agreed.

Just then, the engine began to act strangely and Sonic stopped. He stepped outside and Shadow followed him to the front of the RV. Everyone came outside to see what the trouble was, and it was the fan belt. It was burned somehow and Sonic began working on it. Knuckles found a spare inside so that was helpful. The girls found the activity to be very boring. After telling Tails, the three girls left to walk with Freeway down a path in the forest, not far away from the RV. Tails passed another tool to Sonic so he could make a few final adjustments and then suddenly, he smelled something. He sniffed and instantly recognized it as smoke.

"Sonic, do you smell something?" Tails asked him, turning to the blue hedgehog.

"Yeah, I smell a stinky engine." Sonic answered, still facing his work.

"No, Sonic, it's not that. I smell smoke. Do you smell it, Knuckles?" Tails asked.

Knuckles looked up from the toolbox. "No, Tails, I SEE smoke!" He pointed toward the trees and the others turned to see. It was with no doubt a forest fire.

"Oh no! The girls are out there!" Sonic gasped, realizing the great danger.

"How will we find them?" Tails asked him, and the fear was heard in his voice.

"We will, I promise you that! Let's go!" Sonic called, and he ran down the path. Sonic took the led with the others following him. The hedgehog could smell the smoke and feel the heat of the wild flame. The fire was growing stronger and stronger, faster than he thought possible.

"Amy! Tikal! Rouge! Where are you?!" Sonic called out to them, seeking to find. When there was no answer or any sign of them, Sonic ran faster, looking and listening.

The smoke became thicker and he could hardly see anything. His eyes began to water because of the harsh smoke, which filled the air and made it difficult to breathe. Sonic stopped for a moment and listened carefully. He raised his hand to shadow his eyes and then to his relief, he heard Amy, coughing and she was not far away. Sonic lifted his green eyes toward the path and then he saw Amy with Tikal. The two girls were coughing as they came to the team.

"Amy! Tikal, where's Rouge and Freeway?" Sonic asked, after he coughed.

"They were right behind us, but then we lost them. We thought they made it here." Tikal answered him, and Amy was unable to speak because of the coughing.

Sonic took them both by the hands and he led them to the others, who were calling and looking for their missing friends. "Shadow, get them back to the RV and take care of them! And Tails, you go call the Fire Department, right away!"

"But where's Rouge?" Knuckles asked him when he did not see her in the group.

"I don't know, Knuckles. No one knows." Sonic replied, truthfully.

"I'm going! I gotta find her!" Knuckles ran passed Sonic and he disappeared in the smoke.

"NO, Knuckles! It's too dangerous there!" Sonic called him but it was too late. "KNUCKLES!" He cried but there was no answer. Tails and Shadow helped Amy and Tikal back to the RV, but Sonic stayed behind to find the others. He could only hope that Knuckles was all right.

"Rouge! Freeway!" Sonic called, and he ran again until he reached a dry creek.

He gasped when he saw Freeway down in the creek where she had fallen with her leg trapped between two heavy rocks and a dangerous snake was close to strike her. He froze when he came down into the dry creek, and then suddenly, he saw the snake raise its head toward the helpless fawn, opening its mouth and he could seen the deadly fangs. Sonic jumped toward it, bravely and he crushed the head with his shoe. He only wounded it but he finished it with a rock. He never lifted the rock but he ran to Freeway who was unharmed and he carefully helped her out of the snare of rocks. He did not allow himself to breathe until she was safe in his arms again.

"Freeway." Sonic whispered, holding her and a tear fell from his cheek. He quickly stood on his feet, climbed out of the dry creek with the fawn and then he hurried back to the RV.

= = = = =

Meanwhile, in the burning forest, Knuckles stood in the midst of it, looking for any signs of Rouge, listening for any familiar sounds and he called for her. He heard no answer but he did not give up. He knew she was near him and so, keeping his courage, he kept going.

"Rouge!" Knuckles called her again, and then he jumped over a fallen tree.

"Long time no see, treasure hunter." A weak voice said behind him.

"Rouge!" Knuckles cried and he ran to her. She was beside the fallen tree, leaning against it, coughing. "Rouge, let's go! Can you get up?" Knuckles asked her.

Rouge shook her head. "No, I can't. I twisted my ankle." She answered, weakly.

"Then I'll carry you." Knuckles said, lifting her from the ground.

"Ouch!" Rouge cried in pain, and Knuckles carried her in his arms to safety. Knuckles found the path and he followed it, knowing it would lead them to the RV.

"Knuckles! Rouge!" Sonic called, running toward them with Shadow running beside him.

"Sonic, we're here!" Knuckles answered the call and the two hedgehogs found them.

They returned to the RV and the firefighters arrived. The fire was soon under control, and after making sure everyone was safe inside, Sonic drove the RV out of the area. Tikal wrapped a bandage around Rouge's wounded ankle while she rested on a bed. Knuckles was glad not to hear anymore coughing and they all recovered after the frightening event. They made it through alive and together. Sonic and his friends realized that was the important thing. The RV stopped where they could rest at a safe campsite. It rained that night and Rouge stared outside the window, alone and she was listening to the drops falling down. She let out a quiet sigh, thinking.

"How are you feeling, Rouge?" Knuckles asked, quietly entering the room.

"Tired." Rouge answered, simply and she did not turn to look at him.

"You haven't touched your dinner, so I thought something was wrong."

"I'm just not very hungry now." Rouge said in a whisper, still watching the rain.

"Well, do you have any room for dessert? I can't eat my share of pie alone." Knuckles sat down at the foot of the bed, holding a paper plate, which held a piece of pumpkin pie.

"That's strange. I thought eating would be easy as pie for you." Rouge joked, lightly.

"Not right now. I already cut it in half. Will you share it with me?" He asked her.

Finally, Rouge turned from the window and she faced him. "Yeah, okay." She smiled.

"Good." Knuckles said, and he smiled also, offering her a fork. Rouge shyly took it and then they began eating the dessert with the rain as their music.

The drip drops outside were heard and Sonic watched the rain from the driver seat, finishing his last few bites of pie. Shadow did not touch his dessert until his hot coffee was ready. He would never eat it without coffee. Now relaxing and in peace, the team enjoyed their dessert with the RV as their refuge. They were safe and well, together again as they always wanted it to be. The fire could not burn them and the smoke could not harm them, but they came together again to realize more than before that their friendship was unquenchable. After that trial, it was unquestionable that some friendships can never die or be destroyed. The night became silent and still, quiet as the sky began to clear so the moon and stars could shine in the darkness. Sonic and his friends rested in the RV, sleeping the night away. They had quite an amazing adventure together and a new day always brings a new adventure, but for now… Rest easy, heroes.