Chapter 16: Torch

Goldtrux searched around for ore and parts for the Badtrux. "This is unbelievable. Forced to search around for ore and parts instead of gold. Blayde does not pay me enough for this." He grumbled. Just then, he caught the scent of something. "Wait. That smells like…smoke." He drove over to investigate and saw a smoke cloud near some plants. He peeked into the plants and made an extraordinary discovery. "Well, well, well."

Meanwhile, Ty and the Trux were at the top of their game. Like, literally game. They were bouncing another Motherload around as they drove back to the garage. "Coming at you, Dozer-dude!" Ton-Ton called, tossing the Motherload from his bed to Dozer, who caught it on his frill. "Shredda! To you!" Dozer called, tossing it to Shredda. "And this one's gonna go right to the garage!" Shredda called, striking the Motherload with her tail. The Motherload was sent flying towards the garage. "Home run!" Skya called.

At the moment, Click-Clack was doing his own idea sketch on a tablet. "Hmm. If I tweak the clutch on the left tread…" He muttered as he etched. Just then, Dil walked out to stretch her legs. But then she saw the Motherload heading right for Click-Clack. And he didn't even see it coming! "Click-Clack! Look out!" Dil shouted, hustling towards Click-Clack and pouncing him out of the way before the Motherload hit the ground. "Whew! That was close." Dil said. "You-You saved my life, Dil. Thank you." Click-Clack said, feeling embarrassed. "No problem, Click. I mean, you're my friend. I'll always have your back." Dil said.

"What is going on out here?! Did you Trux bring more crazy joyriders back here?!" Waldo asked angrily. "Nope. We found another Motherload!" Dozer exclaimed happily. "Another one?! Not again." Waldo grumbled. "Where did you find this one this time?" Xee asked. "Under the volcano." Shredda said. That shocked the Tools with disbelief. "It's true. We were digging around the volcano while trying to find volcanic ore. But then, Dozer's hammer hit something metal. We dug it up and there it was. Another Motherload." Ty explained. "Wow. What a story." Dil said. "Yeah. But what exactly is in there?" Spinz asked. "Don't know, but we're gonna find out. Just as soon as I get my battering ram." Skya said as she drove into the garage. "Why would she need a battering ram?" Spinz asked in confusion. "Because the last time we found a Motherload, we couldn't even dent it." Dozer said. "So, Skya and Ace made a battering ram out of lava and scrap while they were trapped in D-Structs' lair." Ty explained. "And after saving us at the Acid Baths, she smashed open that Motherload like it was a coconut." Ton-Ton said. "Cool." Spinz said with awe.

"Got it!" Skya called as she came out outfitted with her battering ram. "Take cover!" Ty called as everyone scampered out of the way. Skya drove towards the Motherload and got ready to bash it. But as she bashed it, it just bounced repeatedly off the ground before slowing down. "What?!" She asked in shock. "You didn't even dent it." Dozer said. "But it worked last time." Ace said. "Perhaps this Motherload is coated with a stronger metal." Revvit said. "Like from being too hot from being under the volcano." Ty said. "Right. Like when you built your battering ram, the metal on the Motherload must've been superheated by the lava's heat in the ground, thus making it hard to crack, dent or even break." Revvit explained. "Oh, that's just great." Skya groaned.

"Ty!" A voice called. The Trux and Tools turned to see a herd of Cranosaurs driving up to them. "What's going on?" Ty asked. "It's Goldtrux! He's burning down our forest home!" The leader exclaimed. "What? That's weird. Goldtrux never had a talent for burning things down." Garby said. "We'd better check this out." Ty said.

The Trux drove out to the forest just as a group of Hydrodons led by their friend Flynt putting out the fire. "Oh, Trux. Good to see you guys." Flynt said. "The Cranosaurs told us that Goldtrux was responsible for this fire." Ty said. "Yeah. We don't know how he did it either, but it looks like Goldtrux is long gone." Flynt said. "Oh, on the contrary." Goldtrux's voice said. The Trux all turned to see him coming out of the smoke from the fire being put out. "Goldtrux! How did you pull off this fire?!" Ty asked. "Simple. I made a new friend." Goldtrux said. "What new friend?" Skya asked. "That would be me." An unknown voice said. The Trux and Tools looked around in confusion. "That voice. We know that voice, Dil." Taziri said. "Yes. We know it all too well." Dil said. "Nice of you to remember me, girls." The voice said. Just then, a red and light orange Mechatool appeared on Goldtrux's back. "Torch!" Dil and Taziri exclaimed. "Nice to see you both again." The Mechatool, named Torch, said.

"Wait! You 2 know this Tool?!" Dozer asked. "Unfortunately." Taziri said. "Torch lived in our ravine until he got greedy and tried to burn the entire place." Dil said. "His mech attachment is a flamethrower." Taziri said. "Which makes me the one responsible for setting the forest on fire." Torch admitted. "Well, that's about to stop here and now, Torch." Ty said. "Oh, I'm afraid I'm just getting started, T-Trux. I'm about to help this Goldtrux fellow set this entire crater ablaze." Torch said. "How did you even meet Goldtrux anyway?!" Garby asked. "I accidently discovered him while I was out searching for ore and parts for my fellow Bad Trux. And you never told me how powerful a Trux can become with one of these Bad Tools attached to him." Goldtrux explained. "Oh yeah. We Mechatools have quite the charge. Especially when we combine with Dinotrux." Torch said.

"Well, you're not the only one with Mechatools." Ty said as Dil climbed onto his head. "Yeah! We can fight fire with fire!" Dozer exclaimed as Taziri climbed onto his horn. "So, you want to match supercharged with supercharged, do you?" Torch asked as he climbed onto Goldtrux's head. Dil clamped onto Ty's head and combined her drill, supercharging the T-Trux. Taziri then clamed onto Dozer's horn and combined her taser, supercharging the Dozeratops. "Very well then." Torch said, clamping onto Goldtrux's head and combined a flamethrower on his head, supercharging the gold-plated Stegarbasaur. "Let's match supercharged with supercharged."

Ty and Dozer charged for Goldtrux as Dil and Taziri activated their appendages. But Torch activated his flamethrower and stopped the Trux in their tracks. "Getting a bit hot around here, no?" Torch asked mockingly. "Maybe. But it's a good thing we got friends who can cool things down." Ty said. Flynt and his Hydrodons drove up and prepared their water cannons. "Oh, I don't think so!" Goldtrux exclaimed, firing the spikes at the Hydrodons and hitting their pumps. "Ugh! Our pumps are busted!" Flynt explained, unable to fire any water from his damaged pump. "And now you can't put out the heat of my pyrokinetics!" Torch shouted, continuing to blow fire.

"We gotta get through that fire somehow." Ty said. "But how? That fire's blowing everywhere." Dozer said. "I got an idea. Distract and attack." Dil said. "Yeah. 2 of us distract them while the other 2 attack them with their backs turned. We did it to Torch all the time when he tried to get rid of us." Taziri explained. "That's awfully risky. Even for us." Revvit said. "It is. But luckily for us, we're always willing to take risks." Ty said. "So, who distracts and who attacks?" Dozer asked. The Trux and tools all looked at each other.

Goldtrux and Torch kept on spraying their fire while spinning around, cackling mad-like. "Hey, Goldie! Burny!" Dozer yelled. Goldtrux and Torch turned to see Dozer and Taziri ready to fight. "Let's toast these losers." Goldtrux said. "My kind of line." Torch said, sparking up the flame on his thrower. Taziri looked back at Dozer and winked. "Let's go!" Dozer shouted, charging towards the enemy. Torch fired his flamethrower. "Now, Dozer!" Taziri called. Dozer turned off and started driving around Goldtrux and Torch in circles. Goldtrux spun around to keep up as Torch kept on firing. "Ty! Skya! Now!" Dozer called. Ty and Skya drove right up to the unsuspecting Goldtrux. Dil was still attached to Ty as he swung his tail and Skya readied her battering ram. Goldtrux spun and noticed too late as the 2 Trux bashed right into him, knocking him down and sending Torch flying off him. Torch crashed onto a tree. "Ow." He muttered as he slid down the tree.

"It's over, Goldtrux." Ty said as he, Skya, Dozer, Dil and Taziri loomed over Goldtrux. But then Dil and Taziri noticed that Torch wasn't on Goldtrux anymore. "Wait. Torch! Where is he?!" Tazriri asked. "He must've been knocked off when we bashed into Goldtrux." Skya said. "But where did he get knocked to?!" Dozer asked. Just then, Skya felt her treads getting hot. She looked down to see Torch using his flamethrower on them. "Ouch!" She shouted, reversing herself and bumping into Ty. "HEY!" Dozer shouted, preparing to doze Torch. But Torch started spewing his fire at him now. "Whoa! Too hot! Too hot for me!" Dozer cried, reversing himself and bumping into a tree. "Goldtrux, let's go!" Torch called before scattering away. "You're wrong, Ty. This is far from over." Goldtrux said before following the Mechatool. Dil and Taziri glared at the direction Torch and Goldtrux retreated in.

Goldtrux and Torch retreated to a secluded section of the Dark Forest. "Man, those Dinotrux really are no pushovers. Especially with Dil and Taziri on their side." Torch said as he paced. "Well, I'm just lucky those 2 Trux didn't dent my gold plating." Goldtrux said. "Then what's that on the left pad?" Torch asked. Goldtrux looked and saw a huge dent on the left pad. "WHY THOSE NO GOOD, GOLD DENTING, ORE MUNCHING, SCRAPTOR BAITING…!" Goldtrux ranted for minutes. "HEY! Cool down, Goldy!" Torch shouted, spewing his fire to get Goldtrux's attention. "Good. There will be other chances to pay the Trux back for what they've done." He said. "But when would that be? There's always a good time to pay the Trux back for foiling our plans." Goldtrux said. "Indeed. And I may know of a way for us to do just that." Torch said.

Meanwhile, Skya was repeatedly bashing the Motherload with her battering ram against a boulder, trying to break it open. But no avail. "Skya, you've been at that all afternoon since we got back. Maybe you should just call it quits." Dozer said. "No! I know I can crack through that Motherload if I can just hit it hard enough!" Skya exclaimed, bashing it again. "But I told you, Skya. The metal on that Motherload is harder than our previous Motherload due to the heat from under the volcano." Revvit said. That actually got Click-Clack to start spinning his bits. "Wait. What if we heat up the Motherload at the lava forge?" He asked. The Trux and Tools looked at him. "How will that work?" Waldo asked. "Well, Revvit said that the metal on this Motherload is harder because of the heat from the volcano. So, if we can heat it up with the lava at the forge, the metal might heat up and even melt." Click-Clack explained. "Which will make it easier to break open! Good idea, Click-Clack!" Revvit exclaimed. "Boom! Did it!" Click-Clack cheered. "Then what are we waiting for?" Ty asked, placing the Motherload in Ton-Ton's bed. "Let's heat it up!"

The Trux placed the Motherload on 2 stones over the lava and waited for it to heat up. "Now we just wait for the lava to heat up our Motherload." Ty said. "And when it's hot enough…" Revvit started. "We smash it open." Skya finished. "I'm afraid the only thing that's gonna be heated up and smashed…is you." Goldtrux said as he and Torch approached. "Oh, big mistake coming onto our turf, Goldtrux!" Dozer exclaimed, dropping his blade. "Actually, it feels like home to me." Goldtrux said. "Me too We'll take it!" Torch exclaimed, readying his flamethrower. "Move!" Ty shouted. Everyone got out of the way as Torch started firing. "Get him!" Dozer shouted, charging in to doze the golden Stegarbasaur. Goldtrux and Torch chuckled as they turned their flame on him. Dozer skidded to a stop and drove off. "WHOA! That's hot!" He exclaimed, feeling the heat burn his metal. "Let's see you burn me, Gold-dude!" Ton-Ton called as he leapt off a ramp. Goldtrux and Torch saw him coming and turned to him, heating his metal with their fire. "OW, OW, OW! THAT'S HOT, THAT'S HOT, THAT'S HOT!" Ton-Ton shouted as he landed and tried driving off the burning.

The Reptools watched as the Trux were getting burned by Torch's fire every time they tried to get close to him and Goldtrux. "This is not good." Waldo said. "The Trux can't get near them with Torch blowing his fire at them." Spinz said. "There has to be a way to take out Torch without getting burned." Revvit said. "Wait! I actually have another idea!" Click-Clack exclaimed. "Another one?! But that's twice today!" Waldo exclaimed. "Just hear me out. I've been working on this for a few days." Click-Clack said, showing them his sketch idea. It looked like some kind of armor. "What is that?" Xee asked. "It's a special heat proof armor made special for traveling through super-heated tunnels. Skya and I also ran a few tests in that hole where we helped the Drillosaurs find their diamond. It should also work against Torch's fire." Click-Clack explained. "Great idea, Click-Clack. We'll construct an armor to help Ty get through Torch's fire." Revvit said. "Just Ty? And not the others?" Waldo asked. "We don't have enough material for all the Trux. So, we better hurry and start building." Revvit said. "Then let's Tool it up!" Click-Clack called.

The Trux continued to keep Goldtrux and Torch busy as the Tools used the forge to construct the armor. As Ty began to charge towards the 2, they turned and blew their fire right into his face. "ARGH! Hey! No fair!" He shouted. "That's the general idea, Ty." Goldtrux said, swatting Ty in the face with his tail and knocking him down. Torch cackled as he spewed his fire wildly. "You see? With my own Mechatool, none of you will stand against us again!" Goldtrux exclaimed.

Ty struggled to get up. "Ty!" Revvit called. "Rev, we can't get close with Torch spewing his flamethrower." Ty said. "And that's why Click-Clack came up with the idea to build this." Revvit said as the Tools brought over some pieces of scrap. Ty looked at them and began to catch on. "Suit me up." He said.

Goldtrux and Torch began backing the Trux against a big ditch. "It's time to crash and BURN!" Torch shouted. "Very pleasant, my flamethrowing friend." Goldtrux said. "Thank you, Goldtrux." Torch said, preparing to spew his fire. "Leave them alone!" Ty yelled. Goldtrux and Torch turned to see him driving up to them, wearing his new armor. "Ty!" Skya cheered. "What's he wearing?" Dozer asked in confusion. "Don't know. But it looks scrappy." Shredda said. "You're not gonna win this time, Goldtrux." Ty said. Goldtrux and Torch just laughed. "You think you can stop us wearing that junk?!" Goldtrux asked. "He must be desperate!" Torch exclaimed. "Then let's torch his desperation." Goldtrux said. "My thoughts exactly." Torch said, preparing his flamethrower. "Go ahead and try!" Ty called, charging in. Torch spewed his fire at Ty. But he didn't even feel a single burn. "What?!" Torch asked in shock. "Why isn't it working?!" Goldtrux asked. Then Ty gave a powerful swing and slammed his tail into Goldtrux, spinning him around. "Well, what do you know. This armor really works." Ty said.

Goldtrux growled as he recovered. "How did Ty manage to withstand my fire?!" Torch asked in anger. "Don't know, don't care. Let's try for another round." Goldtrux said, driving back into the fight. Torch spewed fire at Ty again. But just like the first time, Ty's armor protected him from being burned. "I don't understand it! No metal could withstand my fire!" Torch shouted. "It is if it's designed and built by us." Click-Clack said. Ty gave another mighty swing of his tail and knocked Goldtrux and Torch into the trees. Goldtrux hit the trees so hard, his spikes were broken off. "MY SPIKES!" He cried. "Boy, it's always something with you, isn't it?" Torch asked in disbelief. "Now it's over, Goldtrux." Ty said as the Trux regrouped with him. Goldtrux and Torch saw that they were outnumbered and out-tricked. "Perhaps a tactical retreat is in order." Goldtrux said. "Agreed. But you haven't seen the last of us, Trux!" Torch called as he hopped onto Goldtrux as he drove away.

Later, after cooling down the Motherload in the aqueduct after it heated up enough during the fight, it was all cracked and breakable now. "INCOMING!" Skya shouted as she charged for the Motherload and shattered it on impact. The Trux and Tools cheered as parts flew all over the place. "So, wait. That armor Click-Clack made is really heat-proof?" Dozer asked. "Yes. It was strong enough to withstand Torch's fire." Revvit said. "And it's even stronger for future volcanic explorations." Click-Clack said. "Now I want my own heat-proof armor!" Dozer exclaimed eagerly. "And we will make armor for all of you guys just as soon as we get the scrap we need for the parts." Revvit said. Dozer groaned as the Trux and Tools started to gather up all the parts that were stuck in the Motherload.