"So what is this crystal thing again?" T.J asked. "Some gem that can bring people back from the dead."
"Not exactly. Nicholas said that the crystal can revive dead bodies but it can't bring back the souls leaving the bodies to be inhabited by demons and come back as monsters." Manny said.
"I wonder why this wasn't in my book."
"According to Nicholas it's a family secret."
"Well we've searched everywhere and so far we've found no sign of the crystal or Kane. Maybe it would help if we knew more about it."
"And how are we supposed to find out about it?"
"Perhaps I can be of assistance."
"Who said that?" T.J asked.
"Over here." It was Davi. "Hello everyone, you remember me?"
"Yes your Nicholas's annoying little follower."
"I am not annoying! Anyway Nicholas sent me here to assist you."
"Thanks but I don't think we need your help." Manny said.
"Believe me you might on this case. Now are you aware of the annual flying ship race?"
"The flying what race?"
"The flying ship race."
"A flying ship? What, is that like an airplane or something?"
"No it's a literalship that can fly with the mere assistance of just a steam engiene and a hot air balloon. "
"Oh I know about that." T.J said. "Every year one of those crazy peddlers try make money by stealing powerful and/or valuable items from demons or supernatural humans and use them as prizes for the flying ship race."
"Exactly and this year's prize is a journal containg the notes of Dr. Chipotle Jr." Davi said.
"Who's he?" T.J said.
"Don't you remember? He's the kid who tried to force you to eat guacamole that would turn you into a zombie."
"Oh yeah, what happened to that little pyscho anyway?"
"He's now working with Kane to do research on the crystal and despite his insanity he's very smart. Anyway one of those peddlers managed to swipe his journal which no doubt contains information on the dark crystal. With that journal we could know what we're up against. So we enter the race and win."
"Mind if I point out a problem?" Manny asked. "We don't know how to drive one."
"You don't know how to drive but I do. You honestly don't think Nicholas only kept me around just to sing his praises? He keeps me around because I happen to be an expert scholar, inventor, scientist, pilot, and mechanic. I'll be able to drive a ship and make sure it wins."
"Well I guess that's one problem down but where are we supposed to get a ship?" T.J asked. "The race is in three days and that's not enough time to build one from scratch."
"Don't worry I can handle that part easy." Manny said.
"You're gonna steal one aren't you?"
"You got a better idea?"
"We could always buy one."
"And how much money do you have again?"
"Good point. Alright so we have a plan, I'll go tell the girls."
"Hey speaking of girls have you noticed that Frida has been a little depressed since she got back?"
"Now that you mentioned it yeah. As she said anything to you?"
"No that's the thing she won't even talk to me."
"Did you do something?"
"No...I don't think so because she's not mad just upset. Then again maybe I did something."
"Well she hasn't been talking to me or Andrea either so it's probably not you. Maybe something happened with her folks."
"Whatever it is I hope she's alright. I don't like it when she's sad."
"You're falling for her aren't you?"
"No! Of course not! Just because I care doesn't mean I'm 'falling for her' okay? Geez why does everybody think that?"
T.J went to inform Andrea and Frida of the plan to which they were on board with but Frida was indeed very upset. She was upset about what happened with Zoe. She still couldn't believe Zoe saved her life and possibly died. How was she supposed to tell Manny everything that had happened? She knew he didn't love her but he cared deeply for her and no doubt he would be devasted when he found out. She had to wait for the right moment to tell him.
The next day plenty of stores were selling flying ships for the race and clerks were up to their ears in trying to satisfy crowds of paying customers, making it very easy for Manny to slip in and steal one without being seen.
"Whoa that's a pretty impressive ship Manny." Andrea said.
"What can I say? I'm a master thief so you're gonna pilot this thing right Davi?"
"Yes after I make some adjustments to it."
"What kind?"
"Well I have a whole blueprint, just leave everything to me."
"And you'll get it done on time?"
"Of course."
"I don't know if we should trust him." Manny said. "Remember he works for my cousin."
"True but he is smart and we don't know anything about ships so we should give him a chance." Frida said. "What have we got to lose?"
"I thought you didn't like him." Manny said.
"Well he is annoying but he does seem like he wants to help."
"Still I'm not sure."
"Oh please let me help!" Davi begged. "While did I come under orders of Nicholas I was just supposed to inform you of the race. The truth is I only want to help you because I'm lonely! I don't have any friends! All I have is my work! You don't know what it's like to be a loser who has no friends or life! You're all good looking and fun and have powers! Please let me help you!"
The four of them looked at Davi as he begged and gravelled. They actually felt sorry for him. True he was a nuisance but then again when you're working with someone like Nicholas who was always so serious and somewhat antisocial they couldn't really blame him for doing this.
"Take it easy Davi." Frida said. "We didn't know you had it so rough, we'll let you help right guys?"
"Oh yeah sure." T.J said.
"Why not?" Andrea said.
"I guess." Manny said.
"Really? Oh you guys are so nice! I'm sorry for always insulting you behind your back! I'm sorry for calling Manny a useless halfbreed!"
"Hey!" Manny cried.
"And calling Andrea a smelly she man!"
"Hey!" Andrea screamed.
"And calling T.J a lecherous fake shaman!"
"Hey!" T.J shouted.
"I'm not useless!" Manny argued.
"I am not a man you idiot!" Andrea stated.
"I won't argue with being a leacher but how dare you call me a fake!" T.J objected.
"What was that?!" Andrea seethed.
"Nothing."
"I only said those things to please Nicholas!" Davi said. "But I didn't mean them."
"Hey wait a minute how come you never said anything about Frida?" Manny asked.
"Because I think she's pretty and nice."
Frida blushed while feeling a little creeper out.
"Um...Thanks I guess."
"Alright even though you have insulted us and creeped out Frida. We'll let you help and maybe hang out with you." Manny said. "But you better have that ship ready and you better know how to drive it."
"Don't worry I know exactly what I'm doing."
"Well just to make sure I'm gonna work with you. I've picked up some things on machinery when working with Tonio."
"Great I could use an assistant."
The two spent the rest of the day and the day after working on the ship, taking only a few short breaks. The only time they rested was when they need sleep or had to use the toilet. They didn't eat much but they still drank water.
"Hey I thought you boys could use a snack." Frida said bringing them a tray sandwiches.
"Thanks Frida." Manny said.
"Wow did you make these yourself?" Davi said. "You really are an angel in the flesh. Marry me!"
KICK!
"Ow!" Davi scoffed when Manny slammed his foot on top of his head after he went in for a hug.
"Hands off shorty, she's not avaliable!"
"I was only kidding! Don't worry I know she's your princess. I'll gladly leave you to serve her."
"What?! She is not! Shut up! Eat your sandwich and get back to work."
"Hmm...I don't get why you have friends, you're mean."
Davi at his sandwich then went back to working on the ship.
"Creep." Manny said.
"Yeah but he's got a point, you are kind of mean."
"Hey I'm not supposed to be nice okay? Anyway why are you being so nice to him? You don't like him do you?"
"As if I just feel sorry for him. You know he doesn't have any friends."
"Still it's his own fault for being such a creep and weirdo."
"You know some people are the way are because they don't have any friends or family or love! And sometimes it's not their fault! Maybe if someone actually gave them some love and compassion they wouldn't be so bad!"
"Whoa where's this coming from?"
"It's...It's Nothing. Forget I mentioned it."
"Hey what's the matter with you? You've been acting strange you got back. Did something happen at home? With your family?"
"I don't wanna talk about it. Not right now at least."
"Okay we'll talk about it later."
On the day of the race Davi wasn't completely finished yet so the four had to wait anxiously at the start of the race while debating on weather or not they should have considered trusting Davi.
"Ugh! Davi you imbecile!" Manny groaned.
"The damned fool! I already knew he was absent minded but this is beyond my expectations." T.J said.
"He better pull through or it's wedgie time for him!"
"Ask and you shall receive amigos!" Davi said as he came in driving the ship. "So what do you think?"
"Whoa cool!" Frida said.
"I gotta admit you did a pretty good job." Manny said. "But what took you do long?"
"I had to add a few last minute adjustments. Now I've already planned out what you all will be doing on this ship. T.J and Manny you'll monitor the engine, Andrea you're on defences, and Frida you'll navigate. Now we better hurry the race is about to start."
They went inside the ship and to their stations. Manny and T.J started the engine and Davi piloted the ship to the starting line.
"Good morning ladies and gentlemen." The announcer said. "And welcome to another exciting flying ship race. This year's prize is a journal containg the notes and information of one of the smartest yet probably most insane scientists, Dr. Chipotle Jr! This journal is worth a fortune to any government lab or museum so we have a lot of racers let's see who we have here. We have the S.S. FBI, the R.M.S Historian, the King of the Sky, and the Davi, Princess, and Manservant express!"
"Hey that's not funny Davi! I am no one's manservant!" Manny shouted.
"Oh come on Manny, what's the matter? You can't take a little joke?" Davi snickered.
"And what's with the whole princess name?"
"Well Nicholas told me you used to call Frida Princesa so that's where I got the idea."
"How did he know that?"
"I don't know well let's get going!"
"On your mark, get set." The announcer said. "Go!"
A gun shot went off signaling everyone that the race had started. The ships all took off ay great speed but the ship Davi had worked on was flying faster than all of them. He had fastened jets down below deck and around the wings. But this race was not going to be that easy because at that moment a blast was shot and it took down the S.S FBI.
"What was that?" Manny asked.
"Oh looks like we have a new competor!" The announcer cried. "The Flying Chipotle!"
"Chip what?"
"Oh no it's Dr. Chipotle Jr!" Davi said. "He must've joined the race to get his notes back!"
"And it looks like he's not gonna play fair! Look he's shooting down the other ships!" Frida pointed out.
They watched as one flying ship that was larger than all of them began shooting down anything and everything in it's path.
"Yes! Fall! Fall you fools!" Dr. Chipotle laughed from inside the ship. "Fall to your inevitable death!"
"Oh crap we're so dead!" Manny said.
"Not quite, I planned for something like this." Davi said. "Frida take this emergency plan, T.J you and her meet Andrea at the defences where the cannon is. Once you get there start reading the emergency plan."
"Okay!" The three said.
T.J and Frida went to the cannon where Andrea waited for them. Frida then started reading the emergency plan.
"Okay step one go to cannon, already done that, step two put T.J in the capsule with two rifles that he may be able to take out the pilot when he is shot into the enemy ship."
"Wait a second what is it you just said you're gonna do to me?" T.J asked.
Five seconds later...
"Hey! I didn't agree to this! Hey!" T.J shouted as he tried to get out of the capsule that Andrea and Frida had sealed him in.
"Alright now what?" Andrea asked.
"It says here that when Davi gives us the word you're supposed to shoot him at the enemy ship."
"Hey Davi you sure that this is safe?"
"Don't worry Andrea, my calculations are never wrong. He'll make it to the ship where he'll take out Dr. Chipotle. We just need to wait for the right moment to shoot." Davi told them.
"Look out! Death ship at six o'clock!" Manny gasped.
Dr. Chipotle Jr steered his ship toward them shooting blasts at them. Davi steered the ship to fly out of the way of the pending shots. He did very good with it but he couldn't keep it up forever.
"Andrea! Get ready!" Davi told her. "Aim for the driver window."
"Okay! And you sure T.J will be alright?"
"Promise! Now hurry!"
Andrea went to the cannon and aimed it directly at the window where Dr. Chipotle Jr stood shooting blasts at them.
"Fire!" Davi signaled.
At his word Andrea shot the capsule containing T.J out of the cannon sending it toward the Flying Chipotle. It crashed through the window releasing T.J in the process.
"Davi! I'm gonna kill you for this!" T.J growled under his breath. "However I'll get my revenge later, for now I need to take you out dip boy."
"Think again. Guacamole minions attack!" Dr. Chipotle Jr pressed a button and several short but strong bulbs of guacamole appeared.
"Oh great!" He said. "If I touch those things I'll swell up like a balloon."
He quickly began shooting them with the rifles while trying everything he could not to let those blobs touch him. He ran out of bullets so he reached into his pocket to get more only to find a smoke bomb instead. With a devious grin he threw down the bomb fogging up the area.
"What is this?!" Dr. Chipotle demanded only to be knocked out by T.J hitting him in the back of the head with his rifle.
In the end Davi's ship won the race and the journal while Dr. Chipotle Jr was arrested and taken into custody.
"You think this is over?!" He shouted as he was led away. "You think once you have my notes you'll be able to stop him?! You think you can stop what's to come?! Diablo will live again! He will! It is fate!"
"Diablo?" T.J said. "What's he talking about?"
"They're trying to revive Diablo." Manny said.
"Oh my God."
"But that can't be done can it?" Andrea asked.
"I don't know." Davi said. "I'll look over these notes to find out. In the meantime you all rest up, we've had a long day. Thanks for help."
"No problem and I have to admit you're a good pilot." Manny said.
"Yes you are but if you ever have me shot out of a cannon again there will be hell to pay!" T.J seethed.
"Got it!"
Davi went to read the journal and find out what Davi had discovered while the others went out to eat and relax. But Frida found it hard to relax, she still felt the shock of what had happened with Zoe weighing on her. She wanted to tell everyone what was bothering her but she wasn't sure what would happen. However her friends couldn't hold back their prying any longer.
"Frida what's wrong?" Andrea asked. "You've been really depressed lately and we're worried."
"Did something happen with your family?" T.J asked.
"You can tell us." Manny added.
"Alright." She sighed. "Something did happen at home but it wasn't with my family. It was with Zoe."
"Zoe?"
She told them everything, from finding Zoe injured in the creek, to when she watched the building she was in explode. The three of them were shocked and horrified just as Frida had been but Manny was furious.
"What do you mean she's dead?!"
"I don't know for sure. The building exploded and she was still inside and-"
"Why didn't you help her?!"
"I tried! She wouldn't let me! She wanted to die!"
"You're lying! Zoe never wanted to die! She would never do that!"
"I'm not lying, Manny I'm so sorry I tried to stop her-"
"No you didn't! You would never help Zoe for any reason!"
"But Manny I-"
"Shut up! Just shut up! You should've helped her! You shouldn't have just stood there and let her kill herself! How could you do that?!"
"Manny there was nothing I could do. Please believe me."
""I want to but I can't!" He headed for the door.
"Manny wait!" She called going after him only to have him shove her down.
"Manny that's enough!" T.J scolded as he went to help Frida up.
"Manny please." Frida begged.
"Leave me alone! I can't stand to even look at you right now! Zoe was very important to me! And you just let her die! You probably did that so you could have me to yourself! Some friend you are! It should've been you!"
Frida heard the sound of something shattering to pieces but it wasn't glass or porcelain or any hardened yet fragile material. It was her heart. Those very words had broken her heart into a million pieces. He hated her, he hated her for being too weak to save Zoe. The man she loved more than anything in the world just said she should've died. Without another word Frida stood up and ran away to her rooms.
"You damn idoit!" Andrea cried punching Manny across his face. "How can you say those things to her?!"
"It's her fault! She let Zoe die!"
"It wasn't her fault Manny!" T.J said.
"Yes it is! She should've ttied harder to help Zoe!"
"There was nothing she could've done! She's not to blame for this and you know it! You're just blinded by grief! And for all we know she might be alive."
"Then I'm going to look for her."
"Wait a minute! You're not leaving here until you talk to Frida!"
"Watch me!" He then pushed T.J aside and left.