Paper Mario X
Chapter 49: Sewer Rats
"What a pleasure meeting you! My name is Klevar! Thank you for saving me," the Star Sprit explained back in Flower Fields. "Huff N. Puff is gone, so the flowers in Flower Fields can live peacefully once more. I feel that if you hadn't come, Flower Fields would have never seen the light again. Now there is only one of us Star Spirits still trapped. Just one more Mario!"
"Awesome!" squealed Kirby.
Klevar gave Mario more Star Power, and the new move, Time Out.
"Now you are able to use the power of six Star Spirits. If you use mine well, it should be extremely helpful in battle. Don't become overconfident though. You must be careful. Bowser has power as well. Remember that stronger enemies await you…I hope our powers may help you so you can help us…We're all depending on you!"
With those words, Klevar returned to his beloved Star Haven, and now the heroes had no clue to where they should've gone next. Wisterwood thanked Mario, and wished that he'd come visit again. Mario nodded and entered his "mouth" to go back to Toad Town.
"Okay. Now what do we do?" Samus asked. Twink hadn't returned in awhile, and the last time Peach escaped, she came up short on info. The heroes were without a trail. After some intense discussion, they all had where they were going. They decided to go see Merlon first, then check out the sewers for anything. With luck, the two tasks would be related.
"Oh! It's you! You came at such a good time!" Merlon gasped. "There's a guest waiting for you!"
He gestured toward the Ninji and Sonic cocked his head. The Ninji grinned.
"Nice to meet you! I come from Starborn Valley. Starborn Valley is in the Shiver region, a chilly place far to the north, at the very end of the north. Merle, who hails from there, said that he had something important to tell you Mario."
"Merle of Starborn Valley is my son, Mario…" Merlon added. "It seems he's calling for you. If he's searching for you, you can be sure something important is afoot. You must go to Starborn Valley! Do not delay!"
"Please hurry! I will run ahead and take tidings of you to Merle." Ninji quickly trotted out the door. Merlon continued to explain in the sewers was a pipe that led to Shiver City. Starborn Valley was located somewhere near there. Once that was out of the way, Merlon sent them off.
"Great. They were related!" cheered Kirby.
"Cool. Let's get going then," Sonic stated.
"Hey…where's Mario?" Samus wondered. Mario and the partners were gone.
They caught up with Mario a thousand pipes later to see the group pondering over a Super Block. Mario decided to let Lakilester become an Ultra Rank, only because Samus had a threat over his head.
"Now I feel like Goombario. When do I get to level up?" whined Kooper.
"You can level up next time!" Link decided. Sonic shook his head in disbelief as he retraced his steps up to a Spin Jump Pad. Mario hit it, and there were two ways to go: in some water, or through an archway. Sonic chose the archway with no questions asked. Mario shrugged, and went into a room where purple Goth Troopas were running around. The doorway was suddenly sealed by iron bars, and one Troopa went in to attack. Kirby wanted the first attack and started with his hammer. Bow followed with her Smack. The first died, but the second grinned evilly. Samus raised an eyebrow, and Power Punched. Lakilester used Spiny Flip. The Koopa still had a little HP left and used his dizzy attack. Mario was hit and suddenly got dizzy. Sonic glowered at the Dark Troopa as he slammed into it with his spinning form.
"Dang! We still have to fight that other one…" Kirby grunted while jumping over another oncoming shell. This time, there were three instead of two. Mario started with his quake hammer, and then Parakarry finished one off with a Sky Dive. The other two used their turn to stand up back up. Link continued with a sword slash. Bombette finished the last one off with her bomb.
"Why do you have to steal the spotlight?!?!" Kirby grunted.
"I didn't. I just went with the flow…" Link bragged.
A switch suddenly fell from the sky above Sonic and Sonic jumped out of the way just in time. Mario hit it with his hammer, making a pipe appear. Using natural instinct, Kirby jumped in with Bow, only to return a few moments later.
"Don't go down there. It leads all the way back to Bow's Mansion!" Kirby stated. "Which is awfully random…"
Mario bobbed his head up and down and led the group into the next room. On the other side was a Super Block, and after finding out where some invisible blocks were, they decided to give it to Kooper with Goombario going insane afterward. Another Ultra Ranker. The plumber went back to the room where they landed in, and told Sonic to bring Sushie forth. The hedgehog grumbled, but did so. Everyone else jumped onto Sushie as she carried them across. Once Sonic stepped eagerly on cement, a cry echoed throughout the underground.
"BLOOPER!"
"WHOA!" Sonic yelped while stumbling backward. A super blooper sighting has that effect on people.
"Now that is some sea food!" gaped Kirby.
Mario used his Power Jump first, followed up by a Shell Shot from Parakarry.
"My God! 70 HP?!" Goombario gawked.
"We bit off more than we could chew!" Link cried as Super Blooper attacked Mario. He nervously used his slash. Bombette waddled over and detonated. They were beating it good at this point. At least, until it hatched Blooper babies.
"Does that mean it's a girl?" Link asked himself while Kirby cut into its squishy skin. The aftermath wave forced the babies away. Blooper shrieked at the loss and looked them all dead in the face. It suddenly turned a fierce red, indicating it was furious. The gang cringed while it flashed. Samus helped with a missile; Lakilester ate some Maple Syrup. They prepared to defend the monster's attack, but instead it floated over to Sonic, dishing out seven then nine in the same move.
"Whoo…heh, he's pretty tough, ain't he?" Sonic wheezed. "…why did it attack me!?!?"
"Maybe it doesn't like you!" smirked Sushie from behind Kooper. Sonic threw a punch at her that barely missed her face.
"Wow. You need a good Super Shroom!" Bow noted, tossing said item to Sonic. It helped a little. Kirby grinned as Sonic plowed into it with a homing attack. His partner added to the pain with his shell. The Super Blooper was almost done for, but it still had some tricks up its tentacle. It created two more Blooper Babies, and Sonic was a bit afraid to wash them all away again. He shrugged and Mario used his Star Storm, making the babies die. Parakarry chugged some more Maple Syrup. Blooper continued its attack cycle by choosing this moment to get mad. Link knew it only had six left, so he performed one last Jab to get the job done before it could wipe out anyone.
"All right!" Sonic cheered. "Piece of cake!"
"Another switch!" pointed out Parakarry.
Mario saw it fall and rushed over to hit it. Another pipe appeared out of the ground, so it was ignored. Kirby led the team into the next area to see what was coming up. A can and a bottle were bobbing in the water, spikes were lined on an unreachable floor, and another Dark Koopa Troopa patrolled the area. When it struck, it was accompanied by two Spinies. The group took them out easily. Continuing, they passed another Goth Koopa, ventured to the next room, went into yet another room, jumped down a pipe, and reached a dead end.
"Oh great…now we're stuck!" Sonic complained.
"Not to mention lost…" added Watt.
"No problem. Bombette?" Link asked. Bombette nodded and set her fuse alight. Her explosion revealed a new room in the wall. Mario happily guided his gang through. On the other side was a man standing next to a table and chair. Bow recoiled at the sight, smell, and sound of the man. He looked like he was in the sewers his whole life. Mario asked for a moment of his time.
"Well well! Looky here. Hello, hello, hello! Rip Cheato at your service!"
"Rip Cheato?!?"
"Cheeto…I love those!"
Rip continued to explain that he had something for sale for 64 coins. Mario checked his pockets, and pulled out the correct amount. He received a Star Piece. Rip cheered, and said that he had another item for 64 coins, but the offer was only good for that moment. Mario warily slid another 64 coins over and obtained a Life Shroom.
"Life Shroom!" cried Link and Kirby.
Rip then stated that once again he had another item for 64 coins, but only available right then. Everyone knew this wouldn't end. Mario shook his head though and continued through the room. On the other side as a pipe that led to a cramped room filled with boxes. Everyone groaned at the lack of room, their minds briefly flashing back to some train incidents. Sushie managed to swim through the group and locate a key in the corner. She threw it to Mario, hit Link in the head, it fell to the floor, Samus slipped on it, and it flew right into the lock and turned.
"Wow. I have skill!" exclaimed Samus.
Everyone pushed out of the room, only to discover they ended up back in Toad Town. Moans were passed around while they reentered the house they exited out of. They backtracked to the area before the one where they were stuck and used Watt to reveal some more hidden blocks. Mario, Link, Samus and Sonic helped by hitting the blocks as Kirby kept Watt turned on. They soon found out it was too high for them to jump.
"Hmm…go back a room. I have an idea…" Samus ordered. Mario wondered what she was up to but went back to the part with the spiked floor. Samus used Lakilester to hover across and reached a pipe on the other side. Lakilester helped everyone else get over and followed Samus into a deeper part of the sewers. Once they figured out the room and took down some Spinies, Mario smashed a cement block to pieces. It was guarding a doorway. A Dark Troopa was cackling as it paced the floor.
"Okay, Kooper, your kind officially freaks me out! I have never seen a turtle walk back and forth with an evil smirk before!" Sonic exclaimed.
"Just ignore them! They aren't worth it…" Bow grunted while fanning herself. Sonic rolled his eyes while speeding past all the bad guys in the room to a part with a metal block. Mario caught up to hit it, and entered the hole they found. Link jumped to knock a spring off a Block, they all bounced on it, jumped off the other side of the wall, and Mario opened a chest with…the Ultra Boots!! Sonic joined him and pulled out some Ultra Shoes!
"Ah! Beautiful!" Sonic bragged after slipping them on his feet. They seemed to have their own little shine.
"Sonic…they're the same as before…" Kirby sweat dropped.
"Are you kidding!?!? The buckle is made of pure gold, the stitching is tightly sewn, the soles are extremely friction proof and can withstand tougher terrain, I can use my new Break Dancing Kick move, and they're shinier!!!"
"Only a shoe-nerd would know that…" Samus smirked. Sonic glared.
"Either way, they are still stronger than my old ones, even if you think they are the same!"
"Which they are-"
"NO THEY'RE NOT!!"
Mario sighed as whacked his hammer against the wall. Sonic folded his arms and tapped his foot. Samus, Link, and Kirby tisked while Mario used his new Tornado Jump (aka Spring Jump) to knock another spring off a block to get back over the wall.
"I think Mario can hit those blocks in the other room now!" Goombario cried.
"Wow! You're so smart!!" Link faked. Goombario sulked. Their plumber leader led them back to previously said room, where Kirby held Watt as Mario Tornado Jumped under the hidden cubes. Now with a path to reach the blue door on the opposite ledge, they could get across.
"C'mon!" Sonic called, eager to test his new shoes. He dashed over the blocks so fast it was as if he ran in thin air. The rest quickly caught up afterward. Sonic was waiting for them. Everyone sent him a look as they jumped down the pipe into a frozen part of the sewers.
"Oh no…I feel some cool jokes coming on!" Link chuckled. Bombette laughed.
"Just chill and save it for the City…" Sonic retorted.
"Good one!"
"Brr…even I'm cold!!" Samus grumbled.
Bow was trying to warm up her hands by blowing her breath onto them. Kirby saw her shivering so he gladly placed his hands on her to help heat them up. If she weren't so cold, Bow would have blushed. The contact quickly warmed her up as Mario found yet another Super Block. Watt, and Goombario were left, so he quickly grabbed the young spark and sent her to Ultra Rank. Goombario's tears were frozen.
Bow seemed to get colder. "Maybe I s-s-s-houldn't g-g-o to S-Sh-Shiver C-C-ity…" she stuttered. Kirby wrapped his short stubby arms around her.
"Don't worry! I'll keep you warm!"
"I know, but you can't d-d-do that all the t-t-time!"
"I'll do whatever it takes!"
"I'll catch something!
"The only thing you'll catch is a Star Spirit with the rest of us. They'll probably have a scarf or something to match your crystal bows!"
Bow tried to smile, but her teeth were chattering too much. Kirby grinned back and continued to hold her hands. He helped her followed the rest of the team into a pipe frozen to the wall, the one that led to Shiver City, and that final Star Spirit.
Next time: Pah, you know what happens...Mario is charged with murder!
