Journey of the soul chapter 61

Well, since we're all stuck at home anyway I might as well make a longer chapter than usual for you guys

Hunter: hey! I thought we weren't aloud to talk about real world stuff.

Oh please, just watch me. You guys see that fossil fighters animation video a couple weeks ago? The game was trending for the first time in….never.

Hunter: Stop that! there are rules for a reason Cross.

Pretty sure I'm the one that makes all the rules here.

Spinax: HE MUST BE STOPPED BEFORE ITS TOO LATE!

It's honestly not that big of a dea-

Spinax: BACK FOUL DEMON OR I SHALL SMITE THEE!

I feel personally attacked by both a virus and fictional characters I've created. Onto the Chapter!

Of all the places you could find hot steam, boiling water and half-naked people, A snow field in a fossil park on an island about a stone throw away from the equator was not one of them. And yet, that's where Todd and Hunter ended up.

"I suddenly feel very underdressed." Todd was already taking off his over coat and hanging on a large rack with others. Hunter pulled off his shoes and placed them down by the entrance with others before removing his own jacket. They both went through a curtain labeled "men."

"Nice, closest thing to this back in my day was an active volcano…that went out of business real quick." Spinax aside, the hot springs themselves were actually multiple pools of hot water to the side of the large crater that hot springs were in was a large shack. Hunter could see towels lining a rack on the wall of the shack.

"Y'know what Spinax? I'm actually looking forward to this." Hunter couldn't help but smile, "between the tournament that decides my freedom, yet another crime organization, and swearing off possibly the coolest thing that's ever happened to me, I could use the chance to relax.

"You call sitting in hot water with half naked people relaxing. At least one of those guys have peed in there and you know it!" Hunter rolled his eyes and instead went with Todd to the shack.

"Showers first." Todd pointed towards the opposite wall, where stalls were lined up and shower heads were visible. Each of the two boys got into a stall and hung their clothes over the door.

"So in order to get hot water on us," Hunter called to Todd, "we have to get cold water on us?"

"I don't really get it either. But hey! It definently beats the average temperature." Todd was right. It was technically still warmer water that what was outside if the hot springs. Hunter let the cold water run through his hair as he closed his eyes.

"Alright. Let's go over what we know so far about my dreams."

"Righto coach."

"Most of the ones I had on vivosaur island included you in some way. There was another vivosaur there but I don't remember what they looked like. We were fighting this…giant shadowy mass."

"Sooooo….darkness incarnate?"

"No, there was something else. I remember…bones?"

"Sounds like a teenage dream to me."

"I'm serious Spinax. Maybe some kinda boneysaur? But the brigade isn't really big enough of a threat."

"Let's put a bookmark on that page for a bit." Spinax's medal turned in Hunter's holder, "what about the one in Rainbow canyon?"

"There was this guy. We were fighting on top of a dark pillar in a pitch black sky. They…threw stars at me."

"I've learned to just accept this stuff as it comes, what's next?"

"The stars exploded into white light. Kind of like the kinds of attacks dynal does in his vivosaur form."

"Did this guy say anything?"

"They mocked me, and threatened to kill me. It all felt so real…" Hunter ruffles his hair, sending droplets of water everywhere.

"Hey!" Todd shouted, "keep your liquids to yourself please!"

"Sorry," Hunter stared at the floor steadily.

"You, bones, people covered in shadows, what does it all mean?"

"It means we need a break," Spinax answered for him, "and it means you need to stop thinking about having another person with you in this shower."

"What are you-…sonuva." By the time he realized the joke, the image was already in his head.

"I hate you."

"Love you too pal." Hunter wrapped a towel around his waist and stepped out of the shower. Todd was already in the hot spring when he stepped outside.

"Oh man, you gotta try this Hunter." Only Todd's head was visible in the water, "I could stay here for the rest of the day."

"I thought that was the plan." Hunter swirled his finger in the water for a moment before easing his foot into it. He was about to vault the rest of him over the edge when he caught a faint whiff of something. Was that…grape?

"Get out of the water." Spinax grunted. Hunter pulled himself out just as the water changed from a clear blue to light purple. Multiple people tried to move through the purple water in confusion, but found they were stuck.

"What is this stuff?" Todd looked like he was struggling to free himself. Hunter tried to pull him out, but couldn't reach Todd's head.

"Wait a second." A loud slurping sound came from Todd's mouth, "this is jelly!"

"Why did you eat it?!" Hunter gagged.

"Just trying to make sure. It's jelly!"

"People still peed in it!" Todd's eyes widened before his face turned a shade of green to contrast with the purple.

"Hang tight Todd, I'll figure this out." Staff members were already at the hot springs by the time Hunter got his clothes back on.

"Well damn," Spinax commented, "we were this close to a bathhouse scene. This close!"

"Why do you care?"

"Every good adventure has a bathhouse scene."

"…You're on the internet way too much these days."

"You're off the internet way too much these days." Hunter didn't continue the argument and instead asked a staff member where the water in the hot springs comes from.

"Well, it's connected to an underwater pipe that leads al the way to a boiling pool in mt. Krakanak." The staff member knew Hunter was part of the patrol team, so he was given clearance to use the gondola in Mt. Krakanak to go into the volcano where the boiling pool is. Hunter jogged our of the dig site and made his way back to illum village.

"You think it's the brigade?"

"Probably, either that or someone that needs help." Hunter rounded the corner towards the helipad. He expected a regular blue helicopter, but the one on the helipad was a sleek purple with a large logo written in white letters Fossildig INC. near the helipad was Rupert talking to a man in a sleek white blazer with matching white pants. He wore glasses that shone brilliantly despite it being cloudy.

"Yes father." Was all Hunter could catch from the conversation. The y'all walked back towards the helipad and stopped for a moment.

"Rupert, I've noticed a significant dip in your battle records," he began, "it would do you well to return to absolute victory rather than a neutral victory, for the good of the company." With that, the man boarded the helicopter and left without a word. Hunter could see Rupert visible unclench his muscles.

"Wow," Rupert jumped at the sound of Hunter's voice, "real cold out here, eh?"

"Did you…hear any of that?" Was all Rupert could say.

"Hear any of what the guy in the suit said? The wind keeps howling in my ears." Hunter made a mock gesture of picking earwax out of his ear.

"You shouldn't lie, you aren't very good at it."

"Tell me about it. So, was that your dad?"

"Yes, he came to examine the park for future establishments once the company acquires it."

"Wait, I thought you would own the park if you won?"

"I will be turning ownership to Fossildig inc….for the good of the company." Rupert looked down for a moment, then shook his head.

"Please forget all of what I told you Hunter. I don't know why I even told you in the first place." Even if Rupert didn't know, Hunter did. Having someone to talk to is important.

"Did you just call me important?" Spinax chimed in.

"Don't get ahead of yourself. I'm more concerned about having to fight than anything." If he went soulflame again, then he would lose his mind….hang on a second.

"Rupert, there's something I need you're help with." Rupert's eyebrow shot up at that.

"Excuse me?"

"You're excused. Anyway, down at hot spring heights there's-"

"No, that is not what I meant. Why do you think I would help you?"

"Because you don't reek of corporate garbage?" Hunter shrugged, "honestly, I just need help and you where the closest person. I can't ask Todd cause he's trapped in jelly and pauleen is just-"

"Todd is…what?" Hunter took a moment to explain the situation to Rupert. He also made sure to stress the fact that the cup won't continue if this problem doesn't get solved.

"I see. Well then, if this impedes the cup, then I will assist."

"Thanks Rupert. I'll pay you back for this." To both Hunter's and Spinax's surprise, Rupert laughed.

"That would certainly be interesting to see."

"Oh come on, I bet there's something an extremely rich and powerful person with an iron grip over pretty much everything they do could want-" Hunter spent the helicopter ride to cranial island trying to guess things that Rupert didn't own. He decided not to use any of Spinax guesses as he was pretty sure Rupert did in fact own a dinosaur.

"You don't own dinosaurs kid." Spinax switch to his "deep" voice, "it's a relationship based on respect."

"Dear god you need someone else to talk to."

"We could always try and find Igno."

"NO, one of you is bad enough."

"Hunter?" He was snapped back to reality as Rupert shook his shoulder. The helicopter, instead of touching down on the helipad for cranial city, was instead at Mt. Krakanak. They were practically inside the volcano already. Hunter and Rupert keynotes off the helicopter and began to climb up the mountain. Thankfully, the creaky wooden bridge didn't give out and they were almost at the place where the two fought the brigade grunts. Along with the regular smell of ash, magma, and his own sweat, Hunter was able to catch whiffs of something sweet smelling.

"Hunter, I have a question for you." Rupert turned to look at him.

"Sure, what's up?"

"On the helicopter, the pilot called you a member of the 'patrol team', what is that?"

"He knows too much." Spinax suddenly sounded like he was wearing sunglasses, "I say we hide the body in the gorge." Hunter stuffed his medal in his back pocket before replying.

"Basically I'm part of a group that makes sure the cup continues, that usually entails fighting the bb brigade."

"I see." For a moment, it looked like Rupert was almost smiling. The two reached the top of the volcano and saw that a large mechanism was now on the rails by the gorge. Attached to the mechanism was a gondola.

"I hate these things," Hunter muttered as he dropped down into the wooden compartment. Rupert followed and they were now descending into the volcano at a much more steady pace than usual due to Rupert operating the controls.

"Y'know, if we were doing literally anything else," spinax added, "this would be so much cooler."

"Hey, going into an active volcano to fight criminals is pretty cool."

"Until you realize that the criminals are using the power of grape preserves to be a problem." He did have a point. If the brigade really wanted to stop the cup, then why go about in the least dangerous ways possible?

"Maybe those guys up there will answer the question," Spinax was referring to the three brigade grunts by a steaming pool of water. They were operating a machine that was spewing purple liquid into the water. At the fore head of the grunts was a larger guy with a massive green Mohawk. He wore spiky bangles and had a spiked white jacket with no undershirt. Everything about him screamed punk rock.

"Hahaha! Look at that pointy idiot. Imagine waking up, looking at a mirror, and going 'oh yeah, spikes everywhere are definently gonna help me look cool'" Either the heat was getting to him, or Spinax was just being Spinax.

"Hey kettle?"

"Yes?"

"Meet pot."

"We've met, trust me." Hunter rolled his eyes and stepped out of the gondola. He eyes the purple liquid with disgust.

"Liquid jello?" He said aloud, "cheapskates. Now I'm REALLY glad I didn't decide to jump in the water."

"I agree, this entire area reeks. Rupert covered his nose with his sleeve."

"Really? Grape isn't that bad."

"Not what I mean, this stench is overpowering."

"What is it?"

"Poverty." Rupert walked on, leaving Hunter with a look on his face that can't be described with pleasant words.

"On second thought, maybe jello hell would be better than this."

"Wait, I thought it was jelly?"

"Doesn't really matter, at least I didn't jump in it."

"Why does that matter though? Just stop mid-jump, wait for about ten seconds, and then turn the other direction."

"…Life doesn't work that way."

"It doesn't?"

"…I can't tell if you're joking and that is very concerning."

"C'mon, you're a man of adventure! Everything goes right for you all the time."

"Not in this adventure." Hunter jogged to catch up with Rupert. (Cross: extra credit to whoever gets that reference)

"Gahahar! Keep it up boys!" The punk laughed, which sounded remarkably like gravel being put through a wood chipper, "we'll be done by lunch at this rate!"

"But boss, you've already had two lunches."

"Less talking, more working!" He laughed again.

"Did I miss the joke?" Hunter cut in. The entire crowd turned to face him, "cause if I did, it probably wasn't funny."

"Must you start every confrontation with the enemy with an attempt at humor?" Rupert sighed and brandished a Dino medal.

"Gahahar! Well look what we have here! Two kids who think they can play hero!"

"Look what we have here! A bottom feeder who thinks he can play tough guy!" Hunter shot back. Rupert sighed again.

"I betcha you think you'll earn some cred for takin me down, eh?" The grunts has now stopped working to back up the punk.

"Not really, this is kinda my job and Rupert's already famous."

"Uh, boss?" One of the grunts chimed in, "isn't there a master fighter named Rupert?"

"You think you can scare me?!" The punk flexed aggressively, "nobody scares Lester! Now it's time to break some bones!"

"Careful, you might cut yourself on that edge of yours." Hunter's hand flew to his holder.

"Rupert, I'll take…lector, was it? You handle the other three."

"Only if you promise to stop the banter."

"I can promise to try."

"I can promise to not try." Spinax added. Thankfully, Rupert can't hear Spinax.

"B-Tricera! B-Brachio! B-Rex!"

"Aeros! Tricera! Guan!" Hunter threw out his own vivosaurs to counter Lester's boneysaurs. Spinax didn't object to not getting to fight. They both knew better.

"Boney stomp!" Brachio reared up and slammed its feet down, send a shockwave towards Hunter's entire team.

"Wind blast!" Aeros let out a piercing roar, sending a current of wind to cancel out the shock wave. Tricera used the distraction to charge at Rex, but Lester's tricera intercepted the attack and the two locked horns, each attempting to push the other into the boiling pit. Meanwhile, Aeros fired a cyclone at brachio, hitting it square in the side. Brachio responded by whipping its tail around wildly, striking both Aeros and Guan. Guan tried to avoid conflict so it could transfer its attack boost to Aeros. Of course, being chased by Rex makes it hard to focus.

"Aeros Special!" Aeros launched it self slightly into the air and crashed itself into Rex. It quickly righted itself and flowed with red energy as guan finished its attack boost. Just as Rex could right itself, Aeros fired a blast of green energy and sent it hurtling backwards again.

"Boney terror!" Lester's tricera's head began shaking back and forth and it forced tricera away. Suddenly, the small boneysaur reared up and roared. Lightning came crashing down in lines extending from tricera. Guan was able to avoid being struck, but Aeros and Tricera shook violently as they were electrocuted.

"Retaliate! Tri-torpedo!" Tricera attempted to fight back, but was stuck in place as small sparks of electricity lined its back."

"What kind of water vivosaur has a lightning attack?"

"The kind that's gonna bury your ass!"

"So you're going to bury me…with lightning…from a water…skeleton."

"Exactly! Boney tsunami!" Brachio Spinax rapidly as it moved towards tricera, striking it multiple times before the attack ended. Aeros attempting to rush over to assist, but was also left paralyzed after a few steps. Rex took the opportunity by biting down on Aeros with its fangs.

"So the electricity kind of works like the fear effect." Hunter said to himself, "I can't use attacks that require a lot of movement."

"Oh my god that is ABSOLUTELYTERRIFYING!" Spinax shrieked one Hunter's ear.

"Don't you start that." Hunter eyed B-tricera as it rushed at guan.

"Enflame! Then cyclonic breath!" Tricera was briefly surrounded by fire before it shifted to Aeros, who then was able to fire a green laser at B-tricera. The boneysaur was sent careening away from guan, who was able to sneak to behind Brachio and land a bite on its tail.

"Show that runt a real bite, scare tactics!" Rex reared up behind guan and delivered a series of bites and body blows. Thankfully, guan was able to hang on.

"Tri-torpedo in place!" Tricera didn't move, but blue water energy still whirled around it, dissipating the crackling electricity. Tricera didn't need the order to go ahead and execute the attack while moving. It raced towards Tax and drilled into the boneysaur, grazing Brachio along the way as well. Aeros saw what Tricera did and generates its own Felix over energy with a wind blast, knocking back the advancing B-Tricera and ridding itself of the paralysis.

"Boney Terror again!" Tricera reared up again, ready to call more lightning down.

"No you don't! Running smash!" Hunter's Tricera flung itself into Lester's, sending the smaller boneysaur sliding across the ground. Clearly, it would fade back into a medal any moment now.

"That was more of a proto than a Tricera, eh Lester?" Hunter smirked.

"No banter!" Rupert called from the other side of the crater. He was fighting three B-lambeos with a single massive vivosaur. It was a darker color, similar to Spinax. Unlike Spinax though, it was leaner with larger arms and had dark blue veins running across its body. Just seeing the creature gave Hunter a sense of awe, like seeing a king.

"Hey!" Spinax snapped him back to the fight at hand, "getcha head in the game coach!" Rex was now Locked into battle with Aeros, exchanging tail whips and bites while circling each other. Tricera was staving off Brachio from firing shockwaves by stabbing at it whenever it lifted its feet. Guan was spitting flames at Brachio whenever it tried to lash its tail out.

"Boney tsunami!" Brachio began to spin rapidly. Guan ducked under the swing tail and neck, but Tricera was struck twice and sent careening backwards. One more hit, and Tricera would definently return to a medal. Hunter gritted his teeth.

"Sorry buddy. Aeros! Law of the jungle!" Aeros body-checked Rex away long enough to let out a roar. Green sparks of energy appeared around both it and Tricera. Tricera closed its eyes as it shone a brilliant white light and its medal reappeared in Hunter's holder. However, instead of fading, the light went over to Aeros and was absorbed by the theropod, increasing its health.

"Damn, that move is cool." Spinax commented.

"Cyclonic breath!" Aeros, rejuvenated by murder, fired a green laser at Brachio just as it was about to bring down its feet on guan.

"Boney Crash!" Brachio turned its attention to Aeros and began to glow slightly. The ground began to shake violently as Brachio swung its neck around. Multiple shockwaves pulsed outwards from Brachio towards Aeros. Guan launched it self over the smaller shockwaves directed towards it and landed on Brachio's back. Aeros however, wasn't as lucky and took the full force of the attack. Turns out murder didn't mean a whole lot as Aeros faded back to a medal right there.

"Looks like you couldn't play hero kid!" Lester laughed his gravely laugh again.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that."

"What? You gonna beat me with guan? That'd be a first."

"No, it really wouldn't. Great Unmasking!" Guan enveloped itself in a spiral of fire. The volcano itself shook, as if threatening to erupt. In Guan's place was the king of Dinosaurs. T-Rex let out a powerful roar before crushing the Brachio underfoot. The massive weight turned the boneysaur back into a pile of bones as it faded away.

"Eh. Good presentation, but could've been executed with more pizazz." Spinax commented, "6 out of 10."

"You're just mad I finally have a t-Rex…technically." Hunter turned to Lester, expecting either a "I'll get you for this!" Or a "this isn't over!". Instead, he got a smug grin that left him confused.

"Gahahar! Look at this guy! He thinks he won!" Lester gestured to an imaginary crowd. "Looks like now it's time for a little secret." Lester threw a small object at t-Rex. In a blinding flash of light. B-Tricera was back and struck T-Rex in the side.

"Hey! That's cheating!"

"Duh! That's why it's gonna help me win!" Hunter was getting really sick of Lester's laugh.

"I retrieved Tricera instead of having it fade away. It may not have a lot of health left, but I can still use this! Polymorph!" (Cross: the original move is called Boney morph, but polymorph sounds better).

Tricera's entire body was surrounded by a beam of light shooting upwards. Hunter could only see the boneysaur's shadow against the blinding rays.

"Tyrant's breath!" T-Rex let out a powerful jet of fire, scorching the ground underneath it. However, the light deflected the flames and sent them blasting against the rock wall to the side.

"Did you really think it would be that easy?"

"What the hell even is polymorph?"

"I'm glad you asked! B-Tricera can now morph into a random boneysaur! Including the ultimate boneysaur!"

"Ultimate…what?" Hunter watched in awe as the shadow of Tricera changed shape rapidly. First a b-Rex, then a b-lambeo. Next, the shadow enlarged to show a b-Brachio, then shrunk to show a small flying creature. Hunter even swore he saw Salada at one point. And then…

"Revival machine Christ!" Spinax yelled. The shadow had become massive, covering the entire area. Hunter could make out a long and thick tail, a crocodile like head with many teeth, and…wings?"

"You should've stuck to playing punk!" Lester shouted, "cause now you're-…oh, come on!" The light had faded. Instead of Tricera, there was a lambeo. T-Rex grinned maliciously.

"Tyrant's breath!" This time, there was nothing to save trice-er, lambeo. It went up in smoke.

"Ack! Don't think I'll forget this kid!" Lester didn't sound threatening while he ran away with the other grunts, "I'll get you for this!"

"Ah, that's more like it," Hunter waved as they ran, "tell Cole I said his jeans were out of style!" He smiled, but it didn't last long. He recalled his t-Rex and watched as Rupert's vivosaur easily destroyed the large machine in the water. He could never give up fossil battling even if he tried. It was too much of a part of him and brought so much joy to his life. But, he was barely able to scrape by with B-team vivosaurs against someone like Lester. If polymorph had worked, he would've been done for.

"Aw, cheer up coach!" Spinax cheered, "victory drinks are on me tonight!" He joked, but Spinax knew what was up too. If Hunter was backed into a corner and forced to use Spinax to have a chance to win, what would stop him from going soulflame and acting all dark again?

"I just…don't know what to do," he said aloud. Rupert was already back at the gondola and beckoning to him.

"I think you do." Spinax replied, "you have a promise to keep." Hunter's eyes slightly widened with realization. He did promise something. He promised Lila he would get help.

He needed to see Duna.

Done! Man, that fight was a lot of fun to make!

Hunter: what was all that about the ultimate boneysaur by the way?

Don't worry about it.

Hunter: why would you say that. I'm instantly more worried about it now.

That's the idea. Anyway, thanks to those of you who sent me messages on what you wanted for the 10000 view celebration. I've got a good chapter in store soon!

Spinax: sounds absolutely dreadful

Thank you. Actually, let's bring back an old tradition for this chapter. Question of the day! Do you guys like the Spinax only fights? Or are bigger three on threes more fun? Thanks for reading! Leave a review if you feel like it!