The Palace of Shadow (Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door)
"Okay, anyone ELSE getting a creepy vibe to this place?" Lucy shuddered.
"Ugh…yes." Luigi muttered.
"This place is no place for a child." Carla said. "But since we're all here, I guess there's no turning back." She muttered.
"If this were in the Underworld, I would redecorate this place and prank Pitty Pat all the time." Hades chuckled, completely unaware of the followers behind them.
"Ugh, no thanks…I don't want to open up a treasure chest that contains an Orne…or a Clubberskull." Pit shuddered.
"Shhh." Dark Pit quieted him down.
"Oh! Erza, I need to tell you something." Worldwalker said. "It's about the power of the Crystal Stars."
"What is it?" Erza asked after Natsu and Mokou used their hands and ignited them to light the way. Sure, there were torches, but that didn't light up the place rather well…as it did reveal some Swoopulas, which scared the heck out of Lucy, Wendy and Luigi.
"Each of those Crystal Stars hold some kind of magical power. I think it's time I told you about them."
"Go on." She nodded.
"The first Crystal Star attack is called Earth Tremor. It summons a bigger version of the Diamond Star for all of us to get on, it will start jumping up and down and creating humongous shockwaves that will damage all opponents around you."
"Interesting." She said.
Natsu gagged. "Ugh…that makes me sick just thinking about it…"
"Are you kidding me?!" Minene exclaimed. "You're more of a wimp than I thought!"
"Uh, Minene?" Youmu pointed to the other Dragon Slayers, as they didn't look so hot just thinking of the idea, causing Minene to facepalm.
"Oh dear." Yuyuko said.
"The second Crystal Star's power is called Time Out, and with that, it summons a bomb with the Emerald Star on it, and it will only get bigger until it explodes, freezing everything in the blast radius."
"So I need to time it just right so the explosion will affect our opponents and not us, correct?"
"Right, but the effect doesn't always work. The next one is called Power Lift. You increase the attacking power and defense by a factor of two."
"Ah, so I can use that to help Wendy."
Wendy grinned. "Awesome!"
"The next one is called Art Attack, you call out the Ruby Star and then guide it around your enemies with your sword, the more it circles around them, the more damage they'll take."
"Art Attack? Sounds like something Natsu would do." Gray muttered.
Happy giggled. "He drew on your face when you were asleep."
"HE WHAT?!"
"Hey! You wouldn't wake up, so I wanted to draw on your face!" Natsu explained.
"That's it, I'm going to pulverize him when we're out of this place!"
"Bring it, ice cube!" Natsu smirked.
"Here we go again." Levy sighed.
"The next one is called Sweet Feast. It heals everyone in the group by a moderate amount and restore some of their magic power, it also cures poison."
"You're kidding…" Cobra blinked in surprise.
"Uh guys? I think we lost Yuyuko." Laxus pointed out as they saw Yuyuko drooling all over the place.
"Sweet Feast, that sounds heavenly!" Yuyuko grinned, causing everyone to sweatdrop.
"Oh geez, we lost her again." Youmu sighed, while unknown to them, Pit slipped on the drool.
"Ow…" Pit groaned. "Who goes and drools all over the place like that?"
"Yuyuko." Sakuya replied.
"Yeah, I can tell." Pit muttered.
"The next one is called Showstopper, it's a very awesome one as when used correctly, it knocks out EVERYONE…well, excluding boss enemies."
"Might have to use that one sparingly…I mean, it's no fun to use it all the time, right?" Erza grinned.
"So true." Worldwalker chuckled. "The last one you should know is called Supernova. This will cause the Crystal Star to dart across the battlefield and leave lines everywhere in the air…and when it's done, it creates a POWERFUL explosion that will cause tons of damage! …However, it does cost a lot of magic power, so I'd be careful with that one."
"So basically, use it as a last resort?"
"Bingo." Worldwalker nodded.
"Thanks for the information." Erza said. "Grodus will be going down for sure."
"Indeed." Worldwalker nodded and then looked around. "We're in the city already? What happened to all of those traps?"
"The spiked floor trap? I just simply gapped you guys to the other side so you wouldn't get hurt. For the firebars, Natsu ate them up while Mokou absorbed the rest of it that Natsu missed." Yukari explained.
"What about the Dark Bones guy?"
"Sent him to hell, Eiki's dealing with him now."
With Eiki…
"I SENTENCE YOU TO THE NETHERWORLD FOR ALL OF ETERNITY WITH NO AFTERNOON SNACKS!" She yelled while the Dark Bones was shaking.
Back with them…
"The repeating hallways?"
"Gapped right through it." Yukari grinned. "Didn't want these guys to scream in frustration or anything."
"Repeating hallways?" Natsu blinked.
"Something completely unbearable." Mokou muttered.
"If they were repeating, i'd probably scream my head off or something." Gajeel muttered as they looked at the city-like place in front of them.
Hollow Bastion (Kingdom Hearts)
"So what's in that building?" Mario asked.
"Probably something interesting." Minene said as they went over to the building…while behind them, the door swung open and Pit faceplanted.
"Ugh…I didn't think we'd ever get out of those repeating hallways…" He muttered.
"I was this close to snapping and it wasn't even funny." Flandre growled in annoyance.
"I'm glad you didn't." Meiling sweatdropped.
The Tower of Riddles (Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door)
"Whoa, this place is huge!" Natsu exclaimed.
"I suggest we split up. We can cover more ground that way." Yukari suggested.
"Good thought." Worldwalker nodded as everyone went into different rooms.
Room one, First Floor – The Mario Bros
"Four stones, twin stones…Master of Shadow and Dark…two are one, one is two." Luigi read. "The heck does this middle text mean?"
"I dunno." Mario shrugged as he jumped up to climb over the platform and block and then punched the ! block, as a chest appeared.
"Well that's ominous." Luigi said as Mario climbed down as he opened the chest to reveal a key. "Who puts a key in a chest?"
Room two, first floor – Minene, Youmu, Natsu and Happy
"All you see isn't all there be…Stones Have Power of Stars…Touch it to pass through it…" Youmu read.
"Okay, the middle text doesn't make any sense." Minene said. "Then again, riddles really don't make that much sense to me."
"There's more than meets the eye here." Youmu said. "But where, exactly?"
"Who knows?" Natsu asked as he started to lean on a certain wall. "For all we know, it could mean anythi-" He went right through the wall. "WHOOOA!" He yelled and fell on his back.
"AAAH! The wall ate Natsu!" Happy exclaimed.
"Hang on a second…" Minene put her hand on the wall, but her hand went through it. "It's a fake!" She exclaimed as she went through it and saw the chest. "Way to go, Natsu!"
"Thanks, I guess." Natsu grinned as Youmu walked through while Minene opened up the chest, to reveal a key.
"Is this some kind of joke?" Minene wondered.
Room three, first floor – Goombella, Levy, Hikari
"Beyond, beyond, beyond…Complete All Seven…Before, before." Goombella read. "Complete all seven what?"
"Wait a second…" Levy looked at the ! blocks. "I think we need to hit that block three times, and the other one two times."
"It's worth a try." Hikari said as she did just that and the treasure chest appeared as they quickly opened it.
"Who puts a key in a treasure chest?" Levy asked.
Room four, First Floor – Flurrie, Wendy, Carla, Yuyuko
"The unseen may yet be felt…So That We, the Great Ones…Be it here? Be it there?" Carla read. "Okay, this doesn't make sense! What's this about being so great?"
"Oh!" Wendy felt something. "I feel an invisible…something of some sort!"
"I think we need to blow it off." Flurrie said as Wendy nodded as she jumped back.
"SKY DRAGON'S ROAR!" Wendy yelled as Flurrie used her wind to help Wendy as the invisible something blew off to reveal a treasure chest.
"Oh! I hope there are some sweets in there!" Yuyuko exclaimed as she opened the chest to reveal a key. "Or just leave a key in there." She sighed.
"Who in the right mind puts a key in a treasure chest?" Carla wondered.
Room five, second floor – Yukari, Worldwalker, Mokou
"Four stones, twin stones…Can Live Again by the Stone…Two are one, one is two." Mokou read. "Okay…" She shrugged as Yukari just simply pressed the ! block and then a treasure chest appeared as Worldwalker opened it up to reveal a key.
"Got it!" Worldwalker grinned.
Room six, second floor – Hades, Bobbery, Cobra, Gray, Juvia
"Straight on, straight onward…We Know the Stars Spurn Us…Destroy All in Your Path." Cobra read.
"This room speaks to me!" Hades exclaimed as he started wrecking the place.
"Are we NOT going to question the middle text?" Gray asked as the wall crumbled in front of them to reveal the treasure chest as Gray went over to open it up to reveal a key.
"I say, who does that sort of thing?" Bobbery asked.
Room seven, second floor – Lucy, Erza
"Let fall the weakest…And That the Skies Lie…Then build to the strongest." Lucy read. "The skies lie…?" She blinked as she heard chaos right behind her to see Dull Bones, Red Bones, Dry Bones and Dark Bones annihilated by Erza, causing her to sweatdrop.
"Huh, this feels incredibly powerful than Purgatory…" Erza said as the treasure chest appeared.
"You sure? Because you were against some skeletons…" Lucy blinked as she opened the chest to reveal a key.
"Okay…?" Erza blinked.
Room eight, second floor – Vivian, Rogue, Frosch
"The shy one hides his shape, But the Stars Bring Balance, the shy one hides his face." Vivian read. "Uh…" She blinked.
"Hmm…perhaps if we hide in the shadows?" Rogue suggested as he hid in the shadows while Vivian took Frosch underground, as a ! block appeared as they reappeared.
"That worked." Vivian said as she pressed it, and then a treasure box appeared as they opened it up to reveal once again…a key.
"A key? That's lame…" Rogue said.
"Fro thinks so too!" Frosch happily grinned.
Floor three – Everyone else
"So…what is this?" Sting asked.
"Some kind of Planetarium, I imagine." Laxus replied as they were met with everyone else.
"So we need another key?" Natsu asked as he looked at the pillar in front of them. "Where the heck is it, though?"
"Maybe if we go farther…we can find it." Worldwalker said as they nodded and took off.
Meanwhile…
"You just had to go farther, didn't you?" Dark Pit asked.
"I didn't think there'd be a dragon in here!" Pit whispered as they were in the shadows.
"Can I kill him with just one hand?" Flandre asked, aiming her hand at it. "I mean, he IS asleep."
"That seems like a good idea…" Remilia muttered.
"I just hope he doesn't wake up soon." Meiling said, and then unfortunately for them, everyone walked in.
"WHAT THE?!" Natsu yelled. "ANOTHER DRAGON?!" He yelled, and then the dragon stirred and then got up.
"Way to go, fire head! You woke it up!" Gray growled.
The dragon looked at them. "Who dares to come into my room?" He asked.
"Wait a second…isn't that Hooktail?" Natsu asked. "Did he go emo after we destroyed him?"
"I don't think they do that." Laxus said.
"WHAT?!" The dragon yelled. "YOU KILLED MY PRECIOUS SISTER?!"
"SISTER?!" Everyone but Worldwalker yelled.
"Wait a minute, did I just hear Pit?" Worldwalker asked, turning his head to see the others. "Uh…have you been following us?"
Dark Pit sighed. "You know what? Forget hiding." He said, summoning his Silver Bow as he revealed himself along with the others. "We'll explain later."
"So wait, if Hooktail is a girl…" Natsu blinked. "Then you're…"
"Gloomtail, Hooktail's older brother."
"And I imagine he's related to Bonetail." Laxus muttered.
"You destroyed Bonetail too?!" Gloomtail growled. "That's it…I am going to EAT YOU ALL ALIVE!"
"Not if we have anything to say about it." Meiling said as they got ready for battle.
Dragon Slaying Battle (Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door)
Gloomtail roared and then breathed poisonous flames to the group, but they quickly dodged. "That smell…it's poison." Cobra smirked.
"But it's also fire, so you might be burned up if you try to inhale the poison." Worldwalker pointed out.
"WHO CARES?!" Natsu yelled as he jumped up. "FIRE DRAGON'S IRON FIST!"
"Hmph!" Gloomtail smirked as he jumped up and slammed into the ground to create a humongous shockwave, knocking most of them to the ground while Flandre activated her Lavatein spell card and then slashed down.
"SCARLET GENSOKYO!" Remilia yelled.
Gloomtail growled. "You little…" He then breathed fire at the Scarlet Sisters, but they quickly avoided the fire breath attack.
"SKY DRAGON'S WING ATTACK!" Wendy yelled.
"POISON DRAGON'S CRUSHING FANG!"
"OPEN! GATE OF THE LION! LOKE!" Lucy yelled.
"REGULUS IMPACT!" Loke yelled, striking Gloomtail dead center while Laxus used his Lightning Dragon's Roar attack.
"Sinister Spirits: Double Black Death Butterfly!" Yukari exclaimed.
"You're quite the stubborn bunch." Gloomtail said after getting knifed by Sakuya. "But no matter…I will avenge my siblings." He said and then charged up.
"I have a bad feeling about this." Erza said as she closed her eyes. "POWER LIFT!" She yelled, and then everyone glowed from the spell.
"Uh, is powering up the vampire a good idea?" Pit asked, pointing to Flandre after throwing an X-Bomb.
"You don't see ME complaining." Dark Pit said.
"Time for my ultimate attack. MEGABREATH!" Gloomtail yelled.
"FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR!" Natsu yelled, as his roar looked twice as large, and when they both slammed into each other, it created a monsterous explosion.
"Mama mia!" Luigi exclaimed.
"SKY DRAGON'S ROAR!" Wendy yelled, using it to clear the room and then Meiling was right on top of Gloomtail's snout.
"THREE BLASTS: COLORFUL ULTIMATE MOUNTAIN BREAKER!" Meiling yelled, punching Gloomtail as he roared in agony.
"Moon Sign: Silent Selene." Patchouli said.
"Ugh…i-is this how I'm going to go out like this….?" Gloomtail groaned.
"Yes, yes you are." Bobbery said as he ran over to him. "It's time you go out…" His fuse lit up. "WITH A BANG!" He yelled and used Bob-ombast, and since Power Lift was still in effect, the explosion was even more devastating as Gloomtail roared in agony and then fell to the ground in defeat. "Hmph, that oughta do it."
"…I'm not completely satisfied." Flandre said as she aimed her hand at him. "Just for good measure." She smirked and clenched it, and then Gloomtail exploded into completely nothing after that, and then she grinned. "Now I am!"
Palace of Shadow
Minene sweatdropped. "Just what ARE you?" She asked Flandre.
"Hehehe." Flandre giggled and then a treasure chest appeared and then Mario went to go open it and then pulled out a switch of some kind.
"I think we can use this at the tower." Mario said as they nodded and took off.
We got Yukari, we can get through the Palace of Shadow MUCH quicker! :D