The story continues....

Lupine's mind began to recover from whatever had happened. She was conscious before her body began to fully respond to her commands. The first sense to become active was that of smell, there was a strong smell of moisture, leaves, ferns and earth. Then she began to receive sound, she heard what she thought was bird song, there were also strange eerie calls made by creatures she had never seen before. She began to feel sensation all over her body. There was enormous pressure on her right leg, she was lying on her back and there was moisture clinging to her body. Her eyes shot open and looked up into a green lush canopy. She sat up in surprise.

"Oh my....." Lupine whispered to herself.

She then looked down at her leg and almost screamed. It was a bloody mess, the flesh was torn from her heel to her knee. The fur surrounding it was absolutely drenched with blood. Mud and dirt were smeared all over it and it was twisted in a truly unnatural direction.

'Why doesn't it hurt?' Thought Lupine. Then she remembered.

Lupine looked down at her waist. Her shock belt was still on and active.

'Of course!'

She opened up a panel on the belt and pressed a button. The shock belt sent tiny electric signals to her leg and the muscles in it instantly contracted, pulling it back into shape and closing up most of the wounds. The sensation itself was pleasurable and Lupine let out a sigh. She pulled herself to her feet and tried the leg.

"Yes" Exclaimed Lupine to herself.

The leg was almost perfect and would remain like that as long as the shock belt had power.

Suddenly something grabbed hold of Lupine's shoulder. Lupine screamed and whirled round her hands raised over her head, ready to deal a devastating blow to whatever it was.

"SANDRA!!!" Exclaimed Lupine.

Sandra stood there her weapon cocked.

"What, in the name of all Mobius is going on?" Sandra asked.

"I'm afraid I can't help you!" Answered Lupine truthfully.

"But NICOLE can!" Sally and Sonic walked out from behind a tree.

"Sally, Sonic!" Sandra Started. "Where are we and what happened?"

Sally noticed Lupine's leg.

"Lupine, your..."

"Forget about her leg!" Snapped Sandra. "The belt took care of it. Now, where are we?" She glanced around at the trees and ferns that were dripping with moisture. It was hot.

"NICOLE," Sally started. "Where are we."

"We are in the great unknown Sally." NICOLE began. "4 million years from our present."

"You mean to say we have reverse time traveled?" Exclaimed Sally.

"Affirmative Sally!"

"Cool!" Sonic whispered.

"But how?" Asked Sally. "Simply, NICOLE."

"Robotnick was able to use his discovery to bend time with the minimal of energy expense. As far as I know time was the only dimension affected. The energy emissions I received were only echoes. The actual level of energy used was only a few million volts. Just before his successful trial I was able to hack into the main frame and gain partial control of his technology. I was able to transport the four of you. Following Robotnick into the past. If I had not done so we would have been powerless to stop him."

"NICOLE!" Exclaimed Sally. "You made a decision! You really are advancing."

"It was a logical course of action Sally." Droned NICOLE.

"Hey NICOLE." Sonic spoke up. "Is Buttnick planning on changing the past?"

"No." Replied NICOLE. "He cannot change the past."

"What I don't get it!?" Sonic replied. "Why not?"

NICOLE formulated a simple explanation based on Sonic's knowledge and personality.

"In order for the furture to be the way it was when we left it, we would have had to traveled back in time. Anything that we experienced before the time travel was influenced by what we are doing now. No matter what we do our memories will be the same. We are fulfilling the past right now. Here is an example. Robotnick time travels to before we are born. He then kills us as children so her will not have to deal with us in the future. But in the future he came from he would have to face us, so no matter what he does, in the future he will end up facing the same freedom fighters as a result of his actions in the past."

(Authors note: If you don't get it then read it again carefully, this is fundamental to the story.)

Sonic looked at NICOLE.

"I, kinda get it, if you time travel to prevent a war and are successful it never happens, but then in the future you would have not needed to travel back because the war never existed. You kinda get a paradox if you are able to change the past."

(Authors note: Thankyou Maverick 7!)

Sally kissed sonic on the cheek.

"Wow Sonic, that was smart!"

"Wait a minute, that like means that our time line is set, it's all destiny!?"

"From a physical point of view we have no free will." Said Lupine putting on her wise voice. "But we perceive our existence as one of choice. Despite it being an illusion it is one we cannot live without."

The four stood there silently.

"What about Tails!" Blurted Sonic suddenly. "Will he be alright?"

"He is not even born yet!" Said Sandra.

"Gooood point!" Said Sonic.

"OK!" Sally got some attention. "We have to work out what Robotnick wants with the past. It must be to acquire something. He also is probably our only ticket out of here so we had better work out where he is. NICOLE is there any danger that we should be aware of?"

"Mobius at this time is populated with griffins and dragons and other pre-historic creatures. However there will be nothing that Sonic cannot handle. Robotnick is approximately three kilometers in that direction." NICOLE produced a holographic arrow.

"NICOLE!" Sally sounded surprised. "I didn't ask you to tell me where he was!"

"I made another decision Sally." Replied NICOLE. "My CPU is evolving at an exponential rate."

Sally realized she had begun to pant.

"Kinda hot, right?" Sandra had already taken her gloves and shirt off. "What are our supplies like?"

"Water for about three days in this heat!" Answered Lupine. "Unless we can find a natural source."

"We have to do something about your leg Lupine." Said Sally, she took off her vest and began to tie it around Lupine's leg. "This should stop the bleeding."

"Right, now to find Robotnick!" Sonic began to rev up.

"SONIC NOOO!" Sally yelled.

Sonic stopped and looked back.

"Hey what’s da problem, he's here, let's kick his butt!"

"Sonic do you want us to be found?!" Said Sally.

"Yeah! Sonic!" Sandra joined in. "Maybe if we give 'im advanced notice he'll make some sticky buns and invite us over for afternoon tea! You'll give us aw-ay"

"Will not!" Protested Sonic.

"Will too!" Insisted Sandra.

"Will not!" Sally shook her head.

"Will too!"

"Will not, infinity!" Sonic said in triumph.

"Will too, infinity multiplied by -1!" Sandra continued. "And since energy trys to occupy the lowest state it can and negative infinity is the lowest state mine is superior. Taste defeat pin cushion!"

Sonic suddenly became really aggressive and went into a crouch.

"Sonic, Sandra, stop behaving like kits!" Shouted Lupine. "We need to find Robohead and quickly too."

"NICOLE lead the way!"

The hot, panting and sticky party began to make their way across what would become the great unknown. There was not sign of animal life and it began to have an unnerving effect on everyone except Lupine who obviously thought it was pretty exciting. NICOLE showed the way and occasionally made them stop as some unseen giant beast crashed through the forest close by them. Sandra held her rifle close to her like some kind of deadly comfort blanket. As they trekked over a carpet of moss and leaves NICOLE explained to Sally how Robotnick had accomplished this advance.

"Robotnick was able to alter time by using gravitational fields to alter the probability of quantum events occurring and then using them to accomplish events that would normally be impossible. The possibility of quantum events occurring that specifically affect time only are a lot more probable under his method than other events. Robotnick realized that he could only really use this type of technology for the transportation of matter into the past. He therefore decided to do so. His motives however are still unclear."

"NICOLE!" Lupine suddenly broke in. "What you said sounds a lot like the definition for magic. Has Robotnick managed to achieve it by artificial means?"

"Negative Lupine." Replied NICOLE "Magic by definition is 'the harnessing of intelligent energy from within you and around you, to calculate the necessary changes to perform, to induce quantum events in nature in order to harness power, perform telepathy or spontaneously change the states of chemicals by sufficient increase in atomic activity.' Robotnick used gravitational fields to alter probability. That is why his advance is limited to only one purpose."

"Now that you have said that NICOLE; there is something I must show you all!" Lupine said.

The party stopped and turned to face her.

Lupine held out her hand which was clenched in a fist. She looked like she was really concentrating. Suddenly lupine's hand burst into flames. Sandra Sally and Sonic jumped back and began to shout. Then the fire dispersed.

"LUPINE!" Sonic exclaimed. "Baby, that was coool!!!"

Sally glared at Sonic but dismissed it a moment later.

"Lupine!" Sandra exclaimed. "You know magic!!!??"

"Holy...." Sally was speechless. "Do something else!!! Please!"

Lupine smiled a sly smile. "If you insist."

Lupine placed her hands on Sandra's shoulders and closed her eyes. Sandra let out a startled cry and her back arched upwards.

"Lupine what are you doing!" Screamed Sally. Both Sally and Sonic were about to leap in when Sandra stopped them.

"Itt tt s O oOK!" She breathed. It became clear to both that Sandra was obviously experiencing pleasure.

Every cell in Sandra's body seemed to be at it's most relaxed. She was helpless to do anything except enjoy the experience. Part of her wanted it to stop and another part wanted more. Lupine took her hands off Sandra and she slumped to the ground.

Sandra lay there panting hard.

"Oh my!" She said. "Lupine, that was the most incredible thing I have ever felt!"

Sandra looked into Lupine's eyes with affection for a moment, then she went back to the normal, stone cold Nigthweaver. She stood up.

"I wanna try!" Sonic stated suddenly.

"I am sorry Sonic!" Answered Lupine. "But your will is not strong enough, Sandra's was!"

"Is that the extent of your powers?" Asked Sally.

"Yes, I have been unable to acquire anything more than a basic understanding of magic."

"What exactly did you do to Sandra?" Sonic asked Lupine. "Please, do it to me!"

"I might injure you if I tried Sonic." Answered Lupine. "All I did was remove all Sandra's sensation of physical pain and pressure from her system."

"Ya mean, you just removed all of the stress and pain she was used to?"

"Yes."

"We live, we learn!" Said Sandra, who had picked herself off the floor. "Now let's get moving."

"This is the spot he appeared then is it?" Sally asked.

The company were standing in an open area of the forest. Around them in about a fifty meter radius the trees and shrubs were burnt. There was a path of destruction heading off into the forest obviously done by SWATBOTs because of the footprints.

There was a roaring sound to the left of them and Sandra cocked her rifle.

"NICOLE." Sandra started. "These things are giving me the creeps! What are they?"

"That was a dragon belonging to the secan genus of it's species Sandra."

"Wait a sonic second, how come they have avoided us?" Sonic asked.

"I have been producing a magnetic field that will induce pain in their systems if they come within a hundred meters of our location."

"Another one of your decisions NICOLE?!" Sally half asked-half exclaimed.

"Yes Sally." Replied the computer. "There is a possibility of my becoming sentient within the next decade."

"Way past NIC'!" Sonic said.

"Sally." NICOLE began. "I am detecting probability fluctuations in this area. It appears another warp will occur here in two hours."

"Why would Robonut put a time limit on his stay?" Asked Lupine.

"Only a certain mass can be transported at once through the warp. The machinery necessary obviously was too massive. Hopefully if we wait until Robotnick warps back there will be enough space for us."

"Hopefully, is not the right word!" Said Sandra nastily. "I want out of this hell hole now!"

"Then we either wait here or go and stop him." Lupine began. "If we go after him we may never make it back but it will prevent his taking whatever he has acquired back to the present.. Then again we do not know what we are up against."

Should our intrepid hero and his friends wait or go and stop Robotnick now?"

You Chose This...

"Lets find out what he's up to Sal!" Said Sonic.

"I think that it a good idea Sonic!" Added Lupine.

The party set off following the trail of destruction left by Robotnick's machines of war. NICOLE monitored transmissions ready to jam them if they were detected. However it seemed that Robotnick had once again underestimated the power of his furry nemesis. There was suddenly the high pitched wine of a single Plasi shot and a terrible roar.

"Sounds like Buttnick nailed one of those buggers!" Sandra commented. "Pity!"

The others said nothing but nodded in agreement.

They climbed up a ridge and peered over. Robotnick's forces were now clearly visible. They had cleared a large area in the jungle and were already beginning to lay down foundations for buildings. There were about twenty SWATBOTs and one hover ship. The bulk of the transport were construction vehicles.

"Let me at 'im Sal!" Sonic started. "I'll 'ave this place cleared in no time!"

"Sonic, wait." Sally put a restraining hand on his shoulder. "Let's work out what he's doing first."

"I have a theory Sally." NICOLE droned.

"Fire away NICOLE!" Sally said.

"Robotnick has escaped into the Mobian past to build a new empire. Once there is a sizable army he will travel back to the present and slaughter all Mobians. The constant bombardment from freedom fighter resistance makes it almost impossible for him to maintain a force for long in the present. In the past however he has no opposition."

"Why didn't he just use this technology to aid his war efforts without this time shift?" Asked Lupine.

"I have already explained that." Began NICOLE. "APRO-B-QUE was completely new to Robotnick. The initial power surge was probably an accident. He realized what the potential was and acted as quickly as possible. He did not have time to fully explore it."

("APRO-B-QUE" Pronounced 'A prob ker' Technical name for magic or anything using a similar form of technology\manipulation of nature. Acronym for Altered PRobability By QUantum Events. Usually just pronounced 'Aprob' in converstion. The acronym for the actual type of technology Robotnick used is QUEGAMA-FRO-GIAP. Pronounced 'Kagama fro giap' usually just Kagamma in conversation. Acronym for QUantum Event Generation And MAnipulation From Gravitationally Induced Altered Probability. Non of these terms are normally used in conversation as the term magic satisfies both.)

Author’s note: Try saying the above really fast!

"Sal!" Sonic pleaded pulling at her arm. "Let me kick his butt!"

"Sonic!" Sandra started. "Twenty SWATBOTs, Look they have rip racks!"

("Rip Rack" The equivalent of a rip unit on a SWATBOT.)

Sally sensed Sonic was going to race off anyway so she thought quickly of what to do.

"Sandra!" Sally barked. "Can you create a diversion."

Sandra held up her plasma rifle. "Yes sir!"

"Sal ,I gotta go!" Sonic hopped from one foot to the other.

"Didn't you 'go', in those trees back there?" Lupine joked.

It worked Lupine, had Sonics attention and he was turning red.

"Uhhhhhh!" Sonic was not too sure what to say.

"Sally I've got a plan!" Sandra said. "Let Sonic go!"

"Wait!" Sally started. "Tell me what it is?"

"Just let him go!"

Sally looked around in panic. Sonic could get seriously hurt. If they waited out here they could easily pick off Robotnick from a distance and wait for him to come to them. Could she really trust Sandra?

Can Sally trust Sandra or go ahead with her own plan? The choice is yours.

You Chose This...

"Alright!" Sally said. "Sandra, do it!"

"Sonic GO!" Yelled Sandra.

Sonic dashed out into the open heading for the nearest SWATBOT. Sandra fired at the hover ship and struck it head on. The ships systems were unable to cope with the impact and it fell out of the sky. It landed on one of the construction vehicles that burst into flames causing splash damage to a couple of SWATBOT's around it.

("Splash Damage" Indirect damage on a machine caused by the force of an explosion of flying debris.)

Sonic smashed through the first few SWATBOT's. The others with rip racks began to fire and pretty soon the air was filled with scores of rockets following him around with deadly precision.

("Scores" For those of you who don't know this term a 'score' is twenty. Used in the same context as the word 'dozen' or 'a couple'.)

Sandra fired off another shot which struck another of the construction vehicles.

Sonic realized he needed to lose the rockets and dashed into the jungle. The rip rockets followed him for about 500 metres before they began to lose power and smashed into trees.

While Sonic was away from the battle area some of the SWATBOT's had begun firing at Sally's position. Fast steaks of plasma began to churn up the mound they were hiding behind. The party began to run away out into the dense jungle. Five SWATBOT's pursued them.

"MY GOD!" Sally screamed as she realized they were being flanked.

The SWATBOT's began to close in and Sandra began to fire widely at them. But the metallic beasts just kept coming closer and closer avoiding the trees around them with unnatural precision. The last things Sally saw were the five SWATBOTS bearing down on her. She died quickly, incinerated in a split second. The other two died the same way.

"SALLY NOOOOOO!" Sonic rushed up to the place of her death, spinning into the SWATBOT's and smashing them to pieces. He stood there grief stricken and heart broken.

"SONIC!" A voice said.

"NICOLE!" Sonic whirled around and picked up the computer.

"NICOLE, do something!" Sonic pleaded, he collapsed to his knees and began to cry.

"Do not worry Sonic!" NICOLE started. "I have mastered Robotnick's technology, we can travel back and save all three!"

"But, no matter what I do I will just be fulfilling their destiny." Sonic sobbed. "I can't change the timeline."

"It can be done!" NICOLE started. "I will merge another parallel Mobian universe with this one to account for the paradox."

"You mean." Sonic began to stop sobbing. "There is a chance?"

"Affirmative!" NICOLE replied.

"LETS DO IT TO IT!" Sonic called, overjoyed.

"Pass me one of your power rings." NICOLE commanded. "I will warp us to another universe where we can find help. I will require substantial power to make the final shift."

Sonic did so and held the ring up to NICOLE, he was overjoyed. Never in his life had he felt so determined.

NICOLE suddenly sent a 7,000 volt charge through Sonic's body. He collapsed to the ground, dead. NICOLE had timed the pulses in the charge to disable his natural defense systems, the ones that allowed him to run faster than sound.

'At least he died in peace' NICOLE thought to herself in a nano-second. 'It is a shame I did not have enough power, my theory had a high degree of success. Only one thing left to do."

NICOLE suddenly produced a gravitational flux outside her casing. Fifty nine electrons left their atoms and sped off. The result was more powerful than a nuclear bomb. Everything around her up to a 50 km radius was destroyed. Robotnick included.

THE END

You have killed Robotnick, but at a terrible price. Sally, Lupine, Sandra and Sonic are dead. NICOLE is destroyed. The future of Mobius is now secure, but without an heir to the throne. A bit of a bummer for all you Sandra fans, isn't it?!

THE END

You Chose This...

"No Sandra!" Sally Yelled. "We stay here. Start picking off some of the SWATBOT's now!"

"Sally?" Lupine looked at Sally as if she had gone mad.

"Do it!" Sally demanded. "This is a royal order Sandra."

For the first time in her life Sandra shuddered. In her early days at school before she had become a mercenary she had always been taught that if ever you received a direct royal order from a member of the monarchy, you had to obey it. The penalty for not doing it was death.

Sandra performed a worried shrug and began to fire. A few streaks flew past the SWATBOTs. Before any of her shots actually began to hit, the rip racks of all the SWATBOT's lit up. Hundreds of Rockets smashed into their location. Everyone except Sonic was killed instantly. Sonic himself fell to the ground with a great gash in his side.

The forest around him began to become blurred and it grew faint. Suddenly Sonic found himself standing up again. He looked through the trees and saw a bright light. Out of the light stepped a middle aged female Hedgehog.

"What's going on?" Sonic was puzzled.

"Your about to die." The hedgehog stated, her voice was sweet and low and Sonic was reminded about something, something he had long forgotten.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"Your mother!" The hedgehog replied.

"What?" Sonic could not believe it at first. "Then, your dead too!"

"Yes, my son!"

"MOTHER!!!" Sonic ran up to her and hugged her. The hedgehog returned the hug.

"But, mother." Sonic started, tears forming in his eyes. "Is this real? Is this heaven or hell, tell me?"

"There is no heaven or hell" The Hedgehog replied. "This is the other side. We make our own life after death, we are preserved in the memories and the telepathic communication of all living things on this planet. In a sense non of this is real, as every individual has a different life after death. It is the sum of your memories."

"I don't understand." Sonic whispered.

"You will!" His mother replied. "Come with me, Sally is waiting for you!"

"Sally!"

"Infact, all of your friends are waiting for you."

"Wait a second, they are not even born yet so how can they be dead?"

"Time has no meaning at the other side. Nor do enemies. Robotnick is looking forward to seeing you!"

"What!!!"

"Just come with me!"

The two hedgehogs stepped into the light.

THE END

All the freedom fighters are dead, Robotnick remains undefeated. However I am sure Sonic and him will have lot's to catch up on. They don't need to rush either. They have an eternity to talk through. Not a bad ending. Try again and this time don't be so frightened to trust Sandra. After all she is only trying to help!!!

(OK she's looking for a little fun too, but, hey, what do you except from a poor kit with no childhood who became a mercenary, sold and bought anything she could, including her life, probably worked for Robotnick at some point and was never in the cartoon!!!)

THE END

You Chose This....

"I think that the best course of action would be to wait here." Said Sally. "After all we don't want to be too far when he shifts back."

"Sal's right, I don't want to be stuck in the past with you until we die!" Sandra said.

"Sandra," Sally began. "I am sick to death with your cantankerous attitude." Sandra's expression did not change. "Sandra, could you at least attempt to co-exist with us?"

Sandra stood there with an irritated expression on her face. Sonic and Lupine looked at each other.

"Well!" Began Sandra. "At least I'm not STILL a virgin!!!"

Sally turned red. Partially from anger and also from embarrassment. Lupine quickly realized a fight was about to insue and was about to step forward and intervene when her legs gave way from underneath her.

Lupine gave out a startled cry and collapsed onto the ground.

Sally and Sandra both turned and ran over to her. Sonic was already on his knees looking over the wolfs body in panic.

"I'm OK!" Lupine pulled herself up to her feet. "Just a power fluctuation in the shock belt."

"NICOLE!" Sally said. "Medical.."

"Already completed Sally!" NICOLE answered. "The status of Lupine's limb is more or less stable. She has about 36 hours. However there was no power fluctuation."

All three looked at Lupine who grinned.

"I'm a good actor."

Before Sally of Sandra could get a word in Sonic spoke up.

"Nice one lup'e!" He complemented. "If ya hadn't done then when ya did, well." He looked at Sally and Sandra. "Claws would unsheathe!"

("Claws would unsheathe!" Idiom meaning "A serious argument or fight would have occurred." Background: Unsheathing claws readies an animal for defense or aggressive maneuvers. Consequently this unsheathing denotes, aggression and possible hostile tendencies.)

Suddenly Sally turned and let out a scream.

"OH MY GOD!"

An enormous beast had snuck up on them and was almost on top of the party. It was similar in build to Dulcy except with no wings and a much smaller stomach. It's neck was short and boasted a head with not only a powerful outer jaw but also a second inner jaw. It had enormous claws about a meter long.

Sandra reacted instinctively. Setting the velocity and power of her plasma rifle to their highest settings. Just as she was about to fire she noticed Sally was within striking range of the powerful claws. Sandra re-directed her aim at one of the shoulders and fired. The plasma steak cut through the flesh like butter spewing blood all over Sally. Sandra waited for her rifle to reload and then prepared to finish of the howling creature. However she did not need to. Sonic suddenly spun into the beasts chest. The creature made one last howl before collapsing.

Sandra went over to help Sally. She was lying on the ground by one of the shattered limbs covered by the things innards. Much to Sandra's surprise Sally tasted some of the blood.

"Hey this stuff's great!" Sally said, quite obviously in shock.

"Sally." Sandra started. "Consuming blood in vast quantities is not something you should seriously consider for a hobby!!!" Suddenly she turned round and was sick.

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