14C - Shiver Mountain

"If only those snowmen resembled Frosty," Mario remarked while he, Luigi, and Bombette approached the six snowmen again. "To me, wearing a bucket instead of a silk hat sounds ridiculous."

"Yeah. And there's no button nose, coal eyes, or corncob pipe," Luigi pointed out after stopping in front of the snowmen, which had black and red stones comprising the eyes and nose, respectively.

"Who's Frosty?" Bombette asked while Mario placed the bucket on the snowman with no hat.

"It's the name of this snowman in an old cartoon movie that me and Luigi watched when we were kids," Mario replied. "Even though the movie was fun and all, I got mixed emotions at certain parts."

Meanwhile, Luigi carefully placed the scarf around the bare-necked snowman, making sure to tie it so it wouldn't fall off. Seconds later, the ground began to rumble a small bit, prompting everyone to back away. The rumbling grew stronger and the line of snowmen split in half before an ice-textured door rose from the center and slowly opened.

"I hope it's an easy climb," Luigi said. "But then again, there might be some hidden traps we won't see." The first area Mario and friends entered was a tunnel with a rock ceiling, icy walls, and a snow-covered staircase that ascended the side of Shiver Mountain. There were more Gulpits and Frost Piranhas that had to be dealt with, but it was worth it in the end because there was a Yellow Question Mark Block at the end of the tunnel.

Inside the block was a Flame Flower, which resembled a whitish-pink daisy with black eyes. However, it didn't transform Mario or Luigi into their Fire form. Instead, it acted like a blowtorch to set most things on fire. Luigi took the powerup for himself and tested it by pressing both leaves down for one second.

"That's weird," Luigi said while stowing his Flame Flower in his overalls pocket. "I didn't think this flower would spit fire." After leaving the tunnel, the group saw they were high up after looking down the side of Shiver Mountain; their position was somewhere around 9,000 feet above sea level.

"I never thought the Shiver region would be as high as Colorado," Mario commented. "But skiing down this mountain is more like a death sentence than a fun experience." After 15 minutes, there was a gap that was too long to jump across normally. Luckily, Mario and Luigi did their Spin Jump technique with Bombette clinging to Luigi's ankle.

Suddenly, as Bombette let go of Luigi's ankle before the Mario Bros. touched down, a duplicate of Bombette popped out of her after hitting the ground. Mario and Luigi turned to see the two Bombettes and immediately became confused.

"What...? Why are there two of you?" Mario asked the two Bombettes. The one in front turned to see the one behind her. They stared at each other for a couple seconds and screamed with shock.

"What's wrong with my hair?!" the first Bombette exclaimed. "You look just like me! Who are you really, impostor? State your name!"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm Bombette!" the second Bombette answered. "Now, the question is: who are YOU?"

"Wha- What?! That's absurd! I'm the one and only Bombette! Not you!" the first Bombette shouted.

"Enough of your crazy and nonsensical talk. I'm Bombette, and you can zip it because that's the end of it."

Meanwhile, Mario let out a sigh of irritation. "I want to swear so bad, but I can't do it in front of Bombette..."

"I know you want to," Luigi replied. "But I agree you shouldn't. Let's just see which Bombette is real."

"Come on, guys!" the second Bombette told Mario and Luigi. "You know me! This lady's a dirty liar!"

"How dare you call me a dirty liar?!" the first Bombette scolded the second one. "Mario and Luigi, don't you recognize me? I'm your best friend of all the people!"

Not wanting to hear the two Bombettes bicker anymore, Mario slowly took out his hammer, but the Bombettes didn't notice it initially.

"I said, 'Zip it!', you moron!" the second Bombette retorted the first one. "I'M their best friend! No more from you!"

"Oh, we'll see about-" Suddenly, the first Bombette noticed Mario threatening both Bombettes with his hammer. "WHOA! HEY, NOW!"

"WHAT'S THE HAMMER FOR?!" the second Bombette cried.

"I don't want to hurt you both, but I will if I have to," Mario said with tranquil anger. "I'm this close to going berserk."

"No! You wouldn't hit me!" the first Bombette pleaded. "I thought you were a nice guy!"

"Please, Mario! Please put the hammer down!" the second Bombette said with fear. Both Bombettes shivered while Mario glanced up and down at both.

"Don't do it, bro..." Luigi whispered.

After five seconds, Mario threw the hammer at the first Bombette, turning her into a Duplighost. Luigi sighed with relief that the impostor was revealed.

"Yeeeow! What made you think that I was the one lying, huh?" the Duplighost demanded.

"I don't know," Mario replied while taking a deep breath. "But do me a favor and leave for good."

"Just remember I'll trick you next time!" the Duplighost threatened Bombette before disappearing.

"Thank goodness you chose not to hurt me," Bombette said. "I was so worried right there."

"I'm sorry, Bombette," Mario apologized while patting Bombette's head. "It almost got to me completely."

"It's okay, Mario," Bombette said before nuzzling Mario's arm. "Let's keep going to that shrine." Without further ado, the group proceeded down the mountain trail again, battling white Clubbas along the way. At one point, there was another tunnel with three Yellow Question Mark Blocks.

The left one contained a Fire Flower, the middle one contained ten Coins, and the right one contained a Dizzy Dial. The Dizzy Dial resembled a blue spiral and can be used to daze enemies temporarily. Mario took the Fire Flower while Luigi took the Dizzy Dial.

Eventually, Mario and friends came across a shallow pit with an icy pedestal on the left-hand side just short of the edge. There was a star-shaped indent on the top of the pedestal. Mario looked at the pedestal before gazing up at the sky and down the pit. At the same time, Bombette noticed a couple cracks in the wall in front.

"I wonder what's behind that wall," Bombette wondered out loud.

"I hope it's the shrine," Mario said before he, Luigi, and Bombette jumped down the pit and walked to the cracked wall. Bombette then blew herself up, forming a hole in the wall. The hole led to a small room with crystallized stalactites hanging from the ceiling. Near the wall in front was a diamond with a star-shaped stone inside it.

"This looks nice," Luigi said while looking around the shrine. Suddenly, the diamond started to sparkle, and an apparition of a female Shaman wizard faded into view and hovered above the diamond.

"At last... It is Mario and Luigi," the wizard stated. She spoke with a Scottish accent. "I'm so glad you found this place. I've been expecting you two."

"How did you know it was us?" Mario asked.

"Let me tell you who I am first. My name is Madam Merlar. I am a messenger of the Stars. You know Merlon and Merle well, don't you?"

"Yeah. We've spoke with both," Luigi answered.

"Good. I'm their ancestor," Madam Merlar said. "The Stars spoke to me of you through my dreams, and they said you would come to the shrine on Shiver Mountain. It is here that I guard the way to the Crystal Palace. We have little time to waste, so listen carefully."

"You may not know this, but the followers of Bowser have invaded Crystal Palace, where stars are honored," Madam Merlar went on. "Now, what I have to tell you is very important. Listen to every word I say."

"Okay," Mario responded.

"Before I tell you, Mario and Luigi, I am going to tell you the short version so as to not make you fall asleep by accident. Are you ready?"

"Yes," Mario and Luigi answered.

"The story begins a long time ago," Madam Merlar began. "I was still a young woman back then. In fact, it was two generations ago before my current descendants were born. The Shiver region was the original home of the Shaman wizards, and there was silent peace all around. During each night, we would look up at the Stars and admire the different constellations they formed. Over time, one Shaman predicted that the Stars were not ordinary stars. They were ones that granted every wish every being wished about."

"That prediction would come true one generation later, when I became a middle-aged woman. The Stars began falling from the sky once we began wishing whatever we wanted. How did the wishing stars begin falling? No one knows. But just because the Stars disappear from the sky once these wishes were granted, it doesn't mean the sky will be empty eventually. They reappear again and again every night."

"Because we look up to the Stars as if they were gods from above, the Shamans decided to construct a palace made of ice in honor of the Stars," Madam Merlar continued. "While taking up ice to build the walls, floors, and ceilings, the Shamans would discover fallen Stars whose wishes have been granted and turn them into busts with their respective wishes inscribed on their pedestals. The palace was named the Crystal Palace shortly after its construction was finished. Several Shamans relocated to the palace to guard the honored Stars and bask in their glory. And it stayed that way for another generation before I passed, and my descendants took over."

"But a horrible event happened not too long ago. The evil King Bowser and his men invaded the Crystal Palace with one of the seven honorable Star Spirits in their clutches. Among Bowser's men was a Shaman who turned himself to Bowser's army after discovering that Bowser's wishes could change the world; he would name himself the Crystal King. Bowser's wishes would begin to be granted following the stealing of the Star Rod and the Star Spirits."

"The Shaman guardians perished while fending off Bowser's army and the army destroyed the Star busts before leaving the Crystal King in charge of guarding the Crystal Palace. The last thing the army did was lock up the palace, leaving the other Shamans with no hope of their wishes being granted. Luckily, Merlon, one of my first descendants managed to hide the Star Stone, which is the one and only key to access the Crystal Palace. If it were not for Merlon, then our purpose would be diminished over time."

"All of the Shamans including me seek your help to get the Crystal King and his army out of the Crystal Palace and restore faith to the palace," Madam Merlar said. "It will be then that we will resume our honoring of the Stars from above. Did you get all of that?"

"Absolutely," Mario answered. "I'll tell you, that was quite the story."

"I agree," Luigi chimed in. "Who would've known wizards like you would honor the Stars for many generations?"

"We most certainly do," Madam Merlar stated. "As I was saying, you need the Star Stone to reach the palace. I'll give it to you." The Star Stone slowly levitated out of the diamond and floated into Mario's hands. Mario then placed the Star Stone in his overalls pocket.

"With this stone, you can open the way to the Crystal Palace," Madam Merlar explained. "I dear hope you will help us Shamans during your adventure. Make haste, Mario and Luigi, for time is running low. Good luck," Madam Merlar suddenly faded out of view, leaving Mario and friends by themselves.

"All right-y, guys," Mario told Luigi and Bombette. "Everyone is counting on us. We are their only hope for the Stars to be restored."

"Crystal Palace, here we come," Luigi said before he led Mario and Bombette out of the shrine, back to the pedestal with the star-shaped indent. Mario placed the Star Stone in the pedestal, creating a tall, icy staircase that reached a height of six stories. The group climbed the staircase, battling several white Clubbas along the way, and went inside another tunnel at the top.

The trek through the tunnel lasted ten minutes before the group came across an ice-layered blue door. It was the entrance to the Crystal Palace, which contains the seventh and final Star Spirit. What will await Mario and friends inside the palace?

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The Flame Flower was based off the Fire Flower item from "Super Smash Bros. Melee". I find it weird that that version of the Fire Flower does not resemble the one we've known for all this time.