/I told you you'd get your first taste of Jinjo power this chapter. As ever, I own no characters or areas… Yet. This is turning out longer than I thought, so the cleansing of Spiral Mountain is next chapter. Jinjo shadow-power was my idea, SO THERE./

The Jinjo King Marches

"WHEEEE! WHEEEE! WHEEEE!

WHEEEE! WHEEEE! WHEEEE!

WHEEEE! WHEEEE! WHEEEE! WHEEEE!", cried the Grey Jinjo family.

"Ooohhh… Arrghhh… Owowowow!", went the crowd, holding their ears. Jubilant Jinjos made for ear-splitting noises.

"Good to have you back, Greys", bellowed Jingaling through the din. Everyone quietened down; he was going to make a speech.

"Thanks to the valiant efforts of Mumbo and Humba", said Jingaling, getting into the spirit of the thing, "who put their differences behind them in a display of unity and strength…"

A cheer went up among the watchers. Everyone was there; the entire mole family, all sixty Jinjos and The Crew (Banjo, Kazooie and the rest), even characters such as Chief Bloatazin and Leaky the empty bucket made an appearance. Once word had spread of the massive spell to be cast in Jinjo Village, no-one wanted to miss it. Someone in the back yelped as Weldar singed his backside.

"Sorry", said Weldar.

"…the entire Grey Jinjo family has been resurrected at once this day", continued Jingaling self-importantly, glaring at Weldar. If a giant sentient welding torch could be said to blush, Weldar did.

"I hereby proclaim that this day, the Third of ShadowMonth in the Jinjo calendar, shall forever be known as All Shaman's Day, in honour of our valiant healers and heroes!"

More cheers.

"However, I am slightly concerned by the pool", continued Jingaling.

"If anyone were to fall into it, who can tell what will happen? Humba, I realize that you are concerned with your companion Mumbo, but really, something must be done…"

Just then a storm of giggling erupted from the pool. A positive army of Glowbos, attracted by the heady magical discharge, had teleported into the pool. Lapping up the magical mixture, they started flashing through all of the colours of the rainbow. Then there was none left, and they faded away to wherever they came from. Humba gently pulled Mumbo's zap stick from his hand, muttered "eekum bokum deejowmon" a few times and the crater in the ground where the pool was healed up. She sagged. Her magical stamina was nothing like Mumbo's; handling that much magic without a pool to draw from fatigued her considerably.

"Mumbo unconscious and Humba big heap tired. Humba will take Mumbo to wigwam; after rest Humba will see to Mumbo's magical drain."

Mumbo had slipped into a mild coma, in fact, but with Humba's careful, tender care, he came out of it within the week with no ill effects.

Mrs. Bottles strode up to the king, determination in her step.

"Your Highness, now that the Greys are back, perhaps you could get round to restoring Spiral Mountain?"

It wasn't a question. Mrs Bottles did like Banjo and Kazooie, and they were doubly heroes of the Isle 'o Hags, but living with someone and liking someone are quite different things. She wanted her Sunday evenings back, and no-one was going to stop her, least of all a King.

Jingaling seemed to sense this, and he took the only sensible option.

"Yes, Mrs. Bottles, I will do this for my most loyal subject."

Spiral Mountain had seemed blasted when Grunty first invaded, but her influence on the land had had two long years to grow. The ground was barren, the Gruntlings faster to respawn, Banjo's old house now glowed in the dark with an evil magic. Roysten had been healed from Bottle's futile attempts to find some un-burnt fish by Mumbo years back, only to grow a third eye in the lake by the Mountain. It throbbed, feeling like it would rupture. He lived a truly miserable life.

"The place could really do with some fixing up, Banjo", muttered Kazooie dejectedly. "The whole mountain looks like it's rotting away."

"Kazooie, you give us some covering fire", commanded King Jingaling. "We need to make it to the source of this evil. Banjo, you use your Taxi Pack on as many Jinjos as you can. If you can fit a Styracosaurus in there, a few Jinjo families should be no issue."

Banjo and Kazooie nodded. Kazooie muttered, "Glad I jumped in Dingpot before we started, even if my feathers are black."

"The rest of you shall come with me", continued the king. He held his arms out to either side, and orbs of shadow appeared in his hands. Once the remaining Jinjos were gathered closely around him, he completed the spell. An electrical-looking Shadow orb surrounded them, and they floated in the air. Banjo and Kazooie gaped.

"What? Oh, this", muttered the Jinjo King, nodding at the barrier.

"All Jinjos are masters of Shadow magic, though we usually don't use these powers outside times of war. But, we are at war against a landscape like this. Look, I can see you're just about to kick up a fuss about the type of magic I'm using here. Shadow magic, Light magic, Light magic, Shadow magic, all are parts of one whole, like… Like Jiggies in a jigsaw puzzle." He smiled, pleased with the metaphor. "Magic is not evil, only intent. I could discuss the philosophy of magic all day with you, but… This corrupted land must be healed. Banjo, Taxi Pack. Kazooie, covering fire." And with that he made his way to their old home.

Banjo and Kazooie trailed after him.

/Well, well, well. Things are getting exciting, aren't they? Jingaling seems to have hidden depths. He still likes his kickball, though… more on that later. Promise! In other news, Grunty Industries are now sold out of GruntyHead footballs, and my contacts have not had any luck tracing a batch. As yet. Due to a production line fault at the Industries, rumoured to be caused by Gruntilda's old crow from the multiplayer levels getting stuck in one of the vents, there are serious doubts in the Industries about capability to fill demand. Sorry, guys!

Next chapter will see the band battling through Spiral Mountain to reach Banjo's house. This isn't the Spiral Mountain you remember, guys, as I have made abundantly clear, so the question is still in doubt. Lots of doubt. I'll keep you guessing as to just how much, but it'd be safe to expect some ACTION! It's what I write best, after all./