Chapter 20: Three Simple Puzzles

Day 13…

We got out of the ship and got a few yellows. Thankfully, the bomb rocks underneath the skull had indeed respawned, so we took the bomb rocks and blew up the darker metal wall. We got out about eighty blues and marched through the gate. The first things we saw were dwarf bulbears sniffing around a sleeping Spotty Bulbear. We "Goomba-stomped" the dwarves and swarmed the parent. It fell, and several blues took the body back to base.

Then we saw the Snooping Snitchbug, and I realized that we hadn't seen any in the days we were here. Normally one appears at base the first or second day to slightly annoy me, but this was the only one in the Distant Spring. We took it down before it could annoy us, which was a good thing, I suppose, but a few days ago I described the enemy to Olimar and he didn't even get to see it in action. Great warning, eh Jason?

Anyway, with all of the enemies in the area gone, there was the matter of the small ship part on top of the platforms. This was why we took the yellows. Olimar carefully walked up the ramp, making sure to keep all ten yellows with him at all times. I walked behind him, just in case a pikmin fell off, so I could throw it back to him. Thankfully, he managed to reach the ship part and threw the yellows to carry it, and we left them to their work.

Now there were the ponds, where another group of bulbears lay. We swarmed them quickly and moved up to the large lake. There was no Puffy Blowhog. We entered the shallow part of the lake and, after taking care of the water dumples with no losses, began one of the best puzzles of the game, albeit one of the most annoying. We threw about thirty pikmin onto the platform, and then Olimar rode the geyser up to throw those pikmin into the yellow candypop bud. Those blues were transformed into yellows, and Olimar threw them to me, where I threw them to the ship part. They carried the ship part to the ground, where Olimar whistled them back and gave thirty blues the job of carrying it back to the ship. We turned the yellows back into blues and moved to the final puzzle. The day was around half over by then. We were moving rather quickly.

The final puzzle wasn't too difficult: throw pikmin onto a ledge, ride another geyser up, and throw those pikmin onto the ship part. Olimar took care of that. And that was it. We followed the pikmin to the ship, gathering up all of the bodies along the way. The ship parts were collected, and we left the planet as the day ended.

Pretty boring, 'eh? Well I enjoyed it. Nothing surprising me and giving me another heart attack. Nothing attacking us and killing half our pikmin before we could react. Nothing abnormal besides the missing Puffy Blowhog. The Smoky Progg didn't make an appearance. We faced minimal enemies. We collected three ship parts. A very successful day, even if it was a bit boring.

An interesting tidbit: as we collected the third ship part, the ship upgraded itself.

"Interesting," Olimar said. "There's a new area. Should we go there?"

"Does it only have one ship part?" I asked cautiously. I knew what this meant, but I didn't know what it would mean.

Olimar nodded.

"We shouldn't be able to see that place yet," I muttered. We had collected 25 ship parts up to that point, which was an "even" number I suppose, but in the game we had to collect 29 ship parts. And then I realized why this had to change: the snake had eaten a necessary ship part, and we had no idea where it was (if it was still alive).

"Then after we finish the Final Trial," I muttered. "The true final area will open?"

The day was ending. We collected our pikmin and entered the ship.

"I'd call that a great day," Olimar said gleefully. "So what were you muttering? Something I shouldn't know, right?"

I was about to answer, but there was something about Olimar's tone I didn't like. "Is there something wrong, Olimar?" I asked as sincerely as I could. Which was very little. I was starting to get angry.

"It's been nearly two weeks since we first met, and I still know very little about you. We rarely talk about each other's past; most of the time we're screaming orders at each other. I know your name and your fear of creatures called 'spiders' and that you know a lot about this world, but that your information can be incorrect occasionally, and that you do not like killing creatures who do not directly attack you, and that you-"

"Please stop. I get it: you think I'm weak. I know I'm weak. I don't need you reminding me."

"I don't think you're weak, Jason. Your knowledge is invaluable and, without it, we would not have survived. And you've proven yourself on many occasions to be a capable fighter. You just have morals that interfere with survival, something you cannot help because of your youth. It's not something to be hated or looked down upon."

I looked at the ground, blushing. Olimar made me feel immature and pathetic without trying. As always, as freaking always, he was right. I was honestly surprised he didn't despise me for being so ignorant.

"Well, let's talk, I guess," I said. "When we escape, what will you do?"

"First, I'd find your parents and drop you off. I'd give them my number if they had any questions. Then, I'd comfort my family. Finally, I'd go back to vacation. One of the many beach planets. In a couple weeks I'd go back to work and tell my boss and coworkers about our journey. Then I'd go on about my daily life."

"You won't tell the newspapers?"

"I'd request that the planet be protected and examined. I might join scientists on their expedition if they ever decide to examine the planet, so long as the pay is good. I think my son might enjoy this place, and the pikmin."

"Would you bring a pikmin home?"

"I couldn't imagine bringing the pikmin from its natural habitat. I have no idea what the cruel deserts of Hocotate would do to it, and my dog, Bulby, would no doubt eat it at the first opportunity. It's best to leave them here, to survive on their own, than to move them into places they no doubt wouldn't want to go."

I couldn't think of another question. "What will you do when we return?" Olimar asked. And then I remembered why we didn't explain our past: my past makes no sense in the context of Olimar's knowledge. He probably knew that, anyway, and was watching me closely, just in case I slipped again.

I tried to play it cool. "I'll probably tell my parent what happened and brag to my friends. Maybe draw a couple scars so I can show them and fool them. I was thinking about going to news stations and telling them, maybe get myself a few book deals and tell my story."

"What are news stations?"

"You don't have television?"

"What's 'television'?"

I sighed. "Magic picture box. Shows moving pictures. News reported things happening at the moment to the general public. Lets people know what's going on."

"Oh, that's television. 'Hocotate TV' is what we call that. News stations, though, don't exist."

"Shame," I said. With all of the "Earth words" I used, I was surprised Olimar didn't ask where I was really from. Maybe he was saving that question for later, for when we escaped and were heading 'home'. I didn't know what would happen after we escaped the planet, and I was fully prepared to make a life on Hocotate. I might admit to having no parents there and ask Olimar to adopt me. Or I could join Olimar on his second trip to the Pikmin planet with Louie, get a share of the money, and start a life on my own. Yeah, according to Olimar, the planet was terrible, but I was optimistic about my future there.

But first, I had to overcome the many challenges of the Distant Planet. Most notably, the awkward conversation occurring right now. Olimar had just asked me about my school and my friends. I told them about you and our circle of friends. Olimar wasn't too impressed. I was vague, mentioning names and basic descriptions but nothing else. I told him I hated school and wished it never existed, and at that he looked seriously disappointed. One of the few honest things I've said, and he's disappointed with me. That's another reason why I didn't like these conversations.

So, it ended shortly after. Olimar described some of the planets he'd been to (some beautiful tropical planets, some hot desert, some cold tundra, some magnificent technological, some primitive tribal) and explained that of all the planets he'd stepped foot on, this was the most mysterious and interesting. I'd hope to think I helped with the latter description more than the former, but I doubted it.

"Where are we going tomorrow, Jason?" Olimar asked.

"Well, we have a choice: Fight a giant spider, fight the Smoky Progg, or fight another giant monster." I had to seriously consider this. "Forest Naval."

And, after that, we watched the planet in silence. Olimar scribbled some notes down, while I got ready for bed. Recalling that traumatic moment with the spider, as well as the thought of fighting the Beady Long Legs, made every dream I had about spiders. About millions and millions of spiders. All climbing up me, surrounding me, engulfing me.

Sorry, have to go to the bathroom. Uh, throwing up.