Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ Sonic Adventures: "On the road" ❯ Run free ( Chapter 29 )

Chapter 29: Run free

In the darkness of night, the RV was parked at a rest stop on the side of the road, while our heroes slept peacefully inside. They had to be ready to enter Washington DC in the morning and that was where the last missing Emerald was located. It was early that morning when Sonic the Hedgehog opened his eyes to another day and he saw the sun rising when he peeked outside the window of the driver's side. He yawned, sleepily and rubbed his eyes awake and then he turned to see Shadow, asleep on the passenger chair with the little young baby deer Freeway curled up on his lap, dreaming. He looked behind himself to see the back. Tails was asleep on the sofa, which was folded out to make it into a bed, but Scotty was not there with him like he was last night. Sonic did not worry. He knew the crime fighter was on top of the RV again, watching the sunrise. The three girls were waking up in the back bedroom with the door closed so they could do their girl things and Knuckles was above the two front seats, resting in the bed bunk. Sonic turned back to look at the windshield, satisfied when he knew everyone was safe. He always counted them.

Then he heard Shadow, talking in his sleep. "Maria…Maria…" He murmured, quietly.

"Shadow?" Sonic whispered, "Did you say something to me? Are you awake?"

"Yes, Maria, good idea. Let's go fly a kite, up to the highest height…" Shadow whispered.

The eyes of Sonic widened and he felt a drop of sweat on his forehead. "Whoa."

"Huh? What?" Shadow whispered, waking up. "Ah, man. It was just a dream." He sighed.

"It's a good thing. How about a cup of coffee? That'll fix your mind." Sonic suggested.

"Is there something wrong with the one I have?" Shadow asked him after yawning.

"Make that two cups. You'll need it." Sonic said, and they both enjoyed some hot coffee while Freeway had her morning bottle of warm goat milk for breakfast.

After everyone had their breakfast that morning and ready to go, the RV began moving once again. Sonic drove onward to Washington DC and they made it there that afternoon.

= = = = =

Location: Washington DC…

That afternoon, the RV with adventures on its wheels entered Washington DC. The sun was warm and the wind was gently blowing with the fresh smells of flowers, which somehow reached the crew when they came to the place. Sonic, as he drove on, began to wonder, where could an Emerald possibly be in a place such as Washington DC? He stopped the RV and then he turned to Tails who had his laptop computer on and the fox was typing on the keyboard.

"Tails, anything on that signal yet?" Sonic asked him.

"I'm getting interference around here. But I think we're getting close." Tails replied.

"Oh no, we're lost!" Tikal said, concerned and looked outside the window.

"I'm not lost, so we're not lost." Sonic assured his friends. But the truth was, he did not know.

"That's comforting." Shadow sighed, staring at the windshield.

"Maybe it's time to head out on foot." Knuckles said, sharing his thoughts.

"Yeah, and show the world what a bat can do." Rouge smiled.

"Well, Scott, what are your ideas?" Sonic asked the crime fighter.

"I'm not sure, but I sense something uneasy." Scotty answered, unsure.

"I think he's been watching too much Star Wars." Knuckles said, "Too much 'sense talk.'"

Just then, Scotty stood alert. "A police portal car is approaching." He told them.

"What? I don't see anything." Sonic said as he looked in the mirror, seeing nothing.

"You will." Scotty assured and then Sonic looked in the mirror again.

"The law!" Sonic said with surprise when he saw the police car, and Scotty nodded.

"No, it's worse." Shadow said when he looked in the mirror.

"Why do you say that?" Knuckles asked him, curiously.

"It's a female cop." Shadow said with dread in his voice and Knuckles gasped.

"Uh-oh." Sonic said, realizing it. "I don't think we're in a parking space…" He gasped when he heard the cop knock on the driver's side window, which was close beside him. Sonic was calm and he opened the window to see the green female hedgehog with a police uniform.

Her name was Summer. "Hello," She greeted him and then she asked, "Do you have your driver's license, sir?"

"Yes, I do." Sonic answered and he gave it to the police officer.

Summer took a look at the driver's license and she saw the blue hedgehog's photo on the card. She looked up slightly at Sonic in the RV and he smiled the same way he did in the picture. "Do you always smile like this?" Summer asked him, holding the license.

"Well, yeah. It's healthy." Sonic said, grinning in his special way.

"Right." Summer said and rolled her eyes. Then she returned the driver's license back to Sonic. "Now what are you doing parked here where it is not allowed?" She asked.

"We're trying to find out where we are." Sonic replied, calmly.

"Oh, are you lost? You must be tourist, am I right?" Summer asked.

"Yes to both. We've never been here before and have no idea where to go."

"Well, then you should go see the Washington Monument. It's not far from here." Summer told him. "If you follow my portal car, I'll lead you guys there, okay?" She asked.

"Sounds great, but aren't you going to give me a ticket?" Sonic asked the officer.

"No." Summer shook her head. "There's no harm done. You are safely out of traffic's way and because you're lost tourist, I'll help you get to a good starting point to see the place."

"That would be wonderful. Thanks, officer." Sonic said, very grateful.

"Officer Summer, if you please. Now, stay safe and follow me." She turned and entered her car and led the way. Sonic followed the police car, driving the RV.

"I don't know how you slipped out of that one." Shadow said with relief.

"Hey, you just have to be honest and smile." Sonic told him, driving onward.

The Washington Monument stood in the form of an Egyptian obelisk and it rises more than 550 feet above the city, and is the largest masonry structure in the world. Tails was looking outside the window as the RV drove on when his laptop computer suddenly caught attention. He had finally found the signal for the missing Emerald and it was close. He found its location.

"Hey, Sonic! I found the Emerald's signal and we're very close now." Tails reported to him.

"Cool." Sonic said, still driving the RV. "Where is it then?" He asked.

"Believe it or not, it's way up high on top of the Washington Monument." Tails answered.

"How in the world did it get all the way up there?" Shadow asked, surprised.

"I don't know, but that's where it is and where we must go." Tails said.

"We've got a lot of climbing ahead of us." Knuckles sighed quietly.

= = = = =

Meanwhile, some others also arrived in Washington DC, but they were not lost or tourist. It was Metal Sonic and Chaos with Dr. Eggman in the lead. They not only found the Emerald's signal, but they knew where it was also. Villains have their own sly ways to do such things.

"This is a most unusual place for the Emerald, but we have no choice." Eggman said from his battle ship. "It is the last so we have only one try. Don't fool around, you two."

"We shall reach success, boss. Keep your shirt on. We'll find it." Metal assured him.

"Well, if that's success, then it's higher than I thought." Chaos said when he saw it.

"That's because your brain is so low, if you even have one in there." Metal said.

Chaos thought and then he knocked himself on the head twice. "I felt something hard in there." He said and pointed to his head and then Metal shrugged, turning away from him.

"It's probably just a rock." Metal said as he watched Eggman leave. The robot went the way he was commanded and Chaos followed who was still knocking on his head, hoping to find a brain.

= = = = =

"Take a look at that!" Sonic pointed up toward the Washington Monument. He parked the RV in a safe place and he stood outside with his crew. The helpful police officer led them there.

"It's tall, taller than I dreamed it would be." Knuckles said with his eyes gazing.

"Well, yeah." Amy said, "It was built that way and it's not gonna sink."

"This should be a breeze." Rouge said without fear.

"We still should be very careful." Tikal reminded her. "Remember what happened before."

"Of course." Tails added, "One can never be too careful, right?"

"Right." Shadow agreed, nodding his head.

"Danger or not, that's MY Emerald and I'm gonna get it." Knuckles nodded.

"Oh no, you don't! That's my Emerald, my jewel, so see you at the finish line!" Rouge teased him and she ran toward the great and tall Washington Monument, surprising the team.

"Hey, no fair!" Knuckles shouted and he ran after her with Tikal following.

"I didn't even say they could go yet." Sonic said, crossing his arms.

"Treasure hunters have a mind of their own, I guess." Shadow shrugged.

Just then, they heard Chaos behind them. "Oh, boy! That means I have a mind!"

"Chaos!" Sonic gasped when he turned around to face him and Metal.

"We meet again, you miserable rodent!" Metal said, pointing to Sonic.

"Much to my dislike, tin-can!" Sonic snapped, angrily.

"You have come to the end of your road, hedgehog. It's all over for you so face your end here and now. While Chaos steals the Emerald, I'll tare you apart!" Metal moved to attack.

"No way! I'll fight!" Sonic yelled, jumping toward Metal and they knocked each other down backward to the ground. Sonic quickly stood up and attacked again, fighting Metal. Shadow and Scotty moved in to help him, but the robot was very powerful.

"Oh, Tails! What can be done? It's hopeless!" Amy cried with fear.

"There's always hope, Amy." Tails said and he closed his eyes, thinking fast. Suddenly, he opened them with an idea. "I think I got it! Follow me!" Tails called and Amy followed him. They hopped into the Cyclone and they left before Eggman arrived in his ship.

"Oh, what a great victory I have in the palm of my hand! This is it, today is the day I defeat the pesky hedgehog who claims to be the fastest on two feet!" Eggman chuckled as he watched the hedgehog team battle against Metal Sonic. He ate another large handful of microwave popcorn.

= = = = =

Meanwhile…

High up on the Washington Monument the team of three treasure hunters climbed higher and higher, reaching for the top where the lost Emerald was. But as Knuckles thought, they ran into some trouble when Chaos showed up, climbing the Washington Monument's wall.

"Rouge, we've got a problem climbing after us!" Knuckles warned her.

"Then a problem calls for a problem solver, don't you think?" Rouge asked.

"Look out!" Tikal screamed as Chaos struck the wall, causing it to shake slightly.

"Hold on!" Knuckles yelled, gripping the wall tight as it shook with the attack.

Chaos laughed for his victory, but it was short when Knuckles attacked back, striking the wall where the enemy was while he avoided harming his friends.

"Get down!" He yelled and struck the wall so Chaos slipped, but then he gripped on again. "That should hold him! You two keep going and I'll keep him back!" Knuckles said.

"Be careful!" Tikal called before she began climbing with Rouge again.

Knuckles held on tighter to the Washington Monument's wall, closing his eyes when a burst of strong wind blew against his face. He felt it become stronger as he reached to go higher. It became harder and harder to climb, and then suddenly, he heard a familiar voice.

"Hi! I'm Omochao, and I'm here to help!" He said and flew passed Knuckles with the wind.

"What?!" Knuckles gasped with shock. "How did you get here?! You were all the way back in that Texas cave!" He gasped again as he nearly slipped with a weak grip. He held on again.

"The winds are very strong here! Be careful!" Omochao warned him, flying by again.

"I know that!" Knuckles yelled with frustration and then he began climbing again.

"Find the missing Chaos Emerald hidden somewhere around here." Omochao spoke again as he flew around the Washington Monument, passing the red echidna.

Knuckles shook his head and then suddenly without warning, Chaos struck the wall again and Knuckles spun around in his head with dizziness. "Rats!" He groaned and tried to fight it.

"Knuckles, keep climbing! We're almost there!" Tikal encouraged him.

Then Rouge finally reached the top, and she said, "I never fail in my missions!" She stopped and looked down to see Tikal and Knuckles following. "Come on, treasure hunter, climb!" Rouge called for Knuckles after she helped pull Tikal up to the top with her. "Knuckles!" They called.

Knuckles climbed and fought the strong wind and he knew that Chaos was close behind him. His eyes were shut tight as he reached for the top and thankfully; his friends helped him up.

"We made it!" Tikal cheered when they all three were at the top together with teamwork.

"Yeah!" Knuckles breathed and he did not look down.

"I told you it would be a breeze, now let's get the Emerald!" Rouge said with a smile.

"You took the words right out of my mouth!" Knuckles said, and he stretched out his hand and reached the prized jewel at last. "Finally!" He sighed with relief.

"No! It's mine!" Chaos said and he suddenly appeared in front of the team.

"You!" Knuckles growled, pointing to him. "You haven't given up yet?"

"Nope, the Emerald is mine and you are out of order!" Chaos chuckled and then he suddenly hit the Monument and caused it to shake. Knuckles, Rouge and Tikal gasped and held on for dear life, or else, they would fall down far, far, far below to their death, no doubt about it.

Tikal screamed as she suddenly and dreadfully lost her grip on the wall and she fell off. Knuckles turned when he heard her scream and he yelled her name as he dropped the Emerald. He let it go and he fell down after her, gliding to save her. Meanwhile, Rouge tightened her grip with her eyes closed and when she opened them, she saw that Knuckles and Tikal were gone. She blinked with confusion and then she saw the Emerald. She stood up and held it, but then Chaos tried to take it away. Having no choice, Rouge leaped into the air and began gliding high and off the Washington Monument, shocking Chaos. In the meantime, Knuckles caught Tikal who fainted. The red echidna continued falling down until he was near the end, and then like a leaf, he carefully landed on his feet with Tikal in his arms. He looked up, hoping to see Rouge safe. But she was nowhere in sight. He looked and looked, but he could not see her.

"What are you looking at, treasure hunter?" A voice asked behind him.

Knuckles turned around and saw Rouge with the Emerald. She was safe and unharmed. Knuckles could not quite understand how or why he felt such great relief. "I'm…I'm looking at…at something…" He stopped and swallowed hard.

"Yes?" Rouge asked, seeking to know what he was going to say.

But then, Tikal woke up. "Oh, my. What happened?" She asked, weakly.

"We took a sky dive all the way down here." Knuckles answered and winked his eye.

"Yes, and we won what was lost." Rouge held the Emerald in her hand.

"Thanks, I'll take it!" Chaos laughed and snatched it away as he ran passed the bat.

"Oh no!" Rouge gasped and was surprised at the sudden move of the villain.

"So long, bat-girl, until we meet-Again?!" He gasped when Sonic the Hedgehog blocked his path of escape. Those green eyes burned right through him.

"How about NOW?" Sonic asked and then he gave Chaos a kick, knocking him down and the Emerald fell into the hedgehog's waiting hand, quite amazing.

"Hold your breath, hedgehog!" Eggman said, aiming his laser weapon toward him.

"Should I say cheese or just leave?" Sonic asked and before Eggman could reply, the blue hedgehog became a brilliant gold after a bright light. He stood in the midst of the war, shining.

"Super Sonic?!" Eggman gasped with horror. "Oh no! Not here, not now! It can't be!"

"Hey, why not?" Super Sonic asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"This was not in the plan! I must think quickly, very fast…" Metal said when he saw Super Sonic and Super Shadow standing together. "Doctor, request permission to take action."

"Get them, now!" Eggman commanded, and then the robot and Chaos moved toward the hedgehogs, to attack ruthlessly and without any mercy.

"Sonic, Shadow, quick, in here!" Tails called from Eggman's Warp Saucer.

Super Sonic and Super Shadow shrugged, not quite understanding what their friend had in mind, but they felt it was something great, so they entered the ship and it vanished from sight.

"We must take our Warp Saucer!" Chaos said, pointing to it. Metal Sonic entered the ship with Chaos and then the ship spun around in circles, vanishing.

"Where did they go?" Knuckles asked with wide opened eyes.

"One thing is for sure, they're not here anymore." Scotty answered, standing next to him.

"Tails said something about making a few adjustments on Metal's ship." Amy told them.

"Oh, I like the way that fox thinks!" Knuckles grinned.

= = = = =

At this very moment our crew was traveling like no one had before. Tails did his best to control the Warp Saucer, but it was more difficult that he thought. After fighting his confusion, he landed the ship and it appeared in a room. The Warp Saucer finally stopped.

"I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." Sonic gulped.

"Why is that?" Shadow asked and to answer, Tails pointed with his mouth dropped open.

Shadow shrugged and looked. He gasped when he saw that they had landed in the White House and the President was most surprised to see them appear in front of his desk.

"How did you strange…people…get inside the White House?" He asked, finally.

"Would you believe a miracle, sir?" The blue hedgehog asked him.

"At this rate, I'll believe anything." The President said, after swallowing.

"What you see is what you get, I'm just a guy who loves adventure. I'm Sonic the Hedgehog!" He replied and then Shadow poked him in the side.

"Hey, that's what you told me!" He reminded him.

"I'm afraid I'm a little confused…" The President began, still very astonished.

"Don't worry, Mr. President." Tails said to him, "Everything will be okay."

"Yeah, don't sweat it. Everything is under control, sir." Sonic added with a grin.

"We should get back and find the RV." Shadow hinted to leave.

"Understood, Shadow. Okay, Tails, let her warp. Let's go!" Sonic said and after a flash of bright light, the Warp Saucer vanished.

"Sonic and Shadow? Tails, RV and…and this…?" The President tried to make sense of it.

= = = = =

At the same time, Metal Sonic and Chaos made a landing in their Warp Saucer, but in a much further place. It was a strange sight indeed to see a Warp Saucer ship appear in front of the Queen of England's royal throne. Metal and Chaos froze with confusion.

"Where in the universe are we this time?" Metal asked.

"I don't know, but last time, we were on the moon." Chaos replied and then he saw the royal Queen. "Oh, the Queeny!" He said and bowed his head, which Metal slapped.

"We're going back to find that hedgehog!" Metal commanded and then the ship disappeared.

For a moment, the Queen stared with disbelief and amazement, and then she laughed.

= = = = =

The Warp Saucer, which carried our crew appeared in Washington DC, returning them back to the RV and the team who waited for them to come back. They knew all along that they would return. Sonic, Shadow and Tails climbed out of the ship and made it back safely to their crew and the RV. While Eggman retreated, Metal and Chaos continued searching in vain for Sonic. The team had a road to travel down and a journey to complete.

"Welcome back!" Knuckles greeted when they safely returned to the RV.

"Thanks." Sonic said, stopping beside the red echidna. "Right now, I think it's time to leave this place, now that we completed our mission, all is well."

"Yeah, after all that, I'm ready to take a vacation from this vacation." Shadow sighed.

"Then let's go before it gets dark." Sonic said as he gathered Freeway in his arms, leaving. His friends followed him and they returned to the RV. Having great victory in their hands, the team moved on. The night came after they left Washington DC. The long journey home had begun.