A/N: And here, we have another chapter for the story. Now, this is where the secret gets out one way or another, and trust me, it'll be very surprising. :)
Tom and Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers
Chapter 7: The Great Treasure Hunt
Tom, Jerry, and Robyn were chasing after the bouncing boulder down the stairs before they were then led back to the bottom of the volcano.
"Looks like we're back here.", Robyn spoke before Jerry decided to lift the boulder up and climb the stairs, although it wasn't without difficulty with Jerry then glaring towards Tom, who only snapped his fingers and urged him to keep going, much to Robyn's chagrin.
"Tom! You can't just order him around like that.", Robyn scolded before lifting the boulder off Jerry to carry it herself.
"Here. How about I hold this for you?", Robyn assured to jerry before going up the stairs with the cat and mouse following her before the same panel with Diego, or rather his skull, inside opened up.
"So, you defeated my guardian? Well, good for you. But I bet you did not bring back... the key.", Diego spoke.
"Key?", Robyn puzzled, looking toward the boulder before she realized what he meant.
"Actually, we kinda did. But it actually led us back down here.", Robyn responded.
"Huh. So, it has. Well, either way, congratulations.", Diego spoke before another panel opened up on the other side of the door, this time resembling a pan as it tilted 90 degrees.
"This is the lock to the door. You may only enter if you can figure out the puzzle of how the key opens it. And you'll have to be very crafty indeed, because it won't be...", Diego began before Robyn figured out how it would work before cracking the boulder, which turned out to be an egg as a couple of yolks came out onto the pan-like lock.
"Okay, yes, I suppose that was a little obvious. You have defeated my guardian and unlocked the door. Fabulous riches await you within. Riches beyond your wildest dreams.", Diego spoke as the pan lifted up by 45 degrees and the door leading downstairs opened up, practically exciting Tom enough to try and charge in only for Robyn to stop him.
"Tom, wait. Sure, the treasure is down there, but what if there are traps down there, guarding it, too? If we're going to get it, we have to be smart about this.", Robyn warned as Jerry nodded before pointing to Tom and to himself and Robyn as well as offering him his hand, suggesting that they work together, before Tom did indeed take his hand only for the cat to fling him away and go downstairs posthaste.
"Jerry!", Robyn shouted before she hurried over and then managed to catch Jerry before he could land on the ground.
"Are you okay?", Robyn asked as Jerry recovered and nodded.
"I guess he is in too much of a hurry to hear about the horrible traps that protect the treasure inside!", Diego spoke.
"Traps?!", Robyn exclaimed.
"Oh. Did I forget to mention those? Well, I do not have a brain, so it's tough to remember things.", Diego responded with a slight chuckle.
"We better get down there and make sure he's okay.", Robyn urged before she and Jerry went down the stairs but not before stopping for a moment near the entrance and working up the courage to do so only to nearly get crushed by a pillar from above before it raised up, revealing a flattened Tom below.
"Well, that's what you get for being hasty like that.", Robyn spoke as a panel in front of a stair by its side, opened with Diego piping in.
"That is right. The old 'trapped, smashing stair... ...that smashes down on you from the ceiling' trick. You may as well turn back because the rest of the stairs are all trapped and there's no way anybody could possibly...", Diego began.
"You know, you're right. There is no way anyone can make it through. At least not without help.", Robyn smirked before she picked Diego up and held him high.
"Jerry, grab Tom and follow my lead.", Robyn spoke.
"Hey, what are you doing?", Diego asked before a pillar landed on Diego, bonking him a little, at best before going back up as Jerry then grabbed Tom and dragged him along by the tail as Robyn guarded against each pillar, using Diego as a shield until she and the others finally made it to the bottom with Tom sighing in relief only to get flattened by a sudden pillar.
"Sorry. But you were the only thing hard enough that can withstand them. Are you okay?", Robyn asked.
"I am fine. Thanks for asking.", Diego responded as he was then set down with the trio moving forward, especially past a spider with Robyn shuddering in fear a bit before the spider shrugged with Diego's laughter heard as they approached the board before a panel on the wall opened to reveal Diego.
"Welcome to the Mind Your Memory game.", Diego greeted.
"A memory game?", Robyn asked.
"That's right, and I am going to show you an ancient cryptic rune and you are going to have to memorize it.", Diego spoke as it then showed a rune next to him.
"Oh, did you catch that? I hope so. Because now, you have to find it again amongst all these. Whichever rune you choose, a door will open to let you out. But if you choose the wrong rune, that lightning rod up there will zap you but good.", Diego added as the rune was covered again and it then showed the whole board of runes, along with a lightning rod up on the ceiling.
"No pressure.", Diego added.
"Yeah. No pressure…", Robyn spoke somewhat nervously.
"And… go!", Diego spoke before looking around for a certain rune on the board.
"We have officially started. Choose a rune.", Diego spoke.
Robyn then cautiously looked around for the rune in question before finding it in the middle of the board.
"Found it.", Robyn grinned.
"You did? Oh, you did! Well, I said a door would open after you chose and technically, despite how quickly you did it, you did choose. So, I guess I cannot make a liar out of myself now.", Diego spoke before the wall opened up.
"Yes. Come on, guys.", Robyn spoke before she led the cat and mouse inside the room and spotted a gold coin.
"Huh? What's a gold coin doing…?", Robyn began just before noticing several more coins as well as a few gems leading to the big jackpot itself: the Treasure of the Spanish mane.
"Wow…! The treasure of the Spanish Mane…! It's so beautiful.", Robyn grinned before Diego spoke up as he appeared from an apparent latch on top of a fake spike.
"Yes, it is true. All of my fabulous wealth is now yours for the taking. So, go ahead, take it.", Diego spoke, giving her a sense of suspicion with the cat and mouse feeling the same way.
"Go on. What are you waiting for? Take it. It is yours.", Diego assured.
"Wait a minute. Isn't there some kind of catch down there?", Robyn asked.
"What? You think there is a catch?", Diego asked.
"Uh,, yeah. Of course I do.", Robyn responded.
"Well, you are right. There is a catch.", Diego responded, confirming the trio's suspicions as an octopus from before rose up and roared loudly, making both Tom and Jerry scream in fear before ducking from one of its tentacles.
"Wait. That's the octopus from when Captain Ron's ship was attacked.", Robyn realized, making the octopus remember the cat and mouse that were involved when a barrel landed on its head and then the boat next, not that Diego noticed.
"Oh, so you are familiar with this one, eh? Well, if you can get past this, the treasure of the Spanish Mane is all yours. Fortunately for me, you will not. That is, of course, unless you happen to be a sort of magical being who can shapeshift into a mermaid or something.", Diego responded.
"What…?", Robyn puzzled just before the octopus screamed in fright, causing the spikes form above to break off and fall toward the octopus, which then retreated back into the water before the spikes could hit him in the head.
"Oh, no. It's in trouble!", Robyn spoke before she then ran into the water and dove in, puzzling Tom and Jerry.
"That's it? That is the big climax to the fabulous treasure hunt? That is just great. Fantastic.", Diego spoke sarcastically before a bright glow emerged from underwater, astonishing Tom and Jerry, Diego especially.
"No. It couldn't be…", Diego spoke in surprise before the glow dimmed and the octopus emerged again from the water, but this time, cuddling Robyn in mermaid form.
"Okay, okay! I'm getting kinda squashed here.", Robyn grinned before the octopus then set her down on the treasure and happily went back down before Tom and Jerry rushed over to Robyn.
"Hey, guys.", Robyn grinned.
"Well, well, well. You really are a magical mermaid after all.", Diego spoke.
"Yeah. Guess I do…, Grandpa.", Robyn smirked, making Diego gasp in shock.
"How did you know?", Diego asked.
"Well, it was kinda in the trials you gave us. Even that memory game. It reminded me of the time when Mom and I used to play something like this. But what really gave it away was at the last trial when we were 'supposed' to fight the octopus. So, that means this whole thing was set up so that when you pass away one day, you'd find a successful descendant who could receive a fortune like that, but weren't exactly in a hurry and it was a test to see if I qualify.", Robyn responded.
"So, you figured it all out, eh? Well, I should've expected as much. I mean, you did have your mother's cerulean eyes to go along with a knack for intelligence.", Diego grinned.
"Oh, stop. You're making me blush.", Robyn grinned.
"Anyway, you've passed the test. So, congratulations and all that.", Diego spoke as Tom and Jerry reveled in the Treasure of the Spanish Mane before Tom then close the little chest that Jerry was laying in and placed it on top of the big chest and closed it as well before carrying it.
"Thanks, Diego. So, do you know the way out?", Robyn asked.
"You can take the emergency exit. It's right over there.", Diego responded before sighing as Tom noticed said emergency exit and then cautiously made his way out so as to not fall into the water with Robyn noticing.
"What's wrong, Grandpa?", Robyn asked.
"Well, as proud as I am to have found a worthy successor for our family name, I can't help but feel… empty. But I guess I do not need a hoard of cash. It is not like I go out much. I am a skull, for crying out loud.", Diego spoke before sinking into the water and touching down into the sand.
"Grandpa…", Robyn spoke before noticing some spare dubloons and picked them up as she grinned before diving back down underwater.
"Huh? You'd really give those back to me?", Diego puzzled.
"Yeah. If only to help you get back on your… Well, you know. See you soon, Grandpa.", Robyn responded as she then took off while swimming upwards before catching up to Tom and morphing back to human form with her first mate clothes back on.
"Miss me?", Robyn grinned.
Meanwhile, Diego was quite touched by her generosity.
"Well, how about that? Firm and headstrong, but compassionate and generous all the same. Eh, maybe this is the year I finally turn the place into a bed-and-breakfast.", Diego spoke.
A/N: Bet you didn't see that coming, huh? Robyn being the actual granddaughter of the legendary Don Diego Clippershears is just about as surprising as it could get. :) And the final chapter is just around the corner, too. And now, to work on the next chapter of Robyn's Big Adventure along then the first chapter of an "Invader Zim" rewrite (as requested by Misaki Ayuzawa234) (if anyone's interested). :)