SonAdow High School Life

To the ARK

Dad was thinking for a long time, every day after the letter we had received. My mother seemed to be angered by it. I’m sure it was only because she was afraid, of another let down or losing him in the process.

Shadow had stayed absent from school Thursday, Friday, and even the next Monday. My school days without him were slow torturous hours making me dread every day. I often found myself day dreaming during classes of being in his arms again, and even thinking ‘what if I got hurt?’ Who would be there to carry me to the nurse’s office!? I smiled, at the time I really hated when he had carried at the time, but now it just makes me smile every time I think about it.

After school I met with Amy as she waited for her bus, and was surprised to see my Dad waiting for me with the car on the side of the road.

“Dad?” I asked quietly watching his eyes scan the horizon of students scurrying about.

“Hey Sonic!” Knuckles waved and grabbed my shoulder, “Any word on Shadow? He was going to come to my island and help me terminate some pests that keep snooping around… a small flock of birds calling themselves treasure hunters… tch, I don’t see why treasure hunter and thief are confused with each other, they’re clearly not the same thing!” He shook his head grousing to himself.

“Sorry Knuckles, Shadow said he was really busy, he can’t say what it is but he won’t be back for a while… unfortunately.”

“Really? He said the same thing to Rouge… jeez I was sure he would have kept his boyfriend more in the loop at least!” He smacked his forehead in the palm of his hand. I blushed looking around hoping no one else heard; not that I’m ashamed, but it’s also no one else’s business!

“Sorry, I wish he did…”

“Aw right see ya tomorrow.” He waved and walked off.

“Did he just call you Shadow’s boyfriend?” Amy asked stopping me from walking over to my dad.

“So?” I shrugged.

She blinked her expression blank. I wasn’t going to sit around to be judged by her out of all people…  I stepped to the side and walked past her, “See ya tomorrow.” I said plainly and left for the car. If she was really such a good friend as she wants me to believe, then she’ll join the group tomorrow, and if not well then, I’ll know where we stand on that note.

Despite the small worries of this new ‘drama’ I set it aside greeting dad with a smile.

“Hey, what are you doing here?”

“Road trip.” He said opening my door.

“Huh? But.. school.” I put in my back pack and scooted in the seat closing my door and clicked on my seat belt.

“Yeah don’t worry about it.” Dad shrugged getting in the car.

“Hi mom.” I said seeing her in the driver’s seat.

“Hi honey! Had a good day at school?”

I shrugged, “I guess.”

“Well it’s about to get better.” Dad smiled.

“Where are we going!?” I jumped in my seat filled with excitement.

“A place called ARK.” Mom said looking at me through her mirror.

“Hmm?” Where did that name sound familiar??

It took hours on the road and I’m sure we got lost at least twice. At some point I took a nap, then played ‘I spy’ until we ran out of things to spot. (It isn’t much fun when all there’s left to spy is wheat fields and sky, maybe a cow or two.) The sky started to get dull as night began to creep on us and finally we arrived at a big building sticking out like a sore thumb in the middle of the flat lands and fields. We parked the car in the parking lot and went pressed a button on the building like a door bell.

“Ugh that was such a long ride, I could really go for a run.” I stretched out and bent back hearing my back pop and crack into place.

“Hey honeys!” Rouge’s voice came on over the speaker.

“Rouge?”

“Come on in!” The doors opened, inside was like a abandoned air-port.

“This was some kind of air force check point back in the day.” Dad looked around. Rouge’s high heal boots clicked on the floor as she walked closer and waved, “My aren’t you a handsome boy, haven’t I seen you somewhere before?” She teased nudging my arm and winked.

“Ha, cut it out.” I blushed lightly seeing my mom stare at me.

“Well then kitties, this way! I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but this sis supposedly a top secret mission Shadow has embarked on, which is exporting you and your family on an intergalactic vacation for a while.”

“What? You mean we’re going to outer space!?” Mom screeched hugging onto my dad.

“Not that far honey, just to the moon.” She smiled.

“Don’t we need special training for this kind of thing!?”

“No it will be a quick visit. Don’t worry about it, you’ll like it.” Rouge nodded and led us to a basement.

Though the building was a little run down and old, there was a mini jet/shuttle of present day technology.

“This baby will get you there in no time. Real comfortable too.” She nodded.

“Who’s going to drive it?” Mom asked tapping her foot.

“The coordinates are already programed in the autopilot.” She shrugged.

“I don’t know about this Jules…” Mom whispered hugging onto his arm.

“What’s there to worry darling, it’s a mini space ship with autopilot to an artificial moon! Where’s your sense of adventure?!”

“I don’t have one because you have no sense of danger!” She growled stomping her foot, “will you not show at least a little concern for safety, at least for your son!”

The shuttle’s doors opened and the lights inside flicked on as the engine started.

“Cool!!” I ran inside seeing big seats with a round table in between them. Inside was like a little living room! There was even a flat screen tv and a normal sized bathroom!

“Grr, Sonic I swear you take after your father way too much.” Mom stomped up the steps to the inside dad followed and took a seat. I decided to explore a little more and found a small kitchen with drinks and small chip bags and peanuts.

“Hey Rouge aren’t you coming?” I asked looking out the shuttle.

“Sorry I’d love too, but I have to stay down here and notify Shadow if or when GUN ever discovers one of their ‘birds’ are missing. You do know this is an unauthorized project he’s getting himself into.” She frowned shaking her head, “both Shadow and I could get into serious trouble.”

“Oh.” Shadow would risk his job just to help me and my family.

“Have fun!” She waved as the doors closed and we began to take off the hidden run way from underground opened up to the outside and my stomach flipped as we began to lift off the ground and the ground became smaller and further away.

“Really wish I got that run in…” I mumbled to myself bringing myself away from the window as my ears began to pop from the air pressure change.

“Woohoo!!!’ Dad raised his hands like a roller coaster ride.

“I can’t believe how CRAZY you are!” mom slapped him with her purse.

“Yes you did, and you like it otherwise you wouldn’t have married me.”

She crossed her arms grumbling to herself and said no more.

It was faster than I thought and we broke the atmosphere and finally entered the vacuum of space. The loud engine that hurled us through the air finally quieted as we slowly cruised on in the dark with the stars looking brighter and bigger.

My mind just clicked, ARK the artificial moon that was a living quarters and where Shadow was created! We were headed for, basically Shadow’s ‘house’!