Uniqua, during most of the day, had driven Tommy, Pablo, and Morton - mostly Tommy - to a cliff in a horse-driven wagon.
"Will you hurry up Tommy? It's getting late!" Pablo said, slightly irritated.
"Don't rush me." Tommy replied as he drew the number one onto his arms.
"You know I can't believe you made Uniqua drive you all the way out here, just so that you could practice for the obstacle course." Pablo shook his head, disgusted.
"It's the perfect spot." Tommy shrugged. "I will swing across this ravine, race down that slope, swim the river, hop those rocks, scale this cliff, before the last grains of sand fall to the bottom."
"I wish you wouldn't do this." Uniqua shook her head, slightly worried.
"You cannot change my mind Uniqua." Tommy went over and grabbed the long vine that reached across the ravine. "If I must prove that I am a prince, then so be it. Ready?"
"Speaking of falling to the bottom-" Morton began dryly.
"*Shush!*" Tommy interrupted him. "Go!"
Uniqua turned the hourglass they had brought with them over.
"Don't you think that vine's looking a little frazzled?" Morton asked dryly.
Sure enough, the vine snapped as Tommy swung over. He screamed as he started to fall, at least until he hit the edge of the other cliff. Tommy then rolled backwards down the cliff and over the river, only to meet with an annoyed beaver who whacked him over the rocks towards the cliff Uniqua, Morton, and Pablo were on top of. Tommy then landed in a prickly bush, leapt into the air in pain, bounced off a stick that was sticking out of the cliff, and ended up sailing through the air back into the wagon. Then the last few grains of sand reached the bottom.
"Ha-ha! Record time!" Tommy said.
Before anyone could comment, they all saw a green glow appearing over the mountaintops. It was Mayzie's seeker, but they didn't know that. All they knew was that a green fireball was heading right for them!
"Hold on!" Uniqua snapped the reins, causing the horse to gallop off.
Pablo flew after them, keeping an eye out so that he could direct Uniqua away from the fireball. As they continued on through the bumpy path Tommy and Morton looked back.
"What is that?" Tommy asked.
"Some kind of fast moving light thing." Morton said dryly.
"Oh thanks a lot Mr. Science." Tommy replied sarcastically.
"You do sarcasm and yet you don't get dry wit?" Morton rolled his eyes.
"Wit? If that was wit then I'm a rhino!" Tommy retorted.
"Must've cut off your horn then." Morton retorted back.
"Oh honestly you two knock it off!" Pablo frowned, flying closer. "This is no time for a comedy routine. Besides, I think that's a magical fireball. What it does though I have no idea."
"Oh joy, break out the marshmallows and we'll have a roast." Tommy muttered sarcastically.
"Uniqua!" Pablo called out.
The seeker was gaining on them!
Uniqua had the horse curve sharply around, causing the seeker to temporarily fall behind. Tommy, wanting to be farther away from the seeker, moved up to the driver's seat. Then they headed for a small ravine, which Uniqua tried to jump over, but they ended up sliding down it. They landed without any damage and continued on. There was now more jerking and bumping because the bar that attached the horse to the wagon to become undone. Fortunately, there was a chain still attaching the horse to the wagon, but Uniqua noticed that the bar was undone and decided to reattach it.
"Here!" She said, giving the reins to Tommy.
"Oh sure let the hippo drive." Tommy said sarcastically, nervous. "Hippos are known for their wagon driving."
Uniqua leaned down to try to put the bar back together, but couldn't reach it. Pablo then flew in to help, but the parts of the bar were too far apart.
"Just a bit more!" Pablo called out.
Too late, the chain broke! The horse continued galloping away but Uniqua and everyone else on the wagon wound up going down a different path. A path that was heading for a steep cliff! Tommy and Morton looked at the cliff and then back at the seeker, which was still coming after them.
"I don't like my options." Tommy said nervously.
"Everybody out!" Uniqua ordered.
"I still don't like my options!"
Uniqua forced Morton onto a rock, but before she could get Tommy and herself out the wagon went over the cliff!
"Uniqua!" Pablo cried.
The seeker flew down and caught Uniqua and Tommy in time. It then flew them all the way back to Mayzie's. As they went through the cave they heard Mayzie cackling.
"Someone finds this funny?" Tommy said nervously.
He quickly jumped off the fireball and cautiously followed it as it caught up to Mayzie.
"Who are you?" Uniqua said as Mayzie tied her up to a stalagmite. "Wait a minute, your face looks familiar."
"I am Mayzie, accordion slave." Mayzie said mockingly.
"You!" Uniqua glared. "So you were putting on an act so that you could take something from the castle! I'm sure you hurt poor Horton too."
"That goofball?" Mayzie scoffed. "All he had that I wanted were the keys. Glad I was able to get them quickly too, pretending to beat him up was fun but I couldn't stand the flirting much longer."
"You'll never get away with this." Uniqua frowned.
"Don't make her angry." Tommy whispered pleadingly to himself. "Please don't."
"Austin will come for me." Uniqua continued.
"Uniqua..." Tommy whispered fearfully.
"Oh I hope so, but he seems to take his time when it comes to really important matters such as: destroying Rothbart's notes!" Mayzie held up the two pieces of paper.
Uniqua and Tommy gasped!
"Well he can have you back, as soon as he brings the spell he stole." Mayzie continued.
"He'll never do it." Uniqua said coldly.
"You and I both know Austin will give me anything to save your life, even the power to destroy!" Mayzie snapped. "Face it sister! The Forbidden Arts are now mine!"
Mayzie left, cackling, as Uniqua struggled to free herself.
"You know," Tommy said quietly as he went over to Uniqua. "Not all things are as bad as they seem. But I'm pretty sure this is." He finished fearfully.
