~In the Heart of the Mountain~

Wu had lined them all up as they thought up a plan. Cole was standing at attention arms behind his back. Misty was beside him with Vania next to her. Cole was wearing the armor they had found it seemed almost as if it had been made for him.

Here are the facts. We are lost underground, separated from our friends who are being hunted by an evil necromancer and an army of reanimated skeletons. We have very few weapons and no way out, but we are not giving in to despair. Where there is a will, there is a way, and we will find it. I want suggestions. Ideas," Wu stated matter of factly. He paced up and down the line looking each of them in the eyes as he spoke.

Misty's lips were purse into a thin line, anxiety ate away at her.

"I've got an idea. But this one's a little nuts," Cole suggested smirking

"This one"? Plundar said

"Let's hear it," Wu said

Cole pulled out his weapon from his back and drew on the ground with it, "These are the tracks we found earlier, which I'm guessing lead to the surface. And let's pretend this is the mine cart," He grabbed a mushroom from Fungus's hat. "We take the wheels off, then strap the axle to the mech like a pair of giant rollerskates, and use the mech to propel the other carts back up the tracks. Propelling, please?" he said gesturing to Fungus, and Fungus makes the mushroom glow and spin with magic. "Then, we get in the carts, and go zipping back up the tracks, like this." He sets the mushroom on the ground, which zips along the tracks he drew, then flies up and explodes into the air.

Misty winced when it exploded.

"Explosion is us?" Korgarn asked voicing out loud what her fear was.

"That idea seems a little ... what's the word I'm looking for? Oh yeah. Nuts." Plundar said pointedly

"I told you that at the start! Yeesh, nobody listens." Cole scoffed placing his weapon away.

"Well, I don't hear any other suggestions, so unless you guys want to give up and just go back to Rock-Bottom..." Vaina said

"I vote in favor of Cole's plan," Wu said

"As do I," Fungus agreed

"Korgran also,"

"Well, Plundar? What do your dice advise?" Fungus asked turning to the thief.

Plundar threw away his dice, and said, "I'm deciding this one, and you've gotten me this far, so I'm with you all the way,"

They turned to Misty, and Cole offered his hand out to her. "What do you say?" he asked

Misty swallowed hard, but she grabbed Cole's hand, "I'm in... till the very end,"

They go to work getting ready, first knocking off the wheels of the mine cart, and attaching them to the mech. Cole and Wu climbed into the mech.

"I don't get it! There's no buttons, no dials. How are you supposed to operate this thing?" Cole asked, and then crystals began to glow at his touch, and the mech rattled, "What?"

"What did you do?" Wu asked

"Nothing! I - I barely touched it!" Cole stammered

"Hmm. Is it possible that this mech is powered entirely by Elemental Energy?" Wu said thoughtfully.

Cole touches the crystals again, and the mech powered up. "Haha! This is gonna be a piece of cake!" He shouted almost instantly he nearly crushed the others on the ground. As the mech stumbled around on the makeshift roller skates, "Sorry, my bad," he said sheepishly.

"Uh, left. A little left!" Plundar directed they'd left the cavern and could see through the doors Cole struggling to control the mech.

"Careful!" Korgran shouted

"Keep it together, Cole! Concentrate!" Wu reminded

Misty winced as she watched the mech stumble and roll around, "Gee, it's just like Kai on roller skates,"

Inside the mech, Cole took a deep breath and said, "Okay, I think I've got it now. You can do this. It's just like walking on roller skates. On really big, giant-sized roller skates," he said to himself, and he slipped again and fell, the others scrambled out of the way to avoid being crushed, "Whoops, uh, sorry about that!" He got up, but fell again, nearly crushing Adam in the process. "Whoops. Uh, sorry!"

"Cole," Wu groaned

"Okay, I definitely got it now," Cole said chuckling sheepishly.

They got the carts set up and the mech behind them. Before Misty could climb into the carts with the others. Wu stopped her, "Hang on Misty, it might be best for you to ride along in the mech with Cole. Your additional Elemental powers might help give the mech a boost,"

"You do remember my powers aren't exactly stable right now in particular?" Misty pointed out.

"Perpahs not but, they're still elemental powers, which the mech is powered by. It's still a power supply one we'll need,"

"Very well," Misty said hesitantly, and Cole reached out his hand and pulled her into the mech, where Wu had been sitting in the seat behind him. Vania was squeezed into the seat with her.

Wu climbed into the cart with the others, "Let's go!" Wu said

"Everyone ready?" Cole asked

"No, not really. I'm worried." Vania confessed

"Don't be. This is gonna work!" Cole said confidently

"Not that. It's ... my father. If we get out of here, I'm going to have to face him, aren't I?" Vania said softly

"Yeah, but not alone. We'll be with you," Cole said turning back to give her an encouraging smile and he winked at Misty.

"Okay. Let's do it!" Vania agreed.

"Here goes nothing!" Cole said and he powered up the mech the turbo behind it revved to life.

"Is it too late for me to change my mind?" Plundar said nervously.

The cart moved forward and up a hill but as it was trying to climb the next larger one. The engine stalled and the lights in the mech flickered. The cart slid backward on the rails. Cole focused and gripped the crystals tightly. Misty hesitated but grabbed the ones on either side of the car. And they glowed purple under her hands. The engine roared back to life with both her and Cole's added powers. Rocketing the cart forward and up the hill.

As they hit a sharp turn Wu fell out of the cart but Korgran grabbed him just in time, "No no!"

"This is outrageous!" Wu shouted as he was pulled back into the cart and to safety.

"Cole, the Lava Monster. What if it's still in the cave, waiting for us?" Vania asked leaning forward in the seat.

"What, just standing there, staring at a wall? No way," Cole said and added with a chuckle, "I'm sure he's gone back to his -" His voice trailed off as they spotted the Lava Monster indeed waiting for them, and staring at a wall, it screamed as it chased them. "Eat my dust! Now Misty!" Cole shouted He accelerated.

"You did it, Cole! We're losing him!" Wu cheered

They then entered a cave with Dire Bats. "Oh, dear." Fungus muttered

The bats attacked, and Korgran dispatched one, while Fungus got rid of another, that was trying to take Adam away. They managed to fight them off, and Cole swats a Bat away. "Get off! Whew. Hey!" but with the distraction the Lava Monster had caught up. "You again?" Cole growled as the lava monster grabbed the mech and slammed it against the rail. It dragged it away from the carts.

They managed to knock the lava monster off but only briefly as it wrapped its tentacles around the mech dragging it off the rails and onto a stone outcroping just above the lava the monster had splashed into. The monster launched itself out of the lava once again attacking the mech. Wrapping its tentacles around it slamming it into the wall over and over again. It grabbed the mech's wrist and a sword shot out and into the mech's hand.

"This thing has a sword? Yeah!" Cole shouted and he sliced off one of the monster's tentacles.

"Cole, the mine cart. Stop the mine cart!" Vania screamed at the cart rolled down the rails above them. And straight toward a broken part of the track that would have sent it flying into the lava.

"Cole" Wu shouted

"Master Wu!" Cole shouted and he climbed back up the rails and ran down them toward the cart.

"Hurry, Cole! We're not gonna make it!" Vania screamed as the cart neared the broken part of the rails.

"Yes we will!" Cole shouted and the Lava monster flung itself in front of the mech. He lowered the mech's sword and drove it straight through the monster. He gripped the crystals tightly embowing the mech with more power causing it to fly. He destroyed the Lava Monster and caught the carts in time, flying it back onto the rail.

"This stone thing flies too?" Korgan shouted in disbelief. Half of the mech was covered in lava and it was glowing bright red in the dark.

"You guys okay?" Cole asked

"We're going too fast!" Wu warned

"I can't slow it down! The lava's overheating the controls! This is gonna get a little bumpy!" He warned and they rocketed through the cave. "Brace yourselves we're about to surface!" Cole shouted

Misty wrapped her arms around, Vania attempting to protect her from the potential impact.

~The Upply burst out of the ground~

The Mech whirred one final time and went still the lights dying. Cole opened the hatch pulling Vaina and Misty out.

"Are you okay?" Cole asked both of them. Misty nodded, and Cole gently squeezed her shoulders comfortingly.

Vania nodded and said, "Oh, look! We're in the palace gardens!"

"Is that the sky?" Fungus asked in disbelief.

"It sure is!" Wu agreed

"You mean we made it?" Plundar said

"We're out?" Korgran said. The Upply cheered happy to finally feel the sun on their skin again.

"We made it!" Plundar shouted

"We are not longer Lowly!" Korgran agreed

"We're the Upply!" Fungus cheered

"Upply! Upply! Upply!" The three chanted as they marched around in a circle celebrating.

The group made their way back to the throne room.

When they entered they found Chompy caged near the throne. The little dragon perked up seeing Vaina again.

Vania gasped and said, "Chompy? Did my father do this to you? Oh, that makes me mad! That makes me so mad! Just hang on, Chompy. Cole?" She asked and Cole opened the cage with his Earth Punch.

"Halt! Princess Vania?" Hailmar ordered

"Hailmar," Vania said Cole and Misty stood at the ready in front of Vania.

Hailmar pointed his naginata at Cole and Misty, "You."

"Hailmar, it's okay. Cole and Misty are a friend," Vania insisted as she ran forward in front of both of the ninjas.

"The King gave orders for the ninja to be arrested. On sight! He said they are traitors," Hailmar shouted

"That's not true. My father is the traitor, Hailmar. He's lying to you!"

"Stand aside, Princess," He said reading his weapon again. Cole pulled Misty closer to him in preparation.

"Hailmar, listen. My father is lying to you. He's using you! Cole and these men, they were betrayed by my father. They were cast into the mountain," Vania explained but it seemed to be in vain.

"Stand aside, on the King's orders!" Hailmar shouted there were many other guards behind him.

"Go!" Vania hissed to Cole and Misty.

"What?" Cole said

"What about you?" Misty asked

"He won't hurt me. Just go!" Vania insisted

"Cole, I will stay here. Find the others, save them!" Wu said

"On the King's orders, I command you, stand aside!" Hailmar shouted as he got more aggressive and lifted into the air with his wings.

Adam shot a spider web pinning two guards to the ground and Cole shouted, "Master Wu, catch!" and tossed him his mace. Wu caught it blocked a guard's weapon and then delivered a punch to the guard knocking him backward.

"Stop! I command you!" Hailmar shouted, Cole and the others fought against the palace guards. Misty spun knocking one off his feet and kicked another.

"Chompy!" Vania cried as she saw the Dragon nearly missing getting hit. They watched as Chompy grew into the Battle Dragon. "Chompy?" The princess whispered.

"Attack!" Hailmar shouted and, some guards flew at the dragon but were swatted aside.

Cole, Misty, and the Upply took the chance to run out of the room as Chompy covered them.

"Stop!" Hailmar roared and tried to pursue them but was halted by the dragon.

"Hailmar, stand down! I command you! I am heiress to the throne of Shintaro, and your future queen!" Vania ordered as she wielded a naginata. A spoke with confidence as she spun the weapon and slammed its hilt against the ground causing the sound to echo.

"Call off your dragon!" Hailmar roared

"Not until you're ready do listen!" Vania shouted Hailmar charged at Vania and the sound of clashing metal was heard from the throne room. Cole, Misty, and the rest of the Upply ran off with the hopes of saving the other ninja.