-AUTHOR NOTES-

This'll probably be the last part I'll put forward before going on vacation. This particular one is more of a tense one, following the events of what happened after the previous chapter. Follow Neo and Snappy as they try to escape their "cell" in Tiko's factory, reunite with an old friend, hunt for their companions and face a Ghost Train of a cart track.

The role of another past Power Crisis character is shown here, this time being in the form of Aurora Muse. In said story, she was portrayed as another mage that lived on Volcano Isle, but she used her magic for a different purpose rather than healing. She used it to draw moving realistic artwork (like in Harry Potter) for the Daily Shout, the isle's main newspaper, which expanded itself to the rest of the state by the end of the story.

I hope you like what I put down. See you with another part in two weeks!

Peace out,

-Rexy-

---

Neo's eyes both were brought open lightly, and only a very pale moonlight can be seen ahead of him. The very blur of his surroundings caused him to rise up slowly, rubbing it slowly. Then, he stood on both legs and looked around at his surroundings.

"Whoa... where am I?"

He took a few silent steps within the ground, leaving behind a small shadow within the darkness almost surrounding him. All that could be made out was the dim reflections on the walls and a light white light from his jacket. He was about to walk further, when... something rustled in the background.

"You ain't the only one askin' that question, Neo-dude", said a voice.

"What? Who goes there?"

He quickly turned to the right, and there was no one there. Then, he looked to the left, and that was where he saw a pair of bright yellow eyes glowing in the darkness. That caused him to sigh with an irritated look brought upon his face.

"Oh, it's only you, Snappy. What happened to the others?"

"I don't know, but I think that sticking here won't solve this problem."

He then brought his full body into the light, showing himself in a complete form - his green scales, his white shirt, his torn denim shorts, and the bands around his body, all covered in soot marks and scratches. He took a hold of Neo by the hand, and that left them to look ahead.

"So where do you think we are?" Neo asked.

"I dunno, so please, for the love of Pete... GIVE US LIGHT!!!"

Almost like a cry from God, something started to stir up in the ceiling - a tile starting to fall down. It snapped, and as it fell, it struck a window panel, swinging it open and sending in a brighter touch of moonlight into view. That caused him to smile at it.

"Thank you!"

He jumped at the sight, before going towards it. Once there, he got underneath the panel, and pulled himself up, using his legs to drag him up as far as he could go. The view from out the window was brought into his very eyes, and at the sight of it, he frowned.

"I think I have an idea on where we're at...!"

"What can you see?" questioned Neo with a gasp.

"I can see a seashore up ahead, an island in the waters, and a clearer view of the town from here. We gotta be back in Tiko's factory!"

After saying that, he slid down the walls, and touched down on both feet. Then, he faced Neo's direction, and started twitching on his jaws. Then he faced a pipe lying on the ground, and sat onto it with a thud onto it.

"But how can we suddenly get over there from our boats in the water?"

"I dunno," the alligator started, "but something strange is going on, and it's more than the size of that bloody cannon."

He sighed again, and brought his face down towards the metallic floors, with a part of his reflection showing within it. He was left in silence for a few seconds, until a footstep came across the ground. His head shot up to the ceiling.

"What was that?"

Another footstep was heard, and another... and another! That caused him to leap up on both feet, and take a look from his view. Neo, however, just paced up and down the room, looking from left to right every three seconds.

"If you don't come out, then I'll feed you to the ducks and... uh... give your dog to charity? hmmm... that was odd...!"

Neo couldn't help but nod with agreement at that stage. Then, they looked in Snappy's hiding place, and in there, a pair of light brown eyes can be seen in the darkness. That caused him to dash up towards it, before it entered the light for itself. The figure showed itself as a girl wearing long black pants, a creamy t-shirt, a bright blue pair of shoes, and had long black hair to match. She gave in a light smile at the pair, before she came and stepped ever so closer towards them.

"Do you need help?"

Neo looked on at her with a blank look. "Do I recognize you from somewhere?"

"What do you mean?"

She started scratching her head at the sight of it, before she looked towards them both, with her eyes moving up and down them both. Then, it wasn't long until Neo started to give out a smile from his mouth, before holding her on the shoulders.

"Aurora, remember me?"

She gave out a light gasp. Then, she covered her mouth, and looked at both figures in front of her. Memories came back to her - seeing Neo at the last eruption of Volcano Isle, and retreating from the disaster. The thoughts caused her to blink and gasp at her slightly.

"I'm surprised you can remember me after all these years! So, what are you doing here?"

Neo raised his mouth, and soon blurted out the whole explanation of the scenario so far into her mouth. At the end, her eyes started to widen a bit, and she took a light step back, with an illusion of his story brought into her mind.

"I never would have asked! I almost faced the same fate! This building used to be the headquarters for the newspaper, the Daily Shout. And now look what happened - the attack on the city several years back has caused us to move to Jacksonville."

She sighed, and then she brought her head down to the ground, with her hair going over her face. The sorrow soon started to show in Neo's face, and he crouched down to her level, bringing his hand up and down her back. She then raised it back to his level, with hope coming back to her expressions.

"Still, I hated to see this building show up as a right mess."

"Me too", Neo spoke with a twitch on his nose. "That's why we're here, to see what kind of bad use this is in."

They then ended up walking closer towards a door. Snappy took a hold of the knob, and tried to twist it, but... it broke in his hands. Then, the sound of a blade being taken out was heard from behind them. They looked in that direction, and saw Aurora with a crafts knife in her hand.

"Maybe I could help you after all" she smiled.

---

Meanwhile, in another part of the warehouse, the sound of whirring can be heard as white balls of energy were seen going along conveyor belts, shining with bright lights on them. Some of which were taken to the base, and started to dissolve on a machine to the left hand side of the room, forming a cannon, growing in size. Nearby, Tiko smiled at it, until a figure walked from behind him - that for N-Trance.

"Tiko, sir! How goes the plans for the Spiro Cannon's transfer?"

"We're almost there! Almost all its energy has been transferred here!"

He pointed over at the direction of the cannon, continuing to grow. At that point, it was already ten feet tall in height. Smiling, he pressed a nearby button and a hatch opened up on a ceiling. He blinked over at it as the moonlight was brought down onto it.

"Then what exactly are we planning to do with it?" the 'pink egg' questioned.

"We will set the city into a day like no other, so just watch it."

He then folded his arms, and turned away from him for a while, before walking his way towards the back of the room. Then... his eyes shot open again. He turned over to N-Trance, with his green eyes starting to shake with curiosity and rage at the same time.

"Besides, did you take care of all them brats?"

"I'm not sure. I could only find about a pair of them. Your bro and his alligator. Can't find the rest."

His brother and his alligator. The thoughts of them reached Tiko's mind... of course! He's locked Neo and Snappy! That caused him to smile at it with his eyebrows looking down at a vile gesture. Then, he turned around, with his hair swinging around his shoulders.

"Don't panic, they'll be around somewhere."

His hands both clutched each other tightly as he walked his way back down the corridors. Meanwhile, N-Trance's focus remained on the machine, which soon reached 12 feet tall. From nearby, some sets of eyes can be seen behind shadows for some of the machines. One of them poked its head out into the light - its ginger hair and blue eyes showed her in full view - the figure for Martha.

"I can't believe they got him...!" she whispered with a tear coming down her eye.

---

Back at the cell, the door was soon cut down, with a large curved hole brought through it. From inside, Neo, Snappy and Aurora climbed out in a straight line, and looked on at the dark corridors ahead of them, with the only light sources being from the windows.

"So where's the nearest exit from here?" asked Neo.

"It could seem a bit risky," whispered Aurora, "but I think I know somewhere up these steps!"

She pointed over at a landing nearby. And near it showed a small circular stairway with a pipe driven down in the middle of it. Some of the bolts tied into it looked like they were about to fall off, and most of the metal panels used were covered in high quantities of rust.

"I don't think they look safe for a grown man like myself", brawled Snappy, taking several steps back.

"Awww, relax and let's get up there!" Aurora jumped.

She pointed up at it and smiled, and started climbing up herself. The sound of her feet on the steps gave off light creaks among the surface, sending chills up and down the males' spines. With a slight bit of hesitation, they started climbing up too, but... a snap was heard.

"Eap!!!" Neo screamed.

He looked down, and saw that the step he was standing on was starting to shake. Then, he leapt up onto the stair above it, and saw it collapse onto the ground with a giant clank given off upon landing. That left him to start panting at the very glance of it.

"Phew, that was close!"

"I never thought that could happen", quivered Aurora.

She then started to shake back at the action, before she turned back towards the others, whom climbed closer towards her. Then, the second step started to stir... and the third... and the fourth... until almost everything started to rumble around them uncontrollably.

"It's starting to shake!" she squealed. "Quick, run to the top!"

She started making her way over there, and so did the males, all three of them pushing their way to the top of the stairs. A few more turns later brought them to a ledge twenty meters above their starting point. Over there, Snappy was the first to land there, and while that happened... the stairs started to topple over.

"I got you both, hang on!"

He brought his hands out towards Neo and Aurora, whom were both being dragged further and further away from him. Then, he leaned closer and took a hold onto their hands, before leaning back and pulling them in, leaving the stairs to collapse on the ground like one long tower. They looked down at the sight, and saw dust particles rise into the air from the fall. Then, they looked at each other and started making their way to another door. Inside there, they were greeted by a small mine cart on an old-fashioned rail line, with two dark holes on either side of its course.

Neo started to look at it with deep interest. "Would you look at the size of that thing...!"

"Yeah, I never thought I'd see that the underground would be connected by such a network", she blinked.

She then started to walk up towards it, and bring her hands among the surface of it. Then, she removed them, and saw her handprints brought upon it. She looked at her own hands, and saw them covered in more dust. This left Snappy to leer at it with his hands on his hips.

"Go figure, it had to be as old fashioned as my grandma."

"But look at it", shouted Neo with confidence. "If that's a ticket out of here, then that's better than nothing!"

He then smiled over at it, before he brought himself towards the back and tried to bring himself inside, but... he had difficulty on climbing in - that much he ended up slipping on the surface onto his back. From his position, he saw Snappy looking down to the ground. With that, he slowly got back up.

"What's the matter?"

"What about the others?" asked the alligator. "I'm worried about them!"

"They shouldn't be too far, so keep your eyes peeled for them at all times!"

He gave out a light smile as he tried to climb in again. This time... he ended up bringing himself in with success. He started to smile over at the space inside - enough for three - and the metal hinges brought on the tip, giving off moving images of the room every few seconds... moving images? He brought his head out, and saw the mine cart moving away from Snappy and Aurora!

"Uh-oh, what's going on?"

"Snappy!!!" Neo cried out.

He reached his hand out towards him, but... he couldn't seem to get a hold onto him. That caused them both to start running towards him, getting closer towards him, but... as they did so, the cart started to move much faster. That caused him to start squealing with panic, with increasing tension brought between both sides.

"Sheesh, can't this thing ever slow down?" panicked Snappy.

Aurora soon rushed to him from behind. "It's okay, I got you!"

With that, she started to run much faster than Snappy, with her hair starting to trail upon the wind. She then brought out both hands towards Neo, whom grabbed them both safely... but as fate predicted it, the speed was that rough for her she ended up being pulled into the cart herself, chest first.

"Whoa!"

She brought her head up, and saw Neo's eyes look directly towards hers. Then, this left them to look ahead as they started speeding down one of the tunnels. Snappy tried to run towards them, but... he wasn't fast enough. He stood near a stairway, and while he was there he brought back his hands and placed them against his jaws.

"Don't step into the light Neo, don't step into the light!"

His shouts were brought down the tunnel, leaving them to echo for five seconds. Then, he started to go down the steps himself. Back with Neo and Aurora, they were brought in a dark tunnel, with dim green lights being brought in their way, lighting up their faces and some of their clothes slightly.

"Where are we?" asked Neo.

"I don't know, but..." She paused. "It looks like some sort of ghost train or something!"

She then stood up, and looked around at the view. Nothing much can be seen around her, other than the lights of the tunnel around her. As they went further, the carriage started to slow down. That gave Neo the chance to look through her legs at... a package near the back of the cart.

"Then what explains the nuts and bolts at the back?"

She then blinked, before she crouched down and looked at the nuts and bolts for herself. That left her to start scratching her head with a slight bit of confusion brought upon her. But then... the light soon started to turn into darkness, only lighting up the irises of their eyes.

"I think we may need to forget about it for the time being - we're at the end of the road!"

She gasped, before she turned around, and so did Neo. Then, almost by surprise, a pair of doors swung open, letting a cold mist pass through their skin. The cart went through the door itself, and it brought them into a large room. They looked down at the sides of the cart... and saw that it was to face a vertical drop down.

"Holy mutton on a stick!!!" he cried out with his eyes widening.

In almost a split second, the carriage started to go over the edge, and start hurling its way down the vertical drop. Like in a fairground ride, they both screamed, with their hair and clothes flapping in the draft it went past. A whole bunch of strobe lights started to flash in every direction, mainly red, blue and green.

"I don't think I'm gonna survive in this boat much longer!" cried Aurora. "I can't keep still in this thing!"

"Neither can I, so keep your knickers on!"

In an instant, the cart reached the bottom of the slope and shot up another. Then, right ahead of them, they entered another room. And right in the middle of it was a large loop-the-loop in the carriage. Neo's eyes widened at it, while Aurora's face turned emerald green with fear.

"Oh no...!"

She closed her eyes tightly, while Neo held onto the sides of the carriage, keeping her locked in like a seatbelt at the same time. Then, they started to head up the side and hang upside down for no longer than 3.6 seconds, before speeding back down and leaving the room, with the doors slamming shut behind them.

"I can't believe we just did that!"

"Neither can I," Neo started, "but that's saying something!"

This left them to sigh with relief, before they went through another set of doors, taking them outside. They went around a sharp corner, seeing the reflection of their actions brought against the water underneath them. Then, they went on another straight, and out of the blur, a figure started to speed its way down a set of stairs.

"I'm coming for you! Look out for Mr Macho Gator here!"

They looked up, and saw Snappy reaching the halfway point of the steps. Then, he reached the bottom when... they suddenly sped past him. He jumped, before speeding towards them, with his tail brought against his back and his feet leaving clawed footprints across the dusty ground beneath them. Then, he was brought to the side of Neo, smiling.

"Snappy!!!"

"Quick, reach my hand!"

He brought out his right hand, and started reaching towards Neo, whom stood up and leaned over the side of the carriage towards him. Even with their best efforts... they couldn't seem to grip each other. Then, Aurora brought her head up and looked at them both.

"Need help?"

Snappy showed a face of confusion, but then... it soon started to turn to a confident smile. That left him to leave Neo's side and start running towards Aurora. She leant close, and brought out her arms towards him. In a more athletic stance, she jumped into his arms.

"I gotcha!"

He then brought her down safely onto both feet. Then, they then made their way closer towards Neo, whom looked at them both with a smile. Both Snappy and Aurora brought out their arms, stretched out towards him, exchanging excited looks across their very faces.

"Okay, now it's your turn!" shouted Snappy. "Let's go for it!"

They then started dragging their arms closer towards Neo's, whom came closer with every passing second. He soon resorted to leaning over the edge while on his tiptoes, but he was a couple of centimeters away from their grasp. He almost had it for a few seconds, until... Snappy went and tripped over a rock, sending Aurora down with him.

"Ouch...!"

"Snappy! Aurora! Don't leave without me!"

Before anything else could happen, a crash occurred behind him, causing a metal panel to be knocked down and the mine cart to spin off course and into a foil wall. It landed upside down, tossing Neo out at the same time and leaving him to land hard onto his back.

"Neo, are you okay?" Snappy screamed with a gasp.

He soon brought himself up from his position and ran closer towards him, with Aurora following him. He jumped over the mine cart, and took a hold of him by the shoulders, whom soon responded by rubbing his forehead back and forth, groaning with a throbbing pain.

"My head hurts...!"

"It's okay, at least we've left that thriller."

He soon brought himself back onto both feet, looking over his shoulder, where he saw Aurora running towards them both. They then walked ahead into a large room, illuminated by a lamp on the ceiling. The room was spread out for ten whole meters, filled with barely anything.

"So, where do you think we are anyway?" she asked.

Before anything else happened, a mysterious voice shouted out "Aurora!"

The cry of her voice caused her to run ahead of Neo and Snappy, looking around at all the corners. Then, in an instant, a showing of a pair of eyes can be seen. And another pair... and another... and many more where that came from! That caused her to gasp and tremble at the glance. Then, they all started coming out from the shadows together. First came Boron, whom jumped out, wriggling his ears and barking with joy. That caused her to scream at his appearance. Then came Brio, bringing his sombrero away from his face, and then came Bev, Gary, Sparky, and... the other members of the group! She started to quiver at some of them, before Neo brought out his hand and waved at them all.

"Guys! You're here!"

Smiling, he went up towards them all, and they all went up towards him. He ended up with a pounce on the chest from Boron and Chyna, several pats on the shoulder from Crash and Crunch, and hugs for joy from Bev and Martha among others. While that happened, Snappy turned towards Gary, whom stood there folding his arms.

"Ah, thanks for the warning Gary!"

"Hey, no problem. Say, how did you break out from your cell anyway?"

The explanation of the scenario came out from Neo's mouth like lightning. Most of the others looked amazed by the whole story, while Bev, Gary, Sara, Jenny and DJ looked on at Aurora, whom seemed to look at them all with blank looks on her face and a pair of shaking knees.

"I think I remember her", Beverley smiled. "Isn't that Aurora Muse, the artist for the Daily Shout?"

She then had to resort to a light nod. Then, expecting a face of fright from her... Bev gave out a broad smile from her face, before she gave her a high five upon her hands. Then, from behind her, Sara walked towards her, with the same face of confidence brought on her partner's.

"You've got some great courage in you. Perhaps you can help us break out of here, and possibly stop Tiko and his plans on the way there."

The whole idea came to her head. She herself can barely remember Tiko as well as Neo, but she somehow knew what he was trying to get at. She reluctantly brought out her hands, and in an instant, she and Sara were brought into a handshake. While that happened, Brio went towards another door, peeking through a keyhole.

"Speaking of which, does anyone have any ideas on what the heck he's doing in there?"

"I think..." Martha paused, sweating down her face. "It's all coming to sense with me!"

Everything started to piece together in her small mind - the generators, the magic of volcano isle, the craftsmanship of N-Trance, the finding of Sparky's stone cell, Aiko's hypothesis and the Spiro-Cannon's creation. They spun around in a brisk pace, until... she ended up falling to the ground, looking faint.

"Martha!!!" Snappy brawled.

He rushed to her side, and looked down at her. She then raised her head up lightly, but instead of a happy and confident face that she mainly had on her, it instead had to show weakness and despair. The others then went towards her, knowing that a dangerous thought has reached her mind.

-end of part 8-