A/N: Sorry it took long, but another chapter is finally ready. And this time, there'd be certain details added in this chapter that may later be of great importance in future chapters of this story. Enjoy. :)
Tom & Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers
Chapter 6: The Guardian of the Treasure
Sometime later, the trio walked across a log and came upon a sort of waterfall, which was small and happened to be on the trodden path.
"A waterfall? There? Well, according to the map, it looks like we're getting close.", Robyn spoke before Tom stepped into the waterfall and swallowed enough water to make him roly poly, although still able to walk just fine.
"Well, guess I better jump through it.", Robyn decided before jumping through the waterfall to catch up.
Much later, the trio walked forward up until Robyn saw the volcano nearby.
"Guys, look! We're getting close to the treasure. If we're careful, it's as good as ours. And Captain Ron's, too.", Robyn spoke, pointing to the volcano, before she led Tom and Jerry toward the volcano where the trio climbed up the mountain, not knowing that Captain Ron, Barnacle Paul, and their own men were down below.
"This be where the X on the map be located.", Ron spoke.
"Blast, I always meant to search here. Does it count if I meant to search here?", Paul asked.
"Uh, no!", Ron shouted in response.
Then, Barnacle Paul noticed the trio climbing up the volcano and alerted Ron.
"Avast, me brother. 'Tis the animal scalawags.", Barnacle Paul shouted before Ron noticed them.
"Don't worry, Captain Ron! The treasure of the Spanish Mane's as good as yours!", Robyn assured with a shout before the earth suddenly quaked with Robyn noticing the reason for said quake: a rock slide!
"Oh, no. A rock slide! Everyone take cover!", Robyn shouted before she, Tom, and Jerry did so, avoiding the rolling boulders.
However, neither Ron's men nor Paul's monkeys were lucky as they got pushed back by each boulder.
"Argh, a split! That be a difficult shot to make.", Paul commented.
"Everyone okay up here?", Robyn asked a quake erupted again.
"Not again!", Robyn shouted, shaken by the 2nd quake, which this time caused a crack to appear on the volcano with Tom in-between the apparent two sides of the volcano on all fours before Robyn saw lava erupting from inside the crack, albeit at a moderate pace.
"Uh, maybe we should get out of here.", Robyn advised before grabbing Tom and moving him out of the way just in time for the lava to erupt and flood down the volcano with Robyn noticing where it's headed.
"Oh, no. Captain Ron! Lava incoming!", Robyn shouted.
"Run for it!", Stan shouted before Ron and Paul ran from the lava.
"Oh, I hope they'll be okay.", Robyn groaned in worry before the volcano suddenly erupted, smoke bursting from the hole as it was an active volcano.
"Of course. It had to erupt. Jerry, do you know if there's a safe spot we could hide in?", Robyn asked before Jerry then looked around and saw it with a grin and pointed to it.
"You found it? Great work, Jerry. Let's go, guys.", Robyn spoke while grabbing Tom with her before the trio managed to hide inside the cave just in time for the smoke to cover the way out.
"That was close. Hopefully, the smoke will clear up soon, and when it does, we can get out there and continue looking from there.", Robyn spoke before the trio looked ahead to see a dark crevice with Jerry pointing the way forward.
"Well, I guess we don't have any other choice for a while.", Robyn responded before she, Tom, and Jerry walked forward and went into another area only for the hole there to be blocked up by falling boulders.
"So much for a way out.", Robyn spoke before she, Tom, and Jerry turned and noticed something even more alarming: an outpour of lava from the other side as it burnt through the rocks, causing the trio to scream before running form it only to stop near the blocked tunnel and try to push the rocks away with the lava creeping near them.
"There has to be a way out.", Robyn spoke before Tom then got on all fours and looked back at the lava before screaming and then started digging faster, puzzling Jerry, who then turned to Robyn.
"I don't think we have a choice.", Robyn spoke before she and Jerry jumped in through the hole with the lava not far behind as the trio hurriedly dug as fast as they could underground.
From there, it was only a matter of time before the trio managed to dig a hole through the volcano and managed to escape the lava before it could even touch them.
Meanwhile, Ron and Paul, both of which managed to escape the lava with each of their crew, reconvened the other side.
"Well, that was close... ...but now that we all be back together, let's try and stay togeth...", Paul began just before the lava descended upon them again, forcing both of them to flee in terror from the lava.
Back at the volcano, the trio panted in exhaustion.
"Phew. That was close.", Robyn sighed before overhearing a sort of flush.
"Huh? What's going on?", Robyn puzzled before she, Tom, and Jerry climbed up the volcano and saw that the lava was being drained, revealing an X at the bottom of it.
"Wait a second. X marks the spot, but it was inside a volcano this whole time! No wonder Paul couldn't find it.", Robyn spoke before a familiar evil laugh sounded, worrying Robyn while Tom and Jerry grew puzzled.
"Indeed, it was…", the voice spoke.
"Okay, guys. We may be getting treasure down there but be on your guard. You'll never know what could happen down there.", Robyn warned as she slid down to the bottom of the volcano first with the cat and mouse following her.
When the trio got down Tom got to the big X first before a laughter sounded with Tom banging on it while taking a step forward, inadvertently pressing a tile down, which caused an apparent panel on the wall to open up to show the skull from the map as it laughed.
"You. You're that skull from the map.", Robyn gasped.
"Greetings, fortune hunters. I am the spirit of Don Diego Clippershears. You survived the curse of my map and have come seeking the burial place of the treasure of the Spanish Mane.", Diego spoke.
"So, what if we did?", Robyn asked.
"Unfortunately, that makes you thieves, and all thieves must first get by my security system.", the skull responded before laughing as Tom and Jerry gulped nervously before rocks started to go toward one another and form a sort of being.
"You do not get to be the most famous wigmaker in Spain without knowing a little magic.", the skull spoke.
"Wait. You're a wigmaker from Spain… and you know magic?", Robyn puzzled.
"Of course. How else could someone make all those old guys want to wear long, curly hair? It looks ridiculous.", Diego responded before the rocks formed a giant rooster.
"Behold, the guardian of the treasure of the Spanish Mane!", Diego shouted before the rooster gave a loud, screeching squawk.
"What? A giant rooster, too?", Robyn asked.
"Eh… Well, it was the only thing we had on the ship to model it after.", Diego stated.
"Why does that sound familiar?", Robyn puzzled.
Unfortunately, she didn't have time to think of an answer as it gave another loud squawk and was about to attack, although she, along with the cat and mouse, did have enough time to get out of the way.
"Whew. That was too close.", Robyn sighed.
"You did not think I would just give you the treasure, did you?", Diego asked.
"Honestly, no. I thought we had to face some kind of danger like that before we could get it. And I'm right so far.", Robyn responded before the giant rooster pecked, and missed, again.
"Farewell, fools.", Diego spoke as Robyn, Tom, and Jerry hid behind a rock.
"Something has got to be done about big bird over there.", Robyn spoke just before the rooster then pecked against the rock behind them, breaking it.
"And fast!", Robyn shouted before the trio ran from the rooster as it chased them, but not before giving another squawk with a flap of his wings.
They ran and ran until Tom was stopped by a precarious branch from a tree, prompting Robyn to turn to notice him.
"Tom!", Robyn shouted before grabbing him by the tail and dragging him with the rooster following them as it broke the branch with a stomp.
"Okay. Any ideas on how to stop it?", Robyn asked.
Then, Jerry noticed a nearby tree with a slight hole underneath the root small enough for any tail to fit through before Robyn realized what Jerry might be going for.
"Wait a minute. This isn't one of your shenanigans, is it?", Robyn asked before then noticing the rooster who looked up just in time to see Tom, whose tail was tied to one of the tree's roots and squawked as it ran toward Tom, who screamed only to notice that his tail was stuck to the root before the cat turned to Jerry, who gave his usual mischievous wave.
"Whatever you have in mind, Jerry, this better work.", Robyn spoke before the giant rooster stopped moving and towered above Tom, who covered his eyes as it prepared to peck him, not knowing that Jerry was untying Tom's tail from the root before pulling him away just in time for the rooster to peck at the tree instead, causing it to fall on top of it with the giant rooster crushed.
"Huh. That was actually a good plan.", Robyn spoke as she understood what Jerry's plan was seeing the way it panned out with Tom uncovering his eyes to see what happened to the giant rooster and turned to Jerry before grabbing him.
"Tom, no. Jerry only did that so that the rooster would be baited and set itself up for…you know, that.", Robyn assured before Jerry gave a thumbs-up and Tom lightened up his glare, which turned into a grin as he patted Jerry on the head.
"There. That's better. But there are some things that are still bothering me. I mean, the skull of a wigmaker who knows magic, a giant rooster modeled after something from the ship? Neither of those make any sense. Unless…", Robyn spoke as she was about to come to a realization before a rumbling sound was heard, prompting her and the others to turn to see a sort of bouncing boulder as it rolled and bounced around before rolling forward, bouncing back and then bouncing forward again.
"Wait. Could it be…? Everyone after that bouncing rock!", Robyn shouted before she, Tom and Jerry then headed out after it.
A/N: Looks like those details are starting to settle in, huh? Well, one thing's for sure: another surprise is very well on its way, whether it's to be expected or not. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a certain rewrite to work on to go along with a new fanfic story coming either today or later this week and it isn't the ones already posted so far. It's all I can say. Until next time. :)