Chapter VI

The Three-Day Trip

"Here we are, amigos!" Cortez welcomed. "We've returned to Rogueport."

"Geez!" Erick was the first one off the boat. "That constant rocking has finally stopped!"

"And so has your constant vomiting." Abbie rolled her eyes.

"I'm just happy I'm POOF! Rich!" PA-Patch gloated. "I'm gonna buy the Bombers!"

"Great, they'll be even worse." Rob-omb rolled his eyes. "I'll help you guys unpack."

"Red!" Flavio called. "Thank you for showing Flavio a good time. That was just what a trader like myself needed!" He ran after Pa-Patch and the crew.

"So, Admiral?" Red turned to Bobbery. "Where are you going from here?"

"Well, I've decided to sail the seas with Cortez." Bobbery explained. "Because of you, Red, you've refreshed my desire for the sea."

"Well, it was worth." Red smiled. "You take care of yourself." He turned to the Inklings. "We'd better head to the Thousand-Year Door, we need to get back to our search!"

"Hello, Red! Inklings." Professor Frankly greeted them as they entered his house.

"You guys get the Sapphire Star?" Goombella asked.

"Piece of cake!" Red pulled it out. "We need to figure out where the next one is, though."

"Well, let me have a look at the map!" Frankly ordered. "Looks like the next Crystal Star, the Garnet Star is located in Poshley Heights."

"Isn't that place loaded with rich and famous people?" Aimee asked.

"That's right!" Goombella recalled. "There's a shire to the stars there named Poshley Sanctum."

"Sounds pretty low-key." Paul figured, flipping through a book. "Says here that since it's a tourist attraction, there aren't any fearsome monsters of beasts there."

"Yeah, but we can always count on the Octarians and X-Nauts to burn that bridge." Gyanna flipped a coin.

"This is great and all," Red sat down, "But how do we get to this Snobville?"

"You need to catch a train ride on the recently renovated Excess Express!" Frankly explained. "Getting the Crystal Stars has been pretty life-draining, but this should be as easy as tricking the X-Nauts!"

"How do we get a ticket for this train, Ma'an?" Robbie asked.

"I heard that you have to be all rich to get a ticket." Abbie recalled.

"Hmm, interesting point." Frankly sighed. "Maybe you can ask Don Pianta for some help-"

"Forget it!" Red slammed his fist into the table, creating a dent. "That guy is bad news. I don't trust him for a bit."

"I can do all of the talking." Paul reminded. "He seems to respect me, I think. Besides, we have no more options."

"I still have one card left." Red stood up. "Ishnail can get me those tickets for nothing."

"Ishnail?" Erick asked, "Isn't he like…filthy?"

"Well, he's not the richest guy, but he knows a lot about a lot."

"That sounds good." Frankly agreed. "I'll leave this up to you guys. Good luck!"

"Yo! Ishnail!" Red yelled. "Open up, it's Red!"

"Red?" Ishnail opened the door. "Back from Treasure Island, eh? What'd you bring me?" Red gulped. "That's all right, Bobbery dropped a chest full earlier. Anyway, come on in! Always good to see you and the gang!"

"Hey!" Aimee approached a large television. "Where'd you get this?"

"Dumpster behind the electronics store." Ishnail explained. "Me and the boys fixed it up, good!"

"Gee, that's some good picture quality." Red agreed. "However, we came here to ask you of some information."

"Well, speak up!" Ishnail reclined in an old chair.

"Well, the Garnet Star is located in Poshley Heights, and the only way to get there is to get a train ticket." Red explained. "Know of anyone who'd happen to have some?"

"Oh." Ishnail muttered. "Don Scumbag'll be your guy for that. He's all filthy rich and will probably have a handful."

"Great." Red rolled his eyes. "You guys were right. Don Pianta is the only guy who has the stuff. Let's move out, Inklings!"

"Just a minute, Red!" Ishnail called, before handing him a ruby encased with gold, and hung by a gold chain. "Bobbery told me to give this to you. Told me that it's just crucial that you get it."

"Cool." Red hung it on his neck. "Thanks. Maybe this'll make Don Pianta a little easier to deal with."

"Hey, Don!" Red knocked on the door. "Don! Open up!"

"Hey! Keep it down!" One of the guards opened the door. "Da boss has been sick wit' loneliness ever since Francesca skedaddled."

"Oh, crap." Red rolled his eyes. "Lemme guess. He's the only guy in town with tickets for the Excess Express, and in order to get them, we have to find Francesca. Eh?"

"Well…Yeah!" The guard answered. "Dat's what gotta be done! You guys get Francesca and Frankie back here, and you got yourselves some tickets!"

"Boy, I'm starting to like boats less and less every trip!" Erick fussed.

"We won't be long." Red assured Cortez. "We just need to find them."

"Patch?" Robbie asked, spotting someone at the camp, which had surprisingly survived the weather.

"Robbie!" Pa-Patch realized. "Whet brings you back to Keelhaul Key?"

"We're here looking for the Piantas." Robbie explained. "Any idea where they are?"

"Somewhere in the jungle." Pa-Patch did his best to recall. "Not sure where, but they're there."

"Let's get looking." Red ordered. "Let's head into the jungle, team!" The Inklings entered the humid jungle.

"There!" Aimee pointed. "I see them!"

"Good eyes, Aimee." Red commented. "Hey! Frankie!"

"Oh, it's Red and the Inklings." Frankie realized. "What can we do fer you guys?"

"Don's sick." Red explained. "Sick with loneliness."

"Poor daddy!" Francesca realized. "At a time like this, too! You see, I just lost the wedding ring Frankie gave me around here, I couldn't possibly leave here without it!"

"Well, we can give you a hand with looking for it." Red offered.

"That'd be great, actually!" Francesca chimed in. "It's somewhere between here and the Skull Rock."

"I'll check by the Skull Rock. The rest of you, spread out!" Red ordered. He ran over to the Skull Rock, and promptly searched for the ring. "This looks like a ring." Red picked up a bright blue diamond ring. Admiring it, the jewel that Ishnail gave him caught his eye. Red held it up to his head; staring at his reflection it gave off. He quite easily forgot about the ring, and just kept staring into the ruby red jewel. He snapped out of the trance, forgetting what had just happened. "I found the ring!" Red yelled as he returned.

"Yes, that's it!" Francesca agreed. "That's the ring! Now we can head back to Daddy!"

"Daddy!"

"Boss!"

"…" Don muttered nothing but silence. "Francesca?"

"DADDY!"

"He's coming back!" Paul announced, excited. "Yeah, he's regaining consciousness."

"Frankie! Francesca! You two crazy kids came back!" Don jumped off the bed. "I can't stand being away from you kids now. I'm getting older, and I need peace." He stood up in front of his desk. "I guess da time has come to hang it up. I'm officially retiring."

"What?" Frankie stammered. "Boss, really?"

"Yeah, Frankie." Don repeated. "Da business is under your control now."

"But, Boss!" Frankie continued to stammer. "You're the boss! You can't quit!"

"Frankie, you were built for this job." Don explained. "The way you care for Francesca, I'd want no one else takin' my seat at the desk." He turned to Red and the Inklings. "Well, Red. Looks like I owe you again."

"Uh, Boss?" One of the guards remembered something. "We kinda promised these guys some tickets for the Excess Express."

"Wo Ho!" Don chuckled. "Is that all? That's an easy job!" He went into his desk, and pulled out seven train tickets. "You come back anytime you miss us, dat good?"

"Dat sounds great, Mr. Pianta." Red responded. "Sounds absolutely great."

"Now, go!" Don ordered. "Go save the world, or whatever you do!"

"Awesome!" Erick cheered.

"We're headed for Poshley Heights, baby!" Gyanna chanted.

"Garnet Star, here we come!" Robbie agreed.

"Mmmwee hee hee!" A voice cackled.

"Gosh, Aimee! That's one psychotic laugh!" Abbie shuddered.

"But that wasn't even me!" Aimee explained.

"That was me, my uglies!" The voice continued to mock. "So, the Garnet Star is in Poshley Heights? That was a nice piece of information, thanks so much!" The voice emerged from the shadows.

"BELDAM!" Red realized. "What's Grodus' lap dog doing here?"

"Normally, I would deal with you for turning Vivian against us, but I can clearly see that I am outnumbered. Instead, I'll just beat you to Poshley Heights and get the Garnet Star myself! Mmmwee hee hee!" She disappeared as she cackled.

"We'd better get to the station!" Paul realized. "We can't let that old hag get the Garnet Star!"

"Right!" Red agreed, "To the station!"