Disclaimer: I do not own Fossil Fighters, any of the vivosaurs or characters (Except for Creed and Vestello), and am simply writing this for my own amusement.
(Note: I just realized that for over 22 chapters I've been claiming Creed but not Vestello…))
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.
Note: Sorry for the delay, this chapter was a royal pain.
/\/\/\/\
Chapter 7
For Want of a Spine IV
From: Leveche
Subject: Re-Final Showdown
Are you feeling alright, Vestello? You last message seemed a little odd…
PS: I'm afraid I haven't the slightest idea what you could have felt when the pillar regenerated—seriously? As in literal sci-fi-type regeneration?—but I doubt you were imagining it.
/\/\/\
Puff ball of doom. Vestello thought, smothering the urge to snicker as he watched Jest-the-cotton-ball hiss and snarl from the corner of his eye. The Ancient Wing vivosaur had his neck twisted around until his head hovered somewhere just below the bluenette's right shoulder blade and thus closer to the object of his ire.
A lazy click of chitin prompted another furious hiss and Jest snapped at segmented shell. Or rather, he attempted to. He had to yank his head back to avoid getting thwacked by flexing pygidia spines.
::Okay, that's enough, you two.:: Vestello scolded, one hand coming up to smooth ruffled white and gold. The ancient wing vivosaur gave one more hiss of protest before reluctantly relaxing from his puff-ball-state and flopped to drape bonelessly across his Fighter's shoulders.
Half of the equation dealt with, Vestello glanced over white-gold feathers to study the other half. He eyed the two-foot trilobite wrapped half around his backpack, half around his waist. From beneath a helmet of slate-gray armor, luminescent red stared back at him.
::That means no more prodding, Stoic. I know the reactions are amusing-:: A sharp hiss, tiny jaws snapped at the air by Vestello's ear. ::But now is really not the time.::
The terata clicked his mandibles but otherwise didn't respond.
A smile tugging at his lips, Vestello shook his head and continued walking. Who would have thought a fossil rock would be in the Seabed Caverns? Not that he was complaining, the Great Monster Shield vivosaur was just to cool for words. And he even came in carry-on size! And it's not like he was encroaching on Jest's preferred perch, anyway.
A red-clad figure caught his attention and Vestello glanced over at the company heir.
"Are you ready?" Rupert looked a bit pale and Vestello could see more of the white in his eyes than usual.
Lips firming into a grim line, the bluenette nodded.
"Wait, digadig! Don't forget us!" The pounding of feet-against-pavement and Pauleen and Todd skidded to an abrupt halt in front of them, and then promptly doubled over for air.
Rupert and Vestello exchanged amused glances as the newly arrived duo caught their breath.
Amusement carefully wiped from his face, Rupert nodded in greeting to their fellow patrol members. "Right. Let's get going." Steely determination entered gold. "It's time to capture Don Boneyard and put him out of commission for good!"
Here here! Vestello clapped once with a sharp nod. The quartet exchanged one last look before clambering into the waiting helicopter.
Even though I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid, Lord, for you are with me.
Lord, please, watch over us, guide us, protect us.
"Hey, Vestello? You do know vivosaurs are supposed to stay inside their medals, right?"
Despite the situation, Vestello snickered.
/\/\/\
"So this is the Bare Bones Brigade's secret lair, eh?" Gold eyes critical, Rupert surveyed the looming stone-building built into the cliff face.
It looks kind of like those ancient temples they show on the History Channel. Vestello mused. A feathery head bumped his jaw as Jest chirred his agreement. The bluenette absently rubbed the vivosaur's chin, to Jest's delight, and let his gaze cover the angular carved stone and stop on the enormous banner hanging high over their heads.
Vestello blinked, then moved his hand to bite down on one knuckle in order to keep from sniggering.
"Nice skull, digadig." Pauleen drawled, eyeing the off-white emblem woven into the center of a sea of darker grays. "Maybe a bit more obvious, next time."
This time Vestello couldn't smother a hissing chuckle.
A familiar whoosh sounded at the base of the building and twin yelps reached their ears.
"Aw, nuts! It's a raid! Them Fighters is here!"
Despite himself, Vestello felt a brow twitch.
"E-emergency!" The other BareBone Lackey yelped. "Call the guard! Call the commanders! Call Don Boneyard!"
With a rattle of bone-like armor, the duo beat a hasty escape back inside, yelling at the top of their lungs.
So much for sneaking in…
Rupert glanced back at the rest of the Patrol Team. "Let's try and finish off these fools before Joe and his crew arrive." He suggested. The company heir turned back to the entrance. "Move out!"
Vestello only made it maybe eight steps before Stoic tapped his side with a pointy limb. Blinking, he slid to a stop, puzzled. Then a low moan reached his ears and understanding dawned. He rolled his eyes. Oh boy, here it comes.
"Oh, my stomach!" Doubled over, Todd was the picture of misery. "Why did I go to that all-you-can-eat-chilli-dog buffet?"
Amber eyes scanned the blonde's not-distended stomach.
Uh-huh, suuure.
Another groan and a weak wave. "G-go on without me. I just…need to rest a minute."
Whatever you say. Vestello nodded, turned, and took off after Pauleen and Rupert.
/\/\/\
Typically, the Bare Bones Grotto was a pretty groovy place. Lots of space, mostly soundproofed rooms where you can play music at top volume with minimum complaint, and a certain respect for one another's privacy. This made it the perfect place to center one's energies for maximum efficiency.
Usually.
All this noise is tooootally going to ruin my groove. Lola thought, frowning as she left her room. Like, did Lester put together another rock concert?
The last time he had tried it had ended up with two people in the infirmary, four on near-permanent detailing duty—including Lester-, and every pipe on base blown out courtesy of un-groovy amounts of rock candy.
Don Boneyard had not been amused.
Coming to the second-floor railing, she leaned over and looked at the main floor. Blinked. Then looked again, eyeing quivering black-and-white uniforms and multiple oddly familiar vivosaurs-that-weren't-boneysaurs.
Well…that sure isn't a rock concert…
A glimpse of groovy yellow-tipped pink and silver-topping-red identified the two fighters from the Bonehemoth Incident.
And, like, if they're here then where's… A glimpse of blue-and-orange, moving up the staircase. Ah, there he is. Smiling with a trace of mischief, Lola moved to greet the third intruder.
"Oh, woooow." Startled amber snapped up to meet fake-surprised blue. "You're back. You're not, like, following me or something, are you?"
Huh, no response. Usually that kind of quip always got some sort of reaction. Cole blushed, Lester sputtered, and Don Boneyard—the one time she had pulled it on him—had just stared at her until she found an excuse to be elsewhere. Privately, though, she thought he'd found it funny but couldn't break his 'big-scary-leader' image to show it.
Oh well, time for plan B.
"Or maybe you're just persistent. I had an aunt like that once. She was wiiiild, man."
The incredulous look the bluenette shot her was almost as hilarious as a flustered blush would have been. A pink bubble swelled, then popped as the commander smacked her gum. "Sooooo, like, you know we're even from the whole Bonehemoth thing, riiiight?"
Don Boneyard's orders or no, it was just not groovy to stab the kid in the back when he had done nothing but help her…except when it came to ruining-her-plan-to-close-down-the-park but that was completely different and totally didn't apply here—
And Vestello was nodding, sympathetic understanding in his eyes.
Like, that's a relief. Some of the tension drained from her shoulders. I'd tooootally hate to, like, alienate my ASL-practice-partner.
"Which means I'm tooootally gonna thump you good, you dig?"
A broad grin answered her and dino medals flashed.
Oh, greeeaaat, the T-rex is back.
/\/\/\
I suppose I should be grateful this place was built with Fossil Battles in mind. Vestello mused, recalling his dino medals while eyeing the various scorch marks and meteor-induced dents in the stairs and walls. And that the stairs and flooring are made of stone and not metal.
Indoor lightning, plus conductive flooring would have equaled bad news with an extra serving of Tickets-to-the-ER. How the heck could a vivosaur call down lightning anyway?
The same way a tiny little b-jara can conjure a rain of meteors to better pummel their opponents. The snarky voice in his head quipped.
Wide, dazed blue stared up at him from against one of the walls.
"You're some kind of grooovy Fighter, you know that?" Swaying, Lola pushed herself up onto her feet. "I, like, can't beat you anymore. It's craaazy. Soooo, I'm gonna make like Cole's pants and split."
Sounds like there's a story there. Vestello side-stepped to let the hippie pass. And I wanna hear it.
"…Bye." The almost shy whisper made him spin and stare after the retreating commander, but she vanished around the curve of the staircase.
Amber eyes blinking after her, Vestello shook his head and darted back up the stairs.
Now where to next… A second set of stairs caught his attention. Ah.
"You're like a bad opening act."
Huh, two of three, should I expect to run into Cole next?
"You stay too long, and no one really wants to see you!" Lester glared at the bluenette, visibly fuming. "Still, I knew you'd be the one to break into our base." Something almost akin to respect flashed through his eyes. "You're just metal like that…" A pause. "Well, too bad for you." Dino medals gleamed. "This is my chance to settle the score!" The metalhead reared back. "There's only room for one lead in this band, and it's gonna be me!"
::Spirit, Guile, Tumult: Go!::
Roaring winds and pseudo rain filled the contained hallway as the two fliers moved. Vestello could just barely make out the silhouettes of the two B-Brachio's vanishing, and then he couldn't see anything at all as the world cracked and went white, leaving the unpleasant taste of ozone on his tongue.
And then, just as quickly, everything was calm again, albeit looking like a typhoon had gone by.
Snarls of complaint sounded by his ear.
Yeah… Vestello shook water from his hair as he caught his medals. Not exactly my brightest moment.
An evolved wind vivosaur and a vivosaur he had known could throw lightning around. In what was essentially a 'closed room'. He was an idiot. Hopefully Lester hadn't been flash-fried…
Barking laughter reached his ears.
"Man, you shredded me like a bad riff." Previously upright spikes now reduced to a flattened mop of green, Lester sloshed over. "Go on." He continued, still chuckling. "You wanna take on Don Boneyard? It's your funeral." Still sloshing, the green-haired commander strode passed towards the descending staircase.
He's awfully cheerful for a guy who just got curb-stomped…
Bemused, Vestello watched him go while trying to wring the water from his hair.
On his shoulder, Jest very carefully stood, somehow managing to look dignified despite his drowned-cat appearance, and then deliberately shook himself.
/\/\/\
Pressure.
That was the first thing, the only thing, he could really identify once he passed the doorway leading to the base's inner sanctum. It was crushing, pressing down on all sides and making it hard to breathe. Hard to think. Then, to make it worse, was that sense of impending doom that came hand-in-hand with that pressure. Like looking up at the ceiling of a cave and realizing you were one careless noise away from being buried alive, never to feel the wind or see the sun again.
A sharp nip to the neck and poke to the ribs snapped him out of his stupor.
Keep…moving. Vestello shook his head, fingers drifting towards his Dino Medals. I have to keep moving.
Oh how he wished to stop. To turn tail and just run. He did not want to fight Don Boneyard, not in the least.
Gritting his teeth, the bluenette shook his head again, trying to shake off the Pressure. It worked, kind of. At least he could breathe again even if his legs still shook.
A familiar, grating laugh made him flinch.
"You have done well to make it to my inner sanctum."
On his shoulders, Jest's hackles rose and he felt Stoic grip him even tighter.
He didn't want to look, he didn't want to see the flesh-less skull that was the leader of the Bare Bones Brigade. Didn't want to see the person who was willing to sink the islands in order to stop the Cup.
"But playtime is over. Let's see if you have the guts to beat me!"
Heavy fabric rustled as the figure on the podium turned.
Fingers gripped rounded medals until the edges bit into flesh as Vestello tensed. Lord, let me be able to fight. Give me the strength to fight. Oh, I'm so scared, help.
"…Wait."
And then the Pressure, eased, somewhat, and Vestello felt it shift from oppressive to…puzzled?
"Do I know you?"
Head snapping up, Vestello met the skull's eyeless gaze. Don Boneyard inclined his skull, studying the bluenette intently.
So…it's not just me. The part of Vestello's mind not frozen stiff mused. Boneyard feels it too…
The silence stretched. One second…three…ten…
"Never mind!" Boneyard seemed to shake himself free of whatever stupor he had entered. "I'll have time to bone up on such things later. Until the Caliosteo Cup is canceled, I will not allow myself to be defeated!"
Dark brows furrowed at the phrasing. And, yet again, he was struck by a nagging sense of familiarity and a new feeling. A sense of reluctance. Not the fear of someone more powerful and more experienced, but the desire not to fight someone dear.
What the heck?
Then the Pressure was back, but somehow, Vestello was able to endure it.
"Behold the terrifying boneysaurs of Don Boneyard!"
/\/\/\
The commander's boneysaurs had been terrifying, powerful and looming with a sense of purpose, a sense of drive, that had nearly shattered Vestello's resolve to fight and even then it had been a constant battle against his own innate impulse to flee out of self-preservation and his own need to stop their plans.
However, the creatures that answered Boneyard's call, were so far beyond the level of the Commanders that it wasn't even funny. Even trying to compare them was like trying to compare a spark to a star. Incomprehensible.
The looming B-Rex was doing nothing but standing there, perfectly at ease, as the ground under its feet grew molten and the air of the whole room quivered under the intense heat. The hovering B-Ptera stirred up the heat into searing winds with every casual flap. The B-Brachio gave no such effect, but its mere presence felt like an entire mountain about to collapse into an avalanche of apocalyptic proportions.
Forget fighting the urge to flee, he had to fight to even think. To push back at the Pressure that would otherwise leave him immobile and helpless…Vestello honestly couldn't say how he was managing it. It was like cotton had been shoved up his mouth and ears and he had been buried in sand, every little movement was an exhausting feat with very little effect.
He's…waiting? Why is he waiting?
Boneyard had made no move after calling his boneysaurs and was simply silent.
Can't…waste…this… It hurt to think. Even a migraine of blinding levels didn't make thinking hurt. Why did it hurt?
::…Spirit…Spiral Wing…that B-Rex…get rid of it::
An odd, out-of-tune note, expansive wings stretched then folded—were his movements sluggish or was that just Vestello's imagination?—and shot forward on a fall of crashing water.
The B-Rex made no move to defend itself, didn't so much as twitch, and Boneyard remained silent.
Razor-edged wings struck and hissing filled the room as water vanished and the scent of burning flesh filled the air. Air currents shifted in to razor wind and wave runer slammed into the far wall.
Vestello stared, wide eyed. W-what?
Then something in the atmosphere shifted. Like that one careless noise.
The B-Brachio shifted, slowly leaning back on its hind legs. Vestello could almost hear the tons upon tons of stone groaning loose.
Oh, Lord, help me.
The metaphorical cave's ceiling came crashing down.
/\/\/\
A dark sea. That's all he could perceive. It was like he had been tossed into deep water in a box…or a coffin
What's…going on?
No noise, no pain—and he had kind of been expecting a lot of pain after that Boney Stomp had gone off—and perhaps most surprising, no worries. Just a vague sense of confusion. And the oddest sense of sinking.
I lost?
Kind of obvious, he hadn't been able to so much as scratch that B-Rex even with a water vivosaur, had in fact been the one hurt instead. Even though that B-Rex hadn't done a thing. So…that kind of made continuing pointless. He had been crushed, utterly and without a smidgen of doubt.
Ye… a part of him howled at the prospect.
Keep fighting? Vestello questioned that tiny, rebelling part of himself. I doubt I could have beaten him even if I hadn't been crippled.
It was a testament to his vivosaurs' own power that he had been able to keep winning his matches despite being unable to hear them, to work with them. They had been able to pick up the slack. And there had been a lot of slack.
His mind conjured an image of Valorous. The poor allo who had been cruelly abandoned and left to go insane, who had come to him for support.
I'm sorry…you deserved a Fighter that could hear you. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes, tears of pain and shame. It had been his own hubris and carelessness that had cost him his connection with his vivosaurs.
I'm so sorry…
But…wouldn't giving up be an insult to all they had done and accomplished? Another, quieter part of his psyche whispered. Vestello felt his brows furrow. Would it? Would giving up be akin to spitting on his vivosaur's loyalty and conviction?
Yes…
But…how can I keep fighting? He shifted, or tried to anyways. But he couldn't move. It was like something was tying him down. His neck, his wrists, his waist, he could feel…things weighing him down, like ensnaring strands of seaweed that caught unwary swimmers.
He couldn't do anything.
No one can, in the end. Like dawn over a winder horizon, understanding began stir. Because we're just that weak. We can't do anything alone. A fond smile tugged at his lips. Fortunately, we're never alone.
One of the bindings came undone and, in his mind's eye, he saw an odd decay-colored ribbon fray, the words 'Patrol Team Counter-Sabotage' briefly visible along one side before it dissolved.
You're always right there with us, through thick and thin.
Another binding, another ribbon. This one with the words 'The threat of the Bare Bones Brigade' sewn onto it.
What have we to be afraid of?
The last binding came lose, dissolving into ether just like the others. Along the side was emblazed 'Destroy Don Boneyard at any cost.' And some detached part of his psyche hissed as a wisp of suspicion began to solidify.
Somewhere distant, the dark box cracked.
Lord, please, help me keep fighting. Give me the strength to not give up... and to trust you.
The blackness shattered into a roaring gale, dissolving into light so blinding he couldn't tell if his eyes were open or closed.
Something hard and leathery wrapped around him, a firm grip promising never to let go.
Tempest winds tore through a maelstrom of victorious yellow-greens and raging red-blacks
::I found you!::
White darkened into feathery grays as Vestello looked up into Vicious' fearsome visage.
Gales roaring in an upward spiral, blending fervent red-oranges through smug green-blues.
::We are here, we will never let you go!::
The sense of hurricane winds was joined by crashing avalanches, searing fire whirls, and tsunami waves. Vestello blinked and he could see his vivosaurs crowding around, letting out deafening bugles of defiance and victory.
A smile, no, a smirk formed on his face.
::Let's show Don Boneyard that we won't give up without a fight, shall we?::
/\/\/\
The first thing he felt upon waking was numbness. Then the numbness was replaced by that strange not-searing sensation of pain so extreme you could not even draw the breath to scream. Then glittering, colored dust seemed to overlay his vision.
…Pink?
The not-burning sensation cooled until only phantom echoes remained.
What…?
A tremor of concerned pale-orange shifted over a warming backdrop of pained grays.
Amber eyes blinked and Vestello craned his neck to see concerned red eyes staring from beneath a slate-gray, horned helm.
::…Stoic?::
The Great Monster Shield vivosaur shifted on his many legs.
Stone rumbled, cracking into a lattice-work of surprised oranges then shifted beneath a soft layer of satisfied greens.
He could hear him. He could feel him, see the rolling colors in his mind's eye. And now that Vestello was awake and looking for it, he could feel all his other vivosaurs clambering to the forefronts of his awareness. Their strength, their support, they were with him again!
Flurries of laughing yellows painted an expanse of smug greens.
::We never left.::
::Vicious!:: The bluenette wrapped the air-bone vivosaur in the equivalent of a mental bear hug, despite Vicious' disgruntled protests.
Claws pricked his shoulders and a hiss sounded in his ear.
Sharp red-blacks pierced aggressive orange-reds
::Reunion later, we have a battle to finish!::
And all at once time, which had previously seemed frozen, ground into motion once more.
Vestello's attention shifted from his vivosaurs as a whole to the ones presently outside their medals. Stoic and Jest were fine, if a bit ruffled, but Tumult, Spirit, and Savage were a bit more banged up.
But despite being battered and more than a little scaled, they were still all too willing to continue fighting.
Shaking any lingering cobwebs from his awareness, Vestello stood up.
"What? How can this be?" Shock, dismay, and a hint of alarm laced Boneyard's tone.
Shaking his head, Vestello glared in the direction of the animate skull and his boneysaurs.
Time for round two.
/\/\/\
One-on-one won't work, they're too strong for that. Vestello mused, tying to ignore the tremors running through his legs and lower back. It'll have to be a tag-team.
In his mind, earth rumbled, rain danced, and winds drew together storm clouds. Hmm…there was an idea.
We already have wind, now we just need to make it wet.
::Spirit, start drawing out as much water as you can, but keep it scattered across the room.::
Laughing sea-spray of yellow-oranges splashed determined reds.
::Rain dance! Rain dance! We'll play/taunt/tease/lead-by-nose then crack! Tee-hee-hee!::
The wave runner darted forward with mischievous glee.
Something in the air shifted, like warning pebbles preceding an avalanche.
::Boney Roar! Knock them out in one fell swoop!::
Amber eyes widened. Was that Don Boneyard?
No wonder he didn't say anything before! He was controlling them the same way I do!
Wait, the B-rex was drawing in breath-
Ack!
::Savage: Raja Whirl to counter! Tumult: Get ready to use Parium Punt, aim for its knee or ankle to knock it off balance. Stoic: Can you lend Savage your support?::
A three-way sense of distracted-confirmation answered him.
The B-rex let out a bellow, stirring up a shockwave of boiling-hot air, Savage howled just micro-seconds after, his roar tearing up the ground in front of him.
The two attacks collided, briefly battling for supremacy before the heat won out and Savage howled as he was struck by the searing winds. Struck but not overcome. The spikes upturned by his own attack had acted like a buffer, blocking the worst of it, not unlike the trick Lola had pulled back on the Icegrip Plateau.
The sound of hooves on hard ground, a startled bugle and a pained whinny, and the B-Rex crashed to the ground as Tumult ran back nursing somewhat singed hooves.
Good, that's progress…
An ominous tremor in the air.
::Boney Skewer!::
The previously hovering B-Ptera blurred into action.
::Quick, Angry Peck!::
The two fliers met mid-air.
Surging pained grays swept forward like a rogue wave, washing out dancing yellow-greens.
The wave runner dropped from the sky.
::Spirit!::
A receding tide of alert colors leaving shallow grays in its wake.
::Sorry, too slow/weak/distracted. Water seeded/scattered/waiting-to-surge. Win!
A wave of vertigo threatened to overtake Vestello as Spirit's medal pinged off the hard floor. Fingers gripping his blue mane, he fought to keep his vision from graying out.
Another sense of warning pebbles.
::Boney Tsunami!::
The B-Brachio shifted its weight forward, long tail flexing.
Blast it!
::Raja Whirl again, get rid of that thing!::
A sharp breath. A roar. The ground once again ruptured in the wake of the condensed sandstorm.
::Bare Tactics!::
Amber eyes widened. When had the B-Rex gotten back up?
::Look out, Savage!::
A deep rumble as sandy orange-reds hardened into resolved red-blacks.
::Reduce them to ash, Vestello.::
The two pronged attack struck.
Vestello's world spun and grayed out.
Something hot and wet splashed against his cheek.
"What in the—rain?"
Clinging to coherency by the bare tips of his finger nails, Vestello connected with Tumult.
::Fry them.::
Rain poured, wind surged, and the world went white-and-black as lightning struck home.
/\/\/\
For the third time, ozone stung his tongue.
"M-my boneyaurs were defeated?"
I'm…on the ground? Blinking, to no avail, Vestello wobbled where he kneeled. The trembling in his limbs warned of oncoming collapse.
"But it would take a Fighter of such unbelievable skill to…" Boneyard trailed off and Vestello thought he felt a sudden sense of realization come from the animated skull.
"Oh." A soft whisper. "Oh ho ho! Yes, I knew I had met you before… You are Vestello!"
Head snapping up, Vestello just barely managed to keep from flopping over as vertigo struck again.
"Of course." Boneyard's tone softened, losing the hard edge for an almost gentle one. A naggingly familiar tone. "It really is you, isn't it, Vestello?"
The world swam again, Vestello wasn't sure how he remained upright when the ground went sideways.
Oh, what the heck.
Shaky limbs coming up, Vestello signed:
[Two-of-us, past-meet?]
He was pretty sure the skull nodded but with the way the whole world was spinning in triplicate he couldn't be certain.
"I had no idea you were in the Cup."
That voice…it was so familiar, like the memory was right there, just out of reach. Vestello squinted up at the black-and-white-lined-with-yellow blur in front of him.
"You must listen to me, Vestello." Blatant urgency was audible now.
Amber eyes blinked owlishly, but couldn't focus. The world was graying in and out.
"The Caliosteo Cup cannot be allowed to continue! Do not trust anything he present Joe Wildwest says."
And there went his vision, thankfully he could still hear even if the world had settled into an indistinct gray mass.
The present Joe Wildwest?
"Because he is—"
A door slammed, running steps sounded across the hard ground.
"Are you all right, Vestello?!"
Rupert's voice, it sounded far away. The gray blur around him was getting darker.
"Joe's here, digadig!"
Pauleen too?
He was slipping away, everything felt far off and out of touch.
"We will meet again, Vestello!" A promise, a sense of support-to-come.
Realization.
You're-!
Black.
/\/\/\
From: Leveche
Subject: Update. Now.
If I find that you've gotten yourself put into the hospital again I am going to be very cross with you.
Seriously, kiddo, respond already!
/\/\/\/\
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).