Return to the Underground

The Search Begins

Freedom HQ was buzzing. Everyone was talking. Ever since Manic had transmitted the conversation between Eggman and Sleet, the entire mood had been lifted ten times as high.
The happiest of them all was Sonia and Manic, who were gathered around the table of their plan room with all their friends.
"I can't believe it!" Sonia was pacing the floor; she just couldn't sit down.
"I know! I'm so happy for you Sonia," Mindy, Sonia's best friend, was watching the ecstatic hedgehog from her seat. She had found Sonia as soon as she heard the news. She had been so depressed after she had come home from that mission so long ago. It took all of Mindy's know-how to bring her back. Pedicures, shopping, hair appointments, everything they used to do before Sonia learned about her mother. Now she was here to share the joy with her BFF.
Trevor was sitting between Manic and Cyrus across the table. "Looks like your readings were right, Cyrus. Do you think you'll be able to pin-point where he was sent?" Trevor had known Sonic since he had joined the Freedom Fighters as a kid. He had tried to help out more when he had gone missing, but he knew it was nothing compared to Sonic. Sonic was one of their top fighters, even when he was starting out. He destroyed factories in under five minutes, broke force fields, even stopped transit trucks, all without being identified. There was no way anyone could replace him in any way.
The lion gazed over to his friend. "I'm not sure." He looked slightly defeated. "Even if I can track him, I'll only be able to get the general area."
"Don't worry 'bout it, Cy." Manic place a hand of his shoulder, grinning from ear to ear. "Even if you can't find him, we know he's alive! We'll just go out find him!"
"In that case," He got up and walked over to the monitor, preparing for a long night's work. "I better help you guys any way I can!"

By the time he was done, he was ready to pass out. He had spent the entire night analyzing and sorting data. His eyelids were drooping so much they were almost completely closed, but he was smiling.
It was a success! He had figured out were Sonic was! Or the general area at least.
His friends came in first thing in the morning, so at least he wouldn't fall asleep before they got there.
"Whoa! Cyrus!" Manic ran up, very worried. "You look like some kind of zombie!"
Said 'zombie' gave a small chuckle at the hedgehog's reaction. "I'm fine Manic." He trudged over to the monitor. "Better than fine, actually. Look."
They all looked at the image he was indicating. A huge smile overcame each of them. "You did it!"
Cyrus's own smile broadened. "Yep. Although, it might be hard to get to him, if the I read the results right."
Sonia was bursting with enthusiasm. "Because that will stop us. Where is that, anyway? I don't recognize it from any maps."
"That's the thing." He didn't take his eyes off the screen. "The area hasn't been charted. Not even Robotnik had explored it!"
"Are you serious? I'd think that ol' 'Buttnik would want to expand his land more. Why wouldn't he send out some robots or something?"
The half-asleep lion shrugged. "I don't know, Manic. But I do know that that man Sleet and Dingo were talking to is from that area. That's the only way he would know about Sonic, anyway."
Trevor had started gazing at the data along with Cyrus, a serious look on his face. "Do you think this will be enough to find him?"
Cyrus nodded, slowly because of his drowsiness. "It has to. This is all I could get."
Sonia, seeing Cyrus's exhaustion, put a hand on his shoulder. "You look beat, Cyrus. Go get some rest." She gave her brother a meaningful look. "We'll head over there and find Sonic." With that, she and Manic started heading toward the door.
"Wait."
The two did a 360 to look back at the lion. "What is it, Cy?"
"We don't know anything about this place. It could be a lot more dangerous than Robotropolis. You should go talk to-"
Sonia held up her to silence him. "Way ahead of you. Now go get some z's before you pass out."
Cyrus gave a nod of both gratitude and drowsiness and went back to take a well-deserved nap. A ten-hour nap, maybe, but a nap was still a nap.
"Good luck, Hedgehogs."
"Thanks, Trevor." Suddenly the princess found her shoes very interesting. "Do you think he's all right?"
Manic put an arm around his sister. "'Course he is, sis. Why you worrying so much?"
"It's like Cyrus said; we don't know what's out there. What if he got hurt or... or?"
"Sonia." The pink hedgehog grew quiet at her brother's voice. "Sonic knows how to take care of himself. Plus, by now, he's probably gotten used to the dangers up there. He's just fine."
Sonia sniffed and smiled up at her brother, obviously appreciative of the pep talk. But Manic wasn't sure if he was just talking to his sister, or to himself as well. To tell the truth, he was just as worried as Sonia. He knew Sonic could handle himself out there. He could do just about anything with a smirk on his face and a whole barrage of insults and smart remarks in his corner. Still... against unknown enemies in unknown terrain... even Sonic must have his limits.
Well, it didn't matter now. They were going to go rescue him, no matter what dangers awaited them. So they went off to the one person on Mobius who could tell them anything about the new land that their brother had been trapped in.... the Oracle of Delphius.