Fourth Intermission
Part 2: Millennium Door (5th Visit)
Mayor Dour was surprisingly anything but dour when Edd and his friends, now including Vivian and Kevin, explained the truth of the situation to him in Twilight Town's main plaza, just outside of his residence.
"I still can't believe that the Eddward who returned from the steeple the first time was a phony… We were all fooled," he lamented. "On behalf of Twilight Town, after all you've done for us, all we can do is offer our humblest apologies. I do hope we didn't hurt your feelings."
"Well, at the very least, that facsimile and his crimes were exposed; he relinquished the Ruby Crystal Star to us, and no one shall be, erm, transformed into swine anymore," Edd replied, managing a sincere smile.
"Thanks to you all, a bright ray of light shall shine on our dim little town," Mayor Dour explained. "Metaphorically speaking, of course. Twilight Town extends its most sincere thanks to you lot!"
"Yeah, thanks, everyone," Freddy added, in a less monotone voice. "I was sick and tired of squealing and rolling around in slop, and that was only after five minutes of quite literally being a pig."
"About that. How does Wilfred do it every day, Rolf?" Jimmy inquired, with regards to a pig's lifestyle.
"Ask no questions of the subject, Boy Jimmy," Rolf immediately replied.
"So, um… Double-D? Where do we go with that Crystal Star?" Vivian inquired.
"To the chamber beneath Rogueport where the Thousand-Year Door resides," Edd replied.
Vivian gulped nervously at this. "Th-Thousand-Year Door?"
"Is something the matter, Vivian?" Edd inquired.
"Oh, um… sorry, it-it's nothing," Vivian replied timidly.
"Ah yes, and on behalf of all of us here, I wish you all nothing but the best," Mayor Dour told them. "Until we meet again!"
"Indeed, farewell, Twilight Town!" Edd exclaimed.
The band of heroes exchanged goodbyes with the grateful, if not monotonous, citizenry of Twilight Town before making their way back to the strange pipe leading to Rogueport Sewers, with everyone (especially Jimmy) all too eager to leave the perpetual dusk behind and return to actual daylight. Before anyone could climb atop the pipe, the collective sounds of the chiptune Super Mario World title music and the main theme of Ed, Edd n Eddy simultaneously emitted from Mario's Mailbox SP and Edd's laptop, respectively, signaling another e-mail alert. Mario and Edd opened their respective devices to check these new messages, and Edd discovered that in addition to a message from Marie, there was another one addressed to Eddy from Lee. Mario read his message first, from Princess Peach:
"My dear Mario, I've finally learned what the treasure is behind the Thousand-Year Door. To my horror, we've discovered that the treasure is actually the spirit of a thousand-year-old demon!"
This elicited a collective series of gasps from the band of heroes.
"D-d-d-demon?!" Jimmy quavered, scared.
"A demon?" Edd inquired.
"A… a demon?" Vivian asked nervously.
"Mamma-mia!" Mario gasped. He kept reading:
"These X-Nauts are planning to resurrect this millennium-old wraith and use its power to rule the world! It's to this end that they are hunting the Crystal Stars so they can open the Thousand-Year Door. Also, ironically, it's only the Crystal Stars themselves that can keep it locked away! No matter what, you must not let these foul X-Nauts get the Crystal Stars! Please, Mario… whether you or one of your friends is the legendary hero they keep referring to, no matter what, you must put a stop to their horrible plans! I will contact you again when I can. – Princess Peach."
"So wait- there's no cash behind that door?" Eddy groaned. "What a rip!"
"Eddy, focus!" Edd interrupted. "Mario? Could this be true?"
"I don't-a know," Mario replied. "But I trust-a Princess-a Peach."
"So what did Kanker tell ya this time, Sockhead?" Eddy asked haughtily.
"Ah, yes," Edd replied. He opened Marie Kanker's message to him and read out loud:
"Yo, Oven Mitt! You still missin' me down there, dreamy? Anyway, things are gettin' pretty crazy here. First off, the so-called 'treasure' behind the door is the soul of an old demon. But that's not even the biggest news from me! Get this – May busted out!"
"Oh, my! May's escaped her ensconcement!" Edd gasped.
"Eep!" Jimmy squeaked. He remembered well his encounters with the Kanker Sisters, especially the time they tried to force him to eat a worm as well as their superstorm-like rampage through the cul-de-sac.
Edd kept reading: "I still don't know how she got out, but she might be where you are, so keep an eye out. Just make sure she don't try to steal ya from me! Anyways, since May busted out, I think these X-feebs're gonna step up their game, so watch yourself, Dreamboat. Don't want that handsome face to get all messed up for me to kiss. On a more serious note, please, please, please stay alive. No tellin' what these feebs'll do. Miss ya, Oven Mitt! – Marie Kanker."
"How'd she get out, Double-D? Do you know?" Jimmy asked nervously.
"I don't know, Jimmy, but we should keep an eye out for her," Edd reminded him.
"Yeah, can we head back to Rogueport before we go to the door?" Nazz asked. "I really want to see the sun shining again."
"That's not a bad idea, Nazz," Edd concurred. "We'll rest for a short while in Rogueport before we return to the door."
XXX000XXX000XXX
"Man, it feels good to see the sun shining again," Nazz remarked.
The band of heroes met up in Rogueport Square after a short rest and a snack at Podley's. Each of them was elated to feel the brightness and warmth of the sun upon them again – though Vivian had a mixed aura of unease and relief.
"Yeah, even I gotta admit, that perpetual darkness thing was takin' a toll on me," Kevin mused. "So, Nazz, where is it you said you and Double-D washed up?"
"Over by the harbor," Nazz replied. "That's where we met Mario, Goombella, and those X-Naut jerks."
"Our sailboat – or rather, what remains of it – is still docked ashore, as well," Edd noted.
"Whoa, really? That little old thing held up in the storm?" Kevin asked incredulously.
"Surprisingly yes, Kevin," Edd replied as he led the heroes back to the pipe outside Frankly's house.
"I was asking Nazz, but yeah, okay," Kevin snarked.
"So what now, Sockhead?" Eddy groaned impatiently.
"We return to the Thousand-Year Door with the Ruby Star to reveal the location of the next Star," Edd replied. "Shall we?"
XXX000XXX000XXX
It didn't take long for the heroes to return to the hall of the Thousand-Year Door. Vivian gasped in horror and nervousness at the sight of the door, while Kevin folded his arms and approached the door slowly, looking up and down at its design.
"So this is that Thousand-Year Door thing you were talkin' about?" he asked.
"The one and only, Kev," Nazz replied.
"Hmph," Kevin scoffed in reply. "Looks kinda moldy. Like the gravy-brained dork."
"Hey! Shovelchin! Only I'm allowed to talk about Ed like that!" Eddy growled angrily.
"And what're you gonna do about it, Dorky?" Kevin taunted.
Eddy balled his hands into fists, gearing up to punch Kevin for taunting his lost friend. "Why, you little-!"
"Eddy, please! Control yourself!" Edd chided, trying to quell the tension. "I miss Ed as much as you do, but the last thing we need is more drama and senseless barbarism among the ranks."
Eddy and Kevin turned and walked away from each other, grumbling. Edd pulled out the Ruby Crystal Star from his backpack and offered it to Vivian.
"Vivian, would you care to do the honors?" he asked.
"N-No!" she yelled abruptly. She began breathing heavily and quickly, as if she were having a panic attack.
"What?" Edd asked worriedly, eliciting a glare from Rolf.
"I-I mean… it-it's better if… if you do it," she quavered.
"Um… v-very well, then, if you insist," Edd replied uneasily. "Mario, join me, if you'll please."
Edd and Mario approached the center of the podium as the other heroes gathered around them. Simultaneously, Edd held up the Ruby Star and Mario held up the map. The same light show appeared again, illuminating the same ancient designs, enough to make even Kevin marvel at the sight, while Vivian recoiled. When the ritual finished, Mario's map revealed a new location with a blue flash.
"Hmm…" Edd mused, examining the map with his magnifying glass alongside Mario. "It seems the next Crystal Star is located on a deserted island far out to sea."
"Mamma-mia, that-a means we'd-a need a boat of-a some kind-a to get there," Mario added.
"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Eddy grumbled sarcastically.
"But what is that location?" Edd inquired.
"Uh, 'Deserted Island,' Sockhead?" Eddy quipped.
"Let's ask Professor Frankly, as usual," Goombella suggested.
"Good call, Goombella," Edd concurred.
He then chanced a glance at Vivian, who appeared quite fearful still, as if an omen of foreboding was in the air; and then at Rolf, whose glare never faltered.
If only I knew what troubled her so about this door, he thought to himself. In addition, why does Rolf continue to despise her so?
XXX000XXX000XXX
"WH-WH-WHAAAAAAAT?!"
This was the reaction of Professor Frankly when Edd told him what he had heard, especially about the demon that apparently rested behind the Thousand-Year Door.
"That's what Princess Peach wrote in her e-mail?" Frankly continued, flabbergasted. "The legendary treasure is really the soul of an ancient demon, and those fiends aim to utilize the power of the Crystal Stars to bring it back to life?"
"I'm afraid that is, in fact, what we've learned, Professor Frankly," Edd replied.
"Bone-chilling, this is," Frankly shuddered. "However, most unfortunately, this information does seem to be consistent with what I've uncovered…"
"Well, c'mon, Prof, give it up!" piped up Eduardo Jr. "What'd ya find out?"
"Yeah, make like a canary and sing!" Eddy grumbled.
"Impatient, I see," Frankly mused. "Well, this is rather long, so you'd best listen well…"
Frankly cleared his throat and took a deep breath before continuing:
"The great cataclysm that I read about in the book may very well refer to this demon… The legends state that a terrifying monster of shadow wrought havoc and destruction on a large city that once stood on this very area, where Rogueport now sits. It goes on to tell that the seven Crystal Stars, ironically enough, were actually created by this ancient evil..."
Jimmy let out an "Eep!" as he shivered with terror, a sentiment somewhat shared by Vivian.
"Ahem, AND that this demon used the power of the Crystal Stars to seize control over the entire world!" Frankly continued.
"Mamma-mia!" Mario gasped.
"Oh, my!" Edd gasped.
"That's messed up, man," Kevin groaned.
"According to this book, in the end, this demon was defeated and sealed away by four heroes," Frankly went on. "Unfortunately, only the beast's physical form was eradicated… Its dark spirit lingered. As a last resort, the heroes utilized the Crystal Stars they had stolen from the demon, and with their power, they cast the evil beast into the depths of a vast labyrinth, and sealed the exit."
Frankly paused as he studied the looks of awe and terror (and in Kevin's case, slight cynicism) on their faces.
"From this text, I gather that the Crystal Stars cannot differentiate between that which is good and that which is evil," he told them. "So once all seven are reunited, they could either seal away the demon, or they could resurrect the demon."
"From your description, this is essentially like Schrödinger's Cat," Edd observed. "Put simply, we ourselves will not know the true purpose of the Crystal Stars until we've gathered all seven."
"Precisely," Frankly concurred. "Whether the Crystal Stars are used for good or for evil depends on the hearts of those who wield their power."
"Yeah, like, based on that, couldn't it also be possible that we shouldn't be gathering the Crystal Stars?" inquired Nazz. "Even if we did find all of them, someone like the X-Nauts could just up and snatch 'em all to bring back this demon!"
Almost immediately, everyone who knew Eddy all too well shot him a nasty glare.
"What?!" he griped. "Hey, I ain't interested in bringin' back a demon! That's more up Burr-head's alley, anyway, with that stupid Evil Tim thing."
"I still have bad dreams about that," Jimmy quavered. "Sarah had to buy me a new Mr. Yum Yum."
"Aunt Nazz might have a point," Eduardo piped up. "If what you're sayin' is true beans, Prof, then maybe we should just stomp the heck out of 'em and throw the pieces in the garbage!"
"That was my first thought, too, young Yoshi, believe me. Further research, however, suggests that cannot be done," Frankly observed. "Admittedly, rather hasty thinking, that was. The possibility is slim but likely that the seal on the Thousand-Year Door is weakening."
"Weakening? How?" Goombella inquired.
"Well, Goombella, the Crystal Stars possess the power to seal away the beast, but for a millennium," Frankly replied. "Once a thousand years pass, the power that keeps the door sealed shut tight will fail. Unfortunately, this very year may well be that thousandth year. Hmph, talk about bad luck, huh?"
Almost everyone recoiled at this revelation. Eddy, however, complained, "Bad luck's always our luck, huh, Sockhead?"
"Focus, Eddy!" Edd fired back. "Please continue, Professor."
"So the fact that these X-Naut goons now want the Stars may be coincidence… then again, perhaps not," Frankly went on. "Even if the X-Nauts fail in their ultimate goal, we must nevertheless be prepared for the ancient demon's return."
"Well, what're we waitin' for?" Eduardo called. "Let's go get those Stars before those X-knobs do!"
"Indeed," Edd stated. "Mario, if you'll please produce the map?"
Mario immediately produced the Magical Map so that Frankly could decipher the location of the next Crystal Star. The Goomba professor immediately produced his glasses and took note of the far-off island that had been revealed on the ancient map.
"Well, according to this map… it is located on a jungle island out to sea, known to be the basis of many vicious rumors. Vengeful spirits full of hatred, evil curses, the usual stuff," Frankly told them. "The sea salts down by the harbor might know more than I do; perhaps you would have better luck asking them."
"Yeah, yeah, what's that place called?" Kevin complained.
"The known stronghold of pirates, the graveyard of ships," Frankly responded. "Keelhaul Key!"
"Hm?!" Jimmy perked up with realization. "Keelhaul Key? I've heard about that place!"
Everyone looked at Jimmy expectantly and quizzically.
"Is this true, one-is-a-lonely-number Jimmy?" Rolf inquired. "Speak to Rolf. Where has the pale one learned of this Keelhaul Key?
"It was a while ago, the night before we left for Glitzville," Jimmy began…
FLASHBACK
"Wowie, this… this is a rather interesting gem," Jimmy said, now looking at the gem through a specialized lens commonly used by jewelers to determine the value and authenticity of high-class jewelry. "Is this… skull made of real ruby?"
"Abso-tootch-ly! Flavio thanks you for the compliment," Flavio responded pompously.
"How many karats?" asked Jimmy.
"Search me, kid. This is a priceless heirloom passed down through my family for generations," replied Flavio.
"Hmm… Interesting," Jimmy responded. "Where is it from originally?" It seems rather gaudy to me.
"'Twas quite the tale, truthfully," said Flavio. "Not to brag, but this priceless gem was procured by my ancestor, the great Flamenco Lambada, as a memento of his grand battle with the dreaded king of the pirates, Fernancito Cortez!"
"Oh, my!" gasped Jimmy, his eyes wide as saucers.
"Yes, quite the tale it was!" Flavio boasted. "Flamenco and Cortez engaged in a fierce duel to the death, for the rights to his grand wealth and treasure! Aye, it was a fierce fight, but Flamenco, my gallant ancestor, bested the fearsome pirate king, amassing riches of unspeakable fortune, among them this ruby skull!" Flavio held up the ruby skull gem again so that Jimmy could see.
"Just like Errol Flynn!" Jimmy marveled. "Or Johnny Depp."
"Of course, Flamenco did not plunder all of the treasure," Flavio continued. "However, he did surely amass enough to make my family as wealthy as we are today. It is because of him that Flavio is the richest man in all of Rogueport!"
"So what became of this fearsome Cortez?" asked Jimmy, somewhat annoyed by Flavio's incessant boasting.
"Ah, yes, that once-grand king of the pirates sailed away in disgrace, back to his hideout on Keelhaul Key!" Flavio boasted. "Though not without swearing vengeance and retribution upon those who seek to plunder what remains of his fabled treasure! And now, Flavio leaves you all for the night. Ta-ta!"
END FLASHBACK
"And that's what I remember," Jimmy concluded.
"Most informative, Jimmy," Edd agreed. "Based on this, it would seem that this Flavio, for all of his narcissism, may very well hold the key to transporting us to this Keelhaul Key."
"Let's-a go meet-a with him, then, shall we?" Mario suggested.
"Yeah, and maybe grab some more grub, too," Kevin added.
"And some R and R. I need my beauty sleep," Eddy added.
"You'd need about a thousand years of it, dork," Kevin retorted.
"Oh, shut up, Shovelchin," Eddy fired back.
"Please, fellows, not here, and not now," Edd admonished them. "We'll rest at Mr. Podley's place, and if Flavio is there, we'll speak with him."
"Hey, I'm game," Nazz said.
Everyone turned to leave the professor's house and return to Podley's, with Koops asking Jimmy about Mr. Yum Yum. Edd, however, remained behind with Vivian and Eduardo, as he still had one more issue on his mind.
"Pardon me, Professor, but I have one more request to ask of you," Edd told the professor.
"Ah, yes, do please, ask away, young scholar," Frankly said.
"If you would, please, let us know if you see one of our, erm, acquaintances, whom we believe to be somewhere in town as of recently."
"Who might this acquaintance of yours be, if I may ask?" the professor inquired.
"She's a young girl, about twelve or thirteen years of age, moderate height, long blond hair, abnormally large front teeth, and wearing a gray T-shirt and red shorts, answers to the name May Kanker," Edd explained to him.
"Well, of course, I suppose I can do that," Frankly said.
"Thank you, Professor," Edd said.
"C'mon, Dad, can we go now?" Eduardo moaned.
"Ah, yes, of course," said Edd. "Shall we?"
XXX000XXX000XXX
Everyone returned to Podley's to find it moderately crowded for the dinner rush. Fortunately, Jimmy managed to spot Flavio at his usual table, and directed the group over to him.
"Jimmy, Mario, perhaps it's best that the three of us be the ones to speak with him," Edd noted.
"Okey-dokey, Double-D," Mario noted.
"Heh, last time I heard that was from Monobrow during a dodgeball game," Eddy grumbled to himself.
This was ignored by everyone else as they took some open seats at the counter and the tables, with Eddy and Kevin making sure to sit as far away from each other as possible as Edd, Jimmy, and Mario approached Flavio.
"Mr. Flavio!" Jimmy called.
Flavio turned to face the trio that approached him.
"Ah! The little boy from the other night!" Flavio greeted Jimmy boisterously. "Who may these fellows be that flank you?"
"Ah, yes, my name's Eddward, and this is Mario," Edd responded, indicating Mario and himself. "And I understand you've met Jimmy here."
"Yes, him I remember, kiddy-o," Flavio laughed. "I regaled him with the tale of my ancestor Flamenco Lambada's conquest over the fearsome Fernancito Cortez, the disgraced pirate king of Keelhaul Key."
"That's why we're here, Mr. Flavio," Jimmy noted. "Double-D?"
"But first, allow me to introduce myself to those whose acquaintance I've not yet made," the businessman bragged, inciting an eye-roll from Jimmy. "I am called Flavio. I am, how you say, a trader, and the richest man in Rogueport!"
"Don't let Eddy hear this guy, Double-D," Jimmy whispered to Edd.
"My motto, as was that of my ancestor, is that monetary wealth gives me freedom, and freedom gives me wealth of spirit!" Flavio proclaimed, rather melodramatically. "And yet, I ask myself, day by day, why is it that a man who lives an unchained life must always long for yet more? What is missing from my life? I must know before my insides become completely torn!"
"Mr. Flavio, you said that when your ancestor beat Cortez, he took that ruby skull of yours as a keepsake, right?" Jimmy asked.
"That's correct, o inquisitive little one," Flavio replied.
"But that he didn't take all of the treasure, too, right?" Jimmy added.
"Yes…?" Flavio inquired, raising an eyebrow.
"You asked what was missing from your life, Mr. Flavio," Jimmy added. "I mean, what do you do all day?"
At this, Flavio stroked his chin in thought. "Hmmm…"
"I mean, besides brag about yourself, like someone else we know," Jimmy continued. "Maybe what you need is an adventure, like your ancestor! Think of the thrills! Maybe that's what's missing!"
"Thrills, you say? Well, I suppose one does need some thrills every now and then to combat the mundane," Flavio agreed. "Yes, nothing like the feeling of being alone on a snowy mountain, freezing to death…"
"You're thinking of chills, Mr. Flavio!" Edd groaned. "What you need are thrills, not chills!"
"AH!" Flavio exclaimed. "Yes! Hold your horses, that's it! That is the answer! To continue my ancestor's treasure-hunting legacy big hunting the remaining treasure of Fernancito Cortez, the disgraced pirate king of Keelhaul Key! Oh, such happiness for me! That just shrieks of thrills, and rrrrrromance and emotion and even money!"
"Did someone say money?!" Eddy bragged, abruptly joining the conversation.
"Eddy!" Edd chided. "Have you truly been eavesdropping?!"
"I wasn't listenin' until I heard the word 'money,' Sockhead," Eddy retorted.
"Of course, many have ventured out in search of the loot. Scoundrels and ruffians alike," Flavio continued. "But apart from Flamenco Lambada, none who've ventured there have ever returned!"
"Jumpin' Jehoshophat!" Jimmy exclaimed.
"Oh, my," Edd added.
"Mamma-mia," Mario mused.
"Indeed, the horror of it makes my spine tingle," Flavio went on. "It's said that those who seek the treasure are attacked by the vengeful spirit of Cortez himself. Eek! It's due to these very rumors that people no longer journey to Keelhaul Key."
"Aw, gee, what a shame," Eddy mused sarcastically before muttering "bunch of sissies" under his breath.
"But Flavio shall be no sissy!" Flavio regaled. "That treasure still remains! I shall disprove all those naysayers who have written off the treasure of Keelhaul Key as mere myth! For I am Flavio, trader, extraordinaire, millionaire, sailor of the seven seas!"
"M-m-m-m-millionaire?!" Eddy exclaimed, dollar signs in his eyes.
"Well, ahem, speaking of treasure… we are actually in search of a treasure ourselves, one that's said to rest here in Rogueport," Edd told him.
"What's that, now?" Flavio gasped. "You are also on a treasure hunt? Right here in Rogueport?"
"Yep! And I'm- I mean we're gonna be rich like you, weird guy!" Eddy boasted.
"Why do you talk such craziness?" Flavio questioned. "There isn't anything like that in this dull armpit of a town. You truly cannot believe every treasure-related rumor you hear from every street urchin. No, no, no, a thousand times no."
"Forget him, Sockhead. What does he know about adventure?" Eddy griped to Edd. "I mean, he probably doesn't even have a boat. He's probably all talk and no oomph."
"Hm, perhaps you're right, Eddy," Edd added, catching on to Eddy's sarcasm. "I bet Mr. Flavio here doesn't even have a map like we do, right, Mario?"
"Excuse-ez-moy?" Flavio mispronounced. "What is this nonsense that continues to burst forth from your mouths? You have a treasure map, you say? Well, hand it over- er, I mean, show it to me this instant!"
"Go on, Mr. Mario, show him," Jimmy said to the plumber.
Immediately, Mario produced the map and allowed Flavio, Jimmy, Eddy, and Edd a closer look.
"You must be joking! This map- it leads straight to Keelhaul Key!" Flavio exclaimed, flabbergasted. "You swine! You plan to steal my treasure out from under me, don't you, you awful little man?!"
"You bet I do!" Eddy fired back.
"Pardon?! That's merely a misunderstanding! We're not after treasure!" Edd protested. "We're only looking for a Crystal Star said to be located there!"
"Well, now I'm confused," Flavio inquired. "You say you are searching not for treasure, but for artifacts known as Crystal Stars?"
"That's-a correct, Signor Flavio," Mario grumbled.
"I see your point about this man, Jimmy," Edd whispered to the pale boy.
"But now that I think about it… In Cortez's treasure hoard, there was said to be a stone in the shape of a star," Flavio revealed. "Hmm… Perhaps if it were to be found, I could sell it for cash!"
"HEY! If anyone's sellin' treasure for cash, it's gonna be me! GOT IT, PURPLE-WIG?!" Eddy screamed angrily. "Why, I oughta-"
Fortunately, Mario covered Eddy's mouth and dragged him back to the rest of the group, while Edd and Jimmy remained at Flavio's table.
"My apologies," Edd told Flavio as Mario returned. "Eddy doesn't have a filter between his head and his mouth."
"No worries," Flavio told him. "Flavio was momentarily distracted by the thought of increased riches. What Flavio needs is romance, thrills, and emotion. What this business before me suggests, I cannot ignore. Why, this must be fate at work! Yes, Flavio shall join you on the grand voyage to Keelhaul Key!"
"That's-a great, Signor Flavio!" Mario proclaimed.
"Indeed! Thank you kindly, Mr. Flavio," Edd said.
"Just like Errol Flynn and Johnny Depp!" Jimmy proclaimed.
"Of course, the Crystal Star shall be yours, yes! But the rest of the treasure shall be mine!" Flavio elaborated.
"Just one question: How will we get there?" Jimmy inquired. "We don't have a ship!"
"Indeed, Jimmy, you raise an interesting point," Edd concurred. "My small sailboat, damaged as it may be, simply cannot make this long voyage, let alone transport a crew of twelve all at once."
"Huh? Please, you must repeat that for Flavio, as his ears were plugged," Flavio piped up. "You lack a ship?"
"Regrettably so," Edd responded.
"Ha! Ha ha ha ha!" Flavio guffawed. "Oh, you jest! Please, I am Flavio, the richest man in Rogueport! I will have a ship ready in no time! It'll be massive, and glorious!"
"Let's-a do it!" Mario exclaimed.
"Splendid, splendid!" Flavio boasted. "I shall volunteer myself as the intrepid leader of the expedition; you, with the mustache, and you with the, erm… hat, shall be co-captains! We shall make preparations first thing tomorrow morning."
"Why tomorrow?" Jimmy asked.
"It's getting quite late, my good sir," Flavio replied. "It's dangerous to be out at sea during the night. And besides, Flavio's famished."
"So am I," Jimmy added. "Let's eat."
Jimmy and Mario rejoined the rest of their group, while Edd turned to Flavio.
"Thank you again, Mr. Flavio," he told the pompous businessman.
"Of course, of course," Flavio said as Edd later rejoined his friends.
XXX000XXX000XXX
It was almost ten o'clock at night, and everyone had returned to their temporary lodging at Podley's. The arrangements were slightly different; Edd, Eddy, Eduardo Junior, and Jimmy shared a room; Kevin bunked with Rolf, Koops, and Mario; while Nazz, Goombella, and Madame Flurrie reluctantly allowed Vivian to room with them. Edd was sitting at the table in the center of his room, typing his reply to Marie Kanker's email, much to Eddy's irritation:
"To Marie Kanker:
"May escaped?! That's incredible! And you and your fellow captives had deduced that an evil force is what resides beyond the Thousand-Year Door? I must say, these recent events will greatly assist in solving the ancient mysteries of this world. I urge you to keep up the good work, and I implore you to remain safe, along with Lee and Princess Peach. If May is indeed here in Rogueport, I shall keep my eyes peeled. Look out for each other and yourselves, now.
Sincerely, Eddward."
"And, send," Edd stated to himself as he clicked the button to send his reply.
"There, you sent your stupid email, now can we go to sleep?" Eddy grumbled.
"Not until you respond to Lee," Edd chided firmly.
"What's with you, Sockhead? After what she and her sisters always do to us? No way! She doesn't deserve to talk to me!"
"Eddy! She is being held against her will! The least you can do is acknowledge her."
"Urgh… fine," Eddy grumbled. Edd climbed out of the chair as Eddy sat down in front of the laptop and begrudgingly began typing a response to Lee.
In need of some fresh air, Edd left the room. No one else was awake besides himself and Eddy; they had become exhausted as a result of the events in Twilight Town. Soon, they would be shipping out overseas with Flavio to Keelhaul Key for the next Crystal Star; all they needed was a ship and a proper crew. The excitement on Flavio's face had become obvious at the prospect of a seafaring treasure hunt. He was a truly odd fellow, to say the least.
End of Part Two