Unfortunately, the deeper they went in Mt. Lavalava, the more they started to cough. They eventually retreated due to the volcanic ashes and toxic gases. Everyone breathed in relief, though they were still coughing.
"We can't get in!" Double-D said, coughing three times. "If we go deeper, we'll die from the toxic gases!"
"But we have to get in!" Kooper said, coughing. "If only we have a damp cloth or a face mask."
"Did somebody said face mask?" Raphael the Raven asked. The team yelped to see him again in a short amount of time. "I've forgotten to mention one thing. Inside the volcano are filled with volcano ashes, sulfur dioxide, and carbon dioxide, which is bad to breathe in. The Ravens and I made some face masks while we were away." Raphael gave everyone a face mask, which were made out of a leaf and a small vine.
"You sure about this?" Eddy asked, having doubts. Most of the friends reacted the same way as him. "It doesn't appear to be special, if you ask me."
"Have you forgotten about botany? These are special leaves that only grows on this island. They absorbed carbon dioxide through its stomata and give off oxygen; they are way faster than a regular leaf. Think of it as your oxygen supporter in a volcano." Everyone shrugged and equipped their face mask on their face. Raphael bid his farewell and flew away. The team tried one more and entered inside.
"These really do help!" Sushie said, breathing in relief.
"What a discovery! I'm speechless! I mean this is an absolute coup, the displacement of perspective-" Double-D was about to go into a tangent before Eddy stopped him.
"I thought you were speechless?"
"Oh-no! We've forgot about Kolorado!" Kooper gasped. Everyone rushed down the slope until a Putrid Piranha stood in their way.
"Identified as...Mario and the Children! Alert! Report to the Boss!" The Putrid Piranha dug back into the ground.
"Did that thing just talk...like a robot?" Nazz asked worriedly.
"That's not good," Bombette said.
"We better move...fast!" Mario said. The team continued down the slope and saw Kolorado wearing his custom white face mask.
"Wow, good thing he came prepared, huh?" Kevin said.
"Truly, he must be a worthy seeker of the arts!" Rolf said in agreement.
"You've finally made it," Kolorado said when he recognized everyone. "I sense lots of danger up ahead."
Everyone else looked ahead and saw the floor filled with magma and floating black rocks. Even with the Ultra Stone's fire resistance, it was still very hot to affect the team's morale. Everyone began to sweat in and out of their clothes (for some). Eddy, for some reason, was not affected by the extreme heat in the air.
"Obvious dangers with common sense," Bow said, wiping her sweat, but Kolorado huffed.
"Nevertheless, we adventurers must face dangers for treasures and discoveries! Follow me, everyone!" Kolorado jumped to the first rock, but it suddenly started to sink down to the magma. Mario reacted quickly by rescuing Kolorado and landing on the next rock, but it was also sinking as well. Mario and Kolorado rushed forward and landed on a big rock that did not sink.
"That was too close," Mario said, panting a bit. The rest carefully crossed over the floating rock without making a single mistake and made it to their position.
"What were you thinking, Kolorado?!" Kooper asked. "We have to analyze this area first before we make a move!"
"I, uh, hate to interrupt, but what are those things?" Eddy asked. Two fire-ball monsters were in front of the team and spotted them.
"Goombario!" Mario said, looking at him. Goombario, however, just admired the hot scenery. "Goombario!"
"H-huh? Wh-what?" he stammered. "I-"
Ed cried in pain. One of the fire-ball monsters blew out a fireball and struck Ed's bow. Ed was trying his damndest to shake the flames off his bow before finally putting them out by stamping on it with his feet.
"I've got this, everyone!" Eddy said, smirking. "Let Eddy show you how to beat them...Eddy-style!" He recklessly charged forward, which caught most people by surprise.
"Eddy! No!" Sushie said.
"Oh, the horror!" Kolorado said, covering his eyes. Eddy jumped forward and delivered a stylish combo with his yo-yos while striking multiple poses inbetween strikes. The fire-ball monsters, known as Lava Bubbles, disappeared forever. Almost everyone around had gaping mouths.
"But...how..."
Kolorado opened his eyes and saw Eddy unburnt. "Yo-you're supposed to be burnt!"
"No way, Jose!" Eddy replied. "It looks like most of you forgot I had this bad-boy." He showed off his Feeling Fine Badge, which prevented him from taking any sort of other-natural damage and status effects, including burning."
"You guys worried too much," Bombette said, smiling at knowing Eddy's badges.
"Rolf also has the badge that provides the power of winter!" Rolf chimed in, showing his Ice Power Badge.
"Then..." Merlow said a click turned his light bulb. "That means Mt. Lavalava isn't affecting either of you?"
"No way a volcano can beat the great Eddy McRich! I'm too cool to be hot!" Eddy's remark made some people laugh.
"Rolf has braved the elements before! Long ago, Rolf dug into an ancient volcano with his Nana to find proper materials for new dentures!"
"If we're done talking, I would like to resume," Bow said. When everyone crossed over the magma by more floating rock to the other side, Mario and Double-D had a private conversation with Goombario.
"What's the matter, Goombario?" Mario asked in concern. Goombario responded with a grunt. "Why were you not focused back then?"
"Why bother?" he said. "It's obviously a fire monster. It's common sense to use a water or an ice attack on them."
"That's...true, but there's something else you're hiding. You've been acting...different ever since the accident."
"It doesn't matter. Look, we have to focus here. I don't want to stay in this blistering hot volcano for a long time." Goombario picked up the pace, leaving Mario behind with a sad expression.
"Why are you so...resenting to me? Did I do something wrong?"
"I think it has to do with how you're interacting with Sushie..." Double-D pointed out sadly, sighing in disappointment at Goombario's attitude.
The team continued down and found a path to the lower levels, as they went down, they were but when they saw four small red beetles with a spike on top. Bow quickly noticed a POW Block on top of a brick block. She quickly grabbed it and threw it to them. All of the Spike Tops flipped over from the sudden impact.
"Take them out quick!" Nazz and Jimmy jumped on their opponents while Ed swiped a Modify Card, allowing Kooper to use Bomb Shell. Sushie used her Belly Flop and slammed down on the last Spiny Top. Everyone resumed down until they saw a new type of block. It was a shiny metal block with gold edges.
"I wish I still had my hammer..." Mario sighed.
"And I don't think mine is tough enough to bust that!" Johnny pointed out.
"Let's continue down further, gang." Kevin said.
"Pardon me, but I'll stay here," Kolorado said, which made everyone look at him. "My adventure senses tell me that the treasure is located behind this Metal Block."
"Fine by me," Eddy said, putting his hand behind his head. "We don't really need you anyway."
"That wasn't very nice, Eddy. Even if Kolorado isn't one who can help us fight, he's still following his Archeologist intuition." Nazz scolded as Eddy huffed while Rolf chuckled.
"Rolf admires his determination, yes?"
"Indeed. Though I wonder how he's made it this far without actually dying before he met us..." Merlow pointed out.
Without Kolorado, the team finally reached the lower levels. Ed noticed a shiny object embedded on the wall. Ed quickly took it off, but it was steaming off. He tossed it to Eddy, which the badge cooled off. The badge was shaped like a flame with two black dots.
"What's this?" Eddy asked, examining it with his right eye.
Mario looked down at Goombario. "Goombario, for our sake, please tell us what is that badge."
"Is something the matter?" Bombette asked.
Goombario remained silent for a few seconds. "That's a Fire Shield Badge. It reduces fire attacks."
"Pretty convenient for this type of badge here in this volcano," Eddy said before smirking and turning to Ed.
"Hey, Lumpy, let's trade!"
"Okie-Dokie, Eddy!" Ed said trading Eddy his Multibounce Badge for the Fire Shield Badge. The two friends then gave each other a high-five before the team headed onward down the gradient, or a ramp, and found a giant treasure chest at the other side. The center was a pool of magma, but the team could go around it. However, it was guarded by eight Lava Bubbles in this room.
"Here comes another battle!" Mario said with everyone in their fighting stance. Ed, Sarah, Kooper, and Bow stayed behind while Mario's team went to the right and Eddy and Bombette to the left.
"FEAR THE ICY DOOM!" Ed yelled, firing an arrow capped with ice that extinguished the Lava Bubbles as Kooper tucked into his shell and slammed through a few more.
"Don't forget us!" Bow said as Sarah swiped a Modify Card.
"GHOULISH BLAST!" Bow yelled, sending out a pink demonic specter that, as soon as it made contact with the Lava Bubbles, caused them to be vaporized in agonizing pain.
Three Lava Bubbles encountered Eddy, Kevin, and Bombette. Eddy struck the first one with his Yo-Yos, destroying it in the process. Bombette blew up the second, which instantly vaporized into nothingness. The final one blew out two fireballs to Kevin but he blocked it with his wrench, superheating the metal.
"Alright! Time to strike while the iron is hot!" The Jock laughed as the Lava Bubble screeched in terror before being beaten to death by the superheated wrench, which soon cooled off with satisfying hiss.
Mario, Double-D, Nazz, Sushie, and Goombario fought off the last two. Mario snatched one rock and hurled it at the Lava Bubble. With that impact, the Lava Bubble grew angry and fired a flamethrower, but Sushie and Nazz were quick to respond.
"MODIFY! WATER JET!" After Nazz swiped the Modify Card, Sushie bloated up before spitting out a sharp jet of water that extinguished the attacking Lava Bubble as well as the one behind it.
With the battle finished, everyone made it to the treasure chest. Mario lifted it open and gasped what he saw. There were two golden hammers. Mario and Johnny grabbed their new hammers and awed at its masterpiece.
"This must be an Ultra Hammer," Mario said, still being in awe.
"You're right, Plank! That's one hot lookin' tomato!" Johnny cheered.
"Why would two hammers be in this place?" Sushie asked.
Kooper looked at them. "They looked like you use them to smash through rocks like this place. They could be hammers for mining."
"Whatever it may be, they look awesome! Good for you, Johnny-Boy" Eddy said, grinning.
The team headed back up at the slope and encountered three Putrid Piranhas, four Spiky Tops, and four Lava Bubbles.
"We're outnumbered!" Sushie said.
"I know how to deal with this!" Mario said, clasping his hands and concentrating. "Lullaby!"
Mamar appeared above Mario's head and sung a sweet melody that made half of them sleepy; Mamar disappeared after that.
"Here we come!" the team said, which made the enemies back away. Several clashes, bashing, booming, and cries of pain later, the team won this battle. Their award was a treasure chest with a grey shoe badge called the Dizzy Stomp Badge.
"Here, Jimmy, to give your boots some extra oomph!" Mario said as he gave Jimmy the new badge, who gratefully took it as Watt nuzzled up to him.
As this was going on, Mario crouched down to Goombario's height. "Goombario, I don't know what you're feeling, but let's talk, okay? I'm sure you'll feel better."
"Okay..." Goombario said as Double-D nodded to the plumber. Goombario may have been his Soul Partner, but he idolized Mario first and foremost. The team then headed back to where Kolorado was.
"So have you found anything?" Kolorado asked.
"Check this out!" Johnny said, revealing his Ultra Hammer. Kolorado took out his magnifying glass and examined it.
"My, my. It looks like these hammers are so strong. The miners must have used these to create paths."
"Told ya," Kooper said to his team, smirking.
"Since the hammer is made of metal, you can destroy that Metal Block."
"Well, let's do it," Mario said, taking out his hammer. Mario smacked the Metal Block, which had a huge dent on it. Johnny came in and delivered a down-strike blow on top it. The Metal Block burst out, revealing a new corridor.
"All right!" most of the members said. When everyone went through, they was another slope to travel down. Suddenly, there was a loud boom behind them. It was a large circular stone with spikes and a surly face. It started to move forward.
"PISS YOUR PANTS AND RUN!" Kevin screamed. Everyone ran down the slope as the Spiny Tromp gained more speed due to gravity on a slope. The team yelled as it gained even more speed, but they were going to reach the end.
"We're not gonna make it!" Kooper said
"Quick! Grab on to me!" Bow said. Ed, Sarah, and Kooper touched Bow since they were the closest and they all veiled away. The Spiny Tromp passed by them, but it blocked the exit. The rest of the team hyperventilated from the run, but noticed Ed, Sarah, Kooper, and Bow were not there.
"Ed!" Eddy said through the Spiny Tromp.
"Sarah!" Jimmy cried in concern.
"Yes, Eddy?" Ed said, seeing the team through the space.
"Jimmy!" Sarah yelled back, worried for her friend's safety more than her own.
"Whew... They're alive," Sushie said. Mario, Kevin, and Johnny pounded the Spiny Tromp until it was ultimately destroyed.
"Those are very strong hammers," Bombette said.
"Hey, don't go dissing my wrench, sister!" Kevin said with a smirk, slinging his weapon over his shoulder.
The team was in a room where a rocky bridge leads to the next area. They jumped through spinning flames along the way.
"It's getting so hot," Bow said, wiping more sweat. "If it wasn't for that Ultra Stone, we wouldn't make it."
Bombette grunted. "Of all the places to put a Star Spirit, it has to be in a volcano."
"I think I've sweated at least ten pounds in the last minute!" Double-D breathed.
In the next room, there were several Metal Blocks lined up on the rocky stairs. Mario and Johnny could not reach from their position. They walked forward on the smooth bridge but stopped when they reached a dead-end.
"A dead-end?!" Eddy asked, then growled. "What are we going to do now?!"
"Ho-ho-oh!" Kolorado said. "It seems you need more experiences to grasp this."
Eddy narrowed his eyes. "What was that?!"
"According to the information I've gathered, the treasure should be right around here. The wall must be blocking our path."
"We'll need something stronger to break that wall," Kooper said. "Those Ultra Hammers might take a while."
"Look at this, everyone!" Ed said, standing on top of a blue block and doing poses.
"Hey...we could use those to get to those Metal Blocks. We'll leave it to the Hammer Bros."
"You got it!" Johnny said with a salute. asked, gaping. He and Mario successfully rolled the blue block to the other side. They climbed up and started to destroy all the Metal Blocks. With one more left, Johnny finished off the last one. They celebrated for a second until they gasped. There was another Spiny Tromp, and they were on a slope.
"Not another one!" they said, running down the slope as the Spiny Tromp began to move. The Hammer Duo managed to dodge it to the side, but the Spiny Tromp kept on rolling to the others.
"Watch out!" Sushie said. Most of them stepped aside, but Kolorado was in the way. He was examining the wall intensely.
"Kolorado, move!" Kooper said, running to him.
"Pipe down, chap!" Kolorado said. "I'm busy here!"
Kooper quickly took Kolorado and moved away from the Tromp's path. It destroyed the wall, and revealed the secret path which was thought to be a dead end. Everyone regrouped together.
"Are you all right?" Mario asked the Koopas.
"Treasure! Treasure!" Kolorado said, moving Kooper out and went through.
"Wait up!" Eddy said. Everyone, except Kooper, Double-D, and Goombario, ran after Kolorado. Kooper was still sitting on the floor.
"Kooper?" Double-D asked worriedly, noticing Kooper's solemn expression. "What's wrong?"
"I..." Kooper said, not making eye contact. "I've always admired the amazing Kolorado...but when I'm with him...he's a totally different person."
"Well, sometimes the people you look up to aren't all they're cracked up to be. Sometimes, its best to move on." The sock-headed boy kindly said to the Koopa, who nodded.
"Maybe you're right..." Kooper said, standing up. "When I have the chance, I'll talk to Kolorado privately." They continued forward, leaving behind Goombario with some serious thinking.
"I think I'm too clung up with Mario as his biggest fan..." He thought. "All of this started with Mario...I guess I was such a jerk. I should start changing myself first. And Double-D was right, I need to get over myself."
With that out-of-the-way, Goombario gathered all his thoughts that had happened and started over again as a clean slate.
"It's time to meet your new Goomba!"
Next Time: Lava Piranha Cranks Up The Heat!
[Ed gave Eddy his Multibounce Badge for the Fire Shield Badge!]
Modify Technique: Ghoulish Blast!: Bow fires a dark pink specter that eradicates the souls of its targets!
Modify Technique: Water Jet!: Sushie builds up water pressure inside herself before spitting out a condensed jet of water!
-Current Badge Collection-
Mario: Power Jump, Shrink Stomp, I Spy
Ed: Close Call, Mega Rush, Fire Shield
Double-D: Refund, Damage Dodge, Power Plus
Eddy: Feeling Fine, Money Money, Multibounce
Kevin: Smash Charge, Quake Hammer, Defend Plus
Rolf: Dizzy Attack, Power Rush, Ice Power
Johnny: Hammer Throw, Spin Smash, Power Quake
Nazz: Power Bounce, D-Down Jump, Spike Shield
Sarah: D-Down Pound, Power Smash, Happy Heart
Jimmy: Pretty Lucky, Zap Tap, Dizzy Stomp