RECAP:
Asleep on the train ride to Rogueport, Larry and Roy unknowingly shared a dream about the day Larry first arrived at the orphanage with a vague recollection of the latter's abandonment by his mother. This brought a flood of bittersweet memories to the forefront of their minds.
Later, Daisy opened up to Roy about her turbulent relationship with Luigi, and an argument they had during their last encounter. The Koopaling called their compatibility into question. While the princess was quick to defend her place with Luigi at first, even she admitted before long that she found their future together to be uncertain.
Meanwhile, Leanna solemnly reminisced about her life of betrayal and heartache. As she explored her feelings in a dazed solitude, the woman soon resolved to rescue Pauline – the only person left in her life whom Leanna could possibly save.
Upon arriving in Rogueport, Roy's group learned right away how the town received its infamous reputation of poverty, lawlessness and thievery. While on route to the home of Professor Frankly, the gang encountered a seemingly ordinary man by the name of Flynn. But just as quickly as they met him, Flynn vanished into the crowd; leaving only a warning of the dangers lurking in Rogueport's east district in his wake.
Larry, Roy, Daisy and Diddy considered themselves lucky to have found Professor Frankly's home so easily; based on both Goombella's description of the area, and in spite of Flynn's warning about the district's danger.
Aside from attracting the glares of a few tall - and admittedly intimidating - characters with spears along the way, they'd otherwise had little issue finding the place.
Professor Frankly's house looked old and quite worn down, but then again, the same could be said for the rest of Rogueport as well. Roy figured it said less about the professor being a negligent or sloppy resident, and more about the general condition of the whole city.
After all, there was no monarchy or even an elected leader here enforcing any sort of cleanliness ordinance or maintaining an image. If this "Ishnail" person they'd heard about from Flynn really did control Rogueport from the shadows, he likely had other things to worry about than cleaning the town up.
Without warning, the front door of the house immediately swung open and a Goomba emerged from within.
"Ah, welcome! You must be the heroes who dealt with that ice monster in Sarasaland!"
"How'd you know about that?" Roy asked; raising an eyebrow.
"I'm Professor Frankly. Goombella told me all about your adventure, and she did say you were coming into town today. So it just so happens I've been expecting you. Please, come in! Come in!" the Goomba invited as he immediately ushered the group inside.
Professor Frankly was a wrinkly old Goomba with wild, swirling blue glasses. From Larry's perspective, it was difficult to tell if the professor's puffy white hair and bushy, matching eyebrows were dyed that way due to some wild experiment gone wrong, or if the guy was just really old. If it was the latter, then bringing that truth to light never ended well. Thus, the Koopaling resolved simply not to pose the question to begin with.
Given that he was a researcher, Daisy had expected Professor Frankly's house to be filled to the brim with books lining all the shelves and stacked up to the ceiling in several places.
She was shocked to find nothing but cardboard boxes instead.
Nearly all of the Goomba's belongings seemed to have vanished from their natural resting places, which had been visibly marked by silhouettes cutting through the thick dust blanketing the walls and floor.
"Are you…going somewhere?" Larry asked in bewilderment.
"In a few days, yes," Frankly replied casually. "I'm actually planning to leave Rogueport altogether. It's gotten far too dangerous around here as of late. So I'd like to carry out my last few years of research somewhere more pleasant; someplace where I won't have to worry about getting mugged or robbed every time I do my shopping."
"Where will you go?" Daisy probed.
"I've heard there's a small little Goomba village just west of Toad Town in the Mushroom Kingdom," the Goomba answered. "There's a new development going up there, but it's still quite scenic; nice and quiet. It's the perfect atmosphere for studying."
"Well, it might not be that way for much longer…," said Roy; folding his arms. "Not if Contemno has any interest in ruling over it."
"'Contemno' you say? Ah, so that's the name of the baddie of the week whom you're all hunting down, is it?"
"You've heard of him?"
"Goombella and a few other colleagues of mine have been keeping me in the loop about his activities. We're fortunate that it seems his reign hasn't spread very far out here."
"Really?" Daisy asked. Frankly nodded.
"Oh yes. I've sought out intel from places as far as Petalburg, Twilight Town, Poshley Heights and even Fahr Outpost. But there haven't been any sightings of anyone matching Contemno's description anywhere in this part of the world. Everything seems normal."
"Maybe he's been spreading himself too thin," Diddy suggested optimistically.
"Or maybe it's just a matter of time before he moves out this way," Roy countered.
"Both are plausible theories," Frankly inserted. "But perhaps I have a better one. Occupying all of the major cities of the world isn't Contemno's MO. At least, not right now."
"His what?" Diddy asked.
"Main objective," Larry clarified. "What do you think he's doing then, Professor?"
"I've heard quite a few interesting rumors about this Contemno fellow as of late. People from all parts of the globe pass through Rogueport, you see. Some people have even come here from the very kingdoms that we know Contemno has appeared in, which adds a layer of credibility to their stories. So one way or another, news from even far away always seems to find its way here. Now normally, I'm not one to partake in gossip. It lacks the hard facts that well-conducted research provides and-"
"Yeah, okay, we get it. What rumors have you heard?" Roy pressed; growing slightly annoyed by the intellectual's ramblings.
"People say that Contemno has only occupied a handful of kingdoms in service of a much bigger goal. There's something else he's trying to accomplish, and taking a few territories in the meantime is part of his agenda, but not all of it. The most abundant rumblings as of late have come from New Donk City. I'm sure by now you've heard about that new carnival that just opened up in the Historic district of the Metro Kingdom not too long ago." Everyone else in the room nodded.
"From what I understand, there are games, rides, a casino and even a fighting tournament hosted inside of an arena at the very top of a tower," Frankly described.
"Yeah, that's where we're headed. We're planning to enter that tournament," Daisy corroborated. The Goomba frowned at this.
"….I hope you've given it enough thought first."
"What do you mean?" Larry probed.
"Well, the tournament is allegedly being hosted by Contemno's associates," Contemno explained. "From what I've gathered in my research, the people who are planning to participate in this competition are no ordinary street thugs. They take their fighting very seriously; perhaps too much so."
"Well…maybe there's just a 'seriously awesome' prize for winning that everyone wants or something," Daisy guessed woodenly.
"Doesn't scare me," Roy said with a shrug. "They'll find that we take our fightin' seriously too."
"I'M QUITE SERIOUS RIGHT NOW MYSELF!" Frankly exclaimed out of nowhere, which made the whole group flinch. "You must not take your enemies lightly, or it will quickly spell the end for you! Many of these fighters were hand-picked by a panel of judges and invited to participate specifically because of their skill and combat prowess. If you really intend to participate in this competition, you'll likely be going up against some of the best fighters in the world; ones that put even the past champions of the Glitz Pit to shame."
"Can't be much worse than any of the freaks we've fought in Smash Bros," said Larry.
"…Smash…what now…?" Frankly repeated with confusion.
"Forget it," Daisy interjected. "Look, these guys don't scare us, Professor. If Contemno is stirring up trouble in New Donk, we're going there too. Besides, we have reason to believe he's holding some of our friends hostage in the city."
"Alright then, I won't stop you," Frankly conceded with a sharp breath. "But allow me to at least finish sharing my theory with you first. The more information you have, the better off you'll be in such a dangerous place."
"Sure, let's hear it," Diddy agreed.
"If Contemno intends to conquer the world – or achieve something else of that magnitude - then he'll need a powerful army to do it. There's no question about that. I believe the reason he hasn't spread his influence to all parts of the globe yet is because he simply doesn't have the manpower he needs in order to do it. Contemno needs an efficient way to recruit and enlist more help. But not just any garden variety henchmen will do. No, Contemno intends to build his elite army only with dangerously powerful individuals. With enough of them at his disposal, he could do much more than simply take over the world. But instead of seek them out, why not make them come to you?"
"So Contemno's hosting this tourney to attract some strong baddies to join his cause," Roy paraphrased.
"Precisely," Frankly affirmed.
"But why would anyone with half a brain just agree to join him like that?" Larry wondered. "That's insane."
"I suppose that's something you'll only learn from the other side. The only way to understand exactly what's going on inside the arena and why people are attracted to it, is infiltration. I just hope you're prepared for whatever it is you might find once you get there."
"We'll manage somehow. What I still don't get is what's with all the big promotion?" Roy asked. "Why a carnival? Why let normal people in to watch the fights if they're so dangerous? If Contemno's doing something malicious, why isn't he trying to hide it? It's like he's just askin' people like us to come crash the party."
"It could be a trap," said Diddy.
"Remember that Contemno is theoretically trying to attract powerful warriors," Frankly reminded. "To do that, he has to send a message out to the general public. What better way to bring in large crowds of people from all over the world than with a grandiose amusement park? Even if he didn't have malicious intent, Contemno's plan appears to be working from the looks of things. My research indicates that crowds are lining up as we speak for admission into Pleasure City. The more people who gather in one place, the greater the odds are of Contemno finding the warriors he needs for his army."
"It must've taken some serious magic for Contemno to put this whole thing together…," said Larry.
"Magic may have played a substantial part in the construction, but I wouldn't be surprised if Contemno had something much more powerful at his disposal," said Frankly.
"Like what?" Daisy asked.
"Connections," the Goomba clarified.
"Connections?" Diddy parroted. Frankly peered skeptically around the room.
"Have any of you stopped to even consider just what it takes to put together and run a public attraction of this magnitude?" The four all shook their heads simultaneously. "Since this is your first time in Rogueport, I'm not sure how familiar you are with the crime syndicate situation in this city, but-"
"You mean about Ishnail?" Daisy guessed. "Yeah, we just heard about him on our way here. The guy controls the city or something, right?"
"Well, yes. But Ishnail's organization is only half the equation," Frankly replied. "You see, Ishnail's organization used to be much smaller years ago. Back then, he ran a small, rag-tag group of bandits and body guards called 'The Robbos.' They controlled only the east side of Rogueport at first. As their reputation grew however, they quickly became enthralled in a turf war with another mafia group run by the infamous Don Pianta."
"Yeah, we knew about that already," said Roy. "Ishnail won the war though, right?"
"Correct," Frankly confirmed. "The Piantas had previously controlled the majority of Rogueport for years from the shadows. But after Don Pianta retired, one of his underlings – Frankie – became the new boss of the mafia. It's believed that this shift in leadership is what ultimately lead to the decline of the Piantas' stranglehold over Rogueport. Eventually, Ishnail's group chased the Piantas out of town altogether and took complete control of the city."
"Not that this isn't a great story and all," Larry interrupted. "But what does any of this have to do with us or Contemno?"
"Oh I assure you, there's a good reason," said Frankly. "After the Piantas faced their humiliating defeat, Don Frankie was desperate to get back at Ishnail somehow. Luckily for him, the Piantas still had reputation, connections, and most important of all, money. If someone needed the funds to coordinate the construction and advertisement of a large-scale project – like say…a carnival or a tournament – there's still arguably no one better to go into business with these days than Don Frankie."
The eyes of everyone in the room widened.
"You're saying Contemno is in leagues with Don Frankie!" Daisy exclaimed.
"Exactly," Frankly affirmed. "My theory is that the two somehow came into a partnership, and a powerful one at that. I believe Don Frankie is funding the operation of Pleasure City and bringing in foot traffic."
"And in return, Contemno must be helping the Piantas somehow so they can take Rogueport back from Ishnail," Roy finished.
"Big deal," Larry scoffed. "So what if this Don guy's helping him? How bad could he be? After all, the Piantas lost to Ishnail, didn't they?" Frankly groaned and shook his head.
"Honestly, the youth of today is so short-sighted…," he said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Daisy asked incredulously.
The group was unsettled when a newfound seriousness suddenly overtook the professor's demeanor.
"The four of you came here today only worried about Contemno. But I can't stress enough the sheer gravity of this situation you're about to walk into. Contemno may be your target, but he's not the only one you should be worried about in all of this. There are other very powerful figures at play in this dynamic. The Piantas may have lost control of Rogueport to Ishnail, but they still control Isle Delfino and have even recently closed in on Yoshi's Island. Underestimating them and their power is a fatal mistake."
"Sure, but can they do magic? I don't think so," Larry argued with a chortle. "We've seen for ourselves what Contemno can do. I'd argue he's much worse."
"They don't need magic," Frankly countered. "The Piantas have been around for as long as they have for good reason. They absolutely have the means to kill you if you cross them. I urge you all to be very cautious. Don't make any more enemies if you can help it."
"For the hundredth time, we'll be careful," said Roy.
"I hope so," said Frankly. "Now then, it's getting late. The streets are the last place you want to be in Rogueport after the sun goes down. I would offer you to stay here for the night, but I've already packed up my house, as you can see."
"Don't worry about us," said Daisy. "We're going to stay at an inn tonight and catch a train to New Donk City tomorrow morning."
"Good thinking. You'd better get a move on then. Don't let me keep you. Off you go, and good luck!" Frankly declared while practically shoving the group out the front door.
As the setting sun tinted Rogueport in a pale, orange hue, Larry and the others strolled towards the center of town; casually searching for the inn along the way.
"Do you guys really think these Ishnail and Don Frankie guys are really people we need to worry about?" Larry asked; folding his arms behind his head. "Honestly, I think the old guy was just being dramatic."
"They're crime lords, right?" Daisy responded. "That means they have a bunch of muscle heads to do their fighting for them. So if anything, those are the ones you gotta watch out for."
"Just because you don't have magic doesn't mean you're powerless," Roy chimed in. "I mean, look at Iggy and everything he's done for us so far."
"Yeah, but c'mon, Roy. Iggy's wicked smart," Larry argued. "I doubt either of these bozos are half as smart as our bro."
Before Diddy could weigh in, Daisy reached out and yanked the small monkey back just in time to avoid the latter being directly impaled between the eyes by the sharp tip of a spear that suddenly appeared in front of him.
The group's eyes traced the source of the weapon back to its owner: a tall, greasy Craw whose imposing form was largely obscured in shadows cast by the building it was perched up against.
Roy scowled. He saw this coming a mile away. Luckily, he was sure the others were about to catch on as well.
"Hey, pal! What's the big idea?" Daisy called out at him.
"Toll gate, kids. Pay up. A hundred coins each to get into town square," the Craw said bluntly as he stepped out of the shadows.
This humanoid vulture-like creature definitely looked the part of a bandit; his wrinkled, baggy green vest with no under-shirt; the matching green bandana encompassing the top of the Craw's otherwise bald, pink head; the musty olive green scarf and stained dark grey pants. Altogether, they sent a pretty clear image that hygiene and looks were the furthest thing from this guy's mind.
"Each?!" Diddy exclaimed. "What're you nuts?! We're not payin' that!"
"We're not payin' squat, bird boy," Roy firmly added. "Didn't see a toll booth on our way here."
"It's one-way, baldy," the Craw barked back. "You waltzed into Ishnail's territory. Now you want out? You gotta pay first. That's the rule, chumps."
"Smells like a scam to me," Larry retorted with facetious sarcasm.
"You're gonna be smellin' my feet while you're face-down on the ground in about ten seconds if I don't start seein' some coins, smartass. Now let's go! All of you! Fork over the money!"
"Aw, go pick the wax outta the sides of your head where your ears should be, bub!" Daisy exclaimed as she stared the Craw down with a stink eye of her own. "My friend already told you we're not paying! Besides, we saw lots of people come back this way without having to pay."
"Yeah? Well maybe those worms were smart enough to know better than to just wander into the east district of Rogueport and bad-mouth the guy who owns this city."
Yup, should've guessed…, Roy thought to himself.
"W-What?! We didn't say anything like that!" Daisy lied.
"Daisy, don't bother," Roy stopped her. "We were tailed. This chump watched us come through and eavesdropped on our conversation with the professor."
Suddenly, three more spears appeared out of nowhere. Several more Craws emerged from the alleyway and pressed the four together until their backs met one another.
"Don't tell me you were really brainless enough to think you could just waltz into our neck of the woods, talk smack about Ishnail, and get away with it," one of the other Craws replied. He was much taller than his comrades, and nearly every inch of his bald flesh was sporting a large tattoo.
"Over here, there ain't no such thing as a private conversation," one of the other Craws added. This one seemed to be embracing more of a pirate motif, judging by his eye patch and golden tooth. "Nothin' gets past us."
"Don't like it? Good. Maybe this'll teach you to think twice before you run your mouths on someone else's turf," the fourth Craw inserted. Only a small fraction of the intimidation factor was lost thanks to this Craw's shorter stature. This one was much smaller in stature than his brethren, but he looked far too rugged to be any younger in age. "Nobody hides nothin' from Ishnail."
"Hmph, who says we were trying to hide anything?" Larry retorted. "In fact, I've got a message for your big, bad Ishnail."
The Koopaling fought through the jolt of pain in his wrist injury and summoned his shield. He shoved the lead Craw's spear out of the way with enough force that its wielder stumbled back as well.
"Stay the hell out of our way!"
"Ohh that tears it! You're dead meat!" the lead Craw exclaimed as he regained his footing.
The remaining three Craws thrust their spears towards their cornered prey all at once.
Daisy ducked and swung a low kick, which swept the pirate Craw off his feet and caused him to drop his weapon.
Roy ducked as well and punched at the wrist of the tall Craw from below; forcing the spear off-course. When the Craw attempted to retaliate with a punch from his free hand, Roy caught it and delivered a punch of his own to his opponent's cheek.
Diddy jumped to avoid the pointed tip of the spear, landed on the wooden pole, the slugged the short Craw across the face.
Once the team had gathered some space, Daisy summoned her Piranha Plants from her bracelets. Chomper snatched a spear off the ground before the pirate Craw could retrieve it, and held it firmly within its teeth.
"Guys, pass 'em over this way!" the princess instructed.
Diddy and the short Craw wrestled for control over one of the other spears until the former jumped again and shoved both of his legs straight into the Craw's abdomen. The Craw was sent flying backwards, while Diddy used the momentum to springboard off of his opponent into a backflip.
The monkey landed with spear in hand and tossed it in Daisy's direction. Chomper opened its mouth just wide enough to accept the second spear without losing its grip on the first.
Larry gripped his shield in one hand and swung it as the lead Craw charged in. The sharp rim sliced the spear clean in two. As the pieces flew through the air, Bitey caught both in its mouth between its teeth.
Roy gripped a spear before it reached his face, yanked the weapon from the tall Craw, and shoved his foot squarely into the Craw's ribcage. The Koopaling then tossed the weapon over his shoulder for Bitey to seize.
The lead Craw sat up and wiped the blood from his lip.
"No more foolin' around…," he said. "Show 'em no mercy, boys!"
Out of nowhere, Diddy was yanked up off the ground by the tall Craw, who slammed him into the wall. The monkey was dazed from the impact.
Suddenly, Daisy came flying through the air with a side kick and landed a clean hit to the Craw's head; sending him tumbling to the ground before the latter could react. Daisy caught Diddy before he fell into a trash can below and stirred back into consciousness.
"Thanks…," the monkey said weakly.
The pirate and short Craws sprinted towards Roy together for a team attack. The Koopaling clapped his hands, then thrust one down into the ground. A stone stalagmite quickly protruded out of the ground a few feet in front of him and launched the pirate Craw through the air; right into the grimy green water over the edge of the platform.
Roy then gripped the short Craw by his arm and hurled his opponent backwards over his shoulder; joining the pirate Craw - who was now treading water.
Larry steeled himself with his shield as the lead Craw towered over him. The Koopaling was caught off-guard when the Craw reached down and snatched the shield clean from Larry's hand in the blink of an eye. Before he could process what had just happened, the Craw sent him backwards onto the ground with a direct kick, then retrieved a dagger from his back pocket.
But before he could capitalize on the now-defenseless Koopaling, Chomper and Bitey spat each of the captured spears they'd seized in rapid succession. The Craw jumped out of the way of the onslaught, but failed to notice an airborne stalagmite before it drilled into his side and shoved him over the concrete ledge; plummeting into the water.
Roy stepped forward and extended his hand out to Larry. But Larry glared and slapped it away.
"I could've handled that on my own," he said as he climbed to his feet and stormed off.
"Still, wouldn't kill you to say 'thanks…,'" Roy called out upon deaf ears.
Finally, Chomper and Bitey seized the tall Craw by his shirt and hoisted him into the air. Rotating her arms, Daisy spun the Craw in dizzying circles and flung him into the ocean with the others with an audible splash.
"Well, that takes care of that," Daisy said as Chomper and Bitey retreated back into her bracelets. The others came back together around her.
"Yeah well, let's beat it before they get a chance to call for back-up," said Roy as he wiped the dust from his hands. The others all nodded, and they took off together in a sprint down the street.
It took several minutes for the Craws to fight against the tides and find a low enough ledge to hoist themselves up on; one that wasn't too slick from being perpetually exposed to water.
"What do we do now?" the short Craw asked.
"Whaddaya think?!" the lead Craw replied incredulously. "We go after 'em, of course!"
"Now hold on just a second, Gus," a new voice chimed in.
The four Craws turned and their heads perked up at the rhythmic tap that was now quite familiar to them.
Strolling down the street was a light brown anthropomorphic snail with a tan t-shirt, light green vest covering said shirt, dark brown shorts and black boots. The snail had a swirled, olive green shell on its back and an orange beanie atop its head with twin tentacles protruding out from the front of the headwear. The snail walked with a wooden cane; its eyes obscured by dark sunglasses.
"Boss?" the pirate Craw inserted. "Aww nuts! Don't tell me you just saw all that!"
"Afraid so," the snail replied with a snicker.
"W-well…don't worry, Boss! We were just about to go after 'em!" Gus assured.
"After the beating you all just took? You really think it makes sense to keep chargin' at 'em like a bunch of angry bulls?"
"Well…we can't just let 'em talk trash about ya and get away with it!" the tall Craw argued.
"There's more than one way to send that kind of message," said Ishnail. "But more importantly, those weren't any ordinary suckers. It's been a mighty long time since I've seen anybody in these parts fight with that much gusto. They're up to somethin'. Now tell me, what were they yappin' with the old Goomba about?"
"They're headed to New Donk, Boss," Gus reported. "Somethin' about a guy named Contemno raisin' up powerful people." Ishnail groped his chin to ponder this information.
"Gus, I want you to tail 'em," he instructed a minute later. "Don't let them see you, but find out exactly what they're up to and report back."
"Boss?" Gus replied, confused.
"If there's some kinda power storm brewin' over in the Metro Kingdom, I need to be out in front of it to protect what's mine, ya hear?" Ishnail elaborated. "So find out who this Contemno guy is and what he's all about."
"You got it, Boss," Gus affirmed as he set off in pursuit of Roy and the others.
"What about us?" the pirate Craw interjected.
"You boys get yourselves dried off and get back to your posts," Ishnail directed. "Can't let any sort of uprising start brewin' on account of this little slip-up." The three Craws all nodded and turned to go their separate ways.
Ishnail was last to leave the scene. He looked ahead until Gus vanished out of view.
"Ain't nobody out there who can take what's mine."
Thankfully, Larry and the others managed to reach the inn without any further trouble just as nightfall arrived.
Despite their room being on the second floor, the group elected not to take any precautions.
The door was firmly locked and Diddy perched himself on the windowsill to keep watch just in case.
Daisy was sprawled out on one of the beds on her back with one arm over her eyes. She wasn't asleep yet, but it sure appeared to the others that she was well on her way towards slumber.
Roy sat at the desk against the wall and attempted to call Iggy on the handheld communication device. He passed it off the Larry before long when he couldn't make heads or tails of how to use it. Luckily, his younger sibling was more than up to the task. Larry's years of gaming with Junior made him quick to learn how to use new technology; though, not in quite the same way as Iggy, of course.
"Well, it sounds like your journey's already off to an exciting start," Iggy commented once Roy finished catching his sibling up on the day's events.
"I'd say 'annoying' is a better word for it," Larry chimed in.
"You could've warned us about Ishnail, y'know…," said Roy.
"Yeah, sorry. That's my bad," Gombella apologized as she squeezed herself in from the background of the device's tiny screen. "I guess I thought you guys would be in and out of Rogueport fast enough that it wouldn't matter. I didn't realize just how much Ishnail's control has grown over the years since I was there last."
"Don't sweat it," Larry replied. "His goons were a cinch to deal with. In fact, they'd probably give the Broodals a run for their money in the 'lamest gang' contest."
"Confidence is good. But don't get cocky," Iggy cautioned. "There's no telling how strong these guys at the arena are going to be."
"Yeah, yeah. We'll be careful," said Roy. "We already got that lecture from Frankly."
"Well, there's probably merit to it," Goombella argued. "If Contemno is looking to produce a powerful army out of this operation, it's a pretty safe bet that he'll be giving Essence to people somewhere along the way."
"And I don't think I need to remind you what Wario and Waluigi did to you when they tapped into Essence," said Iggy.
"Oh believe me, we haven't forgotten," said Roy as his hands scrunched into fists. "But they caught us by surprise last time. Now that we know what they're capable of, we'll be ready for 'em next time. Count on it."
"Good to hear, but I'll make sure you're ready," Goombella assured confidently. Larry and Roy exchanged puzzled expressions.
"What do you mean?" Larry asked.
"I did some more digging around online today after you guys left. Get this, somebody managed to leak nearly the entire roster of people who are registered to take part in the tournament!"
"No way! Is there anybody we know joining?!" Daisy exclaimed as she shoved her way between Larry and Roy out of nowhere.
"Well, I doubt there's anyone you're familiar with here…," Goombella answered.
"Oh…," said Daisy as her face fell.
"But the good news is that I know most of them!"
"How does that help us? You're not competing," said Larry.
"True, but I recognize a lot of these guys from my Tattle Log. Quite a few of them are from the Glitz Pit, in fact. That means that I already know their strengths and weaknesses," the Goomba explained. "So with my help, you guys can study up on your opponents before fighting them and you'll already have the optimal strategy for taking them down even before the bell rings!"
"Oh wow, I guess that is pretty lucky," said Larry.
"Isn't that…you know, cheating?" Diddy interjected from across the room.
"Sure it is," Iggy admitted. "But then again, I doubt there's anything ethical about this entire operation if Contemno's running it."
"Iggy's right," Roy agreed. "This ain't about sportsmanship. We gotta do whatever it takes to get to the heart of this thing if we want to have any shot at shutting it down. If that means we gotta play a little dirty, then so be it, I say."
"Not to mention if we want to find Luigi and DK," Daisy reminded. "We'll probably need to get backstage if we wanna find clues about them."
"How do we know they'll even let us sign up for the tournament in the first place?" Larry asked. "If the roster's already pretty full, we might've missed the deadline to register. And what if we're recognized? You really think Contemno or any of his subordinate will let us get anywhere near him?"
"You have that invitation, remember?" Gombella countered. "Waluigi gave that to you himself. I don't see why he would do that if they didn't want you involved in this."
"She's right," Roy agreed. "It wasn't just an invite to the festival. It's a challenge, Larry. They're taunting us to come after them."
"Probably so they can trap us and turn us into Essence zombies like the others," Larry argued.
"Well why did you agree to come along on this mission in the first place if you're just gonna get cold feet and try to talk us out of it now?" Daisy asked as she folded her arms.
"I'm not," the Koopaling defended as he threw his palms up in defense. "I'm just saying, the longer we stick around, the more dangerous it'll be for us there."
"Of course it'll be dangerous. This ain't exactly a vacation. But it's okay if you're afraid, y'know," said Roy. Larry shot him a sharp glare.
"I'm not afraid!"
"I mean it. You don't have to do this if you don't want to, bro. There's no shame in backing out."
"KNOCK IT OFF, ROY!" Larry exclaimed.
The entire room fell silent. Even Iggy and Goombella were slightly unsettled by the outburst.
"Quit treating me like a kid! I don't need your help or your pity! So just…step off and leave me alone, alright?!"
Without allowing another word, Larry raced back, aggressively unlocked the door, and stepped out into the hall; slamming it shut behind him.
"What's with him?" Daisy asked.
"I wish I knew…," Roy replied with a sigh.
"Well, whatever's bugging him, I'd clear the air as soon as possible," Iggy advised. "You guys are a team. You need to be ready to support each other in there and-"
"I get it, Iggs, thanks," Roy cut him off.
"Alright, enough lecturing," Iggy conceded. "You're our big brother, so I'll leave Larry to you. Let's all get some rest for now. Call us when you get in to New Donk City tomorrow."
"Will do," Daisy agreed for the group. The handheld device's tiny, digital window into Merlon's house disappeared a minute later; Iggy and Goombella vanishing alongside it.
"You'd better go talk to him," Daisy suggested.
"Yeah…," Roy agreed; shaking his head.
"We'll hold down the fort here," said Diddy.
Without another word, Roy opened the door and stepped out of the room.
As it turned out, there was an eerie stillness to Rogueport after dark. The streets that had been packed with crowds only a few short hours ago were now completely deserted. There were no merchants, no tourists, and even no thugs.
In just about any other city, this quiet might be seen as a sort tranquility. But in Rogueport, this only seemed to add to the sense of danger. Just because Roy couldn't see any criminals in the dim glow of the window lights, didn't mean there weren't any lurking in the shadows.
The Koopaling remained vigilant as he trekked down the street until he found Larry perched atop a wooden fence.
"Y'know, you can't keep ducking me forever," said Roy. Larry sighed.
"Doesn't mean I can't still wish that I could."
"Larry, what's up with you lately? Why are you so mad at me all of a sudden?" Larry glared at Roy.
"You're like a merry-go-round, you know that? It's exhausting."
"Only reason it feels like we're talkin' in circles is because you won't answer my question. So I keep havin' to ask it."
Several minutes of silence passed.
"I hated living at that orphanage," Larry confessed. "I hated every second of it. I thought you did too. That was something we had in common. It was my connection to you. And having that connection was more important than anything. It was all I had. So when I heard you say that you actually sort of liked it there…you have no idea what that did to me."
"Larry…," Roy started.
"Without that connection…we're nothing."
"You gotta stop livin' in the past," Roy reasoned. "We don't live at the orphanage anymore. We were adopted. We got a better life."
"You call being child soldiers to a maniacal dictator of a dad better?" the older Koopaling paused to consider this.
"Okay, yeah. I admit, that was pretty crappy that Bowser adopted us to fill out his ranks." Roy admitted. "But at least the castle has been a nicer place to live than the old house, right?" Larry turned back to face ahead.
"I guess..."
"And at least we've still had each other, yeah?"
"It was nice while it lasted…" Roy shook his head in disbelief.
"I'm not goin' anywhere. None of us are. You'll always have your family."
"How do I know you won't leave me too one day?"
"Why would I do that?"
"You need a reason? My mom sure didn't."
"Your mom…?" Suddenly, the realization struck him like lightning. "You remember her? But…that was so long ago. How could you-"
"I may have been little, but I still realized what was happening," Larry answered. "I still had eyes that couldn't see her anywhere I turned. I still had a nose that couldn't find the only familiar scent I knew. I noticed the cold chills I felt all over my scales from wanting to be held in her arms; to hear her voice. I couldn't put it into words back then. But deep down, I understood what was happening. And I hated every second of it."
"I tried to be there for you," said Roy.
"I know you did. And I'm grateful to you for that, Roy. But the fact is, you'll never be able to fill the hole in my heart that she left."
"I get that. But that doesn't mean you get to just write us off like this," Roy reasoned. Larry glanced at him.
"'Us?'"
"Bowser, Junior, me, and the other Koopalings. None of us can take your mom's place. But we're still the family you ended up with in the end. We're here for you."
"You mean you're 'here' for me to help sweep this little issue under the rug and make me shut up about it, right?"
"Larry, c'mon. That's not what I mean and you know it. I'm tryin' to help."
"I don't remember asking for your help."
"That's not fair."
"Who said any of this was fair, Roy?" The eldest Koopaling took a deep yet sharp breath; struggling to maintain his composure.
"I don't…know what else I can say to you to make this better, Larry…," Roy confessed.
"Then don't say anything else," Larry replied as he hopped off the fence. "Relax, I'm not going to jeopardize the mission. We'll be teammates for the sake of getting to the bottom of this tournament scheme. I just need you to stop pretending we're anything more than that."
"Larry…"
"Enough, Roy. It's way past time I learned how to stop living a lie."
"What lie?"
"The one that says I still need you."
Roy couldn't find anything more to say as Larry strolled away. Despite the lack of immediate anger, this conversation hadn't ended any better than the last.
If anything, it was worse now. Larry's cold, soft bitterness was far more ominous than his rage-filled outbursts.
The Koopaling was at a loss for what to do next. He was losing his little brother.
But maybe, for the time being anyway, he just had to live without him and hope his brother would find his own way home.
Bowser considered it dumb luck that Damian had decided to not pester them today. This freed up time for him and Mario to explore Dammerel and look for a way off the island without having to offer up an explanation for what they were up to.
At the Koopa King's request, the duo had split up to cover more ground. Mario was instructed to poke around Castle Olympus, while Bowser inspected the outer perimeter of the land by surveying its beaches. There had to be some clue as to how Contemno had brought them to the island in the first place, and how he himself left it. Whatever it was, Bowser was determined to find it.
Luckily, the island wasn't terribly large. Bowser had managed to travel in a complete circle around the entire land mass in what felt like two hours. He had been hoping to find some sort of port, dock, or at least a lighthouse somewhere in his travels; any kind of manmade structure to support a boat and confirm the possibility of escape via sea travel. But nothing of the sort seemed to exist.
The island was completely surrounded by sand and ocean. If it hadn't been for the town of Dammerel, the place would otherwise be a deserted island.
As his hope deflated, Bowser took a seat in the dirt and soaked his feet in the tides. He ran a hand through his red hair while the sweltering sun beat down on him. The futility of escape wasn't the only thing on the Koopa King's mind at the moment.
He was deeply worried about home; his minions and servants, Kammy, the Koopalings, and Junior most of all. He'd give anything just to know if they were okay right now.
Was Wart telling the truth before? Could they really all be Contemno's 'property' now?
The thought of how long he'd potentially been asleep in that heart world made Bowser nauseous. He had no way of knowing what the rest of the world was like now. Had he be gone a few hours? Days? Years?
It was simply too much to think about. Bowser's heart began to pound against his chest. As if he didn't already have enough urgency to get off this island, the thought of Contemno imprisoning or torturing his family back home was only pouring even more fuel onto the fire.
What Bowser wouldn't give to just hold Junior in his arms right now. He hadn't forgotten how they'd left things that last night which now felt like a decade ago. The way things were between him and Junior currently, it couldn't stay that way forever.
But the hug wouldn't just be to comfort his sad and troubled son. Bowser would not have objected at all to the comfort he himself would've felt from a tender, familial embrace.
The Koopa King wiped at his eye and scowled. There was no point in getting sentimental now. It was uncharacteristic of him, not to mention it would do nothing to solve his current predicament.
Bowser had to get off this island, and fast.
But how could anyone cross the ocean from here? As far as his eyes could tell, there was nothing else out there for miles.
Even if Contemno used portals into his heart kingdom or some other form of magic to teleport around, that still wouldn't explain how all of these other people got here. Did Contemno abduct all of them too? Why? They didn't seem anywhere near capable of threatening him in any way. Besides, Damian explained that people had come to Dammerel of their own free will.
So the question then was, how did these people get here? Was there a way of using those same means in reverse to leave?
It all just seemed too implausible. The Koopa King sighed and shook his head. He hoped Mario was having better luck.
Meanwhile, the plumber wandered aimlessly around the courtyard of Castle Olympus. Bowser reasoned that Contemno had imprisoned them there for a reason. Therefore, there had to be something significant about it; such as it being a base of operations. But if this place really did somehow provide Contemno with some magical means of coming and going from Dammerel, it sure didn't look the part.
From Mario's perspective, the castle simply looked as though it had gone utterly untouched for centuries. For being the former home of four legendary magic users, there didn't seem to be anything mystical left about this place.
Truth be told however, Mario wasn't looking all that hard to begin with. His mind was too distracted with worry and empathy over the island's residents. The plumber understood why Bowser was in such a hurry to get home. Mario himself did not disagree with his partner's urgency. But even so, it simply did not sit right with him to not even try helping these other people who were clearly suffering in front of him.
Who knows, maybe it would even prove worthwhile to help them. After all, these people had been living on this island longer than himself or Bowser. Maybe any one of them could provide the answer the pair sought for how to get out of this place. They might even be willing to share that knowledge in exchange for some help with their own issues.
Mario approached the staircase leading down the hill; clutching his new motivation. He was going to find some way to help the people of Dammerel; at least, as well as he could reasonably do while still being mute.
Out of nowhere, a powerful gust of wind raced past Mario and snatched his hat clean off his head. The plumber turned and chased it until it landed in front of the statues of the four Star Keepers. Mario picked his cap up off the ground and brushed away the dirt.
Oh! It's you again!
Mario cranked his head left and right. He was certain he'd heard a voice just now. But his eyes silently reasoned that there was no one around. The plumber turned and prepared to leave again when he heard the voice once more.
Wait! Don't go!
Mario stopped in his tracks. He scanned the area again in a hurry, but still found no one.
You listened…, said the disembodied voice. Can you…hear me…?
Mario nodded; unsure if he was even facing the correct direction.
Y-you can?! Oh wow! I think you're the first person to hear me since…well…forever!
Mario's eyes continued scanning the castle grounds aimlessly in search of the source of this mysterious voice. And yet, he simply found nothing.
Oh…that's right. I suppose you can't see me. Well….I wonder if…doing this might help…
Suddenly, something materialized in the air just above Mario's head. It was a small spark; an orange light of some kind. It was a bit blinding at first, but Mario's eyes adjusted to its glow within a minute or so.
The plumber's blue retinas fixated on the orange light as it slowly descended before him. There was something dazzling and hypnotic about it. It was warm and inviting. Pure and sacred. Without thinking, Mario held out his hands and unconsciously invited the orange spark to land gracefully within his open gloved palms.
"Thank you," the light said. The voice was much clearer now, as it was easy for Mario to discern that it seemed to belong to a young girl. "Materializing myself in this way…takes a lot out of me."
Mario tilted his head to the side in confusion.
"Hmm? What's wrong? Oh…are you wondering who I am?"
The plumber nodded and confirmed this.
"Oh, of course. I suppose that makes sense. I'm…well, unfortunately, I'm not sure what my name is if that's what you mean."
Mario tilted his head again to the opposite side; still just as confused.
"It isn't so much a matter of amnesia. It's just that…well, in this form…everything is hazy for me," the light explained. "It's as though my identity and all of my memories are all…right there in front of me. But I just can't reach them."
Mario closed his eyes to ponder this. When they opened again, empathy twinkled in his retinas; a humble smile to match.
"You understand? Wow, that's a first. Then again, you're the first person to ever even notice I was here. You see, a terrible curse was placed on me by this horrible monster. As a result, I lost my physical form. But it's all so strange. I didn't die. My soul remained tethered to this realm for some reason. It's as though something has kept me grounded here all this time. But I couldn't imagine what that could be."
Mario groped his chin with one hand to ponder this; still supporting the orange spark in the process.
"I saw you here a little while ago, you know," said the light. "You and that…turtle I think it was…?"
Mario nodded.
"It seemed he didn't notice me. But you did. I can't quite put my finger on it. Or at least…I wouldn't be able to if I still had my fingers. But just being here before you now…there's something special about you. I can't explain it. But I…like being around you like this. I feel safe. I hope that isn't too weird…"
Mario shook his head as his smile grew.
"Really? Oh good! Then, would it…be okay if I…stayed with you just a bit longer? It's just that it's been so long since I've been around another person; one who could actually acknowledge me."
Mario nodded confidently; his smile persisting.
"Oh thank you, sir! You're very kind! What's your name?"
Mario opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He frowned, but a small idea managed to reach him in time. The plumber pointed one gloved finger at the red "M" on his cap.
"So it…starts with an 'M' then…?" the light guessed. Mario nodded.
"…Do you really intend for me to guess what your name is? Can't you just say it?"
The plumber's eyes fell.
"You can't speak? Why not?"
With a defeated expression, lifting one hand was the only explanation he could offer; as useless as it was.
"Hmm…well, I'm not sure I quite understand. But if I had to venture a guess, I'd say there's something preventing you from speaking."
Mario nodded again.
"If that's the case, I must say that's downright tragic. How could something so awful happen to such a kind man like yourself?" Mario's expression went blank.
"It's okay, I understand you can't answer. But this doesn't sit well with me. I'm afraid I can't do much in this form to help you. But perhaps I can tag along with you for a little while. It's not like I have anything better to do anyway. At least….I hope that's okay with you."
Once more, Mario nodded.
"Wonderful, then let's stick together! With any luck, maybe we'll be able to help each other restore what each of us has lost!"