Chapter 2: Meetings and Attacked
Disclaimer: I still do not own Dinotopia…However one day it shall be mine!!!
The brothers were shocked that a real live dinosaur was ramapagint towards them. It was impossible. Dinosaurs died out sixty-five years ago...did'nt they?
Still overwhelmed with shock, Karl hurringlying gestured for his brothers to follow him.
Cyrus, unafraid of this turn of events, casually remarked "Hey, Hey, Hey, its all right, calm down, calm down". Quickly hiding behind a nearby fence next to one of the straw and wooden made homes, the boys watched in awe as the creature rammed its tail and head threw carts, stands, people, and homes.
"It can't be" Karl gasped.
"It's a dinosaur" David awed.
"No way, that's impossible" remarked Jake.
They watched as it continued to ram people as it roared in pain. "Dinosaurs died off millions of years ago" declared David, as the three glanced at Cyrus who had a smug look on his face.
"If only my boy, If only" he casually remarked. Noticing the boys hiding, the dinosaur roared once more as it stomped it's way over towards the boys.
"It's coming right towards us" panicked Karl. "Yes, well time to say farewell I think" Cyrus mumbled as he prepared to walk off, leaving the boys alone.
However this changed when a girl stepped in front of the boys, and approached the dinosaur. She was around eighteen or nineteen, had light brown curly hair, and sky blue eyes.She wore a light tan shirt, light brown pants, and brown boots. Cyrus grinned as she approached the dinosaur.
"Oh, There she is, I thought she'd turn up at a time like this" he smirked. "Who is she" mused David.
Cyrus stepped out behind the house, he beckoned for the boys too follow. "Come along boys, the funs over" he said.
"She must be crazy" David stated.
"Easy now" the girl spoke gently as she slowly approached the creature.
"Is she nut's, hey" shouted Jake.
"Calm down boys, don't worry about her" Cyrus informed.
Behind the boys, the people had stopped running and panicking. Recognizing the girl, the observed the scene before them.
Kneeling in front of the dinosaur, she spoke softly "Calm down". The creature stared at her a moment before groaning in agony.
"What is it, what's wrong" she spoke. She slowly put a hand to its head as if reading its mind.
The creature let out a soft roar as it hesitated for a brief moment. Slowly, it then opened its mouth.
The boys watched in confusion as she reached a hand into its mouth. With a reliving snap, something came loose.
The dinosaur roared once more as it coughed and with what appeared to be a smile on its face, it walked away. The girl walked back towards the crowd, holding a tooth, a big one.
"Toothache" she informed everyone as she walked past them. Everyone, impressed as this incredible feat, clapped his or her hands in applause.
The boys grinned at this feat. "That was amazing," grinned Karl.
By now everyone went back to there business. Forgetting the events that just transpired.
"She's dinotopian, twentieth generation" Cyrus explained. "I'd love to spend more time with you, but I have to catch a night bus to volcanium, Very important meeting" he said
Reaching into his pocket he removed a card. "If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to call, it's no bother at all" he said as he handed David his card.
David read the card aloud, "Crabb's Curio's Waterfall". "That's your store" he asked.
Karl then quickly took the card to get a look at it, only for it too be snatched by Jake." The finest in antiques and antiquates" Cyrus said proudly.
"Listen don't waste your time in the provinces, go to waterfall city" Cyrus informed. He then pointed to a booth not far behind him.
"Pick up your tickets over there" he said. Karl nodded "Maybe will see you there".
"Oh you can be sure of it, I know future friends when I see them, Cheerio" smirked Cyrus as he walked off. The boys watched in silence as he departed.
"I'm not sure I trust him" David mused.
Karl shrugged "Why not, he's just a weird old guy with a limp and a few sticks of dynamite.
Walking towards the tickets booth, the boys were preparing to somehow bargain for tickets, as they had no money."Umm, maybe there's a map around here" questioned Jake.
"Maybe they'll give us tickets for free since were newcomers" Karl said as they approached the booth. The gate, covering the opening to speak then shut,
Leaving the boys standing there stumped.
"Rejected" Jake joked, only to earn scornful glares from Karl and David.
"Guess that mean's it's closed" Karl grumbled.
Banging on the gate, David then spoke "Excuse me, we need to get to a place called Waterfall city". The gate covering opened, revealing a short man running the booth.
"Waterfall city, the next bus is at dawn" he announced as he beckoned the three too back away as he closed to gate covering once more. "Dawn" gawked David.
"Oh great, now what" Karl grunted.
"I guess we find someplace to stay the night" Jake sighed.
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Several hours later, the boys were on top of one of the homes, being allowed to stay the night. Jake had found some old ratty blankets and gave them to his brothers for the cold night ahead.
Although mostly everyone was asleep, a few patrons were still working. Others were just gazing at the stars
Unable to sleep from everything that happened up to that point, Karl poked David. "David you asleep" he asked.
"What do you think" David grumbled. David sighed as he ponders on today's events.
"How can a place this big exist without anybody knowing about it, it's mind blowing" David whispered. Karl sighed as he responded "I don't know David, I don't have any answers, but I do know we have to get outta this dump, get to that city Cyrus told us".
"Waterfall city" asked David.
"Exactly, we can get help there, get search parties out, call home" Karl shot back quietly, not wanting to awaken Jake.
"Do you really think some place called Waterfall city is going to have telephones" David questioned.
"What do you mean" Karl said nervously.
"I think the rules here are different, and we better start learning them" David said quietly as he got close to his sheet, due to the cold increasing.
Karl angered at this statement responded "No No, screw the rules, I'm not forgetting about Dad.
David shot Karl an angry glare for the mere mention of Frank Scott. "Nobody's forgetting about Dad, it's just that theres nothing we can do right now, not until we understand this place.
"No, I don't want to understand this place, I wanna get home" Karl insisted.
The cold air was probably making him angry as Karl sighed to calm down.
"Look, right now we sleep okay, then tomorrow the city, we'll do whatever it takes to find someone in charge" Karl said. A quick roar erupted from the woods, alerting the two as the nervously drifted off too sleep.
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The next day, the boys approached the tickets booth once more. Luckily, they didn't have to pay as they had recently arrived and were allowed free tickets.
"Bus eleven, better hurry over there" the man advised as he pointed behind them. "Great thank you" thanked David as they walked off.
"Hey look," pointed Jake. It was the young woman from yesterday, finishing up some trading with a local.
"Excuse me" Karl addressed the woman. She turned from the local and gave the three odd looks.
"Hi, I'm Karl, and these are my brothers Davey and Jake.
"It's David hi," David corrected as Jake waved at her.
"Hello, my name is Marion" she said kindly.
"You were pretty impressive yesterday with that…whatever it was," David claimed.
"Ankylosaurs" she corrected warmly.
"Weren't you scared" asked a concerned David?
"I'm training to be a leader, I must be calm in a crisis if expected to inspire other" she claimed as she walked past the crowds of people, the boys following.
She then noticed there "odd" clothing and spoke "Your not from around here are you".
"No not exactly" Karl chuckled.
"We had an accident and we swam ashore, now were trying too get to Waterfall city" David spoke as he showed her the tickets to confirm they were telling the truth.
"Oh, that's my destination" she smiled.
"Really, wow I guess that makes us traveling partners" Jake smiled.
"Now I understand what's happened to you, but don't worry, your not the first, when we reach waterfall city everything will be explained just as soon as you register" Marion said as she swiftly walked past them.
The boys however had stopped paying attention after she said register.
"Register, we don't want to register for anything, we just want to get home" Karl confessed.
"I imagine that so, this way" Marion guided.
As the boys followed Marion, they found themselves shocked once more as the "bus" came into view. It was over ten feet tall with an extremely long neck.
Climbing the nearby ladder towards the seats attached the dinosaur, the boys were still speechless when the reached the top. "This is the bus," asked Karl.
"COOOOOOOLLLL" shouted Jake. Marion smiled at Jakes enthusiasm as she spoke.
"He's a Brach, Brachiosaurs, will be traveling with him across the Rainy Basin" she explained. The boys watched as a metal plate was slowly carried towards its neck via crank.
"What's that for" questioned David.
"Armor, that's too stop him from getting killed" Marion explained.
The brach then hummed in delight. "He says he much appreciates the protection" Marion translated.
"Wait, you can understand what he's saying" Jake asked in disbelief.
"It's nothing much, once you learn how to speak saurian you'll be able to do it to" Marion smiled.
"Awsome, I so have to learn how to do that" laughed Jake as he climbed towards his seat.
Taking their seats, Karl looked nervously at the Brach and asked, "He won't eat us will he". Slightly offended at the question, the Brach turned its head so it could glance at Karl.
"Brach's are plant eaters," informed Marion.
"There herbivores Karl, they wont hurt us" Jake smiled as he kicked back and relaxed.
Several other patrons then got into their seats as the bus driver then announced, "The bus is secure, we will be leaving in five minutes, waterfall city direct". Brach then let out another hum as it lifted its mighty feet and started to walk.
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An hour later, the Brach, along with two others, and three patrolling guards, was crossing another great plain. Karl and David sat in there seats while Jake stood, amazed at the mere fact that he was riding a dinosaur.
"To get to waterfall city, we have to cross the rainy basin, it's the domain of the carnivores, we only cross when it's absolutely essential" Marion said. She then turned to the boys who were horrified that they would heave to go threw carnivore territory.
"But don't worry, we carry extra food to appease them". she quickly added.
"Appease them" David repeated in confusion.
"The carnivores aren't evil, there just hungry my nature" said Marion.
A few moments passed before Karl asked "So do you have any weapons".
Marion gave Karl a shocked and confused look at the question. "We wont fight the carnivores" she quickly spoke.
"He means if they attack us" David interrupted.
"I understand, Dinotopians don't carry weapons, weapons are enemies even to their owners, third code of Dinotopia" she explained.
"Wait, you have a law that says you can't defend yourself" questioned Karl at the idea that one couldn't fight back when attacked.
"There are ways to defend yourself without weapons" Marion spoke softly.
Her eyes then averted to Jake, and for the first time noticed the Katana strapped to his back. "Why do you have that" she pointed.
"This, oh my grandfather gave it to me along with this, it's my most prized position" he said as he pointed to the Karate Headband he wore underneath his spiky hair. "I have it with me cause I like trainning with it" Jake said casually.
"Have you ever used in a real life situation?" Marion questioned.
"Nope, but if I do it'll be only for self defense or to help someone whose in trouble" Jake grinned as he put his hand behind his head.
"I see…anyway, it's only one and five convoys that are usually attacked by carnivores.
"Oh great" muttered sarcastically David.
"Now just complete this hideous picture for us, exactly what kind of Dinosaurs are we likely to encounter" David asked.
"Tyrannosaurs Rex of course" Marion said plain fully.
"Of course" David muttered sarcastically. They then continued to travel in silence.
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Another hour later, the light was dimming, as a fog had come out of nowhere as the convoy of Brach's traveled threw a forest. Slowly, the Brach's came to a halt.
"What's going on, why are we stopping?" questioned David.
"The Brach's something's scaring them," Marion said.
The bus driver then tossed over a rope ladder ad began to climb from his seat.
"Where's he going?" asked David.
"What is it?" asked Karl.
"Tyrannosaurs" Marion said quietly. Slowly, the brothers climbed down as well, along with the other passengers to view the sight before them.
A part of the forest had been torn apart. Trees knocked over, and footprints everywhere.
"These droplets are fresh, and the tracks, there hundreds of them" said the bus driver (A/:N I'll call him Smitty),
"I've never seen anything like this, Tyrannosaurs never hunt in herd's" Marion said shocked.
"These ones did" mumbled Smitty.
"There's a small outpost on the edge of the forest, we've got to make sure there safe" Marion said quickly as she walked faster towards the wherever the outpost was. Karl, David and Jake followed, unprepared for whatever was going to come their way.
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Thirty minutes later, the group came upon the outpost, or what was left of it. Small buildings were destroyed, some of them were slightly burning and there was no one in sight.
It was also thundering, though not raining. "What happened here, where is everyone?" Marion questioned.
"This is horrible" Jake muttered sadly.
Walking threw the remnants of was most likely a thriving outpost, the group of people separated to search for anyone still alive.
"Look," pointed Marion. Kneeling over she picked up a peculiar looking rock.
"What is that" asked Karl.
"Strangest looking rock I've ever seen" Jake quipped in.
"The sunstone has failed" Smitty said sadly.
"What's a sunstone?" asked David.
"It's our source of power, it keeps the outpost and outer settlements safe, this one's dead" Marion said to Smitty. Marion then stopped talking and listened to her surroundings.
"What is it" asked Jake.
"Quiet" Marion said.
Marion then went onto her knees and her head to the ground so she could listen to the earth. Smitty mimicked her actions.
The brothers glanced oddly at one another as Marion came back onto her feet.
"What's wrong" Karl said concerned.
"Must have been the thunder, we should get back to the Brach's" Marion said.
"We can't, the next outpost is more then five our's away, the Brach's will never carry us threw the storm" Smitty firmly said.
Marion then gestured to the ruined outpost around them. "Then we'll have to find shelter here" she said quietly.
Smitty quickly walked off too tell the others of the situation, while Marion, Karl, David and Jake retired into one of the ruined buildings.
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Inside was nice and warm compared to the outside weather, David sat down on one of the beds while Karl stood.
"Would you like something to eat," Marion offered.
"That'd be great" David sighed as he had nothing to eat for a full day.
"Yeah I'm starving, any chance of steak" Karl asked.
Marion stared at Karl in confusion, so Karl tried something else. "Or um burger or some chicken" Karl said quickly.
Now she was staring at him in disbelief. "You want a bird, to eat" she repeated.
"We only eat fruits and vegetables in Dinotopia, and you both do you eat meat as well" Marion asked.
"Um meat, no no I'm a very strict vegetarian" David quickly lied.
Marion glanced over at Jake who quickly got nervous and lied "Uh, yeah same here, I hate meat".
Karl merely rolled his eyes at the obvious lies as Marion offered him some odd looking fruit.
"Thanks" he said.
Taking a bite out of it Karl cringed at the taste. "Uh, it's bitter" he said in disgust.
"Your suppose to peel it first" informed Marion.
"I see you haven't lost your touch Karl" David grinned as he ate.
Karl narrowed his eyes at David as he was referring to all the times he hit on girls. Karl grumbled about how David "did'nt have it" before he went to talk to Smitty.
"Karl has a relentless sprit, has he always been like this" asked Marion to David while Karl was teaching Smitty some hand movements from "their" world. \
"I guess, I've never really spent this much time with him before" David confessed.
"Your brothers but you don't live together" asked a confused Marion.
"No, we hardly see each other, we have different mothers" David said quietly.
"You see my father lead a very active social live, we were born just a few months apart, but we didn't grow up together, we just don't have anything in common so were not exactly best friends" David confessed.
"And your younger brother, what about him" Marion asked as she glanced at Jake who was meditating at the time.
"We have the same mother, so we get along pretty well, however his relationship with Karl isn't so great" spoke David with sadness.
"But why" asked Marion.
"Well, in the beginning he liked Jake, but for reasons I don't know, he seems to think of him as a bother then a brother" David said quietly.
"Tell me about yourselves" Marion asked kindly.
"Well, I like reading basically, and being by myself most of the time, Karl's a sports nut, he's pretty rebellious though, up till high school he was home schooled because he couldn't handle being told what to do, and Jake, well he's in my opinion the next Bruce Lee, cause all he does besides reading and school is Martial Arts" David explained.
"Martial Arts" asked Marion. "It's a style of unarmed fighting, Jakes always training because he enjoys it" David smiled.
Marion nodded before saying sympathetically "I'm sorry about your father David".
David looked up when she mentioned Frank Scott and nodded. "Thank you" he said sincerely.
Various animal noises then erupted from the ceiling of the house. Karl and Smitty returned from where they went and Jake stopped mediating to listen.
"What's that?" asked Karl.
"There harmless, creatures of the Rainy Basin" Marion explained.
"Well something's making them panic" Karl said determined he was right.
"Something's making me panic" David said nervously. Silence then followed before Marion spoke "We should all try to be some sleep".
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At eleven forty five, David awoke with a start. Thinking the noise he heard was probably the thunder, he tried to settle back in.
However, the noise was heard again, except it was much louder and closer this time. Having a bad feeling that it wasn't the thunder, David called out to his half-brother.
"Karl" he whispered loudly. No response. "Karl" he tried again. Still no response.
Getting out of bed he walked up to the sleeping Karl and shook him. "Karl" he whispered more loudly.
"What" Karl said droopingly?
"I swear I heard something, it was like a low rumbling coming though the floor," David said nervously as he looked around the room they were in.
"Just go back to bed" Karl said uncaringling. The noise was echoed once more, this time Karl awoke, as well as Jake who had been listening this whole time.
"Let's check it out," Karl said now out of bed as the three made there way too one of the windows. Karl risked a peek as he looked out the window.
"See anything," asked Jake who now had his katana at his side.
Karl shook his head and said "No, nothing but jungle out there".
Still nervous from the sounds the boys took a seat on one of the benches. "Well I though uh, ha ha you know I thought" David babbled.
"You thought a T-Rex was coming to get you," grinned Karl.
"Yeah" David grinned back.
The boys erupted into a brief laughter, however what happened next ceased all laughter.
With an ear-piercing roar, the roof behind the boys collapsed as a giant reptilian foot crashed down.
The boys only had a brief second to respond as they jumped forward to avoid being crushed. Marion awoke with a start and jumped out of bed.
"Outside run, run" shouted Marion as she Karl, David, Jake and Smitty ran from the home. Outside, there were already others running from there shelters.
"Quick over here" Marion shouted as she pressed her back against a broken piece of a home, the boys mimicking her actions. Jake glanced to the his left and saw with horror threw a crack in the structure, the mouth of a T-rex, it's jaws visibly.
Nobody moved as various others T-Rex had invaded the destroyed outpost. Suddenly, another ear shattering roar erupted as the brothers and Marion ran from the structure that the T-rex destroyed.
"Keep going," shouted David. The hungry T-rex, determined not to lose its meal pursued Marion.
Marion unfortunately tripped over her own feet and fell to the ground. Whirling around, she could see the T-Rex loom over her.
"MARION" shouted Karl. Jake, determined not to lose another like he lost his father, rushed to Marion's aide, katana drawn.
"HIYAAAAA" he shouted as he took a swipe at the T-Rex's snout as it prepared to devour Marion. The T-rex roared in pain from the blow as Jake then slide underneath its legs and slashed at them.
"What are you doing?" shouted David as he was worried for his brothers safety.
"Buying time, get Marion," shouted back Jake as he dove aside from the T-Rex's gaping mouth.
"Marion are you alright," Karl asked as he picked her off her feet.
"Yes, but Jake" she said concerned as Jake was now cornered by the T-rex he slashed at and another one.
Suddenly a screech filled the sky as something swooped down from above and swiped at the head of the T-Rex assaulting Jake. Jake, taking this opportunity, dashed past the T-Rex towards his brothers and friend.
"Don't worry, their skybax, there here too help us" Marion said in relief as more Skybax, which looked kind of like pterodactyl's, schreeched as they attacked the bumbling T-Rex. What concerned Jake the most was the fact that there were people riding them.
As the T-Rex ran off from the attack one of the skybax apparoached Karl David and Jake as it landed. The other passangers that had been hiding came out to greet them, including Smitty.
The rider approached the boys. He was African American, was in his mid to late thirties. He was wearing a red unfirom that had the word authority screaming out at the boys.
"I am Oonu, squadron leader of Skybax Corp" he said firmly.
"I think you just saved our lives" David said shocked and relived at their timly arrival.
"Yes, well you were lucky this time, Im going to reccommened a suspension of this bus service until further notice" he said. Karl was still staring at the Skybax which awaited it's partner, Karl slowly walked towards.
"We cannot gurantee the safety of the passenager and..stop" he said to Karl as he halted in his tracks. "No one but a rider ever approaches a skybax, these are not tammed birds, If you value your life, stay back" he commaned as Karl stepped back.
"I will provide you with an aerial escort for the rest of your journey" Oonu said calmly. "What happened here" asked Marion.
"We resuced the rest of the staff earlier just before the storms broke out, but three people and there Triceratops patrol are still missing, at yet we've hadno sight, I fear they are dead" he said unsmptheically.
"Well arent you the symphateic one" mumbled Jake.
"You" Oonu said sternly.
"Why are you carrying that blade" Oonu asked suspiciously.
"To defend myself and to help others" Jake shot back.
"If you were a Dinotopian, that weapon would have been confiscated long ago, and you would be tried for attacking a T-Rex, however since you are not yet a citzen you will not be punished" he said narrowing his eyes at Jake. "Okay let's go" he said as he led the way out of the destoryed outpost and towards sanctuary prehaps.
That was kinda long since I had too take some breaks for work, anyway review.