Return to the Underground

A New Land & Someday

It was definitely below zero. Even the inside of the van was freezing! The snow went as far as the eye could see, like it never ended. They were about to turn into hedge-sicles.
But they had to be here. This was where the Oracle of Delphius lived.
"Why does the Oracle live here? It's so cold, my spines might fall off!" Manic complained.
"Well, it is secluded. It probably helps protect him," Sonia, who was driving, looked away from the white terrain ahead to answer.
Her brother shivered next to her. "Sleet and Dingo still found it."
She had to give him that one. In fact, that was one of their first missions together as a family. "Yeah, but they didn't succeed at destroying him."
"True," he conceded. "And they've never come back!"
Sonia smiled at her brother, looked back to her set path, then slammed on the brakes. "We're here."
Manic, who had almost been plastered to the windshield, gave her a sidelong look. "Oh, really?"
She got up, hitting him on the back of the head as she passed. "Come on, smart mouth. Let's go."
The emerald hedgehog just laughed and followed his sister out into the cold. The snow came up right below his knees, and it was cold. The wind knocked into him, as if to try to push him along with it, and it was cold. Did I mention it was cold?
He decided to get his hover board and float right above the snow to avoid some of the cold. He kept it in the back of the van. He just hoped it wasn't as frozen as he was.
Luckily for him, it wasn't. He quickly activated it. Then proceeded to zoom past Sonia, blowing snow all over her.
"Manic!"
Said troublemaker bent over laughing, holding his stomach. This, however, threw him off balance and he fell face first into the snow, at which Sonia started falling over laughing. She soon got a snowball in her face, compliments of Manic, who then ran as his sister charged at him. Although, he did forget one thing.
A wall of white overcame him as a magenta blur passed by him. "Hey!"
"Consider us even now!"
"I see your spirits have not dampened since I last saw you."
The two searched the vast ocean of white for the voice, though they were pretty sure who it belonged to.
He appeared directly in front of them. "It's good to see you again."
"Oracle! Man, don't scare us like that!"
The prophet simply smiled. "Of course. Now, why don't we continue this in my home?"
Before they could reply, a green light enveloped the three, teleporting them to the Oracle's abode. The small cave was cluttered with different potions, charms, and other magic ma'hickies.
The prophet guided them to a small area with what seemed to be a small bird bath. "You are here about the unknown land, correct?"
"Yeah," Sonia said, slightly surprised. "How did you know?"
"I have my ways." He walked up to the bird bath. "And this is one of them."
"A bird bath?"
"No, Manic. It's not a bird bath." He waved his hand over the shallow pool in the bowl. "It's a viewing pool."
Sonia snapped her fingers, recognizing the name. "Oh! I know those. They show whatever the user wishes."
"How did you know that?"
"School." She gave him a 'duh' look.
"They covered magic at your school?" Manic 'innocently' asked.
Sonia wasn't amused. "It was a study of myths, not magic!"
The Oracle interrupted the argument. "Yes, that is correct, Sonia. These do, indeed, show what their masters ask, but only if the owner knows of what they are looking for."
"So, basically," Sonia asked. "you have to have at least some knowledge on what your projecting into it."
He nodded. "That would be correct. These have been used since the times of King Arthur."
Manic peered into the small pool. "So, can you show us anything about where we're going?" He hesitated for a second, not knowing whether to ask or not. "Or maybe Sonic?"
The Oracle sadly shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I cannot find your brother with it." The two slowly nodded; they had guessed as much. "But I can show you the land where he has been sent." With that, he started waving his hands over the bowl, causing smoke to rise out of it.
A bright light shot out of it, blinding the hedgehogs stand next to it. The light, however, dispersed as soon as it began. The two cautiously unshielded their eyes to see the viewing pool glowing softly. The prophet gestured to it, inviting the two to look.
They certainly weren't expecting this. In the water, it showed a large field with the greenest grass they've ever seen. Multi-colored flowers dotted throughout it. A large, loop-like structure was shown on the side.
"Don't think that this land has no danger," the Oracle warned, seeing the awestruck looks on their faces.
The scene changed to a large gray building that reminded them of one of Robotnik's bases. As they watched, a door on the side of the fortress opened, revealing dozens of robots all different sizes and shapes. There were some in the air that looked like bees with guns instead of stingers, some were ladybugs with wheels on the bottom. There were tons more along with them.
"Oh my gosh!"
Manic looked to his sister in alarm. "All of those are where Sonic is?!"
Sonia had already started for the door. "We have to go! Thanks for the help."
Manic soon followed, "Yeah! Thanks, Orc."
"Wait." The two stopped. "Why don't I help you with one more thing."
"Huh?"
A green light enveloped them and they soon disappeared, transported to their destination.
"I hope they succeed."
He once again waved his hand over the bowl. The image shifted to a party, with a certain blue hedgehog at the bottom of a pile of friends.
"Happy birthday, Sonic."