CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: Confidence.
The region known as Spiral Mountain had quite an interesting, yet short history. Obviously named after the coiled structure in its center, this once peaceful and quaint place had been cursed with the awful image of what was once Grunty carved into its side. The silhouette of the witch had been imprinted into its soil, and the toll the land took when the minions destroyed lair and left the spiral in shambles became a symbol for her demented schemes. An overwhelmingly gloomy feeling encapsulated the area.
But that feeling would disappear once the true heroes of Stop N' Swop arrived. The two eggs hobbled along, still carrying the remnants of Ice Key in their bucket as well as the spellbooks of Wumba and Mingella.
"I knew we could it," said Yellow. "We're finally gonna be able to find Purple!"
"Yeah, I know," said Blue. "I just can't believe that Ice Key had to be sacrificed like that. It feels so uneasy."
They cautiously climbed the spiral and set the bucket down at the top.
"Okay. Let's practice this now," suggested Yellow. "You read out the Levitation spell, and I'll read out the Repairing spell. Let's do it on the bridge so we can cross."
Blue began: "I will not, will not -- with a goat. I will not, will not -- make it FLOAT!"
The wooden footbridge slowly rose upward until it reached them.
Yellow began: "Whistling Dixie, make it fixed-ee!"
The bridge shuttered slightly and repaired itself, reattaching to the side of the mountain.
"This is SWEET!" Blue couldn't help but say. "We're going to fix up the lair in no time!"
At that moment, an unidentifiable piece of debris flew out of the entrance to the lair, hitting the side of the bucket. It wailed.
Yellow caught the pail before it fell over and stared into it. The bucket opened its eyes.
"Me Leaky," it spoke. "Me plenty good for water. Can egg fix owie?"
Yellow examined the dent. "Doesn't look too good." He peered again into the water. "It also seems that you have a hole, but it's blocked up tightly by some kind of..."
"BlueEgg," said Blue. "Some kind of ammunition. I think Cheato has spells that have to do with them."
Yellow attempted to smoothen out the dent with his hand. "Can't really do much -- the Repairing spell works well with large objects. Listen, when we repair the lair, I'll find someone to fix that up for you, OK?"
The beach bucket nodded.
"In the meantime, do you best to hold that water," said Blue.
"Leaky will," he promised.
So Yellow Egg, Blue Egg, and Leaky stepped into the lair.
------
"C'mon folks!" said Kazooie, affronted by the chill wind at Hailfire's icy side.
Quickly shuffling the moles out of the mechanical shark, the bird confronted Mumbo at the opening. "Listen," she began, "I want to make sure you're really with us on this. Are you sure you can revive Banjo?"
"Mumbo been studying for past five years, need only 56 percent of bear carcass to perform spell. No big whoop."
"All right. Also, I'm sorry about laughing at your, er, ailment before."
The shaman hung his head. "It is big shame. Long ago, mean witch curse Mumbo with spell. Spell zap confidence into stick. No stick, no confidence," he admitted.
"I see," said Kazooie slowly.
With slightly puzzled expressions on their faces, the two brought the moles across the snow and over to the igloo. The kids scurried inside, with Mrs. Bottles standing at the door.
"I want you to be careful," said the Mrs. "I don't want you late for a meal again." She promptly gave a soft peck to Bottles' cheek before closing the door behind her, sealing in the heat.
The three were left outside to discuss.
Bottles spoke. "So everything's settled. I just have one question, Kazooie. Why did you not mention Mildred and George's passing?"
The Breegull's eyes widened. "Er, passing? Well... I hadn't, er, known about it. Ahem."
The mole furrowed his brow. "Kazooie, you didn't..."
The bird suddenly pointed in a random direction to change the subject. "Hey, look!"
The two turned to look. Ironically, there was actually something worth watching.
A furious cloud of dust appeared across the way, toward one of Wumba's old posts. Bits of yellow and white poked out of it periodically, with muffled profanity emanating from within. Two people were fighting.
"That seems a bit gruesome," Bottles noted. "I wonder what they're fighting about."
At that moment, a large feathery yellow thing was whacked out of the dust cloud. It was Canary Mary.
"Hurf," the Breegull scoffed. "That mangy bird was bound to get into trouble."
The dust cleared, and Sasquatch appeared. "Biggafoot want lunch back!"
"I found it first," said Mary. "You were going to throw it out anyway. Just let me have it!"
"You make fun of pretty foot," remarked the abominable snowman.
"It is pretty." said the yellow bird, "Pretty big."
Biggafoot cocked his appendage back, ready to knock the stuffing out of Mary with it, when he was walloped over the head by a piece of wood. "OUCH!" he yelled, and fell over.
Mumbo lowered his zapping stick. "Confidence," he muttered, rubbing the jeweled skull end.
Kazooie bent down over the canary. "I believe you owe us a reward for saving you."
"I don't have anymore Jiggies," replied Mary. "However, I do have a piece of parchment I've kept warm in my--"
"No!" said the Breegull. "Don't tell me where it's been!" She averted her eyes.
Canary Mary pulled out a scroll. "Here."
Kazooie quickly aired it out before unraveling. It was a captain's log. "Hey, this is from Blackeye!"
"I know," said the canary with a chuckle. "I was trying to pass as a parrot to join the Rival Fleet. They rejected me, so I got back at them by stealing their papers." She let out a laugh.
The Breegull read the sheet aloud:
Captain Blackeye's Log, Thursday... I ferget tha date.
- Cured meself of tha seasickness. Going to get Fleet back together an' run that bear and bird though like they've ne'er been. Bring 'em to tha Galleon. Rusty Bucket has been maintained at tha Galleon. Will use ship to replace the WINKYBUNION. Rest of ships will be fixed at tha Galleon.
"This was written two days ago," noted Kazooie. "What's this Galleon he keeps referring to?"
"Gloomy Galleon, of course," said Mary. "Across the sea. That's where his old vessel was going. It's where all of his ships are."
He named his old ship the Winkybunion," said Bottles. "Why?"
"After his former love," said the canary.
The three stumbled back. "What in--!"
"Yes, they had quite a thing back then. But Grunty's witchcraft and musical career got in the way of their relationship. It's really too bad."
Still reeling in disbelief at the revelation, Mumbo spoke. "Blackeye got Banjo."
"Y-yes... you're right," said Kazooie, staring blankly. Snapping out of it, she spoke again. "Er, yes, you're right. We have to go to Gloomy Galleon and get Banjo's body back. Let's hitch a ride over there right now!"
The region known as Spiral Mountain had quite an interesting, yet short history. Obviously named after the coiled structure in its center, this once peaceful and quaint place had been cursed with the awful image of what was once Grunty carved into its side. The silhouette of the witch had been imprinted into its soil, and the toll the land took when the minions destroyed lair and left the spiral in shambles became a symbol for her demented schemes. An overwhelmingly gloomy feeling encapsulated the area.
But that feeling would disappear once the true heroes of Stop N' Swop arrived. The two eggs hobbled along, still carrying the remnants of Ice Key in their bucket as well as the spellbooks of Wumba and Mingella.
"I knew we could it," said Yellow. "We're finally gonna be able to find Purple!"
"Yeah, I know," said Blue. "I just can't believe that Ice Key had to be sacrificed like that. It feels so uneasy."
They cautiously climbed the spiral and set the bucket down at the top.
"Okay. Let's practice this now," suggested Yellow. "You read out the Levitation spell, and I'll read out the Repairing spell. Let's do it on the bridge so we can cross."
Blue began: "I will not, will not -- with a goat. I will not, will not -- make it FLOAT!"
The wooden footbridge slowly rose upward until it reached them.
Yellow began: "Whistling Dixie, make it fixed-ee!"
The bridge shuttered slightly and repaired itself, reattaching to the side of the mountain.
"This is SWEET!" Blue couldn't help but say. "We're going to fix up the lair in no time!"
At that moment, an unidentifiable piece of debris flew out of the entrance to the lair, hitting the side of the bucket. It wailed.
Yellow caught the pail before it fell over and stared into it. The bucket opened its eyes.
"Me Leaky," it spoke. "Me plenty good for water. Can egg fix owie?"
Yellow examined the dent. "Doesn't look too good." He peered again into the water. "It also seems that you have a hole, but it's blocked up tightly by some kind of..."
"BlueEgg," said Blue. "Some kind of ammunition. I think Cheato has spells that have to do with them."
Yellow attempted to smoothen out the dent with his hand. "Can't really do much -- the Repairing spell works well with large objects. Listen, when we repair the lair, I'll find someone to fix that up for you, OK?"
The beach bucket nodded.
"In the meantime, do you best to hold that water," said Blue.
"Leaky will," he promised.
So Yellow Egg, Blue Egg, and Leaky stepped into the lair.
------
"C'mon folks!" said Kazooie, affronted by the chill wind at Hailfire's icy side.
Quickly shuffling the moles out of the mechanical shark, the bird confronted Mumbo at the opening. "Listen," she began, "I want to make sure you're really with us on this. Are you sure you can revive Banjo?"
"Mumbo been studying for past five years, need only 56 percent of bear carcass to perform spell. No big whoop."
"All right. Also, I'm sorry about laughing at your, er, ailment before."
The shaman hung his head. "It is big shame. Long ago, mean witch curse Mumbo with spell. Spell zap confidence into stick. No stick, no confidence," he admitted.
"I see," said Kazooie slowly.
With slightly puzzled expressions on their faces, the two brought the moles across the snow and over to the igloo. The kids scurried inside, with Mrs. Bottles standing at the door.
"I want you to be careful," said the Mrs. "I don't want you late for a meal again." She promptly gave a soft peck to Bottles' cheek before closing the door behind her, sealing in the heat.
The three were left outside to discuss.
Bottles spoke. "So everything's settled. I just have one question, Kazooie. Why did you not mention Mildred and George's passing?"
The Breegull's eyes widened. "Er, passing? Well... I hadn't, er, known about it. Ahem."
The mole furrowed his brow. "Kazooie, you didn't..."
The bird suddenly pointed in a random direction to change the subject. "Hey, look!"
The two turned to look. Ironically, there was actually something worth watching.
A furious cloud of dust appeared across the way, toward one of Wumba's old posts. Bits of yellow and white poked out of it periodically, with muffled profanity emanating from within. Two people were fighting.
"That seems a bit gruesome," Bottles noted. "I wonder what they're fighting about."
At that moment, a large feathery yellow thing was whacked out of the dust cloud. It was Canary Mary.
"Hurf," the Breegull scoffed. "That mangy bird was bound to get into trouble."
The dust cleared, and Sasquatch appeared. "Biggafoot want lunch back!"
"I found it first," said Mary. "You were going to throw it out anyway. Just let me have it!"
"You make fun of pretty foot," remarked the abominable snowman.
"It is pretty." said the yellow bird, "Pretty big."
Biggafoot cocked his appendage back, ready to knock the stuffing out of Mary with it, when he was walloped over the head by a piece of wood. "OUCH!" he yelled, and fell over.
Mumbo lowered his zapping stick. "Confidence," he muttered, rubbing the jeweled skull end.
Kazooie bent down over the canary. "I believe you owe us a reward for saving you."
"I don't have anymore Jiggies," replied Mary. "However, I do have a piece of parchment I've kept warm in my--"
"No!" said the Breegull. "Don't tell me where it's been!" She averted her eyes.
Canary Mary pulled out a scroll. "Here."
Kazooie quickly aired it out before unraveling. It was a captain's log. "Hey, this is from Blackeye!"
"I know," said the canary with a chuckle. "I was trying to pass as a parrot to join the Rival Fleet. They rejected me, so I got back at them by stealing their papers." She let out a laugh.
The Breegull read the sheet aloud:
Captain Blackeye's Log, Thursday... I ferget tha date.
- Cured meself of tha seasickness. Going to get Fleet back together an' run that bear and bird though like they've ne'er been. Bring 'em to tha Galleon. Rusty Bucket has been maintained at tha Galleon. Will use ship to replace the WINKYBUNION. Rest of ships will be fixed at tha Galleon.
"This was written two days ago," noted Kazooie. "What's this Galleon he keeps referring to?"
"Gloomy Galleon, of course," said Mary. "Across the sea. That's where his old vessel was going. It's where all of his ships are."
He named his old ship the Winkybunion," said Bottles. "Why?"
"After his former love," said the canary.
The three stumbled back. "What in--!"
"Yes, they had quite a thing back then. But Grunty's witchcraft and musical career got in the way of their relationship. It's really too bad."
Still reeling in disbelief at the revelation, Mumbo spoke. "Blackeye got Banjo."
"Y-yes... you're right," said Kazooie, staring blankly. Snapping out of it, she spoke again. "Er, yes, you're right. We have to go to Gloomy Galleon and get Banjo's body back. Let's hitch a ride over there right now!"