Expedition Day 4: Entry 2
After proceeding through the wreckage of the ship, we found ourselves immediately at the Boiling Bay, and it was certainly aptly named, considering that the volcano on the island was oozing lava towards the nearby ocean, causing the water to be warm-to-boiling temperature... but there was one thing that confused me.
"Why isn't the lava making rocks form with the water? I mean, that's chemistry 101," I asked as Scorch spoke for me.
"That lava isn't actually lava. It's continuous excess of the food bits from the Undersnax, formed when the island gets hungry. So imagine it like liquid shit and that's what it basically is," he explained, me then feeling sick... so sick, in fact, I barfed into the ocean itself, Beffica looking at me in surprise.
"What did he say?" she asked.
"Bleck... this lava... it's basically the island's diarrhea... caused from when the island eats anything excess in the Undersnax... now I really worry about Lizbert being in that place," I said with concern.
"I'd not worry too much. The island won't eat Lizbert, since she's technically the new queen, even if imperfect. But anyone else who goes down there? You'd better hope Lizbert can keep her mind and control in check when down there, or you'll be attacked just as she was," Scorch said, me sighing at that. We managed to find the former lab of Floofty, it having a lot of science stuff as well as some devices in-progress. And one of them just happened to be a version of the Snak-Grappler that could send forward a fist with spikes on it?
"Maybe I could try to do something out with this," I said as I then tweaked the final bits, according to the blueprints on Floofty's desk. And after roughly 4 minutes worth of work, I then tested it on a Bugsnak that was looking at us in anger, that being a Paletoss Grande, according to the Snakscope. And when the spiked fist connected to the giant popsicle, Beffica gawked at how the big boy actually turned to mush shortly after!
"Whoa! We should definitely use that to take out Megamaki!... But where is it? And where is the boat we came here on?" Beffica asked in confusion as Applesauce sighed.
"Megamaki isn't going to give you the light of day unless you get her mad. I recommend turning other Snax into mush around the area, especially the Green Crapples, the Red Banoppers, and the La Sodieux. Those are her most cherished subjects on this side of the island. Just make sure that I'm not one of those Crapples and I'll be fine with it... and Megamaki trashed your ship. It's at the bottom of the ocean now," he said as I then looked at Beffica with seriousness.
"Beff, you go back to town for now with my Bugsnak friends, so they don't get caught in the crossfire. I'm going to go on a spree of defeating the Bugsnax... but just to ask a question... if they're former Grumpuses, would they finally be able to go to the afterlife afterwards?" I asked, the response being given by Omari.
"Yes, that's what will happen. If a Bugsnak turns mush, they'll finally be considered as deceased, unable to be revived by the island when they turn another Grumpus into a Bugsnak," she explained.
"I'll keep your little friends safe while you do that," Beffica said as they then proceeded out of the area and I then went around and started to attack the different Bugsnax in question, them trying to fight back when they noticed me attacking them and turning them into mush, but my weapon had range for days. And once all of the Crapples, Banoppers, and the La Sodieux were all slain, I then felt the ground begin to shake as I then saw a bunch of pillars form from the ground.
"YOU HAVE INCURRED MY WRATH!" shouted a very loud, very Russian-like voice that belonged to none other than Megamaki as she appeared from the ocean, me then proceeding to attack with my Snak-Puncher, as I called it. And when I did, I saw that it managed to make Megamaki split apart into tons of extra parts, resulting in me then punching the smaller segments of Minimaki around the place. Megamaki tried to tackle me as I did so... but when all of its Minimaki were all turned to mush, it then stopped and stood in place, its emotion then turning into fear.
"N-No... d-d-don't come closer!" she said in fear as I approached and looked at her with a frown.
"I want to save Lizbert, and you're in the way," I said, her then speaking as I readied the Snak-Puncher.
"Even if I am to fall, you won't get Lizbert that easily! You'll never find her unless you know the code!" Megamaki said, me frowning at that.
"And what is this code?" I asked, her growling at me.
"And why would I ever tell you that the code is 2, 3, 1? You're gonna... oops..." Megamaki gawked as I then smirked at that. So that most likely meant that the code Lizbert wrote was incorrect, or maybe backwards.
"Anything else you want to blab? Maybe on how to escape from the Undersnax?" I asked, Megamaki gulping.
"I-I can help you escape! Just let me live! I can't reform my own strength as who I was prior! I can give you the knowledge to get out of the Undersnax if you do so!" Megamaki said with seriousness as I frowned at her.
"And why would I believe you? You've been trashing ships at this island to trap innocent people here, including Omari's family and Lizbert's group. You're going to need to explain why I should believe you. If you can't do so, you're dead," I said, Megamaki gulping at that.
"Because if you kill me, then the Bugsnax in this part of the island will go crazy! And it'll make Lizbert exert more strength to prevent the Bugsnax from escaping! If you let me survive, I can make it so that you don't have to worry about that! And if I leave this island, I can be of use to you against the Grumpinatti," she said, me then raising my eyebrow at those two things.
"And how would you be of use against them?" I asked.
"They know that you came here and that you're the best bet to get the Grumpuses off the island. If that happens, they plan on experimenting on the Bugsnax on the island to make verifiable war machines. I can assist in taking them apart at the roots, since I know of the leaders of them," she said.
"And how do you know their leaders?" I asked.
"Because... Because I was one of them..." Megamaki said, me being surprised, but wondering if I should believe it or not. "The Grumpinatti have been around for centuries, almost as long as your Scorpper ally. And I was sent here to inspect the island, but I was turned into Minimaki. And over the centuries, I grew into Megamaki. I know things about them that no one else would, not even Snorpington! Let me join you and I'll help you undo their entire organization," she said, me frowning as I then asked a question.
"Would this apply to all of the Bugsnak Heirarchy? Is this the same for Mothza Supreme, Mama Mewon, and Daddy Cakelegs?" I asked, her sighing at me.
"Each of the Heirarchy's deaths will make the Bugsnax in their areas go berserk. Meaning they'd attack your settlement easier. You need to cripple them, not slay them. Each can be crippled as you did to me, by breaking them apart into their original forms," she explained.
"If you're honest, then that will be of use. But if anything, and I mean ANYTHING happens to the citizens of Snaxburg because of our partnership, you are dead," I said, her nodding... she then gave me something that she was hiding in her... mouth? And color me shocked at how it was two things. First was a large and sharp katana and the other was one of Lizbert's bags! And inside of it? The final bit of the clues, which had the rest of the code of right and center, but it was apparently backwards.
"I am, and I'll explain why on the way back," Megamaki said as we then proceeded back on foot, where she then did as she said she would. "Lizbert has been feeding you and your Bugsnax false information. She does not want to be found, and for very good reason. Because of you."
"Why because of me?" I asked in confusion.
"Have you ever wondered why you're the only person on this island that can understand the language of the Bugsnax? And why your head turns into a different Bugsnak element every night?" That... was honestly a good question. And I must've shown my confusion because she spoke something to me. "Lizbert wants you to forget her and leave because of one thing. YOU are the one the island considers as the next queen, not Lizbert."
And when she said that as we went through the ship and into the Simmering Springs? I stopped in place.
"Wait... you're saying I'm the next queen? And that's why Lizbert wants to stay hidden? Because if I go to the Undersnax to save her, then it'll immediately make the island conform me into a Bugsnak Queen?" I asked, Megamaki nodding at me.
"She knows of your status and your abilities, and she knows that if you go down there to save her, this island will collapse with the loss of the true queen from its center. It'll just sink into the ocean, as the island will be without a proper heart to keep it alive. And when that happens... well, Lizbert doesn't want it to happen," she explained as I then thought long and hard... but then I looked at my orange hand and then looked at her again.
"What if I placed a part of me inside of the Undersnax, rather than the full body? Would that manage to fool the island into thinking the queen is still there, even for a small amount of time?" I asked, Megamaki looking at my hand and thinking, before then looking surprised.
"Aha! I've got it! If you simply place that orange slice hand into Lizbert's current queen body after you save her, you'll be able to make a new queen and still leave the place! But the island will still try to prevent your group from leaving, so exercise caution," she said, me smirking at that.
"Then that's just what I'll do... but before that, I need to know how to escape from the Undersnax when I go to save Lizbert?"
"You'll need to be patient until you learn to use the powers of your queenhood properly. In short, you'll be able to use all the types of Bugsnax powers at once, including the flying type. But because time is of the essence, I shall assist," Megamaki said as she then touched her body to mine... amd I gawked at how my body suddenly felt stronger... almost as if I became... calmer, yet I could feel power overwhelming me. "Now you've got the ability of floating, more strength from aggression, and tougher endurance from meaty."
"Thanks... I need to control this, though. And get over my own fear of Snakkification, because I don't want to get left behind," I sighed.
"I understand. That's how it is for everyone that's come here. But if it makes you feel any better, there are a few people who have managed to escape this island in the past, but that would be moot as they were almost all Grumpinatti members," she explained as I then asked a serious question.
"Who escape the island that weren't those members? I need to know, for the story purposes," I asked, her then smiling.
"From what I can recall, there were 4 different people that escaped this island in the past. They consisted of a human named Leonardo Davinci, the French Grumpus Revolutionary Napoleon Bonaparte, Grumpus Khan, and Christopher Cogrumpus." I smiled at that, as all of them were famous historical figures of the past.
"Huh... thanks for the info," I smiled as I then wrote that down in my journal to be mentioned in the paper, that one of the Bugsnak queens said that four undocumented people had escaped the island in the past. "One would think they'd write their experiences down somewhere, though."
"They didn't write it down for one reason only. They didn't want to spread the word of an island that could be weaponized. That's why the Grumpinatti wants you to fail. So they can use the Bugsnax to conquer the world." I sighed at her saying this, knowing that I had to succeed and get off this island with everyone.
"When we get off of this rock and back to the mainland, you're going to help me and Snorpy out in getting the truth out about the Grumpinatti, got it?" I said, her nodding.
"I know enough about them, from their consistent visits over the years. And I also know all the foundation basis for the group, as I used to be the wife of the founder," she said, me then asking a serious question.
"Name?"
"Nellie Hubbard." Yep, that checked out.
"Okay, let's go back to town," I said as we then finally reached Snaxburg and we saw that the group was hard at work getting the balloon repaired and I noted that my Bugsnak partners were waiting for me on their own.
"What are you doing with Megamaki? I thought you were supposed to kill her?" Scorch asked in annoyance.
"She said that killing her would result in the Bugsnax in her area losing control, thus making Lizbert exert more energy. And that, if we take her back to the mainland, she can help us out in taking down the ones who caused everything here, the Grumpinatti," I said, that making Snorpy look surprised as he rushed over to me.
"You're saying this queen Bugsnak knows about the Grumpinatti?" he asked, me nodding.
"Yes, I do. Because I was the wife of the founder," she said... and Snorpy gawked, making me surprised.
"You talk English, too! Hmm... very well, you may assist us!" Snorpy smirked as he then placed a tracking device on Megamaki, aka Nellie.
"And so do the other queens and the king. But they used to be infamous people who were banished to this island a long while ago, which is why they'll need to be forced here," Nellie said, me frowning at that.
"I'm sure I'll find out on the way to the Sizzling Sands. I need to get Shelda back before the day is done. And I have a feeling she'll be the hardest one of all of us to realize the truth about what Bugsnax do to people," I said with a frown.
"Indeed, it will be difficult to convince Shelda of the true nature of the Bugsnax," said the voice of Floofty, who was in the same tent that Triffany and Bronnica were at, them making some modifications to the latter's buggy ball so that it had spikes coating it, along with some other modifications to the other Bugsnax in my group, consisting of a spiked fist puncher for Scorch, a hole in the front of Solana's ball so she could spit her gooey gunk onto foes, a strong set of springs all around Omari's ball so she could bounce high, and even an upgrade to Applesauce's claws so they had armor plating on them that could act as scissors.
"Shelda and I had a clash of ideals versus beliefs. She had the ideal that the Bugsnax were toxic and refused to eat them, but I pointed out that she ate them in privacy. And she claimed that I was using the toxins to invade Eggabelle's mind as well as cause the falling out between her and Lizbert shortly before their disappearance. Ultimately, I feel I need to make right, but... it's very difficult for me to apologize to others," Floofty admitted.
"Yeah, I feel your pain... it was difficult for me to forgive Beffica for what she did to me in high school, but here's how I see it. If you apologize for something, that makes you the better person. And it takes an even better person to forgive the unforgivable," I said, Floofty sighing and nodding.
"I see... and I also see that you finished work on the device I was working on at the Boiling Bay. How goes the field work with it?"
"Well, if it connects the spiked fist to any Bugsnak, they immediately turn to mush," I smirked widely.
"As much as I hate that fact," Nellie frowned.
"And I feel I should say this, but this map here will help greatly when you go to defeat Mothza Supreme. I'd say it's high time that you get some much-deserved revenge against that flying pizza monster for what it did to your airship. It's very tedious to repair, you see," Floofty said, me smirking at that as I got the map and smiled widely.
"This is going to be fun," I smiled as I then looked at it and it gave some clues. That I had to push the hidden button at the temple of the Sizzling Sands and that I would need to open the casket to reveal a secret weapon to reveal the weapon that would summon Mothza Supreme for a battle. And that said battle was a right of passage for ancient Grumpuses on this island to become the matriarch of the Sand Grumpus tribe. But just to be safe?
"I'm going to ask that some of my Bugsnak friends stay here, just in case miss Megamaki, AKA Nellie happens to have lied at all," I asked, the result being that Bronnica, Omari, and Johno the Shishkebug stayed behind. And after that?
"I think I'm gonna join ya when we get goin' to the Sizzlin' Sands this time, pally. I wanna ask ya for some of that uh... confidentiality crap and stuff," Cromdo asked me as I simply smiled and nodded.
"Very well then, Cromdo. We'll talk on the way," I smiled, him nodding as we proceeded to the Sizzling Sands. And I had to hope he'd be nice to Shelda and that he wouldn't complain about the heat on the way.
