Sonic the Hedgehog and all related characters are copyrighted by Archie 
Comics Publications, Inc. and/or Sega Games of America. 
Joseph DeLaCroix is copyrighted by Joseph DeLaCroix
Sandra Nightweaver is copyrighted by David Pistone
Crysta Gecko, Samson Waters, Angela Flowers, and Sabrina are copyrighted
by me, Regina Hogan

If you would like to use any of my characters, please ask my permission 
first and I will more than likely say yes.  And please don't try to make
any money off of my story unless you planning on sharing it with me.  
And if my story should happen to resemble anyone else's, I apologize, 
but it is merely coincidence.  Now that we are past all that, let's get 
on with the story.





Once in a Blue Moon

By: Regina Hogan

Introduction:
                
	Somewhere in the galaxy, there is a planet.  A green and blue 
planet with three moons, that may simple and ordinary to a being who 
knows how to travel in space.  This planet has many resources and can 
support many lifeforms.  This Earth-like planet I speak of is called 
Mobius.  Though very similar to Earth in appearance there is one 
difference.  It is not the humans that are the dominant species on 
Mobius, but it is the evolved animals that populate Mobius. 

	But one could never imagine the horrors that occurred, and still 
occur, on the beautiful planet's surface.  A human who everyone called 
Julian Ivo, but now called himself Ivo Robotnik had shattered the peace 
that Mobius had finally gained after some years of war.  He stripped the
power from King Acorn, the rightful ruler of Mobius at the time, and 
turned millions of Mobians into mindless robot slaves with an invention 
that he stole, the roboticizer.  He turned the once sparkling, beautiful
city, Mobotropolis, the capital city of Mobius, into a black, pollution 
filled city which is now called Robotropolis.  His plan was to turn all 
of Mobius into a machine world, where everything would do his bidding.

	But even in the middle of the darkness and despair, there was a 
light of hope.  In the middle of the Great Forest, there was a village 
that Robotnik never found.  The village is called Knothole and it is 
here that the Freedom Fighters live.  And it is here that my story 
begins.

	In the hidden village of Knothole, it was quiet and peaceful. 
"And majorly boring," thought the blue hedgehog.  The hedgehog we find 
is known to everyone as Sonic the Hedgehog, one of the leaders of the 
Freedom Fighters and the fastest thing alive on Mobius.  He was three 
feet tall, like most Mobians, with blue fur, expect his arms, underbelly,
and muzzle, which were a flesh color, with white gloves, and razor sharp
quills.  He was sitting on the step that led into his hut, looking out 
at the other huts that occupied Knothole.  It was early in the morning, 
so the sky was dark, and everyone was still asleep.  Sonic had tried 
going back to sleep, but sleep just wouldn't come to him.  So he sat 
outside on his step trying to think of something to do.
        
	But Sonic wasn't the type that just sat around thinking.  He 
wanted to run around, but immediately scrapped that idea.  His sonic 
boom would just wake everyone up, and that would make everyone grumpy 
and maybe even angry with him.  He stood up and started walking.  "Guess
I'll check on the power ring pool. That should give me something to do."
As Sonic walked throughout Knothole, he stopped at one hut, and decided 
to take a peek in through the window.  The person he was looking at was 
Princess Sally Acorn.  She was a ground squirrel, with auburn colored 
hair and brown fur.  She was also the last heir to the Mobian throne, 
ever since her father, King Acorn, was exiled to the Void when Robotnik 
took over.  But at the moment she, like everyone else, was asleep in her
bed.

	Sonic sighed and kept on walking.  In a few minutes he made it to 
the power ring pool.  It was here that Sonic collected his power rings.  They were his Uncle Chucks greatest invention and they helped enhance Sonics speed, so that he could run twice as fast then he usually did.  He looked down into the water and saw the soft glow of the Deep Power Stone that produced the power rings.  Sonic knew there wouldn't be a power ring produced for a few more hours and with that realization, Sonic became even more bored and even a little depressed.
        
	"Maybe I'll check up on Joe and Sandy, haven't seen those two for 
a week.  Maybe I can even find something to do."  And with that thought,
he ran off in another direction, but not fast enough that it made a 
booming sound.  A minute later Sonic stopped in front of the place he 
wanted to be.  It was a large, white, crystalline dome, which was, 
ironically, called the Dome.  Sonic went up to the portal door that led 
inside.  He pressed the button on the side that served as a doorbell, 
and stepped back.  He really hadn't been expecting anyone to be up or to
even answer the door.  But to his surprise, the door slid open and there
standing in the doorway was Sandra Nightweaver.
        
	She was a tall, black vixen with a well-formed body.  She had 
long, brown hair that was pulled back into a ponytail, and pretty blue 
eyes.  She used to be a thief and a spy, which made her very well known,
and she was somewhat disliked in Knothole.  But Sonic thought she was 
pretty cool now, because she didn't reveal the location of Knothole to 
Packbell a year and a half ago. And what made her even cooler in Sonic's
eyes was that she saved Tails last winter.  She looked down at the 
three-foot tall hedgehog with a little surprise.  
        
	"Gee, Sonic!" she finally said. "What are you doing up this early 
in the morning?  The sun isn't even up yet." 

	"I could ask you the same thing.  But to answer your question, I 
couldn't go back to sleep, and I am soooooooo bored." With that last 
statement, he rolled his eyes slowly to emphasize his point.  He sighed 
and asked her an unusual question. "Wanna go for a walk?"  Sandra gave 
Sonic a confused look and all he could do was give her was a sheepish 
smile.  She had never known Sonic to actually WANT to walk anywhere. He 
was always so ready to run around, always eager for an adventure.  She 
shrugged her shoulders, smiled softly, and said "Why not? I can't go 
back to sleep either, and it gets boring sitting in there alone."  She 
walked out, letting the door slide shut behind her.  
        
	They both walked down the path that led to the pond that was 
behind Joseph's home.  The sun was starting to rise and the light 
reflected off the water of the pond, making the water sparkle with reds,
oranges, and yellows.  The forest around the pond was just starting to 
awaken; birds started to chirping and singing, and nonevolved animals 
came out of their burrows and lairs after their night's sleep.  Sonic 
and Sandra stopped by the pond and stood by the waters edge to watch the
sunrise.  Sonic smiled and he then wished he could have waken up Sally 
so she could watch this moment with him.  
        
	He looked up at Sandra, and found a troubled look on her face that
was gone in an instant.  "Hey, Sandy, what's wrong?  You look like 
something is bothering you," he said with some concern evident in his 
voice.  

	"Oh it's nothing," was what she started to say, but she stopped 
herself, and considered telling him what really was bothering her.

	She looked around, making sure there was no one around, and she 
knelt down until she had made complete eye contact with him.  "Promise 
me you won't tell anyone," she asked.  Sonic made a crossing gesture 
with his finger over his chest.  
	
	"Cross my heart.  Now, shoot." 
	
	"Well you might think this is silly, but for the past week I've 
been having strange dreams every night, and it's always the same dream."

	"Hope you don't mind me inturrptin' but what's in your dream?  I 
thought dreams were supposed to be peaceful, at least, that's what I 
always thought.  How could a dream be troubling you?"  Sandra sat on the
ground and looked out over the pond.  Sonic sat to her left at least 
three feet away from her, and started tapping his foot impatiently.  She
closed her eyes and sighed.  She opened up her eyes and looked into the 
pre-morning sky.
        
	She finally said, "It's sorta weird, but I'll try to explain it as
best as I can.  I'm standing in the Mobian Jungle all alone.  It's night,
the stars are shining, and all three moons are out and are full.  But 
there was something strange about the moons.  The. . the moons are blue." 

	"Blue moons?!" Sonic interrupted. 
	
	"Yes, Sonic, blue moons.  I know it's strange, but listen, I'm not
done."  Sandra took a breath and continued.  "All of a sudden someone 
appears right in front of me.  It seems to be a female panther, but I 
can't really be sure, because she is wearing a cloak, and it is covering
her face.  She started speaking to me, but not with her mouth, but with 
her mind.  She said to me, *The time for your battle is almost at hand.  
Remember that the darkness can only be defeated once in a blue moon. *  
I asked her what she meant by that, but instead of giving me a straight 
answer all she said was, *If you should fail in your battle, everything 
will die. *  And then everything around me bursts into white flames.  I 
wanted to scream, but for some reason the white flames don't scare me.  
When the flames starts to engulf me is when I finally wake up."

        Sandra finally looked over at Sonic and saw a very attentive, 
very surprised look on his face.  "Wow," was what he finally said, 
"that's pretty deep.  Have you told Joseph yet?"  

	Sandra then got an extremely guilty look on her face and scratched
the back of her head with her hand.  "Well. . .um. . .no I haven't.  He 
doesn't know, and I would like to keep it like that way."  Sonic stood 
up and faced Sandra.  

	"But, Sandy, Joe has to know, he . . ." 

	"Sonic, I don't want him to know because he can get into my mind 
anytime he wants to with the Amber Chaos Emerald.  I know he would never
do it without my permission, I still would like to keep this from him 
for the time.  Besides you know how he can be sometimes."  Sonic shook 
his head in agreement.  Joseph was known to be very, very protective of 
her in any kind of situation.  She could certainly take care of herself,
but he didn't like to take chances he said once.  Sandra sometimes found
it annoying, but she knew he only acted that way because he didn't want 
to lose her.  

        "Besides, I never knew you were so interested in dreams and 
stuff like that, Sonic.  I always thought something like that would bore
you."  Sonic looked down at the ground and shuffled his feet.  

	"Yeah well, I wouldn't have about three years ago, but something 
happened to me that got me thinking."  Now it was Sandra's turn to be 
concerned.  

	"What happened?" she asked.  Sonic sat on the ground and recounted
to Sandra the time he had had the horrible dream about Sally being 
roboticized and him being able to do nothing because he had been too 
slow.  "That dream told me something bad was going to happen, so I had 
to be more attentive.  Maybe your dream is telling you something is 
going to happen soon, and only you can handle it."  

	Sandra gave a "humph" and said, "Yeah right!  I don't have powers 
like Joseph, and I never will."  

	"Ahhh, you don't know that, Sandy, but all I can tell ya is pay 
more attention to things around you.  Who knows what could happen?"  
        
	All of a sudden a rumbling sound came from Sonic's stomach, and 
Sonic immediately rubbed his belly.  "Man, I musta forgot to eat 
breakfast.  I gonna ask Uncle Chuck if he can fix some chilidogs.  You 
wanna join me for some serious scarfin', Sandy?"  Sandra shook her head.
  
	"No thanks, Sonic, maybe later.  I have some things to think 
about."  
	
	"That's okay, but I'm tellin' ya, you're missin' a great thing.  
Uncle Chuck makes the best chilidogs.  I'll bring some to you and Joe 
later."
        
	Sonic was ready to say goodbye and run off when a voice suddenly 
came out of nowhere.  "Is this conversation private, or can I join in as
well?"  Sonic and Sandra, who were both startled, looked behind them to
find the source of the voice.  Stepping out of the foliage was Joseph.  
He was a tall fox, taller then Sandra by a few inches, with bright 
orange fur, and a muscular, well kept form.  Joseph really wasn't a 
native to Mobius, but an alien that came from a planet that died long 
ago.  It was Joseph that invented the deroboticizer and that helped 
greatly with bringing animals back to their families.  Now he was the 
last of his kind, but he really didn't seem to mind.  He had on a pair 
of jean shorts, a green T-shirt, black shades, and black sandals.
        
	Sandra stood up as Joseph walked up towards them, and she silently
prayed that Joseph had not heard any the conversation that she and Sonic
just had.  "Hey, Joe!!  Long time no see, where have you been keepin' 
yourself?"  Sonic cheerfully said, trying to divert him enough that he 
wouldn't ask what they were talking about.  

	"Oh, I've been holed up in my lab, and I haven't had time to come 
out."  Joseph walked up to Sandra, wrapped his arms her slim waist and 
kissed her forehead softly.  "So this is where you've been?  I woke up, 
and you weren't in the bed."  

	"I had woken up, but I couldn't go back to sleep.  I really didn't
want to wake you up, so I decided to go up to the main floor.  Sonic 
came by, and we both decided to come out here and watch the sunrise."
        
	Another rumbling noise was heard again, and Sonic looked at them 
with an awkward look on his face.  "Guess I'm lot hungrier then I 
thought.  I'll leave you two alone.  I'll be by later to bring you guys 
some chili dogs."  Sonic turned around toward Knothole and started 
revving up his legs.  "Time for me to cruise.  C-ya guys later!"  

	Joseph and Sandra both waved goodbye as Sonic sped off.  "Well," 
Sandra said, "I'm hungry too.  Let's get back home and get something to 
eat."  She started to walk off, when suddenly Joseph grabbed her, and 
pulled her in close.  

	"Not yet," he said.  Sandra began to fear that he actually heard 
her and Sonic's conversation. He smiled warmly and said, "You haven't 
given me my good morning kiss yet."  She chuckled and pulled Joseph in 
for a kiss that lasted for a while.  But in her mind, she heaved a huge 
sigh.  Joseph didn't seem to notice her apprehension, and she hoped he 
wouldn't.

      In Knothole, a few hours later, everyone was just starting to 
wake up.  Sally sat in her hut eating her breakfast.  She wondered when 
Sonic was going to come by and say hello.  That and she had to plan a 
new mission for another day that week.  She wanted to get more
roboticized Mobians out of Robotropolis, and maybe get Nicole to 
download some information on the whereabouts of more roboticized people.
She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a knocking at her door.  

	"Come in," she called out.  The door opened and Sonic and Tails 
stepped in.  Tails was a small fox who was only eleven at the time.  He 
was found by Sonic when he was just a baby and he never knew his real 
family.  His real name was Miles Prower, but he absolutely hated that 
name, so Sonic came up with a different name, Tails, mainly because of 
Tails' two tails.  No one knew why he had them, but soon everyone grew 
used to it, and Tails even learned how to fly with his tails, which was 
helpful to the Freedom Fighters.
        
	Tails ran up to Sally and hugged her tightly.  "Good morning, Aunt
Sally!" 
	
	"Good morning, Tails.  Good morning, Sonic." Sonic walked up to the
table and leaned on it, smiling.  

	"Mornin', Sal, sleep well?"  Sally smiled warmly and nodded her 
head.  
	
	"Slept very well in fact.  I was planning on. . ."  

	"Going to Robotropolis and kickin some SWATbutt. I was thinkin the
same thing, Sal.  It's getting too boring around here,"  Sonic rudely 
interrupted.  

      Sally sighed and shook her head.  "No, Sonic, I was planning on 
letting everyone have the day off.  We need to relax and rest for a 
bit."  

	"But, Sal. . ."  

	"No buts, Sonic, I made up my mind.  We are all just going to 
relax today, and enjoy the weather for a change."  Sonic was about to 
say something smart when Tails interrupted him.  

	"Come on, Sonic, I'll race ya around Knothole.  It might take your
mind off of your boredom."  

	"That's a good idea, little bro'.  See ya later, Sal."  Sonic and 
Tails stepped out of Sally's hut and both sped off, Sonic running and 
Tails flying.  Sally giggled a little and resumed eating her breakfast. 
Sonic could be so hasty and wild sometimes, but she knew he wouldn't do 
anything that would put himself or anyone else in danger.
        
	Sally had just finished cleaning up her breakfast dishes when she 
heard another knock at her door.  "Come in," she called again, and in 
stepped in her good friend, Bunnie Rabbot.  Bunnie had been a 
half-roboticized rabbit, with two robotic legs and a robotic left arm a
few months ago, but thanks to Joseph and his deroboticizer, she had 
gotten her normal limbs back.  She walked in cheerful as ever.  

	"Morning, Sally girl!  How you doin?"  

	"I'm fine, Bunnie, I see you're doing good."  

	"I just seen sugah-hog, and he seemed mad bout somethin'.  Do you 
know why?"  

	"Yes, he's upset because I planned on letting everyone have the 
day off, and he wanted to go to Robotropolis and trash SWATbots.  But 
he'll get over it."  Sally and Bunnie walked outside and started to walk
around Knothole, when Rotor Walrus ran up to them.  Rotor was the 
Freedom Fighters' main engineer and his ability to think fast had helped
the Freedom Fighters many times.
        
	"Sally, there's something you really need to see.  You can come 
too, Bunnie.  It's really important!"  

	"Okay, Rotor!" Sally said with worry.  

	"I'll go find Sonic," Bunnie volunteered, "He might want to know 
about this too, if it's that important."  Sally nodded as Bunnie ran 
off.  She and Rotor ran to Rotor's workshop and Rotor led her into a
room where Knothole's main computers were kept.  
        
	"I found something really unusual as I was looking through the 
orbital telescopes I hacked into a few years ago. Look what I found."  

	Sally looked at one of the screens and saw what looked a map of a 
specific part of Mobius.  The land part of the screen was all green, 
indicating that it was a forest.  But in the middle of the screen, there
was a red blob, like something powerful was coming out and spreading.  

	"What is that, Rotor?" 

	"I really don't know, Sally, but it is something especially 
powerful is coming from that part of Mobius.  I think we should check 
it out just in case Packbell sees it too and tries to use the power 
for himself."  Just then they heard a boom and Sonic ran in with 
Bunnie hanging on to his arm.  
        
	"I heard something serious is goin' on," said Sonic as soon as he
stopped.  

	"It is, Sonic, we seem to have found a large power source that is 
coming from . . .where is it coming from, Rotor?"  

	"Well, my best guess is the Mobian Jungle."  Sally nodded her head
as she continued to look at the screen.  

	"Sonic and I will go.  I think it's better that very few people go
into the jungle.  It's never been mapped very well, and I hear the plant
life is very thick and hard to get through."  Sally looked at Sonic, and
he had his chin in his hand, and he had an expression on his face that 
indicated he was thinking hard about something.

      "Don't think to hard, Sonic, you might give yourself a headache,"
Sally giggled.  

	Sonic ignored her rude remark and said, "Sal, why don't we take 
Sandra and Joe with us?  I know Joseph is a Freedom Fighter, but he 
rarely comes on any missions with us, and Sandra could probably help 
too."  

	Sally considered this.  She really didn't want to take so many 
people on this mission, but something inside her told her she should 
take those two along, especially Sandra.  Sally finally nodded her head.
  
	"Alright, Sonic, I'll go along with you.  You go get them, and 
tell them to meet me in my hut."  She turned to Rotor.  "Rotor, download
any information you have on the Mobian Jungle, maps, anything like that,
into Nicole."  She unclipped her portable computer from her boot and 
handed it to Rotor.

      "Sure thing, Sally.  It should take me a few minutes."  

	Sally then turned to Bunnie, who kept quiet the whole time.  
"Bunnie, I want you to make sure no one comes near my hut until me and 
the others leave.  This is something I don't want anyone else to know."  Bunnie nodded her head and said, "Sure thing Sally-girl."  Bunnie walked out the door and Rotor started to work.  Sonic ran out of the hut towards Joseph's home.  Sonic didn't tell Sally the real reason he wanted them to come along, but he recalled Sandra's dream and remembered her saying she being in the Mobian Jungle.  Maybe she needed to be there.
        
	Sonic stopped in front of the Dome, and he pushed the doorbell 
again.  In a few seconds, the door slid open and Joseph stood in the 
entrance this time.  He looked down at Sonic and smiled.  "Hey, Sonic, 
bring our chili dogs by?"  Joseph laughed.  

	Sonic smiled.  "Not right now, Joe, I need to talk to you and 
Sandra right now.  It's important."  
	
	"Did someone say my name?"  Sandra stepped out from behind Joseph 
and seeing Sonic she smiled.  

	"Glad you two are together. Sally has a mission, and she wants you
two to come with us."  Joseph's smile broadened upon hearing of the 
mission.  

	"Really?!  Of course we'll go.  Just where are we going?"
        
	Sonic hesitated, but finally said, "We're goin' to the Mobian 
Jungle."  Sandra's face, which had a smile, suddenly became fearful and 
she softly shook her head as if to say please-don't-make-me-go.  

	"Sal wants to me take you guys to her hut."  

	"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"  

	"Hey, Joe, is it okay if I talk to Sandy alone for a second?  
We'll catch up."  

	"Sure, go head,"  Joseph said quickly, as if he hadn't heard what 
Sonic said.  Joseph walked off, and as soon as Joseph was out of 
earshot, Sandra knelt down before Sonic.  
        
	But what Sonic and Sandra didn't know was that Joseph and snuck 
back toward them.  He thought it strange that Sonic would want to talk 
to his mate alone.  He didn't mean to spy, but it was just too strange 
for him.  Joseph crouched behind a tree and watched as the two talked.
        
	"Sonic, I can't to go to the Mobian Jungle.  Remembered what 
happened in my dream?  What if it any of it comes true?"  

	"Of course I remember, but that's the reason you have to come."  
Sonic laid his hand on her shoulder and looked her squarely in the eyes.
  
	"You'll never know what your dream really means unless you come 
with us.  Like I said before, something might happen that only you can 
handle.  And besides, Joseph is coming, so you'll be perfectly safe." 
Sandra straightened herself up and continued to look Sonic in the eyes.  "Alright Sonic, I'll come along.  But you can't tell anyone anything, even if we see something that resembles anything in my dream."  Sonic smirked at her.  "I already promised, so you don't have to worry about me talkin to anyone.  Especially Joe.  Now lets go."
        
	Joseph leaned against the tree as Sonic and Sandra walked off 
toward Knothole.  It was no wonder she was always waking up before him 
for the past week.  But why would she keep something like this from him?
Was she afraid he would over-react?  Well he would talk to her about it 
later, but now he had to see Sally about this mission.  He touched the 
Amber Chaos Emerald that he wore around his neck, and teleported himself
in front of Sally's hut.  He didn't want those two getting suspicious of
him, now would he?
        
	Joseph stood in front of Sally's hut waiting for Sonic and Sandra 
to show up.  He only had to wait for at least two minutes, then the two 
arrivals finally walked up to Sally's hut.  Joseph opened up the door, 
letting Sandra walk in first, then letting Sonic walk in behind her.  He
walked in, shut the door behind and walked up to the table that Sally 
was sitting at.  "I'm glad you two could make it.  Nicole, bring up the 
map of the Mobian Jungle and display the massive power surge as well."
        
	Nicole beeped, and in a few seconds a holographic map of the 
Mobian Jungle hovered in the air.  The red blob seemed to stick out like
a sore thumb.  "We don't know what that red thing is just yet, but to 
find out we need to go to the Mobian Jungle to find out what it is, 
before Packbell does," Sally explained.  Joseph had his arms crossed as 
he studied the map before him.  

	"When do we leave?" he finally asked.  

	"I want us to leave tomorrow morning, before everyone wakes up.  
We'll take the hovercraft we stole a few years ago.  It already works 
good enough, so all we really need to do is put the supplies we will 
take and head off to the jungle."  Sally turned off the holograph and 
shut Nicole back up.  "We should be able to get to the edge of the 
jungle by noon."  
    
	Joseph nodded his head.  "Okay, me and Sandra will go back to the 
Dome and get our supplies ready to go."  Joseph took Sandra's hand and 
led her out of Sally's hut toward their home.  Sonic watched them leave 
then turned back to Sally.  

	"So, Sal, when do we start packin'?"  But Sally didn't seem to 
hear him.  "Hey, Mobius to Sally?" Sonic jokingly said.  Sally snapped 
back into reality.  

	"Sorry about that.  Sonic, can I ask you something?  Why did 
Sandra have that look on her face?"  

	"What do you mean, Sal?"  "I mean, she seemed to have this look on
her face that was full of agitation, like she's afraid something is 
going to happen."  
  
	Sonic waved it aside.  "Don't worry, beautiful.  She's probably so
excited that maybe she became a little nervous as well.  I mean, none of
us have really been to the Mobian Jungle before."
        
	Sonic came up behind Sally, wrapped his arms around her waist, and
kissed her ears.  "Don't worry, everything's going to be fine, you'll 
see,"  Sonic whispered in her ear.  Sally smiled and rubbed Sonics 
hands.  

	"You always seem to find the right way to make me smile, Sonic.  
Guess that's why I love you so much."  

	"I love you too, Sally."  They both stood there like that for a 
minute until Sonic finally spoke.  "I better get packin'.  I have to get
today's power ring and make some chili dogs for the trip. Who knows how 
long we may be gone?"  Before Sally could say anything about the 
chilidogs, Sonic revved up his legs, and ran off toward the power ring 
pool.  Sally softly shook her head, and started getting ready for the 
trip.

       Later on that night, everyone was either sleeping or getting 
ready for bed.  Sonic and Sally had turned in early so they could get 
enough rest for tomorrow.  Sandra wasn't asleep at the time.  In fact, 
she wasn't even inside.  She was standing near the pond, this time 
alone.  She really didn't want to go on this mission, but something 
inside her kept telling that it was the right thing to do.  But what was
really nagging at her was her dream.  She really didn't want to keep 
this from Joseph, but she was afraid he would make too big of a deal 
over it, and perform some kind of weird magic on her.  Before she could
ponder this subject any more, she saw a shadow below her, but it wasn't 
hers.  She looked above her, and there was Joseph, hovering at least 
four feet above her head.

       Joseph floated down and landed a few feet in front of her.  They 
both stared at each other, and they didn't say anything.  Joseph finally
said something, smiling softly.  "Whatcha' doin' out here all by 
yourself?  Can't go to sleep?"  Sandra grew nervous with Joseph's last 
remark but she didn't let it show.  

	"I just wanted to look at the moon and stars right now."  She 
turned away from him, and looked up at the three moons of Mobius. The 
moons were waxing and would be full in at least two more days.  Joseph 
walked up to her and put his arm around her shoulders.  Joseph wanted to
talk to her about her dream she kept having, but decided against it.  If
and when she wanted to tell him, she would.  He also considered going 
into her dreams with his Emerald and finding out that way, but if she 
found out, she would be probably more than upset at him.  He looked down
at his mate and saw her head was resting on his shoulder.  She looked up
at him, and they gazed into each other's eyes for a minute.  Then their 
heads drew closer, and their lips met in a gentle kiss.  They wrapped 
their arms around one another, and they both stayed that way for 
some time.  Then Joseph magically teleported them both back to the Dome.

      The next day before anyone in Knothole was awake, Sally, Sonic, 
Sandra, and Joseph had met in Rotor's workshop.  They were all loading 
up their supplies into the hovercraft, when there was a knock at the 
workshop's door.  Sally walked up to the door, opened it a little, and 
peeked out.  She finally opened the door and Bunnie and Rotor walked in.
 
	Sally quickly shut the door behind them. "Y'all almost ready to 
go?"  Bunnie asked.  

	Sonic nodded.  "Yeah, all we'll have to do is hop in and cruise 
off."  Sonic then turned to Sally.  "Question, Sal', who's flyin' this 
crate?  I know I can't, and you barely know the basics."  Sally looked 
toward Joseph and Sandra, who were both standing by the hovercraft, 
ready to go.  
	
	"Well, I was hoping, Sandra, that you would fly us half way, then 
let Joseph fly us the rest of the way."  Sandra looked genuinely 
surprised.  She was not expecting Sally to ask her to fly the hovercraft
first.  Finally, she smiled and nodded her head in agreement.  

      "Sally, what should we tell the others when they ask where you 
guys are?"  Rotor finally asked.  

	"Just tell them we had to go on an important mission, and that we 
will be back in a few days," Sally told him after she thought about it. 
She then turned back to the three Freedom Fighters.  "Alright, team, 
let's head on out!"
        
	Rotor and Bunnie opened up the door that would let the hovercraft 
fly out and stepped back, out of the way.  Sandra sat in the pilot's 
seat.  She pushed some buttons, flipped a few switches, and listened as 
the engines silently powered to life.  Sonic was seated next to her, 
Sally was sitting behind her, and Joseph sat behind Sonic.  The craft 
slowly rose into the air, a little wobbly at first, but soon grew 
steady.  Sandra skillfully piloted them out of Knothole and into the 
Great Forest.  Rotor and Bunnie waved goodbye as the hovercraft flew 
off.  "I sure hope they'll be okay,"  Bunnie said a little worried.  

	Rotor laid his hand on her shoulder.  "Don't worry, Bunnie, 
they'll be fine.  I mean, what could go wrong?"
        
	"Which direction, Sally?" Sandra asked over her shoulder.  Sally 
opened up Nicole.  

	"Nicole, which is the best direction to reach the Mobian Jungle?" 

	Nicole beeped and complied.  "THE BEST COURSE TO TAKE, SALLY, IS 
SOUTHEAST."  

	"Thank you, Nicole," Sally said as closed her computer up.  
Sandra, having heard what Nicole said, changed directions and then they 
were on their way.  But their trip didn't even last half an hour, 
when Sonic started complaining.  

	"Man, are we there yet?  It's boring, just sitting here.  Can I go
out and run beside the hovercraft?"
        
	Sally was about to tell Sonic to shut up and quit fussing, when 
Sandra made a suggestion.  "Why don't you fly the hovercraft for a 
little bit, Sonic?"  
	
	Excitement quickly spread across Sonic's face.  "Can I?  Wow, that
would way past cool!"  Sandra switched piloting to Sonic's control 
stick.  
	
	"Remember," instructed Sandra, "keep it steady and straight, and 
everything should be fine."  

	"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Sally whispered.  

	"Can you think of anything else that will keep Sonic quiet?"  
Sally had to agree.  But to Sally's surprise, Sonic was flying them very
well, and it kept him quiet for at least an hour.  But Sandra had to 
take back control when Sonic decided he was going to try to do some 
dangerous stunts.
        
	She really didn't have anyone to talk to for three hours for 
everyone had fallen asleep.  She put the craft in autopilot, got out of 
her seat, and headed for the back towards the supplies.  She dug around 
until she found Sonic's chilidogs.  She took two and headed back to her 
seat.  She sat down and started munching on one of them.  Just then 
Joseph woke up.  He yawned, stood up out of his chair, and stretched.  
He scratched his head and looked toward Sandra.  He saw her chewing on a
chilidog, another in her hand, not yet eaten.  He sat back down in his 
chair.  

	"Hey!  How you feelin'?"  Sandra turned around in her chair and 
smiled at Joseph.  

	"I'm doin' okay so far."  She handed him her uneaten chilidog.  
Joseph quickly ate it in two bites.  

	"Anything interesting happen while we were asleep?" he asked as 
he finished chewing.
        
	"Nope, just the same old scenery.  We've been flying for at least 
three and half-hours.  Should we wake the others so they can eat?"  

	"Yeah, we've all slept long enough. Except you, that is."  Sandra 
turned her chair toward Sally, and she gently shook the princess awake.

      Joseph's method to wake Sonic up was a little more crude though.  
He waved his hands above Sonic, and some water came crashing on top of 
Sonic's head.  Sonic screamed when the water hit him and he woke up 
stuttering.  

	"Wha-wha happened?  What's goin' on?" Sonic stammered.  All three 
occupants burst into laughter.  Sonic was confused for a second, then he
turned his chair toward Joseph, an angry look on his wet face.  "That 
was way past uncool, Joe.  Now my quills will be messy."  Sally calmed 
down enough to speak.  
	
	"Oh, stop your bellyachin', Sonic.  Your quills will be fine. It's
not like you haven't been wet before."
        
	Sonic gave a "humph", and got out of his seat.  He walked to the 
back and attempted to shake the water off of his head.  "Sandra," Sally 
said. "Let's stop the hovercraft for at least an hour.  We can eat 
outside."  

	"Gotcha, Sally."  Sandra replied.  She switched off the autopilot,
and looked for someplace to land.  She found a clearing, and landed them
safely in the middle of the field.  They all walked outside and saw it 
was a clear, warm day.  They all sat beside the hovercraft eating and 
talking.

      "Sal, just what will we find there?" Sonic questioned. "What if 
it's just Packbell up to his old tricks again?"  Sally shook her head.  

	"I really don't know what we will find, Sonic.  But I highly doubt
that it's Packbell, Sonic.  He's real weak with all the pounding we're 
giving him, and I don't think he has enough resources to make so much 
power."  

	"We'll just have to be prepared for anything," Joseph pointed out.
  
	"What we need to do is relax," Sandra said, a sly smile on her 
face. "If we get too stressed out, we might end up hurting ourselves."  
She then got up and walked back into the hovercraft, leaving the others 
wondering why she left so suddenly.  They all soon got their answer.
        
	"Joseph!  Sonic!" called out Sandra's voice from inside the craft,
somewhat urgently.  They both jumped up, shouting.  

	What!!!"  

	Two thin streams of water came flying out of the ship, striking 
both males in the face.  Sandra came walking out, two water guns in her 
hands.  She threw one to Sally, who caught it easily.  Sandra smiled a 
dark smile.  "Let's get 'em, Sally!"  Sally laughed, stood up, and took 
a shot at Sonic.  Sonic and Joseph retreated since they were 
defenseless.  They ran behind the hovercraft for cover.  

	"Where did she get those things?" Sonic asked Joseph.  

	"I'll answer later.  Right now, I think it's time we return the 
favor."  Joseph magically produced two water guns and handed one to 
Sonic.  

	"Let's go!!" Sonic hooted.  They both ran out from behind the 
craft, and an all out water fight began between the four of them.

      The field they were in was filled with laughter and shrieks 
whenever someone got hit with water.  It lasted for over an hour, until 
Sally had to shout that it was time to go.  They all walked back into 
the hovercraft, soaking wet.  This time, Joseph flew, and they were soon
on their way again.  Sandra sat behind Joseph this time, Sonic still sat
in front, and Sally sat behind him.  It took Sandra a few minutes, but 
she soon fell asleep in her chair.  

	"So, Joe, you gonna answer my question now?" Sonic queried.  

	"Well, it was my idea to bring the water guns, just for something 
to do if we got too bored.  I just didn't think she would use them so 
soon,"  Sally giggled. "You have to admit, it was fun."  

	Sonic laughed. "Yeah, we should do that more often.  Only give us 
a warning next time."  All three laughed in agreement, then they focused
on their mission.  Another three hours passed, but they finally reached 
their destination.  They had finally reached the Mobian Jungle.

       They had landed the hovercraft near the edge of a cliff that 
overlooked the jungle from a few hundred feet above.  Sonic and Sally 
walked outside, while Joseph woke up Sandra.  Even though they were far 
up, the jungle was noisy, noisier then the Great Forest.  All they could
see was the canopy or the top of the forest, but they guessed that it 
was very humid and probably hard to get through.  In the distance they 
could see a few other cliffs, one of them having a large waterfall 
coming out of it.  The jungle seemed to go on forever.
        
	"Whoa," Sonic said in awe. "Never thought it would be so big and 
green."  Joseph and Sandra then walked out, and stood beside the others.
They all stared out at the expansive forest before them.  

	"We better get down there and get started," Sally said, breaking 
everyone out of his or her thoughts.  They all piled back into the 
hovercraft, and Joseph flew them down.  Joseph landed them at the rim of
the jungle, where the plant life wasn't so abundant.  But farther into 
the jungle, it looked dark and dangerous to even go through.  They all 
walked out and stared at the dark forest before them.  Some birds flew 
around, and they could hear other sounds.

      "And just how are we supposed to get through that?  I can 
spin-dash through, Sal, but we might get lost, and I'll get tired."  
	
	"I have no idea Sonic, I didn't think it would this bad."  Joseph 
was about to say something, when a voice from the jungle caused them to
all jump in surprise.  

	"Maybe I can help."
        
	They all looked around in a futile attempt to find whoever talked 
to them.  Something jumped out of a nearby tree and landed a few feet 
away from them.  The group was very startled but they actually were able
to get a good look at the stranger.

      He was a light-blue salamander who looked in his early twenties.  
He had dark blue eyes, and dirty blond hair that was pulled back into a 
small ponytail.  He had a thin stripe of small brown spots that started 
in the middle of his forehead, went down the middle of his back, and 
stopped at the tip of his muscular tail.  He stood at Sonic's height, 
but he seemed to have more muscle then Sonic.  He had on a dark green 
vest, a thin, black belt, and green sandals.

     They all stared at him, getting over their earlier shock.  It was 
Sonic that finally got up the nerve to say something.  "And just who are
you?"  

	Sally softly elbowed him in the side.  "Don't be rude, Sonic," she
hissed in his ear. "We don't who this person is or what he can do."  But
the salamander didn't seem offended by Sonic's rudeness.  He smiled at
them and folded his arms.  

	"Well, to answer the gentleman's question, my name is Samson, 
Samson Waters.  I live in this jungle."  

	Joseph approached Samson. "How did you know where we were?"       

	Samson smirked up at Joseph.  "Well it's pretty easy to spot a 
dark ship flying down toward the jungle.  Especially when all the 
animals start a ruckus and you're hanging around in the trees."  Sally 
finally introduced the group to Samson.  

	"My name is Princess Sally Acorn, this is Sonic Hedgehog, Joseph, 
and Sandra Nightweaver."  She pointed each person out, and they all each
waved.  

	"Well," Samson said. "It's nice to meet all of you.  Now I have a 
question.  What are you doing in the Mobian Jungle?  I know animals like
you don't live here."
  
	Sally explained to Samson their situation.  "And the power source 
we picked up is originating from the middle of the jungle."  By that 
time, Samson had a more serious look on his face.  

	"I can help you, if you would like.  But I'm afraid I can't take 
you all the way in to the jungle.  My territory only goes five miles
into the jungle, and I've only explored up to eight. This is a very big 
place, so I don't think I can just take you to the center."
       
	Sally nodded her head in understanding.  "I say we take what we 
can get.  Beggars can't be choosers, you know," Sandra mentioned.  

	Sonic agreed.  "She's right, Sal'.  Right now, I would rather go 
eight miles knowing where I am going, than getting lost entirely."  

	"Alright, you two, we'll go."  Sally smiled, relieved that they 
had some type of guide. The four got their packs, and Sally had Nicole 
lock up the hovercraft until they came back.  Samson stood near the 
forest ready to go.  

	"Follow me, we'll take the path that goes to my home."  Samson 
walked into the right into the jungle and disappeared.  The others were 
very confused; they didn't see anything that resembled a path.  Sandra 
walked to the spot that Samson disappeared to.  She pushed some plants 
aside and looked into the forest.  She was surprised to see a four-foot 
wide path leading inward.  

	"There is a path here!" she told them over her shoulder.  She 
stepped into the jungle and started down the thin path.  The others soon
followed her in.
        
	"Wait a minute!  Where's Samson? I thought he was going to take us
to his house?" Sonic asked, finally noticing that he wasn't on the path 
with them.  

	"I'm up here."  They all looked up, and there he was, up in the 
treetops.  His green vest blended in well with all the foliage.  He 
jumped from one branch to another with such ease, it looked like second 
nature to him.  He looked back at them, gesturing with his head for them
to come on.  They walked on, looking around at their surroundings.
        
	The Mobian Jungle was much denser then the Great Forest. Many 
exotic birds flew above their heads; bright-billed toucans and brightly 
colored macaws, just to name a few.  There were many types of monkeys, 
shrieking and hooting, all leaping around and playing in the trees.  
Some stopped their play to stare at the odd group.  They also passed by 
beautiful, unusual flowers, ones that wouldn't normally be found in the
Great Forest and the plant life was very different from where they came 
from.  The air was warm and humid, and sunlight shown down to the ground
like light through a stain glass window.  They walked for over an hour, 
until they came to a small clearing that one would not notice if you 
weren't paying attention.
        
	"Okay, folks," Samson called from above. "This is where we stop.  
Welcome to my home."  He jumped out of the tree he was in, and landed 
perfectly on his feet.  They all looked around for a hut.  But they 
could see no kind of structure that indicated a house or any kind of 
home, just a small clearing.  

	"What's up with this, Samson?" Sonic said a little angrily. "I 
thought you were going to take us to your home?"  

	"We are at my home, but you guys just never seem to look up."  
They all tilted their heads upward and for the second time that day. 
They were surprised. Up in the branches of the trees was a tree house.  
It was constructed around the thick trunk of a tree and held up by the 
thick branches.  It looked like it could hold up against any storm.  It 
blended in very well with the foliage that was around.  Long branches 
and vines from other trees covered it well, making it impossible to see 
unless you were trying to find it.  

      They all stared up in awe.  Sonic turned to Samson, an apologetic 
look on his face.  "Sorry I snapped at you, it just we were expecting 
something on the ground."  

	Samson waved it aside.  "Hey, it's all good.  No hard feelings?"  
Samson put out a hand for Sonic to shake, and Sonic took the gesture 
with a broad smile on his face.  

	"This guy is a lot cooler then I thought," Sonic thought to 
himself.

      "Sorry if my house startled you guys, but it sorta necessary to 
have a house off the ground, especially when the rainy season starts 
because the river floods, and the water can get really high,"  Samson 
explained.  They all walked up to the tree house, and Samson skillfully 
climbed the tree.  "Climb the vines up here, and don't worry, they won't
break from your weight."  They each grabbed a vine, and climbed their 
way up to the house.  There was a balcony that they jumped on to.  
Samson stood in his door, leaning against the doorframe.  "Make 
yourselves at home.  You guys hungry?  I'm sure I can find some good 
fish and fruit for you too eat."  

	"That's okay, Samson, we have enough food," Joseph politely 
acknowledged. They all sat in the trees getting used to being so far off
the ground, and soon they found Sonic and Joseph swinging around on 
vines, laughing and having a good time.  Sally and Sandra were sitting 
in vine hammocks watching the boys playing.  They laughed as Sonic and 
Joseph almost rammed into each other.  Sally looked toward Samson who 
was lying on a thick tree branch.  He kept looking in the treetops as if
he was looking for something or someone.  

	"Is something wrong, Samson?" Sally asked.  Samson suddenly got an
extremely nervous look on his face, and it looked like he was blushing.
        
	"I'm sorta looking for someone, but they don't seem to be here 
right now."  

	"If you don't mind me asking, who is this person, a friend of 
yours?" Sandra queried, not paying attention to Sonic and Joseph 
anymore.  

	"Well, not really," Samson admitted. "I really don't know if it's 
male or female.  The only way I know it's around his by its eyes.  It 
has turquoise eyes, and that's the only part of it I can see.  I've 
tried talking to it, but it doesn't respond.  And I've also tried 
looking for it when it's around, but it knows how to move in this 
forest, even better then me."  Samson seemed a little disappointed that 
whoever he saw wasn't there.  "It's almost like a guardian angel to me, 
even though I can't really see it.  I really hope to meet whoever it is 
someday."  Both females gave him a sympathetic look.  But they were 
interrupted from their thoughts when a small yell cut through the air.  
        
	They all looked to see Joseph holding onto Sonic's leg while 
swinging from a vine.  Sonic yelled at Joseph to let him go, but quickly
told him not to drop him as soon as he looked at the ground.  Joseph 
laughed hysterically, still holding on to Sonic's leg.  Sally shouted 
for Joseph to let him go safely.  Joseph swung himself onto Samson's 
balcony, turned Sonic right side up, and put him down.  Joseph chuckled 
a little as Sonic almost fell over from dizziness.  Sally helped him to 
stand.  "Are you all right, Sonic? You don't look so good," Sally said 
concerned.  

	"Just make the jungle stop spinnin', Sal, or I might just let out 
my chili dogs."  

	"He better lay down for a while," Samson suggested, and he led 
them into his hut.  "He can use my bed for now."
        
	Joseph smiled as they led the dizzy Sonic inside, then flew around
looking for Sandra.  She was still sitting in the hammock, swinging 
herself.  Joseph thought she looked very beautiful swinging, letting her
hair flow in harmony with her motion on the hammock.  She had her eyes 
closed and a soft smile on her face.  Joseph looked around and found a 
pretty flower in the leaves of the tree.  "This is perfect for her," 
Joseph thought.  He picked the flower and flew behind his mate.  She 
didn't notice him behind her and that made the surprise even better.  He
flew above her and dropped the flower into her lap.  Sandra gasped as it
hit her lap, then getting a good look at it, smiled softly and picked it
up.  She stroked the soft petals and looked above her, and saw her mate 
sitting on a tree branch smiling at her.

	A figure, not very far from the couple, watched as the fox flew 
down to the vixen, embrace her, and kiss her deeply.  The creature 
sighed, wishing that it had something like that.  Maybe that's why it 
always followed Samson around, just so it wouldn't feel so lonely.  It 
wiped away tears from its turquoise eyes, stood up, and silently swung 
off into the forest.

	Night soon descended and the jungle gradually got quieter.  The 
four animals slept in vine hammocks, which were very comfortable.  They 
soon fell asleep, except Sandra.  She stared up into the canopy of the 
forest, seeing some stars through the foliage.  She was nervous that she
might have her dream again.  What would happen if she rolled the wrong 
way?  She might fall out.  She turned her head toward the forest and was
startled.  She sat up and saw a pair of turquoise eyes staring at her.  
She tried to see what the creature was, but it was too dark, and it 
seemed to have itself in a position that you couldn't see it.  

	She was at first nervous, but felt comforted by them, and she 
laid back down, and fell asleep.  Samson, sitting in another tree, was 
looking around for his pretty eyed person.  Soon he saw the same pair of
eyes that Sandra saw earlier.  He smiled when he saw them.  He resisted 
the urge to get up and see who it was.  They stared at each other, then 
the eyes disappeared.  Samson wanted to call out to it, but he knew from
the past that it would never respond.  He went inside his home and threw
himself into bed.  He laid his head on his pillow and put his hands 
behind his head.  His last thought before he fell asleep was, "Is it 
possible to fall in love with just a pair of eyes?"
         
	The next morning found the five up and already trekking through 
the jungle.  The forest seemed to get a little bit noisier as the time 
went by.  They talked, trying to pass the time and to keep Sonic from 
complaining.  They walked until noon, then they found a spot that they 
could rest and eat.  They all took out their lunch and began to eat.  
Samson landed on the ground beside them.  He looked around with a 
confused expression on his face.  "Hey, Sam," Sonic called with a full 
mouth. "What's the matter?  You look lost."  

	Samson sighed and sat on the ground.  "Actually I am lost."  The 
others gave him surprised looks.
       
	He continued to look at the ground ashamed.  "I don't recognize 
anything here.  We must have passed the eight-mile mark.  But I'll try 
everything I can to get you guys where you need to go."  The others 
smiled.  

	"Hey, don't blame yourself. We got this far, we'll just have to 
keep going., Joseph commented.  

	"Well maybe we can find the river and follow it to the middle of 
the jungle," Samson suggested.  They nodded and got up.  But a voice 
came out of no where causing them all to jump in complete surprise.  

	"If you go that way, you'll just get lost."  

	"All right, who is it this time?" Sonic yelled into the jungle.
        
	There was a rustling from some bushes, and someone stepped out.  
It was a female lizard, a gecko to be more specific.  She looked like 
she was twenty.  She had green skin that was as green as the leaves in 
the trees.  She had dark brown hair that went down to her waist.  It 
fell down around her back and around her shoulders.  She stood at the 
average Mobian height, and she had a well-formed body. She looked a 
little muscular, but also delicate and graceful.  But what really caught
Samson's attention were her eyes.  They were the perfect color of 
turquoise and they seemed full of life, energy, and a little bit of 
wisdom.  The only type of clothing she had on was a thin, black belt 
with a medium-sized sheath that carried a knife.
        
	Sandra spoke up, asking the question that ran through everyone's 
mind.  "Who are you?"  

	The girl smiled politely.  "My name is Crysta Gecko.  And like I 
said before, if you go that way, you'll just get lost.

	"It can't be her.  Can it?" Samson thought to himself.
        
	"I know all of you are headed to the middle of the jungle to look 
for some power you say is there."  

	Sally stepped toward her.  "Can you help us?" Sally asked.  

	"Wait a minute!  How do you know what we're looking for?  We never
told you," Sonic said annoyed.  

	Crysta giggled.  "Of course I know, Sonic.  I've been following 
you guys ever since you arrived."  Samson looked slightly embarrassed.  
This girl had been following them from the start and he didn't know 
about it.

      The girl smiled again.  "I would very much like to help you.  I 
was born here, so I been through most of this jungle."  

	"Guess you guys don't need me anymore," Samson said, a little down
on himself.  He turned to leave when Crysta was suddenly standing in 
front of him.  Samson was amazed at how quick she was.  She smiled 
sweetly at him, and her eyes seemed to shimmer in joy.  

	"Please come along with us.  It would be better if someone else 
came along that knows how the jungle works as well," she said.  Samson 
blushed a little and gave her a soft smile.  He nodded his head and 
seemed to stare off into her eyes.
        
	Sonic, impatient as always, folded his arms and starting tapping 
his foot.  "Let's go already!" he nearly shouted.  For that remark, 
the others smacked Sonic up side his head.  "Ow!! What was that for?" 
he cried, holding his head.
        
	Crysta and Samson quietly laughed.  They both climbed up a 
nearby tree then jumped a long distance into another tree that was 
near the other four animals.  "Follow me.  And don't stray off 
anywhere, or you just might end up as some animal's meal."  And off 
they were again.  Crysta moved with such ease and grace, she even 
seemed better then Samson in the trees.  It was a little hard for them
to keep an eye on her for she blended in very well with the 
background.  But all they had to do was look toward Samson who wasn't 
very far behind her.

      The jungle grew noisier and vegetation seemed to get thicker the
deeper they went in.  They walked for over two hours until they heard 
the dull roar of a waterfall.  In a few minutes they finally came out
of the jungle.  They found a small waterfall that emptied into a large
pool that spawned off into the river.  The ones had walked on foot 
threw their packs off and soon found themselves in the water, 
splashing and laughing.
     
	Crysta found herself a thick branch, laid stomach down on it and
wrapped her tail around it.  She folded her arms on the branch, laid 
her head down, and closed her eyes.  But she was far from asleep.  She
could sense Samson staring at her from her left.  She could 
practically feel his eyes moving along her body.  It made her feel 
strange but in a way she liked it.

	Samson, sitting a few feet away from Crysta, just couldn't keep 
his eyes off of her.  "She's so beautiful," he thought.  "Everything 
about her seems so . . . so perfect.  But if it's her, why would she 
hide herself?"

	Crysta couldn't keep quiet any longer.  With her eyes still 
closed she spoke up.  "You can talk to me, Samson.  You have before." 
Samson's eyes grew wide.  He jumped onto a branch that was closest to 
her as she opened her eyes and sat up.  Samson stared into her eyes 
with pure amazement.  

	"It is you!" he said his voice barely above a whisper.  Crysta 
smiled, nodding her head.  Then something happened that Crysta had not
expected. An angry look spread across Samson's face, his brown spots 
started to turn slightly red, and a snarl flashed across lips, 
revealing his sharp fangs.  "Why?" he asked, his voice low and filled 
with rage.  "Why did you hide yourself from me for so long?  Why did
you have to show up now?  Why couldn't be with me when I really needed
you?"

	A shocked look went on Crysta's face.  She was about to reply 
when Samson jumped over her and went off into the forest.  She laid 
back down, very close to tears.  She wanted to go after him, but 
forced herself to stay right where she was.  "You okay up there?"  A 
voice called up to her.  She looked down and saw Sandra standing below
her, her black fur soaking wet.  She had a sad smile on her face and a
sympathetic look in her eyes.  Crysta rolled off her branch and fell 
down until she landed on her feet.  She sat under the tree, Sandra 
sitting a few feet across from her.
        
	"I hope I'm not prying, but I thought I saw Samson get upset and
go off into the forest.  Is something wrong?"  Crysta looked as if she
would start to cry at any moment.  She told Sandra about Samson 
finding out about her and his unexpected reaction.  

	"I never thought he would act that way.  I always thought he 
would be happy to know," she sighed heavily and looked down at the 
ground.  Sandra then looked at Crysta with a look of surprise.  

	"So you're the one I saw last night,"  Crysta grew nervous, 
afraid Sandra might the same way Samson did.  But Sandra's reaction 
was totally the opposite.  "Well it's nice to actually meet you.  You
kinda scared me, but I got over it.  Samson told us about you, but he 
called you his 'pretty eyed' companion."  Crysta sighed in relief, 
happy that Sandra wasn't angry.
        
	The two females talked for sometime, getting along as though 
they had known each other for years.  Joseph watched from the water, 
everything from his shoulders down immersed in water.  He smiled 
softly as the two females talked, glad that Sandra and Crysta were 
getting along so well.  Sandra really didn't have many friends back in
Knothole, and sometimes she got a little depressed because of this.
      
	They all rested for half of an hour until Crysta told them they 
had to go on.  They gathered their packs and they walked on again, 
making sure to keep an eye on the river.  Samson followed from the 
back, an aggravated look on his face.  They traveled until the sun 
finally went down into the horizon.  Crysta found them a small yet 
safe clearing for them to sleep.  They four that walked pulled out 
their sleeping bags, got in them, and soon fell asleep.  Crysta and 
Samson curled up in separate trees.  But they couldn't really fall 
asleep.
        
	Samson looked toward Crysta, a sorry look on his face.  He 
really didn't mean to blow up at her earlier, but the little bit of 
anger he had inside had flew before all his other emotions.  He wanted
to go to her and apologize, but he didn't think he could look her in 
the eyes.  He never felt so low.
        
	Crysta had her eyes closed, but she wasn't asleep.  She wanted 
to find some way to apologize to him, but she could never look in his 
direction.  A tear fell from her eye but she quickly wiped it away.  
They both finally fell asleep after clearing their minds and not t
hinking of anything at all.  The forest was quiet and still, and 
everything seemed peaceful.  But in the mind of one individual, there 
was nothing but troubled thoughts.
        
	Sandra sat up quickly, sweat pouring down her face, her 
breathing harsh.  The dream had come to her again but this time the 
ending had been very different.  All her friends she was with had been
burned to death by some mysterious black flame.  Even Joseph had died 
and she could nothing but stand there and watch.  She quickly got out 
of her sleeping bag, being careful not wake the others.  She looked to
the two reptiles in the trees.  Samson was still curled up, asleep in 
his tree.  She turned toward Crysta and found her wide-awake.  Her 
head was lifted off her arms and a concerned look on face.
        
	Sandra walked up to her, just then noticing that the sun was 
beginning to rise.  "Are you okay?" Crysta asked with a low voice.  
Sandra nodded her head.  
	
	"Yeah, I just had a bad dream.  Nothing to worry about."  Crysta
knew she was hiding something, but decided not to pry.  Crysta rolled 
off her branch but kept her tail wrapped around it.  She ended hanging
upside down from her tail, her face in equal level with Sandra's.  "So
did you sleep well?" Sandra asked.  "

	Well not the best sleep I have ever had but at least I did 
sleep," Crysta answered as she stretched in her abnormal position.  

	"Doesn't hanging like that hurt your head?" the black vixen 
asked, a little surprised.  

	"No, not really," she acknowledged.  "I can hang like this for 
hours if I'm asleep.  When I was a little girl, I used to hang like 
this all the time.  Kept me out of trouble," she giggled.
        
	Sandra smiled and the two continued to talk to each other 
quietly until the others woke up.  They all said their good mornings 
(except Crysta and Samson) and they ate their breakfast.  They were 
all ready to go when out of nowhere a small tornado suddenly formed.  
Everyone was startled but nobody could really do anything about it. 
Someone was standing in the middle of the tornado wearing a black 
cloak.  The cloak wasn't stirred any by the fast winds.  The figure 
quickly threw up its hands and lightening struck everyone.  They all 
cried out in pain and fall to the ground unconscious.  The tornado 
went out as soon as it begun.  The figure seemed to look at the six 
people and pulled back its hood.  
        
	It was a female panther with yellow-green eyes, who looked in 
her middle thirties.  She regarded them all with mistrust then waved 
her hands.  They were all surrounded by a white light and were 
teleported to panther's destination.
        
	An hour had passed until the group woke regained consciousness 
with a slight pain in their heads.  After the pain faded they finally 
looked at their surroundings.  They were in a cavern that could have 
held over half of Knothole.  The ceiling was rounded and the ground 
was a mixture of gravel and dirt.  There was a passage on the other 
side of the cavern leading who knows where.  In the middle of cavern 
was a five-foot tall pedestal.  Resting on the pedestal was glowing, 
yellow crystal which seemed to be about the size of a normal fist.  It
glowed a soft light, illuminating the cave.
        
	Everyone looked around, but then they finally noticed something 
about themselves.  Their wrists were bounded above their heads and 
ankles tied to the walls.  Sonic, Sally, Crysta, and Samson were two 
feet off the ground and Joseph and Sandra were a foot off the ground.
They were at least a foot apart from each other.
        
	Sonic finally broke the silence.  "What the hell just happened 
here?!  How did we get here?" he shouted, struggling in bonds.  

	"Sonic, please, calm down," Sally said in a soothing voice, 
trying to pacify him.  When it looked like Sonic had finally calmed 
down, Sally looked toward Joseph.  "Joseph, can you get us out of 
here?" she asked.  Joseph closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. 
But nothing happened.  He opened his eyes looking confused.  

	"I don't understand.  My magic should have worked," he said 
surprised.
        
	"Because here, your magic is cancelled out by the crystal," said
a voice that no one had heard.  There was a puff of smoke, then the 
black cloaked figure stood before them.  She pulled back her hood 
revealing her face.  While the others got angry, Sandra and Sonic grew
shocked.  They looked at each other, remembering Sandra's recurring 
dream.
        
	"Hey, lady, who do you think you are, attacking us like that?" 
Samson demanded.  The panther held out her hand toward him and he 
received a jolt of electricity.  He cried out in pain, but it didn't 
last long.
        
	"I'll ask the questions here, fool," she snarled at him.  "Now 
who sent you here?  Sabrina sent you here, didn't she?" she asked, her
voice full of suspicion and rage.  

	"Sabrina?  Who's Sabrina?" Crysta asked, confused.  
	"Don't act dumb with me," the panther roared.  "She sent you 
to-" The panther suddenly stopped talking as soon as her eyes fell on 
Sandra.  Her eyes grew wide and her mouth dropped open in shock.
        
	Sandra grew nervous as the female continued to stare at her, 
feeling sweat trickle down her neck.  "Please tell me your name," the 
panther asked, her voice calmer and very shaky.  Sandra, not wanting 
to seem intimidating, answered her question.  

	"My name is Sandra Nightweaver."
        
	The female immediately waved her hands and their bonds suddenly 
disappeared causing them all to the fall to the floor.  When Sandra 
got to her feet she found the panther standing in front, and this made
Sandra even more nervous.  "Who are you?" Crysta asked as she picked 
herself up.  

	"My name is Angela, and I'm terribly sorry for what I did to all
of you," she said as she looked at everyone.  "With the way things are
now, I have to be constant a guard."
        
	She then turned back to Sandra.  "If you don't mind me asking, 
do you have some kind of symbol or birthmark on your forehead?"  
Sandra gave Angela a look that seemed to say, "how did you know?"  She
pushed back the hair that was always on her forehead.  There, in the 
middle of her forehead, was the perfect shape of a crescent moon.  It 
was an inch and a half, big and covered in white fur.  The reason no 
one knew about it or didn't much attention to it because a large tuft
of her hair was always in the way.
        
	Angela looked as if she would faint.  "You did come back.  Just 
like you said," she said, her voice a mixture of awe and relief.  
Everyone grew confused, wondering what she was babbling about.  Sandra
looked at her as if she was crazy.  

	"What are you talking about? I've never met or seen you before,"
Sandra said with confusion.  Angela nodded at her in understanding, 
calming down.  

	"I know.  All will be made clear.  All of you stand around the 
crystal.  Don't worry, it won't harm you," Angela instructed.  They 
all did as she said, forming a circle around the pedestal.
        
	Angela walked up to the crystal and placed her paw upon it.  All
of them soon found themselves in the jungle at night.  "How did we end
up back in the jungle?" Sonic asked.  
	
	"We're not in the jungle," Angela replied.  "We're still in the 
cavern, but what you are seeing right now is what I am projecting into
your mind's eye."
        
	She then looked to her right and everyone looked with her.  
Standing some distance away was Sandra.  She looked older as if she 
was thirty.  She had a pair of wide leg khakis, a large pocket on the 
lower part of the left leg.  She wore a white tack top that stopped at
her stomach.  Her hair was pulled back so that her symbol could be 
plainly seen.
        
	Sandra gasped as she saw herself and Joseph quickly held her 
shoulders from behind, surprised at seeing his mate at such an age.  
"Excuse me, but what is going on here?" Crysta asked, confusion in her
voice.  
	
	"What you are seeing is something that has happened in my past 
and something that will quite possibly happen in Sandra's future," 
Angela said.
        
	There was rustling from some bushes nearby and a younger Angela 
stepped out.  She carried a white bo staff, which was six and a half 
feet long.  She saw Sandra and ran up to her.  "I found the staff.  It
was where you said it would be," Angela said as she handed the staff 
to Sandra.  Angela then got a pleading look on her face.  "Must you 
leave now?  What if something should happen?"  

	Sandra then spoke.  "Don't worry.  Luna will protect you and 
continue your teaching, as I have done," Sandra said as she laid a 
hand on the panther's shoulder.
        
	The winds suddenly started to pick up violently and out of 
nowhere a white portal appeared from behind Sandra, crackling with 
energy.  Sandra looked back toward it then turned back to Angela.
        
	"Listen to me now.  In ten years, I'll be back.  But not in the 
way you know me now.  Luna will explain.  When I do return, explain 
everything to me and take me to Luna," Sandra explained quickly.  A 
voice called out from the portal.  It sounded like Joseph's voice.  

	"Sandra! We have to go!"  Sandra hugged Angela then ran toward 
the portal. She turned back toward Angela before jumping into the 
portal.  

	"Remember, I'll be back.  Keep an eye out for me."  She then 
jumped into the portal and then they all found themselves back in the
cavern.
        
	Sandra walked to the wall, leaning against it, her mind really 
not comprehending everything she just saw and heard.  Samson scratched
his head.  "Okay, now I'm more confused then ever."  Angela nodded her
head as she looked toward Sandra who was still leaning against the 
wall.  

	"I know this is all very confusing, but if all you will come 
with me, everything will be explained."
        
	Sandra looked toward the others, and they all saw something that
wasn't common on her.  They saw pure fear in her eyes.  "I'm not sure 
if I can or even if I want to," she said, her voice shaky.  "I'm not 
sure I even understand any of this.  This is all so confusing."
        
	A sympathetic look went on Angela's face.  "I know this is very 
unusual for you, but if you come with me, you will understand."  
Sandra still didn't seem to want to go anywhere, so Sonic decided to 
step in.  He walked up to her and nudged her on her hip.  

	"Sandra, tell them," he said simply.  She looked down at him and
immediately started shaking her head no.  Sonic spoke to her in such a
forceful voice that everyone, including Sandra, was surprised.  
"Sandra, you have to tell them.  They have to know now.  And for all 
you know, Angela maybe able to answer your questions."
        
	Sandra sat on the floor leaning her back against the wall.  She 
stared at the floor and finally said something.  "If you think it's 
for the best, Sonic."  Sonic sat beside her, leaning his back against 
the wall.  The others walked up to them, wondering what the two were 
talking about.  

	"Sonic, what are you talking about?" Sally asked, just as 
bewildered as the others.  

	"I think you guys should sit down for this," Sonic told them.
        
	They all did as Sonic said and Sandra recounted her dream to 
them, even her latest one.  Once she was done, everyone was genuinely 
surprised.  But Joseph wasn't all that amazed.  "So that's you why you
wanted to come along?  You wanted to see if anything in her dream 
would come true?" Joseph asked.  Sonic nodded his head.
        
	Angela seemed to be thinking about something important then 
finally spoke up.  "I don't think I can answer any of your questions,
but I do know someone who can."  She got up and started for the 
passageway.  Sandra got up and followed her and soon the others were 
up and walking with them.  They walked into the passage and found 
themselves in a long tunnel.  They walked down it, their eyes 
adjusting quickly to the lack of light.
        
	Crysta was finally able to ask the question that had been 
running through her mind.  "If you don't mind me asking, Angela, but 
who is Sabrina? I've lived in the Mobian Jungle all my life, and I've 
never heard of anyone of that name."  Angela answered the question 
that Crysta asked but continued to walk.
        
	"Sabrina is a powerful demon that was some how conjured from the
darkest regions of Hell about 2,000 years ago.  She wanted to rule 
Mobius and would stop at nothing to reach her goal.  She killed those
that didn't accept her rule and hundreds ended up dying.  But someone 
was able to destroy Sabrina and her grip on Mobius.  That someone was 
one of Sandra's ancestors.  She used the power of the three moons of 
Mobius.  Very few know of it and only one can use it.  I thought that 
Sabrina was truly gone, but last month, she resurrected herself and 
has slowly regained her power again.  She hasn't done anything now 
because she still doesn't have all of her energy.  But once she has 
reached her full power, she will be unstoppable.  That's probably why 
Sandra is here.  To stop Sabrina from killing everyone."
        
	No one said anything, and after Angela was done, no one could 
really say anything.  They finally came to the end of the tunnel and 
again they found themselves in another cavern.  It was smaller then 
the one they left.  Grey crystals covered the cavern giving the room a
soft light and another passageway was on the other side.  Then 
something unusual caught their attention.
        
	There was another pedestal in the center of the cavern, the same
size as the one before.  There was a crescent shaped crystal attached 
to a golden chain sitting on.  It looked just like Sandra's symbol.  
It glowed a soft, white light and it seemed to be the size of Joseph's
Amber Chaos Emerald.
        
	Angela walked up to it and spoke.  "She's here."  The crystal 
suddenly glowed a bright light then softened down.  It spoke to all of
them in their minds, the voice very much like Sandra's.  *I knew you 
would all come one day.  Come forward to me, Sandra. *  Sandra stepped
toward it, feeling comforted by it.  It sent a small, white beam on 
her forehead, causing the symbol to brighten.  Sandra's eyes grew wide
and she gasped.
        
	Joseph, thinking his mate was being harmed, stepped up to stop 
the process.  Angela quickly put a hand on his shoulder.  "Don't 
worry.  The stone would do nothing to harm.  All we can do is wait."  
Joseph nodded his head, but he still kept his guard up if something 
went wrong.  Sandra stood like this for five minutes.  During this 
time Samson finally got up enough nerve to finally say something to 
Crysta.
        
	He approached her from behind and spoke in a low voice so he 
wouldn't attract attention.  "Um . . Crysta?"  She turned around, 
surprised that he was still talking to her.  Samson started gazing 
into her eyes and almost forgot why he wanted to talk to her.  

	"Yes, Samson?" she asked, snapping him back into reality.  

	"I . . uh . . .I-I wanted to-to talk to you," he stammered, 
blushing profusely, his brown spots starting to turn slightly pink.  
Crysta started blushing a little herself and she nodded her head.  
        
	Samson started to say something, but whatever he had planned on 
saying was stuck in his throat and his mouth ended up hanging open.  
He clamped his hand over is mouth and turned away from her.  Crysta 
laid a hand on his shoulder.  

	"Are you okay, Samson?" she asked, concerned.  He shook her hand
off his shoulder and walked away from her, not wanting to embarrass 
himself any further.
        
	She was about to go after him when the beam stopped and Sandra 
fell to her knees, breathing harshly.  Joseph was immediately by her
side.  "Are you okay?" he asked, extremely worried.  She nodded her 
head, trying to get her breathing under control.  Joseph helped her 
stand to her feet as the others gathered around them.  

	"How are you doing, Sandra?" Sally asked with a concerned voice.
        
	"Yes, yes, I am," she said.  She shook her head and opened her 
eyes.  She smiled and walked up to the pedestal where the stone seemed
to be glowing brighter then before.  She picked it, turned back toward
the others, and held it out for all of them to see.  "Guys," she said,
the smile never leaving her face.  "I would like you to meet my 
birthright, Luna."  The stone flashed a bright light then went down 
again.  Sandra then put the stone on, the chain serving as a necklace.
The white stone laid on her chest and it seemed as though it had 
always belonged there.
        
	All of them, except Angela, looked genuinely confused.  "Say 
wha'?" Sonic said, the only one able to speak.  Sandra smiled softly, 
touching the stone with her paw.  

	"Perhaps someone else can explain it better then I can."  A 
white light appeared next to Sandra.  It started to take shape of a 
female and when the light finally died out everyone, besides Sandra, 
gasped in amazement.
        
	There standing besides the black vixen was another vixen that 
could have been considered Sandra's identical twin.  The only 
difference between them was this vixen had pure white fur.  On her 
forehead was a yellow, crescent shaped symbol.
        
	"Who are you?" Joseph asked.  The white vixen smiled and spoke, 
her voice just like Sandra's.  "My name is Cassandra Nightweaver.  I'm
Sandra's great-grandmother, many generations removed."  

	Sonic waved his hands in the air, cutting Cassandra off on 
whatever she was going to say.  "Now wait one Sonic second.  I know I 
ain't the only one who is majorly confused right now.  But what is 
goin' on here?  I don't think this has anything to do with Sandra's 
dream or what we came here looking for."
        
	Cassandra smiled softly at him.  "Actually, Sonic, yes, it does,
on both counts.  You see, I was the one sending Sandra all her dreams 
and it is she that must defeat the one you seek."  

	"The one we seek?" Sally asked.  "We aren't looking for anyone. 
We're just looking for what could be producing so much power."
        
	Both vixens looked at each other then looked back to the others.
"Actually, Sally, Sabrina is the one producing all that power you guys
found," Sandra answered.  The two identical females turned and started
to walk to the other passage.  The others soon followed.  

	"What I don't get is why this Sabrina would let herself be seen 
so easily," Sonic said.  

	Samson nodded his head and stated, "Yeah, wouldn't she try to 
conceal herself until she had all her power?"
        
	"I think I can answer that question," Crysta stated.  "This 
Sabrina is over 2,000 years old.  She must not've kept with history or
 she wouldn't let herself be seen so easily."  

	Sally nodded her head.  "I see what you're saying.  She must 
think Mobius is still the same way it was 2,000 years ago.  She must 
not know how advanced Mobians are today."  

	"You're both right," Cassandra said over her shoulder.  "She 
must not know you're here yet or she-" Cassandra's speech was cut off 
when a loud rumbling came out of nowhere.
        
	The tunnel started shaking violently and the whole place seemed 
to come apart.  They all ran as fast as they could to the end of the 
tunnel which opened up to the jungle.  Sonic scooped Sally up in his 
arms and ran off at top speed.  The three foxes and the single panther
ran out second.  Only Samson and Crysta had yet to come out.  
        
	But Samson tripped on a rock and ended falling on his face.  He 
picked himself up and looked up in time to see a large portion of the 
ceiling coming down toward him.  He really couldn't do much for he was
suddenly pushed roughly out of the way of the falling rocks.  He 
rolled out of the tunnel, stood up, and looked back in time to see 
Crysta be buried underneath all the rubble.
        
	"NOOOOOOO!!" he screamed, his eyes wide with terror.  As soon as
the strange earthquake and the dust settled, Samson ran to the pile of
the rocks and immediately started throwing rocks in another direction.

	Sonic and Joseph soon were at the scene helping to pull rocks 
off.  It then they noticed tears running freely down Samson's face and
his spots had turned a little blue.  He kept mumbling to himself and
Sonic thought he was saying, "Please don't be dead, please don't be 
dead."
        
	They kept digging until Joseph pulled off a rock revealing a 
bloodstained, green hand.  "I found her," he announced.  Before Samson
or Sonic could do anything, Sandra came up and told them to step away.

	Samson was ready to say something to her when she cut him off. 
"Do as I say, Samson," she said with such a commanding tone that all 
three males stepped to the side immediately, not wanting to provoke 
her in any way.
        
	Sandra closed her eyes and soon both her symbol and crystal 
started to glow.  Rocks started to levitate up in the air and soon the
still form of Crysta could be seen.  *Samson, get her out there. * 
Sandra's voice rang through his head.  He jumped, not expecting it,
but he quickly went up to Crysta and gently pulled her out of the 
rubble.  The rocks soon fell back and Sandra opened her eyes causing 
her symbol and crystal to stop glowing.
        
	Samson held Crysta close and cradled her in his arms.  He walked
outside, Sonic following close behind.  Joseph and Sandra walked out 
last, hand in hand.  *You did real good, *  he mentally spoke.  

	*Thanks, that means a lot coming from you, *  she replied.
        
	Samson had laid Crysta on the ground when he reached the others.
She looked a lot worse for wear.  There was a deep, jagged cut on her 
forehead, blood coming out freely from the large wound.  There were 
bruises all over both her arms and it looked like most of her ribs 
were broken.  Her right leg looked mangled as if the bone was broken
or crushed beyond repair.  Even her chest and stomach had scratches 
and bruises.  Her breathing came out in short gasps, and when she 
coughed, blood came flying out.  Sally felt a weak pulse on her wrist.

	Sandra looked to her great-grandmother and Cassandra nodded her 
head.  She disappeared in a white light.  But the others weren't 
paying any attention, all their attention focused on Crysta.  "This is
all my fault.  If I hadn't had tripped, she wouldn't be like this," 
Samson said softly.  Angela laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.  

	"You can't blame yourself for what has happened to her.  Sabrina
did this.  She's been trying to get the moon stone ever since she came
back," she said, trying to comfort the distressed salamander.
        
	"I can help her, but I'll need your help, Joseph," Sandra 
acknowledged.  Joseph looked at her, a little surprised, but he smiled
and nodded his head.  They gave the two foxes some room to work, 
Angela having to lead a reluctant Samson away.  Sandra kneeled above 
Crysta's head and Joseph kneeled at Crysta's feet.  Sandra laid her 
hands on Crysta's shoulders while Joseph laid his hands on her ankles.
Both closed their eyes and both crystals started to glow immensely.
        
	Crysta's entire body started to shine a soft, yellow light.  
Sandra started to sweat, but continued the healing process.  A minute 
had passed when the two finally stopped.  Sandra sat back, breathing 
roughly.  But when the others looked to Crysta they all gasped in 
amazement.  Crysta was completely healed.  All her scratches and 
bruises were gone and her breathing was deep and even.  It looked more
like she was asleep.
        
	Joseph helped Sandra stand up while the others gathered around 
the sleeping gecko.  Sally had Nicole scan her for any kind of 
injuries and the small computer confirmed that she was as healthy as 
any Mobian could be.  "Let's go, so Crysta can get some rest," Sandra
suggested.  Angela stood back from the others. 

	"I have to stay so I can see what the damage is to my home.  
Don't worry, I'll find you."  Sandra nodded her head and everyone else
was surrounded in orange and white light.  They soon found themselves 
right below Samson's tree hut.
        
	Samson scooped Crysta up in his arms and jumped from branch to 
branch until he reached his hut.  He disappeared inside, leaving 
everyone else outside.  "You two did a good job healing her," Sally 
commented.  

	"Well, it took me a while cause I'm still not used to using 
magic," Sandra replied still leaning against Joseph.  "So Crysta 
should be asleep for a few hours."  Joseph picked his mate up in his
arms.  

	"I think we could all use some rest," he announced.  He flew 
himself and the others up to the vine hammocks where they all soon 
fell asleep.
        
	At that moment Samson had laid Crysta in his bed and had just 
finished tucking her in the covers.  He pulled up a chair to the bed 
and sat beside her.  He was relieved that she was alive and fully 
healed, but in his mind and heart he felt nothing but immense guilt.  
He held her hand and smiled when he felt warmth coming from it.  He 
folded his arms on the bed, laid his head on top of his arms, and 
cried himself to sleep.  
        
	Two hours had passed until the others finally woke up.  Sandra 
checked up on Crysta and Samson and found that Samson was asleep.  
Crysta was still asleep, as well, but Sandra knew she would be all 
right.  She went off to look for Joseph and found him sitting on 
ground, leaning against the tree that supported Samson's house.  With 
some concentration, she floated herself downward, landing softly on 
the ground.
        
	Joseph smiled when he saw her, glad how fast she was learning.  
But a thought popped in his head and he decided that now was the time
to ask.  Before Sandra could say anything, Joseph spoke up.  "So, how 
come you never told me about your dream before today?"  She got a 
surprised look on her face then she quickly grew more somber and she 
looked down at the ground.  

	"I just didn't want you to do Mobius knows what to me with your 
powers.  I. . I just didn't want you to worry.  But Joseph you kinda.
. .worry a little too much over me."  Joseph stood up, a puzzled look 
on his face.  

	"What's that supposed to mean?"  

	She got a regretful look on her face.  "I'm sorry, Joseph, that 
I didn't tell you before, but lately it's like I can't take care of 
myself anymore.  You act like every little thing is going to harm me 
in some way.  I mean, can you honestly say that you would have let me 
come on this mission if you knew about my dream?"
        
	Joseph looked down at the ground, ashamed at himself.  "I'm. . .
I'm sorry.  I don't mean to be over-protective."  He then looked up at
her and she saw tears welling up in his eyes.  "But. . .Sandra, I love
you more than anything.  You're the most important thing to me and. . .
and I just don't want to lose you."  Sandra smiled at him and took
both his hands in hers.  He then suddenly pulled her in close and 
kissed her firmly on the lips.  She was surprised at first but soon 
went along with the kiss.  Sonic and Sally watched silently from above
and smiled.
        
	In the tree hut Samson finally woke up.  He yawned and stretched
and was a little surprised to find some tears still on his face.  He 
sighed, wiped them away, and looked to Crysta.  She was stirring in 
her sleep as if she wanted to wake up.  Samson quickly grabbed her 
hand.  "Crysta?" he whispered.  She finally opened up her eyes.  She 
yawned as she sat up and stretched her arms.
        
	She looked around, weary and she rubbed the sleep stuff from her
eyes.  She looked at Samson.  "Where am I?" she asked.  He smiled, 
glad she seemed to be all right.  

	"We're at my house.  How do you feel?"  She rubbed her left arm,
her face full of confusion.  

	"I feel great to be honest.  But. . . shouldn't I be dead by 
now?"  Some tears fell from his eyes and he looked down.  

	"Joseph and Sandra healed you with their magic.  But if they 
hadn't, you would have been dead, because of me."  That last part came
out as a sob.
        
	He was about to get up and walk away when Crysta gently laid her
hand on his shoulder.  He didn't move but he still didn't look at her.
"Samson, please look at me," she asked softly.  He reluctantly raised 
his head and saw her crying.  "Samson, it wasn't your fault with what 
happened to me.  You didn't know you were going to trip.  Hell, no one
knew there was going to an earthquake.  So please, don't blame 
yourself," she told him.  

	"But I can't!" he yelled.  
        
	He stood up abruptly, knocking his chair over with his tail and 
started talking loudly.  "If I had paid more attention, if I hadn't 
been so clumsy, you would have died, and I would never-" he stopped 
talking then, as if he was afraid to say something to her.  He ran out
of his house and jumped into the nearest tree.  He ran through the 
treetops, not really caring where he was going until something tripped
him and he ended up plummeting toward the ground.
        
	He closed his eyes, waiting for his painful collision with the 
ground.  But it never came.  He opened his eyes and found that his 
face was an inch above the forest floor.  He looked above himself and 
found Crysta holding onto his tail her own tail wrapped tightly around
a branch.  She slowly settled him on the ground and let his tail go as
soon as it looked like he was safe.  He stood up unsteadily as she 
jumped to the ground.  An angry look spread across his face and he was
about to yell at her, when she did something he never expected her to 
do.
        
	She grabbed his face, pulled him in close, and kissed him 
passionately on the lips.  Samson didn't move for the first few 
seconds, his mind in too much shock and his eyes wide with surprise.  
Then he closed his eyes, pulled her closer by her waist, and kissed
her back with all the feeling he had inside.  They stayed this way for
quite a long time until Crysta reluctantly broke the kiss.  They 
stared at each other and didn't say anything for a minute until Samson
broke the silence.  "What was that for?" he whispered softly, 
caressing her face.
        
	"Because, I love you, Samson," she whispered back, gazing into 
his eyes.  "And in a way for saying sorry for causing you so much 
grief."  

	"Grief?  What grief?" he asked as they started walking back, 
hand in hand.  

	"Well, when you got angry at me at the waterfall, I knew it was 
my fault because I never had enough courage to approach you before." 

	Samson shook his head.  "No, that wasn't your fault.  I couldn't
control my emotions and I ended up taking my anger out on you.  I've 
been wanting to apologize to you about that."
        
	Crysta's face suddenly lit up with understanding.  "So that's 
what you wanted to talk to me about in the cavern."  He nodded his 
head, blushing slightly.  

	"And I've also wanted to tell you how I feel," he said 
hesitantly.  He stopped walking and took both of her hands in his.  "I
know I should have said this earlier, but I love you too.  I have for 
a long, long time.  But when you actually showed up I couldn't think 
of any way to tell you.  Now I know I don't have to be afraid to tell 
you how I feel."  With that they kissed each other again, then started
walking back toward Samson's home.
        
	When they both arrived they found everyone else talking to each 
other.  Their conversation stopped when they both walked into the 
clearing.  They all ran up to them glad that both reptiles were all 
right.  "Where have you two been?  We saw you both run off into the 
forest.  Is everything all right?" Sally asked, concerned.  Samson put
his arm around Crysta waist and pulled her closer. 

	"Yeah, we just had to . . .talk."  

	"Man, you can two can run," Sonic said excitement in his voice. 
"I don't think I could ever do that in the trees."  

	Sandra smiled as she approached the couple and knelt before 
Crysta.  "I'm glad to see you're feeling better."
        
	"Well, I have you two to thank," she said, looking to Sandra 
then Joseph.  

	"Come on, let's have some chili dogs. I'm hungry," Sonic said 
cheerfully.  They all laughed then went up to the house to eat.  As 
Sonic and Sally took a short nap in their hammocks, Joseph was 
teaching Sandra some of the basics of magic.  She was doing better 
than expected, but he knew she still had allot to learn.  But he was 
more than happy to teach her what he knew.
        
	Crysta and Samson spent some time alone, just talking to each 
other.  They were sitting in a tree, Samson leaning his back against 
the trunk, Crysta leaning against him, and his arms wrapped around her
waist.  "You know I've been wanting to ask you something, but I don't 
want to upset you," Samson said.  Crysta pulled away from him and 
turned to face him.  

	"Samson, you can talk to me about anything.  You should know 
that by now," she softly said.  

	He smiled.  "Well, what I've been wanting to know is why you 
always followed me around."
        
	Crysta mood suddenly turned sulky and she looked down at the 
ground.  He could see tears forming in her eyes.  "What's wrong?  I 
didn't mean to upset you," he said.  

	"No, it wasn't your fault.  It's just that thinking it about 
usually makes me cry.  But you have a right to know," she said.
        
	She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.  "It started 
when my parents died.  I was only seven back then, but I still knew I
had lost something important in my life.  The only family I had left 
was my grandparents.  They loved me as much as my parents did and I 
loved them as well.  They raised me and taught me everything I ever 
needed to know.  But I knew they wouldn't be with me forever.  They
both died when I was seventeen.  It was then I knew I was truly alone 
for the first time in my life."
        
	She wiped away her tears then looked at him, a smile on her
face.  "Then, three years ago, I spotted you wandering around in the 
jungle.  I was amazed that a salamander could move through the trees 
so well." She then looked away, blushing.  "Or be so handsome."  
Samson also blushed at that.  He sat closer to her and put his arm 
around her waist.  "I wanted to approach you, but I was too afraid.  
Maybe because I wasn't really around anyone else besides my family.  I
thought that you wouldn't want me around and I was tired of being 
alone.  So I thought it was better that I follow you around.  That way
I could be around someone, but never letting the person know that I 
was around."
        
	Samson kissed her softly on her cheek and held her near.  "I'm 
really sorry that you have no more family.  But I just want you to 
know that you have me now, so you don't have to be alone anymore," he 
whispered.  Crysta looked as if she was going to say something else 
but her bottom lip started to tremble and new tears started to well up
in eyes.  She finally broke down, letting out the tears she hadn't 
cried ever since her grandparents died.
        
	Samson laid her head on his shoulder, trying to comfort her as 
she wrapped her arms around him.  He gently rocked her, stroking the
back of her head, and he softly hummed an old song to her, one his 
mother used to sing to him to put him to sleep when he was little.  It
seemed to work because she soon stopped crying and fell asleep with 
her head on his shoulder.  He gently picked her up in his arms and 
went off to his home.
        
	When he got there he was surprised to see Sonic and Sally up.  
Sonic had his arm around Sally's shoulders and they both looked 
depressed about something.  He sensed some unrest around his home and 
this worried him.  Crysta must have had a sixth sense as well for she 
suddenly woke up, jumped out of his arms and quickly climbed into a 
tree.  He went after her afraid he did something.  He quickly found 
her.  She was sitting in the tree, looking out to where the others 
were.  He was about to say something to her when she turned around and
put a finger to her lips.  He kept his mouth shut and looked out to 
see what she saw.
        
	He finally saw that Angela had come back but things were far 
from peaceful at the moment.  Sandra and Joseph were having a very 
heated discussion and it seemed as if they had argued for quite some 
time.  He tuned out all other sounds around himself and focused on 
their discussion.
        
	"Joseph, I have to do this.  I'm the only one who can and 
there's no other time to-" Joseph cut her off, some anger in his 
voice.  

	"But you aren't ready yet.  You only know how to fly, heal, and 
maybe some energy blasts.  You have a lot more to learn before you can
even think about getting in a battle."  

	"Excuse us." Crysta called out.  Everyone looked toward the 
trees and saw Crysta and Samson sitting in a nearby tree.
        
	"Just what is going on here?" she asked.  Angela stepped 
forward.  

	"Sabrina's power is nearly at its peak.  Sandra must find her 
and destroy her before it's too late."  Sandra folded her arms and 
looked at Joseph sidelong, an angry look on her face.  

	"But Joseph doesn't think I'm ready.  Apparently I don't know 
enough to do anything for myself just yet," she said, an edge to her 
voice.
        
	Joseph glared at her; his eyes seemed to flash a bright orange 
for a moment.  He was about to something else when Angela cut in.  

	"I know Sandra doesn't seem to be ready, Joseph, but if she 
doesn't go soon, she might not get another chance."  Joseph tried to 
say something again when Sally cut him off.  

	"Why is it so important that Sandra has to battle her now?" she 
asked.
       
	Angela sighed and seemed to grow weary.  "I know all of you have
heard the term, 'once in a blue moon.'"  They all nodded their heads 
but Joseph decided he wasn't going to keep quiet.  

	"So, what's that got to do with anything?" he said with an 
attitude.  Sandra shot him a sharp, angry glare and she seemed to 
growl.  He shot back at her with a dirty look, but didn't say 
anything that time.  But the others could tell he was just as angry.

	Angela continued.  "Well, it's more than something you say.  
It's something that happens ever hundred years.  No one has ever been 
able to explain it, but the three moons turn blue."  

	"The moons turn blue!?  That's just like in Sandra's dream," 
Sonic said.  Angela nodded her head and sighed.  

	"Yes, but it really doesn't affect anything.  Except Luna, that 
is.  All of you know that Sandra carries the moonstone so all her 
power comes from the moons.  But in the light of the blue moons, 
Luna's power will be at its max."  Angela took a deep breath, as if 
talking about it was the hardest thing for her.
        
	"That's how Cassandra defeated Sabrina and it will be the only 
way Sandra can fight her.  Even though Sandra is inexperienced now, 
when the moons rise tonight, she will be powerful enough to destroy 
Sabrina."
        
	Joseph seemed to roar in frustration and anger.  He flew off at 
his fastest speed.  But Sandra stayed right where she was, not seeming
to care that Joseph left.  Sonic and Sally didn't say anything and 
Angela seemed to have a guilty expression on her face.
        
	"When do I leave?" Sandra asked in a hard voice.  

	"When the sun sets the moons will rise.  That will be in four 
hours.  Be ready."  With that, Angela disappeared.  Sonic and Sally 
climbed up to Samson's house and started a quiet conversation on the 
balcony.  Crysta whispered something to Samson, who nodded his head, 
then she jumped to the ground.  Sandra still stood there, her arms 
folded and her face locked in an expression of anger and 
determination. 
        
	When Crysta stood in front of Sandra, Sandra's look seemed to 
soften but the determination never left her eyes.  "Aren't you going 
to go after Joseph?  He did look really angry," she asked.  Sandra 
shrugged her shoulders.  

	"Right now, I really don't care how upset he is.  I have a r
esponsibility to do, and I am not going to let him stop me."  Crysta 
started to think about something then looked back up at Sandra.  

	"Why don't you try to talk to him again?" she asked.  Sandra 
smirked.  

	"I doubt it would help any and besides, I don't know where he 
went."  Crysta climbed into a tree and gestured for Sandra to follow 
her.  
	
	"I have a pretty good idea where he is.  Follow me."
        
	Sandra flew up toward her and followed the lizard as she ran 
through the treetops.  Sandra wasn't sure where they were going, but 
they soon came to the waterfall they had found earlier.  There was J
oseph, sitting at the bank of the pond, looking down into the water.  
Sandra looked at Crysta with doubt, but Crysta nodded her head.  
Sandra landed on the ground and started walking toward Joseph.
        
	Crysta sat on a branch, watching as the two foxes started to 
talk quietly.  But it wasn't very long before their conversation 
turned into another argument.  Crysta jumped to the ground and ran to 
the couple and was able to hear the quarrel.  

	"I don't give a damn what Angela said.  You are not ready and I 
refuse to let you go off to a battle where you most likely get 
yourself killed," Joseph said furiously.  Crysta tried to get between 
them, but stopped when something unusual happened.
        
	Sandra's angry eyes started to glow an intense white light and 
clenched fists burst into white flames.  She threw her head back and 
let out a roar so loud and fierce that Joseph and Crysta had to cover 
their ears.  When she stopped, her eyes had stopped glowing, the 
flames had left her hands and she was panting slightly.  She then 
straightened herself up and looked at Joseph with a cool, calm look 
that made him nervous.  
        
	"Joseph," she said, her voice cool and steady.  "I know I'm not 
ready.  But if I don't do this, then we have just damned all of 
Mobius."  She sighed and tears fell from her eyes.  "Joseph, you're 
going to have to realize that you can't always be there to protect me 
or fight all my battles.  I am going to fight Sabrina, no matter what 
you say.  So you can step to side and let me do what I have to do.  Or
. . . if you try to stop me . . ." she paused then, trying to decide 
whether she should speak her mind.  She then looked him firmly in the 
eyes.  "Then my first battle will have to be with you.  And . . . I 
won't hesitate to kill you."
        
	When she was done, Joseph looked her, as he couldn't quite 
believe what she said.  She turned away from him and started to walk 
away when he grabbed her arm.  She turned around and looked into his 
bright green eyes.  What she saw was pride and love for her in his 
eyes.  He didn't say anything, but he nodded his head as if to say he 
was going to accept what she said.  She smiled at him, thankful that 
he finally listened to her.
        
	They were about to kiss each other, when a huge sonic boom 
seemed to be coming in their direction.  Crysta shrieked, having never
heard one before and ran into the trees.  There was another one, this 
time much closer and a blue blur soon sped through.  It stopped and 
Sonic stood there, panting heavily.  He was bleeding and there was a 
large wound on his side.  The others gathered around him as he 
collapsed to ground from exhaustion and pain.  Sandra knelt before the
unconscious hedgehog, laid her hands on the wound and soon it was 
glowing a soft yellow.
        
	Soon she was done and Sonic opened up his eyes.  He sat up 
groaning, held his head and looked around.  He finally looked at the 
others, surprised.  "I can't believe I found you guys," he said, 
amazed.  
	
	"Sonic, what happened, where are the others?" Joseph asked, 
concerned as he helped Sonic stand.  An angry look crossed Sonic's 
face.  
	
	"We were attacked.  I think it was Sabrina, 'cause she started 
demanding where the moonstone was.  She knocked out Samson and Sally. 
She even took out Angela when she showed up.  She only shot me in my 
side, but told me to deliver a message." 
        
	He took a deep breath then resumed talking.  "She told me to 
find the bearer of the moonstone and tell her that if she ever wanted 
to see her friends again, to meet her at the heart of the jungle an 
hour before sunset."  Sandra's face fell as he said that.  

	"An hour before sunset.  Damn her, I never thought she would ask
for something like that."  

	"What do you mean?  You can beat her, can't you?" Sonic asked.
        
	"It's not that easy, Sonic," Crysta said. "Sabrina knows exactly
what she is doing by asking her to show up before sunset.  The moons 
won't rise until the sun sets so Sandra's power won't be at its peak. 
Sabrina probably thinks she has a better chance at defeating Sandra."
  
	Sandra stood up.  "We have no choice now, we're going to have to
save the others."  The other three stood up and nodded their heads in 
agreement.  "Crysta, can you take us to the deepest part of the 
jungle?"  Sandra asked.  Crysta nodded her head and ran off into a 
tree.  The others followed closely behind, Joseph and Sandra flying, 
Sonic running.
        
	They traveled for over an hour, only stopping once to help Sonic
out of some vines.  But they knew they were getting close now.  The 
forest around them seemed to be dead and dying.  There were no animals
and all the plants seemed to be shriveling up, as if something was 
draining the life out of them.  They went on a little while longer 
until they noticed a fire up ahead.  They soon came up to it and in 
the middle of it was a hideous black and red bonfire.  They looked 
into the clearing and found their three missing friends tied up to 
trees, bruises all over there bodies and unconscious.
        
	After seeing if everything was safe, they ventured out into the
clearing going toward the others.  They untied them and soon Joseph 
teleported them all to Samson's home, or what was left of it.  The 
house had been burned as well as a few trees around it and only half 
of the house was still standing.  They laid the three on the ground 
and soon Joseph and Sandra healed them, Angela taking a little more 
time for her injuries were worse.  They all finally woke up and looked
around.  
        
	Samson stood up a little unsteadily and rubbed the side of his 
head.  He looked around confused.  "Huh . . .how did we get here?" he 
asked.  He was then tackled to the ground.  He was startled at first 
but then smiled seeing that it was Crysta hugging him tightly.  He sat
them both up and hugged her back.  

	"I'm so glad you're all right."  He stroked her hair, smiling. 

	"Hey, I'm here now.  You didn't think you were going to lose me 
so soon, did you?" he whispered.
        
	Sonic helped Sally to stand then hugged her gently, glad that 
she was all right.  Sally pulled back a little, a puzzled look on her 
face.  "How did you find the others, especially when you were hurt?"  

	Sonic shrugged his shoulders.  "I just headed in any direction I
thought was right.  Something just said to find the waterfall."  

	"I'm just glad you're all safe now," Joseph said as Sandra 
helped Angela to stand.  "But what I don't understand is why Sabrina 
wasn't there?  I mean, we just went in there and got you guys out 
without any incident."
        
	"Well, after she beat us up when we wouldn't tell her where the 
moonstone was, she said something about going to see her Master.  That
was just before I blacked out," Samson said, standing up, then helping
Crysta to stand.  Sandra nodded her head.  

	"Well, that may give me enough time to wait, if she doesn't try
to find us again.  But I don't think it would be safe for us to stay 
here.  She might come looking for you when she gets back."  Samson 
looked to his house and his face fell, for he finally saw the damage 
done to his home.
        
	Crysta hugged him from behind, trying to comfort him.  She spoke
to the others over her shoulder.  "I can take you to my home, but it 
might take a while to get there."  Sandra walked up to her.  

	"That may not be necessary, if you can picture in your mind 
where your home may be, I can take us there."  Crysta nodded her head
and closed her eyes.  Sandra closed her eyes as well and a white light
soon surrounded them all.
        
	They found themselves in another part of the jungle, near the
bank of the river.  Crysta quickly climbed up a tree.  The tree she 
went into seemed old, but bigger and stronger then any of the other 
trees around it.  But when they got a good look at it they finally 
realized what they were looking at.
        
	Hidden beneath all the leaves, branches and vines was another 
tree hut.  But this one seemed much larger then Samson's former home.
  
	"Come on up!" rang out Crysta's voice.  They all climbed into 
her large balcony.  Samson looked more amazed than anyone in the 
group.  

	"This place is huge!" he said.  Crysta smiled.  "Well, this
house has been in my family for five generations now.  I try to keep 
in good condition."  Samson looked at her, very impressed.  

	"Well I think this place will be standing for a few more 
generations," he said with a sly smile.
        
	Crysta smirked and arched her eyebrow at him even though she was
blushing.  Sandra looked to the west and saw that sun was getting 
ready to set.  But it wouldn't for at least for an hour.
        
	Back at Samson's home, a black, wispy mist descended from the 
trees.  Blood red eyes peered out from it and it seemed to be 
searching around the area.  When it found no one, lightning came out 
of the cloud and the winds seemed to pick up.  Anyone that was around 
would be right if they were to say the creature was mad.  As soon as 
it disappeared the forest was quiet again.
        
	At Crysta's home the others were trying to relax as best they 
could, but with what they knew, they were all very tense.  But they 
didn't know who was worse, Joseph or Sandra.  Sandra was standing at 
the bank of the river talking with Angela.  "I tried to fight her as 
best as I could, but she was more powerful then me.  I'm sorry," 
Angela said regretfully.  Sandra laid a hand on the panther's 
shoulder.  

	"It's not your fault, you did what you could.  Besides, you 
probably saved Sally and Samson's lives," Sandra said, smiling.
        
	Angela smiled at Sandra and seemed to be convinced.  Sandra 
smiled back and looked to the west.  The sun was just sinking into the
horizon, but she still knew it would be a while before the moons would
rise.  She started to have doubts and wondered if going into battle 
was worth it.  Angela seemed to be reading her mind.  "You shouldn't 
doubt yourself, especially when the battle is almost begun.  Just try 
to think of what you are fighting for," she said, then walked off 
somewhere in the jungle.
      
	Sandra watched her as she walked off, then turned to the others.
She saw Sonic and Sally laughing and talking with each other under the
tree.  She smiled then turned to Samson and Crysta, who were both in 
the water at the moment.  She could make out their forms under the 
water, and she could tell Samson was swimming circles skillfully 
around Crysta.  She looked down at the ground and finally understood 
why she was going to fight Sabrina.  It would be unfair for them to 
lose the ones they loved.  Especially when Crysta and Samson had just 
found love in each other.
        
	She then felt hands slip around her waist and she smiled,
knowing that it was Joseph.  She leaned against him and closed her 
eyes.  "How you feeling?" he whispered.  She sighed.  

	"I'm not going to lie, but just thinking about this battle 
scares me."  She looked into the orange and red sky and her eyes 
filled with resolve.  "But I have to do this.  So you and the others 
can go on and get back to Mobius."  

	Joseph turned her around and looked into her eyes with 
suspicion.  "You're talking like you're not coming back," he said 
accusingly.  He grabbed both her shoulders and shook his head.  "You 
aren't going to die 'cause I know you can do this."
        
	She looked down at the ground, not answering him.  He then 
hugged her tightly; afraid he would never hold her in his arms again.
  
	She hugged him back, nuzzling her head in his chest.  They then 
heard a loud splash and they looked to the water.  Crysta was laughing
and it looked as if she was holding something in the water.  They then
realized she was holding Samson's head underwater and his arms were 
lashing around.  They really didn't have to worry because salamanders
were animals that could breath in the water as well as on land.
        
	He then grabbed her head and pulled her under.  The two foxes 
giggled as they watched the two reptiles continued playing in the 
water.  Joseph then looked at Sandra with a serious look on his face.

	"Sandra, I know you were going to be angry with me, because I 
was going to go with you when went to fight Sabrina." He stopped 
speaking and took a deep breath.  "But I'm not going to.  This is your
fight and I shouldn't be in the way."
        
	Sandra smiled softly at him and kissed him softly.  She pulled 
back from him, still smiling.  "Joseph, I do want you to help me.  But
not in the way you think.  I want you to come to my aid only if you 
know in your mind and heart that I will need you.  That's what I want 
you to do," she said.  Joseph looked mildly surprised at her strange 
request, but he finally smiled and nodded his head.
        
	Time seemed to fly by for them, and before they knew it the sun 
had set.  They all sat at the bank of the river, waiting for the 
moons.  There was a little cloud coverage, but they didn't have to 
wait long.  The clouds parted and they all gasped when the moons came 
into view.  All three moons were full and a beautiful sky blue color.
        
	Sandra gasped as she looked down at her crystal.  It was glowing
brightly, as if its power was increasing by the second and her hands
were being engulfed in white flames.  They all looked at her amazed, 
not sure what was happening.  She stood up and flew up into the air.  
She looked down at the others, a smile on her face.  "I guess this 
means I have to go now.  I'll . . . I'll see you guys later," she 
said, trying to stay normal, even though they knew she was fearful. 

	She then flew off at her fastest speed and they all stood there 
and watched her until she got out of sight.
        
	Joseph then sat down on the ground and stared off into the 
river.  He never felt so scared in his life.  He then felt someone's
hand on his shoulder and saw Sonic standing next to him.  Sonic had a
sympathetic smile on his face, yet a sort of fear in his eyes.  All 
the others had gathered around him for support.  They didn't say 
anything, for they knew nothing they said could help Sandra in her 
battle.  All they could do was pray that she succeed and came back to 
them alive.
        
	Sandra flew through the jungle, trying to push her fear aside, 
but it kept coming up in her mind.  She wanted to turn back, but she 
knew she had come too far to back out now.  She finally made it back 
to the clearing where she and the others had rescued their friends.  
She stepped into the clearing and looked around.  The bonfire was 
still burning and it seemed even more repulsive in the dark.  Even 
though she couldn't see anybody, she could sense the evil in the area
as if the air reeked of it.
        
	"Well, well, well.  I see you have finally decided to grace me 
with your presence," came out a voice.  It was definitely female, but 
it sounded more demonic and sinister then anything Sandra ever heard. 
The black mist suddenly formed in front of the fire, then started to 
take shape.  Soon it had taken the form of a female wolf.  She had 
jet-black fur and blood red hair.  Even her eyes were blood red, 
filled with hatred and a sort of blood lust.
        
	"I must admit, you did happen to get a lucky break to get your 
friends out of here without me being around.  But once I'm through 
with you, I'll have more then enough time to torment everyone you know
and love," Sabrina said with a wicked smile.
        
	Sandra looked at her with hatred but inside she was cowering 
like a small child.  Sabrina gave a perverse chuckle.  "I know you're 
scared.  You should be.  I am more powerful than anything you have 
ever imagined.  I must admit, your grandmother did defeat me, but it 
could never destroy my evil.  So you might as well just give up, for 
you will never overthrow me."  With that, Sabrina threw back her head 
and gave an evil cackle.
        
	Doubts started to creep into Sandra's mind again, this time much
more stronger.  But she then pictured Samson and Crysta playing, 
laughing, and just being together.  She shoved the voices of doubt out
of her mind and focused on her mission.  She couldn't let the others 
down now, especially not Joseph.
        
	"But enough chit-chat.  It's time for you to die!" Sabrina said,
her eyes glowing a deadly red.  She held her hands in front of her and
a black fireball came flying toward at an incredible speed.  Sandra 
jumped out of the way of the moving hazard and watched as it hit the 
tree she was standing near.  Instead of burning, the tree withered 
away into dust.  Sandra retaliated by throwing her own fire and 
striking the demon in her shoulder.  And the battle began.
        
	They battle lasted for hours, both refusing to give up until the
other was dead.  Sandra landed on the ground after missing a fireball 
that was thrown at her again.  She nearly collapsed when she truly on 
the ground.  Her injuries were bad, she felt weak and tired, and she 
wasn't sure how long she could keep this up.  The power of the blue 
moons had kept her from being killed, but with all the energy she was 
using, she knew she had to stop soon.  She looked to Sabrina, who was 
still in the air, and saw that her injuries were just as bad.
        
	"Enough of this!" Sabrina roared.  "This battle ends here and 
now!"  She held her hands in front of her and soon black energy 
crackled around her.  A sphere of dark energy formed in her 
out-stretched hands.  She pulled her hands inward, then instantly 
thrust them out, sending the black sphere hurtling towards Sandra.  
The vixen tried to run, but she tripped and ended up twisting her 
ankle.  She cried out in pain as she hit the ground and turned around 
to see the dark circle almost on her.
        
	She closed her eyes, waiting for the pain to strike her.  But it
didn't.  She felt like she was floating and when she opened her eyes, 
she saw that she was in the air.  She looked into the smiling face of 
Joseph and realized she was in his arms.  "How?" she was about to ask 
when he cut her off.  "I did what you told me to.  Something inside 
said you needed my help.  And it seems I got here in the nick of time 
too."  He then looked down to the ground.  She looked too and saw a 
large black crater where she had fallen.  He let her go and Sandra was
still able to hover in the air.
        
	Sabrina was fuming in rage.  The orange fox had come out of 
nowhere and gotten the vixen out of there before she got hit with her
blast.  "I see that Prince Charming has decided to rescue his damsel,"
she yelled.  "But it will do you know good, for evil will always 
triumph," she cackled.  

	"That's where you're wrong, Sabrina.  Good will always win, if 
it knows what it is fighting for,"  Sandra declared her eyes starting 
to glow the intense white color again and her hands bursting into 
flames.
        
	Then the two combatants flew at each other, each giving off a 
roar that would have shook the foundations of the strongest building.
Joseph wasn't sure what had happened for the two were too fast for him
to keep an eye on them.

	When they collided a large thunderclap resounded throughout the 
jungle and a large flash of light could be seen for miles in every 
direction.  Joseph fell to the ground, having been blown by the strong
backdraft of the sudden collision.  He covered his eyes from the 
intense light and waited for the wind to finally die down.
        
	He was finally able to look out to the open and saw everything 
was calm.  The bonfire that had been in the clearing was gone and it 
was a clear and beautiful night.  But he noticed that both females 
were missing.  He got up, looking around for his mate.  "She can't be 
dead," he thought to himself.  Then the winds suddenly started to pick
up and a bright light suddenly formed in the clearing.  It started to 
take shape.  Soon the light went out and the winds died down and 
standing there was Sandra.
        
	She swayed and finally collapsed to the ground.  Joseph ran to 
her side and knelt by her, examining her for injuries.  Surprisingly, 
she wasn't hurt, just exhausted.  He smiled and heaved a huge sigh of
relief, glad that it was all finally over.  When he picked her up, she
moaned and opened her eyes.  She then looked at him and smiled.  He 
kissed her forehead and held her closer.  He then flew off.
        
	Back at Crysta's home the others were trying to figure out where
the strange thundering noise had come from.  "Do you think it has 
anything to do with Sandra?" Sonic asked Angela.  

	"I don't know, we'll just have to wait until Joseph gets back," 
she replied.  

	"He sure did leave fast.  I wonder why?" Samson asked, sitting 
on a branch next to Crysta.  They would have talked further on it when
Joseph suddenly flew in, Sandra in his arms.
        
	They all rushed over to them when the fox landed on the ground 
and immediately started asking questions.  

	"Hey, hey, I can't understand any of you!  Quiet down!" he said,
trying to talk over them.  They finally quieted down and asked their 
questions one at a time.  

	"Are you two all right?" Crysta asked, concerned.  Joseph nodded
his head.  

	"Yeah, we're both fine."  Angela then got an excited look on her
face.  

	"So you both defeated Sabrina?"  Joseph shook his head.  

	"No, we didn't beat Sabrina.  Sandra did all on her own.  I only
went 'cause I needed to get her out of a tight spot."
        
	He then set her down on her feet, then helped to stand as she 
swayed a little.  She smiled, her crystal seeming to glow a little
brighter.  

	"It's over now.  Sabrina can never threaten Mobius again," she 
said, relief in her voice.  Angela sighed, and it looked like a lot of
tension had lifted off of her.  

	"No more living in fear," she said.
        
	"I guess this means we can go home now," Sally said.  The others
nodded in agreement.  Angela looked a little regretful. 

	"I have to stay here.  This jungle is my home."  Sandra nodded 
her head in understanding.  

	"What about you two?" Sonic asked, looking toward Samson and 
Crysta.  They both looked at each other, then back to the other 
animals.  

	"Well," Samson began.  "We both talked about and we would like 
to come back with you guys, if it's not too much to ask for."
        
	Crysta nodded her head.  "Sandra told me about the Freedom 
Fighters and we want to help.  Besides it will help me and Samson get 
closer," she said, giving him own sly smile.  They all laughed at 
that.  Sally smiled and nodded her head.  

	"We would love to have you as part of the Freedom Fighters.  The
more people we have to take back Mobius, the better."  They all agreed
on that.
        
	The next morning found the group at the rim of the jungle near 
the hovercraft.  They were all saying their good-byes to Angela.  But 
Sonic and Samson suddenly left into the jungle.  "What are those two 
doing?" Sally said, annoyed.  

	"Don't worry too much, Sally," Crysta said.  "Samson is just 
showing Sonic how to run."  They all looked her, confused at why 
Samson would teach Sonic how to run.
        
	But they soon heard a small yell, and the two foxes and reptile 
were in the trees very quickly.  They saw Samson trying to untangle 
Sonic from some vines while he was hanging in mid-air.  Sally and 
Angela looked from the ground and the entire group started laughing 
hysterically.  Samson chuckled, but Sonic frowned and crossed his 
arms.  He was soon on the ground, but he was still not laughing.  The 
others walked toward the hovercraft, but Sandra and Angela stayed 
behind to talk a little bit longer.
        
	"I hope we'll meet again someday." Sandra said.  Angela nodded 
her head.  They hugged each other, then went their separate ways.  The
hovercraft soon was in the air and they were on their way home.  



Okay, people, this is my first fanfic, and I want to hear from YOU.  I
want to know what you think, if there is anything I should have 
improved, and maybe a few ideas for future stories.  But please if you
try to talk dirty to me, I most likely will delete your e-mail.  
Thanks very much for reading this.

I want to thank my two good friends of mine, Francis Tolbert and 
Robert Brown.  Thanks for all your advice you two.  And to some of my 
friends for proofreading my story from time to time.  And to all the
other writers out there on the net for helping to inspire me to write 
this story.

So 'till next time,

PEACE OUT!!!!!