Paper Mario X: The Thousand-Year Door

Chapter 52: Dying to Get Out of Here

The lush tumbling greenery of Keelhaul Key seemed to swallow the brave group in its invigorating clutches. A bush here, a branch there, and a small, pure blue lake in between. The gang was divided in feelings. Some were excited to be the first on the deserted isle, some were frightened terribly of its curse, and some were still upset about the loss of a dear friend…and who knows if they'll be able to stay together after the torn feeling eats them away from the inside out-

"That's enough there Link…"

"I'm just dying to get out of here! The curse, Sonic gone, and the fact that we're stranded are not very comforting, you know!"

"And that bite you're about get from a Putrid Piranha won't be pleasant either!"

"Say what-YOW!"

The exotic flower's poison-dripped teeth sank into Link, causing him to gag and turn green.

"Urgh…poison…"

As Koops tried to help him calm down, Goombella explained that the trio of plants had 8 HP each and the obvious ability to poison. Mario started off with Super Hammer, taking 5 away from the one in front and 1 away from the two in back. Two Piranhas tried to bite Mario, but he blocked the blow, and the third blew Putrid breath in his face, poisoning him too.

"Glad to see I'm not alone…" Link wheezed. The poisoned began to weaken him. "Ow! What the?!"

Mario felt the pain rocket through him too, cringing until it was over. Kirby pondered this and pulled out some Tasty Tonic.

"Huh. I'm suddenly really thirsty-"

"Where did you get that?!" Link shouted.

"Huh? I've had this! Er, well…I quickly picked it up when we were in Rogueport! Why?"

Link sprang into the air. "That's the anti-dote for poison!"

Kirby gasped. "Really?! Then you'd better take it Mario!"

Kirby handed Mario the elixir while Link fell helplessly to the ground. He glared darkly at Kirby, the sound of Mario gulping down in the background.

"Why would you give it to Mario and not, you know, yours truly?"

Kirby shrugged. "'cause its Mario."

Link was gagged again by the poison, reminding him to take his turn. He grunted, lashing out his anger in the form of a sword into the first Piranha, defeating it. After it wilted, Koops charged up his Power Shell and rocket through the remaining plants, sending the second in line down to one. When it charged toward Link, Link brought up his shield, then brought down his sword, taking away whatever HP was left.

"All right!"

The final Piranha sank its teeth into his leg.

"That's…not…all right…"

Link grabbed his leg, and due to being off balance, fainted onto the stage. Kirby just shook his head and tisked.

"You just can't get good fighters these days-"

"I heard that!"

Kirby ignored Link and made his move with a strong Final Cutter, winning the battle once and for all. He put up a fist a cheered.

"Hooray!"

"Good job Kirby!" Vivian clapped. Kirby just struck a pose. Koops poked Link.

"Are you okay dude?"

"Yeah, I'm fine…the poison wore off!"

"Good thing! I don't have anymore Tasty Tonic-"

"Kirby…"

"What?! I'm just stating facts!"

"Oh, "Because he's Mario" is a fact?!"

"His name is Mario, isn't it?!"

"Sniff…I was in pain and dying and you just had to give it to Mario!"

"He was in the same situation as you were-"

"HEY! KNOCK IT OFF!" shouted Ms. Mowz. Koops whistled. "Are you two honestly bickering over such unimportant events when there's things we need to do? Like, finding a Crystal Star, scouting the island, and getting that blue hunk of a hedgehog back on our team?"

"Wow. Never thought that floozy had it in her…" Goombella muttered. Ms. Mowz shot her a smug look. Link and Kirby exchanged faces before hugging.

"I'm so sorry man!"

"Me too!"

"Aw, the island's curse is making us crazy!"

"Uh, no, we've always been like that…"

"Oh yeah…but I am sorry."

"Yeah, this'll end up like us separating again!"

"Let's hope not!"

The two shook hands, and everyone cheered. Mario twitched his mustache and pointed upwards. They needed to scale the side of a small cliff. Link accidentally found a invisible block by randomly jumping, which gave them access to cross the large gap. They all headed up, crossed the gap with the help of Spike, and located a Shine Sprite floating off the side. Link tried to use Koops, but that didn't really work, so he flew over with Spike and freed the Sprite.

"Another one down!" Spike cheered. Link just sighed. Everyone cringed.

"Link, you can't still be upset about Sonic…" Kirby started.

Link's eyes flashed. "Well I am! And there's nothing you can do about it! This isn't like the volcano- we don't know where he is, he could have drowned already…the list goes on!"

Kirby pondered for a couple moments before grinning. "…instead of talking like Sonic's already dead, why don't you think of it all as you getting ready to save Sonic! He is still around, I can feel it, and we just gotta find him!"

"yeah! I can still feel my Soul Partner connection with him!" Spike added.

"We still have a chance!" cried Goombella.

"Nothing's gonna get done if you keep moping!" exclaimed Vivian.

"...YEAH!" finished Koops. Link actually cracked a smile. Mario tipped his hat and twitched his mustache.

"You're right Mario! We'd better get going! Time is wasting! HERE I COME!"

Link was so excited he rushed into the next area and tripped onto a bridge. Everyone rushed to catch up with him.

"Okay, not that much enthusiasm…"

"Ugh, no one's ever happy."

Not far off, a cry of fellow crew members rang out.

"These cursed ghosts…blast it all!"

Team Mario looked over Link standing back up to see 3 out of 4 of their missing crew members. Green Worry, "Four Eyes", and Admiral Bobbery were in the middle of the bridge being swarmed by a few embers.

"We're coming! We're coming!"

Bobbery heard them calling and turned around.

"By blubberly's blotches! Is that Mario over there? You're alive, old boy!"

"We just can't believe you're alive!" Flurrie gasped.

"Right! You guys came just in the nick of time! Get these two out of here this instant!"

Green Worry gulped and turned to the bob-omb. "Huh? But what about you, Admiral? You've gotta get out of here too!"

Bobbery winked. "Just leave it to me, eh? I'll keep these ghouls busy while you get out of here! Let me do what I must do! NOW, AWAY WITH YOU!"

Green Worry and "Four Eyes" both nodded and jumped dramatically out of the ember's path. While everyone cringed as Bobbery took on the fiends alone, "Four Eyes" was rather quite grateful.

"Well, Bobbery here thinks it's the right thing to do! So what are we waiting for?"

He scooped up Mario and sprinted off.

"Don't you care that a valuable member of our crew is being mauled by fire?!" Kirby yelped, being pulled away by the toad.

Previous Area-

"Oh Bobbery, please forgive our cowardice!" Green Worry sobbed. "We up and left you and…Everything was happening so quickly…forgive us!"

"Why should he forgive you? You dragged us off when we could've easily taken those Embers on!" Link exclaimed. The toad just shook his head and hopped back to the civilization.

"gone, eh? Excuse me, but I'd better be going also…" trailed "Four Eyes". He started to leave, but then came back and stared into nowhere. "And hey! You! Out there in front of the computer! Yeah, I'm talkin' to YOU! It may be pretty obvious to you who I really am, but no telling Mario! Or else!"

Kirby's eyes widened. "Er…what?"

Spike looked around once more. "'You out there in front of the computer?" Is that guy nuts or what?"

"YEAH! THAT SOUNDED SUSPICIOUS, YOU HEAR ME!?" Link roared back. "Honestly, he spoke like we weren't even here.."

"Anyway, what're we going to do now?" asked Goombella.

"Yeah, do we head back to camp or try and help Bobbery?" threw in Vivian.

"I say we help Bobbery!" Link stated while striking a heroic pose. "It's what Sonic would've done…"

Mario: I vote that too.

"Then what are we waiting for!"

Kirby was the first to run back, followed by Link, Mario, Spike, Goombella, Koopa, Vivian, Ms. Mowz, and Flurrie. They rushed over the bridge, very surprised to see Bobbery gone. However, they kept going forward, grabbed a Shine Sprite under a tree, and headed into an area no one had been on yet…

"Urggh…urggh…" a voice moaned. Everyone stopped in their tracks.

"What's that?"

"Sounded like a ghost to me!" Kirby shrieked, running behind Mario.

"So this is how a legend of the sea meets his end, eh?"

"No wait- that sounded like Bobbery!" cried Vivian. They all took off toward the sound, but only found the two Embers furiously circling a palm tree. Link shot Koops, successfully getting a first strike. One of the Embers duplicated, making three in total. One of the three had 4 HP, and the others were full. Link used Hack on the first one, defeating it. The second Ember angrily singed his face while the other burned Koops.

"Ow! That certainly isn't fair!" he complained, grabbing his knee. Kirby jumped into the air with his Final Cutter, then crashed down on the second Ember, doing 6 to that one and the aftershock doing 2 to the other. Since all Vivian's attacks wouldn't be very effective, she pulled Kirby into the shadows for safety. The two Embers ended up attacking empty air.

"I kinda like this strategy!" Kirby admitted when he returned. Vivian shrugged.

"It's kinda the only one we got…"

Mario used Super Hammer, swinging the one in the front into the back one. The front fainted and the remaining one w as left with 2 HP. Ms. Mowz smirked and pulled out an icy item, freezing the ember and beating it instantly.

"That's for wailing on Bobbery, jerks!" Spike shouted, shaking an angry fist. "Speaking of, where'd he go?"

Mario swung his hammer into the swaying palm tree, causing it to cry out.

"Ooh! The pain of it all!"

"Way to go Mario! You injured the tree!" Kirby accused.

Mario: -.- sigh…

Bobbery fell out of the tree and landed hard on his front side. He lay in a slumped pile, too tired to move.

"Ooh, Mario, old boy…urk Haff huff…I guess those blokes got me a bit better than I thought…Mario…Please hear my last request…"

Everyone froze.

"I must thank you for taking me out to sea one last time…but there is one more thing I need before I go to my rest…Chuckola Cola…I was saving that one bottle, my last memory of Scarlette, to celebrate reaching here…I saw it among the flotsam drifting around the island, so it must be somewhere. If I might have just one sip before my final voyage…urgh…get me that Chuckola Cola old boy…"

Kirby started sniffling. "Oh…man…now you're gonna make me cry!"

"Don't do that! He's not gone yet…" sobbed Vivian.

"All of you! Stop blubbering…" Spike demanded, trying to hold back tears.

"Hmm…if that soda was among the flotsam, I bet it washed up already…" Link guessed. Mario nodded in agreement as everyone solemnly headed back to civilization.

Civilization-

"Ah! You are still alive!" Flavio cried when they returned. "Well, we have some fortune left! Such relief for Flavio! We thought some jungle beast was snacking on you! Well, everyone is accounted for…"

"Not much any more…" Kirby tried to say without his voice cracking. Flavio blinked.

"…now wait one moment! Am I wrong, or are we still two men short?"

Green Worry trotted up. "Th-Th-That's right! B-B-Bobbery sacrificed himself to save us from the ghosts!"

"Not to mention Sonic's still missing…" muttered Link.

"Please! We've gotta go back and help him!"

Mario coughed and explained what had happened.

"What lunacy bursts forth from your mouth? The admiral lives!?! What fortitude!"

Kirby started bawling into Link's side. Link patted him gently.

"Mario! Front and center! I entrust you with the mission to save our dear admiral!"

Mario held up his hand once more.

"…Chuckola Cola…Why would I have that? But, er, yes, by the way….Flavio is merely curious…What do you need it for?"

"Bobbery's gonna die!" Koops wailed. He received several smacks.

"He thinks he is, but no one's really sure…" Goombella continued sharply. Flavio nodded.

"Ah…So, what we are dealing with is a sort last request, am I correct? Well, Flavio has no choice. I found it on the beach, but for this noble cause…I yield."

"Oh cool! Just hand us the drink and-"

"…HOWEVER! This Chuckola Cola is part of my…er, OUR supplies, which we need for survival. So, I will need you to find something to eat to replace this! On this, I do not budge!"

Kirby instantly thrust a mango he had found into Flavio's hands. "TAKE IT! Take it before I change my mind!"

"Okay… Well, here you go! Take the Chuckola Cola…and give my regards to the admiral! Tell him to swizzle it gently, and savor all of the fine fizziness!"

He gave Mario a raspberry colored bottle, filled with the delicious drink.

Back at Bobbery, after a couple battles-

Mario handed Bobbery the legendary soda, while everyone just stared from behind him. Bobbery quickly took it and slurped it down.

"This glorious flavor, dear boy…it awakens the mouth! So, the sea was generous enough to grant me this one last grace, eh? I have nothing left in this world now…thank you for granting my last wish…Now I shall be reunited with my dear Scarlette."

He sat down, his eyes starting to droop. "…and to you, Link, that Sonic fella's all right too. I placed him on a piece of driftwood and sent him off into a cave…now, I don't know where he is, but…he's okay…"

Bobbery gave a last glance to Mario as Link's eyes widened. "Fare…well…Captain Mario…"

Bobbery got silent.

"N-Now what…" wondered Koops.

"That poor brave soul…he saved Sonic!" Kirby sobbed. "At least he can join Scarlette…"

Mario: Wait…"

He poked the bomb, receiving a deep snore in response. Everyone jumped.

"He's sleeping!? Of all the…that it NOT cool at all!" Spike yelped.

Mario poked him again, but Bobbery wouldn't wake up.

"I'll wake him up!" Ms. Mowz offered. "I have a special technique…"

She trotted up to Bobbery, then used her Slap at full force, smacking him silly. Bobbery sure woke up after that.

"PIRATES! Where are those pirates!?" he screamed.

"Not quite with it yet, huh?" asked Spike.

"Maybe I smacked him a bit too hard…"

"…what now? Oh…Mario, old boy, it's you! You have adventures in the afterlife as well? Capital!"

Link smacked his head. "He thinks he's dead…"

"Hey, you're still alive, you nutcase!"

"What's up with you calling people nutcases lately?" Kirby questioned.

"He must be really cheesed!"

"Let it go, Link!"

Bobbery looked confused. "Really? This isn't a tropical paradise for fallen sailors? Oh, right…Now I recall! Mario, old boy…we still have work to do! You'd better take me with you, I should say! I'm sure my sea legs and explosive personality will be rather useful, eh?"

Bobbery struck as pose as Mario officially let him join the party.

Mario: Want him Link?

Link shrugged. "Sure, why not? But it won't be the same as Bombette though…"

"Aw man! I'm being replaced!" Koops wailed. "I knew this day would come…"

"Well now that you're alive, let's head back to civilization!"

On that note, the gang brought their new partner back to Flavio, where the next part of their island adventure would begin. But, the question still remained…if Bobbery managed to save Sonic, then what happened to him?


*cues more dramatic guitar* Sonic was originally (and somewhat lamely) supposed to return with the other crew people, but my way is...slightly more interesting. *shot.*. Anywho, um...next chapter is right before they enter the Grotto I believe, then I threw the entire exploration of the Grotto into one chapter, and then it's the boss already. Wow. THEN Chapter 6 is approximately ONLY 3 chapters long, 7 is quite short (but longer than 6), and 8 is 4 to 6 chapters. (If you wanna know, there's 80 chapters total if you count prologue/epilogue -holy crap- and we're getting closer to the end...wah!)