We didn't even know it, but our journey in the Region of Earth was nearing its end.
Oh, and we also didn't know was that we were headed for…well…a big pain in the neck.
We would ride waves, we would catch big air…and we would fall down, past the water, into the void. Real fun.
(P.S. The author has paid me to say that this chapter is a bit more graphic than the rest, due to a fight between…well, I would pull the Spoiler Alert if I said a word, so I won't.)
Traveler's Log Entry 07: Completing the Road to the Robot Reactor
Axel
We returned to Starship Mario to find a welcome sight.
"Kuyashikute tsurakute nemurenai yoru…
Dare ni demo aru yo…
Sonna toki, ha yonde, kaketsukeru kara
Oto no hayasade ne…
"Sore ga sadame demo ne, aragau yo.
Kimi ga, hora, waratte ne kureru kara…
"Kanaetai yume tooi kedo,
Isshou nara dekiru yo, muteki no yuuki de…
Kirakira hikaru sono namida,
Egao no mahou de ne tsubasa ni kaetara…
Kitto, kitto, habatakeru kara…
Niji wo koe sono saki made!"
Terra was standing on deck, singing Egao no Mahou, and a bunch of Lumas were gathered around her.
"Hey, Terra's singing again!" I said, kind of happy to hear it again.
"Hey, is that a cake on deck?" Aeron said.
"ME WANT CAKE!" Ben shouted, jumping at the cake.
"HEY, BEN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" I shouted.
Ben stopped in midair. He looked at me. "Um…getting cake? No, wait…I mean, making a cameo! =D"
…
"And getting cake," Ben added.
CUT!
Ben: NOOOOOOO! STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT! WHY? NOOOOOOO…MY CAKE…
He was one inch away.
Take two.
"Hey, Terra's singing again!" I said, kind of happy to hear it again.
Terra finished singing.
*insert applause here*
Terra kind of blushed and bowed.
"That was pretty awesome," Mario said.
Everyone jumped. Apparently we had come in too quietly.
"Um…why is everyone looking shocked?" Luigi asked.
"Maybe we came in too quietly," Aeron said.
"Oh…hey guys," Terra said.
"So…how are you feeling now?" I asked.
"Pretty good," Terra said. "But how was I able to do all that?"
"Because…"
Everyone turned to Lubba. He seemed pretty serious, compared to how he usually was. "Have you ever heard of the most ancient cosmic legend?" he asked.
…
"No," we all said in unison.
…
We realized what happened and looked at each other. "That was weird," we all said in unison.
…
"That was weird, too," we all said again. In perfect unison.
…
"Stop saying what I'm saying!" everyone shouted in unison.
"ANYWAY," Lubba said, getting our attention. "This is a very old legend. So old that no one thinks it's true anymore, not even some members of our crew. But Terra is proof that they're real."
"What's real?" Terra asked, getting a bit weirded out.
"The Shining Stars," Lubba said.
"What?" Terra said. "What's a Shining Star?"
"You think stars are those bright bulbs that are in the sky. You also think that Stars are what you collect to power this ship. That's true. But…" Lubba paused at exactly the right time. "These Stars are different."
"So how do I prove they exist?" Terra asked.
"The Shining Stars are actually people. They are gifted with elemental powers-the forces that this universe possesses-and they are, in all essence, the universe's defenders."
Terra was looking a bit awed-in a not good way. Like the whole size of this thing was becoming apparent to her.
"The Shining Stars," Lubba went on, "are just normal people at first glance. But when something happens, they stand up to resolve it, and when other people are endangered, they will not hesitate to protect them. Does that sound like you, Terra?"
"Not until…recently," Terra said. "Because I…I didn't really protect anyone when the Koopa Troop attacked Toad Town and the Castle."
"Hm…that's odd," Lubba said. "But perhaps your acting like this more recently marks the surfacing of your power. However…with that power comes responsibility. Do you wish to protect?"
"Yes," Terra said, standing up a little taller. Even though she was just 148 cm-pretty short for her age.
"Good. Then you really are a Shining Star."
Terra didn't seem too certain she could do it. But there was also resolve in her eyes…to do what she had to.
"NOW THEN!" Lubba shouted, suddenly becoming cheerful. "I am proud to tell all of you that while you were getting a Star and Terra was napping that we have located a Grand Star!"
"A Grand Star?" Mario shouted.
"That's great!" Luigi shouted. "Let's go get it right now!"
"HOLD YOUR STINKIN' HORSES!" Lubba shouted.
*insert record scratch here*
"What?" Axel said. "What's wrong?"
"Well, we can't get there yet."
"WHAT?" everyone shouted.
"It just happens to be so that we don't have enough Power Star energy to go to the place where it is," Lubba explained. "So, sorry, we can't get there. HOWEVER! One Star should provide sufficient energy to get us there!"
"That's awesome!" I shouted.
"Um, what's a Grand Star?" Terra asked.
"Oh, a Grand Star is a greater Power Star," Lubba said. "But we can't put a Grand Star into the ship's energy supply, because they are needed for something else."
"And that would be?" Aeron asked.
"The Grand Stars link this universe together," Lubba said. "They're the glue that keeps it whole. So when that monster (Bowser) stole the Grand Stars, the universe spilt apart. And so that's why it's so important that we get them back. To link this universe back together."
"Oh…" Terra said.
"Well, you know what that means," Aeron said. "It's time to go get some Stars!"
Aeron walked up to the wheel and steered us away from the Battle Blaster Galaxy and headed for another galaxy. "Let's head to the Super Surf Galaxy!" The Launch Star appeared, and we headed towards the galaxy.
But when we landed, we were rather surprised.
There was only a bunch of rock platforms with palm trees around. Penguins were everywhere. And there on another platform was…a larger penguin, who seemed to be the coach or something.
"What's all this?" Terra asked, pointing.
There was a massive "race track" made purely out of water. Penguins swam through it, and across narrow spans of water, enormous drops, hairpin turns, and much more.
"Maybe we have to swim through it," I said. Seemed like a pretty good idea.
"I'd prefer surfing," Aeron said.
"Great," Terra said. "I'm bad at swimming…"
"Let's talk to the coach guy," Axel said. "Maybe he can tell us what's going on." So we went to him.
The coach saw us. "Are you here for Ray Surfing?"
"What-? Uh…" Terra looked startled by this, and her next few sentences were a jumbled mess of stuttering.
"Yes or no?" the coach asked.
"Uh, what's-" Aeron began.
"YES!" Luigi suddenly blurted.
"Good, good. Have you done it before?"
"No," I said.
"No," Aeron said.
"Yes, but neither of us has done it for a long time," Luigi said, gesturing towards Mario and himself.
"U-u-um…no," Terra stammered.
"Well, then, I'll just have to show you the basics," the coach said.
"Right," I said. "By the way, what should we call you?"
"'Coach' will do just fine," the coach said.
"Got it, Coach," Aeron said casually.
And so…
"WOO HOO!" Mario shouted as he flew off a wave.
"YOU FOOL!" Luigi shouted.
"WAAAAAHH!" Mario shouted as he fell past the track.
"Sigh…" I muttered.
Apparently, we had to get on some manta ray's back and steer it across the track, which was made of water that was held in that shape by a magnetic current, all the way to the giant sun thingy that showed we were at the finish. Pretty easy, huh?
No, not really.
Well, Mario kept trying to catch big air and 1-UP Shrooms and would always shoot off an edge or overshoot a jump or a whole ton of other stuff.
Luigi had a shaky grip and would shoot off the edge or stuff like that.
Terra opted to not do it all together since she had a serious fear of heights and parts of the track went upside down, which caused her to have vertigo just by LOOKING at Mario or Luigi going on those portions.
Aeron…well…Aeron went to sleep some time ago. So he wouldn't be doing it for a while.
"I guess that means I'm up," I said. "I have a feeling NOTHING will go wrong!"
To prevent myself from being humiliated too much, I will only provide audio.
"AAAAAAAAAHHH!"
"NOOOOOO! FALLING!"
"WAAAAAAAAGH-HUAL!"
"OH (explicative removed)!"
After it was over…
"Okay, I have NO idea what just happened," I said.
"You fail?" Mario suggested.
"Shaddap," I said. "You did even worse."
"AHAHAHAHAHA!" Ben suddenly shouted, jumping in. "I HAS GOTTEN A BANKAI! HAHAHAHAHA!"
"Dude. Shut up about the Bankai," I said. "And besides, what the heck are you doing here?"
Ben stopped. "Showing off my Bankai…no wait…dude, isn't it obvious by now? I'm making a Cameo! =D"
CUT!
Ben: WHAT? BUT I DIDN'T GET TO SHOW OFF MY BANKAI OR GET MY CAKE! Oh, by the way, I made some. Here, you ca-
Take 3 (we interrupted Ben's cameo once again to flick him out of the picture).
Ben: Wait, you're not seriously gonna flick me out, right?
Look, hey, kid, we try our best to give the audience the truth and nothing but the truth.
FLICK!
"AAAAIIIIEEEEE…"
"Shaddap," I said. "You did even worse."
"HEY!" Mario shouted.
"Don't worry, Axel," Terra said. "You'll get it eventually."
"Thanks, Terra," I said. Terra blushed and smiled.
"Zzz…"Aeron snored.
Overall, I had the highest performance out of all of us. So when Coach asked us if we wanted to compete in a ray surfing contest to get the fastest time, I got nominated.
"Oh boy," I muttered, getting onto the ray's back. "This should be interesting."
"Go for it, Axel!" Mario shouted.
"Three…two…one…GO!" Coach shouted.
I sped off in a flash. "Come on, Ray," I muttered. "Give me all you got."
We raced across a narrow part of the track and blasted up a turn that was slowly going upwards. Then we zoomed across a straight waterway.
I was nearing the end when I noticed it.
There was an Airship coming! And on it was…the black Mario Clone!
"It's him," I growled.
Suddenly, I remembered where I was, and I turned fast, shooting away from the edge. "Idiot," I muttered to myself. Then I raced onto the next portion of the track, which was beginning to tilt sideways…
Just go really fast and you won't fall, I thought. I blasted forward at an even greater speed.
"Axel, look out!" I suddenly heard Terra shouted.
I looked up, and saw the Airship blasting cannonballs at the track! They smashed into it, disturbing the water's flow and causing gaps to appear in the water.
"Sheesh, they don't play fair," I muttered.
So I started doing the craziest maneuvers ever to avoid the cannonballs. More than once, one crashed through the water half a foot away from me.
"I'll stop them!" Terra shouted. She raised her hand, and…nothing happened.
"What…" Terra stared at it, shocked. "Why…why won't it work?"
"What's going on?" I called.
"I can't use my powers at will," Terra said. "I don't know how! How was I able to do it the first time?"
"How did you feel when you were first able to do it?" I called.
"I felt…like I should be protecting something, but I wasn't," Terra said. "And I kind of had a strong want to do it."
"Well, then-WHOA!" I shouted, dodging a cannonball an inch away from me. "I'll just have to take things into my own hands!"
I drew my sword. "Rule over the Midnight Heavens…Shiruba-Getsu!" I shouted, whirling the sword into energy, which quickly spun itself the gauntlets. "Let's do this, random Airship!" I shouted.
I pointed my hand at the Airship. Silver-blue energy pulled in around it, soon creating a sphere of silver with a brightly shining silver nimbus surrounding. Three orbs of blue circled closely around it, and I got ready to attack.
"Ketatamashi Getsu (Piercing Moon)!" I shouted.
A slender sliver of silver blasted from the sphere. It shot through the hull of the Airship, and out the other end. There wasn't even a mark.
A massive explosion rocked the ship. Smoke burst from the hole, and it began to sink.
"Direct hit on the engine!" I said. After a bit of congratulating myself, I set my mind back on Ray Surfing. At this point, the track went through three red hoops, and then dropped suddenly.
"WAAAAAGGGHHH!" I shouted as I went down a vertical. "SHEESH, WHO THE HECK MADE THIS THING?"
Suddenly, I noticed the end of the vertical coming up quick. And shortly after that was an incredibly sharp turn.
"Oh boy," I muttered. I braked hard, racing down the vertical's end. But I had been going way too fast, and it looked like I'd shoot off the edge.
That's when I saw a sign with an arrow on it, pointing in the direction of the track. Getting a really random idea, I extended Shiruba-Getsu's blade and wrapped it around the pole. (Note: Because Shiruba-Getsu is a blade of energy, I can control its shape…easily. =D) Then I pulled myself to safety.
"That was close," I muttered to myself. Then I raced across a path of swerving turns. They turned in random directions at random times, at random angles. Basically, everything was random about them.
"I have NO idea how I'm supposed to clear this thing in 1.5 (explicative removed) minutes!" I shouted, swerving around an extremely tight bend and immediately going around a 90 degree one in the opposite direction.
"Kimi no naka ni watashi wo zutto…
BUKKMA-KU shite ne!
Warai nagara ganbatta to…
Mechakucha homete ne!
Donna toki mo, zenbu honki.
GYAPPU nimo odorokanaide…
Tatta ima wo tsutsumanakucha…
Mirai mo nai desho?
TATAKAI no imi ATATAKAI nara…
Tatakainuku yo…
Tatakainado nai watashitachi no sekai no tame ni…
Kimi to nara kitto dekiru koto…
KOKORO to KOKORO de te wo musunde!
Unmeisen gyutto kasanetara,
yume he no kyouhansha dokomade demo tobesou…
nemureru tsubasa wo shinjite!"
"Huh?" I looked around, wondering where the singing was coming from. Then I saw it: Terra was singing Bookmark A Head…but why? To encourage me?
Yeah, I think that was it. I gave her a thumbs up and raced around the curves.
"I can do it," I muttered. Then I shot into a tunnel of water with random gaps in it, roaring around the gaps at full speed.
"Time?" I called as I turned a corner in the tunnel.
"1:34," Coach said. "But since there was interference, you get another minute."
"That's plenty of time," I grinned. Then I soared out of the tunnel and began going up loop-de-doops at full speed.
And when I zoomed out of them, I saw a hairpin turn and…the Star Gate!
"TIME UP!" I shouted, hooking the turn and sailing through the Star Gate.
"1:46:08," Coach said. "Pretty good for a beginner, especially after the interference."
After I got off the Ray…
"You are a real champ!" Coach said. "And for that, I give you this golden medal!"
Coach reached somewhere and then brought out a Star!
"Wow, a Star?" I asked. "Cool!"
"Take it!" Coach said. "You deserve it after completing the course!"
"Wow, great job, Axel!" Terra said. "You did really well! Better than I could…"
"Pretty good," Mario said before I could say anything to Terra. "But not as awesome as I am!"
"Shut up, Mario," Luigi said. "You weren't any help at all!"
"Well neither were you!"
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?"
"You heard me! You were as useless as you say I was!"
The two got into a brawl.
"Um…" Terra watched them and sweatdropped.
"Okay, thanks Coach," I said. "Now-"
Suddenly, it happened.
ZOOM!
Something black blasted past me and grabbed the Star.
"Wha-?" I shouted. "Guys! Someone stole the Star!"
"Stole the Star?" Terra shouted. "Who was it?"
"Did it right under your noses, too," the thief said. "God, you guys suck. Now…" he turned and we saw who he really was: The Mario clone. "I'll be going now!"
"Not if I can do anything about it!" Terra shouted, and suddenly an emerald green reiatsu erupted from her as she ran at the Mario clone. It was rather large for one generated by someone with her experience.
The Mario clone smirked. "You really think you can challenge me?" he asked. "WELL THINK AGAIN!"
A pitch-black reiatsu erupted from the Mario clone, even larger than the one Terra created. Terra cried out as she was blown backwards by the force of it.
As we looked at the Mario clone, we saw that he perfectly matched the description of him that the Lumas gave. He had grey skin and was in a totally black suit, his hat said S, and he had grey gloves. But his eye and hair color was the same.
"Ugh…" Terra got up. "I can challenge you!" she shouted, seeming stronger. "You fight for someone who will ruin everybody's lives! I fight to protect everyone! What do you fight for?"
"What do I fight for?" the Mario clone asked, grinning. "I fight for…nah, you don't need to know."
"Well, anyways…" Terra walked towards him. "I'm afraid I can't let you walk away with the Star."
"You'll try to stop me," the clone said. "But in the end, you won't be able to make a scratch on me."
Boss: The Mario Clone
Terra jumped at the Mario clone, emeralds encrusting her arm. "I will defeat you! People are counting on me!"
The Mario clone smirked. "Then you let them down."
Terra responded by trying to punch the clone with her emerald-covered fist.
The Clone suddenly whipped his hand up and caught her fist.
Terra stared in shock. "How…are you a Shining Star?"
"What, that old cosmic legend?" the Clone said. "Who knows? It's just a myth. At any rate…that was a puny punch."
Terra attacked again, but the Clone just blocked every single one of her attacks. "I just said. How many times do I have to tell you? IT DOESN'T WORK."
As he spoke, black energy coursed around his hand, and he clenched it, shattering the emeralds. "Take THIS!"
The Mario Clone suddenly tightened his grip. Terra screamed…and I noticed it. Shadow energy was being transmitted from the Mario Clone's hand!
He released his grip, and Terra fell to the ground.
"You're weak," the Mario Clone said. "Battles are for the strong. And you aren't that strong. How do you think you can stand up to me?"
Terra struggled to get up, but her body wasn't working well after the attack.
"Give up," the Clone said. "Or do you want to die?"
"I won't give up," Terra said slowly. "I'll defeat you, no matter how much I get hurt by it."
"I see," the Clone said. "So you really do have a death wish. DIE!" And before Terra could move, the Clone raised his hand, and shadow gathered at it, and he blasted it out, smashing Terra backwards. Terra tried to get up, but then the Clone jumped and landed right in front of her, and he drew back his fist. "FALCON PUNCH!"
Terra's eyes widened as the fist came down.
BOOOOOM!
An explosion of shadow burst from the fist, and even I was blown back a bit by it. "Falcon Punch…" I muttered.
When it was all over, the Mario Clone stood over Terra, who was lying on the ground, battered.
"Easy," the clone said. "I'm going now."
"U-u-uo…" Terra groaned and slowly tried to get up again. Suddenly, her expression contorted, and her hand flew to her stomach.
"Don't even bother," the Clone said. "If you continue, you'll die."
"I…" Terra struggled up a bit further. "I said…I'd defeat you...no matter…"
"It was all a bunch of baloney," the Clone said, raising his foot. He brought it down on Terra's back. Terra screamed and fell to the ground again.
"If you still want to continue, it's futile," the Clone said. "Wow, you lack any potential at all-uh?" He had suddenly stopped moving. "I…can't…move…" He looked down. Emeralds were forming, crystallizing over his legs. They were going up to his torso, and-
"Argh!" He shattered the emeralds. "What a nuisance-"
Terra's hand smashed into the back of his head.
BLAM!
"AUGH!" the clone shouted, getting blasted away by a seismic wave. "Okay, now you really are gonna die!" He ran towards Terra, who was only barely standing up.
"I'm at my limit," Terra said to herself. "I can't…"
"Terra!" I shouted. "Don't give in to despair! You can defeat him! All you have to do is try!"
Terra snapped back to it and then emeralds encrusted both her arms. "Axel's right! I will win! If I just believe in myself!"
"What baloney!" the Clone shouted. "Bring it on!"
Terra and the Clone battled hand-to-hand, trying to punch the other. But both of them were performing at an equal level.
"How can she be doing so well in hand to hand against me?" the Clone muttered. "It doesn't make any sense!"
"There are some things in this world-no, universe," Terra said. "…that cannot be explained. But I...if by doing it, I can protect everybody…if by doing it, that wish can come true…then I'll do it!"
"Then come on! Let's do it!" the clone shouted. "If you dare! Falcon PUNCH!"
Terra's hand flew up, as did the Clone's.
WHAM!
Both were knocked back, and red liquid splattered on the ground.
Terra raised her head a little. There was a fist-shaped mark on her head, and blood trickled from it. She didn't look like she could go on for any longer.
The Clone also got up. He didn't seem to be affected much by the attack.
"The attack…didn't work…" Terra groaned. "I…did…what I…could…but it's…over…" She slowly began to collapse.
I dashed over and caught her. "Terra, are you alright?"
"I…don't think…I'm...really a…Shining Star…" Terra whispered.
"What makes you think that?" I asked, shocked.
"I wasn't…able to…protect…anyone…" Terra whispered, her face and voice despairing. "I'm sorry…Axel…I lost…" She looked at the Clone. "You…were right…I wasn't…able to w…win…"
The Clone grinned. "Told you," he said, and he dashed towards the Star.
Suddenly, blood burst out of his shoulder. "Augh!" the Clone shouted. "Ergh...so she was able to wound me after all...but I can still get the Star!"
"Terra," I said. "I've said this many times already, but...you can't give up."
Terra se emed to realize something. "You're right…" she said. "I gave in to despair just then. But now I know…I can't do that."
Terra suddenly raised her hand, and MASSIVE earth spikes blasted out of the ground.
Dare I say what happens next? Well, to keep it T rated, I won't. Let's just say he got flagpoled and leave it at that. Anything else would be too graphic.
"HUAL!" the Clone shouted. "Ow…my god…" He fainted.
"Well, he got what was coming to him," I muttered. "Guys, it's over if you haven't noticed."
Luigi and Mario were still brawling. And Aeron was still napping.
"This isn't really the most epic way to reach a major milestone," I muttered as I grabbed the Star. "Terra, are you alright?"
"I'm kind of not happy about what I said a few seconds ago," Terra said, looking down. "But…" She looked at me, her eyes showing resolve. "I won't give in to despair ever again!"
I looked at her, a bit admiringly. "You really are a Shining Star after all," I said. This world could use more people with her resolve…
WE GOT A STAR!
We got back to Starship Mario with the Star. "We can get the Grand Star now," I said.
Lubba looked pretty happy. "You got the Star?" he said. "That's great! Now let's head to the Grand Star!" His face suddenly darkened. "I warn you, though, that monster's gonna put up a pretty big fight. You up for it?"
"We can handle it," I said. "There's nothing we can't do."
"And if we don't, Bowser will ruin everyone's life," Terra said. "This is what we have to do. After all, it's my duty if I really am a Shining Star."
Everyone stared at her, suddenly noticing how much stuff she went through when she battled the Mario Clone. "TERRA, WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO YOU?" Mario shouted.
"I got in a fight with your clone," Terra said. "It wasn't easy. And I don't know if I can be of much help when we go there. But I promise you, I won't give up. Ever."
Everyone looked at her admiringly. "Get some rest, Terra," Luigi said. "You'll need it soon."
"Right," Terra said. She walked towards the entrance to the living quarters. "Axel, do you know how to do healing Kido?"
"Yeah," I said, walking after her. "By the time we get there, you'll be ready for anything."
"Then here we go!" Mario shouted, walking up to the wheel. "Prepare for ownage, Bowser!"
"Yawn…huh?" Aeron said, who had been asleep for a good two hours.
We all groaned.
