Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ On the Road Again ❯ Project M.A.D. ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4: Project M.A.D.

It was passed midnight when the driver Shadow the Hedgehog finally stopped the RV. He found a safe place on the side of a road with no one around. It was a picnic area, so he was able to park with hardly any trouble. Sonic the Hedgehog was resting quietly in the passenger seat, the girls were sleeping in the back bedroom, Tails was asleep on the sofa with Freeway, and Knuckles the Echidna was awake, but very tired as he sat on a chair, next to a window. His eyes closed, and the echidna fell asleep in a matter of moments. Shadow finished parking the RV, so he turned off the engine, silencing it. Everything was dark and quiet outside. Shadow could see the stars in the black sky, and then he closed the windshield curtain.

"Shadow? Where are we?" The sleepy voice of Sonic asked in a whisper.

"We're still in North Carolina. I found a good place to stop for now. It's okay." He answered.

Sonic slightly sat up from his chair, but then he gasped and gripped his right arm, sitting down again. He closed his eyes, holding the wound and waited for the pain to leave him.

"Your arm still hurts? How bad is it?" Shadow asked him, quietly.

"It'll pass." Sonic replied, keeping his eyes closed and his hand over the wound.

"No, it will only get worse. Let me see that." Shadow carefully lifted the arm, looked over it and then he saw that it was a burn. "Wait here." Shadow whispered, and then he left him. He soon returned with a First-Aid kit. "This will hurt a little, but it will help." He whispered.

Sonic watched as Shadow opened a bottle of medicine, he poured a little on a white bandage, and then he carefully placed it over the burn. When it touched him, Sonic gripped the arm of the chair with his free hand, clenching his teeth with his eyes tightly closed. After a little time passed, Sonic felt the pain leaving. Shadow wrapped the bandage around the arm, gently tied it, and Sonic moaned when he did. Then finally, he sighed with relief. He did feel much better.

"Thanks, Doctor Shadow." Sonic whispered with a slight grin.

"Don't mention it. But it will take time for this to heal completely. Give it some time."

"How about some sleep?" Sonic asked after a yawn.

"Sounds restful to me." Shadow nodded in agreement. He sat down again in the driver's seat, placed his pillow down and pulled his warm blanket over himself. "Night, Sonic."

"Night, Shadow." Sonic whispered, sleepily as he pulled his green blanket over himself. The two hedgehogs in the front of the RV soon fell into a restful sleep, peacefully.

= = = = =

Meanwhile…

"No peace!" Metal Sonic harshly said to the life-size drawing of Sonic, on the wall. He fired a laser toward it, and it was a direct hit between the eyes. "Oh, I am so good." He said, proudly.

"That'll give him such a terrible headache." Chaos said, watching him practice on targets.

"That is without a doubt, but then again, he doesn't have to work with you." Metal pointed.

"What a pity." Chaos sighed. "But at least you're lucky enough to, huh?"

"I would call it cursed." Metal corrected him.

"With or without mustard?" Chaos asked, and that greatly confused Metal.

"Either you're extremely crazy, or I need a vacation." He said with his arms crossed.

"Oh, where are we going? I always wanted to see Hawaii. It's so lovely." Chaos sighed.

"We are not going anywhere, but I am going to see if the Doctor has a plan yet."

"Oh, yeah. He said he's trying to find a streaky, wherever that stuff is."

"That's strategy, you little pest!" Metal corrected him with a slap, causing Chaos to yelp.

"You two clowns, stop this foolishness!" Dr. Eggman commanded as his office door opened. "We must not fail in this mission to be rid of that hedgehog!"

"What is your great strategy?" Metal asked when Eggman sat down on his chair.

"Yeah, what's up, Doc?" Chaos asked, and then Metal taped his mouth closed.

Eggman began to explain his evil plan. "We are right behind the RV's trail, following the hedgehog and his miserable crew. They were lucky the first time, but now, I have finally completed a great invention. I call it Project M.A.D."

"Mad?" Metal asked, scratching his robotic head while Chaos tried to speak, but the tape held.

"Yes, it is my new invention called Mind Alteration Demonstration." Eggman explained as he pointed to the dangerous box. "It will alter the mind of any hedgehog, make them do things you never thought possible. I have already made a good program, which will cause Sonic and Shadow to fight each other in a combat for Amy Rose. It is very natural for hedgehogs to do that."

"Primitive creatures, but great plan for them. It should work perfectly." Metal nodded.

"It will be tested tomorrow." Eggman laughed, resting a hand on the new invention.

Then Metal was disturbed when Chaos pulled at his arm, whining for freedom. The tape was still keeping his mouth closed, much to Metal's enjoyment. But the robot pulled the tape off.

"OW!" Chaos screamed after the sticky tape was suddenly removed.

"There, now what were you saying?" Metal asked him, tossing the used tape away.

"I said, I can't talk!" Chaos answered, and then Metal taped it again with fresh tape.

= = = = =

When morning arrived, a little sunbeam peeked into the RV through the windshield curtain, reaching the green eyes of Sonic the Hedgehog. He groaned and sleepily pulled his blanket up to cover his face, which he did. Then he heard someone drinking with the sound of a slurp. He knew without any doubt that it was Shadow, drinking his morning coffee.

"Drink your cup before it gets cold, Sonic." Shadow said, after taking another sip.

"All right." Sonic groaned, and he removed the blanket away from his face. He sat up with the blanket still covering his lap as he reached for his coffee mug and then he took a long sip. Then he noticed that the others were not inside with them. "Hey, where did they all go?" He asked.

"They went outside for some morning air." Shadow replied. "It's 7:00 in the morning."

"Already?" Sonic yawned as he kicked his blanket away.

Shadow only nodded his head, yes as an answer. He was finishing his last sip of coffee. Sonic felt that his arm was sore, but at least the burning had stopped. It was healing nicely. Sonic finished his drink, and then he stepped outside with Shadow following. The two male hedgehogs saw their friends outside, having fun together while staying close to the RV. Knuckles and Rouge were climbing the trees, pretending to treasure hunt, Amy and Tikal were playing a game of marbles on the ground with little Freeway watching them, nibbling on a fresh strawberry.

"Huh? Where's Tails?" Sonic asked, and to answer, something flew right over his head, surprising him. Sonic looked, and sure enough, it was Tails. The fox landed in front of him.

"Good morning, Sonic." Tails greeted him, waving his hand.

Sonic smiled. "Morning, Tails. Anything happening out here?" He asked.

"Nope, nothing much. I'm just practicing some new landings." Tails explained.

"That's cool. Well, I guess after breakfast, we'll have to move on." Sonic decided. Then everyone was called to gather around for some breakfast. They ate outside to enjoy the view.

But hidden from their sight, Dr. Eggman had returned with his new invention Project M.A.D. "It is great, but it has limited range." The scientist said to himself. "It's no matter. They will destroy themselves right here, and with the two hedgehogs out of my way, things will be good."

Metal Sonic and Chaos stood nearby as Dr. Eggman activated his invention. The black box began to hum a strange sound, and Chaos covered his ears, if he had any there.

= = = = =

Meanwhile, down at the RV, things were calm and quiet as the team enjoyed breakfast together. But then suddenly, Shadow stopped eating and looked toward Amy who had just finished her last bite, and she was combing her hair, humming to herself. Sonic blinked his eyes as a strange, new feeling overcame him when he saw the female hedgehog. Shadow felt the same way, as he was the first to approach her. Amy felt as if she was being watched, and so she turned around. But then, Sonic blocked Shadow's way to her, furious with burning eyes. Shadow growled and so did Sonic as they began to fight each other, uncontrollably. Amy screamed and stepped back as the two male hedgehogs fought to win her, and so the mad scientist's invention really worked.

Knuckles choked on his breakfast when he saw them fighting. "Hey, guys, stop the fighting!" He called, standing up, and he came toward them, but the fight only grew more intense.

Shadow threw Sonic toward a tree, but the blue hedgehog jumped right back, knocking Shadow down with a powerful attack. Knuckles fell backward, stunned and shocked. Tails looked as his eyes widened with total surprise. Then laughter was heard, and it was unmistakable.

"HA! It worked! It worked! I am the greatest scientist in the entire world, and now finally I have made an invention that will destroy the hedgehog, my adversary!" Eggman laughed again.

"Sonic!" Amy screamed, calling out for him to stop, but they only continued fighting.

"So, it's you, Dr. Eggman!" Knuckles pointed toward the scientist in the ship.

"Of course, who did you expect? Frankenstein?" Eggman asked with an evil grin.

"What have you done? You must've made Sonic do this!" Tails said, angrily.

"Correct, fox boy, and now, you are all forced to surrender yourselves and the RV!"

"Forget it, fat mad man!" Knuckles growled, and he ran toward the ship, but Metal Sonic suddenly appeared, standing in his way. Knuckles stopped, gasping with surprise.

"Let's have a little talk, Big Red!" Metal said, and without a warning, he gripped the echidna by the arm, flying away with him. Before Tails could speak, Rouge flew after them.

"Oh no!" The young fox gasped. "There must be a way to end this madness! But how?"

"We must do something!" Tikal said as Sonic and Shadow rolled passed them, fighting.

"What is wrong with them, anyway?" Amy asked, standing close beside Tikal.

"It must be a mind control program that Dr. Eggman had made so they would fight like this, but there is always a way." Tails thought fast, and then he saw the RV's water hose. "That's it! Water!" The fox said with an idea, and he ran with Amy and Tikal following.

"Now what?" Amy asked, after Tails had pulled the water hose out.

"If I'm right, this will end the fight." Tails answered. "We'll aim for Sonic and Shadow, and hopefully, they will wake up from the mind control." He explained, quickly. He turned to his friends. "Tikal, when I give you the signal, turn the water on. Amy, you're with me."

"Okay, Tails. If this will help Sonic, I'm in." Amy helped him with the water hose, and Tikal stood ready to turn it on. Eggman was watching Metal fight with Knuckles and Rouge.

Tails and Amy held the water hose, waiting for Sonic and Shadow to appear, and when they came by, kicking each other, Tails raised the hose toward them. "Tikal, now!" He called.

Then Tikal quickly turned the water on, and from the RV's water tank, water came rushing out of the hose. Tails and Amy held on tight, aiming toward Sonic and Shadow. After a few misses, they finally got them soak and wet. The two hedgehogs fell to the ground, blinking their eyes and their minds were free again, thanks to Tails. They noticed how wet they were, and that confused them.

"What happened? Did we fall in a lake or something?" Sonic asked, after shaking it off.

"I'm not sure, but I dreamed I was a tropical fish." Shadow said, quietly standing.

"Sonic!" Tails called. "Dr. Eggman controlled your mind and made you fight Shadow!"

"Why would I ever do that? We don't fight for anything serious anymore." Sonic said.

"You were fighting for Amy." Tikal told them, and then both hedgehogs laughed.

"It's serious!" Tails said, and then he pointed toward Eggman. "Look!"

Sonic and Shadow turned and there he was, it was Dr. Eggman with an evil plan. "Aha!" He said to his enemies. "I'll just move on to the next stage of the program, and.…What?!" He gasped with horror when he saw Project M.A.D. smashed to pieces, and Amy stood by, innocently hiding her hammer behind her back with a cute smile. It was with no doubt that she ruined it.

"Oh, another design failure!" Eggman whined for his loss. "But what has happened to Metal?" Just then, the robot came crashing down to the ground with Chaos landing on top of him. "Hurry, you two! Project M.A.D. has failed, and we must retreat!" He commanded, escaping.

Sonic and his crew watched with confusion as the three fled away, vanishing from sight. Knuckles and Rouge returned, unharmed and they were all safe. Sonic and Shadow had no memory of the fighting they had done, but maybe it was for the best. They were in their right minds now, and that was a great relief for the entire crew. It was truly a wild adventure.

Sonic shrugged and then he spoke. "Well, whatever happened, I'm sure glad it's over."

"Yeah, now let's get going and move out." Knuckles said, "I've had enough of flying."

"It is too much work for too little pay." Rouge added as she brushed the dust off herself.

"Then it's time to hit the road again. Let's go, team!" Sonic called, and away they went. Everyone hopped in the RV and down the road they drove, traveling together once again.