Paper Mario (2)
The Keys to the Cursed Isle
Chapter 2: Greed for Three
"...and you can see the castle from here, of course. It's rich with history. You can see a large black mark adorning the west wall. That was from a fireball that was launched at the castle during the rule of King Guy, the former king. They say a dragon had attacked the castle and the soldiers had turned it back. That mark is kept there in memory of that time..."
Isaboo had not stopped talking about the history of Excallibus ever since they had spotted the island on the horizon. She tended to get quite animated when ranting on about such things, which made it impossible for Mario to enjoy a smooth flight since Isaboo was piloting the balloon. More than once he had to save the balloon from a frightful drop since she would forget her job.
Isaboo sighed and looked out into the distance, a faraway look in her eyes. After a moment she looked towards Mario, a smile spread across her face.
"Sorry about the lecture. I just get so excited when talking about history. But we really do have an important mission that we need to take care of. So whenever you need my help, just let me know. I can tell you all about the people and places you need to know."
Mario nodded and smiled back at her. Then he looked toward the island they would soon land on and wondered what trials awaited him there.
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After they had landed, the two partners set out to find the Silver Key. They walked through the castle town, enjoying the medieval style theme of the entire island. Carriages and carts were pulled down the roads by Yoshis. The people, all of which were Shy Guys, spoke in old English and were friendly to the two visitors, but a bit wary of them as well.
"Alright, Mario. All we need to do is find the Silver Key. It shouldn't be too hard. Just like Reldan said, the Sliver Keys act like radars and will lead us to the other Silver Keys. So we just need to get in the general vicinity of-"
Isaboo was stopped short as the Silver Key in Mario's pocket emitted a loud ring. Mario took it out and it floated in the air, spinning slowly until it finally stopped, its end pointing towards the mouth of a large cave at the base of the mountain.
Isaboo grinned, staring in the direction that the key was facing.
"Well that made things a whole lot easier. If you're ready, we can go in."
Mario nodded and led the way towards the mountain that loomed in the distance, his perky partner following close behind.
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When they reached the cave, they cautiously entered. It was darker than they predicted, but as soon as they set foot inside, torches on the wall burst in flame as if they had been awaiting the arrival of the two. The walls of the cave looked far too smooth to have been made naturally, and the floor was flat and devoid of any rocks, pits, or ledges.
Isaboo took one look at the cave and gave herself a triumphant smile, floating forward with an air of victory about her.
"This is going to be easy."
Just as the last word left her lips, she ran into a thin, nearly invisible wire. The trap triggered a huge log to sail down from a hidden panel in the ceiling, making its way directly towards Isaboo. Mario acted quickly and tackled her to the ground, causing the log to miss and fly over their heads. However, they had both landed on top of a secret tile, opening vents just above their heads that ejected jets of fire. The two rolled out of the way to avoid burning the tops of their heads, but triggered another trap that caused spikes to jut out of the ground. Suddenly, the ground slid down like an elevator to reveal the true floor of the cave.
The bones of Shy Guys were embedded in the walls, still wearing most of their armor and wielding their weapons, all of which were rusted with age.
The two heroes slowly rose and backed away from the danger which had all returned to its deceptively safe state.
Isaboo, shaking from fear at the sudden ambush, quietly said, "I think we should head back to town and come up with a different plan of action. Perhaps we could ask the king for help. I mean, he DOES have an army that could help us out."
Mario hastily agreed, eager to get out of the death trap of a cave. The two carefully made their way back to the mouth of the cave and climbed a ladder which had appeared after the ground descended, giving them access back to the safety of the outside world.
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"Please, we need to see the king. This is urgent!"
The Shy Guy guard glared down at Mario and his pleading partner, clearly annoyed.
"And what, pray tell, traveler, is your urgent request? You are clearly not from here since you are not a Shy Guy, and this man's facial hair looks about as trustworthy as a two headed viper. Therefore, I cannot let you in without an invitation from the king or the correct authorization papers."
Isaboo looked desperate.
"Oh, come on! The fate of the entire Skysea is at stake here! We need to talk to the king!"
"Nay, I say to you! Nay! Unless you have the correct authorization forms, you will not gain an audience with the king!"
Isaboo scowled at him and crossed her arms.
"Fine. Where do we get the authorization forms?"
He gave the two a great shove that sent them back the way they came and called after them, "How would I know!? I'm just the gatekeeper! Now off with you!"
Isaboo got up and scowled back at the Shy Guy, furious with the way she had been treated. After Mario rose as well, she let out a defeated sigh.
"Looks like we won't be getting any help from the king. And we can't go back into that death trap. Our games would be over before we could say 'oops'. That's it. We're done. The Skysea is finished..."
Mario would not stand for such talk. They couldn't give up yet! They knew where the key was, they just needed to get to it. If they wanted the king's help, they were going to have to work for it. He suggested asking around town about the forms to start.
"Yeah, you're right Mario. We can't give up now. Everyone is counting on us, even if they don't know it yet. Sorry I almost gave up. Now then, let's go ask around town, huh?"
Mario nodded and the two set off back to town. They asked people where to get the papers, but nobody knew. However, when they reached a shopkeeper of the king's favorite tea store, she graciously gave her some of her papers. The two thanked her and once again made their way back to the castle.
Isaboo looked over the papers on the way. She wrote a few things here and there and eventually folded the papers together, ready to hand them to the guard.
"Okay Mario. By the looks of things, we'll have to pretend that we are going to present tea to the king. Just play along with it and do as I do. We only have to get inside."
Mario nodded, understanding the situation. Once they were in, they could tell the king about their plight.
When the guard came into view, Isaboo made sure the papers were in order and flashed him a huge grin. He looked confused for a moment, but recognized her and prepared to turn her away once again.
"Look here, little missy. I told you once, and I'll tell you again. You can't get in without-"
"The papers? I got 'em. Read it and weep." she declared victoriously, handing them to him.
The guard snatched them from her and skimmed over it. After a few minutes he reluctantly stepped aside with a curt bow.
"My apologies. You should have just said you were going to bring tea to the king." he said on an obligatory fashion, but he looked angry about letting them inside.
Mario and Isaboo proceeded over the drawbridge and through the gate, Isaboo turning to blow a raspberry at the guard before the doors swung shut behind them.
A maid escorted them to the throne room. When they entered, it was hard for them to stifle their gasps.
The ceiling far above them was adorned with artwork of various past kings and their heroic deeds. One was seen sheltering hundreds of villagers during a terrible storm, another in a furious battle against a fearsome dragon. The stained glass windows started three feet off the ground and stretched all the way up the length of the wall. Guards were lined up against the walls and stood stalk still, staring straight ahead with a stoic expression. They looked more like statues, but they kept a close eye on the two visitors, prepared to leap into action if any trouble aroused.
At the far end of the royal hall was the king himself. He was rather short, even for a Shy Guy, and plump. His clothes were gold and he held a scepter of the same color in his hand. He wore a red cape with golden fringes, but it was far too small for him and it frequently slipped in front of him, reminding Mario of a bib, and the king would push it back in place, only to have it fall back in the same position again. The throne he sat in was extremely tall and narrow,only making the king look even smaller and fatter. He looked like a very jolly person and Mario couldn't imagine him commanding an army in the serious way that kings did.
Next to him, however, was somebody who Mario would have mistaken for the king if he had been sitting on the throne.
This Shy Guy was wearing grayish-white clothes, a similarly colored general's hat perched on his head. A luscious mustache was located just above the mouth hole of his mask, similar to his brother Luigi's, but separated into two different halves just above the mouth, making his face perfectly symmetrical. He held a night black cane in his hand, the light reflecting off of it and giving it a shiny luster. It was simple and had no intricate designs, but it was intriguing. The man was elderly, most likely in his late fifties, but he looked well enough to be walking around without a cane. Its dark, mysterious brilliance rivaled that of the king's scepter. A plain brown satchel hung over his right shoulder, the pockets too small to hold anything except for medicine or a pocket watch. He sat in a less decorated chair, but quite an impressive chair nonetheless. It was dark black and shone like his cane. He actually fit in his mini-throne, so he didn't look comical like the king, but rather imposing and commanding.
As they approached, the king wiggled in his fancy seat and adjusted his cape once more, his face gleaming like a child's about to tear through the wrapper of a present.
"You're from Miss Mary's Olde Tea Shoppe, yes? Oh, I love the tea there! I can't wait to try what you've brought me. Gimmie, gimmie, gimmie!"
Isaboo gave him a nervous smile and shrugged.
"Actually, your highness, we don't have any tea for you today."
The king's smile faded and he quit bouncing. A look of utter disappointment settled onto his face. He pouted, crossed his arms, and asked, "You don't? Then why are you here?"
Mario explained their predicament to the king, telling him all about the cursed isle, the bomb, and the mysterious seven Silver Keys that were needed to stop the calamity from occurring.
As he spoke, the king's expression became more and more serious as he realized the severity of the situation. Mario had thought that the king would turn them away because he didn't believe their story, but he seemed to be listening intently and believing them.
When he finished the king nodded and said, "Alrighty, then! If it's my help you need, it's my help you'll get!" He turned to the Shy Guy sitting next to him. He hadn't said a word or even moved during Mario's explanation, but now he stood at attention, ready to obey the king's orders. "Sir Shyloh, round up your men from the Brigade of the White Mask and tell them to search this entire island for the Silver Key. Leave no stone unturned, you hear me?"
Shyloh saluted. "Yes, your Highness."
Before he could leave, however, Isaboo interrupted.
"Oh, that won't be necessary, your Highness. We already know where the key is."
The royal figurehead stared at her, confusion in his voice. "You do?"
"Yeah, we just need help getting to it. You see, it's in this big, creepy cave at the other end of the island, but it's full of traps, so we were hoping you could help us-"
"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Did you say cave? The big cave that lies just north of here?"
"Yeah, that's the one."
Fear settled in on the king and he literally quivered in horror, his rotund belly wiggling in a comical manner. When the king spoke next, he stuttered and his hands shook like a porcelain plate in an earthquake.
"I-I-I've changed my mind. You two can h-help yourselves."
Isaboo was surprised for a moment, then angry, her face growing redder as fury over the king's sudden change of heart overwhelmed her.
"What? What do you mean 'help yourselves?' You just said that you would help us!"
"W-well, now that I think about it, m-my sc-schedule is all filled up and I'm very busy. You'll have to ask another t-t-time. Like in another four years or so."
"WHAT?! FOUR YEARS!? But the entire Skysea will be gone by then! We don't have four years! We don't even know if we have four DAYS! besides, you don't need to do anything! Just send your knights with us and we can do the work while you sit on your throne."
Sir Shyloh stepped in between the king and Isaboo.
"I will not allow you to speak to the king in such a way."
The king looked pleased that Shyloh had stepped in to defend him and declared, "Yes. I am a king, and will be addressed as such. You can't yell at me like that!"
"However," Shyloh continued. "I cannot sit by while my king quivers and hides like a coward. It is shameful and pitiful. The king must show initiative and step forward towards the face of danger, and do so with a brave face. Since it is clear that this king has no intention of honoring his royal lineage, his kingdom, or his country, I will step forward and bear the burden for him."
The king was baffled. He hopped off of his throne and waddled toward Shyloh, tiring himself out after rushing down the stairs.
He stopped in front of him. After a series of wheezing and panting, he was able to breathe out, "But...I...need...you...here. You're my...advisor."
Shyloh turned away from him and walked towards the doors at the other end of the hall, signaling to Mario and Isaboo to follow him.
When the king caught his breath, he stood as tall as he could. "If you do not stop right there, Sir Shyloh, I will strip you of your honorable status and you will be fired as my advisor. You will never walk through these halls again, and I will make sure you are never recognized as a hero again!"
Shyloh did not pause or show any indication that he had heard the king.
The king was shocked and desperate. In one last attempt to keep his valuable advisor, he said, "Shyloh, if you walk out those doors with these travelers, I will banish you from Excallibus!"
Shyloh paused only to push open the grand doors at the end of the hall. He stood with his back to the king for a moment.
"Your ancestors would be ashamed of you. Goodbye, King Guy."
Then he exited the room without another word, Mario and Isaboo following behind their new partner, not sure how to feel about the entire ordeal.
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"Now then, Mario old bean, shall we be off to this cave?"
Mario nodded, but he was worried. Shyloh had just given up so much for two strangers on a dangerous quest. Was he sure that he wanted to go through with this?
"What's that? Nonsense, old bean!" he chuckled. "I went with you because I chose to. When I felt the power emanate from that key of yours, I knew your words were true. I suppose I did give up fame and my home, but what's the point of having all of that when it will all be destroyed soon? I would rather fight to protect it then stand by idly and wait for it to perish."
"Wow. That's pretty noble of you. Seriously, we're grateful for your help. I'm sure we would be unable to do this without your help." Isaboo smiled.
Shyloh nodded. He opened a pocket of his satchel, took out a container of pills, and popped one into his mouth. He put them back and adjusted his satchel once more. "Now then, let's be off."
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When the party reached the cave entrance, it had reverted back to its original form, the lethal traps back in place and the floor once more elevated to hide the skeletal remains beneath.
Shyloh stepped forward, taking in the scene. He seemed to be concentrating quite hard, his scrutinizing gaze scanning the entire cave.
When he had finished, he chuckled. "My word, there are literally HUNDREDS of traps here. And this is just the entrance." He stepped forward and deftly tapped a spot on the ground with his cane, causing a stalactite to fall from the ceiling and onto that very spot. "Luckily, most of them were one shots and have already been activated, and others have been here so long without being activated that their no longer active. We should be just fine if you do as I say."
The other two were dumbfounded. How had he been able to detect all of those hazards?
"How was I able to know those were there? Why, I was a knight before! All knights are trained to detect any hazards and traps. I was especially talented in that department. That's enough chitchat for now. We should get going!"
The retired knight walked ahead, twirling his cane and tapping it on various spots, activating traps so the group wouldn't blunder into them. Mario and Isaboo followed closely behind, watching their step in case he may have missed some.
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"So, Shyloh, you used to be a knight?"
Shyloh scoffed. He struck a pose, holding his cane out like a sword and planting one foot on a rock as if it was his conquered enemy. "I wasn't JUST a knight. I was the captain of the royal army! I led my troops with bravery and determination and we left every battle victorious! I was THE knight!"
Isaboo smiled, imagining the elderly Shy Guy in a battle with fierce enemies. "That's awesome! But what happened? How come you're retired now?"
Shyloh's mood immediately became bitter. He mumbled something indistinctly.
"What was that?" Isaboo asked.
"I got injured in a fight against a dragon! She whacked me with her tail and broke my left leg. It never healed correctly, so I could never fight the same way again." His voice fell and he stared at the ground.
"Wow. I'm sorry, Shyloh. Really, I-"
"Please, don't." he said monotonously, clearly wanting to end the conversation right there. He led the way once more, this time whacking the traps more furiously.
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"WATCH OUT, OLD CHAP!"
Mario felt Shyloh's cane catch him by the throat and yank him back, just as a row of spikes shot from the ground where Mario was a moment before.
Mario fell on his rear, shaking slightly from the unexpected event. When the spikes slid back into place and Mario had gotten over the shock, he stood and thanked Shyloh. If he hadn't pulled him back at that very moment, Mario would have been skewered plumber!
"Worry not, old boy. I'm happy to be of any assistance."
The party was about to get moving again, but two enemies blocked their way.
One was a green Shy Guy, and the other was a Cleft.
"Oh, hey! I didn't know there were other people in this cave besides us." Isaboo said. She extended her hand to them and smiled. "I'm Isaboo. And you are?"
"About to take all of your money!" the green Shy Guy hissed.
Shyloh stepped between the thieves and his friends, trying to settle things peacefully. "We don't want to have to fight you, but we will if we must. Just step aside and we won't hurt you."
The bandits only laughed. They didn't believe that Mario and co. could defeat them.
But, Mario wondered, why were two thieves hanging out in such a dangerous and out of the way place?
"It's the bessssst hideout! Nobody will ever look for ussssss here. We are completely ssssssafe until we decccccide to head out and rob ssssssomeone.
We aren't the only onessss. Many more await you in thisssss cave, and in many other placccccessss too. What other folksssss may conssssider dangerousssss and inhossssspitable, we conssssider a perfect hideout."
With the final word he cracked his knuckles, ready for a fight. His partner stomped his feet and prepared to charge.
"I suppose there is no other option." Shyloh said as he readied his cane. "Let us dispose of these ruffians, shall we?"
The battle began as Mario leaped forward, landing on the Shy Guy's head. He let out a grunt of pain and charged at Mario. Mario guarded against it, causing the Shy Guy to growl in rage.
Shyloh ran up to the Cleft and struck him with his cane. The Cleft, however, was prepared and used his rock hard defense to deflect the attack.
The Cleft guffawed. "You, stupid. Me, smart. Me, have goodest defense. You, have biggest stupid brain that is stupid. Gwahaha!"
Shyloh glared at the Cleft. "I didn't want to resort to this, but you leave me no choice." He stood up straight, cleared his throat, and looked the Cleft straight in the eye. "You, sir, have the most improper use of grammar and annoyingly gruff voice that has ever been my displeasure to hear. It would be more pleasurable to embrace a Pokey than listen to your speech patterns for one more second!"
The Cleft had a shocked expression on his face for a moment, then he actually started to cry.
"You...You is just bully!" he sobbed. Shyloh took the oppurtunity to attack, knocking the Cleft out in one hit.
The Shy Guy hissed as he saw his companion fall. Then he rushed at Mario again. This attack hit Mario. He staggered from the blow but quickly recovered. He then used his hammer to finish off his foe.
Isaboo cheered in triumph even though she hadn't truly helped out. "Yeah! Well, what did you expect? That's why you don't mess with the best!"
"Good job, old boy! You are quite the fighter. And, I must say, it seems as if I still got it myself!" Shyloh said proudly.
The party was about to advance, but the Shy Guy and Cleft had gotten up, both looking bruised and battered.
"What, you still want more?" Isaboo taunted.
"No! Me don't want more mean words! You meanies!" the Cleft said on the verge of tears, his voice shaking.
"Really, no more punishment for ussssss pleasssse. Jussssst know that we are only the appetizer. Ssssstronger foessss await you in the depthsssss of thisssss placcccce. You will surely be frozen, sssscorched, and/or sssstinky by the time they finish with you foolssssss."
With that the two ran off, the Shy Guy groaning in pain and the Cleft blubbering like a baby.
"What do you think that scrub meant when he said that we would be frozen, ssssscorhed, and sssstinky when 'they' were done with us?" Isaboo said, mimicking the Shy Guy's peculiar way of speaking.
"I'm not sure. But let us proceed with caution." Shyloh ordered. The party continued, a sense of victory motivating them.
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"Hey, Shyloh, what was that thing you did to that Cleft?" Isaboo asked. "You, like, insulted him or something, and that totally threw him off guard."
"Oh, that's just a little move I like to call Reprimand. A few insults to throw the enemy off. Usually they lose some power or let their defense drop. It's quite useful and makes battles easier."
Isaboo's eyes lit up, showing the other two how impressed she was. "Neat! Where did you learn to do that?"
Shyloh looked toward the ceiling, allowing a memory to play through his head. "Oh, sometime during my days as commander of the royal army. I would always scold the soldiers. And, by watching the performance of enemy knights in battle, I usually had to restrain myself from yelling at them as well."
"Cool! Well, I'm glad you can use that to our advantage. Now I know that you'll be of use!"
"Yes, yes, it's is quite amazing isn't i-wait a moment. You just realized my usefulness NOW? After all I've done already?" Shyloh's voice filled with disbelief.
Isaboo scratches the back of her head, embarrassed. "Well, it's just that you're sort of...old..."
Shyloh huffed. "How dare you! I might not be a spring chicken anymore, but there's still a fire burning in these old bones!" To prove it, he attempted a jump over a rather large rock. He failed to jump over it, face planting into it instead.
"Oohhh...my back..." he moaned.
The other two couldn't help themselves. They laughed as the eldest member of their party got up and rubbed his back, leaning on his cane for support. He truly looked like a grumpy old man.
After a sitting down Mario and Isaboo to lecture them about respecting their elders, he led the way again, the two younger ones wishing they hadn't laughed at him now.
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Eventually, the three reached a dead end. The cave ended in a large room. No the room was empty except for a large hole in the ceiling. And for three dragons, who were currently quarreling with each other.
They were all the same size, and, judging by Mario's previous experiences with dragons, they were small, most likely juveniles. One was red, another blue, and the last one green. In between them was the Silver Key, which seemed to be what the triplets were arguing over.
"Nu-uh! It's mine! I found it!" the red one growled.
"Yeah, but I carried it here!" the blue one retorted.
"But I was the one who...um...uh...well, it's mine anyway!" the green one screeched.
"What's going on here?" Isaboo said, confused. "Why are there three baby dragons here?"
"That's not the worst part. Look!" Shyloh pointed. "Isn't that the Silver Key you need, old boy?"
Mario nodded. But how were they going to get that key from them.
One of the dragons glanced over at the heroes. He signaled to his brothers, letting them know about the intruders.
"Hey! Who are you guys?" the blue one asked.
"They look tasty!" the green one commented.
"Let's eat 'em up!" the red one suggested.
"Now, now, boys, we don't want to resort to violence." Shyloh said. "Now, would you chaps be kind enough to hand over that key there?"
The three dragons stared at him for a moment, then they burst out laughing.
"Yeah, right! Like we would give this awesome treasure to YOU! Forget it gramps!"
Shyloh grunted at them, preparing to lecture them as well. Luckily Mario stepped in and stopped him. Shyloh's lectures were a torture that no living being should ever have to go through.
Isaboo floated forward instead, smiling at the boys and using her sweetest voice. "Now, now, that's not very nice. How about we just…buy it from you? We can pay for it!"
"No way! We found this key first, and it's way too valuable to be bought! So buzz off, hag!" the blue one snarled.
Isaboo was taken aback. "H…hag? HAG!? HOW DARE YOU! You annoying little brats!" She floated back towards her two companions and faced the dragon triplets, ready for a duel. "Change of plans, guys. Looks like we're gonna have to spank these miscreants!"
"You hear that, guys?" the green one asked his brothers. "They wanna fight us! Let's stink 'em!"
"Let's freeze 'em"
"Let's burn 'em!"
The battle commenced. Immediately, Isaboo stared intently at their enemies. Mario was about to ask what she was doing, but she spoke.
"Analysis complete." she said. "These are the dragon triplets. Max HP is 15, Attack is 5, and Defense is zero, each. They're all a different color, signifying what their attack is. The red one breathes fire, the blue one breathes an icy blast of wind, and the green one breathes a stinky, poisonous gas cloud. Watch out, because each one can cause a different status ailment! Also, they can hover just above the ground, so your hammer will be useless on them, Mario. Their attack is pretty high, so I would recommend using Shyloh's Reprimand ability to lower it. Other than that, there's nothing you really need to worry about. Now, let's pound these stupid brats!"
"Hey! No fair! You can't do that!" the red one whined. He then turned to his blue brother. "Why can't you do anything like that?"
"Hey! I'm the smart one! Why aren't you asking me?" the green one complained.
"No way, man. You're pretty dumb." the blue one responded.
The green dragon growled, but said nothing more. Instead, he blew a cloud of noxious gas over Mario. Luckily, Mario was able to hold his breath and avoid being poisoned, but his skin burned when the contaminated air touched it. After it dissipated, Mario attacked. He leapt into the air and landed on the green dragon's head. Isaboo rushed forward and slapped the blue dragon multiple times. He retaliated by blowing a gust of frosty wind at her. It engulfed her, and, within a few seconds, Isaboo was completely encased in an ice block. Shyloh grunted in frustration at this and hurled a flurry of insults at the blue dragon. Surprisingly, they had a huge effect, and the dragon was too busy crying his eyes out to concentrate on the battle.
"Hey! You can't make my brother cry! Only I get to do that!" The fire dragon said as he glided over to Isaboo. "Fine! How about I make your friend cry? CRY OUT IN PAIN!" With that, he engulfed Isaboo in a wave of flames. The ice immediately melted away, and the water that ran off extinguished the fire, leaving Isaboo completely unscathed.
The red dragon realized his mistake. He was too dumbfounded to say anything except "doh."
Isaboo shook herself and stretched a bit, thankful to be out of that block of ice. "Thanks, stupid!" she smirked as she slapped the red dragon.
Shyloh took the opportunity to attack the blue dragon with his cane. The ice dragon tried to fight back, but he was crying too heavily to puff out a proper freezing blast. After a few powerful whacks, he was down for the count.
Meanwhile, Mario was still struggling with the poisonous dragon. He had managed to get a few good hits in, but he had unfortunately been caught off guard, allowing himself to inhale some of the gas. The poison was steadily taking it's toll on him, but after another strike from Mario, the green dragon fell. Mysteriously, the effects of the poison faded when the one who controlled it was defeated.
Now only the red dragon was left.
"GGGGRRRRR! I won't let you steal our treasure!" he roared. He flew at Shyloh and Isaboo, knocking them into a far wall. He flew over them and prepared to blow a fiery blast at them. However, Mario noticed this and threw his hammer at the beast. It struck him on the back of the head, causing him to moan in pain and slowly fall to the ground.
Mario helped his friends up, and they stared at the three dragons, now lying on the floor in a daze, moaning in pain.
"Yes! We did it! We are such a good team!" Isaboo cheered.
"Indeed. I must commend both of you on your battle performance. Why, I have never seen better warriors in all my days of commanding the royal military!" Shyloh praised.
"Ooohhh….don't…feel good….." the dragons groaned.
Mario felt a little bit bad about beating up those children, even if they were greedy brats.
"I suppose I do feel rather guilty as well…" Shyloh said, scratching his head uncertaintly.
"Who cares? They deserved it, anyway. Now, let's just take the key and g-" Isaboo began, but was cut off as a huge gust of wind blew over them.
"BOOOOOYS!" a voce roared. "WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN HERE!?"
Down from the giant hole in the ceiling descended a humongous purple dragon. She set down on the floor and took in the scene before her.
"Whoah, momma…" Shyloh whispered as the mother dragon glared at the party.
"MOMMA!" the triplets shouted and rushed to her side. They began to frantically explain what happened, each speaking over one another.
"Theses bad guys attacked us-"
"-tried to steal our treasure-"
"-called me mean names!"
The purple dragon silenced them. She thought for a moment, trying to make sense of what they said.
"Wait, wait, wait. Rewind. What's this about treasure?" she asked.
The red dragon flew over to the Silver Key which was still in its same location.
"Yeah! Yeah! They tried to take this treasure we found!" he said.
The purple dragon roared. "You greedy brats! I told you that you have enough treasure! Didn't I just get you that ancient chalice yesterday? You truly are the greediest children ever! If your father was still around, he would be FURIOUS! When we were children, our parents would have spanked us for HOURS if we even MENTIONED getting another treasure so soon after getting another! Thankfully, these good folks seem to already have done the job FAR better than I ever could!" She then turned her attention to the three heroes and smiled. "Really, thank you. You saved me quite a bit of time!"
She then turned back to her children. "Now, apologize!"
They looked at the floor and spoke with solemn voices. "Sorry, Momma…"
"No, apologize to these poor people for wasting their time!" she said.
"Sorry…" they said in unision.
She put on another smile and turned to Mario and co. again. "Really, I'm sorry for the trouble my boys gave you. It's just that they're always cooped up in here because the citizens outside would freak out if they saw any dragons. I mean, I should know since I used to terrorize them. But then I met George and we settled down to make a family and…well basically, watching these three and making sure they don't get into any trouble just takes up all my time now."
Mario and the others just stared at her, not sure how to respond.
"Anyways, is there any way I could make it up to you?"
Mario stepped forward. He asked if they could have the Silver Key.
"Why, certainly! Maybe this will teach my boys a lesson about sharing!" she snarled at her children with the last word. "It's all yours."
Mario stepped forward and claimed the Silver Key, feeling its power emanate as it sat in his hand.
"So, can I make you folks some lemonade or some mushroom pizza?" the purple dragon asked.
Shyloh coughed and gestured to his comrades, signaling that it was time to go.
Isaboo nervously answered her. "Uh, we would love to stay, but, um, we gotta get going."
"Oh, I see. Well, if you ever feel like visiting, please, come at anytime!" she said in a friendly manner.
"Yeah! That battle was sort of hard, but really fun!" the green dragon said. "When you guys come back, we can play again!"
The blue one jumped in. "Yeah, and bring friends! The more the merrier!"
"Hush, now, boys!" the mother scolded.
The dragons said their goodbyes to the three heroes and they said goodbye back, although the feeling of waving goodbye to their former enemies and one that could have been a potential enemy left them with an awkward feeling.
Nonetheless, they exited the cave with their prize, the second Silver Key, listening to the sounds of the mother dragon scolding her children echoing off the walls of the cave.
7Z7Z7Z7
"So, what are you going to do now, Sir Shyloh?" Isaboo asked.
He looked back at her, confusion in his voice. "Hm? What do you mean?"
"Well, we got the key that you wanted to help us obtain. But now that we have it, where are you going? You can't stay here in Excallibus because you got exiled…sorry about that by the way…"
"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to stay with you two! If that's alright."
"Of course! Right, Mario?"
Mario smiled and nodded. He would be happy to have Shyloh accompany them.
"Jolly good! Now, should we shove off then?"
Mario nodded and led his friends towards the skyport, ready to report to Reldan about the good news.
Whew, that took a while to make, mainly because of motivational predicaments. Anyways, I decided to make the 'dungeon' portions into little skits because describing the scenery and puzzles and stuff would be too painful to write and boring to read. Also, Isaboo's Analyze ability will only come into play during boss fights. Anyways, please review!