Please title this page. (Page 14)
Chapter 14: Keys
Day 4
Mystic Ruins
6:16 P.M.

	Knuckles and the Station Square Freedom Fighters rode the mine cart 
through the tunnel. When an acheologist ran out claiming he found the 
ruins of an ancient civization, Knuckles HAD to investigate. They looked 
ahead.
	"Knux! We got a fork comin up!" Jett called.
	"Which way?!" Jo cried.
	Before Knux could answer, a ball of light shot up from behind him. 
The same one that he saw back in the alley. Was it tryin to tell him 
something? It shot ahead and took the left tunnel.
	"Follow that light!" Knux said, as they went off into the left 
tunnel.
	Up ahead Knux spotted the end of the track.
	A dead end.
	"BRAKES!!!!" Knux cried.
	"What breaks?!" Bryce called.
	"THIS break!" Lauren said, pulling on a stick.
	It snapped in her hand. They all looked at it.
	"Uh oh!!!" they groaned and the mine cart smashed through the wall, 
flew off the track, and over the cliff.
	The animals could hear their cry as the cart landed in the Mystic 
Jungle, and dumped them out, sending them tumbling down the uneven 
ground.
	When they finally came to a stop, everyone was dirty, beat up, 
and on top of Knux.
	"Ugh.....get off me!" Knux moaned.
	Everyone leaped off the guardian.
	"Well...we're here," Jett said. "Now what?"
	"I don't-" Knux said looking up. They had landed in front of the 
ruins of a huge temple. "-know."
	They all looked up. "Whoa..." they murmured.
	The pink light flew past Knux again.
	"Hey! Wait up!" Knux called, tryin to follow it. Instead he 
tripped.
	"YAAAAH!" he yelled, falling over an object. "What in the world?!"
	He looked at it. A statue. A gold statue.
	He picked it up. "What's this thing?"
	It glew and shot a beam towards the back of the ruins. Curious, 
Knux followed the light, the rest of the FFs trailing him.
	There, he found a place to set the statue. A key?
	As he pushed it into the slot, the pink ball shot by Knux again.
	Making sure there was nothing to trip him, he ran after Tikal.
	And fell down the stairs in the process.

Station Square
6:45 P.M.

	Sonic felt himself float on the surface of a vast sea. His eyes 
were closed and the was white. He was giving up on his life. There was no 
hope left. Everyone he knew was turning against him. When he saw the 
laser, he knew there was no point in going on. So here he was, floating, 
not caring about a thing anymore.
	"Sonic..."
	He never heard the voice. His body was picked up from the water 
by someone's arms. Sonic didn't have the power or courage to speak to 
who he saw.
	Manic.
	Manic hugged his poor brother, trying to comfort him as he began 
to shake.
	"Sonic, it's gonna be okay, I'm here now," he said.
	Sonic finally murmured barely above a whisper. "I never got a 
chance to meet her..."
	"Our mother you mean? I know...Sonic, you can't give up on life 
because of me. There is too much going on to sacrifice yourself over 
nothing. You MUST stop Chaos before it's too late."
	"But how...." Sonic whispered.
	"Find Tikal. You'll know what's going on when you do..."
	"But where can I find her...?" Sonic asked.
	"Follow the Light..."
	Manic, the sea, and the white sky faded into darkness.
	"Manic....Manic....please don't leave me..." Sonic cried in a whisper.
	"Hey...wake up Sonic," a voice murmured. Sonic barely opened his 
eyes. He stared up at what looked like a broken skylight. Glass was 
scattered about around and under him. He had fallen through the top of 
a building. But which?
	A grren chao head looked over him. "Hey, he's waking up!"
	"Good!" came another voice. "I dunno how much longer we can hold 
these barbarians back!"
	Sonic looked at the talking chao and moaned. "Who are you?"
	"It's me Sonic, Chaima. I'm your friend," he said.
	"Chaima?" Sonic asked, sitting up. "ARGH!"
	He yelped, laying back down. "I think I broke something!"
	"Aw man! More bad news!" He called to someone. "Rupicha! We need a 
coconut here! He's hurt!"
	"Oh my way!" someone called back.
	As Chaima inspected Sonic's injury, Sonic asked, "What happened?"
	"Well you feel through the room and been unconcious. Suddenly all 
these people come in and started to pull you out whethere you were 
dead or not. Well me and my pals been fending off those overlanders for a 
few minutes until we could get you away from here....but now I see your 
leg's broken.
	"Why is everyone AFTER me tonight?" Sonic groaned.
	"Well I heard from Dr. Robotnik last night that you were the one 
who murdered your brother," an orange chao called. who was keeping an eye 
on the angry mob.
	"Sonic, meet Chahura," Chaima introduced. "Chahura made friends 
with Knuckles."
	"No way! I didn't know Knux was taking care of a chao," Sonic said.
	"I'm tellin ya guys, Manic isn't dead," a yellow chao said, 
waddling over to Sonic with a cracked coconut.
	"Oh? What's your name?" Sonic asked.
	"I'm Rupicha. Manic raised me, and I believe that a brother of my 
pal is a friend of mine," he said, giving Sonic the coconut.
	"Drink that," Chaima said. "The milk usually makes us feel better, 
but it should numb the pain in your leg until we can get it set," Chaima 
said.
	"Thanks," Sonic said, drinking it.
	"As soon as that kicks in, we'll clear ya a path to the elevator," 
Chaima said.
	"Well get ready, cause this stuff is STRONG!" Sonic said, standing up.
	"OKAY you overlanders! Get back!" Chahura called, growling and 
showing his sharp teeth.
	Rule one: Never mess with a chao with big teeth. The protestiing 
overlander stepped away and let Sonic and the three chao pass. As they 
stepped inside the elevator, Sonic asked, "Why are you helping me?"
	"Because yer the only one who can stop Chaos!" Chaima said.
	"Okay, so now what? I gotta find Tails," Sonic said.
	"Worry later, we gotta find our friend Pucha!"

Station Square Town Hall
7:15 P.M.

	"-and I believe while we are under NO immedite threat, I urge 
citizens to stay in their homes until this ship passes us by," Mayor 
Bullyoni announced.
	Sonia Hedgehog and Sir Bartleby Monclaire were listening in on the 
Mayor's annoucement.
	Sonia had spent the past few days with Bartleby, catching up on 
old times while Sonic did his thing. Bartleby's gone to believe she was 
the only one here. He was just as shocked to hear that Robotnik was 
nearby. Frankly, he came to STation Square to get away from all that. 
But now with monsters, nutcases, mad evil dictors and murderers running 
about, Bartleby has had enough.
	A girl stood up. A white blond-haired cat. "What if this thing 
doesn't just 'pass us by'? Sir, Robotnik wants as much of this planet 
as possible, and I don't think he's gonna leave Station Square outta 
this!"
	"But he haven't fought him. I believe that if we leave him alone, 
he'll leave us alone!" the mayor said.
	"Actually, your wrong," a pink hedgehog said, standing up.
	"Good heavens, Sonia! She looks kind of like you," Bartleby noted.
	"Yeah, and probably the only girl with good fashion," Sonia said. 
She had recently herself gotten a new dress.
	"Amy Rose! What are you doing here?" the Mayor asked angrily.
	"I'm a concerned citizen too, you know," Amy said haughtly.
	A rebel of the authority, Sonic thought. This ought to be good.
	A pink...thing, perched on her head, also protesting. "Yeah! You 
made a big mistake!" it added. The green bird beside them chirped.
	"If you hadn't of banned Sonic, he could be helping us by now!" 
Amy yelled.
	Bartleby and Sonia gasped at the same time. Sonia shrunk in her 
seat as Bartleby glared at her.
	"I knew it! You'd NEVER be ANYwhere without your ruffian brothers!"
	"But Bartleby-" Sonia started.
	"But nothing! I'm out of here!" Bartleby said, marching out.
	Hmph, who needs him?
	A red hedgehog stood. "Yeah! Sonic didn't do anything! He's 
innocent!"
	Hello, Handsome!
	"While we have no proof, we can't take chances with murderers!" 
the Mayor said.
	"HAH!" A fox said, standing up. "You got your priorities mixed up, 
and now yer paying for them!"
	Sonia stood up. She had enough.
	"Sonic would never do anything to harm this town or people!" 
Sonia said.
	"You go, girl!" Amy cheered.
	"Thanks," Sonia said.
	"Please please! Calm down! Amy, there you go, starting trouble 
again! I ought yo have them put you in for TWO nights this time!" the 
Mayor growled.
	"Amy won't go without a fight!" the red hedgehog cried and threw 
the first tomato. It missed, but it triggered the start from the other 
protesters. Half of them were protesters and the big 'table toss began. 
Sonia ducked under the crossfire and crawled to Amy, the bird, and her 
pink thing.
	"Hey, let's get outta here while the gettin's good an find 
Sonic!" Sonia said.
	"Hey! Good idea!" Amy said. "I'll lead the way!"