The group was gathered in the abandoned BB Brigade base. Dina was staring down at her feet. Pauleen sat next to her, trying to comfort her in anyway she could while Joe explained the whole story. Rupert's wing was draped around his two friends protectively..
"I must admit, this is something of an amazing story," he said. "I believe you, and yet I find it hard to imagine that Joe's body is being controlled by an ancient sorcerer. Or that this bouncing skull is actually the real Joe Wildwest. It's a shame that the Cup was being held for such a nefarious purpose." He growled and his tail gave a fierce lash. Dina could understand why he was so upset; the Cup had been the happiest part of his life since he started working with his father in the company and now he had learned it was all just a lie. Pauleen reached up and gently rubbed the edge of Rupert's wing.
"A skull that lives by stealing bodies?" she breathed. "Talk about freaky, digadig!" Rupert glanced down at Dina, who hadn't signed a word since they got to the base.
"Are you worried about Todd?" he asked.
[Of course I'm worried about him!] She glared up at him. Her shoulders slumped as the sudden burst of anger faded back to grief. Pauleen and Rupert shared a look.
"This was his choice, and his path," Rupert said softly. "I'm sure he will be alright."
"Rupert's right, digadig!" Pauleen jumped in. "Todd called himself a coward, but he had to be pretty brave to put up with your shenanigans! We'll beat Zongazonga, get Joe's body back and then find Todd!" Dina cracked a small smile.
"Good heavens!" Professor Scatterly exclaimed. All eyes and eye sockets turned to him. "I just thought of something. According to the Calio Slablets, Zongazonga was defeated by the people of the Caliosteo Island. After this, they sealed him inside the Stone Pyramid, yes? Then it stands to reason that the method of defeating Zongazonga may yet remain in that structure! You know where the Stone Pyramid is, yes?" He turned to Joe.
"Sure do!" Joe answered. "It's in the Jungle Labyrinth. If ya check a bush at the deepest point, you'll open up a path to the Stone Pyramid. But, Zongazonga's been tellin' everyone that Dina here's a thief and a liar. Folks know you two are friends. If they see ya runnin' around, there might be trouble...Hold on, now. I think I got myself an idea." He hopped away and returned a while later with a mask. He gave it to Professor Scatterly, who headed out.
[Um, Joe, sending Professor Scatterly might not have been the best idea,] Dina signed. [He tends to get lost very easily and forgets things.]
"Ah, horseflies," Joe sighed. "Well, I got me a second mask that you could borrow, but you gotta be careful, ya hear?"
[I will. Thank you.]
"Hold on, Dina!" Rupert jumped in front of her. "We can't send you after him. You can't talk without hurting yourself and you're the only one on this island that communicates through sign language." Pauleen stiffened.
"He's right!" She stepped forward. "It's too diga-dangerous! Take off the mask and let me go instead, digadig."
[No, I have to do this,] Dina signed. [It's my body Zongazonga wants. He threatened all of your lives and still is. This is for me and Joe to do. Please, stay here where it's safe until I come back.] Rupert nodded and stepped aside so she could head out.
Dina managed to avoid everyone looking for her by some stroke of luck. She raced through the jungle, stopping at a large bush. It had been cut away from some other place and put there as a barrier, but it was easy to move aside. She reached the Stone Pyramid and slowly made her way through it. Professor Scatterly was already there when she reached the room with the chest. Joe hopped out of Dina's pocket.
"I've been searching high and low, but I'm no closer to finding a way to defeat Zongazonga," Professor Scatterly sighed.
[We have to keep trying,] Dina signed. The three wandered the room, searching for anything. Dina noticed runes on the back of the wall and walked over, waving the professor over so he could decipher them.
"To defeat Zongazonga," the professor translated. "The people crafted an ultimate weapon called the Caliosteo Pipsqueak. They used this weapon to knock Zongazonga's skull out of its stolen body. The Caliosteo Pipsqueak could also keep Zongazonga from stealing bodies for a short time. The people used this moment to capture the skull and seal it away in the stone chest."
"The Caliosteo Pipsqueak?" Joe echoed. "Seems like a pretty wimpy name for a weapon. But if it knocks Zongazonga outta my body, then I'm all for it! Where can we find this Caliosteo Pipsqueak, Professor?"
"We fear the seal holding Zongazonga may one day be broken," the Professor continued. "If such a day should come, know that we have hidden the Caliosteo Pipsqueak here. Press the crest on the wall and accept the trial of the guardian. If you prevail, the ultimate weapon shall be yours."
Dina stepped forward and immediately pressed the crest on the wall. The ground rumbled and shook and the wall raised up, revealing three B-Rexes. Dina sent Riptide, Mayrah and Fury out.
Riptide and Fury attacked the B-Rex in front, defeating it within seconds. The B-Rexes charged Riptide, sending him back into a Medal. Mayrah and Fury quickly took out the second B-Rex, leaving just one left. It Bit down on Mayrah's neck, but she kicked it away, ending the battle.
The Caliosteo Pipsqueak fell and Dina caught it. They took the weapon back to the BB Brigade Base where Pauleen and Rupert were still waiting and explained the plan to them. Professor Scatterly went on ahead to the Stone Pyramid to fix the chest so it could never be opened again while the others rode on the B-Ptera's back. However, something went terribly wrong; Zongazonga's spell knocked the B-Ptera out of the sky. Rupert was luckily able to open his wings and help slow their descent enough to where they only received minor bruises from the crash landing.
Thankfully, they landed close enough to Cranial City to where they could just walk there, but they would have to climb up to Wildwest Tower.
"I can just fly there myself," Rupert said, beginning to open his wings. "Give me the Caliosteo Pipsqueak an- agh!" He cringed in pain. Dina and Pauleen immediately rushed to his side to see what was wrong. His left wing hung limp and useless at his side, having been fractured in the crash.
"Looks like we'll have to climb up the old fashioned way then," Pauleen sighed. "Don't worry, Rupert, once we get everything sorted out we can get that wing of yours fixed."
"Well now. That's a bold plan." Terry walked over to them, blocking their path along with Stella and Kent. Joe leaped out of Dina's pocket and tried to reason with them.
"Stella! Terry! Kent!" He pleaded. "Ya gotta listen to me! I'm the real Joe Wildwest! That thing in the tower is just an evil skull that wrangled up my body…! Sounds crazy when ya say it out loud, but it's true! Now ya'll gotta let us pass!" Unfortunately, the staff members refused to listen.
"We don't have time for this nonsense," Rupert snarled. "Go, Dina! Get to Zongazonga!" Dina grabbed Joe and took off running towards the Fighter Station as Pauleen and Rupert sent out their vivosaurs. She skidded to a stop in front of the elevator as Todd walked out.
"Hey there, pard!" Joe greeted. "What are you doing all the way-"
"Save it!" Todd snapped. "I'm here for Dina! I know you never liked me! I know you make fun of me for losing to you in Round 1!"
[Todd I have done no such thing!] Dina protested. [You're my best friend!]
"Shut up!" Todd stepped forward, pulling out his Dino Medals. "You can't fool me anymore! You replaced me with Rupert and Pauleen! You care about them more than me! I'm gonna stomp you flat, and then I'm gonna laugh at you!"
"He's been hypnotized," Joe observed. "We gotta find someone to battle him. The stress of combat should be just the thing to snap him out of it."
[I'll do it,] Dina signed.
"I reckon it's a fine idea," Joe said glancing at Todd. "Just try not to hurt the poor feller."
They sent out their Dino Medals. Todd had a Spinax, Goyle and Barbaros. Dina sent Peak at the front alongside Mayrah and Fury. A critical bite from Peak managed to take out a good chunk of Barbaros's health and in the next turn it was defeated. Fury went after the Spinax, but didn't do a lot of damage. The Goyle managed to confuse Peak as the Spinax attacked him. In his confusion, he attacked the Goyle and managed to defeat it. The Spinax attacked Fury, defeating her in a single hit. Mayrah slammed into the Spinax as it forced Peak back into a Dino Medal. One last flick of her wings ended the fight.
True to Joe's words, the hypnosis wore off once the battle was over. Todd was overwhelmed with guilt and stared down at his boots.
"I was cheering you on the whole time," he murmured. "But I guess I was jealous the whole time. Jealous of how you alway won...how easy it was for you...I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." Dina smiled and walked over, hugging her childhood friend.
[It's okay,] she signed.
"Ain't nothin' to be ashamed of, pard," Joe agreed. "We all get jealous from time to time. Even ol' Joe Wildwest here. What I can't forgive is Zongazonga twistin' that emotion to make ya'll fight each other!"
"Th-thanks, Joe," Todd managed to smile. "All right! Let's find Zongazonga and give him what for! But, um...how do we do that exactly?"
[The Caliosteo Pipsqueak,] Dina answered. [It was an item created by the ancient people of the islands that will knock him out of Joe's body and will make him unable to steal another for some time.]
"It's Dina!" Two staff members raced up the stairs. Joe leaped in front of them and ordered Todd and Dina to go after Zongazonga. Reluctantly, the two agreed. The wall of the suite had been fixed, supposedly by Zongazonga's magic.
"Huh." He turned to them. "I must say, I did not expect this. Still, it spares me the bother of searching for you, so I suppose I should be thankful. Yes, well, let's not waste any more time with empty threats or the revealing of plans. You will give me your body, and you will do it now."
[Not so fast!] Dina pulled out the Caliosteo Pipsqueak. Zongazonga stopped and stared at it.
"Where did you get that?" He hissed. "That...thing is not supposed to exist anymore."
"Jokes on you, chump!" Todd laughed. "And now we're gonna use it to knock you outta Joe's head!"
"Bold words from a small man," Zongazonga sneered. "But you have won nothing yet." With a flick of his hand, he send the two tumbling with a powerful blast of wind. Dina winced as a piece of rubble cut open her leg. She heard Todd cry out and looked up. The Caliosteo Pipsqueak had been blown out of the tower. Zongazonga approached Dina and she scrambled up, backing into the wall. Todd disappeared over the side of the tower. Dina threw out her Dino Medals and Zongazonga rolled his eyes. He tossed a few out himself.
Zongazonga had an Argento, Berto and Seidon. Dina sent out Mayrah, Riptide and Fury. Riptide charged the Berto. Fury attacked the Argento and Mayrah bit into the Seidon's neck. Mayrah defeated the Seidon while Riptide kept fighting the Berto and Fury clung to the Argento's back. The Berto bit into Mayrah, flinging her away. The Argento quickly took out Fury. Riptide and Mayrah quickly turned and attacked the Seidon. The Seidon slammed its tail into Mayrah and the Berto bit into Riptide. Riptide broke free and slammed into the Argento, sending it back into a Dino Medal. A flick of Mayra's wings ended the battle.
"Well played indeed, human," Zongazonga chuckled. "But I expected no less from my Majestic Vessel. And yet, without the Caliosteo Pipsqueak, I am invincible! So what will you do…? Perhaps you will send your vivosaurs to attack me? Ah, but you cannot do that. Because doing so would destroy the very body you came here to save. All things end the same. Your body will be mine, one way or the other."
[That is sick and you belong in a jail.] Dina scowled at him.
"I got it Dina!" Todd appeared at the hole in the wall, holding the Caliosteo Pipsqueak. "I may not be good at much, but I'm really good at climbing! Here, Dina! Catch!" He threw the hammer to her. Dina caught it and, ignoring the pain in her leg, raced forward and slammed it into the face of Zongazonga, knocking the skull out of Joe's body.
"I bet he feels pretty....light-headed!" Todd collapsed into a fit of giggles at his own joke. Dina smiled and rolled her eyes. They looked over as Joe, Rupert and Dina appeared from the elevator. Joe hopped back into his body and they turned their attention the skull laying on the floor. They chased it around, desperately trying to catch the skull. Unfortunately, it was too fast. Dina and Pauleen crashed into one another, Todd tripped over his own two feet and Joe was still getting used to being back in his body and was borderline useless in the situation. The skull hopped into the elevator, but Rupert raced after it and the two disappeared as the elevator went down. Joe, Pauleen, Todd and Dina stared at it as it came back up, empty. They quickly hopped inside.
"R-Rupert?" Todd stammered as he stepped out of the elevator. "The skull didn't...get away, did it?" Rupert shook his head and smirked.
"Not to worry, Todd," he said. "I got it." A collective sigh of relief came from the group.
"So what do we do now?" Todd asked.
"We take that skull to that Stone Pyramid place and seal it up, diga!" Pauleen answered.
"While ya'll do that, I'll let everyone know what happened so they stop chasin' ya around," Joe said. "Now hurry! Get to the Stone Pyramid and lock that Zongazonga feller in the hoosegow for good!" Rupert walked over and handed the skull to Dina.
"It's only proper you carry his skull to the end," he said. "After all, you are the one who defeated him. Don't worry, I gave him a sound thrashing. You'll be safe." Dina nodded and took the skull. She paused for a moment, wondering why Rupert wasn't acting normal. Usually he would have insisted on keeping the skull in case anything happened or at least would fight to keep it out of Dina's hands before finally giving up. For him to so willingly put her into danger was unsettling to say the least. She decided to shrug it off.
The group rushed into the Stone Pyramid where the chest lay open and waiting. Dina stepped forward, ready to put the skull in. The skull leaped out of her hands. Todd and Pauleen panicked and got as far away from it as they possibly could.
"N-no, stop!" The skull cried out. "I'm not Zongazonga! It's me, Rupert!"
"Yeah, right, do I look stupid to you?" Pauleen scoffed.
"I'm not lying!" The skull insisted. "I'm Rupert! Please, my friends, you must believe me!" Dina walked over to the skull, shaking from a mixture of exhaustion, fear and pain. She knelt down in front of the skull.
[I think it's really him,] she signed to the others.
"Okay, but first it's gotta tell us something only Rupert would know." Pauleen eyed the skull warily.
The skull turned to her, the empty sockets devoid of any emotion and yet there still seemed to be a small spark of sass as it replied, "Honestly, Christina you need to stop being so sour."
"...It's him."
"Your fans are gonna freak out if they see you like this," Todd said.
"I'm less worried about the fans and more worried about the sorcerer that just stole my body," Rupert huffed. "I managed to capture Zongazonga's skull in the elevator, but before I could subdue the thing it struck me with a headbutt. When I came to, I found myself in my current state."
"Blast!" Professor Scatterly frowned. "The effects of the Caliosteo Pipsqueak wore off sooner than we anticipated."
"That skull is a really good actor, digadig," Pauleen said. "I had no idea Rupert was really Zongazonga."
"Hey, wait, where did Zongazonga go?" Todd asked. "He was just here! I mean, Rupert was just here. Wait, I mean Rupert's body was...Oh, you know what I mean!"
"Dina, please find my body," Rupert pleaded as he turned to her. In an attempt to lighten the mood just a bit he added, "I've grown rather attached to it over the years." That earned him a snicker from Todd. Dina picked up Rupert's skull and rushed out of the pyramid.
Rupert's Mapo King just contacted me, Dina, Mayrah said. They are at Icegrip Plateu.
Dina hurried to Icegrip Plateau, eager to end the whole mess once and for all. She kept Rupert in her pocket and approached Zongazonga, who stood at the edge of the ice. He turned, blinking in surprise. He had gone back into Rupert's human form.
"Dina, is something wrong?" he asked. "Was there a problem with Zongazonga's skull? Oh, nevermind that, you must be freezing. What were you thinking coming here without a coat?" In truth, she was. She hadn't thought to grab her coat in the sun was beginning to set and the temperature was dropping faster by the minute.
[I'm fine, really,] Dina signed to him. Zongazonga frowned at her.
"No, you're not," he said. "You're shivering. Is that blood!? You're injured! Dina, you reckless...oh, what am I going to do with you?" He hurried to her side, taking his coat off and wrapping it around her before he knelt down to examine the wound. Dina suppressed a shudder. Pauline was right; Zongazonga was a good actor. A little too good. It was beginning to make her sick.
[I'm fine,] she repeated. [I came here looking for you.]
"I should have stayed with you," Zongazonga sighed as he stood up. "That wound isn't life-threatening but it could get infected if not treated. Come, we should head back to the Fossil Station so you can get bandaged up. I'll even make you some hot cocoa; my treat for saving the world." Dina backed away from him.
[I haven't saved it yet,] she signed. [Knock it off, Zongazonga, I know it's you.] Zongazonga let out a loud laugh.
"You must be very frustrated," he said. "This little boyfriend of yours would have had me if the Caliosteo Pipsqueak's power had lasted just a second longer. But I have good news, Dina! I've decided not to steal your body after all! Rupert's body is your equal in every way. It's quite remarkable, really. It is a flawless vessel from which to launch my glorious reign! Behold the power of the Majestic Vessel!" He raised his arms and began to chant. From the ocean rose a floating castle, ominous waves of power surrounding it.
This is going to be a long night, Dina thought.