**sob** I'M SO SORRY!!!!!!!!!!! I really didn't mean to take so long. I just didn't get a chance to post…..first there was the school play, then I sort of went into a "Sonic is starting to get a bit boring" phase, then new Pokemon games and Zelda WindWaker….too much to handle! I'M SO SORRY!!!!!!

Anyway, as for the age thing, the winner is Icedemon (the echidna, I presume). Yeah, 12. Ok, I only got two guesses. Other than that, I was quite flattered by many of your reviews…I'd understand if you didn't want to read this anymore, but I'd still like it if you did! And maybe even reviewed a little! I'm currently in the process of typing the end…this story has taken me a long time to write, ya know. I started quite a while before I posted the first chapter….

Let's see….almost everyone in this chapter belongs to SEGA, but Buckles, who is mentioned but does not appear, and the Director, who does appear but no one really wants him to, belong halfway to me, halfway to my cousin, which is sort of odd and this is a terrible run-on.

Anyway, if you're actually reading this, you probably want to get at the actual story! Here goes!

* * *

"On your marks, get set, go!!!!!"

The six of the racers started on the course. The Route 101/208 music was playing. The course was straight, but very long. It went over the ocean and the Prison Remains (where Prison Island used to be). Sonic's kart was good for this type of racing. Zoom's was average. Rouge's was also average. Eggman's and Amy's stunk at everything. Knuckles' was ok. It was a rather boring race.

1st Place Sonic the Hedgehog

2nd Place Rouge the Bat

3rd Place Knuckles the Echidna

4th Place Zoom the Chao

5th Place Amy Rose

6th Place Dr. Eggman

"Notice that Eggman hasn't won a single race?" asked Sonic.

"Kinda weird," agreed Rouge.

"Yeah, he's supposed to be a scientific gen- remind me to keep quiet when she says stuff, ok Sonic?"

Sonic merely smirked and strode off.

A camp at Unnamed Coaster- Sonic means...Coast, was built. Each racer had a small tent and there was a large fire in the middle. Sonic, Knuckles, and Zoom sat together. Knuckles was on the end. Rouge managed to inch toward him without his noticing until she was right next to him. Knuckles moved away, turning (if possible) even redder than he already was. Sonic grinned until Rouge got next to him. She picked up a folded piece of paper. It was Shadow's note.

"So he just...left?" asked Rouge.

"Yeah...." said Sonic. "You know the guy pretty well, what do you think happened?"

"I don't know..." said Rouge, "you didn't...say anything to him? Anything that might have, oh, you know, bring something back? I don't know when it happens, it's so sudden..."

"Neither do I," admitted Sonic. "Say," he added, changing the subject, "what do you think of Knuckles?"

Rouge looked very embarrassed. "That's for me to know and none of you to find out," she said.

Sonic tried to conceal a laugh. Knuckles took out a ukulele and started to strum a few chords. Suddenly he burst into a rap.

My name is Knuckles

I'm afraid of Buckles.

He's my bro,

But he's a ghost, you know!

Everyone gave Knuckles a weird look. Crickets chirped in the background, even though there are no crickets in the Dessert...Sonic means....Desert. Knuckles turned so red that he started to go up in flames.

"FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRRRREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" he shouted very loudly. The military heard him. They fired antibiotics at him. He went crazy and started singing, "ANTIBIOTIC! ANTIBIOTIC!"

"O-kay..." said Sonic. Even Zoom edged away from Knuckles a bit.

"Second thought," said Rouge, "I have no feelings toward Knuckles. Actually, I like Shadow much better. Say....you look a lot like Shadow....."

A blue flash was seen moving across the Dessert-errr...Desert at the speed of sound. It didn't return until hours later.

* * *

"On your marks, get set....STOP!!!!!" Everyone started to race anyway. Sonic was in the lead, followed closely by Zoom. This track was also straight and long, but it was easy for Zoom's light car to move across the endless sands. Suddenly everyone crashed into out-of-place brick walls. "I told you to stop, but did you listen? NO!!!!!!" shouted the announcer dude. "This particular race is now officially canceled! The tournament will continue in the space colony ARK."

Rouge walked up to Sonic, rubbing her head. "That was just weird," she said. "Do you think that's why Shadow left?"

"I have no idea," said Sonic. "It could be because he just doesn't want the memories brought back up....but....well...you know Shadow." he finished.

"Yeah," said Rouge.

"Remember how ticked he was when you first said we were going up to the colony?" asked Knuckles.

"Ticked? That's an understatement," said Rouge. "He was positively disturbed."

"Almost as disturbed as Knuckles'll be when he figures out he's having a conversation with you, Rouge!" said Sonic. Knuckles tried to punch him in the face, but Sonic was ready this time. He ducked.

* * *

Later, at the teleportation machine to the ARK, the crew set up camp again. Sonic finally dared Knuckles to try and have a conversation with Rouge without punching anyone or running away. It was quite a pleasant evening. Among the topics discussed was the subject of the strange announcer dude.

"Who do you think he is? He's obviously more than a recording, judging by the way he talked to us earlier today," said Amy.

"I wonder if he's really the Director?" asked Rouge.

"He's waaaaayy too smart to be the Director," said Knuckles. "I think he's a SEGA representative."

"Knuckles is right," agreed Sonic. "SEGA's the only thing that can do all of the stuff that guy does."

Sonic's cell phone rang. He answered.

"Hey, Sonic!" said a voice. It was Tails.

"Hey, Tails! What's up?" Sonic replied.

"Aren't you the least bit annoyed that I haven't told you what I've figured out yet?"

"Yeah," said Sonic, "but the Director said I couldn't find out. Don't tell me or you'll get disconnected."

"Okay. I figured out one more thing, though."

"Try it," said Sonic.

"I found out who broke into the house that one night! It was-"

"YOUR CALL HAS BEEN DISCONNECTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!" shouted the Director, "AND IF YOU TWO TRY THAT ONE MORE TIME, WE'LL DISCONNECT YOUR WHOLE LINE!!!!!!! Have a nice day."

We'll disconnect your line? Who's we? thought Sonic.

"That was a strange way to end a conversation, Blueberry," said Rouge.

"Disconnected," muttered Sonic.

"Say," said Amy, "where's Eggman been anyway?"

Everyone looked toward Eggman's tent, where you could see his shadows against the canvas. He was messing with wires on some machine.

"I don't wanna know," said Knuckles.

"I think I know who disconnected my call..." said Sonic angrily.

"Sonic...peace treaty..." reminded Rouge. The gleam in Sonic's eye was starting to look like the familiar one he got whenever he was about to take on an enemy.

"Ohhh, all right," Sonic replied reluctantly.

* * *

And so, an almost non-cliffhanger ending! Sort of…almost…nevermind….anyway, I bet you know what I am going to say!!!! It starts with RE and ends with VIEW!!!!!!! Creative, aren't I? Yes! Peace out everyone, and hope I get the next chap up sooner! For my sake and yours!