Running with the Rebels

Dwindled Numbers

A/N: Hello, all of you wonderful people! I am so sorry about the lack of updates. School has been hectic as usual, and I've been trying to participate in more of Wattpad's writing contests to try my hand at different genres. Thank you all so much for hanging in there and being patient with me!

Oh! And before I forget, Mindy and Trevor are not OCs. They were in the original Sonic Underground show (may it rest in peace).

The other newbies you're sure to meet are OCs, and you'll see the reason why I decided to add new characters instead of pulling in old ones later on. But trust me, they won't take over the plot, if that's what you're worried about. So just a heads up there. Happy reading!
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    It didn't take long to find the base after meeting Gadget, who refused to leave Shadow's side no matter the others tried. Yet thanks to helping the kid keep pace via the "ultimate shoulder ride," they were able to move at a quick enough pace to make it to the base before dark.

    The lone warehouse was meshed between two larger buildings and looked a little more decrepit than what Sonic remembered. The fur on the back of his neck stood on end when his team was able to enter without issue. Someone should have stopped and at least questioned them. Where was everybody?

"You weren't kidding about the lack of support. Shouldn't we've seen someone by now?" Tails unknowingly echoed his surrogate brother's thoughts.

"Yeah," Manic answered slowly as he looked around the empty control room, "There's no way everybody just decided to clear out. We've only been gone, like what, a week?"

"Hello?" Amy called, "Is anybody there?"

Sonic gently squeezed her shoulder to stop her. "Ames, if there's nobody here, there's gotta be a reason," he whispered, "Something's wrong here. Everybody, stay quiet."

The azure prince blinked twice, and his eyes glowed a soft, emerald green. He stepped forward to hide it from those behind him. He scanned the open room, ignoring the chaos signatures of his teammates in the corner of his vision until he saw a faint golden glow coming from a stack of crates on the opposite end of the room. Emerald eyes, no longer glowing, met ruby as he wordlessly pointed at the location.

Shadow flexed his hand, ready to conjure another chaos spear should it be necessary. He didn't fancy being shot at again. With a muttered chaos command, he vanished from his spot between his brothers and reappeared on top of the tallest crate.

   "Now, what are you all doing back here?" he asked calmly, eliciting several surprised shouts.

Five mobian forms ran out from behind the crates, coming face to face with the rest of the team. For a few heartbeats, no one moved, until Sonia made eye contact with the young fox girl with a mane of red hair tugged in a loose ponytail.

     "Mindy!" the princess exclaimed.

    "Sonia!" she replied, and the two best friends hugged each other.

   "Where did you go?!" Mindy demanded, holding the hedgehog at arm's length, "One moment, you're in the base, and the next you, Manic, and Cyrus vanish in a green light! What was up with that?"

    "We found Sonic!" Sonia answered and tugged her over to the blue blur grinning fondly at the vixen.

    "Long time no see."

   "Sonic!" she squealed and gave him a tight hug. That seemed to stir the other four mobians into action as they crowded around the lost hero.

    "You're alive!"