Journey of the soul chapter 59
59. 59 backwards is 95. Nine minus five equals four.
Spinax: four. The amount of attacks for the average vivosaur. There are 114 vivosaurs in the original fossil fighters. 114 times 4 is 456.
Hunter: what are you two doing?
456. The amount of health Spinax had at rank 11. Eleven is made of one and one. One plus one is two.
Spinax: two, the amount of vivosaurs Lila had before chapter 58. 58 minus two is 56. Chapter 56, where hunter had a mental breakdown.
Mental breakdown for chapter 95 confirmed.
Hunter: bold of you to assume we'll even get to 95 chapters.
…oh hey Hunter, were you saying something?
Hunter: I quit.
"Hey! Great job man!" Todd dashed down the stairs that led to the stands as Hunter exited the common room with Dynal. The dinaurian king had multiple scratches and bruises along his body, but Hunter looked worse somehow. His eyes were sunken and he was sweat profusely.
"Only 3 more rounds, and then….Hunter?" Todd shook his friend on the shoulder, snapping him back to reality.
"Oh, uh…yeah. Sure." Hunter smiled unconvincingly. Todd gave him a look, but didn't press further as Duna and Lila arrived.
"That was awesome!" Lila shouted with delight, "did you see all the light shoot out? It was like this!" Lila made wild hand gestures to Duna.
"Yes, it was very exciting." Duna nodded. Hunter felt himself genuinely get better at the sight of them getting along.
"Almost like a mom and her kid," spinax commented, "now what does that make you?"
"Really? You picked now for a joke?"
"Gotta lighten the mood somehow, and you're still under 21." Hunter pressed his hand to his forehead. Still, it was nice to have at least some form of comic relief.
"Well Duna, I believe it is time to leave." Dynal gave Hunter a clasp on the back, "well fought, Hunter Elwood, perhaps our paths will cross again." He gave Hunter a cold look.
"I'm sorry," was all He could muster. Dynal must've noticed his fatigue because he backed off with a slightly surprised expression on his face.
"Well done Hunter." He looked over to see that Alvis had now joined the group. Just great.
"Thanks," Hunter managed to say.
"However, I see that you let your emotions get the best of you in the final moments of that battle." Of course Alvis knew about that. He always knew. Spinax grunted, but didn't speak.
"Yeah, I guess I got a little carried away." Hunter scratched the back of his head sheepishly. On the inside, he was terrified. Terrified of himself, and of what would happen if he acted like that again. Whenever he starts to get close to using soulflame, he becomes violent and angry. It felt as if he was losing a part of himself.
"As for you Dynal," Alvis turned his attention to the dinaurian, " I have something I'd like to discuss with you."
"May I ask what that might be?"
"I'd rather not say in front of the children." He gestured towards Lila. Dynal nodded and the two walked off towards the exit. The four remaining in the group watched them leave.
"Well, congratulations on your victory Hunter." Duna turned towards him. He jumped slightly at the sound of your voice.
"Thanks. It'd be great if I could keep that up the entire cup huh?"
"You better!" Todd ruffles Hunter's hair, "then that means I would've came in second!"
"Hey! I should be in second!" Lila protested, "I fought Hunter too!"
"Well then, maybe we should have a tiebreaker fight then!" Todd and Lila pretended to glare at each other before kneeling over trying not to laugh. Hunter smiled in spite of himself.
"Hey Duna, aren't you competing in the cup too?"
"Yes, I had won my battle before yours started."
"Then I should be saying congratulations too. Who knows? Maybe we'll end up facing each other."
"That would certainly be an interesting battle." Was that a tinge of competition in her voice? Duna was normally so calm and serene it was hard to tell. Not to mention the fact that the look on her face toed the line of a glare.
"I should tell her. I can't lie to her, I can't." The words echoed in Hunter's mind. But when he opened his mouth, no sound came out. Thankfully, his paleopager went off and he had something else to direct his attention to.
"Hunter and Todd, please report to the top of the Wildwest tower. Joe Wildwest wishes to speak with you." Hunter stared awestruck at the message and looked over at Todd, who had the same expression.
"…we should go."
"Right now." After leaving Lila with Duna, the two raced up the steps to the elevator that would take them to see Joe. Todd practically tripped over every step.
"What d'you think he wants to talk about?" Hunter asked.
"Does it matter? We get to hang out with Joe Wildwest! We can finally thank him for saving us from that allosaurus." That's true, they did owe him a thanks. The allosaurus incident felt like a different lifetime to Hunter. How long ago was it again?
"Somewhere way before the day before yesterday." Spinax answered.
"Great, clear as day."
"Don't look at me, I don't really remember either."
"FANTASTIC." Hunter cooled his nerves as they reached the top of the stairs. He needed to be calm when they talked to joe. Unfortunately, life wasn't going to make it easy for him.
"Don't tell me joe invited you two!" Pauleen stood at the top of the steps by the elevator. Wearing her mask of course, complete with a completely different personality.
"Oh man!" Todd kicked the floor in front of him, "I thought it would be just like old times. Fat chance of that happening now,"
"Now I'm really wondering what joe wants to talk with us about." Hunter clasped his hands behind his head. The elevator shaft made a small noise and the elevator itself came down to the ground level. Pauleen was the first to board it.
"Well unlike you guys, I'm not gonna mood about seeing the best fossil fighter in the world. Now if you'll excuse me."
"Yeah yeah, we're coming." Hunter leaned against the wall as the elevator slowly ascended. The ride up was silent. At least, silent on the outside.
"We'll have to find a different way to teach Lila." Hunter thought to himself, "I can't be a demonstration anymore."
"You're really serious about this." Spinax replied.
"You saw what happened. I…" Hunter stared at his hands, they were still shaking, "I was willing to hurt people. I didn't care at all. It felt like…I was soulless."
"Don't even think about it. We both know you have a soul."
"Do I always use it though? That sure didn't feel like someone with a soul. I was…angry. So angry at everything. I can't let that happen again, I won't take that risk."
"Look man," Spinax cleared his throat, "whatever happened out there. Whatever you're going through. Whatever this all means, we'll figure it out. I don't want my best friend losing what he has left."
"When you put it like that, I sound like a homeless man with schizophrenia."
"I can guarantee that you are one of those things." Hunter rolled his eyes. Still, everything happening lately has just been adding on to a massive list of problems. Even if he hated to admit it, he was happy Spinax was his best friend, no matter how chaotic he is.
The elevator stopped and the glass door opened to let the three in. Joe was standing at the end of the circular room, staring out the massive window. On his desk sat a large rectangular box."
"I want to thank y'all for comin' to see me on such short notice." Joe turned and tipped his hat to the three, "and especially thank y'all for stopping the brigade down in Rainbow canyon."
"Naturally, it's what any self respecting master fighter in the making would do!" Pauleen twirled in one heel and struck a pose, "miss pauleen is on the scene!"
"Except you didn't do anything," Todd muttered. Pauleen shot him a glare and he glared right back. Hunter held his head in his hands while joe laughed.
"At any rate, you three are some real promising fighters with a strong sense of justice to boot. Which why I gotta ask y'all to join the caliosteo patrol team!"
"…the what?" Hunter said after a moment of silence.
"Think of it like a group of enforcers. Make sure the cup goes along real smooth."
"So we get to work with you?" Todd's eyes sparkled, "say no more! I'm in!" He promptly shook joe's hand.
"I'll definently get famous if I win the cup, so this would be a great way to make sure that happens." Hunter heard pauleen mutter all this under her breath.
"Count me in too!" She also shook joe's hand. All three sets of eyes turned to Hunter. He sighed.
"I'm sorry, I'm going through some really tough stuff right now," Todd gave a concerned look, "I don't think I'd really be much help." In truth, Hunter was probably the best fighter of the three, but he didn't say that.
"I understand were your comin' from pard, but maybe you'll change yer mind once y'all see what I've prepared." Joe walked over to his desk and beckoned for the others to follow. He flipped open the flaps on the box to reveal three hexagon shaped fossils. Hunter didn't need to ask what they were.
"Miraculous fossil rocks?!" Todd stood slack jawed at the sight, "for us?"
"You betcha pard. A way to make sure the enforcin' gets done." He handed a fossil to each of them. They were slightly warm to the touch.
"This feels like cheating," Hunter said to himself, "how desperately does he want the cup to go on that he'll give competitors miraculous fossil rocks?" Still, it was definently tempting. Extra insurance to make sure he won…maybe he should-
"Here you go." Hunter stacked his miraculous fossil rock on top of Todd's. The combined weight made him fall over.
"Wait, what?!" Todd quickly stood back up, "Hunter, you cant be serious!"
"Are you really just gonna throw that away?" Pauleen was pretty shocked too, "that's a miraculous fossil rock you know!" Joe stayed silent, but was smiling. Maybe he caught on.
"Todd can have my fossil, but you can count me in," Hunter extended a hand to joe.
"Glad to have ya on board pard," they promptly shook hands and Hunter almost recoiled.
"Jesus, his hands are freezing….Spinax? You there?"
"I'm not talking to you."
"Care to explain why?"
"Did you literally just give…..a golden fossil….with the power to evolve vivosaurs….to TODD!?"
"Yep."
"Okay, okay. Follow up question. WHAT The HELL ARE YOU SMOKING!"
"Oh, get over it. You're already evolved aren't you!"
"And I could've been DOUBLE EVOLVED!, BUT NOOOOOOOO!" Hunter ignored Spinax as joe dismissed them.
"I'll let y'all know If anything's up!" He waved as the elevator closed. Once they got back to ground floor, pauleen began to leave.
"Well. Unlike some people, I'm going to take advantage of this," she gestured to the fossil in her hands as she disappeared down the steps. Hunter did something he hadn't done in a long time and stuck out his tongue.
"What's her problem?" He turned to Todd, "it's not like I…Todd?" Todd was staring steadily at the fossil Hunter gave him.
"You sure about this? A miraculous fossil rock would give you a serious edge in the cup."
"I'm sure. I already have a super-revived vivosaur. Besides, I don't need a power boost to prove I can win!" Hunter did a fake flex to get Todd to laugh. The two headed back down the stairs together, discussing which two vivosaurs Todd would use the fossils on.
"I still don't want to believe you just did that." Spinax sighed, "are you sure you're fine from being dropped on the head?"
"Of course I am,"
"This coming from the guy who shouted HARDEN during a fossil battle."
"Shut up Spinax." Dynal and Alvis were now back inside the station along with Duna and Lila. Hunter and Todd rejoined the group just as Dynal turned towards him.
"Good to see you two still in one piece!" Alvis laughed. If it was supposed to be a joke, Hunter didn't get it, "Now Hunter, the Dinaurian king and I have devised a way to keep that fiery temper of yours in check."
"I don't have that bad of a temper," Hunter scoffed. Alvis gestured to Dynal as if that were incriminating evidence.
"Listen well Duna," Dynal finally spoke, "this concerns you as well," now both Hunter and Duna were paying attention. Good and Lila sat down on the couch in the lobby and listened in awkwardly.
"Duna," Dynal continued, "Alvis regards you as a very collected person, while Hunter is very emotional and it has been deemed necessary that he seek help for this issue."
"Hey! Who said I needed help!"
"Hunter, you and I already discussed this," Alvis gave Duna an apologetic look, which only served to infuriate Hunter more.
"I fail to see how this concerns me," Duna have Hunter the side-eye. Any anger he had was replaced with guilt and sadness. Clearly she hasn't fully forgiven him for lying to her. Or at least, the lies she knows about.
"Well, Alvis has requested that you assist Hunter in keeping his emotions to a minimum."
"You'll be compensated, of course," Alvis added. Hunter just stared in disbelief while Spinax tried not to laugh.
"Did you guys just assign me to anger management?"
"Is that what it is called on earth? We typically refer to it as hostility reformation." Duna walled over to Hunter and extended her hand, "I accept this offer."
"Uh, thanks…I guess," Hunter took Duna's hand and shook it. She pulled him slightly closer and whispered.
"You can thank me by telling me the secrets you've been keeping about Hunter." A chill shot up his spine. Spinax banged his head into the walls of Hunter's mind. Duna walked away and exited the building without another word.
"Perhaps we should follow her lead?" Alvis suggested, "This place is certain to become more crowded once more battles are concluded," Hunter was simultaneously glad Alvis was giving him an excuse to avoid people and irritated that he was avoiding Hunter again. Sooner or later, they need to talk about what giant threat Alvis is so afraid of.
"You all may go ahead," Dynal replied, "I wish to speak to Hunter in private." Both happiness and irritation were replaced with anxiety. As the others left, he took a deep breath and prepared himself for what he knew was coming.
"Hunter Elwood," Dynal spoke the word with utter disdain, "ironic you pick the name of an object rooted to the ground."
"Look, say what you want to say, I'm listening."
"We both are," Spinax added.
"Very well, You have betrayed the trust of all of the people close to you by pretending to be dead. You have lied, hid, and ran from the only people who could have helped you. You have made the one I consider my daughter to become cold to others yet again despite you having the inverse effect before. You, Hunter Cloud, have become a terrible human being and a worse dinaurian."
"Can I say something in my defense?"
"I am not finished. You have done all these terrible acts…..so that my people may live peaceful lives on a place they can finally call Home. And for that, I cannot be angry with you. I simply wish to know why you choose to hide."
"That took a 180 real quick," Spinax commented, "…..okay, I think we can talk now."
"Geez, ya think?" Hunter turned back to Dynal.
"I can't let anyone know who I am. Then they could be dragged down with me for withholding information to the police if I get caught. I won't take that risk…even if it means lying." Dynal nodded slowly.
"If that is your wish, then I will withhold from telling others. But there is one thing I want to promise me Hunter."
"Which is?"
"Do not hurt anyone in your effort to protect them." The words echoed in Hunter's mind.
Done! Man, I've been on a roll lately. One new chapter every week.
Hunter: it' almost as if you're getting some kind of consistency after doing this for almost 2 years.
I know right? Crazy
Spinax: there are 5 letters in the word crazy. There were 3 chapters in the past 3 weeks. 5 times 3 times 3 is 45. Chapter 45, at that. Point, Hunter should be 15 years old. 45 plus 15 is 60.
Chapter 60 confirmed.
Hunter: you guys need to stop.
NEVER! Thanks for reading!
