Sonic the Hedgehog Anthology

Mystery In The Mines

Plot Synopsis

The Chaotix have been tasked with searching an abandoned mineshaft. The word is that people who visit this place have been disappearing with little to no trace. What exactly they come across in the mines is something they would've never expected.

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Espio is patiently waiting for Vector and Charmy to show up at the Ironside Mines. Espio was the first, and only one there at the moment. Usually, Espio would keep his fellow detectives within his sights, but this mission seemed so perplexing to him that he was all too antsy and restless to get started. Espio rushed ahead before he could wait for them. Espio starts to regret it all since he had to wait a mere 20 minutes for Vector and Charmy to recuperate with him... Finally, the team is together and ready to start!

"What was that, Espio?! Did you get ants in your pants or something? You couldn't wait for us?!" Vector looked slightly irritated when he talked. Perhaps because he was left alone with Charmy for the time being... "Charmy wouldn't stop singing! I thought I would explode!" Yep... That was correct.

"Come on, Vector! I was trying to ease the tension! I didn't want you to feel scared!" Charmy flies over to Vector and hugs him on his neck.

Espio finally cuts in saying, "Sorry guys... I was just a bit excited. Let's just get going! We've got a mission to do! I want this whole haunted business to be cleared up!"

"And earn our coin!" shouted Vector.

Charmy then says, "And... well I don't want anything important, but I'll help too!"

"Let's go Team Chaotix!"

They all finally enter the mines. Light grows smaller and smaller with each footstep they all take. The only thing keeping the mines lit are the torches on the walls. Espio grabs one for himself. "You guys might want one, just in case..." Vector grabs one and so does Charmy, except the torch is a bit too heavy for Charmy to hold. Espio notices and tells Charmy, "Just stick with one of us if you can't hold it, Charmy." Charmy immediately drops the torch as if Espio freed him from a trance. Espio shifts his attention back to the pathway and spots a strange etching on the cavern wall. The language seems to consist of numerous circles, triangles, and occasionally a mixture of the two.

"What is that?! Vector shouts. "I've never seen anything like that before!"

"Neither have I..."

Charmy grows curious and says, "Is it a secret code?" His voice lowers as he says, "Well, I probably can't decipher it..."

Espio looks over and notices a leather notebook on the ground. He picks it up, blows off the dirt, and begins to skim through it for anything important. His mind does a double take when he finds the same symbols they just saw in the notebook. He reads the entry aloud. "These surreal markings don't seem to match anything in this area of the world. Nobody has a clue who left them here. Perhaps it was ancient literature leftover from lost long ancestors of ourselves. I lack evidence and I'll have to continue my time in the mines if I want to find out." It ends there... The rest of the pages are blank.

"I guess we weren't the only ones interested in this secret language..." Charmy becomes slightly nervous after muttering his words.

Vector cuts in saying, "Well we're gonna be the ones to crack that secret code! Let's keep looking!"

"Agreed. Let's split up. Don't veer off too far now, Vector..."

"You don't need to worry about me, Espio. I'll be fine!"