Disclaimer: I do not own Fossil Fighters, any of the vivosaurs or characters (Except for Creed), and am simply writing this for my own amusement.
A/N: As the sequel to my previous fic, Dark Horse Gambit, this story will continue building up on the foundation I have already laid down. It shall detail the adventures of novice Fossil Fighter Vestello Leoncor as he competes in the infamous Caliosteo Cup. What sort of troubles will he face? You are welcome to read and find out.
Acknowledgments: Firstly, I would like to thank Devaro Ayanami for his wonderful help as both my Beta and my sounding-board. Secondly, I would like to thank Tempest Bound for encouraging me to post this story now, rather than later. Thirdly, I would like to thank Vathara for all the wonderful stories -which I highly recommend you read- she has posted. Reading them has helped me find ways of expanding my own writing style.
/\/\/\/\
Chapter 6
Of Power and Masks II
From: Leveche
Subject: Re: Christianity
((Don't think I haven't noticed the way you evaded my question. However, since I am guilty of the doing the same thing I'll let it slide. Very clever though, swamping me with information you knew I wanted in an attempt to try and distract me. I almost didn't realize what you were doing. Well played.))
Thank you for offering to refer me to the pastors of your church, but I must refuse. I know you, I know your character and your motives (at least that's what I'd like to believe, you still surprise me sometimes) and I don't know them.
Questions, I have so many that I fear I may distract you from the Cup.
What about Catholicism? I know that at one point it dominated much of the world prior to the discovery of the Americas but what makes it different from Christianity? If they both teach about God, doesn't that mean they're the same?
You mentioned that the humans were all saved through Jesus' sacrifice, but what about those not human? Like the Dinaurians that now live on our planet. What will happen to them?
What do you think about the scientific theory involving evolution and the earth being millions / billions / trillions of years old? How does that coincide with the teachings of Christianity?
I'm still not entirely sure about what you mean about Christians being the Salt of the earth. Though I have seen how people do seem naturally inclined to persecute Christians. That's always puzzled me. What makes how you and yours live so different from the rest of us?
If God is so powerful, why is the world in the state it's in now? Surely he knew that Eve would eat that apple and could have stopped her, or even just not put the tree in the garden in the first place. And today there's so much pain and misery, why doesn't he do something to stop it? Why is it that so often evil people get into power and stay there, while those with good hearts suffer? It just doesn't make sense. He could stop it all if he wished, he could make us stop, so why doesn't he?
What's the story about the Devil/Satan/Lucifer (that's a new one to me)? Is he God's opposite, or something? Like a counterbalance, God being Life, Satan being Death or however you want to put it.
/\
What stinks?
Brows furrowing, Vestello rolled to his side. Froze as the ground beneath him squished like soggy turf. Something was definitely wrong.
Yes, he was damp, but that didn't explain why he wasn't outright wet like turf that soggy should have made him. He should have been soaked to the bone! And, of course, it still didn't account for that putrid smell…
"Where are we?"
Rupert's voice. A little less worried, Vestello opened his eyes and sat up.
Yuck… Grimacing, he wiped slime off his cheek then stood up to avoid getting any wetter.
Woah. Everything was an off-pink, and looked like some kind of isolated island one would see in games or movies. Sans the plants and ocean breeze, of course.
"Well, we were at the Icegrip Plateau, and then there was that huge wave and…"
Remember ivory lining flesh, Vestello let out a strangled cry. That had been no wave!
Obviously, Pauleen was following the same line of thought he was, for she gasped. "Oh no! We've been swallowed by a whale!"
And the waterworks flew.
"Waaaaah! W-we're gonna be digested!"
When did we step into Disney's Pinocchio? Dazed, Vestello swayed in place, face ashen.
"I don't wanna be whale food! I'm too beautiful! Waaaaaah!"
Haven't heard that declaration in a while. A distant not-shocked-into-a-stupor part of his mind chimed in.
"Slap a fish and call me roughy! I came over to investigate all this racket, and instead I find company!"
Blinking, amber eyed the unkempt hair and beard, an absolutely ancient fishing pole, and what looked like a melon.
Pauleen sniffled. "Oh. Um, hello. Do you…live…here…?" she trailed off.
"The name's Robinson, and it's a right pleasure to meetcha." A mustache resembling a giant, hairy caterpillar curved upward in a smile. Robinson gestured around him. "This whale's called the Bonehemoth, see, and he likes to chew on ice cubes." He rocked back on sandals that had obviously seen better days. "So there I was, doing a bit'a fishin' on an ice floe, when he swims up, cool as you please."
Suppressing a groan at the pun, Vestello felt a new sense of sympathy for Vicious.
"Dangnap fish up and swallowed me in one bite! That was near ten years ago now, give or take a few."
All coherent thought process came to a screeching halt and slipped into the broken-record state of "Ten years? Ten years? Ten years?" and so on.
"You've been here for ten years? By yourself?"
What she said…
Robinson waved an arm. "Naw, I ain't by m'self! I done gone and made a friend, see? Lemme introduce you folds to m'best friend in the whole, wide whale… Balliver!"
The melon, actually some type of green volley ball, was displayed with the pride reserved for the introduction of a star student or favorite relative.
Behind ragged bangs, Robinson frowned and shot the ball a look. "Now, Balliver, where's your manners? Go on and say hello to the nice folks now! Uh-huh. Yeah, I know. It's gonna be a lot louder with all these folks here."
Vestello waggled a forefinger by his temple in a universal sign.
Rupert elbowed him in the ribs.
"Well, Balliver, that's good to hear. I'm happy to have company m'self."
"That's just a ball with a face drawn on it." Pauleen whispered at him.
Amber met gold, then both teens looked at the pinkette and shrugged.
"Perhaps his loneliness was so great he felt the need to invent a friend." Rupert suggested in a low tone.
"Aw, look at me!" Robinson lowered 'Balliver'. "Flappin' m'gums while you stand there ankle deep in chum."
I will not look down. I will not look down.
Judging from Rupert's disgusted expression and Pauleen's loud 'eeeeeew!', that was probably a wise course of action.
Where's that light coming from, anyway? It should be cave-dark in here.
"You folks should wander around! See the sights! Get acquainted with your new home. This here Bonehemoth swallows all kinds of stuff, so if you want it, you can probably find it." A pause. "In fact, take a look over yonder."
Amber blinked. How in the world…?
"Oh. My. Gosh…" Pauleen ran over to the VMM machine. "Aw, nuts. The teleporter is broken!" She pressed a few buttons. "But you can still switch Dino Medals in and out, so that's something."
A mechanical whrring reached their ears as an all too familiar shape came into view.
"Hello! I was swallowed along with this revive machine." Felic chirped.
Or…not Felic. It was missing a couple of the veteran robot's quirks, so this must be one of the other KL-33N units deployed by the islands.
"Even in this terrible place, I can help with all your cleaning needs." The KL-33N unit bleeped.
"Oh, hey! That's handy. Thanks, KL-33N!" Pauleen was smiling behind her mask, Vestello was pretty sure.
"Robinson." The castaway turned to look at Rupert. "Is there any way to escape from this place?"
Robinson recoiled, horrified. "Escape? Fish guts! Why would you wanna go and do a thing like that?"
O…kay, can we say 'skewed priorities', anyone?
"Well, if you're serious, I s'pose you could take it up with Lord Tonzilla."
Is he serious?
"He's whatcha might call the supreme ruler of this place, see?"
Rupert's elbow found his ribs before Vestello could sign 'cookoo' again.
"He's at the top of the food chain and the top of the Bonehemoth's digestive tract!" With a squealch, Robinson spun around and pointed towards a 'tunnel', then faced them again. "If you folks could defeat Lord Tonzilla, you might be able to leave this place." Shaggy hair whipped back and forth as he shook his head. "But I can't imagine why you'd wanna do such a thing."
Dude's been here too long.
"And neither can Balliver."
Waaaay, to long. Vestello watched as the poor man all but fled their presence.
"Okay…" Pauleen turned to her teammates. "I don't care what the crazy man thinks. We have to beat Lord Tonzilla and get out of here!"
[Same-here.
Leave-now.]
"I'm glad you agree, Vestello!"
"I hate to play the optimist." Rupert glanced around. "But at least we can excavate, clean, and revive fossil rocks here." He inched towards a pile of debris. "Yes, well, we should split up and prepare ourselves. We'll meet again in the Bonehemoth's digestive tract."
And he was scurrying, yes scurrying, away towards the pile with an odd glint in gold eyes.
Shaking his head, Vestello turned to where Pauleen—
Used to be.
The bluenette sighed.
/\/\/\
Eyeing his last remaining Miraculous Fossil, Vestello weighed his options. On one hand, he had a strong impulse to integrate it into this vivosaur. On the other hand, it seemed much better suited for that vivosaur. Decisions, decisions, what he needed was another Miraculous Fossil so there wouldn't have to be a choice but, at the same time, giving this vivosaur a mondo power boost seemed to fall directly under the category of Extremely Bad Idea.
Which implied that it wasn't his desires trying to factor into the decision.
It's coming back, or maybe it was never totally gone. They're still there.
The relief was great, and he was almost tempted to integrate the fossil with the first vivosaur, but common sense won out and he put Tyranno's Dino Medal away again and held up Grace's medal.
Let's see if KL-33N actually can integrate fossils without all that machinery…
Mere moments later he was eating his own skepticism, and pretty much every other emotion except awe.
"Congratulations, your toba has Super Evolved into an equinas."
Equinas, horse-like. Vestello scanned the snow-white form, graceful neck and swishing tail, and the odd horn protruding from its forelock passed its, her, nose. Beautiful, like a unicorn in vivosaur skin.
A soft croon, then a white muzzle tentatively nuzzled his chest, mindful of the very sharp-looking horn. Amber meet turquoise as his hand reached up to stroke the velvet snout. Gentle turquoise slid closed partway, content, complete with a low thrumming.
And in the back of his mind, Vestello could swear he could feel a sense of strong-leader/support/trust/safe that was most definitely not coming from him.
::Come on, Grace, we should get moving.:: A pause. ::We should probably try to find Vehemence as we go.::
Somewhere in that dark, empty void that was the edges of his mind, something was laughing.
Catching the horse-like vivosaur's medal as it dropped, Vestello turned and trotted towards the 'tunnel' leading out of the 'cavern' he was presently in. Trading open spaces for a more enclosed one, something tan and stone and geometric caught his eye.
Pausing he turned to look. Blinked. Looked again.
Oh you've gotta be kidding me.
Partially buried under a pile of debris, the Miraculous Fossil just sat there innocently.
/\/\/\
There were many unimportant 'great questions' in life which drove scientific minds into a frenzy. Whether the chicken or the egg came first (That's important…how, exactly?), if there was life after death (Well, duuuh.), was there life beyond the Earth (Yes! The Dinaurians proved it!), and so on and so forth. Now there was another one.
Exactly how did the lights scattered throughout the Bonehemoth's digestive tract work? Where were they getting the electricity to even turn on?
Vestello eyed the Victorian-styled lamp post incredulously. Shook his head. Then continued onward. While the question was a curious one, it wasn't really important just then. There were more important things to worry about, like beating Lord Tonzilla and getting out of the living incarnation of Monstro.
And figuring out what was following him. He couldn't hear or see anything, but he knew something was there. It made the area between his shoulder blades itch and was driving him nuts—
Red-on-black topping white-with-gray pounced.
Gyaaaa!
"Help, please!" Cole yanked at the teenager's sleeve, blue eyes far too wide behind tinted lenses. "It's Lola! She's going to be crushed!"
Vestello stopped struggling and let the panicked older male drag him further down the tract.
Pallid ice stood out plain as day against the fleshy environment. As did a familiar green Mohawk as its owner struggled to keep the slippery ice slate from crashing down on the immobile form beneath.
"I can't lift it and Lester won't be able to hold it much longer. Please, help!" The pleading expression looked so out of place on the normally sly face.
How? I doubt I'm any stronger than you are.
All the same, Vestello surveyed the scene, looking for anything he could use to help, anything to gain leverage and push the slate up higher.
Nothing.
We need to get rid of it before it falls on her. But… The itching between his shoulders returned and an idea formed. That might work…
Bringing thumb and forefinger up, Vestello blew out a shrill whistle.
::Vehemence, get that thing off her, now!::
The sound of rattling keratin filled the air as a whip of metallic hide shot forward. Ice crunched then shattered into countless shining shards, but the titanic snake wasn't through yet. Winding around like a spring he struck, again and again, until there were no chunks of ice bigger than the average ice cube. Lester and Cole quickly hurried to their friend's side.
Settling back on his coils, Vehemence eyed his handiwork with a pleased hiss. The orange rattle on his tail jangled almost casually.
::Good job.:: Vestello held out an arm, palm out.
Orange, slit eyes considered the limb, then Vehemence reached out to meet it, touching cool nose to the warm palm. Vestello smiled, stroking the snake's snout. Then the winding form dissolved, and a dino medal fell into his hand. Holstering it, Vestello became aware of his audience and turned.
Dark brows furrowed, puzzled. Why do they look so nervous?
But the expressions quickly vanished behind their generic expressions as the trio pretended they had not just been staring at him with wide eyes.
"Maaan, this place is so not groovy." Lola winced, rubbing a sore ankle. "It's all dark and smelly and gooey. And I keep smelling, like, fish? Toootal drag, man."
Lester growled. "I totally hate enclosed spaces! I think I have closetphobia."
Vestello coughed behind a hastily raised hand.
Running a gloved hand through bi-colored hair, Cole winced as it came away slimy. "Even my hair can't handle having this much goo in it! We have to get out of here before I lose my just-woke-up look."
Amber blinked. People actually named that kind of appearance?
Blue eyes suddenly found him again. "This is, like, all your fault. You're a tooootal buzz kill."
Before the fight on Icegrip Plataeu, Vestello would have been intimidated by the glares the three commanders were sending his way. Now however, it merely annoyed him. With an exaggerated roll of his eyes, Vestello leaned back on his heels, arms folding across his chest.
"Yeah! If you hadn't meddled with our plans, none of this would have happened!" Cole took two aggressive steps forward before a fierce amber glare froze him in place. The hipster shivered, then tried pretending like he hadn't actually been trying to approach. "We'd be ruling the Caliosteo Islands and not trapped inside some stupid fish!"
[Whales-mammals
*negation* fish]
Curse his sarcastic impulses. Now Lola was shooting him a very curious look.
Time to distract. Thankfully his tablet was undamaged by recent events.
[WHY ARE YOU AFTER THE ISLANDS, ANYWAY? SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF WASTED EFFORT TO ME]
It was Lester who responded. "You wanna know why we want the islands?" A sharp chortle, then he sneered at the teenager. "Like I'd tell you! We've got plans! Big plans! Really…really big plans."
Lola and Cole exchanged looks, then simultaneously rolled their eyes.
"Look, our boss, Don Boneyard, told us to cancel the Cup and drive off Fighters, so that's what we're doing." Cole shrugged, nonchalant. "We'll deal with other stuff when the time comes."
Vestello hummed thoughtfully.
[I SUPPOSE I CAN UNDERSTAND JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS.]
A pop signaled Lola blowing another bubble. The hippie snapped her gum. "Soooo, like, you're not even a member of Don Boneyard's evil gang, right?"
Puzzled, Vestello nodded.
"So maybe you should stay out of this and, like, stop asking questions." Her eyes had sharpened warningly by the end.
Holding his hands up in surrender, Vestello took a polite step back. This seemed to satisfy Lola as her posture relaxed once more.
"Yeah, I don't have the energy to answer questions all day." Cole blew a stray strand of hair out of his face. "So blow."
Vestello sighed, slipping his tablet back into his back pack. It looked like he'd get no help from them. So, squaring his shoulders , the bluenette strode passed the trio towards the 'tunnel' at the far end of the small 'cavern'.
"Like, hold on a sec, man."
Surprised, Vestello paused mid-step and glanced back.
"Before you, like, said a whale was a mammal not a fish, right?"
"What are you talking about, Lola?" Cole frowned. "He didn't say anything."
"Course not, he like, signed it and stuff. You know, sign language?" She glanced at Vestello again. "Right?"
Bemused, Vestello nodded and Lola grinned.
"Sweet, cause, like, I know some Sign Language, y'know?" Her hands came up.
Amber blinked, then Vestello coughed and shifted uncomfortably at the massacre of sign language grammar that was in no way repeatable in polite company, or even rude company.
"How'd I do?"
A weak smile.
[Practice-repeat-repeat-repeat.
Dictionary, look-for.]
Frowning, Lola squinted at his hands. Then her eyes widened and her face reddened.
"Oh, that bad, huh?"
[So-so.]
"Don Boneyard's been, like, teaching me some sign language."
Vestello stared, unable to compute a floating skull teaching someone how to sign with hands.
Off to the sides, Cole and Lester looked just as incredulous.
"Yeah, so, I don't really have a lot of experience using the signs, like, for real an' all. No one to practice with, see? Sooo like, I'm not very groovy at it, yet."
[You-me, together, will-practice, maybe?]
Blue widened. "That would, like, be totally groovy, man! You mean it?"
The amber-eyed teen nodded, then continued on his way to confront Lord Tonzilla.
They're not so bad.
/\/\/\
"Hey!" Pauleen waved Vestello over. "We think that Lord Tonzilla is up ahead."
Rupert looked the other boy over. "Are you ready, Vestello?"
The blunette nodded, eyes determined.
Satisfied, Rupert returned the nod. "Right. Let's go."
"We're coming for you, Lord Tonzilla!" And with that, Pauleen threw herself onward.
The 'tunnel' they were in darkened, then grew light again as they rounded a corner and into a much larger 'cavern'. Upon entering the 'cavern' and seeing its contents, Vestello nearly tripped over air. Twice.
"That must be Lord Tonzilla."
Way to state the obvious, Rupert. Vestello eyed the swaying, balloon-like protrusion growing up from the 'ground'. Truthfully, it looked a lot like a uvula did, only it was growing from the bottom rather than hanging from the top. He could even see why Robinson had anthropomorphized the odd organ. Two odd leaf-like protrusions swayed at its base, resembling arms, and if one tilted their head and squinted it looked like there was a face on the swaying bulbous mass.
"Whaaaat?" Pauleen's shrill cry made the bluenette wince. "It's just a giant tonsil!"
Not like any tonsil I've ever seen…
"Stand back, kids! Pauleen's gonna perform a little oral surgery on this loser!"
Before either Vestello or Rupert could stop her, the pinkette ran over and kicked Lord Tonzilla. This quickly turned out to be a very bad idea as formerly off-pink flesh burned dark red with what couldn't be mistaken as anything other than rage. Which is rather odd for an organ attached to a larger creature.
"Toooooonziiiiill?"
Did…that…just…?
Rupert darted forward. "Pauleen, no! Stop kicking it-"
Vestello winced as both teens slid limply off the far wall.
"TOOOONZIIIIIL!"
I think it's mad now…
::Halcyon! Grace! Stark!::
Tonzilla rolled on its base as the three vivosaurs materialized. Rolled and then—
Uh-oh…
A wall of fleshy pink descended.
Something yanked him away by the waist as Tonzilla slammed 'face' first into the place where he had just been standing.
::Thanks, Grace.::
The equinas crooned, depositing the teen on her shoulders as Tonzilla snapped back into place like an elastic band.
::Lagia Claw! Machai Fang! Keep it distracted.::
Fiery fangs and claws descended. Tonzilla let out pitiful moans as it was shredded by a maelstrom of furious vivosaurs. It rolled, it flailed, it even slammed into the nearby ground, but its assaulters were simply to agile to be caught by such a restrained foe.
Halcyon and Stark moved in tandem, almost like a pair of experienced dancers as they systematically tore the monstrous organ's surface flesh to shreds. Each blow was seemingly choreographed, planned out, and Tonzilla simply could not keep up with them.
Halcyon leapt away and Tonzilla saw its chance. It rolled on its base and flung itself forward-
And exposed itself.
There!
::Grace: Equinas Dos!::
The horse-like vivosaur's frame blurred with a speed belying her size. Zeroing in, her sharp horn struck home with no difficulty.
With one last moan, Tonzilla went completely limp.
Battle over, Vestello recalled his team as Pauleen and Rupert, now recovered, rejoined him. Both teens, Vestello was amused to note, were giving the limp organ a much wider berth.
"I never thought I'd be pummeled by a giant pink tonsil. It's a little embarrassing." Pauleen shifted, eyeing the guilty organ.
Rupert frowned. "I fail to understand how this thing will help us escape the whale."
"Y-you actually did it!"
The three teens jumped at the sudden voice.
"You knocked out Lord Tonzilla! There's a flood a'comin' now, and no denyin'."
…Did he just say flood?
"Come on, Balliver! We've gotta get to the boat! All aboard who's goin' aboard!" And the castaway was vanishing down the tunnel like the Devil himself were chasing him.
"I think Robinson's lost his mind. How can knocking over a tonsil cause a flood?"
As if Pauleen's words were a planned cue, the entire cavern shook
I think Robinson may have the right idea…
"Um…" Pauleen glanced around. "What was that?"
Inching towards the tunnel Robinson had vanished down, Rupert glanced back. "Perhaps Robinson is not quite the madman we took him for. You know how a gag reflex can be triggered by stimulating the tonsil? Well, perhaps…"
"Wait a sec…" Pauleen looked at the silver-haired teen. "So you're saying…" A hand drifted up to the mask's fearsome mouth. "What's going to happen is…"
Does anyone but me hear the sound of water?
As one, the Patrol Team turned—
Frothing waves came crashing down.
/\/\/\
Icegrip Plateau is a lot prettier from the air. Vestello mused when the blanket of foaming water finally dispersed into fine mist, revealing his two teammates and the vast expanse of the earth and sea beneath them.
From this high up he could see all of the Icegrip Plateau, Hotspring Heights, Ilium Villiage, and even parts of the neighboring islands. It was quite a breath taking sight. A rather soothing one as well.
Or it was soothing, until gravity caught up to them. Then the distance between him and the ground took on an entirely new meaning.
Even with all that snow underneath, there won't be enough to cushion us.
Reaching the zenith of their ascent, the trio began to fall.
::Spirit! Guile!::
A flash of light and Vestello clamped down on the materializing green limb.
/\/\/\
Guile glanced down at the Fighter's clinging to his ankles. The Expert Night Lizard glanced over at his former counterpart and the third human nestled between his wings.
Satisfied that none of the humans were in any immediate danger, they angled downward in controlled glides, not flight, glides. And before long they were touching down on the chilly tundra. Guile shifted in place and would have frowned had his facial structure been designed to do so.
Ice was no place for a reptile, much to cold, even with his Fighter's strength helping him stay warm.
Speaking of whom, Guile glance down again, the two humans were still clinging to him. Didn't they realize they were on the ground now?
Nearby, Spirit chattered, amused, as the human he was ferrying slid off one outstretched wing.
Chuffing back at the other flier, Guile shifted all his weight on one leg and kicked. There was a yelp, and his Fighter went flying, then vanishing over/into a deep snowdrift. Satisfied, Guile shifted again and did the same with the other leg.
With an amused rumble at the pair's plight, Guile returned to his Dino Medal.
/\/\/\
::That was uncalled for, Guile.:: Vestello groused, the chittering laughter of Spirit still ringing in his ears. Naturally, there was no response to his rebuke, though he ached to feel one.
"Why'd your vivosaur have to go and do that? Huh?" Pauleen planted a fist on either hip and glowered.
Or what would have been a glower had she not been completely blinded by snow, which had worked into every niche and cranny of her mask.
Vestello sniggered.
"Isn't that Robinson?"
The bluenette glanced at Rupert, then in the area where he was pointing. It certainly looked like their fellow former-castaway.
The man turned as they approached, looking relieved. "Oh, there you are! Thought you folks were lost for good, I did."
"We were in the Bonehemoth, and then there was this giant wave and…yeah…" Pauleen, mask now snow-free, trailed off.
Robinson tched and waggled a finger. "I told you not to mess with the natural order'a things! You lot are lucky to be up and walkin' around, you are."
Remember the height from which they had nearly plummeted, Vestello could not help but agree with the man.
"Still, I'm a free man once more, and I suppose I owe you m'thanks." Turning, he gazed back over the ocean. "It's been ten years since I last smelled fresh air. Ten long years…" Glancing back, he shot them a fuzzy grin. "Well, I best be getting' back to my trade, eh? Them fish won't catch themselves. Good day to you folks."
"Okay, so that was kind of a low point for the Patrol Team." Pauleen announced, watching the man go. "But what matters is that we're out!"Arching back, she breathed in deeply. "I should thank my lucky stars we're even alive… Oh, and Lord Tonzilla, too, I guess."
Vestello shook his head. Thank the Lord, not lucky stars…and not that oversized organ either. That could have been a very messy end. And no one would have known what had happened to us…
"I hope the BB Brigade trio escaped." Gold eyes stared over the expanse of ocean. "Despite their intentions, no one deserves to be trapped in a whale."
"Wait. You're worried about me? Reeeeally?"
A smile tugged at Vestello's mouth.
Leaning heavily against Cole, Lola grinned. "What a trip, man. Maybe this means the rich kid, like, likes me?"
Rupert, Vestello decided, looked absolutely adorable when embarrassed. He suspected Lola thought so too if that sly smile was anything to go by.
"So, made it out, did you?" Pauleen sized up the trio, who looked rather worse for wear.
Lester met her gaze. "Yeah, some Robinson guy came along and rescued us."
Cole flipped his out-of-place bangs. "He was attracted to my style like a sailor to a siren!" Then the hipster shot them a bewildered, and somewhat insulted look as Lola and Vestello exchanged looks and began sniggering.
Then Lola grew serious again. "Yeah, so I gotta, like, split this scene and go hose myself off." A pause. "And get my ankle looked at…"
With a flash of inspiration Vestello snapped his fingers, drawing all the attention to himself, and flipped a Dino Medal into the air.
Crooning, Charity nuzzled his chest before stepping back, head cocked.
::Think you could help her out?:: The bluenette gestured towards Lola's leg.
The caring mother lizard glanced where directed, then nodded. Her soothing melody filled their ears as the air took on a pinkish tint, deepest around Lola. The commander's eyes widened, then grew glassy as the surrounding warmth intensified.
Then the singing stopped, and the air returned to its usual color.
::Thank you, Charity.:: Black gloves stroked the soft-pink flank. The vivosaur purred, reaching around to nuzzle her Fighter once more before returning to her Dino Medal.
"Whoa, like, wow." Lola tested her ankle, Cole hovering nearby in case she lost her balance. "You tooootally did not have to do that, man."
"I did not realize a healing vivosaur could aid a human as well." Rupert murmured, gold eyes wide.
Vestello shrugged.
[You-hurt, me-help, natural.] He signed.
Lola frowned, straightening up.
"That's, like, twice now you helped me." A flicker of indecision flashed behind blue. "Soooo…here." Snow crunched as she approached, pulling something out of a bag. "You should have these."
Surprised, Vestello stared down at the three Super Electrominites. Such small little things, hard to believe they could run three high-tech islands so easily.
"I…I don't understand." Blue wide behind fearsome mask, Pauleen stared at the unexpected gifts. "Why are you giving these back to us?"
Lola looked away. "Like, we heard it was you that made the Bonehemoth horf us up, right? Soooo, that means you saved our lives, which is weird, because you're, like, our mortal enemies." She looked puzzled by the concept. "Anyway, it's bad juju to leave a debt like that unpaid. So we're all square now, riiiight?" A somewhat worried glance at Vestello.
The bluenette smiled.
[*affirmation* Square]
Some of the tension eased from the hippie's frame.
"Are Cole and Lester okay with this?" Pauleen asked, glancing at the two silent males.
Cole raised his hands in front of him, chin to chest. "Hey, this is Lola's crazy plan. I just do what she tells me."
Despite that declaration, the hipster shot a cryptic look in Vestello's direction.
"Yeah. And the more she fails, the better I look!" Lester laughed.
Unimpressed, Lola rolled her eyes. "Soooo, this is, like, a one-time kind of thing, dig?" Blue grew sharp. "Next time we meet, I'm toooootally going to flip your wig."
"I'd love to stay and give you some style tips." Cole shot Vestello's orange jumpsuit a distasteful look. "Goodness knows you need them. But, yeah. I'm outta here." Spinning on his heel, he strode away.
"Watch your backs, losers!" Lester followed his fellow commander.
Lola made to follow them, paused, then glanced back with a smile. "You promised sign practice so, like, don't forget. We gotta meet up sometime." A wave, and then she was hurrying after her companions.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but…" Pauleen stared after them. "They're not all that bad."
A sigh escaped Rupert. "We can discuss the relative merits of our enemies later. Right now, each of us should take a Super Electrominite to an island."
Nodding, Vestello passed out two of the Super Electrominites, then the trio went their separate ways.
/\/\/\
From: Vestello
Subject: Food Chain
Have you ever been eaten before? It is a very humbling experience. And a disgusting one. I'm still trying to clean chum out of my hair. Yuck.
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From: Vestello
Subject: Re-re Christianity
While on one hand I'm honored by your trust in me, on the other I'm a little intimidated. I'll confess I probably don't read my Bible as often as I probably should, but I'll answer your questions to the best of my ability. However, I must warn you ahead of time that much of what I say will merely be my interpretation of what the Bible says. Everyone sees it a bit differently so don't take everything I say as absolute truth. Think of it more as…helpful hints and guides so you can find your own way. So if I say something that you can't quite puzzle out, or if you ask a question I don't interpret properly, know that it's simply because my own humanity is making things difficult.
Alright…yikes, that's a lot of questions. I don't think I'll answer them all in one letter. Partly because I don't have time, things are getting really hectic here on the islands, but mostly because some of those questions I'll have to think about and do some research before I can attempt to answer them.
I'll respond to your question about the Dinaurians first. To be honest, I'm not sure if there's anything in the bible that mentions 'aliens-from-another-planet' but I don't think it's completely accurate to simply call them not-human. Once upon a time those with African heritage weren't considered human either, but they are just like us only they look different.
From my perspective it's probably better to think of them simply as another ethnic group, rather than another race all together. Keep in mind that centuries ago people from England saw those of Japan as totally alien as well, and they have a closer physical resemblance to us than the Dinaurians.
Argh! This isn't coming out right!
Different cultures have different ethics, beliefs, ways of life as a result of where and how they grew. In many cases they develop traditions and such that are at odds with another culture. Example: The Native Americans during the colonizing period all worked for survival: the men went hunting and protected their people while the woman farmed and did domestic manual labor. In contrast the people of Europe did no such thing. Men were in charge of everything while the woman were little more than servants. Highly glorified (most of the time) servants, but servants none the less. Am I making sense?
Basically what I'm saying is that I believe the Dinaurians can be saved just like any other culture on this planet if they're willing to receive it.
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Reviews are always appreciated. They let me know my story is not simply collecting virtual dust. And by reviews I mean something a bit more than 'awesome story' or the like. Tell me what you enjoyed, and even what you did not (though please refrain from going on a tangent).
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Sneak Peak:
"Pauleen! Wait, digadig!"
Vestello's ears pricked up at the unfamiliar voice using a familiar, though still odd, phrase.
"Pauleeeeeen!"
Red robes: check. Skull for a hat: check. Staff: check. This must be the guy Leveche mentioned.