Chapter 10 – Unmasking Fears
POV: Rex
Time: 8:30
Location: Fossil Apartments
So, a lot has happened yesterday. The group known as the Barebones Brigade has declared war on the Caliosteo Cup, and all of its competitors. Sarah and Rupert, proceed declare war back on them after the BB Brigade tried to block the path to Mount Krakanak.
After that we all had to continue to do our third round of the competition, where me and Sarah both passed. We both got huge fossil rocks as a prize… seems like those will be troublesome… Now don't get me wrong, I love hanging with Sarah and Todd, but they're level of cleaning fossils is terrible.
But continuing on, we learned about the next dig site that were going to, it's known as Rainbow Canyon. Apparently, a wide variety of Fossil Rocks can be found there…With Tricera, Daspleto, Menchi, and my new Brachio my team is almost complete! I wonder if I'll find anything good…
Ah, I'm just rambling now. After that we called mom, we talked about what happened, and how much worry we caused her. Mom really does care for us; she seems lonely too… I hope that this competition goes a bit faster… some other news we heard from her is that Hunter is apparently making a visit here soon. I know that Sarah will definitely challenge him to a battle as soon as she sees him.
Other than that, my hair is slowly going back to the regular color it naturally is. That color is the same as Sarah, blonde. I'm sure you can tell why I dye my hair blue… if you don't it's because when it's blonde, I get confused for Sarah too much. I never really had a problem with it, up until someone confessed to me thinking it was Sarah… me and that guy never felt SOOO embarrassed before… ugh. Never want to go through that again.
Continuing on I'm actually currently in the process of dying my hair blue… But reading the directions it seems different than usual… but also this isn't my usual dye brand, so I might be over thinking it. Looking at the timer, seems like I can wash it out now.
After a few minutes I finish washing out the dye out of my hair, and I start to dry it. I then remember that I'm using a white towel and stop… but to my surprise no blue on the towel… I'm now a bit worried. I look in the mirror! "AH!"
"What!? I'm awake!" Rupert shouts in response to my scream… I believe I just woke him up, as I hear a grumpy groan from him. I hear him walk over to the bathroom to check. "What are you-?... Rex?"
"Yup…" I glance at the package of the hair dye that I have… it reads that it should have dyed my head blue… but looking at the mirror, it dyed my head blonde… this day is going to be annoying. "For frack sake…"
Time: 9:30
Location: Rainbow Canyon
"Bahahaha!" I hear laughing coming from both Todd and my sister Sarah. As to why there laughing, it's because of my luck with the hair dye.
"Oh, man it's been so long!" Todd shouts. Yes… it was about three years since I last had it blonde.
"So how does it feel being my reflection again?" Sarah continues to laugh at me… what's worse is that I ran out of hair wax, so I can't put it up like usual… not to mention Sarah forcefully put a ponytail onto my head once she saw me… What a lovely sister…
"Yeah, yeah laugh all you want. Once the store finally gets some more hair dye… that's actually blue. My hair is going back to that color." I shout. I stubbornly start to walk a head.
"Wait, Rex!" I hear Sarah start to chase after me. "It was only-!"
I hear Sarah freeze; I turn to see her scared stiff. Naturally seeing Sarah in a scared state Todd also stops moving. But I've seen this from Sarah before… I quickly start to scan the area around us.
"Ruff! Ruff!" Ah, there it is. A small black and white bull dog terrifying my sister as per usual.
I look over to Todd who is still frozen stiff. When I notice him start to grab his stomach, I tell him what it is. "Todd, calm down it's just a dog."
"Oh, is that all…" I see a smile and a sigh of relief come from Todd
"Is that all!?" Oh, Sarah unfroze… and oh, this is happening. "That is a dangerous animal!"
"They are not! We have domesticated them thousands of years ago. Unless provoked they wouldn't dare to harm someone." I say she has an irrational fear of dogs… and only dogs. "You just have an irrational fear of dogs…"
"Well you have an irrational fear of Cats!" Sarah barks, yes pun intended, back at me.
While she says that my fear of cats is irrational, it actually isn't. "Right, because whenever a Cat comes close to me, it always hisses and scratches at me. whereas, even if I try to get away from them, they still come after me. so yeah, having cats hate me, is defiantly an irrational fear. Compared to you who runs away at the site of a dog."
"Yeah, well…" Sarah slowly lost this argument.
"Hey, let's go say hi." Todd suggests.
"N-no!" Sarah shouts.
"Come on, being in a few feet in front of a dog won't kill you." I grab her wrist and pull my sister along.
As we get closer, I see that the fighter, hm, it's a girl. Blonde hair just like me and Sarah, well a lighter blonde, and she has brown hat and clothes. Todd is the first one of us to greet the girl. "Hi! We've never seen a fighter with a dog before."
"My goodness." The girl spoke, her accent was quite strong. "I am glad, no?! At ze moment, I was thinking… ah, but no. It is nothing."
"huh?" Sarah looks at me confused. Why does she always look to me when she doesn't understand?
"I don't really know. She was talking out of context." I respond to her. Yeah I know she spoke words, and individually they made sense, but the ones the girl spoke made no sense.
"Bonjour! My name is Joanie." The girl introduces herself.
"Ruff! Ruff!" as the small dog barks I feel Sarah push me in front of her… ah yes the brave Sarah reduced to a scaredy cat.
"And zis is Madam Pooch. She is entered with me in ze Cup." Joanie explains. "You three are Fighters, no?"
"You bet! I'm Todd, by the way." Todd says.
As Sarah nods her head silently, which is on itself unusual. I'm left to introduce ourselves… Crud… "H-hello, I'm Rex and this is my twin Sarah. W-were the Lucertola Twins…"
"Is that so!" Joanie's voice peaks. I guess she's heard of us. "But I thought, one of you has blue hair?"
"Hair dye mix up…" I sigh… "Today… we look the same… actually twining…"
"ah is that right." All of a sudden it seems like Joanie has a realization. "Sacre blue! I was almost forgetting! I have discovered here a thing which is being quite lovely."
"ooh! Treasure!" Sarah got excited. Forgetting about the dog for a minute.
But the fighter Joanie, grabbed something out of her bag. The object looked familiar, but was filled with an assortment of fruit. "It is a lovely bowl, no?"
"?" Sarah stared at questioningly… did she recognize it too? From this angle… probably not…
"…" Todd also had a look of confusion. Probably failed to notice it… ugh, why are my friends' idiots?
"It is big and round, and so I have mad with ze filling it with!" Joanie seems very attached to it; I could practically see a heart come out of her head.
"…Ok," Todd seemed to notice that hear as well. "She's a little different."
"Bark, bark, bark!" as the dog… Madame Pooch, was it? Barked. Sarah once again pushed me in front of her.
Joanie listened to it… and she seemed to understand it. "Of course, Madame Pooch! We shall be making ze exit now. Adieu!"
She then got up and left, with the 'bowl' and dog. Once she got out of earshot, well I'm pretty sure. "Yeah, she's a little different."
"I guess we should head deeper into the ravine too, huh?" Todd asked.
"huh?" Sarah asked frightened… "After the d-dog?"
"No, to fossil hunt. We'll make sure to keep away from Joanie and Madame Pooch." I pull her away from behind me. As I saw the object I had no way to confirm, but I had a bad feeling. "Now come on. I feel like we should hurry."
As we went further, we crossed a rope bridge… every step was terrifying… why was it made of rope! That so fricking dangerous! What happens if someone accidentally hits it with their pick axe while someone is on here!? That could go super poorly… not mention how wobbly this is… ugh. I'm starting to feel motion sick…
"Hey," after we reached the end of the bridge, someone called out to us. It was the Islands staff leader, Terry. "if it isn't Todd and the Lucertola twins… wait wasn't one of you blue, or is the heat finally getting to me?"
"Hair dye mix up." Sarah smiled as she pointed to me. "Finally, my brother isn't sporting a blue hair style."
"Is that so?" Terry then changed the topic. "Well Rainbow Canyon is the premier dig site on Cranial Isle. There are tons of great fossils, but the best part is excavating from the gondola!"
As I notice what he points to… well… "…"
"Rex, stop acting like Todd." Sarah smacks me on the head.
"Yeah Rex, stop acting-…" It took Todd a minute to process that it was an insult. "Hey, I don't do it that much!"
"Don't worry! I'll teach you guys how to pilot the Gondola!" Terry… well he was about to find out about my motion sickness.
POV: Sarah
Time: 12:30
Location: Rainbow Canyon
"ugh…" Rex groans as he falls to the ground… we spent two hours on the gondola… it shouldn't have been that bad, right?
"Rex, get up. A gondola is not that bad." Todd. Picks him up from the ground.
I see Rex struggle to not throw up on Todd as he says. "Please tell me there is another way back up… please?"
"There is always the VVM machines." I say. But I really don't understand the fascination about teleporting. It always leaves a ringing in my ears, and I know Rex doesn't really like it too much either.
"Maybe…" Rex thinks about it. Man, he really hates any type of vehicles.
"well me and Todd dug enough fossils from the side of the cliff for you." I smile as I grab my brothers' hand.
"…" Rex stays silent.
"Rex? Hello?" I call out to him.
"What are you looking at, Rex?" Todd notices it too. "Oh! There's someone there."
Shyness plus motion sickness wow, bad day to be Rex. But I still look to where Todd is pointing. Wow! Rex is staring at a girl! How rare! Oh, I feel a smile creep upon my face. As that happens Todd starts to walk over to her, and I start dragging Rex along as well.
As we get closer, I can slightly hear what she's saying… she sounds familiar. She seems to be looking for something. "Where did it go, Digadig? Without it, I… Hm… I know it diga-dropped right around here."
"Do you see that, Rex?" Todd seems to be love struck… knowing Rex he'll probably give up. But that's okay, I'm somewhat hopping he has feelings for my roommate Pauleen. "That girl…"
"*Yeah… she's…*" Rex's mumbling is drowned out by Todd.
"She is SOOOO CUTE!" Todd shouts. "Come on! We should go help her find whatever she's looking for!"
"…Sure." Rex seems to both shrug, and sigh… this isn't like Rex, does he still not feel well.
"Hunter wouldn't abandon someone in need, would he?" I ask Rex.
"Of course, he wouldn't." I get a smile back from him… but something tells me he's keeping something.
As we all agree we make our way to the girl, she really looks familiar. I feel like I've seen that pink hair and grass skirt before… but where? "…"
"Hey, are you having trouble?... Because I can totally help." Todd… was that supposed to be a pick up line or something?
"Giyaa!" The girl seems to have jumped a mile. That freaked me out… and oh, she just ran around a rock… this behavior seems familiar…
"…" I see Rex just sigh and face palms... oh… she might be shy.
"Whoa, wait!" Todd continues to shout. "Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you! we're nice, I promise. Right?"
"Yeah, your looking at the Super Star Twins the Lucertola!" I shout as well.
"…" Rex silently waves… not unusual behavior.
"Look, I'm Todd, and as she said she's Sarah Lucertola, and that's Rex Lucertola." Todd explains, and slowly makes his way closer to the rock she's behind. "I wasn't expecting to find a cute girl like you wandering around Rainbow Canyon! Someone must have dropped an angel, because I can see myself in your eyes!"
"…" As I struggle not to laugh at Todd's poor pickup line. I see Rex smile and sigh.
As no one says anything, Todd realizes he messed up. "…Wait, that's not how it goes. I mean, I can see an angel walking around in… No, that's not it... N-never mind! What do you need? Are you looking for something?"
"…" Girl hesitates to come out from the rock… She does a quick glance, but… where? "Can you… help me, Digadig?"
"SURE!" Todd exclaims in excitement. "We'll help, right, guys?"
As I notice that Rex nervously glances at the Gondola. "I think Rex still needs some time to rest. I'm sure that me and you can handle it, Todd… is this okay with you?"
"…" The girl seems to hesitate.
"Come on, he doesn't bite. Besides, he's only interacted with two other girls than me." I tell her
"Sarah!" Looks like I embarrassed Rex, I see that he's blushing like crazy… I smile.
"… I… dropped s-something very important, Digadig." The girls say. "Please, diga. Please help me find it."
"You got it!" Todd exclaims smiling. "Just stay right there, and we'll be right back. Sarah, Let's go!"
"Todd, we haven't even asked what it looks like!" I yell as he starts to run a head. After that I turn to the girl. "So, um… what does it look like?"
"You will know it, Diga." The girl nods. "It is big and round and helps to protect me."
"Big and round…" I try to think if I've seen anything like that.
"*Bowl*" I hear Rex cough… damn that's the smart twin for you…
"ah! So, the bowl Joanie found!" I hear Todd shout…
"…" I don't want to do this anymore…
"Ok, we'll go find it!" Todd shouts as he starts to drag me away.
"Rex, don't get into any trouble." I call to him as I leave… to face a dog…
"…" Rex stays silent, and gives me a thumbs up… ugh how cool does he think he is?
"Come on, Sarah!" Todd shouts.
"thanks… Digadig." I hear the girl say before we get onto the gondola.
As we go up, as we get about… Halfway? I randomly sneeze. "*Achoo! *"
"Bless you." Todd says. "Are you getting sick or something."
"I don't think so… what if I'm allergic to dogs?" I quickly ask. Please let me be!
"you know, you and Rex are pretty much fearless, unless it's to something your weak to…" Todd shakes his head… I'm probably not. "Now pay attention we got to help that girl."
"… Right sorry." I say. "Hey, did that girl seem familiar to you?"
"No, Why?" If Todd doesn't recognize her then, we probably don't know her.
"No reason…" I sigh, but I have a feeling that I'm missing something… though I shake it off. Because I'll need my full attention to fight that dog…
Soon enough we get to the top of the ravine, after that we start looking around, until we finally spot her. Again, she's talking to her dog. "A bowl zis big, it is rare, no? I can fit so many things inside it! Like cheese! Or ze baguette."
"Ar-oooo!" I freeze as the dog barks…
But that doesn't stop Todd… "Wait! Waaaaaaaait!"
"Ah, it is Todd and a Lucertola. You are well, no?" Joanie asks us.
"We are… but here's the thing." I start to explain how this is a missing item.
"Escargot!" escar-what? Crud, Rex isn't here… and Todd doesn't look like he knows either. "The owner of ze bowl, she is missing it, no? ah, it is a shame. We have grown so attached to ze bowl; you see?... Very well. we shall return ze bowl…"
I flinch as the dog starts to bark. "ARF, ARF, ARF, ARF!"
"No no, Madame Pooch! If we do not return ze bowl, we are no better than the burglar of cats, no?" Does this girl have the ability to talk to dogs or something? "Although, you may be more of ze dog burglar."
"…" Me and Todd sigh at that… if Rex was here, he'd probably laugh. He like's puns for some reason
"Grrrrr…" ugh… it's growling…
"ah! You do not find ze joke to be amusing, no?" …
"Gruff! Ruff!" The dog starts to bark once again.
"…ah, I see, I see. Very well. Zat is what we will do." She just said 'I see', so she can speak with dogs! "Ahem!... we want to make ze Fossil Battle with you. If you can defeat Madame Pooch, we shall give you ze bowl."
"?" Both me and Todd are confused by this.
"…you want us to battle your dog?" Todd asks… I'm not fighting any dog.
"Ah, no. I have not said zis correctly." I guess English isn't her first language then… "You will make ze Fossil Battle with me, Joanie."
"Yeah, sure. All right. We can have a Fossil Battle." Todd readies his Dino medals.
"Whiiiiiine!" The dog cries obviously displeased.
"No no! Zat will not do!" Joanie shouts. "she wishes for me to make the battle with Lucertola. Ze request is good, no?"
"look, Lady? We just want the bowl!" I'm getting tired of this; I start to shout… "Fine, I accept!"
"oui! Then let us make with ze battling of Fossils!" Oui? What the heck? Well either way, we initiate battle. Joanie goes by tossing out Tryma, Peloro, and Machai! Hey she's copied one of my members! Well I should counter with my own then, I toss out Spino, Aeros, and my own Machai! Wait, what the she's faster!? Crud! But really her FP Charges to only 90? Am I getting a head of the others? "So we get ze first turn! Peloro Combo attack on ze Aeros!"
The giant bull like Peloro Charges at my Aeros… Good just little under of a quarter of his health was lost… wait what the Why'd everyone move! What the heck that move just switched up my set up! Wait, that that Tryma has a link attack as well! ack… well at least it doesn't do too much… but now it's my turn! My FP Charges up to 100. Though I am lucky that switch put Spino in the front. "Spino, Give that Peloro a nice Blow!" Spino goes up and bites into the Peloro, brining it too half health, then followed up with my Machai's link attack as well, brining it to like three eighths… I think.
"Escargot! I should expect no less, for a Lucertola." Joanie sounded surprised by my first attack. seems like I'm doing good, and the turn goes back to her. "Tryma Raptor Combo on the Aeros, then Machai follow up with a Fang attack!" Damn that combo of attacks nearly took out Aeros… Damn… she's strong.
Back to my turn. FP is at 130… "Spino Revolt with another Blow attack on the Peloro! Machai Fang the other Machai!" I scream, Both attacks landing this time the Peloro thankfully was reverted back to its medal, but the Machai still stood, at like major health points…. Ahh!
"Ruff Ruff!" ACK! Why's the dog barking!
"Iz that so, Madame Pooch. Then I shall do it!" her FP counter is now at max… crud… "Tryma, Dirt Spray! Machai Twist attack!"
Agh… there goes my Aeros… But I got lucky with that Dirt spray it didn't seem to enrage Spino. But thanks to that attack my FP got spiked up, time for a come-back! As it's maxed at 280, I'll go with this! "Spino Venomous Combo! Machai, Rend her of her FP!" Her opposing Machai is now down the count as well. Though her Tryma is still up and at it.
"Oh, zis is not good." Joanie noted as it came back to her turn, though once again her FP was maxed out as well. "Though we still have to try! Tryma, Dirt spray once more!"
With that, my team still stood… though Spino got enraged… But I still had Machai! "Machai! Rend the Tryma back to a Medal!"
And with that the battle was settled. Her final Vivosaur fell, and it had became my victory! "*Ruff Ruff*!"
"eek!" I then jumped behind Todd… why is it barking at me..
"Do not be angry, Madame Pooch. It was Bad luck, no?" Joanie, calm down your dog! It's scary!
"Gr…" Eh… it's growling…
Joanie just brushes it off with a smile and hands the bowl to me. "well, you have defeated me, so I shall return ze bowl."
"Thanks…" I give her a smile in return.
"Arf, arf, arf!" I jump as the dog begins to bark again.
"Do not worry. Madame Pooch says ze Fossil Battle was fun." Joanie smiled.
"Is that zo…" Um… I didn't mean to word it like that…
"But now, adieu! We have a full back of Fossils!" Joanie says, looking to be heading back to town. Leaving me and Todd by ourselves
"That was weird…" Todd sighed shaking his head. "It was like she was talking with her dog or something."
"She was?" I did see that.
"I think you were just trying to block out the dog." Todd says patting my back… Dogs are scary! "Well either way, Let's get this back to that cute girl, OK?"
"Right, Don't want to leave Rex by himself either… hopefully he hasn't moved. If he has… he'll probably have gotten lost right now." I respond back to Todd… but I don't think he's listening.
"She's got to be thankful, right?" Oh… I think his eyes have turned to hearts… "maybe she'll even like me!"
"Right…" Even though I did all of the work… well let's wrap this up fast.