The gang eventually found Goombella's old college professor, he too was a Goomba, though in his mid-fifties, he had large blue glasses and white hair at the sides of his head and wore a small lab coat, he was quickly introduced as Professor Frankly, a college professor at the University of Goom and was a former teacher of archaeologist known as Professor Kolorado, neither Junior or Mandy knew who this was but the name rang a bell from Mario's mind, but kept silent, letting Goombella do the talking.
"So, you tykes wanna know about the legendary treasure that's below Rogueport correct?" asked Frankly. "While I AM studying that very subject, most say its little more than a fairy tale, don't you?"
"That's true Professor Frankly." Goombella confidently replied. "But most archaeologists and historians have searched for truths in those fairy tales you know, and I believe the treasure below Rogueport does exist! And I really wanna find it!"
"Good point! And well made!" said Frankly, admiring Goombella's enthusiasm. "In that case I'll cooperate with you however I can, now first of all, there are many mysteries surrounding it. Some say it's an infinite vast treasure hoard while others say it's a magical item, others say it's actually a monster while others claim it's an empty chest. So many different theories, obviously it's hard to define the truth among them, but all agree on one point, to get to the treasure, one must have… The Crystal Stars!"
"To find the treasure of yore, take the seven Crystal Stars to The Thousand-Year Door. You mean the Crystal Stars in that old saying that super elderly people pass down?" asked Goombella.
"Indeed, that same saying." Frankly responded. "If you want to find the treasure, you must find the seven Crystal Stars."
Goombella continued. "Hold the Magical Map aloft the entrance to the Thousand-Year Door and the stars will light the way that leads to the stones of yesterday! Yeah, a lot of lore I've read says that if you take the Magical Map to the Thousand-Year Door, then it will show you the location of the Crystal Stars."
"Magical Map? Crystal Stars? Thousand-Year Door? This is definitely not your average treasure hunt, whatever's behind that door must be BIG!" thought Mario as a flare began to develop in his eyes, a burning passion for adventure and discovery.
"Indeed but…" Frankly sighed. "That one missing piece of the puzzle - The Magical Map - is missing, it's been missing for centuries, and no one has found a trace of its whereabouts since then."
"But Professor, we actually do have the map, well not we, Mario has it." said Goombella directing her head to Mario.
"WUH-WHAAT?" screamed Frankly as he jumped into the air surprising everyone. "I… A-ARE YOU SERIOUS? C-COULD I TAKE A LOOK?" Mario dug into his pocket and took out the map and shown it to Frankly "ASTOUNDING! THIS IS IT! THE ONE AND ONLY MAGICAL MAP LOST IN THE SANDS OF TIME! YOU SIR ARE AMAZING! INCREDIBLE! WONDERFUL EVEN!"
"How's about taking a deep breath Prof." asked Mario with an embarrassed yet amused smile. Soon Professor Frankly began to calm down as Mario returned the map into his pocket
"Quite an eccentric old man wouldn't you say." Junior whispered to Mandy.
"Eh." Mandy replied with very little interest.
"Well… with this map, we can find the Crystal Stars by taking this to the Thousand-Year Door!" said Frankly.
"Great! Any idea where it might be?" asked Mario.
"It must be somewhere in the old ruins of Rogueport deep underground, there's a Warp Pipe that leads there not far from my house." said Frankly. "Let's go!"
Soon the team of five exited Frankly's House, and there on the other side of the dusty road was a large green pipe sticking out of the ground, looking large enough for anyone to jump down with ease.
The team crossed the road and reached the Warp Pipe, where Frankly took a moment to look at it, "Warp Pipes, can take one so far and yet so near, altering gravity inside its mysterious walls enabling anyone to travel up a 100ft pipe from underground and back again, near and far, these blessed pipes are the source of easy travel and one of the biggest mysteries on how they work."
"Poetic." Junior said shrugging his shoulders.
"Oh, that reminds me." said Frankly "Odds are there will be quite a few hoodlums below so keep your guard up. I have no doubts about you or Goombella having trouble down below, but what about you Junior and Mandy."
Trust me, whatever 'hoodlums' come down here, I'll make sure they suffer." Said Mandy.
"And I can shapeshift and use my whole body as a weapon." Junior responded with a confident tone.
"Besides, with Mario we might not even have to worry." said Goombella looking smug.
"I wouldn't be so sure Goombella." Mario responded. "I do attract as lot of danger, while I can fend for myself, I have failed defending others sometimes, none the less we shouldn't have too much trouble down below."
"Alright then, let's get going." Said Junior as he then immediately jumped down the Warp Pipe making a slight 'Dow, Dow, Dow' sound, Mandy soon followed, Mario waited for Goombella and Frankly to jump down first and then he jumped down soon after.