Kanchome: Folgore, where are we?

Folgore: Why Kanchome, we're in'a the disclaimer.

Kanchome: Oh! Maybe if we say the disclaimer without Willoffire123 asking us too, she'll be pleased with us!

Folgore: That's'a good idea Kanchome! Quick, say the disclaimer!

Willoffire123: Willoffire123 doesn't own Zatch Bell.

Kanchome: Waah, I was going to do that!

Willoffire123: Too bad, you weren't fast enough. As for your punishment…

Folgore: Punishment?

Kanchome: Punishment?

Willoffire123: Both of you must run 1000 laps around this room. If you're not done by the time this chapter is over, you must start again.

Kanchome: WAAH FOLGORE!

Folgore: We better get'a started, Kanchome.

Willoffire123: MWAHAHAHA I HOLD THE POWER!

Folgore: On with'a the chapter!

Willoffire123: KEEP RUNNING!


Megumi

Megumi found herself at the end of a long, dark corridor.

"Where am I?" she wondered.

She hugged herself, rubbing her arms to stay warm. "It's so cold here."

"Me-gu-mi," rattled a wheezy, yet familiar voice from the other end of the corridor.

In the distance, Megumi could just make out a bare-chested boy chained to the wall at the other end of the corridor.

Megumi broke into a sprint. She didn't need to call out to the boy; there was only one person he could be, and he looked like he was in great pain.

"Why?" she demanded as she ran. For the farther she ran, the farther away the boy seemed to get.

"Stop," the boy croaked. "Don't come any closer. He'll hurt you too."

Megumi felt her vision clouding. The boy seemed miles away. An ominous laughter filled the corridor. Megumi saw a giant pair of hands wrap themselves around the bony frame of the chained boy.

"Kiyo!" she cried in desperation, then everything went black.


Megumi

"Megumi, wake up!" whined Tia. "We're here!"

Megumi groaned, rubbing her sleepy eyes awake.

"I've never been to South America before," said Lien excitedly.

"Yes, maybe we can have some fun when this is all over," said Wonrei, unable to stop blushing.

Megumi and the others left the plane to find a man in an orange suit waiting for them.

"It's nice to finally meet everyone," said the man in the orange suit. "My name is Apollo."

"Are you the one who chartered this flight?" asked Wonrei.

Apollo nodded. "Yes, and I'm an old friend of Kiyo and Zatch."

Megumi balled her fists.

"I assume you're aware of those two's current situation?" asked Wonrei.

Apollo bit his lip. "Yes, and I implore all of you to do your best to bring them back safely. You'll face many dangerous mamodo in the Devolo Ruins; you'll need Zatch's power to help bring those mamodo and Milordo Z down."

Apollo handed each of us backpacks. "In the packs you'll find filled water bottles, first aid kits, granola bars, a rope and some sunscreen."

"Oh Apollo, you shouldn't have," said Megumi.

"But I did," said Apollo. "You guys should get moving." He pointed at the building behind us. "See that helicopter on the roof landing? It'll take you as far as you want. Good luck guys; come back safe."

"Thanks, we will," said Megumi. While the others left for the helicopter, Megumi remained behind to ask Apollo a question.

"Say, Apollo," she said hesitantly.

"Yes?" he asked innocently. Apollo seemed like a nice enough guy, so Megumi decided to ask him.

"Why are you helping us?" she blurted. "What's your role in the Mamodo Battle?"

Apollo gave her a small, sad smile. "I once had a mamodo partner. His name was Rops. We battled Zatch and Kiyo once a long time ago. They helped me see that helping Rops become king was just the challenge I needed to get my life back on track. Even though Rops is gone now, they're still my friends. I still want them to come back safely."

Megumi felt warmer already. "I understand. You don't have to worry; we'll bring them back safe and sound."


Megumi

Megumi gazed out the window, lost in thought until Tia leaned over her to look out the window.

"It's so pretty here!" she said excitedly.

"Yeah," Megumi agreed. "But we don't know what dangers are waiting for us in those ruins."

"You mean those ruins?" asked Kanchome, pointing at a castle poking out of the scenery.

"Do you feel that?" asked Tia, hugging herself tight.

"Yes, I feel it too," said Wonrei, edging away from the window.

"It's scary!" wailed Kanchome, hugging a shivering Ponygon tight.

"I wonder why only the mamodo can sense this sinister feeling," said Lien.

"Well whatever it is, we should land now," said Megumi, addressing the pilot. "It's too dangerous to continue by helicopter now."

"Right you are, miss," said the pilot. "I'll just set her down on the cliff there, shall I?"

"Yes please," said Megumi.

"Here we go," said Lien, grabbing Wonrei's hand.

"By the way," said Wonrei, still blushing like mad. "Where are Dr. Riddles and Kiddo?"

"They said they went to look for more allies to help us fight," said Megumi.

"They'll be back later though, right?" asked Tia.

"They better be back!" said Kanchome.

The four mamodo and their human partners made their way down the steep slope and into the ruins.

"This is incredible," said Lien.

"But we should be quiet so we don't attract any attention," warned Wonrei.

"HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY ASK THAT? MY VOICE IS'A MY LIFE! YOU CAN'T JUST-," shouted Folgore.

Tia pounced on top of him. "Shut up!" she hissed furiously.

Too late did Megumi realize though that the real problem was the crumbling floor beneath them. The floor gave way under Tia and Folgore, plunging the whole group down to the floor below.

Megumi clamped a hand over Folgore's mouth, Tia doing the same to Kanchome.

"Sshh!" she told the group.

"She's right," said Mr. Sunbeam, who strangely enough had remained silent up to that point. "There are two ancient mamodo on the other side of the wall."

"What do we do?" asked Lien.

Megumi realized she had asked her what to do. And unless she figured out something soon, everyone was going to panic.

"Does anyone have a useful spell for not getting detected?" she asked the group.

Mr. Sunbeam shook his head. "Ponygon's spells are made for speed."

"My spells are too flashy as well," said Wonrei.

"I think I know just'a the thing," said Folgore.

"Getting really big isn't going to help us this time," said Tia.

"No, but I can get really small too!" Kanchome declared.

"We'a use just'a this spell to defeat our enemies," said Folgore. "Kanchome gets molto piccolo, reaches the partner, and burns the book without anyone'a noticing until it's'a too late."

"Okay, but be careful," said Megumi.

"Yes and don't let them see you," said Mr. Sunbeam. "If they do, they'll call for help and it's all over."

"SAY WH-" started Kanchome before Tia hit him over the head to make him shut up.

Megumi peered over the edge of the wall. Both mamodo, one robot clown-like child and a fifty-foot dragon, were pounding the wall, taking out their apparent anger. Their partners, one baseball player and a middle school girl, stood off to the side.

A cold feeling crept over Megumi as she studied the human partners. Both stood at attention, clutching their spell books tight. However, their eyes were blank and staring. The only emotion Megumi could feel emulating from the partners was anger.

"There's something wrong with the human partners," Megumi murmured.

"Yes. Without a doubt, their hearts are being manipulated by Milordo Z," said Mr. Sunbeam. "Which is why it's up to you to free them, Kanchome."

Kanchome's entire body shook with fear, but he nodded in determination. "Okay!"

"You ready to'a go, Kanchome?" asked Folgore, flipping open his yellow spell book.

"You bet!" said Kanchome.

"Koporuk!" cried Folgore.

Kanchome shrunk before Megumi's very eyes until he was smaller than Tia's fist.

"If you've got'a the matches then go, Kanchome!" said Folgore, giving him a thumbs up for good luck.

Megumi watched Kanchome creep up the baseball player's pant leg, lit match in hand. Unlike the time with Penny and Uri, the baseball player remained none the wiser, even as Kanchome managed to light the corner of his book on fire.

Not waiting for the whole book to burn, Kanchome was already up the middle school girl's leg, desperately trying to set her book on fire. He'd just managed to catch the corner of the book on fire when the clown noticed Kanchome.

"Hey!" he shouted. The now burning middle school girl's book began to glow.

"Megumi!" said Tia, thrusting out her hands.

"Right!" said Megumi, her own spell book ready in hand.

"Neshir," cried the middle school girl.

"Giga La Seoshi!" Megumi retorted, enveloping the clown in Tia's green shield.

"Human!" shouted the clown. Surprisingly enough, the middle school girl shut the book, canceling the spell.

"Who are you?" demanded Tia. "How are you not being controlled by Milordo Z?"

The clown scoffed. "I see you've managed to outsmart me enough to burn my book. Fine, I'll tell you this much. My name is Alm. I am a mamodo from 1000 years ago. While I am grateful to Milordo Z for freeing me from that stone hell hole, I am controlled by no one."

"And yet you still do his bidding," said Wonrei.

Alm smirked. His body was fading fast now. "After being trapped in stone for 1000 years, doing Milordo Z's will is a small price to pay for freedom. Every ancient mamodo you meet in these ruins will tell you that."

"We'll free everyone here for sure!" said Kanchome.

"For once he's right. That's what we came here to do," said Tia.

Alm smiled. "Maybe you really can free us from our curse. But know this: lots of dangerous and powerful mamodo, both ancient and modern await you in that castle. Can you really handle them?"

"Do we have a choice?" asked Mr. Sunbeam. "We'll be fine Alm. You can rest easy now."

"Maybe that's true. At least I won't have to worry about returning to stone now that I am returning to the Mamodo world," said Alm. "But I don't think I'm ready for the loneliness that waits for me."

"We'll be your friends in the mamodo world, Alm! You don't have to worry about being alone!" vowed Tia.

"That's right," said Wonrei.

"Of course I'll be your friend!" said Kanchome.

"Meru Meru Mei!" declared Ponygon.

Alm smiled one last time, saying "Be strong, you guys," before returning to the mamodo world for good.


Willoffire123: *sneeze*

Tia: Don't tell me…

Megumi: You're sick?

Willoffire123: *cough cough*

Megumi: Looks like she's down for the count. Folgore, Kanchome, did you finish your laps?

Kanchome: *pant* yeah.

Folgore: *wheeze* please don't'a make us do them again!

Willoffire123: we'll…see…

Megumi: Until next time!