Several search parties were sent to the mystic ruins; one to cover the beaches, one to cover the jungle and another to search the air. Sally had sent Sonic and Tails to search the ruins over, considering the young kit knew them well. They were now on the dilapidated wall, looking down at the greenery.
"well Sonic, there doesn't seem to be any ash anywhere near here." He looked up from the scanner and then at Sonic. "It must have been up really high for all the ash to just collect on the beach and not land all over the ruins." He punched a few more buttons and listened to it beep for a moment.
Sonic scowled. "Well… all we can do is wait for the others to find the island." He smirked and looked down at Tails as he looked up at Sonic. "The whole thing couldn't have just poofed into green ash."
Tails managed a small smile. "Yeah, you're right, Sonic." Some of the worry faded from his face but was only replaced by sadness when he remembered his red friend in the E.R.
Sonic noticed his worry and ruffled his best buddies' hair. "Don't worry. Knuckle-head 'll be fine… He's to stubborn to…" The blue one trailed off, not wanting to finish the thought. Though, some how, he still managed to keep part of his smirk abroad his face.
Tails, on the other hand, looked even sadder.
The elder was about to try and comfort him, but was halted by Sally's voice over the radio. "We've… We've found it." Her voice was muddled over the plane engine, but it came through clear to the two friends. "We've found Angel Island. Repeat. We've found Angel Island, over."
Sonic poked Tails and pointed to his workshop, telling him to get the plane ready. "Sal? Sonic, over."
There was static then the night wolf's voice came over the radio speaker. "Sonic… it's…" She stopped and the static was gone.
Sonic paused and followed Tails and then stopped at boulders they used to climb down. He switched on the radio. "Sally?"
"Sonic… Go check on Knuckles. Make sure he's ok… Over." Static.
Sonic ran up and jumped to where the bi-plane was tethered at the top of the cliffs. Tails had already started the engine and was prepping it for take off. "Sally? What's going on, over?"
There was static, as if she had the button held down on her end, but her voice did not speak.
"Sal?"
Still static.
"Sally! Pick up and tell me what's going on!" he ordered, managing a small bark of an 'over' at the end.
"There will be a debriefing at the base. Attend it." And with that, her radio was cut and his end went silent.
Rather perturbed that information was being kept from him, and that he had to WAIT to find out about it, he tossed the useless radio to the ground and then looked up at the kit.
The small fox was situated in the plane, looking rather content, though a bit confused as to why his friend was taking so long. The kits big blues seemed to bore into him, saying, 'lets go! We have to help!', and so they would.
The famous smirk appeared across the blue one's muzzle, tossing him a thumbs up before jogging over to the started plane. He'd take a quick look at what Sally had discovered, then make it back in time for the the ever so entertaining briefing. Sally didn't have to know.
He hopped onto his usual vantage point, the top of the bi-plane's wings, and locked his feet into the restraints. "Alright, Tails, let's go see what we can see!"
The kit smiled and shouted an, "alright, Sonic!" over the whirl of the engine, and gave him a thumbs up. The plane began rolling, making it's way down the run-way, the propellers pulling it along until it locked it's self into the catapult.
The smaller being pulled a few levers and pushed a few buttons as the ramp in front of them escalated to a 45-degree angle for take off. Settled in, the chord pulled them up and threw them out over the ocean with tremendous force.
The hunk of metal went soaring, the engine kicking up and pulling them through the air as they headed higher for a better view. The ocean was serene, the birds flying below them calming, and the soothing waves making slight blotches on the clearer waters below. The two of them could even note the slight details of the larger water-going animals and the sudden turns of the schools of fish. It was just a beautiful as it always was.
Sonic smiled happily to himself, spreading his arms and letting the wind whip through his quills. This was a great feeling and he really enjoyed his flights with the twin-tailed kitsune. His fingers laced through the wind, seeming to entwine them in the life-sustaining element as if it were a pet.
The calming sensation was decidedly better and much needed for the scare he had received earlier today, but the feeling was misleading, so said the kits voice and stuttering as they circled over to where Sally and the others had been.
Picking up the trace from her communicator on the tool bored, he was able to find the spot, though at this height and with this clear of a day, it was hard to miss the looming marker they had left behind. Below, other craft could be seen resting atop the soft waves, staring down into the dark abyss seemingly lured by the incorrigible amounts of glowing green seaweed covering the surface.
Interruptions could be seen dotting the rather large expanse, and, upon flying closer to the scene, could be made out as tree trunks, hallowed and burned, along with other like remains.
The kit took the bi-plain in circles about the area, gradually gaining height on it. Getting a better view of the area, they noticed just how wide the entire thing was… big enough to sustain several environments at once, carry great lakes and huge mountains along it's birth… perhaps even a shrine.