Chapter 30: The Anchored Sailor
"So, is everyone ready to go?" Double D asked his group.
"Yeah, we're all packed." Nazz said.
"Right." He exited the Inn with the others in tow.
It was a few minutes before they reached the harbor.
They saw a large boat waiting them in the harbor. It appeared to be a large schooner. The ship was painted yellow with decorative blue stars lining the hull down to the keel. There was a multiple set of sailors, some toads, some bomb-ombs, with Flavio proudly standing on the docks.
"What a sight!" Double D marveled.
"Niiice." Eddy said.
"Ah, are you passengers?" A sailor walked up to them.
"Yes." Nazz said.
"How many in your party?"
"Uh… 12." Nazz said.
"Right, come aboard." The sailor let them pass, onto the decks of the ship. On board, more sailors were loading cargo and supplies into the lower decks, though Flavio just stood there.
"Flavio, we're here." Mario said.
"Ah yes, Mario. Hm… gather 'round, sailors!" Flavio said.
The sailors reported onto the deck.
"Alright…" Flavio started counting them. "The supply keeper, the nurse, the caption, the deckhands, the helmsmen… is that everyone?"
"Not quite, Flavio!" One of the sailors spoke.
It was a Bomb-omb, one that looked familiar. One of his eyes watch patched, and he seemed larger than the other sailors.
"Is that the man that helped myself and Nazz earlier? Yes, that is him, the one who helped us secure my sailboat when we first docked here. Wait, my boat! Where did it go?"
As Double D looked around for his sailboat he docked long ago, the conversation went on.
"Well, who's not here?" Flavio asked the patched sailor.
"We are short a navigator." He answered.
"What happened to the one I hired to come?"
"He flaked out." The patched one said.
"We can't depart harbor without a navigator!" Flavio said.
"Perhaps we can find a replacement?" Double D asked.
"Oh! I know of such a man who can help us out!" The patched sailor said.
"Yes, Pa-Patch? Speak up!" Flavio said.
"There's a sailor, a legendary sailor who lives somewhere 'round here. He goes by the name of Bobbery, an admiral. They say ships bow before him."
"Ah good!" Flavio said. "Now, where can we find him?"
"Not sure." the sailor said. Everyone else groaned.
"…well, I place it on the job of the caption to find out. …Mario, I have appointed you caption." Flavio said.
Mario sighed.
"Let's-a go." Mario said. His group jumped off the decks.
"Has anyone seen my sailboat?" Double D asked the crew as he departed the boat.
"We received orders from the caption to take it with us." One of the crewmen said, showing him a small boat underneath a large cloth.
"Alright." Mario said to his group. "There are 12 of us. We'll-a split into groups of 4. I, Goombella, Koops, and Eddy will search the west."
"I'll take Jimmy, Nazz, and Kevin to search center town." Flurrie said.
"That leaved myself, Rolf, Vivian and Eduardo jr to inspect the east side." Double D said.
"Meet back here in a half-hour max." Mario said.
"Bobbery?" Frankly asked. Double D's group had gone over to Frankly's to look for him.
"Oh, I have heard of the man. He lives right next door as a matter of fact." Frankly said.
"Thank you." Double D said.
"This must be it." Double D reached the door.
He knocked. There was no answer.
"Hello? Admiral Bobbery?"
"He's not home." A gruff voice responded.
"Wait, who am I talking to?" Double D asked.
"He's NOT HOME!" The same voice replied and shouted at the end.
"C'mon, that's not funny!" Eduardo Jr. shouted. "We know you're Bobbery!"
"…fine, I admit I am Admiral Bobbery." The voice admitted. "What?"
"We need you to help us…" Vivian said quietly.
"What? Speak up!" Bobbery shouted.
Rolf pushed Vivian to the side. "We require your assistance!"
"For what?"
"He-who-is-admiral must be a navigator for our vessel." Rolf said.
"You want me to sail? No! You cannot make me sail, ever! Now, get off my property before I have you all arrested."
Double D stepped away from the door and motioned the others to follow.
"Wait, what are you doing? Giving up already?" Eduardo jr asked.
"Those are his rules." Double D said. "I do not want to disobey them."
"Oh!" Eduardo jr slapped his hand onto his head.
"I have never heard of a sailor with such a hatred for the seas." Double D thought aloud.
"There must be a way of convincing him to come with us…" Vivian said under her breath.
"Oh? And what do you suggest?" Rolf got in her face.
"Hey, back off!" Double D shouted, blocking him from her.
"Now isn't the time to argue." Eduardo Jr. said.
Rolf calmed down but stepped backwards, starring at Vivian in some disgust.
"Vivian has a point. There must be someone else in town who can help." Double D said, rubbing his chin.
"I say we go back to Podley's." Eduardo Jr. suggested. "That's where we found Flavio, maybe we'll find more there."
"What do we have to lose?" Double D asked.
"Oh, you're still here?" Podley asked, looking at Double D.
"We need to ask you something." Double D said.
"While you're here, can I get you something?" Podley asked.
"No, we won't be that long." Double D said. "Have you heard of a sailor named Bobbery?"
"Oh, you mean Admiral Bobbery!" Podley said.
"Is the-green-old-man acquaintances with the bomb-man?" Rolf asked.
Podley looked at him in confusion. "…What!?"
"Do you know him?" Double D clarified.
"Ah yes! I knew him from childhood!" Podley said.
"I am concerned. Why does he have a hatred for the sea?" Double D asked.
"…I'm not sure if I'm the one to say this…" Podley said.
"Please, it's essential that we know." Vivian said.
"…very well. You may want a drink because this story is a depressing one." Podley said.
They sat down at the counter. As Podley reached for some cups, he began his story.
"Bobbery didn't always hate the sea. There was a time in his life, when it was his true love. He joined Rougeport Navy in order to get closer to the sea… he has seen wars in his field…"
He placed the cups on the counters and began to fill them with water.
"…but nothing like war could separate him from the sea. It was almost like a spiritual connection."
"Then why's he hates it?" Eduardo Jr. asked impatiently.
"Hold on…" Podley said. "I'm getting to that."
Podley sighed and sat down. "In his service, he met a woman. She was a kindly young woman. He fell in love at first sight. Her name was Scarlette.
"…I see." Double D said.
"So, when Bobbery became an admiral, he decided to stay on shore and wed Scarlette. When he brought her here, I saw why he liked her. She was beautiful in every way." Podley started to have trouble speaking from this point. "So… after just a year of marriage… he was called out by the service to aid in a war. He accepted. Before leaving, he promised Scarlette that all... would be well, and that he would return safely from war. He promised they would see each other…"
"But, if he was already finished serving in the navy, then did he have to go?" Double D asked.
"He said that by helping in the war, he would be protecting everything he loved... Scarlette. He wanted her… safe…"
"That's very romantic." Vivian said with a smile.
"I recall the moment he was departing. There was a spectacular sunset that day, and Bobbery and his wife said their goodbyes on the docks. I was with her to see him off… oh, Scarlette was worried for him. She wanted him to stay. Heavens, she even wanted to go. But Bobbery wouldn't hear it. He wanted her safe and happy there…"
Podley stopped for a second. "He… promised her his return, and they gave one last hug and kiss on the docks… his ship departed into the sunset, and Scarlette returned home…."
"This story is very touching…" Double D commented.
"You don't know what happened next, mind you." Podley got back up and spoke. "But they would never meet again."
"Oh dear, what happened?" Double D asked.
"A month after he left… she got an illness." Podley said. "The doctors tried everything… but to no avail…"
"Oh man…" Eduardo jr said quietly.
"I was with her…" Podley stopped for a second. "The night the doctors gave up… She was in a bed, and I came to her."
No one could speak, especially not after a tear streaked down his face.
"She appeared to be crying earlier, I could tell from her swollen eyes. But she looked happy as I sat beside her… she… could barley speak… Scarlette handed me a note, one for…. Bobbery." he started sobbing. "The last words I… heard her say… were… 'Bobbery's other love… the sea will… always be there for him. And… as I become one with the… sea… I will always be there for him…' her eyes closed, and she slowly faded away…"
Double D, Eduardo Jr., and Vivian were crying, though Rolf did not. His expression remained serious.
"She was given a burial at sea…" Podley said. "Bobbery came home later… very eager to see his beloved wife…"
"Oh, that's horrible…" Double D said sadly.
"When he asked where she was… I could only point out to the ocean. I couldn't bear to tell him anything else… when… he… found out… he took the blame… and ran into his house, where he remained locked away. He felt that if he hadn't gone, he could have saved her…"
"What about the note she left for him…" Double D asked.
"She gave it to me before she… passed on…" he whimpered. "But I never had the heart to give it to here…"
"Seriously?" Vivian asked. "Please, you must give it to him!"
"I can't…" he said.
"Do you still have it?" Eduardo Jr. asked.
"Yes…" he said, He reached under his counter and took an out an old sheet of paper.
"Can you do what I was too afraid to do?" he asked.
"Yes…" Double D carefully took the note.
"Who's there now?" Bobbery asked when he heard people knocking at his door.
"It's us again." Double D said.
"I already told you; I will never sail again!" Bobbery's voice shouted at him.
"We're not here to make you come with us." Double D said.
He heard the lock click, and the door open. Before them stood a Bomb-omb with a sailor's hat. His white hair covered one of his eyes, and he had a thick white mustache.
"Then why are you here?" Bobbery asked.
"We have come to deliver some news to you…" He held out the paper.
"What's this?" Bobbery asked.
"Read it." Double D said.
Bobbery gasped when he saw the writing. "Where did you get this! This is Scarlette's handwriting!"
He sadly read the message. "If you are reading this, then it is obvious that I am no longer by your side. Though you will mourn, I want you to remember that time, like love is a tide. You are one with the ocean, as you where one with me. As long as you love the sea, I will never truly be gone."
"Oh…" Bobbery said. "If you will excuse me for a moment?"
"Of course…" Double D said.
Bobbery walked into another room. He remained alone in the room, crying. He didn't want anyone else to see his tears.
'Scarlette. I promise you that I will never let you down. I will fulfill your last wishes.; he thought.
He whipped of his tears and walked back to the group who had given him the letter.
"So, I hear you people need a navigator?" He asked.
They smiled as a response.
"Anchor's aweigh!" Mario shouted from the deck.
The ship shook. The crew and passengers all gathered on the decks. They waved to the crowds at the dockside. The sailing event had become a huge event in the city.
"Good luck the treasure!" someone shouted from the docks. "Find it, give Rougeport a good name!"
"We will!" A sailor shouted on the ship.
"Sails!" Mario shouted.
The sails dropped. The ship jerked with the motion, and the wind began to move the ship.
"Goodbye!" People shouted from the ship.
Cheering came from the docks as the ship departed for the open seas.
As Bobbery stood at the wheel to steer the ship away, he looked back at the city, and then at the ocean. He never felt happier on his life…
Quick update huh? Well, I have a motivation to try and finish this story as soon as possible. The reason?
PAPER MARIO THE THOUSAND YEAR DOOR IS GETTING A REMAKE FOR NINTENDO SWITCH!
This was one of my favorite games when I was little and the fact that it is getting a remake means I am not the not the only one who thinks so. It's oddly appropriate that just as I am trying to remake this story that the game that inspired is getting a remake of its own. I take this as a good sign and hope there is more exciting news to come in the future.
That's all for now, enjoy this and I plan to keep updating as quickly as possible.
