Disclaimer: This story is not owned, this game Fossil Fighters Champions was published by Nintendo, and developed by: Nintendo SPD, Red Entertainment, M2, and Artdink.

Chapter 26 –

POV: Rex

Time: 10:00

Location: Dusty Dunes

"You sure you're okay wearing that, Rupert?" I pose the question in to my friend in the long-sleeved red shirt, and red pants…

"I'm fine, the heat is nothing to me." Rupert responds to me, unmoved by the blazing desert around us. But I guess he did survive Mt. Krakanak in that attire. "Though, I must inquire. How are you?"

How am I? "What are you talking about? Shorts and a t-shirt are great for a desert climate."

"Not that." He shook his head as I somewhat dodged the question. "Didn't you have some bet to fight your sister, Sarah in the finals?"

"That? Please. I'm not that weak willed to get sad after a loss. I gave it my all, despite it not being enough. It was lots of fun." I give Rupert a smile. It was a bit painful, seeing how I barely was able to take down one of Rupert's Mapo's. But I still remember the surprise on Rupert's face when I tossed out my team.

"You certainly did give it your all." Rupert smiled himself. "I'll be honest. I did not expect you to pull out two super-revived Vivosaurs. I was certain you only had one miraculous fossil rock."

"I never expected to find it either." I admit, I won't lie. My inability to walk on ice was what led me to that Miraculous Fossil. "I thought I'd never hear the end of it… Sarah basically talked my ear off when she found out."

"Yes, speaking of Sarah…" Ooh, is this some romantic moment? "Why aren't you with her?" Well… scratch that. "If you're talking about that so nonchalantly, I'd assume you're not having a fight with her."

"Nah… It has to do with a combination of things." I shrug as we walk over another desert dune. "As you know, we wanted to fight in the finals. We made a deal after the Semi-finals we'd go non-contact until the final match. Mainly too not spoil anything for each other's teams."

"…" Rupert nodded along making sense of that first part, but was still curious as to what we were doing now that me and Sarah weren't fighting in the finals.

"Yesterday after some talking… we decided to keep with the non-contact. In place the roommates are to support the one who won the battle." It sounded a lot more complex when Sarah tried to explain this to me. "Basically, since we're still in the same room. Information is easy to slip out, so since Sarah wants to make her battle as surprising as possible… So now she's avoiding me and being helped by Todd and Pauleen."

"So… The odds are against me, and you have nothing better to do?" While the first part was somewhat true. It hurt to hear him say that second part. But before I could correct him, he chuckled. "Heh, I'm kidding. If you had nothing better to do, you'd be tinkering away on your sonar or something like that. I appreciate the help, though I'm not sure if I'll need it."

"Overconfident, are you?" I respond back to him. "Sarah, when she is motivated enough there is nothing to stop her. Plus, five bucks in the match she says she's gotten stronger to avenge me."

… Rupert nearly bursts into laugher as I say that. "That is probably true. But I certainly need to act confident for appearances."

Act confident? "Now I'm intrigued."

"When I look in her eyes, I sense more than just that tough exterior she has." Oh? Romantic development? "She is strong, I know more than certain that she won't be easy to beat, so I definitely have to give it my all." Or… not? I'm not sure if Rupert likes Sarah, or if he just sees her as a rival… Gah, this guy is so hard to read.

"Well, it's good to know that you won't be going easy on her then." I give Rupert a smile, but just as I was about to say something else, a brown lump in the sand caught my attention. "Is… that?"

"Hm?" Rupert looked at where my sight was, and was surprised. "Rex, hurry it appears someone may have fallen due to heatstroke or heat exhaustion."

"Y-yeah…" I stuttered, not because I was afraid… but because the man who was collapsed, is someone I've met before: Previously gotten lost in Jungle Labyrinth, and nearly fell asleep in Ice grip Platea.
As we got closer Rupert called out to Professor Scatterly. "Sir, are you alright?"

"Good heavens. It seems I've bungled things up well and good this time!" Scatterly mumbled out… "I meant to bring my water bottle, you see, but instead I grabbed a flyswatter!"

"…" How does someone make that mistake?! Even Sarah isn't that incompetent! I can see from the look on Rupert's face he's thinking something similar to my thought process.

"My legs are weak… my eyes grow dim… my mustache withers…" Scatterly moans. "Yes, it seems death stalks me once more… I need… w-water… urgh… T-tell science… I love her…"

"Hah…" While Sarah would never confuse a water bottle with a flyswatter, it doesn't mean she'd remember to bring a water bottle along with her. I take out my spare water bottle and uncap it. "Here have mine."

As he took it and started to drink. "W-water! It's water!" as he noticed what it actually was, he started to chug the bottle down. As he finished. "Ahhhhhh…" Then he sprang back up as if nothing was ever wrong. I glanced to see Rupert, who had an eye twitch, logically no one would ever be able to recover from heat exhaustion that fast from just drinking water… "I say, but that hit the spot! Thank you both for pulling me back from the jaws of oblivion, eh wot?"

"Um… your welcome." Rupert responded, quite a bit unsure what to make of Professor Scatterly.

"Oh, What's this? If it isn't Rex! Oh, it seems you have rescued me yet again, old chum!" Professor Scatterly had joyously shouted as he recognized me.

"Rex, you know this man?" Rupert very confused asked me.

"Yes, this is Professor Scatterly, the curator of Caliosteo Museum on Cranial Island." I started to explain to Rupert how I knew him. Going into detail how me and Todd found him lost in Jungle Labyrinth.

"Well, I assume you are now fine." Rupert determined the state of Scatterly as I finished explaining.

"Yes, you can trust that I'll not forget my water in such a place again!" Scatterly nodded, though I'm not sure how much I trust that…

But something that was more curious to me… "So, I'm assuming since you're here. There must be a Calio Slablet around here, right?"

"Yes, quite the sharp mind you have." Scatterly smiled, pulling out the sonar that he originally designed, the upgraded by yours truly. "The Sonar detected one of the beasties nearby, so I grabbed my shovel and made to dig. Er, but the soil is quite loose here, you see? So quickly as I dig, it fills in my hole. I've buckled my garter trying to think of a solution, but alas… I have nothing."

"Ah… that's disappointing. I was hoping to hear the more of the story…" To be honest, ever since I hear that ancient magician could force people's skulls out of others bodies… I've been a bit curious on the Bare Bones Brigade's leader.

"Say now!" Seeing as we were a bit upset, Scatterly chose to change the conversation. "I heard you battled your way to the Cup final, yes?"

"Um… no. That was Sarah." I sigh… he gave it a shot at least, "I lost in the semi-final, to Rupert here."

"Oh, dear me!" Scatterly was surprised. And apologized for it.

"It's fine… but rare now adays for people to get me and Sarah mixed up." I brush it off, "hey how near by is the Calio Slablet?"

"Rex… You're not thinking of digging it up, are you?" Rupert questioned, already knowing what I was thinking.

"Come on, you can't say you aren't the little bit curious, aren't' you?" I respond with a smile. The story of the islands is rather interesting.

"I'd wager excavating here at Dusty Dunes should be little trouble for ones of your caliber!" Professor Scatterly boasted to try and convince Rupert as well.

"Fine…" Rupert huffed, thinking of it as a slight waste of time. But he relented.

"Now, then" Scatterly smirked and pointed to the sand just in front of us. "According to my sonar, the Calio Slablet should be just here. I say, do your thing!" It wasn't too long into our digging that me and Rupert were able to excavate the tablet. After giving it back to the professor so he could read it. "Excelsior! That's Calio Slablet #4! Now we'll learn what happened to Zongazonga and the bodies that he seized!"

"Bodies that he seized?" Rupert questioned.

While we did tell him about the Slablets, he didn't seem to interested in what they were about. So, I explained as much of the story of Zongazonga and the Calio Slablets as I could while Professor Scatterly ha deciphered the story of Slablet number 4.

As I finished explaining the story so far, Rupert looked at me a bit dubiously. "So, you're telling me that, those tablets tell a tale of a source who has been stealing bodies?"

"I thought you'd be less skeptical about this, since a mask tried to possess Pauleen not too long ago." I reasoned with Rupert.

"…" Rupert hesitated for a second. For people who like to use science and Reason. Magic didn't sound too satisfying in real life… but the fact that Pauleen was nearly possessed by a mask, made it hard for him to argue. In the end, Rupert just sighed and turned to Scatterly. "just decipher the Slablet already."

"Yes, well then!" The professor cleared his throat as he started to read from the text he's deciphered. "'The people finally rose up as one against Zongazonga's reign of terror. Though the struggle was long and difficult, they ultimately succeeded in defeating Zongazonga. To prevent him from ever stealing a body again, his skull was sealed away in a stone chest. They then constructed the giant stone Pyramid and locked the chest deep inside.'"

"Fascinating. So, this king was overthrown by his own People." Rupert nodded along hearing the description of the stone.

"I mean… the king was stealing bodies from the people." I shrug… I don't think many would like that.

"It does this old man good to see people taking it to a despot!" Professor Scatterly nodded to my thoughts. "Hm… And then there's this bit about sealing his skull inside the "Stone Pyramid." …Quite odd, that."

"…" Hm… It feels like I structure like that somewhere on one of the islands…

"I don't know what it is, but my scientific curiosity is quite piqued!" Scatterly found the history to the islands quite fascinating. I did too, but for another reason. "Well then, now that I have all four Slablets, I suppose I should search out this Stone Pyramid place! Rex, Rupert I thank you both very much."

"It's not a problem!" I shout to him. "Try not to overheat again!"

As Scatterly leaves, Rupert glances at me. "This Zongazonga, you believe there is some connection to the Bare Bones Brigade?"

"Oddly enough, I do." I respond. "Boneysaurs… that makes the connection suspicious enough. But thinking more about it the Bare Bone Leader Don Boneyard… We've only saw him on the Jumbo Tron, but he does look just like a skull."

"Well… If your theory is correct. Then we might as well need the help of this Professor Scatterly to determine how to reseal this ancient King." Rupert sighed, getting a feeling that if things weren't careful. The world may just be on the verge of something disastrous.