Ooh, sounds exciting! What could it be?

Read on and find out!

-.-.-.-.-.

Dina, Cotton, and Professor Scatterly were simply appalled by Zongazonga's speech. The sorcerer had just managed to trick every Fighter on Cranial Isle that she was with Cotton and the BB Brigade. And no doubt word would spread to the other two islands. There was nowhere in the Caliosteo Islands where Dina would be safe – except maybe Bonechip Island.

The crowd of Fighters dispersed as the Mammoth Vision video screen flew off to who knows where, some furious, some worried, and some simply disappointed. But they all had one goal in mind, to bring Dina to the being that they thought was Joe Wildwest.

As the crowd spread out over the city, the trio of newly-made outcasts hid in a dark alley between the Caliosteo Museum and another building. In mere moments, the streets were empty, and it was safe to sneak around.

Dina inwardly flinched at each footstep as they ran, with the flurry of footfalls sounding extremely loud to her. Cotton seemed to realize her concern, or maybe he was concerned himself with the amount of noise they were making. Nonetheless, he beat his wings and flew just above the ground in an effort to make things a little quieter.

Ahead of them loomed the Fighter Station and Wildwest Tower on top of it. Dina and the others were about to rush past it, when all of a sudden the doors slid open with a hiss. Dina squeaked and hastily ducked into a shadowy corner as Terry and a small army of staff members marched out. Cotton, still out in the open, hid in a particularly leafy tree with a few beats of his wings.

Professor Scatterly, however, had to stop and catch his breath. Caught out in the open, he was in plain sight of the staff. Terry glanced over in his direction, and Dina sighed in relief as the professor's jolly wave was met with a grin and jaunty salute.

"That was a close one!" Cotton whispered from his tree, then jumped down to join the two of them. Dina stared at him in wonder. To think I'd ever have this being as an ally! she thought, remembering all the times he had been her enemy. But as it turned out, he hadn't really been a bad guy after all.

Dina cautiously walked back out into the sun-lit street. No one was around. The professor and Cotton joined her. Professor Scatterly was flustered and Cotton looked calm, but Dina could see that he was fuming inwardly.

Don Joe hopped out of her hood and bounced back onto the ground. The skull's jaw clattered as he raged, "Darn that Zongazonga! He's trickin' other Fighters into doin' his dirty work!"

Suddenly, she heard the Fighter Station doors hiss open again. Reflexively turning around with panic rising in her, Dina saw that it was Pauleen and Rupert. Their faces were grim and didn't bode well for her.

Did Zongazonga trick them as well? Dina thought with a terrible thrill of fear.

Professor Scatterly nervously got between them and Dina. "Stay yourselves, my friends!" he told them in a quavering voice. "That announcement was a lie!"

Pauleen stepped forward. "It's all right, digadig," she said soothingly. "We're on Dina's side." Dina visibly relaxed, and the professor wiped his brow with a handkerchief. "We battled you in the Cup, and we know you won by fair means," assured Rupert.

Cotton impatiently flexed his wings and shuffled his talons. "We need to get out of here," he said urgently. "If a staff member walks by" – his words were cut off by a shriek from Pauleen.

"I-i-it's Cotton!" she squeaked, taking a step so that she was slightly behind Rupert. "What is he doing here with you, Dina?" Rupert inquired seriously, not looking frightened in the least.

Suddenly, Don Joe hopped into the middle of all of them and bounced up and down to get their attention. "Aw, we can't be wastin' time like this!" he shouted. "We gotta gallop back to the BB Brigade Base, and fast!"

An even louder shriek issued from Pauleen's mouth, and Rupert stifled a startled gasp. "Diga! It's D-Don Boneyard! What's he diga-doing here?!" demanded Pauleen, confused.

"We'll fill you in on the details later," Cotton snapped. "Right now, we have to hurry. If they track us down, the world's in deep trouble!" Rupert considered, then reluctantly nodded. "I can't say I understand, but if Dina trusts these two, then I do as well. Come, Pauleen. We should go."

Don Joe hopped back into Dina's hood as Pauleen nodded and said, "O-OK, digadig!" But then, out of nowhere, came the voice of someone that Dina hoped she'd never see in this predicament. "You've disappointed me. I trusted you, you know?"

Dina whirled to see Stella, Terry, Kent, and a company of Fighters advancing on the five of them. "Who knew the champ was actually a member of the BB Brigade?" asked Terry rhetorically. "It's sad, really."

Stella scowled at Cotton. "Wouldn't have been the first time," she muttered, looking daggers at him. "Nice to see you again too, Stella," Cotton replied sarcastically.

"Come on, little dudes," Kent said, almost sadly. "Just come with us and nobody has to get gnarly." Rupert paled considerably, whispering, "Are they going to try and take us as well?" Pauleen shook her head and answered, "I diga-don't think so…" But she didn't sound like she believed her own words.

The three Staff Leaders closed in. The party of Fighters behind them spread out to widen the humanoid wall before Dina and her friends. "This is bad, wot wot?" said Professor Scatterly worriedly. "We're surrounded! Yes, quite." Cotton smirked evilly and reached for his Dino Medals. "That doesn't mean we go down without a fight," he said, eyes spearing the trio in front of them with their glare.

All of a sudden, from another part of the street, there was a loud yell. Dina, Cotton, and everyone else simultaneously turned to see what the commotion was. Dina's heart leapt when she saw a little green blur streaking towards the impending battle.

It was Todd!

He stopped running and assumed a battle-ready pose between Dina and the hundred-plus Fighters. "Todd, what are you doing?" called Pauleen. Todd didn't reply right away, instead shouting out, "Run, you guys! Run now! I'll take care of these guys!"

Dina cried out, even louder than Pauleen, "Todd, are you insane! Those Fighters outnumber you a hundred to one!"

Todd ignored that. "Remember when I said I wanted to run because I was worried about you, Dina? Well, it's not quite true. I actually wanted to run because I was afraid. I've ran from a lot of things. I'd just hang back and let you do all the hard work. You were always so brave, taking on everything no matter how scared it made you feel. And then Pauleen took off her mask and Rupert stood up to his father, and I felt ashamed of myself. I was a coward."

He turned to face Dina, and she could immediately see that he had changed. Gone was the timid, frightened boy that she had known all her life. He had been replaced by someone she didn't know, someone who was serious, determined, and… brave.

"But I'm done running," he said to her. "No more fake stomachaches for me. You're my best friend, Dina, and I'm gonna save you!"

On those last two words, he turned back to the mob and threw out a Dino Medal. A Super Evolver – Barbaros, the evolved form of Stego – appeared with a titanic roar that caused even the Staff Leaders' faces to contort with fear.

"Go already!" Todd shouted without looking away from his soon-to-be-opponents. Cotton, Professor Scatterly, Pauleen, and Rupert backed off slowly, but Dina didn't move. "Todd…" she said, holding out a hand to restrain him. But she ended up being the restrained one, as Rupert stepped forth and comfortingly placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Todd can do this," he said softly, so that only she would hear. "We must believe in him." Dina looked back at her best friend, with tears welling up in her eyes. Finally, she gave in. "Alright…" she breathed, her voice barely audible.

With that, they ran as fast as they could, toward the coastline of Cranial Isle on the edge of the city. Those few Fighters that weren't distracted by the battle unfolding in front of them gave chase, shouting for them to stop.

As soon as they reached the small strip of sand that gave way to ocean, everyone released their Vivosaurs. Pauleen and Rupert summoned Plesio and Elasmo, and they jumped on the aquatic Vivosaurs' backs to start swimming for Bonechip Island. Cotton sent out Nycto Ace, who took off immediately, grabbing Professor Scatterly in her talons as she did so.

Dina grabbed Rupert's hand and was pulled onto Elasmo's back. The shouts of the frustrated Fighters grew fainter in their ears. Soon, the outline of Cranial Isle had disappeared entirely, giving way to a flat blue horizon.

-.-.-.-.-.

Bonechip Island

"I must admit, this is something of an amazing story," Rupert said in wonder. "I believe you, and yet I find it hard to imagine that Joe's body is being controlled by an ancient sorcerer, or that Don Boneyard is really Joe Wildwest."

They were all back in Don Joe's quarters in the BB Brigade Base. So far, it seemed as though none of the BB Brigade members had made it back to Bonechip Island. Dina idly wondered where they all were, then focused her mind to concentrate on the task at hand.

"It's such a shame that the Cup was being held for such a nefarious purpose," Rupert said regretfully. "A skull that lives by stealing bodies?" Pauleen shivered and added, "Talk about freaky, digadig!"

Dina drifted back out of the conversation when she remembered Todd was still out there, fighting the good fight for their sake. Rupert must have noticed her strange silence, because he stepped up beside her and clutched her hand. "Are you worried about Todd?" he asked concernedly. Dina unconsciously nodded.

"This was his choice, and his path," Rupert assured her. "I'm sure he will be all right." He gently squeezed her hand until he got a sad smile out of her. He responded with one of his own.

"We'll beat Zongazonga, get Joe's body back, and save Todd, just you wait!" encouraged Pauleen cheerfully. Cotton, never one to pass up a smart remark, said from his perch atop Don Boneyard's podium, "Always playing the optimist, are you?" That got a glare out of Pauleen, which in turn got a laugh out of Cotton.

Dina knew that this little show of aggression was to help lift her spirits. She gave them all an encouraging smile to show that she appreciated the effort. But before she could say anything, Professor Scatterly suddenly gasped dramatically.

"Good heavens! I just thought of something!" he exclaimed, pacing back and forth excitedly. "According to the Calio Slablets, Zongazonga was defeated by the people of the CaliosteoIslands. After this, they sealed him in the Stone Pyramid, yes?"

Rupert, who initially seemed perplexed, allowed an expression of dawning comprehension to cross his face. "Then it stands to reason that the method of defeating Zongazonga may yet remain in that structure!" he said decisively, pounding his fist into his palm.

"Brilliant!" Dina enthused. Now there was hope again. Hope that this terror of terrors could be brought down to his knees and defeated at last.

Professor Scatterly turned to Don Joe. "You know where the Stone Pyramid is, I presume?" he asked. Don Joe hopped up and down with excitement. "Sure do!" he replied. "It's on this very island, deep in the jungle!" He continued after taking a moment to clear his… um, throat, "If ya check a bush at the deepest point, you'll open up a path to the Stone Pyramid."

Cotton stared at the skull in awe. "So that's why you built the base here," he said quietly. Dina nodded – it began to make sense to her now. Joe must have wanted the Stone Pyramid guarded so it would remain safe.

Professor Scatterly looked thrilled at the prospect of discovering yet more unknown relics. "Very well, I'm off! Tally ho!" He then plodded off and out of the chamber.

Pauleen and Rupert both stared after him indifferently, but Dina looked worried. "Um…" she spoke up. "Professor Scatterly tends to get lost and forget things…"

Don Joe looked mortified. "Aw, horseflies! We shoulda sent someone with him…" Without hesitation, Dina volunteered.

"Hold on, Dina," cautioned Rupert. "We can't send you after him." Dina looked at him as if asking, Are you serious? Pauleen didn't catch the skeptical look and piled on, "It's too diga-dangerous! Let me go instead, digadig!"

Dina put her foot down. "No, you guys. This is my fight, and anyway, if there are traps or monsters or wild Vivosaurs in there, I'm the best equipped to deal with them." Both Pauleen and Rupert looked as if they wanted to argue, but remained silent.

"Stay here and be safe," Dina told them, before rushing out of the chamber after Professor Scatterly.

-.-.-.-.-.

Bonechip Jungle

Dina picked her way through the dense forest, going where her gut told her to. It was pure instinct that led her to the deepest part of the jungle.

For an old guy, Dina thought exasperatedly, the professor sure moves fast. There had been no sign of him when she had gotten outside, except for a path of footprints leading down the beach and into the wall of trees beyond the BareBones stronghold.

Now, almost eight minutes later, Dina was beginning to wonder if she had taken the right paths. The bush that Don Joe told her about was nowhere to be found, and she was sure that she was lost. If only I had thought of taking the skull with me, Dina growled to herself. Joe would know the way.

Suddenly, the bushes in front of her rustled. Dina's hand instantly flew to her pocket and wrapped around Teffla's Dino Medal. She knew it was Teffla's instantly, despite not being able to directly see it.

The bushes rustled again, more violently this time. Dina's ears picked up faint, but heavy, footsteps. She gulped and clutched the medallion even more tightly.

Without warning, the ferns suddenly rustled madly, and a huge shape burst out. Dina screamed and fell backwards in shock, ready to throw Teffla out and have him battle the monstrosity. But Dina abruptly stopped – something about this unknown beast seemed familiar to her.

Taking a closer look at the beast, Dina realized that she indeed recognized it. The bones encased in black energy, the curling tail, the springy legs – it was Salada, one of the Vivosaurs that Don Boneyard had used!

"What are you doing here?" asked Dina, more curious than afraid. Salada, of course, gave no legible answer, instead giving a cheery chirp and flick of its tail. "Of course I can't understand you," Dina grumbled. Salada said nothing, but twitched its tail and bounced up and down cheerfully.

Even though Dina knew that Salada probably didn't know anything about Zongazonga and the probable fate of the Caliosteo Islands, she couldn't help but feel annoyed at its optimistic attitude. "I don't have time for this," she muttered, brushing past the Boneysaur.

She went a little ways deeper into the jungle, only to hear the heavy footsteps behind her. Sighing, she tried to ignore them. But a faint voice caused her to stop. "Dina!" it called. "Slow down, small fry!" It was Don Joe.

Dina waited until the skull hopped through the undergrowth. "I decided that I'd best be comin' with ya, Dina," he said once he had landed at her feet. "If there's anything to be found in the Stone Pyramid, I wanna know about it."

Grinning, Dina picked up the skull and hid him in her hood. "Let's go then," she said, but as she did so, Salada burst through the foliage again with a shriek.

"Hey, it's Salada!" exclaimed Don Joe. "When I met him, he seemed more Vivosaur than Boneysaur, to tell ya the truth. He was pretty excited ta get outta the Stone Pyramid, if ya ask me."

The Boneysaur bounced up and down excitedly, acting just as Don Joe described. He kept pointing with its muzzle at something over its shoulder. Dina was confused, to say the least. What is it trying to tell us? she wondered.

"I think he wants us to follow him," Don Joe mused. "Come on, pard! Let's mosey!"

Salada chirped at the sound of its old master's voice and dashed off through the jungle. Dina had to run to keep pace with it. However, it left a trail of smashed plants behind it, which was easy to follow.

At the end of the path, Dina and Don Joe met up with Salada again, who was forlornly looking up at a tall, stone structure. The structure looked indescribably ancient, probably dating back to almost prehistoric times. She knew that this was their destination – the Stone Pyramid.

Dina walked up the crumbling steps without hesitation, but something stopped her when she got to the top. Salada wasn't following. "Aren't you coming?" she asked innocently. The Boneysaur shook its head and moaned. "I reckon Salada doesn't want to go in," consoled Don Joe. "We should go ahead. Professor Scatterly should be waitin'."

-.-.-.-.-.

Stone Pyramid

It was dark within the confines of the Stone Pyramid. Dina found a torch – she didn't know how it had managed to stay lit for thousands of years – and used it to light the darkness. She had to travel through several winding corridors, and busied her time by looking at the various pictures and glyphs on the walls. Several featured Zongazonga.

Eventually, she reached a huge, dim chamber. Torches were lit all around, giving a slight illumination to the room. Although the light was welcome, Dina couldn't help but think it made the chamber look even more eerie. Taking up the entire far wall was a gigantic stone door with no visible handle.

But it was the centre of the room that drew Dina's attention. On a wide dais sat a stone chest wide enough for both her and Rupert to lay down in. You'd like that, wouldn't you? Nychus teased from her Dino Medal, and Dina had to hold her head in her hands and mutter to herself in order to get that image out of her head.

Professor Scatterly could be seen inside of the chest, shuffling around in his search for possible clues. When Dina approached, her footfalls caused him to look up in surprise. "Oh, hello, my friend!" he boomed. "It seems as though you've decided to follow me here, eh wot?"

He turned back to the chest, wearing an expression of deepest contemplation. Don Joe hopped out of Dina's hood to get a better look around. "This here's the stone chest where they were keepin' Zonazonga. Sure wish I hadn't opened it…" he added glumly.

"I've been searching high and low, but I'm no closer to finding a way to defeat Zongazonga," Professor Scatterly said thoughtfully. "And the longer we take, the more time Zongazonga will have to realize that Dina is no longer on any of the islands."

Dina hadn't realized that. "He might come here and cause harm to my friends," she said in a flash of temper. "We have to find a way to defeat him, even if it requires taking apart this pyramid, brick by brick."

The three split up. After ten full minutes of searching, it was Dina who found a clue. Upon taking a closer look at the massive door, she saw that there was a strange, crest-like symbol on it, resting in the centre of a mess of glyphs. Curiosity piqued, Dina called to Professor Scatterly.

"What ho?" he said when he came running over. "Have you found something?" Dina simply gestured to the glyphs and crest. After a few minutes of scrutinizing the glyphs, the professor said with great satisfaction, "Ah, yes, quite. These appear to be ancient runes. Allow me to work my deciphering magic!"

Dina and Don Joe paid close attention to what the Professor Scatterly recited:

"To defeat Zongazonga, 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. We fear the seal holding Zongazonga may one day be broken. 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."

Don Joe had a skeptical yet still expressionless look on his skull. "Caliosteo Pipsqueak? Seems like a pretty wimpy name for a weapon. But if it knocks Zongazonga outta my body, I'm all for it!"

Professor Scatterly wasn't so sure. "Yes, yes, but persevering through a trial from a guardian sounds a mite bit dangerous, eh wot? Whatever to do?" Dina watched impatiently as Don Joe and the professor got into a heated debate over the proper decision to make.

Finally, Dina snorted, pushed her way between them, and pressed her hand firmly upon the crest. It glowed briefly, then sank into the stone door. The professor and the skull on either side of her just stared at her in shock.

The ground began to tremble, and dust sifted down from the ceiling. For the first time in over a thousand years, the door began to rise up with a huge grinding noise.

"Aw, saddle sores!" yelped Don Joe. "What now?" As the door further lifted, revealing nothing but darkness beyond, Professor Scatterly cried, "The guardian is coming!"

Dina readied for whatever the guardian could throw at her. A pair of eyes glowed out from the darkness, and Dina had to crane her neck in order to stare back at them. She had the distinct feeling that the guardian was looking right at her, sizing her up.

A harsh growl curled out from the blackness, and three smaller sets of eyes appeared as little points of light beneath the guardian. Walking in single file, three B-Rexes appeared, shaking the ground with each step.

Now Dina knew what it was she had to do. "I accept your challenge!" she shouted defiantly at the guardian. "Go Teffla, Radox, and Tricera!" She tossed each Dino Medal out individually, but before she could throw Tricera's, there was a screech and the sound of something running.

Dina turned to see Salada standing over her, looking determinedly at the trio of Boneysaurs. "I think he wants ta fight with ya, Dina!" shouted Don Joe on the sidelines. "He wants ta help defeat Zongazonga in any way he can!"

Although I had no particular love for Boneysaurs, my heart warmed at Salada's willingness to help. "Alright, Salada, go join Radox and Teffla," I said to him, and he sprang into position.

Dina had the first move, as usual. She opened up strong, commanding Teffla and Radox to use Teffla Scale and Radox Headbutt. Both attacks struck the B-Rex in front, dealing severe damage.

Two of the B-Rex attacked with Boney Roar, hurting each of Dina's Vivosaurs a little bit. The injured B-Rex then retreated into the back of the formation. Because Teffla and Radox specialized in fighting at a close range, it was effectively protected from those two for now.

But not, however, from Salada. "Salada, use your Caesar Roll attack on the one in the back!" commanded Dina, and Salada was only too happy to oblige. He slammed the enemy with his thick tail, sending it right back into a Dino Medal that bounced back into the shadows behind it.

The guardian fought back hard, having one of the remaining B-Rexes use Skeletal Assault. The surprisingly strong attack would have spelled doom for Radox, if it weren't for his Counter ability which reflected the attack back in its face. However, the Boneysaur still stood.

Frustrated at its resilience, Dina told Radox to finish it with Radox Blade. He did so with relish, and the B-Rex's head went spinning off into the shadows. Its Dino Medal followed.

Dina ended her turn early to save up FP. Her spirits, for the first time in a while, were high at how easily she was winning this. But she quickly reminded herself not to get too cocky, just in time to see Salada badly hurt by a Bare Tactics attack from the last B-Rex.

"Get him back with Thousand Islands!" called Dina, and the B-Rex was sent sprawling from the dozen kicks that Salada subsequently pummeled him with. Once again ending her turn, Dina gritted her teeth as she watched Radox instantly fall before a Skeletal Assault.

But she knew that despite the strength of its attack, the last B-Rex was on its last legs. It had its mouth hanging open as it panted with exhaustion. "Salada, one more Caesar Roll!" The green Boneysaur sprang forth and made a quick 180 degree turn, whipping the B-Rex so hard that its head flew off.

Dina stood confidently before the guardian as it gazed down at her with its harsh, glowing eyes. Then, the eyes simply faded into the shadows. The door slowly slid down until it shut completely with an echoing crash.

Before Dina could ask what would happen next, if anything, something indeed happened. A glowing orb of energy appeared just in front of her, and from the sphere came a blue object. It was shining as if it were brand-new, and seemed to be made from some unknown crystal-like substance. It took the shape of a large mallet, and was as tall as Dina when it settled to the ground, balancing delicately on its handle.

"By Jove!" exclaimed Professor Scatterly, eyes wide. "It's the Caliosteo Pipsqueak!" Don Joe hopped up and down excitedly. "Great!" he said. "Now let's head back to the BB Brigade Base and plan us an attack."

Dina's hand clenched tightly on the handle of the Caliosteo Pipsqueak, and it transformed, turning into a glove made of pure crystal. It wasn't uncomfortable – quite the opposite, in fact. It felt like smooth silk to Dina.

"Let's go," she said simply, and led the other two out of the Stone Pyramid. Salada bounced along behind, enjoying himself greatly.

-.-.-.-.-.

BB Brigade Base

Dina and the others were gathered once more in Don Boneyard's chamber. Pauleen and Rupert were examining the Caliosteo Pipsqueak, which Dina found that she could turn into a hammer and back at will. Cotton viewed it with great interest from a distance. Salada was there as well, bouncing up and down in some strange dance.

"So you're gonna use that weird hammer to knock Zongazonga's skull out of Joe's body, digadig?" asked Pauleen, a hint of doubt in her voice. Dina nodded, undeterred. Rupert piped up, "I see. And after you do so, he will be unable to steal another body for a short time." His tone was one of curiosity, with a hint of wonder.

"That's our chance to return the skull to the chest in the Stone Pyramid!" Cotton emphasized with a stomp of his talon. He had been impatient to take down Zongazonga ever since Dina had come back with the Caliosteo Pipsqueak.

"I shall make for the Stone Pyramid in anticipation of your arrival, eh?" said Professor Scatterly. "I must prepare the chest so Zongazonga can never rise again!" With a nod and a "Tallyho!" he was off.

Don Joe hopped once to get everyone's attention. "All right, y'all! All aboard my B-Ptera! We're headin' for Wildwest Tower and Zongazonga!" Salada chirped and waved his tail as if in farewell. Dina smiled at him, and then led the others to the shores of Bonechip Island.

There was destiny in the air. She could feel it.

-.-.-.-.-.

Sky Over the Caliosteo Islands

The night air was invigorating as it swept past Dina's face, sending her hair blowing into Pauleen's face. The three of them were sitting on the back of B-Ptera, who flew with strong wingbeats against the headwind as if it were nothing.

"I can see Cranial Isle!" shouted Pauleen, pointing past Dina's shoulder. Dina and Rupert looked and indeed, they could see the barren island looming on the horizon. Wildwest Tower rose from the centre like an obelisk, and an ominous, malicious feeling radiated from it. Dina shuddered and involuntarily tightened her grip on Rupert's shoulders.

"We're almost at Wildwest Tower," he murmured, almost to himself. But despite the noise of the wind, Dina could hear him. Meanwhile, B-Ptera increased its speed, soaring effortlessly with only the occasional flap of its dark wings to steady itself.

But then suddenly, Dina noticed that they weren't moving at all. "We-we're not moving, digadig!" Pauleen wailed, just a second before B-Ptera began to fall.

The Boneysaur shrieked in despair as it plummeted, taking them all with it. "Mayday! We're losin' altitude!" cried Don Joe from within Dina's hood. "Is this Zongazonga's spell?" cried Rupert as the three of them all tumbled off of B-Ptera's back and started to free-fall.

All of a sudden, there was a shrill screech and the sound of something moving swiftly through the air. A shape flashed out of the blackness of the night, and Dina hit something sooner than she expected.

It was Cotton's Nycto Ace, and the Fighter himself was sitting just in front of her. "Hang on!" he shouted with a slight smile, and Nycto Ace folded her wings and dove after Rupert, Pauleen, and Joe. Dina managed to catch the skull with one hand while holding on the other. Nycto Ace smoothly sailed below Pauleen so she dropped onto its back with a soft thud. At the same time, she made a magnificent catch with her talons, firmly clutching Rupert in them.

Meanwhile, B-Ptera regained its balance and flew off silently into the darkness. Where it was going, Dina didn't know. But she hoped that it could find somewhere safe to rest.

Nycto Ace screeched triumphantly and shot forward like a shooting star, carrying them straight toward Cranial City.

-.-.-.-.-.

Yeah, the Fossil Battle wasn't that long, mostly because I was so impatient to get this chapter done so I could finally update the story. However, she now has Salada on her team!

Anyway, sorry about the wait. I have so many things to get done (including several other fanfics) that it's difficult to write this one.

See you soon, and please review!

TRIVIA: I don't know what B-Ptera's fate should be. I'm thinking it should appear again sometime during the fight with ZZ, but I'm not entirely sure. What do you think?