Amidst the introductions amongst the newest incarnation of Ouroboros...something did not quite sit right.

("I Manana. Manana was cookypon in Colony of Mio and others! Manana master of food: stews, baked goods, fry-ups..." With an almost conspiratorial tone, she added, "Can even cook up a mean Gonzalez eyeball!")

Ah; of course.

xxxx

/Time: Chapter 2, during the trek through Eagus Wilderness, but before the Ambush by Colony 4/

/Lake Rezzento Camp, Eagus Wilderness, Fornis Region/

As everyone finished their supper for the evening, Lanz suddenly had a thought. "...you mentioned somethin' about a 'Gonzalez eyeball'."

"Meh-meh?" remarked Manana, midway through pouring the remainder of her soup into a thermos for later evening. Noah and Sena were calmly cleaning everyone's dishes, each one humming a little ditty to themselves.

"I mean, 'cause we fought that giant Aspar to get that eyeball for Riku's gem..."

(In the background, Eunie suddenly glared at Riku. "By the way, how does that work? How could a monster's eyeball go into making a gem?")

("Theory behind the practice would take several hours," firmly stated Riku. "Riku would be happy to explain.")

("...pass.")

("Meh?!")

"...and I suddenly remembered your introduction," finished Lanz. "Who the spark is Gonzalez? And how d'ya cook his snuffin' eyeball?"

"Ah! Manana happy to explain!" she cheered. "The greater the beastie, taste reaches unbelievable tastiness! So when Manana heard that eyeball of Immovable Gonzalez was for purchase, chance was jumped at with great gleefulness!" Grinning, she added, "Dabadaba at Gamma was supplier! Spared no expense."

"...I think Shillshill mentioned something about such a monster back at the old Ferronis Hulk," muttered Taion, his brow furrowing with confusion. "She said it was a Gogol."

"Indeedy! Gonzalez one of most legendary Gogols in all existence!"

"...Gogols only have two eyes. How often did you procure this 'Gonzalez eyeball'?"

"Many times, as many as Manana needed to perfect recipe!"

Taion and Mio shared a glance before the latter asked, "Manana...are you sure those were...'Gonzalez' eyeballs...?"

"Manana cannot be fooled!" she exclaimed. "Gogol eye of such size could only be from Gonzalez! Besides...Manana know that Gonzalez unlike any Gogol. Must have eyeballs for days!"

"...if you say so," said Lanz with some uncertainty, sharing some level of skepticism with Taion.

xxxx

Needless to say, Immovable Gonzalez only had two eyeballs.

xxxx

/Time: Chapter 4, after completion of Juniper's Hero Quest, but prior to Mio and Noah's Flute Exchange/

/Near the Gogols' Tree, High Maktha Wildwood, Pentelas Region/

Manana stared with flabbergasted eyes. "No..."

Lanz whistled. "Now that's a chonker of a Gogol," he muttered, staring at the distant form of a massive blue ape with white fur, snoozing heavily amidst the trunk of a tree.

The peachy Nopon's eyes glittered with disbelief. "...but..."

"That Gogol appears to have two eyes," dryly remarked Taion.

"Of course," interjected Juniper, who was temporarily accompanying them until they were out of Tirkin territory. "The Tirkins don't really like Immovable Gonzalez's tribe of Gogols, but he's only a big Gogol; just don't wake him up and you'll be fine."

"...so Manana...was deceived?!"

Riku placed a conciliatory wing-hand on Manana's shoulder.

"...when next return to Gamma, Manana track down Dabadaba," she growled, eyes blazing with imaginary fire. "Made Manana believe wrongly! Gave false advertising at Colony! For crime against cuisine, Manana will have vengeance!" she screamed, causing nearby flocks of birds to scatter.

"...uh, I think you woke the giant Gogol," whispered Sena with wide eyes.

"...we should probably run," muttered Noah, only to wince as a monstrous roar echoed from the trunk.

"Make that definitely!" yelled Eunie as everyone turned on their heels and ran, trying to make distance between themselves and the suddenly agitated troop of primates.

xxxx

Of course, the natural question would be...why would anyone deceive Manana over something like a monster's ocular organ?

xxxx

/Time: Chapter 6, during Ouroboros's Treks with Triton, but prior to Unlocking the Cloudkeep/

/Colony Gamma, Aetia Region/

As Ouroboros handled the last of Commander Teach's requests for...well, teaching, Manana was a Nopon on a mission.

Triton, having nothing better to do, tagged along to watch the fireworks.

Riku came with to ensure no one broke anything.

Thus we come to the scene of Manana cornering a Nopon with creamy orange fur, between two supply containers underneath the great hulk of the Colony's Ferronis. "Manana demand explanation! Dabadaba owe answers!"

"Meh-meh," chirped the nervous Nopon, his wing-hands impulsively adjusting the flat white hat on his head. "Has Dabadaba done something to annoy cookypon?"

"Manana trusted you to provide quality ingredients for people of Colony!" she griped, hopping up and down with excitable anger. "Manana knew that sneakypon went outside Colony to meet with travelling Caravans; Manana said nothing because she knew it was best way to make best dishes with bestest things!"

"Meh..." Dabadaba nervously looked down. "So Manana knew..."

Riku shook his head. "Would be obvious conclusion. Nopon Caravans not welcome in Colonies under control of Flame Clock. It's why traderpons never set up shop until freed by Ouroboros."

"That so?" remarked Triton, tilting his head with intrigue. "Enterprising little scamps, aren't ye...?"

Dabadaba nervously looked at Triton before looking intently at Riku and Manana. "Is big man not Moebius? Is Dabadaba in trouble?"

Triton laughed. "Ha! Ye don't have to worry about trouble on my part, little squirt. But the lass? She's right angry with ye."

"Manana demand answer as to why you told her eyeball belonged to Gonzalez!" she demanded.

"After all, even Riku has heard of such a monster," the green Nopon gravely said. "Reputation of such monster would naturally draw curiosity to anyone claiming to sell body parts belonging to monster. But Nopon Caravan would eventually learn of such falsehood. So why risk it?"

"...meh," groaned Dabadaba, slumping over. "Not know what's like to smuggle pollen orbs into Colony under Moebius control. When crafty merchant able to provide great discount for pollen orbs, Dabadaba had to take it! Extra products was just part of deal! Could not refuse." The orange Nopon then added, "Besides, Dabadaba simply thought Gonzalez just had eyes for days."

Manana slumped over with disbelief. "Meh-meh..."

"What a strangely cutthroat world ye little guys inhabit," murmured the ancient Moebius. "Wonder if I've ever tangled with ye lot before...it sounds kind of thrillin'...!"

"Ignore Triton," admonished Riku, not removing eyes from Dabadaba. "This 'crafty merchant'. Who was it?"

Dabadaba frowned. "Not sure...he gave no name. But Dabadaba can tell you what he looked like!"

xxxx

Meanwhile...to the east of Aetia Region, and far north of the Cadensia Region...there was a continent-sized landmass that looked like a titan's head: one with deadened eyes, and a mountainous spire shaped like a horn.

At the tip of this horn, a green Nopon with a bushy pink mustache — no bigger than any other Nopon, yet possessing a bizarrely grandiose bearing — adjusted his monocle, which also served as his own personal data terminal. As he reviewed numerous statistics and information about the overall economy of the world (as well as the parts that had his fingers all over them), he grumbled. "Meh. Ouroboros proving to be big thorn in side. They're killing my share of black market! What those Moebius chumps doing?!"

Grumbling, he turned away from the great peak, staring at the numerous tiny Levnises that served as the means by which his numerous subordinates travelled throughout Aionios. Within the hollowed out mountain were countless warehouses, where his illicit wares were produced. "Meh, it not matter; Ouroboros come and go. Such is way of world. And even if they somehow do stop Moebius...then with our generations' worth of capital, the next world will be ripe for the taking!" Waddling down the hill towards a Nopon-sized hot spring, he basked in the attention from his various lady Nopon, and from the children who were viciously eager to earn his approval. "After all...First Rule of Making Money..."

xxxx

As Dabadaba finished his description, Riku's frown only grew more severe. "...of course it would be such a wretched cretin."

"Meh-meh?" asked Manana with a blink. "Riku know of vile fiend that dared to deceive Manana?"

"Indeed. Spoken of only in shadows by the Nopon Caravan. But thorn in side for all; were current circumstances not so dire, would focus more on stopping such wicked wickedness!"

Triton, crossing his arms, asked, "And who might this strange character be?"

With a grave tone, Riku answered, "Only the most dastardly supervillianpon of all Noponkind..."

xxxx

"...'Keep it in the Family'," finished Bana the XXIII — current head of the notorious Bana Family— as he took a bite from a Tasty Sausage. "Meh-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

xxxx

Author's Note: Although Dabadaba's actually not named in the game, there is an orange Nopon with a tiny white hat walking around Colony Gamma near some supply canisters.

But seriously, the lack of a Bana in XC3 is a grievous crime. No pun intended.

/also, the fact he's 'the 23rd' is a specific reference to a character from another game
/that some readers might remember