(In her room, Vania asks someone for advice.)
Vania: I am really not good at making decisions like this, which is why I need your advice. The Ninja had been underground way too long, and I think something terrible might have happened to them. And I think I should go after them, but they're Ninja. They can take care of themselves, right? Master Wu even said I shouldn't go after them. But what if they've been attacked by crazy monsters? I should at least alert the Palace Guards, right? But if my father knew the Ninja went down into the tunnels, he'd banish them from Shintaro forever! Even if their intentions were good. Oh, what should I do, Chompy? (Her advisor is revealed to be a pet dragon.) You're right. Oh, you always know what to say. I need to relax. I'm sure Cole is doing just fine.
Cole: Help! Someone help me! I'm in serious trouble here! Please! Okay, that's not working. I'll just hang real still until I come up with a plan. I just have to think. Think, Cole. Think! (He sees a skeleton.) Oh, great. Now I feel much better. (He sees a hook on the skeleton.) Hey, a hook! If I can get to it... hey, you don't mind if I borrow that, do ya? I'll take that as a "no". (He swings to the skeleton and nearly falls.) Oh, great. Now I'm hanging from a skeleton that's hanging from a root. And now I'm talking to myself again. Keep it together, pal. Just hold on. (He throws the hook upwards, but nearly falls again.) Aah! (The hook digs into a rock. Cole starts to climb upwards. Suddenly, the rock breaks and Cole falls.) Aah! (He ends up hanging off the side of a cliff.) Help! Someone help! What am I doing? What if the Skull Sorcerer hears me? That would be terrible! Oh, you don't really have a choice, Cole, do you? Help! Someone help me! Hello? Is-is someone down there? (Suddenly, a group of Dire Bats fly out of nowhere.) Dire Bats? (One of the bats swat at him, causing him to fall, but another Dire Bat catches him.) Thanks, I guess. (The Dire Bat holds him in place, while another catches up. The two bats fight over him.) Get off! (Cole falls, while another bat flies in the same direction. Cole grabs onto the bat's foot. The other bats chase after him. He uses his Earth Punch to drop stalactites on the Bats.) Haha, yes! (As he is about to crash into a stalagmite, Cole uses his Earth Punch to break it, causing the bat to drop him. The bat chases Cole, and eventually corners him inside a tunnel. Cole activates his lava arm and the bat flies away, afraid.) Ha! Maybe you realized you were messing with the wrong Ninja! Nice try, pal! Better luck next ti... (He realizes that he's standing on sticky webs.) What-what is this stuff? Really sticky, almost like spider... (He hears a sound, and turns around to see a giant spider. It slams one of its legs down.) Ah! (The spider lunges at Cole, but misses.) Look, I'm getting really tired of things trying to eat me! (The spider tries striking him with its legs, but he dodges them.) Ah! Ah! (The spider grabs onto Cole, and knocks him backwards against the cave wall. He activates his Lava Punch, but his hands are webbed by the spider.) Hey! Don't think about how gross this feels. Do not think about how gross this feels. Don't think about it. Ugh, I'm thinking about it. (The spider hits Cole. He tries to fight back, but the spider webs his body.) Aww! I'm now willing to discuss the terms of your surrender. (Suddenly, Vania lands in front of him. She strikes at the spider with her naginata, but the arachnid dodges it.) Princess Vania?
Vania: Back. Ugh!
Cole: Oh, wow. Am I glad to see you!
Vania: I hate spiders, especially huge slobbering ones with fangs! Don't make me step on you! Chompy, help! (Chompy flies towards the spider, but is knocked down by it.) Okay, and now you've made me angry. (Chompy grows into the Battle Dragon.)
Cole: What? What just happened? Did you see that? Your dragon, he - he -
Vania: What?
Cole: He-he just got bigger!
Vania: Chompy? Don't be silly. He just growls a bit sometimes, when he gets angry.
Cole: Are you sure? 'Cause I could swear -
Vania: Oh dear. Let's get you out of these.
Wu: (In the palace gardens, Wu is admiring flowers.) Ah, a beautiful blossom. So peaceful. I must remember this moment. The beauty of it, the calm. If only the Ninja were here to enjoy it.
Cole: (He struggles to open the covering of the hole leading back into the gardens.) Ugh, come on!
Wu: I can almost hear them now. (He sips some tea, then spits it out in shock when he notices Cole and Vania.) Cole? Princess Vania? What happened? Where are the others?
Cole: You mean they're not back?
Wu: No. And you, Princess. You gave me your word that you wouldn't enter the mines!
Vania: Oh, did I? Did I actually give my word? I thought it was more of a…possibility.
Wu: It was most certainly not.
Vania: I guess I'm not very good at doing what I'm told.
Wu: I'm beginning to see that. And whose dragon is this?
Vania: That's Chompy. He's mine.
Wu: Is he a Shintaran Ridge-back?
Vania: He's just Chompy. Chompy, will you quit eating the flowers? Ugh. You're just gonna barf.
Cole: We've got bigger problems, guys. There's an evil sorcerer in the mines, and he's got this magic skull, and he commands an army of skeletons! We got separated and barely escaped. They must still be down there!
Wu: How? How could all that be down there without anyone up here realizing it?
Vania: I don't know, but we have to tell my father immediately!
Cole: The king needs to send his guards to stop this weirdo. If his skeleton army ever reaches the surface, all of Shintaro would be destroyed.
Vangelis: (In the throne room) And please ask the Accounting Department for a report on the latest shipment of Venge -
Vania: Father, we must speak with you. It's an emergency!
Vangelis: Vania? Wu? What emergency? What's this all about?
Vania: The mines! They're not as empty as we all believed!
Vangelis: You went underground?
Vania: I had to, father. Cole and the other Ninja were trapped!
Cole: It's true. She saved my life.
Vangelis: I told you never to go down there.
Vania: Please, don't be angry, father.
Vangelis: I'm not angry, just saddened. You have forced my hand.
Vania: What do you mean?
Vangelis: I love you, child, but why don't you ever listen? I was trying to protect you!
Vania: I know, I'm sorry, but you need to understand. There's a dark evil down there called the Skull Sorcerer!
Cole: Yeah, and he's got this evil magic skull that glows red, and these two huge wings, and -
Vangelis: Are you certain?
Cole: I saw him.
Vangelis: And you're certain it wasn't ... (He takes out the Skull of Hazza D'ur.) green? (He transforms into the Skull Sorcerer.)
Vania: No!
Cole: You're the Skull Sorcerer?
Wu: Why?
Skull Sorcerer: Perfection, I'm afraid, has a cost. And the cost is Vengestone. It comes from the mines.
Skull of Hazza D'ur: From the mountain, from the earth.
Skull Sorcerer: The People of Shintaro may not realize it, but their magnificent city, the lives of bliss and joy that they lead, is paid for by Vengestone. Fortunately, I found a customer willing to pay dearly for it.
Vania: I don't believe it. You-you wouldn't. You couldn't!
Cole: Well, it ends now!
Skull Sorcerer: In that respect, sadly, you are correct. (He attacks them with the Skull of Hazza D'ur.)
Cole: Master Wu!
Vania: No!
Wu: The Skull. Get the Skull!
Vania: Chompy, go! (The Skull Sorcerer hits Chompy, then drops Cole and Wu down a pit.) Cole! Wu! (She puts on a pair of Shintaro Wings.)
Skull Sorcerer: Vania! no! You'll never reach them in time!
Vania: I have to try!
Skull Sorcerer: If you do this, you will be my daughter no longer! You will be nothing to me!
Skull of Hazza D'ur: Nothing, nothing, nothing!
Skull Sorcerer: (Vania leaps into the pit.) No! You made your choice.
(End of the episode. For more information, click here.)