Author's note: I have decided to update once every three days.
Chapter I: Out With the Old and in With the New
In which power is lost but not for long.
Eight dinosaurs, seven young and one old, stood in a grassy meadow full of flowers. Spike licked his chops and grabbed some food growing from the ground.
Reina let out a heavy sigh and asked, "Will they EVER get the coordinates right? I'm even farther away than last time."
"Huh?" Littlefoot asked.
"Oh, the teleporter is supposed to take us back home. Some idiots, however, never seen to get the location right when they use it. This time, they didn't even get close."
"A- teleporter?" Cera wondered curiously.
"A handy device some of us created to send dinosaurs to other worlds and back. It's powered by energy extracted from the stone and can only work every so often. But that's not important. We need to hurry and get back to my home so we can make a plan for what to do about Dus-" but she was interrupted by a howling.
They all turned to see a small creature on four legs with grey fir all over his body. He glared at the group and bared his teeth. Reina opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. The kids turned to her curiously.
"Why you move mouth but no speak?" Petrie asked. "And what that?"
Reina continued moving her mouth as if to speak, but no words came out.
"I don't know what's going on, but that thing doesn't look very friendly," Littlefoot pointed out. "We may have to fight it." Reina nodded vigorously and flailed her arms.
"I'll handle him," Cera announced. "He doesn't look so tough." She made eye contact with the beast who started to charge her. The grass in the area suddenly grew very tall and wrapped around the creature's legs. He stopped short as Cera grinned, but the grass quickly resumed normal size.
"What?" Cera asked. The beast ran up and pounced on her.
"Me help!" Petrie yelled and flapped his wings. Wind shot at the beast but it was so weak that it barely ruffled his fir coat.
"Get him off!" Cera exclaimed on her back, pushing his head away to keep from being bitten. Ruby shot wind of her own, but like Petrie's, it barely fazed him.
"Light, shine within my heart!" Littlefoot yelled, suddenly glowing white. "Cleansing Wave!" A wall of light flew from his body and hit the creature. The wave turned a slight shade of red as it passed through him. The beast stopped, shook his head a few times, then continued trying to bite Cera. She was struggling hard, but the animal suddenly let out a yelp as Chomper bit his tail hard. He quickly got off of her and ran away, tail throbbing and bleeding between his legs as he fled into the distance. Littlefoot then released his power and changed back. Chomper spit out blood and a couple of hairs that had gotten stuck in his teeth, then Reina finally spoke.
"Ugh, those Silence Stalkers are a real pain."
"I thought you said that the only dinosaurs in your world are Rainbow Faces," Ruby pointed out.
"What, you think dinosaurs are the only creatures in the universe? This world is inhabited by powerful creatures called beasts. They are generally mean and all have at least one special ability. That beast was a Silence Stalker. They stalk their prey and can silence someone by looking at the guy and howling so he or she can't use magic that has to be said aloud. The only upside is, they can just have one silenced at a time, and once they get far enough away, the effect fades."
"So what you're saying is, we'll have to fight more than just Dusk's group?" Cera inquired.
"Yes. I am afraid that you'll have to fight any beasts that cross your path as well. Unfortunately, it looks like that'll be easier said than done. Your powers are nearly gone."
"Is it from being away from the stone so long?" Ducky asked her.
"No, the stone sends its energy across this whole world at once now. We created a device that is attached to the stone that magnifies its energy to spread all over the planet. It was removed back when it was stolen, but it was put back on when we retrieved it. Anyway, some of us theorized that non Rainbow Face dinosaurs couldn't support the stone's power indefinitely because of having foreign body make ups, and we seem to have been right. Your bodies have been slowly rejecting the magic since the very beginning. Now it looks like you're nearly powerless."
"So that's why our attacks were so weak against that thing," Ruby said.
"What!" Cera shouted. "We're going to lose our powers? How will we fight Dusk now?"
"Think, Cera," Ruby continued. "If this is happening to us, it'll happen to Dusk's group as well. The Rainbow Faces won't have any trouble handling powerless dinosaurs."
"That is a good point," Reina added, and Ruby beamed. "However, you don't fully understand. Each type of magic has a different form of energy. When your powers are fully gone, you'll start to get new ones. The stone was designed to keep creatures empowered. It will therefore do just that. Your first powers matched your personal styles completely. Next, you'll get new magic that will likely be completely random."
"Hm," Littlefoot began. "Light, shine within my heart!" There was a tiny spark of light, but he did not change.
"Looks you're all nearly due for some new abilities. I bet you'll have them by the time we get home. I'm starting to move us now." Reina tapped each of the children. "Transport!" The meadow of eight dinosaurs suddenly became a meadow of zero.
"That feels so good. Thank you," a black Sharptooth told a white one.
"Happy to be of help," she replied as she continued to massage his back.
"Tell me. Do you really think we'll find someone to help make my wish?"
"I am not sure, my lord. A dinosaur can only help make one wish. To be perfectly honest, it is unlikely that we'll find a stranger who'll give up his or her wish just like that. We can hope, of course, but we must acknowledge that there isn't much of it."
Dusk sighed. "You are right. It is unlikely- but not impossible. I'll keep looking if it takes my whole life."
"And I'll be by your side to the end."
"I appreciate that. Now, while this feels quite relaxing, your fingers must be tired. Why not get some rest?"
"Oh, my fingers are never too tired for you, my lord! I'll keep going."
Dusk couldn't hold back a smile at her dedication. Knowing she would do this all day for him, he got to his feet.
"I'm going for a walk," he told her.
"Okay! Let's go."
"Err, I'd like some time alone to think."
"Oh."
Dusk walked down the hill and headed for the creek. "If it will take years to find someone for my wish, do I really want to waste so much of Menta's life in the process? Maybe I should do this alone."
He cupped his hands and dipped them in the water. He then brought the water to his face, splashing himself to cool off. He did this again and was about to do so a third time when he saw a reflection in the water he was holding. He pretended not to notice, and brought the liquid to his face yet again. Then he suddenly turned. "Shadow Pull!"
The flying creatures suddenly dropped a short distance but quickly regained her altitude as she swooped down to nab him.
"What in the world?" he wondered. "My Shadow Pull should have slammed her to the ground."
The creature rammed into him with her claws out. Dusk grabbed her in midair and threw her to the ground. He then jumped on her only to yelp in pain. Her feathers had suddenly gotten as sharp as thorns. They hadn't gone in very deep, but Dusk's side was still bleeding all over. The beast quickly took back to the air and came right for him. Her now-sharp prickles were aimed right for his face. Dusk quickly raised his hands to shield himself, but the flying creature suddenly squawked and flew up higher. A large rock had been thrown that hit her squarely on her head. Dusk turned to see a familiar white Sharptooth holding another stone.
"Just try and attack him again!" she called, her next projectile in a poised position. She then dived towards Menta at an incredible speed, but the Sharptooth threw the rock hard and it bonked the beast on the nose, drawing blood. She had finally had enough and flew away, squawking in anger.
Menta quickly reached down and grabbed a large leaf. She ran over to Dusk and put in his side, pressing hard to stop the bleeding.
"I said I wanted to be alone," he told her, much to her surprise.
"But, my lord, I-"
"You saved me, but you disobeyed me yet again. How can I trust you?"
"I- I-"
Dusk sighed and lowered his head. "I'm sorry. Thank you for coming for me. I'm just stressed, that's all."
Menta came over and rubbed her cheek against his. "You don't have to apologize. I understand. Oh, and did your power fail too?"
"Ah, that's right. My Shadow Pull had almost no effect. I wondered why you were throwing stones and not using your psychic power. Do you think there's something wrong with the stone? Maybe that thing those Rainbow Faces put on it is disrupting its energy."
"No, I read a few minds when we went and stole the stone back. It just allows its power to flow across the whole world. Sorry that I forgot to mention this earlier."
"It's okay. I just wish I knew why we lost our powers. It's going to be real tough traveling here with no special abilities. I wonder if the others and the Rainbow Faces have too."
"It looks like we're about to get half the answer," Menta announced. Agu, Coaley, and Ceit came over to them.
"How was the search for food?" Dusk asked them.
"We found a strange creature and attacked it but barely made it away with our lives. All our powers are gone."
Dusk looked very concerned then said, "This is not good. We have no way home without Coaley's Warp power." The rest of them exchanged worried glances.
"Perhaps if we return the stone, those Rainbow Faces could take us back," Ceit suggested. Dusk scowled at him.
"There is no way I'm giving up on my dream! You can forget that idea right now!"
"I- I'm sorry, ma lord," he stammered.
"Hey guys," Ali called as she too approached.
"I'm sorry, Ali. Did we wake you up from your nap, dear?" Menta asked.
"Nah, you guys weren't that loud. I just got up to get a drink and saw you all down here. Is everything okay? You guys look worried."
"Very perceptive of you," Dusk told her. "Do a dance of strength for us."
"Why?"
"Please."
Ali obeyed. Saying "Strength," she started to dance. The group felt a tiny twinge in their bodies but gained no power at all.
"Why-?"
"That's what's troubling us. Our powers are leaving us. We won't stand a chance in this world without our magic," Dusk replied.
Suddenly, the group all froze. The Sharpteeth and Long Neck felt odd, but they recognized the sensation. After a few moments, Dusk grinned.
"Looks like we'll be okay after all."
