The NES Series:

Clu Clu Land

"According to the map, the portal should be just up ahead."

Thick darkness surrounded Villager, Jazz, Rock, and Olimar as the four dove deeper and deeper underwater. The world seemed almost surreal to Villager through the large round helmet he had borrowed from Olimar.

"Are you sure you two can't stay longer?" Villager asked.

"Nope, sorry, buddy," Rock replied. "Mario wants us to check out the games for the Game Boy, and he said he wants us to get on it right away."

"But we'll try to visit here and there," Jazz said. "Mostly whenever we come across games released for both systems."

The four divers touched down on the ocean floor and looked around. Strange poles stuck up out of the ground around them, wobbling gently in the current.

"What are these things?" Jazz asked.

"I'm not sure," Villager said. "Something from the old game Clu Clu Land, I think." He put out his hand and touched one. "I think they're organic, like a plant or something."

Rock held up the waterproof map he was holding. "From this spot, the portal should be just ahead. Let's go."

Villager, Jazz, and Rock waded forward, passing between two poles. As they passed, Jazz's foot scraped along the bottom, kicking up mud and uncovering a gleaming gold ingot.

"Hey, check it out," Olimar said, bending to pick it up. He held it up to the faint light rippling down from above and inspected it. "How much do you bet it's worth?"

Villager, Jazz, and Rock ignored him, engrossed in their consultation of Rock's map. They passed between another pair of poles, uncovering another ingot.

"Jackpot!" Olimar said, snatching that one up as well. He looked at the ingot and then turned his gaze to the two poles on either side of it. "I wonder . . . ."

"Hey, there it is," Rock said, looking up from the map. Just over a small ridge a few feet ahead of them, a vortex opened in the ground, swirling violently and kicking up a thick cloud of dirt around it. The vortex glowed slightly and it made a sound like someone slurping through a straw.

"Lovely," Jazz muttered. Behind her, Olimar zipped through a row of poles, gathering ingots as he went and giggling like a schoolboy at recess.

"Well, this is us," Rock said. He handed Jazz a small communicator. "I'll let you know if I make it through to the other side. If it turns me to scrap metal, don't follow."

"Got it," Jazz said.

Rock focused on the vortex and took a deep breath. He ran forward, over the ridge, shouted "Geronimo!" and dove in. Olimar ran by on the other side, his arms overflowing with gold ingots.

Villager and Jazz stood waiting in silence, neither one quite looking at each other.

"So," Villager said, clearing his throat, "How—how's the gym?"

"Oh, um, it's good," Jazz said, seeming to study a nearby pole. "Kinda busy, now that we're a trainer short. We've been conducting interviews to find a replacement for you-know-who."

"Ah," Villager said. "Hope you're conducting a thorough background search on all of your candidates."

"Oh, no worries," Jazz said. "We do not want a repeat."

The two fell silent once again. Jazz checked Rock's communicator while Villager watched Olimar collide with a small red fish and scatter his ingots everywhere.

"So, how's Lassy?" Jazz asked.

"Oh, she's good. She's actually mayor now."

"Oh, good for her."

"Yeah, I kind of stepped down so that I could help with Smash Five."

"That's cool."

The two fell silent once again. Villager swallowed, gathering his courage. He turned to her. "Hey, Jazz, I was wondering—"

He was interrupted when Rock's communicator beeped. Jazz tapped the center button and held it up to her ear.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Hey, it's cool," Rock's voice said from the other end. "A little disorienting, but you should be fine."

"Alright, I'll head on through."

Jazz tapped the device off. "Well, I guess I'm off," she said. She turned to Villager. "See you around?"

"Yeah," Villager said, "see you."

Jazz waved goodbye, then ran forward and dove into the vortex, disappearing within it. Villager watched her go, letting out a long sigh. A tap on the shoulder woke him from his reverie.

"Hey, um, Villager," Olimar said. "We're kind of in trouble?"

Villager turned to look at Olimar and the red fish. "What?" He stopped as he saw the legion of dark blue, spiny urchins lining the ocean floor behind them. He slowly turned to see hundreds coming at them from all sides.

"What did you do?" Villager asked.

"It's the fish's fault, I swear."