Let the exploration start! The Mount Pajamaja arc has begun!
Chapter 13: Expedition start! Idolizing the warrior
The team is taking a moment to catch their breath after running all the way from Wakeport to Mount Pajamaja.
"Good thing we stopped in that Shell Hutch at the park to buy some water" Luigi pants as he receives one bottle from Makoto. The bottles they needed drained the gang 100 coins.
"That is quite a mountain!" Mondo whistles as he contemplates the entrance to the mount. Once the gang finished their drinks, they being to climb the mountain and eventually caught up with the Massif Bros..
"Is climbing tour! You are tender cutlets. But climbing makes you strong! Wait… Where are Blond and Nervous cutlets?" Big Massif asked.
"Byakuya and Toko decided to remain in Wakeport" Starlow replies.
"Disappointment! But nevermind! When we reach top, tender cutlets are:
HUGE HAMS!" both brothers flexes their muscles. "We've made a massive mistake…" the sprite whispers to Mario, who didn't know how to answer.
"I must agree with the two men. Overcoming this mountain will make you stronger" a voice from behind surprised the team.
"Sakura!" Luigi shouts upon recognizing her. "What brings you here?" the martial artist asks.
Just as Makoto was going to explain her, the Massif Bros. butted in "We climb now! Don't be puny" they said before taking off.
"Could you please explain me what is going on?" Sakura asks again. Mario and Makoto begin to tell her everything.
30 minutes later
"I see, Junko has returned, possessed Bowser, teamed up with Antasma and now they have the Dream Stone.
Hmm, to be honest, that could explain the strange glow coming from the top of the mountain two hours ago" the tall girl said.
"Very well, I will assist you in this quest. After all, I managed to find a lot of your people scattered here, prince Dreambert" she added. "Sakura, you have my eternal gratitude for this deed" the prince smiled.
"Great! Our combined powers will be able to stop those two!" Mario chirps. And thus, Sakura joined the battle.
The made it to where the Massif Bros. are and they quickly tell them to join them.
"Gate is famous spot on mountain. Is Mighty Gate! You are big muscles if you can open!
Even Massifs not muscles enough.
Someday, we are muscles enough! And then we climb to top!" both brothers said and took off.
"You follow!" Big Massif adds.
"Sakura, what are your thoughts on this?" Dreambert asked, "The two are right, this stones are extremely solid; I hit them with some punches, kicks and even my powers, which are Ryu's but nothing happened.
However, those two giant stones sliced in half right here seem suspicious to me" the girl said.
The team looks up and catches the glimpses of two petrified Pi'illos. "But is too high to reach from here, I suggest we follow the brothers and find a way up there" Sakura says.
The rest nodded and took off. On their tracks, they took down several enemies, winning 200 coins and using a strange device to climb up in pairs.
Once they finally reached the bros., Big Massif told them to join them. Taka realizes they're now on a lava field, "Is first challenge! Is not joke!" Big Massif said.
"You must leap abyss like hurled pork chop!" Lil Massif notes. "We go, small bro" the older Massif says.
Big Massif hopped on top of his brother and the two crossed the gap with a move that surprised Mario and Luigi: The Spin Jump.
"Hey, that's the same we learned at Stardust Fields and the Flab Zone inside Bowser!" Mario recalls. Luigi drops his jaw and remembered, "It's true bro! In that case, we know what to do!" he smirked.
Mario hopped on top of Luigi and the bros. easily crossed the gap as well. "That's a fascinating move! Please teach us how to do it" Taka requests, with the rest nodding.
1 explanation later
"You guys are really ultimates! You mastered the Spin Jump on the first try!" Luigi whistles.
With that, the gang learned how to perform Spin Jump and continued their tracks.
They finally reached the mega pillow but the Massif Bros. were nowhere to be found.
"What shall we do?" Makoto asks, "Maybe we can rescue the Pi'illos Sakura recovered earlier" Mario suggests.
"Although saving every Pi'illo is a vital task, saving this mega Pi'illo is key to reach to reach the top of the mount" Dreambert said.
Upon further sighting, the prince also noticed another one on the other side.
"Here's the plan: We first rescue these two mega Pi'illos, they may know how to get across the gate; Then, we save the rest of the Pi'illos Sakura found" the prince declared.
"I found seven Pi'illos, but it wasn't' easy reaching them" Sakura says.
"And again, I can't thank you enough for your service to the Pi'illo people" Dreambert smiled.
"Let's save these giants already!" Mondo shouts. "Right. Luigi and Mondo, lay down on each half please" the prince asks them.
The gang nods; Luigi and Mondo fall asleep and a portal opens. The gang enter it one by one except for Starlow.
1 Mega Pi'illo rescue later
The gang made it through the dreamy mountain and found 100 coins. The Mega Pi'illo thanked them and pleaded to save his other friend, to which they accepted.
However, fate had other plans and when Makoto and Kyoko tried their Spin Jump but the gap was too long to cross.
"Well, looks like we have to reach it the old-fashioned way" Mario sighed, with Mondo agreeing.
The team continued to the west.
20 minutes later
After what appeared to be an eternity, the gang finally reached a high part of the mountain, a part in which they came across the Massif Bros.
"Cutlets and lady warrior took long" Lil Massif said. "But now is not time for scolding! This is best part of beef tour!" Big Massif shouts.
"Time to test courage…
ON CLIFF!" he yells.
Luigi and Makoto quickly begin to shiver as they see the enormous drop.
"How is it large bro? You have fear sweat. But inner beef is strong, so no problem!" Lil Massif assures.
"Small bro will show tender cutlets and lady warrior true muscle now. Watch with eyes!" Big Massif declares.
"Uh… Is right of large bro to take glorious first plunge, da?" Lil Massif asks. "Da… or maybe cutlets and lady warrior should jump first and we strap to back like bacon wrap?" Big Massif suggested.
Large bro lacks beef. Large bro is side salad" Lil Massif blurted out.
This made the older brother to frown and glare at him "I show you side salad!
CANON-BEEF!" Big Massif shouts as he jumps to the cliff.
The gang looks at Luigi and Makoto, "If you guys do it, then I can do it as well" the luckster smiles nervously.
"Makoto is right... We can overcome this together" Luigi agrees.
"We had worse in the galaxies with Rosalina, and if fighting at Glitz Pit didn't make the Fated Heroes shiver of heights, this is a cakewalk" Mario grins.
"I admit this quite a high drop, but we must do it in order to reach the top" Kiyotaka says, but on the inside he's quite intimidated.
"Fucking high, but a real man never backs away from a challenge!" Mondo smirks.
"Giving how we've done this far, this won't hurt us, much" Kyoko points out.
"I used to do this back at my family's dojo, so this will only be another training" Sakura says.
With their minds made up, Mario takes a breath and jumps off the cliff; He's followed by Kiyotaka, Luigi, Mondo, Makoto, Kyoko and Sakura.
It was a large drop in which Luigi and Makoto screamed for their lives but just as they quickly jumped in, the fall was over.
When Luigi opened his eyes, he found everyone dropped so hard, they dug into the floor.
As all of them finally jumped out of the dirt, the Massif Bros. praised them for making it down but now told them find a way to get out of there, challenging them to "make their brain beefy as well"
Kyoko easily figured the way out by spinning the valve next to them and that began to release winds that allowed them to escape with their Spin Jumps.
Finally, they reached the second mega Pi'illo and the gang knew what to do. Luigi and Mondo slept on each half and the rest entered the Dream World.
Another Pi'illo rescue later
The gang emerged from the portal as the mega Pi'illo revived and found his old friend on the other side.
They quickly rejoice and destroyed the gate with only a ground pound.
With the way clear, the gang celebrated but is cut short when the Massif Bros. arrived to worship the Mega Pi'illos.
After several minutes of awkwardness, the Massif Bros. continued their tracks.
"Just one more thing before following them" Dreambert glances at Sakura, who nods and pulls out the seven Pi'illos she found.
"Let's get this done" Mario says and the gang proceeds to save the petrified and sliced in half victims.
7 Pi'illos rescued later
The gang was thanked by the rescued folks and quickly rushed to the Massif Bros.
Once they reached the Massif Bros again, the taught them a new move: Side Drill, in which all of them form a stack and the one in the top drill and destroy rocks and other things.
With this new move, the gang and the Massif Bros. plow their way to the top, taking down enemies, winning 500 coins from said foes and solved various puzzles with their Spin Jump and Side Drill.
Eventually, the eleven reached a part of the mountain where it began to snow.
The Massif Bros. warned them of the fountain nearby them and took off.
Filled with curiosity, Kyoko took a sip, followed by Mario, then Luigi, a reluctant Kiyotaka, Makoto, Sakura and Mondo.
Starlow and Dreambert quickly get nervous as they watch the expression of the rest after drinking the water…
Chapter 13: END
Current Party: Mario Kiyotaka, Luigi, Mondo, Makoto, Kyoko, Starlow, Dreambert, Sakura
Sakura joined the adventure! And the team's halfway there now. Kyoko's curiosity has backfired for the team this time!
Let's see how they will deal with more challenges next chapter.