Post Chapter 1: A New Problem

Mario, Koops, and Goombella had just left Pedalburg, ready to continue their adventure. The next step was to take the crystal star to the Thousand Year Door to see where they had to go next.

Koops had returned to Koopie Koo. He and her had hugged and kissed for literally an hour or two after Koops had ran back to her waiting arms. They then retired to her house for the night as Mario and Goombella had gotten to expirience one of the legendary parties of Pedalburg. They had both fallen asleap around 3 in the morning under the stars and had woken up lying in the soft grass, the warm sun tickling their skin. Koops had emerged from his house and greeted Mario.

"Well Koops... It has been an honor working with you... I am so sorry about your dad... well... I guess this is it..." said Mario, holding out his hand.

Koops then shocked Mario with his response.

"Oh no... This is not it. I'm coming with you." he had said. "It is time that I did something with my life... continued my dad's legacy." said Koops proudly.

Mario had smiled, a tear in his eye.

"Really? I would love to have you come along." cried Mario.

This kid had more then proved his worth and Mario would love to have him come along. He liked Koops quite a bit and had been dreading him leaving before.

"All right Koops! Welcome to the party!" congradulated Goombella.

"Thanks a bunch!" yelled Koops.

He then ran to tell his town that he would be leaving for an extended period of time. Many of his friends and neighbors had come out to wish him luck, including the mayor and... Koopie Koo.

Koopie Koo was sadened. Last night, Koops had told her his plan. She had wept and begged him not to go but he had already decided. He promised he would come back for her one day. With that he had fallen asleap. Koopie Koo sighed and drifted off to sleep next to Koops, hopfully not for the last time. Now she stood, watching him preparing to leave.

"Koops, I'll be here. Waiting... always." said Koopie Koo, crying a little.

"Ahem... If anything ever happens... this is your home... you can always return to us." said mayor Kroop.

"Thank you, everyone. Well... I guess it is time to go!" said Koops.

He gave Koopie Koo a last hug and then walked up to Mario.

"Sorry about the wait. I have known these people for over twenty years" said Koops.

With that, the three turned and walked into the distance. Koops didn't look back. He looked up at his father who was wishing him good luck. Koops smiled at him and then turned back to Mario.

"So where are we going?" asked Koops.

"I think we need to head back to Rogueport." said Mario.

"The bearer of the Magical Map shall unfurl it before the Thousand-Year Door. When this is done, the stars shall guide the bearer to the Crystal Star with pure light." And it didn't stop there... "Each Crystal Star shall point to the next..." That's what the books say. Which means...if we take the Crystal Star we found back to the Thousand Year Door..." said Goombella, reciting what Frankley had said.

"So...that means the location of the next Crystal Star will appear on that magic map?" asked Koops.

"Exactly!" stated Goombella.

They continued on, passing through Pedal Meadows, enjoying the sun and scenery. A calm had fallen over this place. Hooktail was gone and peace had returned. Suddenly, Mario's phone vibrated. He had received a message, from the Princess judging from the ring. He opened it and sure enough, he had received a message from Peach. Time for some answers. Mario opened the message.

"My Dearest Mario, I send this letter in the hope that it reaches you safely.

I am being held against my will in some strange place. Though I do not know

where I am, I remain unharmed and in relative comfort. Those who have captured

me seem to be after the map I sent to you earlier. They may be hoping to use

it to find objects they call the "Crystal Stars". I do not know what they are

planning, but I have a feeling it isn't anything positive. Mario, please

collect these Crystal Stars before they do. You must! They are already aware

that you have the map, so please be very careful. And please... Don't worry

about me."

-Princess Peach-

Mario closed the mailbox. He felt kind of relieved due to the fact that she was okay and in confort but worried because now there was no more hiding the fact that this was a serious situation. Mario's last hope that she had simply wondered off, faded. For the first time, Mario really felt like things had gotten out of hand. When she was kidnapped by Bowser, Mario knew where she was and that Bowser wasn't smart enough or orginized enough to pose a big threat. Now, Mario had no idea where she was, what the person who had kidnapped her was capable of, and what would happen if he failed. The biggest problem though would be doing all this in an unfarmiliar land with no allies besides his partners. After a long period of silence, Koops finally spoke.

"Well, she isn't hurt... thats good but other people are looking for the crystal stars too? That isn't good." said Koops, scratching his head.

"Yeah and apparently they know about me and that I have the map." said Mario, reading over the message again.

Mario and his partners continued through Pedal Meadows. They finally arrived at the pipe back to the sewers. Goombella entered first, then Koops. Mario hesitated. He took a last look over this georgeous area that was now peaceful. With a sigh, he dropped into the pipe, ready to see what was in store next. Mario doubted it would be as nice as Pedal Meadows.

After a few minutes of traveling, they had reached the Thousand Year Door again.

"Wow! This is amazing!" yelled Koops, his voice reverberating off the distand walls.

Mario had forgotten that this was Koop's first time seeing the door.

"Alright Mario. Lets see where the next Crystal Star is!" cried Goombella.

Mario jumped onto the pedastool and held up the Crystal Star he had taken from Hooktail. The mysterious blue light returned and encircled the pedastool. This time though, the crystal star floated out of Mario's hands and drifted over to one of the empty circles where it landed with a click sound. Energy was once again sucked into the map in a spectacular light show. Eventually, the lights faded and the map dropped out of the air. Mario picked it up and looked at the map. At the center, near the top, a huge tree had appeared in a purple and white forest. A green crystal star appeared in front of it.

"Wow!" said Koops, stunned.

"Lets take this to professer Frankly and see what he can tell us." suggested Goombella.

"Good idea. Lets go." said Mario.

They walked back through the sewers and were soon back at Frankley's house.

"I see, I see. Crystal clear!" cried Frankly after only researching the topic for about 2 minutes.

Mario, Goombella, and Koops were back in Frankly's house after the short journy. He had been shocked at the tales of Pedal Meadows and Hooktail. Mario showed him the new markings on the map.

"So... where is the next Crystal Star?" asked Koops.

"It's in the Boggly Woods. The second Crystal Star is inside a great tree there." said Frankly.

A great tree? Mario thought he had seen everything but he had been proven wrong twice already. He had seen a dragon and now there was a crystal star hidden inside some sort of tree. Koops apparently was thinking something simmilar.

"A... a great tree?" asked Koops.

"That's right. These woods are very mysterious... full of secrets and odd creatures" said Frankly holding up a picture from his book.

Mario took a look. The picture showed a tiny creature with an oval shaped body which was completely gray except for a few lighter stripes, four tiny legs, large eyes, and an antenna with a greenish ball on top. What the heck was that thing?

"That looks like one of those Punies that live there." said Goombella.

"Right you are Goombella. Once again, you can get to the woods by a pipe that is under the town." said Frankly.

" Um... Professor Frankly... You should probably know... It's about Princess Peach... Mario got an message from her saying that other people are looking for the Crystal Stars. The princess didn't know where she was being held." muttered Koops.

"Uh-oh. If Princess Peach's kidnappers are also looking for the Crystal Stars... What could they hope to achieve? Could the treasure be... Ugh! So many questions! Unfortunately, the only clues we can rely on are the Crystal Stars and that map." said Frankly.

Mario nodded, knowing what would come next.

"Um... Looks like well be going to Boggly Woods!" said Koops.

"Yes, and make haste. If there are others hunting the stars... who knows what could happen? I'll keep researching to learn more about the Crystal Stars and the ancient treasure." said Frankly as he picked up his book again.

"Time to go!" said Goombella happily, putting her helmet back on.

Mario turned and walked out. Time to see what would happen next.

Punio had fled. There was no turning back. How could this happen? Everyone was gone, they must have been taken in their sleep. He was worried sick. Everything he once held dear was missing. Punio crawled through the woods as fast as his legs could carry him. He had escaped for now but who knew when they would come looking for him. The trees creaked and groaned as the wind howled, almost like it was calling for help. Punio leaped over some twigs that had fallen. He needed to go for help! He could never stop what has happening on his own. Would anyone even be willing to help out the Punies of the Great Tree in this desperate time? Only one way to find out. Punio needed to find someone fast!

Mario was soon back in the sewers with Goombella and Koops. They explored the area, hoping to find the pipe that led to the woods but it was nowhere to be found. Mario led his partners lower and lower into the sewers looking for the pipe. After a while, they had turned up nothing. Mario found himself walking for the fifth time through a room that was empty. Suddenly, a small creature ran past their eyes, through a hole in the wall that Mario had not noticed before.

"That looked like one of the creatures from that picture!" cried Koops.

Koops was right. Mario saw one of the creatures that looked just like the picture that Frankly had showed them. It was a puni from Boggly Woods... but what was it doing here? Mario squeezed through the hole and then walked up to it. The creature was against a wall, cowering in terror. Mario advanced and it slipped further towards the wall. Mario wondered why it was so scared? It looked like it had seen a ghost. Then it spoke. His voice was squeaky and shrill but Mario understood it.

"Oh My God! Please don't hurt me! I'm really not that tasty!" shreiked the Puni.

"Calm down... calm down... were not going to hurt you" said Koops, trying to calm the puni down.

"Wait you not?" squeaked the creature.

"No we are not. Its okay." said Mario.

"Oh thank god. I thought I was in trouble there." said the Puni releaved, but he still seemed very upset.

"Well, since you live in Boggly Woods, what are you doing here? Asked Koops.

"Wait... You know about me! You must be working for the X- Nauts! NOOOO! Your LYING! ITS ALL OVER!" screamed the Puni.

"X-Nauts? What the hell are those? Anyway... were not going to hurt you! Just tell us whats going on" said Koops.

"Well... a gang that called themselves the X-Nauts stormed our tree in the dead of night. They took everyone away in their sleep and started tearing the tree apart. I was awake and managed to slip past them. I ran all the way here looking for help." saud the Puni.

X-Nauts? What was going on here? Mario felt lost. The crystal star was supposed to be hidden in some kind of tree in the woods but now one of the creatures from Boggly Woods suddenly had shown up screaming about X-Nauts in their tree? Koops however made the connection.

"A bunch of bad guys in the Great Tree? If those are the same guys who kidnapped the princess, then they are probably looking for the Crystal Star!" said Koops stunned.

"Hey Mario. Ya think that those monsters that attacked me at the docks were X-Nauts?" asked Goombella.

With that statement from Goombella, Mario suddenly realized, those creatures that Lord Crump had been leading earlier when they had attacked Goombella must have been the X-Nauts! What were they doing here? Where was Peach if they had taken her?

Punio stood in front of these enormous creatures. He had reconized the one talking to him as a koopa and the girl in the back as a goomba from tales that the Puni elder had told. He had no idea what the one dressed in red was called. He suddenly realized something. Maybe these huge strangers could help him save his friends! It was worth a try. Punio also remembered the koopa mentioning a crystal star. The elder had spoke of such a thing before. Maybe there could be some sort of trade off? He decided to ask the strangers for help.

"Hey... is there any way that you can help us out? If you do, we'll give you, uh... What was it? The Crystal Star? If you do, we'll have the Puni elder give you that! I don't know what it is, but if it'll help us reclaim our tree, I'm sure the elder will agree to anything! So what do you say? Let's not waste any more time. I'm begging you!" cried Punio despertly.

Mario was taken aback. This creature really needed help, and they had the next crystal star.

"Of course I'll help you." said Mario.

It was a golden oppertunity actually. If it worked, they would get the crystal star and possibly, learn more about the X-Nauts and what they had done with Peach.

"Really? No joke? You'll do it?" cried the Puni.

"I would feel terrible if we didn't. Besides... we need the Crystal Stars!" said Goombella.

"Oh, thank you so much! This is great! I'm so happy! My name is Punio. Pleased to meet you! I'll take you to where I live. Follow me, OK?" said Punio.

Mario, Koops and Goombella introduced themselves also then they followed Punio. He led them through a few rooms. Eventually they reached a single room. There was a pipe that was made out of a tree sticking out of the wall.

"Ready?" asked Punio?

"Definently." replied Mario.

"Ready or not, here we come." snickered Goombella.

With that, Punio entered the pipe. Maybe things would be alright. With these strangers, maybe Punio could take back the tree and save everyone.

Mario followed Punio and entered the pipe. He felt himself being carried a long distance. A cold breeze blew through the pipe. He could see the end approaching fast. The next part of the adventure had begun.