The Crystal, The Mirror, and Heart Chapter 4 Battle of the Hybrids

The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can, and keep moving.

Ulysses S. Grant (1822 - 1885)

Several days have passed since Grizz's unexpected arrival to Mobius. The villagers had gotten used to seeing her hang around them. She would often oversee them carrying about the days work after she had woken up tired from the late-night searches. She would often try to help out the other residents, especially when the freedom fighters weren't watching her. She just didn't want to feel useless with all the free time on her hands. Her reward for the day was mainly all the unwanted leftovers of food. It's mainly the stuff you would end up giving to your dogs or the stray animals in the alley, but for her it was food to be thankful for. Anything she needed for that matter came from various junk piles. Cloth, thread, a broom, rope, rakes, shovels; you name it she got it. The only things she did get from her bag were her toothbrush, and anything else that was used for cleaning. Being somewhat an environmentalist on Earth, she used the biodegradable ones that would not harm their environment; of course there is her weekly flea baths.

Life went on as usual this day of all days, Grizz was waiting out side reading a book she had borrowed and eating a nameless deformity of food in her bowl periodically pausing to eat from it. She also tended to eavesdrop on many of conversations. There was only three that caught her attention each of them being stalked by a pair of greenish eyes. She thought that had to be Jager and attempted to make up plans as a way to draw him out into the open. The only draw back was getting Sally's consent and she didn't want to bother her with such a thing and exposing her to the unwanted ridicule and judgment others. Not wanting to see Sally, she decided to just keep quiet and attempt to keep out of her way. On occasion Grizz would see Sally tormenting Sonic about oversleeping or not showing up and sometimes on how she worries so much for him. She would inaudibly giggle at the two finding it a bit funny.

Today there was supposed to be a meeting at the Freedom Fighters headquarters, and like every recent meeting since her arrival Grizz was not allowed to attend. This was mainly due to Sally's suspicions about her. The twilight rainbow of colors was leisurely conceding to the inky star lit sky. " Going to the meeting Sonic?" Grizz mentioned to the hedgehog, despite the fact that it sounded like a statement than anything else.

"Nah. Well not tonight anyways I traded someone for sentry duty, so someone ought to fill me in later."

"Provided that miss congeniality doesn't chew you out later for not being there of course." The overlander added sarcastically.

"True." Sonic sighed at the thought, " You sure like to read, don't ya?"

"Well…. Reading is a good way to gather knowledge. That way if I do remember something useful I can apply it to good use. Isn't that right?" she continued to pickup her bowl of indistinguishable deformity of food and scoop the contents with her spoon preparing to eat it. " I still don't get how could you stomach that." He commented pretending to hack something up covering his mouth. She laughed at him acting as if he tasted something rather nasty.

After the laughing died down she turned her gaze back to the book with a studious expression. "To tell you the truth Sonic, if you knew half the things I had to go through it would be easy to see why I dine the way I do and live the way I have." She spoke in a depressingly solemn voice. Even the normally upbeat hedgehogs ears drooped at her expression.

" You can sit down if you want, nobody is stopping you." There was a long awkward moment of silence before Grizz spoke up again. " We haven't gotten to know each other very long but I can usually tell when something is wrong." She flipped the page and continued to read.

" It's not that anything's wrong…. I just have this weird feeling that something's going to happen and it won't be good."

"Don't worry. It's probably the feeling of being watched. I ah… tend to get that often on my planet. Where ever that may be now." The girl said with slight uncertainty watching the last of the suns rays disappear.

The sky was now enveloped in stars that seemed to shimmer and dance like diamonds for the full moon amongst an inky canvas. The last of the villagers were beginning to head home unknown to what laid stalking slightly outside the boundaries. An ominous shadow slinked by undetected from the passerby's. The outline of the figure melted from one end of the huts to the next lurking for an unsuspecting victim to pounce on.

Its eyes began to glow a ghostly green as the moon came from behind the clouds. Then there was the glistening of a crystal creating the illusion of a three-eyed monstrosity. All was silent except the chirping of the crickets. Time was of the essence to this hunger stricken creature. Days have passed since it entered the forest hunting for satisfying game. Cautioned by unfamiliar surroundings to look elsewhere. The scent of food was plentiful within the village. The gait was in a limping motion preventing it to run and make mad dashes while hunting.

Its eyes were feasting upon the village to locate a suitable vantage point from where to leap. From the top of a hut it could attack any slow moving unsuspecting bystander for a devastating assault, undetected until it was to late for the would be prey to break away from its powerful skull splitting jaws. Laying low against the roof it caught sight of a new victim tired after a days work slow enough to strike and make a getaway. It had begun to slowly descend in a liquid like fashion trying to keep its crippled left forepaw off the hard ground. The night air was an eerily calm sending shivers down the spine of its intended target. Its heart began to race unsteadily as it perceived that he was being followed. He heard the echoing of his own heart pounding inside his chest as did the predator lurking in the near by shadows. Panicked his head went in circles attempting to find what ever was stalking him. To no avail the beast went on undetected.

Then from out of the black nothingness it pounced! The sudden ambush knocked the Mobian to the ground with its right forepaw pinning its chest, crushing the victim's rib cage sending a blood-curdling scream for help that could be heard through out Knothole.

All of a sudden on the other side of the village Grizz and the hedgehogs ears detected the dying scream for help. All the lights re-illuminated the streets as Sonic dashed to the victim's aide. Grizz was right behind him as she disappeared into a large crowd of villagers. He briefly halted when a large cat like creature came into view seeing its fir stained with fresh blood. He then sped towards it and rammed its left side causing it to wail in pain. Sonic tried to move the injured person to the side as he then got clawed in back by the lumbering monster shaking of the previous blow to its side.

He let out a catlike scream from the direct hit. Then quickly turned to face his back stabbing assailant only to look at its intimidating glare. He gave it a swift kick and knocked it towards the side of the make shift arena circle of a spotlight. The beast braced itself for the blow enabling it to land on its back and quickly roll over back on to its feet. Sonic yelled to the crowed, " Get the other guy outta here! I'll try to hold this thing off!"

He could feel his own blood on his back but tried to ignore the burning pain.

His blurred figured distracted the cat; as he began to encircle it giving the others enough time to remove the mortally wounded person. The creature was striking at every image it saw. Hasten it leapt out of the circle only to feel a swift punch in the stomach knocking it head over heels as it began to roll. The sturdy animal shook it off and its intimidating stare now fixed on Sonic. The hedgehog tried to recreate that stunt; only its eyes never lost its place now tracking every movement.

The creature then reared up on its back legs and swatted Sonic off his course ramming in to a wall. The direct hit marred his chest with deep slash wounds as he proceeded to get up. He winced in pain as his shakily got to his feet grabbing his chest. Sonic heard someone call him " Sonic! Sonic! Get out of the way! Hurry!" Bunny attempted to step in but froze solid as she gawked at its massive gaping bite radius as it let out an immense roar with battle-crazed eyes.

It then charged at the weary hedgehog. Sonic braced himself as it propelled itself claws unsheathed in an attempt to pin him against the damp hard ground. He then caught the beast by its forepaws and clutched it tight his legs were shaky from the impact but managed to hold his ground. Grizz was desperately pushing through the crowed. Sonic was feeling lightheaded pushing his limits to fend off the attacker; blood loss was beginning to take its toll. He couldn't hold it off any longer. He began to feel the heavy pressure caving in on him. The hedgehog was bending at the creature's intense weight. Then out of the crowed he thought he heard his name again, " Sonic!"

Out of nowhere Grizz appeared and rammed the beast off him sending it flying a few feet away. He then collapsed on to the ground. Grizz rushed to his aide carrying his limp body away from the make shift arena of light, then turned around to challenge the large cat. The cat finally came to and shook it off. Her own were matching its intimidating stare as they slowly circled around each other. She held her ground as her body began to tense waiting for its next move. Its teeth were bared as was hers. The cat panted laboriously as it ran towards her. She managed to do a last second dodge and went behind it gripping the fur on its back. She wrapped her arms around its thick neck and held her grip as it tried to buck her off and smashing her back on the ground with it.

She managed to get to the underside of its neck and her jaw clamped down on it refusing to let go. It began to tear at her arms in desperation to make her let go. She was now stained too screaming at the barrage of pain her mouth let go of its throat. Quickly he creature hooked its claws into the tender flesh on her back and flung her, tossing her into the air. Her body then slammed into the battle scared ground.

The tensed body went limp a few yards away from the victor. It bellowed an enormous roar that echoed. The massive crowed began to step back in fear of it. It began to sniff at Grizz's limp body eyes shut. It tasted the blood from her wounds. As it began to recognize its scent, the eyes of a cold hard killer melted away and soften as it continued to caress her wounds with its tongue.

The cat nudged it head gently against her hair in effort to wake her. Then Grizz noticed a soft purring in her ear as she opened her eyes stumbling to get up. Nearly falling the creature its head up for support. She was covered in scars as she approached the two unconscious people that fell victim to it. She looked at the Freedom Fighters, " It's okay." She whispered, " He is not going to eat anyone…. Please let me help them… I can heal them."

With out waiting for a response she pulled the crystal off her neck and placed it in her palm. She closed her eyes and placed her first two fingers on its forehead. Her body began to pulse as the two bodies glowed with a soft but brilliant blue light. All the marks on the Mobian faded away to the state it was before the attack. Rotor placed the body down gently as it began to wake. They stood in amazement as she slowly made her way to Sonic. His breathing was shallow and labored. Grizz took the crystal in her hand and placed her two fingers on his forehead. She concentrated on his wounds as they began to glow an eerie mystifying blue. Bunnie then saw more wounds opening on Grizz's already weakened body. When she looked at Sonic again his wounds had completely disappeared and his fur no longer stained. The glow faded and he began to open his eyes now staring at a battered overlander.

Bunnie finally spoke up " Grizz?" "Yah Bunnie?" Grizz said weakly.

"I think you should get yall wounds checked." Grizz looked down at them with tired eyes. " Don't… worry. I'm a… fast …healer." She had trouble breathing as she walked away. "Come on Jager." Both were exhausted from lack of rest and the other lack of food. Grizz had not gone far from them when she blacked out with the big cat lying beside her. "Oh no! Come on we have to get these two to the hospital!" everyone rushed to their aide and managed to get Doctor Quack to make a house call.

They put Grizz and Jager into her make shift shelter. Her wounds were bandaged and the oversized cat fed.

" Sal? Why can't you trust her now, huh?" Sonic began to talk. Sally looked down to the ground as if she had disappointed someone. " What makes you think that?" she remarked. "Because you have been treating her more like a burden than anything else. Would it kill ya to be nice to her? Just give her a chance." "Trust her? What for!" he was surprised to hear this. "How can you trust some one like her anyway? She's an overlander."

"Listen as soon as she gets better she promised to tell us everything. Since you gave me the chance to know her I can trust her. She has been a bigger help than you know." She held her tongue not wanting to argue further. Then Bunnie came over " Let's all get some rest now. Ya hear." "Sally what your doing is so not cool." And with that he went inside his hut. "Sally Girl ya commin'?" Bunnie touched Sally's shoulder. The ground squirrel turned her head, " Yah…. I'm coming."