CHAPTER 25: Plasm Wrath
Alph, Falcon, Chrom, and Sumia hid behind a dirt wall, keeping an eye on the red-spotted black beast. It had bulbous eyes and a wide mouth.
"What is that thing?" Chrom whispered.
Alph grimaced. "That's a Spotty Bulbear, probably one of the most dangerous of the grub-dog family."
Falcon stared. "Grub-dog...? You know what, never mind. So how do we kill it?"
"Similar to Bulborbs, its back is covered in less skin than the head, making it vulnerable there. However, if it feels you attacking its back, it's going to notice and go for you. If that happens, it'd be best to attack its eyes, which will stun it."
Chrom unsheathed Falchion. "Can a blade not instantly down the beast?"
"I've never tried, but I doubt it. Even if the skin is weak, the Bulbear itself is pretty tough."
"Well then, shall we attack?" Chrom asked.
Alph picked up a Rock Pikmin. "Guess so."
"Right then. On my mark!"
The four of them dashed towards the huge beast, who had its back turned and had not noticed them.
"Falcon…" Captain Falcon dashed up to its back and prepared to strike it. The beast heard him and tried to turn around. This was a mistake.
"PUNCH!" The Bulbear was hit in the face, knocking it back a foot.
Alph stayed a small distance away, tossing Pikmin to latch onto its back. The Pikmin smacked the beast's back, but it was too distracted with the three humans to care.
While Falcon held the beast's attention, Chrom ran behind it and jumped in the air, sword raised.
"I will not fail!" he shouted as he spun forward in midair and brought the Falchion down on its back.
The Bulbear growled and turned to Chrom as he landed back on the ground. It tackled him, sending him and his blade flying. Falchion skidded to a stop in front of Captain Falcon.
"Chrom!" Sumia pulled out a Arcthunder tome and attempted to distract the beast, to little success.
Captain Falcon picked up the Falchion and hurled it into the air towards the beast, and ran towards it.
The Falchion fell downwards, about to impale its back.
At the same time, Falcon prepared another punch.
"Falchion PUNCH!"
The punch and the blade struck the beast's back at the same time, defeating it.
It fell to the floor, and its eyes closed.
Chrom walked up to it and retrieved his sword. "Falchion Punch?"
Falcon grinned. "Yeah. Been waiting for an opportunity to try that."
"...Ok then. Anyways, that was clever to throw it since you couldn't wield it."
"Excuse me? I could so wield it!"
He snatched the blade from him and brought it down on the Bulbear. To his surprise, it bounced off.
"Wait, WHAT?! What was that?!"
Chrom took the blade back from him. "Only a select few of royal blood can successfully wield it. As far as I know, only Lucina and I can wield it."
"Is Marth's Falchion like this too?"
"It should be. It is the same blade, after all."
Alph cleared his throat. "Anyways, we're approaching the top of the Formidable Oak. Keep an eye out for Olimar."
...
Chrom put up a hand to block the sunlight as they exited the cavern.
"Well, we're finally at the top of this huge tree!" Captain Falcon said, "Where's Olimar?"
Alph looked around and spotted the S.S. Dolphin. "Maybe he's still inside!"
The three humans and the Koppaite dashed over to the space vessel and opened the hatch. However, it appeared to be empty.
"What could have happened to him...?" Chrom wondered out loud.
Alph inspected the interior. "I don't know, but I think someone came with him."
"What makes you say that?" Falcon asked, peering over his shoulder into the ship.
Alph pulled out a shovel. "This isn't Olimar's, unless he's decided to start burying Pikmin after they die. I'm pretty sure this is someone else's."
As the three males inspected the spacecraft, Sumia sighed and seated herself on a tree stump. "If only there was some way I could help." she said to herself.
Wait. Tree stump?
Sumia stood up and turned. Yes, this was definitely a tree stump. This didn't look at all like a branch of the large tree they stood on; this was a different type of tree altogether, somehow growing on top of another tree. But how?
"Maybe... someone planted it?" Sumia turned to the spacecraft.
"Uh, Captain Falcon!"
The captain turned his head. "What is it?"
"I found a stump-like object! Did any of the Smashers have the power to plant trees?"
"Plant trees?" Falcon raced over and inspected it. "This... this is definitely from the Villager!"
Chrom stared. "Uh, a villager? What village are we speaking of?"
"Nevermind that, we have clues!"
Alph walked over. "But why would he plant a tree here?"
Falcon thought for a second. "Well... he was planning to use this technique in the tournament where he quickly grows a tree and chops it down so that it falls on the opponent."
"Meaning he was trying to attack something? But what?"
Alph turned to Chrom. He and Sumia was looking behind Alph, petrified.
"What?" Alph demanded.
Chrom gulped. "Uh, don't overreact, but-"
"G-giant chicken blob thing!" Sumia yelped.
Alph turned to see a transparent, gelatinous creature. It stood on two legs and had a hole through the general area of the torso. Inside of the creature floated a small man in a spacesuit and a boy in a red shirt.
"Oh, yippee." Alph groaned. "I thought I got rid of you."
"W-what is this thing, kid?" Falcon asked.
"This is the being that kidnapped Olimar when I first came to this planet. This is the Plasm Wraith."