Inside the medic tent, late at night, Sonya and Sonic were sitting down right next to Manic's bed. Sonya had placed her Dingo-belt over the back of her chair and he was fast asleep. Sonic had two chilidogs with him, and he was currently munching on one. He finished it and miserably, started on the other but set it down.
"I just don't think I can finish this," he said glumly.
"Well, that's a first," observed a surprised Sonya.
"I'll take it, if you don't wanna eat it," offered Manic. Sonic handed the bitten chili-dog to Manic.
"Well, it's good that you want to eat, Manic," stated Sonic. Manic wolfed down the chilidog, burped, and in pain leaned forward, grasping his stomach, he happened to look in the direction of the tent entrance.
"Mom?" he asked, getting up. Sonya and Sonic were surprised. They shrugged and tried to get Manic to lie back down, but instead, he started to crawl out of bed.
"Mom!" he shouted again.
"Manic, you know you're not supposed to get out of bed!" Sonya scolded him. She and Sonic grabbed him by the shoulders, not looking in the direction he was looking; he simply struggled.
"Mom!"
"Whatever you're on must be making you hallucinate, Mom's not here, if she was, she would-" Sonic started to say but then he looked where Manic was looking; then, smiling, began to cry. Sonya followed suit. They saw their mother Queen Aleena, hood finally pulled down, as she stood there smiling at her children.
"M-mother?" asked Sonya.
"Yes, my children, it is me," Aleena answered. Her children came towards her, Manic with some difficulty.
"So, it's really you? You're not a hologram, or a robot are you? Please say it's you!" asked Sonic
"No tricks, but I understand your concern. It's me, now come give me a hug!" Aleena assured him. They all got in one great big group hug, tears streaking all of their faces. She then gave some special attention to Manic.
"When we found out what happened to you, the Oracle and I agreed that it was finally time for the four of us to be reunited; also I have someone who I think you will be very happy to see," she told him. She moved aside to reveal a two-tailed fox, with a bandanna and goggles around his forehead.
"Tails?" asked Manic, his eyes growing wide.
"Manic?" asked the fox before rushing to Manic and they gave each other a great big hug.
"Hold on! You two know each other?" asked Sonic.
"Know each other? I was about to take this little guy on as an apprentice before I met you guys! Oh Tails, I thought I'd never see you again!" said Manic, ruffling the hair on Tails' head.
"For awhile, I feared the same thing too, big brother," answered Tails. A few Freedom Fighters came into the tent, after hearing some sort of commotion. They gasped in astonishment at the sight of Queen Aleena.
"I think it's time we set a new plan in motion," she told them.
Another meeting was held at a circular table with Aleena, her children (Manic in a wheelchair and Sonya wearing her Dingo-belt again), Tails, Cyrus, Knuckles, Bartlebee and the other valued leaders of the Freedom Fighters.
"Here is what I propose; Most of the Freedom Fighters will put an attack on Dr. Robotnik's fortress while my children and I will sneak in. The attack must be convincing enough for Robotnik's Swatbots to be distracted, as we hedgehogs will be the ones going into the belly of the beast," Aleena told everyone.
"I'm having a thought here, if Robuttnik hasn't changed security codes, we might be able to use Dingo to get in without technically breaking in," suggested Sonya.
"Aw sure, you just have to put my eyes to the scanner and it should open for us," confirmed Dingo. Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Uh, I don't think I have to remind everyone that I probably won't be able to come, so I think I will have to appoint someone to go in my place. Tails please come forward," said Manic. Everyone remained dead silent as Tails quietly walked toward Manic, who, unbelievably took off his medallion and placed it around Tail's neck.
"You will go with my family and help them with whatever they need you to do, you must do as they say, okay little buddy?" Manic asked him.
"Okay, big buddy," promised Tails, gently gripping Manic's hand. Knuckles walked over to Tails and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry, you'll be fine, and you take care of that medallion, there's more to it than meets the eye, I know," Knuckles assured him. Tails turned around to look at him.
"So you're Knuckles huh? Athair spoke fondly of you."
"Oh, really? He's never mentioned you," replied Knuckles in a surprised tone.
"I asked him not to," replied Aleena. In the days following, she, Tails, Sonya and Sonic traveled around Mobius, quickly getting recruits to help in the final battle against Dr. Robotnik. There was no shortage of volunteers from the friends the hedgehog siblings had made on their travels.
On the day of the battle, Sonic, Tails, and Sonya were helping to load a tank while Queen Aleena was reviewing battle plans with the generals. Knuckles, while pushing Manic's wheelchair, came up to the two young hedgehogs and the fox.
"We both really wish we could come, but, you know, our place is here," said Knuckles.
"Just be sure to give Robuttnik hell from us!" laughed Manic.
"We will!" the three of them promised. Then, as all the vehicles were getting to move out, Sonya, Sonic, and Tails half-heartedly waved farewell to Knuckles and Manic.