Paper Mario X
Chapter 34: The Tuna Whale
The heroes stood outside the house of the toy box. Muskular floated next to them.
"Phew! Ah…fresh air! After being coped up in there so long I could really use the outdoor exercise. My name is Muskular. Mario, I must thank you for saving me. Now it's my turn to help you…"
Mario sighed as the Star Spirit gave him the power to use Chill Out, like he was ever going to use it. His Star Power increased up to 4, though. More chances to use Star Storm. Just as the Star Spirit went to leave, Twink wailed out Mario's name. Everyone became alert. When Twink came, it was awfully important. This time was no exception...
"Mario! Mario! I have news…news from the castle!" Before Twink could explain anything, he noticed Muskular right next to him. "GASP! Honorable Star Spirit!"
"Hi! Hmmmmm…I believe you are…Twink, no?" the Star Spirit asked. "You're that youngster who just recently ascended from Starborn Valley up to Star Haven."
Twink was bewildered. A Star Spirit knew who he was. "WHAT!? You remember my name?"
"Ha ha ha! Why, of course I do! We're like family!"
"I…I…I'm so touched!" A select few snickered at his reaction.
"Ho ho ho! Don't make such a fuss lad. I'm sure you'll go on to do great things! I must make my leave now. Goodbye Twink, Mario…" Twink sighed in happiness as Muskular returned to the sky. He then remembered why he came and turned to everyone.
"Wow! I talked with Muskular, the honorable Star Spirit! I rarely have such a chance, even at Star Haven! I'm shaking!" Twink gaped.
"uh, weren't you here to tell us something a little important?" Samus asked, with her foot tapping.
"oops, I'm sorry! I have some really important news from the castle."
"Is it good or bad?" Kirby wondered. Twink cringed.
"A little of both…according to information Princess Peach, Princess Zelda, and I got …it seems that one of the honorable Star Spirits is being held at Mt. Lavalava on Lavalava Island."
"That's good…what's bad?" cautiously pondered Link.
"Well, Sonic is heard to be on that island after an excessive amount of running…"
"SONIC?!?!"
"Oh my goodness…"
"He's alive!"
"Let's go!"
"Wait!" Twink cried, a little shaky. "He's okay now…but ever since the boss guarding the Star Spirit found out he was a friend of yours, he's going to throw him into the volcano and well…I think you know the rest…"
Once again, hearts were stopped except Link's; his went twice as fast.
"What are we doing here then? We have to find him ASAP! C'mon! Hurry! We HAVE TO GO!!! This is the last chance we have and this time, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO MISS HIM AGAIN!" Link howled.
"Link! I know this is an urgent time, but you really need to calm down. Panicking isn't going to save him…" Bombette soothed.
"I know…"
"You wouldn't believe what the princesses had to go through to get this information…I hope it will be of help…"
"OF COURSE IT WAS YOU IMBECILE!!! YOU JUST TOLD US SONIC IS GOING TO DIE!!! DON'T YOU THINK THAT'S A LITTLE EXTREME?!?!"
Twink frowned. "That's the same way Zelda yelled at me when I innocently told her the same thing…" Link's face softened up. "You and Zelda must be very alike if you both do that…"
"I'm sorry…Grr…"
"I'm going to rejoin with the girls now…poor Amy…Mario, as always, good luck!" And with that, Twink flew away. Link was on the verge of a seizure.
"Okay! How do we get to this Island?" Samus stated urgently.
Mario told everyone to calm down, and that they were going to give Tayce T. her cookbook on the way to the port. It would be most likely they would have a boat there anyway. Link panickly agreed and rushed everyone off. At Tayce T.'s Mario gave her the cookbook, and she was so excited she made something that took Link's mind briefly off Sonic…the legendary Jelly Ultra…
"Oh my…" he gasped as the Shroom was placed into his hands. It was more beautiful than he could have ever imagined. The light gleamed against the jelly, really bringing out the green in the Ultra Shroom. Link's mouth watered thinking about the pure taste. His daydreaming was interrupted by Kirby.
"Aren't you going to eat it?" Kirby wondered hungrily.
Link prepared to chomp off a huge bite, but then had second thoughts.
"As much as I would LOVE to…I'm serious…I'm going to save it for when I need it," Link explained, wrapping it in velvet, placing it into a high-protection box, and slipping it into the bag. Mario gave a nod and headed for the port after the deed was done. When they reached the port, Link started to worry about Sonic again.
"Quick! Where's the boat? MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH!"
"Stop screaming Link! You're hurting the ears I don't have!" Goombario hissed. Link was too mad and upset to hold back; he just whipped out his sword and started swinging absentmindedly at Goombario.
"Anyone got a tranquilizer dart?"
"Knock it off Link!" Kirby called. "Hey…I see Kolorado!"
"Kolorado?" Kooper shrieked.
Hey! Kolor!" Kirby called. Kolorado turned around.
"good day, dear boy! Nice see you too, lad." Kirby and Kooper beamed. He then glanced to Mario.
"hmmm? Who am I, you say? Why, my dear old chap, I am none other than Kolorado, famous adventurer and archeologist! I'm touring the world! And you're Mario yes? What are you doing here?"
"We were going to ask you the same thing…" Samus pointed out.
"You don't remember us?" Parakarry chirped.
"I, for one, am traveling bravely to Lavalava Island in the southern sea to solve a diabolical mystery! It would seem there are ancient treasures waiting in a volcanic cave." Kolorado explained, ignoring Parakarry.
"Oh great. He's going to be there too!" Link grunted.
"I'm in a bit of a fix though. No way to get there, you see. Hmmm…think now Kolorado! How to cross the sea…" Kolorado got lost in thought. Only Kirby and Kooper didn't seem to be disappointed in his going to the island too. Mario pondered deeply too, until he stepped off the dock. Fortunately, he landed on a light sea green/ blue platform.
"Spin Jump on it, and see if something happens!" Watt suggested. Mario didn't think of that, but it was worth a try. He jumped, then flipped, causing the platform to shake them all off in pain.
"Ouch! Yeowch! What are you doing?" the platform cried. It swam over to Mario, revealing it was actually a whale.
"Oh good heavens! I was wondering what this was! It seems to be a huge tuna!" Kolorado exclaimed.
Link leaned over to Kooper. "You might want to find a new role model…"
"No way! It's going to take something bigger than mistaking a whale for a large tuna to get me a new hero!" Kooper retorted, folding his arms and looking stubborn.
"Oooog…I'm not a tuna. I'm a whale." the whale explained. "…and I have problems!" everyone put on disgusted faces.
"What kind of problems!" Kirby asked freakishly.
"It feels like something's jumping around in my belly!"
"GAH!"
"Ow ow ow…help me!"
"I'm too freaked out at the moment…can you leave a message?"
Kolorado spoke up. "hmm…I say…old Boy, this great tuna seems to have a bit of a bellyache. Mario, what do you say you lend the fish a hand, eh?"
"Ugh…I told you, I'm not a tuna…I'm not even a fish…And I have a headache from your jumping around on me too! Do you think you could check my belly? I'm begging you, please…"
Samus reeled back. "I've seen gross things, and I'm not adding whale belly to my list! Besides, I don't want to accidentally become fish food!"
"No worries there!" Link tried to joke. "We could always give it a mushroom…"
"HEY!" shouted Goombario.
The whale opened its mouth and stuck out its tongue. Samus gagged. "I don't care. Go on without me! I might go mad and launch a missile into…something important…"
"Aw, you just don't want to get whale gunk on you-" Kirby tried to say, until all the females had a fit.
"Girls! So untough…it takes a man…" Link scoffed. Samus readied her blaster and called Link a sexist punk-hole. Link begged for forgiveness and did a curtsy to get off her bad side. She ended up laughing, but still didn't want to go in.
"I'm not going either! I don't want to ruin my bows…" Bow complained.
"Then I'm not going without Bow…" Kirby decided.
"It sounds gross! Sorry Link, I can handle Goombario throwing up on you, just not walking around in a stomach…" Bombette joined Samus, Bow, and Kirby.
"Anyone else?" Link wondered. Watt joined the crew. "Okay, we're left with Goombario, Kooper, Parakarry, and…Mario. That's gives us each a partner, and Goombario as a backup. Good luck, wimpolas!"
Link and Mario proudly stomped into the whale. Samus couldn't handle being shot down like that and grabbed Kirby. Kirby grabbed bow, and Bow grabbed Bombette. Watt floated behind Bombette because she didn't want to be left behind.
Inside the whale-
"Oh GREAT! It's dark in here!" Link complained. "But Watt chickened out…"
Suddenly, the mouth burst with light, with Samus holding Watt. Link smirked. "Couldn't take the insults?"
"Shut up. You used me!"
"Sure did!"
"Just take your Bomb…"
As Link took Bombette (after being rudely hit in the head with her), Bow gagged. "Urgh, Why did we have to light up the room? I don't want to see that wriggling tongue or that uvula…"
Kirby held her hand. "Just close your eyes…I'll guide you…"
The next part of the whale wasn't any better. Crates were floating around on the outside of a bridge being held by the rib cage. A strange spiky soft thing bounced its way up to Mario, now holding Watt. It took a look at Watt and winced.
"Joy! Another creature that hates light!" Kirby hurrahed.
"Wah! Who dat?" it screeched. "What d'you think doin' with dat light?"
Mario jumped on the thing, and the whole belly lit up. Next thing they knew, it was battle time!
"Hey, fella! You wanna piece o' this? You got it! I'm ornery as I'll get out! Prepare for some pain!"
Everyone laughed. "Aw, look at the wittle furry thing!"
Mario sent Watt to do elcetrodash, which gave the thing a good beating. Mario followed up with a jump. The Fuzzipede then inched onto of the ribs. Link and Bombette groaned and let Kirby and Bow go ahead of them. Bow, began to smack it, then Kirby pulled out his Final Cutter. The fuzzipede crawled back down and hit Bow in the head and crawled back to the hiding spot. Samus sent Parakarry (since Kooper was useless) to dive into him while she charged up a missile. Everyone yelped as it was let loose and burst the fuzzipede to bits. Samus grinned sheepishly as the whale shook around.
"I told you I would go mad…"
"Not now, Samus…"
The fuzzipede explained about his sad life, and then the whale called out to Mario.
"Mario! It's me! You know, the whale? That stomachache seems to have cleared right up! I feel fantastic!" The whale bellowed.
"That's dandy. Can we go now?" Samus whined.
"Yeah, we have a life to…I don't know…SAVE?" Link boomed.
Before he could yell anymore, the water in the whale started to grow, with Goombario accidentally swallowing some of it. He gagged and choked until he fell under the swishy waves. The rest of them stayed afloat except Samus, who was trying her best not to sink. Next thing they knew, they were on a water ride in the air and all landed perfectly on the ground. Goombario flopped around like a fish until he managed to get some air. Link stepped on him and all the water squirted out. A few flinched. Goombario grunted.
"Hey it's you boy! You're the dumb ol' fish that ate me all up and such!" the Fuzzipede hissed. "You plumb idiot! You know, I thought I was a goner for sure!"
"I'm awfully sorry. I was just having a nap with my mouth open," the whale explained.
"Well. I suppose I can see my way forgivin' you this time, but you just watch it!" the fuzzipede turned to Mario. "Er…I reckon I owe you some thanks, after all, Mr. Mustache. Y'all take care now." The little creature hopped away semi-dramatically.
"Whew! I feel so much better now! They should call you Dr. Mario!" Whale exclaimed. Mario laughed nervously. "There must be someway I can express my gratitude…I've got it! I, the tuna, am…um, wait…I mean…I, the whale, am very good at swimming."
"I would have never guessed," input Samus.
"By golly! I knew it was a tuna! It admitted it!" Kolorado squealed. "It's an incredible find, yes siree!"
"To express my thanks, I'll take you anywhere you want to go."
"Pardon the eavesdropping, but did you just say 'anywhere'?" Kolorado asked. "Mario! You old Tuna Tamer! Accompany me to the shores of Lavalava Island! What a trip it'll be! The island will be wonderful! You must trust my instincts!"
"What instincts?" Link whispered to Samus and Kirby and they snickered.
"Mario, um…" Watt started. "I think the Star Kid said a Star Spirit was…um, caught on the big Lavalava Island. We…um, we should go. Big Whale give us ride. Whee!" Everyone else raised eyebrows.
"Was she dropped on her head or something?"
"Kirby!"
"What?"
"Huh? Lavalava Island? Yes, of course I know where that is but…There's a big volcano on that island, and it's on the verge of erupting. Very dangerous…" Whale explained. Link's eyes could have fallen off his face.
"More the reason to get there now!" he yelped. The whale raised an eyebrow now.
"Do you still want to go?"
"YES! TAKE US NOW!!!!!"
"Link! Calm down!"
"I can't! This is all to extreme for me! Gah…"
He needed a good smack in the head from Samus, which sort of set him straight. He took deep breaths until Kirby handed him a paper bag. He was about to pop it; he was blowing it up with such force.
"Well…okay then. It's your call. Just let me know when you're ready to go," stated Whale.
Mario told it now, and they all hopped aboard.
"Gulp. Sure this is safe then? Make some room, hm?" Kolorado added as he jumped on at the last moment.
"Ok, We're off to Lavalava Island! The sea is calling!"
"I can't believe we're on a tuna," Kolorado babbled. "Mario, do you ever think about how strange life can be? I do."
"This is going ot be a loooooooong trip, I see..."
"Time to set whale for Sonic!"
"Oh Link…"
That chapter wasn't so bad...lacked a little action though. But that's what next week's chapter (and the ones after that) are for! Yay!
P.S. The part with the Ultra Shroom didn't really happen as far as I know...but I read it up somewhere and decided to throw it in there. Plays a very important part later on though... ;)
P.S.S. my goal this week is at least 80 reviews. Currently at 77... *^*