Hey guys, 087-B here with yet another chapter. Not really sure what to name this one… how about the chapters between game chapters be called Post-Chapters? Yeah, that works.

Now, on with the show!

Post-Chapter 1: The Millennium Door Revisited

"You really have to leave?" Koops' Father asked. They had all left Hooktail Castle and made their way back to Petalburg.

"I don't have to, dad." Koops answered. "…but I want to. I want to go off with Mario and the rest and hopefully come back a stronger Koopa!"

"Well, if it's really what you want…" Koops' Father began. "Then I won't stop you."

"Thanks, dad." Koops replied. The two shared one last hug before Koops turned to Mario and the rest. "Sorry, goodbyes are hard on everyone here in Petalburg. Let's go!" They were about to continue when they heard a female voice call out to them.

"Koops!" Koops turned to see a female Koopa with a blonde ponytail and pink accessories running toward them.

"Oh, Koopie Koo." Koops and Koopie Koo hugged each other.

"Promise me, Koops…" Koopie Koo began. "Promise me you'll return unharmed."

"I promise, Koopie Koo." Koops replied.

:::::

After the somewhat emotional goodbyes, the six heroes were now walking down the path outside Petalburg, beginning to make their way back to the pipe that they used to get to Petal Meadows from the Rogueport Sewers.

"So where are we going next?" Koops asked.

"Well, according to the legend," Dipper began. "We need to return to the Thousand-Year Door to hold the newly received Crystal Star aloft." Dipper thought for a moment. "At least, that's what I think it said."

"What's so special about a big door?" Wendy asked. "Sounds kinda boring to me."

"You haven't seen anything yet." Goombella said. "It's spectacular."

"If you say so…" Wendy replied. "So I still don't get what's up with you guys. This new world is… pretty strange."

"You'll get used to it." Mario said. "Dipper and Pacifica already have."

"That reminds me," Wendy began. "Pacifica, why are you so… nice all-of-a-sudden?"

"This world…" Pacifica began her answer. "…it left an impact on me. It has so many quirky characters, yet so many dangers, it helped me to realize I'll have to change if I want to stay alive in this world and not be left alone."

A beeping noise was heard.

"What was that?" Dipper asked.

"It's my Mailbox SP." Mario answered. He pulled out a small electronic device. "The message is from Princess Peach!" He opened the message and read it aloud.

Dear Mario,

I'm alright, just so you know. These people who kidnapped me are called the X-Nauts, and they need me and this other girl named Mabel for a plan of sorts. I don't like the sound of it. Also, the X-Nauts know about the Magical Map and the Crystal Stars, and they're hunting them down. They know about you, so be careful!

I know you can do it. And please… don't worry about me, okay?

From, Peach

"A girl named Mabel?!" Dipper gasped. "That must be my sister!" Then he felt a vibration coming from his backpack. He opened it and pulled out Journal #3. It vibrated heavily and glowed a deep purple aura. When it stopped vibrating, Dipper opened it up, and a new page was there with a message formed on it.

"It's a message from Mabel…?" Dipper was confused, but he read it anyway.

Dear Dipper,

Hey bro! How are ya? …okay, it's time to get serious. These X-Snots, or whatever they're called, kidnapped me and locked me up in their base with a princess. They say both of us are vital to some plan, and they're looking for some Mario guy, who has some sort of map and a star. What does it mean?

I'm safe for now, Dipper. Don't worry about me, just… figure everything out, okay?

Mabel

"She's…" Dipper stuttered. "She's okay…"

"You must feel pretty happy to hear that." Wendy said. "My only question is how did that weird book get an e-mail?"

:::::

The group made their way back into the Rogueport Sewers and were nearing the chamber of the Thousand-Year Door. Upon entering the room, Koops and Wendy were awestruck at the size and beauty of the aged legendary door.

"Well Mario, you're the one with the star." Dipper said. "Would you do the honors?"

"Certainly." Mario stepped up on to the pedestal in front of the Thousand-Year Door and held up the Diamond Star. The light show had begun once again.

"W-Whoa! What the heck?!" Wendy shouted as she saw the ancient symbol filled light patterns appear on the ground they stood on.

In the North most part of the light circle was a small circle. Seven of these circles surrounded the pedestal. The Diamond Star hovered over the circle, then disappeared. Next, Mario held up the Magical Map, and a light beam shot down from the ceiling and exploded on the map. When everything returned to normal, the others gathered around Mario, who was holding the map for them all to see. Even Wendy decided to join them, as mystified as she was.

On the map, in the center, a little above the picture of Rogueport, was a small picture of a tree, a black one with white leaves, sitting in the middle of a black and white forest looking area. Overlaying the tree was a picture of a green Crystal Star.

"So that's the location of the second Crystal Star, huh?" Pacifica asked. "I wonder where that is."

"Well, maybe we should go see Professor Frankly about it." Pacifica suggested.

"Who?" Koops and Wendy asked in unison.

:::::

"Hmm, how strange…" Professor Frankly looked at the map. "I don't really know where this is."

"Not this again…" Dipper face-palmed.

"This might take a while. Talk about a mind-boggling predicament." Frankly gasped in realization. "Ah, I've remembered! The Crystal Star appears to be located in a place called the Boggly Woods!"

"Well, now we know where it is." Wendy said.

"Yeah, but how exactly do we get there?" Pacifica asked.

"The same way you got to Petal Meadows." Frankly answered. "Through a pipe in the Rogueport Sewers. I can't really decipher where the pipe is, so it will take some time to find out. Come back later today and I'll see what information I've gathered by then."

"Okay then, professor." Mario said. The gang left the house.

"So… what now?" Koops asked.

"I say we spend the rest of the day making preparations." Dipper suggested. "We don't know the difficulty Boggly Woods will throw at us, so it's best to gear up."

"I think that's a smart idea." Goombella agreed. "We all split up and do different tasks so we gear up to an equal amount, then meet at the inn by sundown."

"Okay then." Mario said. "Dipper and Pacifica, you stock up on badges. Get useful ones that we may need."

"On it." Dipper said. He and Pacifica walked off back toward Central Rogueport.

"Koops, you and Wendy gather items from the shops here in Rogueport. There are two shops, one in the Central area, and one in the West area." Mario continued.

"Sounds good." Koops said. He and Wendy walked off toward the shops.

"What do we do?" Goombella asked.

"Hmm…" Mario thought for a moment. "I think I have an idea."

:::::

Dipper and Pacifica exited the Rogueport badge shop, the Lovely Howz Of Badges, carrying a small pouch filled with as many badges they could afford. Dipper sold his Attack FX F badge for a whopping 100 coins, and spent about half of the earnings on badges.

One of the badges looked like a blue version of Power Smash but with a blue diamond in the center called Piercing Blow. It pierced through a single enemies defense and did damage based on the regular power of the melee weapon used. Pacifica pinned it on her shirt.

Another badge looked like a blue square with a golden swirl in the middle called Pretty Lucky. It made enemies miss the bearer more often when the bearer was attacked. Pacifica pinned this one on her shirt as well.

The final badge they bought looked like a gray boot with two little spikes on the bottom called Power Jump. It allowed the bearer to do a single jump on one enemy, but the jump would do a lot of damage. Neither of them used it, and decided it would suit Mario best.

"Oh, Dipper, I almost forgot." Pacifica said. "Here." She took out badge that resembled a red hammer.

"Whoa…" Dipper took the badge. The note attached had yellowed with age, had some rips and wrinkles, and had some dirt stains. Dipper could barely read the note. "Fire Drive. Requires 3 BP to wear. When worn, the bearer is capable of using Fire Drive, hitting a falling fireball toward the enemies. The closest enemy takes the most damage, and the farther down the enemy, the less damage it takes." He pinned the badge to his hat. "Where did you get this?"

"I found this place called the Pit of 100 Trials." Pacifica said. "I decided to go down there to practice my fighting. I got to Floor 10 and found a badge called Sleepy Stomp, and on Floor 20 was this badge. I thought you'd like it."

"It's… it's awesome, Pacifica." Dipper said. "Thanks. But what did you do with the Sleepy Stomp badge?" Pacifica gestured to her bedazzled belt. On it was a badge that looked like a green sock with a smile on it.

"It's about time I get some badges." Pacifica said. "Maybe someday we can explore the rest of the Pit of 100 Trails, maybe get down to the bottom…" Pacifica thought for a moment. "I wonder what's at the bottom anyway…"

:::::

Koops and Wendy exited West Side Goods on the West side of Rogueport. Wendy carried a shopping bag filled with Super Shrooms, Volt Shrooms, and Life Shrooms, which Koops paid for considering Wendy had no coins.

"It feels so weird." Wendy said. "Normally I'd leave a shopping mall with a bag filled with soda and candy, but instead… I have a bunch of mushrooms."

"Like Mario said, you'll get used to this world quickly, Ms. Wendy." Koops said.

"Don't call me 'Ms. Wendy'." Wendy said. "Normal 'Wendy' is just fine."

"Oh, sorry." Koops apologized.

"Don't say sorry." Wendy said. "I understand you feel a little… uncomfortable in these new surroundings, I do too, but we can get used to it, right?"

"…yeah, you're right, Wendy." Koops said. When the two arrived in Central Rogueport, Koops stopped in front of the inn. "I'll be right back, I've got to get something."

"Okay then, but don't doze off… aw dang, I forgot something back at West Side Goods." Wendy said, walking off back toward the West Side. Koops walked inside the inn and returned outside holding a small brown box. He opened it, and inside was a Couples Cake

"Good, it's still intact." Koops said to himself. He closed the box and walked off toward the East Side.

:::::

Mario and Goombella returned to the East Side of Rogueport with a few small packages.

"Well, we did good, didn't we?" Goombella asked.

"Yeah, we did." Mario agreed. "Now we wait for the others." They noticed Koops come toward them.

"Hey guys." Koops said.

"Hey Koops." Goombella greeted. She noticed the box. "What'cha got there?"

"Oh, this?" Koops said. "It's… it's nothing." Then Dipper and Pacifica arrived.

"We've got badges!" Pacifica said, tossing the Power Jump badge at Mario, who caught it and pinned it on his overalls. Then Wendy arrived.

"I've got a few supplies." Wendy said. She showed the group all the Super Shrooms, Volt Shrooms, and Life Shrooms. "Think this'll sustain us?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure this'll be good." Dipper said. "Well, should we go see Frankly now?"

"Now seems like the right time." Koops said.

:::::

"Well, I've found the pipe." Frankly said. "The pipe is located in a room next to the chamber of the Thousand-Year Door."

"That helps a lot." Pacifica said. "Oh, wait, Mario and Goombella, what's in those boxes? You never told us." Mario and Goombella smiled, opening the boxes and letting out very good smells.

"We thought we all could use some relaxing, so we brought dinner!" Mario said.

For the next while, the seven of them feasted on slices of Shroom Cake, plates of Spicy Pasta, Shroom Steaks, Shroom Fries, Shroom Roasts, and Shroom Crepes. While the others talked over their meals, Koops gestured for Pacifica to follow him outside.

"Yeah, Koops?" Pacifica and Koops stood outside Frankly's home.

"Well, I wanted you to have this." Koops showed the box to Pacifica and opened it. Pacifica gasped.

"A Couples Cake!" She took it out of the box and smiled.

"I know it's your favorite." Koops said.

"I love it! But… why did you get me this?" Pacifica asked.

"Well… you helped me back in Petalburg. You helped me come out of my shell… well, not literally." Koops said, blushing a bit. "We got along so well, we did so much… you helped me save my father from Hooktail…" Koops wanted to continue, but Pacifica kissed him on the cheek, making his face go red.

"It means a lot, and I know what you're trying to say." Pacifica said. "I'm flattered. But what about Koopie Koo?"

"She and I don't get along too much anymore." Koops said. "I plan on breaking up with her anyway, I'll let her down easy."

"Oh…" Pacifica said. She smiled again and hugged Koops, then pulled out two spoons. "It is called a Couples Cake, after all." Koops smiled, and the two dined on a sweet Couples Cake for the rest of the evening.

:::::

Later at night, in the inn, Dipper stared out the window once more, looking North toward where Boggly Woods would be. He sighed before lying back down on the bed.

"I wonder what lies ahead in Boggly Woods, the trials we may face." His eyes became heavy. "I guess I'll find out tomorrow."

He drifted off to sleep.

-(End Of Chapter)-

Well, another day another chapter uploaded. Hope you guys enjoyed, reviews are appreciated, and as always…

Stay Tuned!

~087-B