All right, readers! This is the 30th chapter of this story!
Now, this is where we wrap up Chapter 3 before moving on to the interlude chapters. In this chapter, Andrew and his four partners do one last favor for X, they unveil a terrible secret about Grubba, and Andrew feels a strong sense of betrayal from what he finds out.
Additionally, the five of them find out who has the real Crystal Star, and they battle the Chapter 3 boss. Jolene reveals the truth to Andrew afterwards, leading Andrew to feel ashamed and guilty, and some other mysterious stuff is revealed. How will this go for them? Read and find out now!
IN THE CHAMP ROOM:
Now that Jolene left them alone in the Champ Room, the five of them decided to take in everything that happened as Andrew got onto the bed, taking off the Champ Belt, with Goombella joining him. Koops stood next to the bed near Andrew, Flurrie floated over to the head of the bed, and Yoshiam was pacing back and forth on the floor near where the vent was. Andrew couldn't believe it, they finally became champs. Of course, this didn't mean that they were closer to getting the real Crystal Star. Or was it?
"Well guys, you know what this means," Andrew said calmly. "We're finally the champs of the Glitz Pit."
"You betcha! We finally did it, Andrew!" Goombella beamed as she got on Andrew's lap. "We destroyed him!"
"But..." Koops decided to speak as he approached them. "You know, Rawk Hawk 'really' didn't seem to know about the Crystal Star..."
"I've noticed that," Andrew had to agree. "He had no idea that such a thing exists."
"We're still in dire straits as far as the real one goes." Flurrie had to cross her arms to think.
"I mean, where the heck could it be?" Yoshiam had to declare while shaking his fists.
"I know guys. We still have no idea where it could be," Andrew had to rub his chin. "But since we're now champs, perhaps we should spend the rest of our time in Glitzville trying to find the real one."
"But how?" Goombella asked him. "Even though we're champs, we're no closer to finding the real one..."
"Hmmm..." Andrew had to do some thinking about this when Yoshiam heard something nearby.
"Hang on, Presto!" Yoshiam rushed over and got onto the bed to get Andrew's attention. "You hear that? A voice is coming from somewhere!"
Yoshiam had to point to the vent above, which got Andrew curious as he got off the bed along with Goombella, with Koops, Flurrie, and Yoshiam following after the two of them. They leaned their ears closely as they heard an indistinguishable whisper. They couldn't quite make out what was being said.
"I hear it all right," Andrew nodded. "But I can't quite tell what is being said."
"I hear it too," Goombella agreed. "Think it's...a ghost?"
"A ghost?" Andrew, Koops, Flurrie, and Yoshiam had to query as they tilted their heads in her direction.
Goombella was about to elaborate on it, but before she could, Andrew's Mailbox SP went off, getting all five of them to jump in fright.
"W-W-WHOA! Turn the volume down on that thing!" Goombella screamed in fright. "I almost screamed!"
"Y-Y-Y-Yikes! That Mailbox SP almost scared me to death!" Koops had to yelp as he felt his legs shiver. "Turn down that volume!"
"Oh, I almost swooned!" Flurrie had to gasp in distraught upon hearing that. "That Mailbox SP is going to be the death of me!"
"H-H-H-Hey! Do you HAVE to have that thing turned up?" Yoshiam even jumped as he shook slightly from that sudden noise. "That scared me silly!"
"S-Sorry guys. I was startled by it too," Andrew took out his Mailbox SP and opened it up. "I didn't expect to get one all of a sudden."
"Oh, Andrew..." Goombella sighed. "Please, just read us the e-mail."
"Right," Andrew nodded as he read what the e-mail that he just received was.
"finD tHe GhOsT iN tHe ChAmP's RoOm."
[FrOm] X
All four of Andrew's partners paled on the spot upon that being revealed. What they were supposed to do now? Hunt down a ghost that was haunting the champ's room? They all had to make their comments at this request.
"Wait... There 'really' IS a ghost in here? No WAY!" Goombella's eyes bulged out at this.
"So...there is 'actually' a ghost in here with us? Let's hide under the bed." Koops proclaimed as he felt his legs chatter while smacking into each other.
"So, if that's to be believed, there's 'really' a ghost here? That's rather unsettling..." Flurrie had to gasp and pant at the thought of a ghost being in the champ room.
"There's 'actually' a ghost in here? OK, that is NOT cool! Ghosts are scary!" Yoshiam had to shake his head at this.
"Look, guys. I'm not exactly keen on finding this ghost either. But we don't have a choice," Andrew had to inform them. "We need to find that real Crystal Star, the Gold Star. Since we're champs now, we have plenty of time to spare."
"Oh. You're right, Andrew," Goombella sighed as she remembered something. "I also remembered one of the Seven Wonders of the Glitz Pit mentioning something called the Haunted Boudoir. In which the champion's room is rumored to be haunted. And people within the room claim that they hear voices whispering from nowhere, supposedly the voices of athletes who lost to the champion."
"Yeah. And as the aspiring archaeologist here, you should be motivated to look into it and find out what the facts are regarding it," Andrew encouraged her.
"You're so 'totally' right Andrew! I have to look into it!" Goombella had to admit.
"I still think maybe we should hide under the bed instead of searching for a ghost," Koops remarked.
"Now Koops, you know we can't do that," Andrew had to remind him. "The real Crystal Star is at stake here. Not to mention the ill-mannered fates that Bandy Andy and King K had succumbed to. You understand?"
"Oh...Yeah. I guess so," Koops sighed. "Well, let's look for this ghost and get it done and over with."
"All right," Andrew then looked towards his Wind Spirit and Yoshi partners to see what they had to say. "Well, Flurrie? Yoshiam? What do you say? Shall we find that ghost?"
"Oh, absolutely, darling," Flurrie sighed. "You are rather bold to go searching for something like this. Therefore, I shall be willing to accompany you to find out where this ghost could be."
"Yeah, Presto! I'm with you on that too," Yoshiam had to admit. "You're the man, after all! We are the champs! So we should search for the ghost in the champ room."
"Great. Glad to see you guys are willing to help out," Andrew then pointed towards the vent after placing the Champ Belt onto the bed. "Now if I'm not mistaken, the ghost should be in the vent over there. We better go check it out."
Goombella, Koops, Flurrie, and Yoshiam nodded as they followed Andrew, who was climbing on some of those gift-wrapped boxes to reach the ledge from which they could get to the vent. With Yoshiam's help, they made it to the ledge, Andrew then did his Super Bat swing move to knock the vent cover off of the wall, and this allowed them to make their way through.
As soon as they entered the ventilation duct, they were surprised to see how big it was if Andrew was able to walk through without crouching or getting on his hands and knees.
"This is the air duct, right?" Goombella had to ask before querying. "Where does this lead to?"
"Only one way to find out," Andrew pointed toward the other end of the air duct, where the noise was coming from. "We better get to the other end of this air duct."
"OK. But let's make it quick," Goombella had to admit. "It's 'really' musty, and dank in here."
"This shouldn't take long," Andrew assured her. "Let's get going."
And so the five of them made it to the other end of the air duct where the vent cover was placed. As soon as they got close enough, they could quite clearly hear what was being said on the other side.
"Hmm?" Andrew wondered as he and his four partners leaned in close to hear what was being said.
"Hyuk hyuk hyuk hyuk! Well, THAT'S in perfect condition, as usual!" That voice was coming from Grubba as he was talking to himself. "Yep, long as I got THAT baby workin' for me, this ol' bod ain't NEVER gonna get weak!"
Before long, Grubba started speaking with a rather cautious tone of voice. "But I'm gonna have to watch my tootsies here fer a little bit... First I let that King K ijit walk in on me when I was with... 'THAT'... [An'] now I can't shake the feelin' that Jolene an' Presto are onto me..."
Grubba then let out a sigh before he continued talking to himself.
"Well, I guess I'll burn that bridge when the time comes. I'll just disappear 'em!" Grubba declared to himself. "Yep, just like I did to them others...like I did to Prince Mush, the first champ!"
Andrew couldn't believe what he was hearing. That voice was that of Grubba's. But was what he was saying was true? Was he implying that he was responsible for what happened to the other missing fighters?
"Hey... That's Mr. Grubba!" Koops had to proclaim before asking. "Could he 'really' have made those fighters disappear?"
"Now look, guys. Let's not jump to conclusions," Andrew informed them quietly. "We better listen to him a bit more before we come to that..."
"I better lock this room up tighter 'n a peanut butter jar at a squirrel convention," they heard Grubba tell himself. "[An'] I'll just go ahead [an'] hide the paper relatin' to THAT in the desk drawer..."
Andrew was starting to feel some dread build up in his stomach. Grubba must be involved in the disappearance of the missing fighters. And if what he assumed was correct, he might have an idea about the Gold Star that they were after. Judging from what he heard, it didn't sound like a good thing.
Grubba was heard sticking a piece of paper into his drawer before he dusted his hands at his handy work while making sure his office was locked up.
"There we go!" Grubba was heard walking to the door. "Y'know what, though? Since I'm thinkin' aloud, here... Good fighters ain't nothin' to mess with. Even Rawk Hawk lost to Presto."
It was then Grubba was heard saying in a rather dark tone. "This new champ might have to disappear purty soon. For my sake..."
It was then the door was heard being closed, which meant that he was done talking. Andrew then turned to his four partners and informed them.
"OK, guys. Ready? Here we go," Andrew took out his Super Bat and used his Super Bat swing to bash down the vent cover, causing it to be sent flying onto the floor in Grubba's office. "Let's go."
Andrew left the air duct along with his four partners as they were now in Grubba's Office. There was no sign of Grubba at all, so they were in the clear for the moment.
"I do believe he's gone..." Flurrie had to deduce. "Now, wasn't there something in his desk drawer?"
"I guess we better check this out," Andrew jumped down from the curio cabinet onto the floor in Grubba's Office. "Let's do this quickly before he gets back."
His four partners nodded as they got down from the curio cabinet as well. The five of them walked over to the right side drawer of Grubba's desk after Andrew found two Star Pieces near the plant on the left side of the curio cabinet, and one in Grubba's left side drawer. He pocketed both of them before he opened the right side drawer to find the paper that was in there.
Andrew realized that the paper he pulled out looked like the one he caught a glance of earlier when Grubba had it out on his desk. He held the paper out as Yoshiam was curious about what it said.
"Whoa! Bingo! I bet that's the paper ol' Grubba hid!" Yoshiam proclaimed. "Check it out, Presto!"
"Right," Andrew and his four partners looked at the paper for a moment, with the former hoping that it was just a document on one of the fighters.
He couldn't have been more wrong, since what they saw on the paper made all five of them pale up in fright upon what they were reading on it.
"H-Holy cow, guys," Andrew yelped. "Guys? Do you know what this means?"
"Yeah! Whoa! A machine under the ring using a Crystal Star?" Goombella had to comment. "These are the blueprints!"
"I can't make much sense of this paper, but I think the Crystal Star powers it!" Koops remarked on it.
"If this paper's correct, then the machine can suck the power out of folks!" Flurrie had to assume before she gasped at what she said.
"Yuck! Oh, crud..." Yoshiam had figured it out quickly as he gulped. "You think that King K and Bandy Andy got all...drained or something?"
Andrew was in complete silence. He couldn't believe it. Grubba was hiding something from them, and he was responsible for the missing fighters. Not only that, but it seems that he has possession of the real Crystal Star, and has been using it to power his machine to drain the energy out of other fighters.
So many questions had flooded Andrew's mind as he was feeling some betrayal kick in. All the things Grubba supplied for him; the advice, the fighter name, the money, the tips, and the motivation that helped Andrew to learn that it was all right to have a dedicated fanbase of yourself, even if he decides to remain modest about it... Was it all just a front?
Was it just a facade that Grubba's been pulling all this time so no one would uncover the real Grubba that was hidden underneath? Did he 'really' just trust a lowlife jerk this whole time?
Judging by his expression, he looked like he had gone blank.
"I don't believe it..." Andrew shook his head. "I can't believe it... Grubba didn't do any of this...did he?"
"Andrew, you gotta open your eyes and wake up!" Goombella had to yell at him. "It's written in black and white on this paper! Grubba is the one responsible for the missing fighters! He's used this machine of his with the power of the Gold Star to suck the energy out of fighters! This 'actually' explains why Grubba looks muscular despite being past sixty years old and well past his prime. But that isn't the point! He's a jerk and he's been manipulating us all this time!"
Goombella had to breathe in and out before she continued. "I'm sorry for yelling like that, Andrew. But you have to accept the truth. That Grubba is deep down, a monster!"
Andrew could only nod as he took all of this in. Now that he knows the truth about Grubba, will he ever see him the same way again? Was all of the good stuff Grubba did for him meaningless now that he knew the truth?
None of them were able to say anything else when Grubba entered his office again. Once he entered, he managed to jump at the fact that Andrew and his four partners had managed to enter his office when the door was locked.
"GREAT GALLOPIN' GULPITS!" Grubba had to shout in fright. "How in tarnation did YOU get in here, son?"
It was then Grubba saw that they were looking at his secret paper and paled in the face. "Well, slap me [an'] call me Sassafras! Yer starin' at my secret paper, too!"
All four of Andrew's partners glared at Grubba while Andrew gave him a blank and emotionless look, with some doubt mixed into it.
"Quiet, you total scumbag!" Goombella shouted venomously.
"You...great...big...JERK!" Koops sneered at him.
"You shut your trap, sir!" Flurrie bellowed quite furiously.
"Shut up! You make me sick!" Yoshiam snarled at Grubba.
"Mr. Grubba...all this stuff in this paper... About the power draining machine, you possessing the Crystal Star, and how you used it to drain Bandy Andy and King K..." Andrew said in an empty and emotionless tone before he asked the armor-piercing question. "Is this true!?"
"Whoa, nelly! This ain't good!" Grubba yelped as Andrew got the answer he was looking for; with Grubba making a run for it, storming out of his office to head to the ring.
It was clear that his partners weren't going to let him get away, as all four of them made the declaration.
"C'mon Andrew! We can't let that jerk get away!" Goombella yelled.
"Let's go after him!" Koops declared.
"We must chase him down!" Flurrie had to admit.
"After him, Presto!" Yoshiam dashed to the door and slammed it open.
Andrew was frozen for a minute as he was taking all of this in for himself. It took a nudge from Goombella to get him back on track as he shook his head and said softly.
"Let's go." Andrew stormed out of the office, with Goombella, Koops, Flurrie, and Yoshiam tailing right behind him...
IN THE GLITZ PIT RING:
It didn't take long for the five of them to have entered the ring where Grubba was located. Andrew took notice of something. The arena was empty, and there weren't any people around. Not only that, but the big TV screen in front of the ring had a static noise thing being shown as if it wasn't getting a signal.
Andrew and his four partners jumped up the stairs and went into the ring to see Grubba standing in the center of the ring. He was now sporting a rather malicious stare as he glowered at the five of them.
"I gotta say, y'all are a coupla slack-jawed idiots, sniffin' 'round my business..." Grubba sneered at them. "Now you know my big secret, I'm afraid yer gonna have to take a li'l ol' dirt nap."
It was then the ring started rumbling and the middle of the ring that Grubba was standing on started to sink downward, getting the five travelers to move out of the way. A few seconds later, something big surfaced up above, with Grubba inside of it.
It was revealed to be a Grubba's Power-draining machine. The machine in question was shown to be a large golden cage, connected by various wires to a glowing green power core. Above that was the spinning cage, and in that cage was the REAL Crystal Star. The REAL Gold Star was floating at the top in a revolving apparatus.
Andrew knew it was the real deal since he saw the yellow-orange sparkles that accompanied it. It looked more beautiful in person just like the case with the first two Crystal Stars that he got.
However, he had no time to admire its beauty. His focus was on the one who was using it for selfish and malicious reasons.
His four partners were quick to spot it, as his first three recognized it, while Yoshiam was staring in amazement since it was his first time seeing it.
"Look, Andrew! Up there!" Goombella gasped. "The real Crystal Star!"
"Take a look! The Crystal Star!" Koops pointed out.
"My goodness! Andrew, there's the Crystal Star!" Flurrie has to yelp.
"Presto! Up there!" Yoshiam had to ask. "That's the Crystal Star, right?"
"Yes. Yes, it is," Andrew said calmly.
"Omigosh guys! This explains the Spooky Ring-Lights!" Goombella felt like sharing with them. "It says how strange lights supposedly leak from under the ring doors when nobody is inside. This light is the light of Grubba's power-draining machine and the Crystal Star!"
"I... I think we would've figured that out, Goombella," Andrew told her before Grubba got their attention.
"Hyuk hyuk hyuk hyuk hyuk! How'd you like my machine? Pretty dang nice, huh?" Grubba wasted no time in gloating about his masterpiece. "Yep, I've been suckin' power from fighters with this baby! SLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURP!"
After Grubba made that slurping sound, he then continued. "Yer darn tootin'! [An'] you know why? 'Cause it keeps my 'bod' forever young, son!"
All four of Andrew's partners glared at Grubba, while Andrew was starting to come to his senses as he furrowed his eyebrows.
"Using a Crystal Star to look good?" Goombella was disgusted by Grubba's motivation. "You're so 'totally' vain!"
"How could you use a Crystal Star just to look better?" Koops was pretty irate with what he heard. "You won't get away with this!"
"Using innocent fighters and a Crystal Star just to improve your looks?" Flurrie was appalled by what she heard. "You're despicable."
"You are such a scumbag!" Yoshiam growled. "You're gonna pay for using a Crystal Star like that!"
After they said their parts, Andrew was able to find his voice, as he had to tell Grubba how he felt about all of this himself.
"You know, Grubba? When I first came here, I thought you were a 'really' great guy," Andrew started in a cold but calm manner. "Granted, it was on the seedy side, but I grew to tolerate you. I trusted you. I thought you were cool. You helped with giving me my stage name, and my confidence in the fighting business, and you even taught me an important lesson; that it's OK to have a dedicated fanbase, even if I continue to be modest about it."
As soon as Andrew took a deep breath, he started raising his voice as it got louder and louder with each passing second.
"But then I came to the assumption that not only was it YOU who sent me those threatening e-mails!" Andrew started to yell. "I also discovered that you were responsible for the missing fighters, for what happened to many of them, and for the ill-mannered fate that Bandy Andy and King K had suffered through! And you were using the REAL Crystal Star under our noses for selfish and vain purposes! And you wanna know the worst part? I was STUPID enough to go along with IT! I...I...I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I WAS STUPID ENOUGH TO TRUST SUCH A LOWLIFE SLIMEBALL! WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE, GRUBBA!"
His four partners had to jump at his outburst, which showed signs of betrayal and disappointment in Grubba. Then again, they couldn't blame him. They were also quite furious with Grubba for all the horrible things he's done under the scenes.
Grubba, by contrast, was not fazed as he brushed them off.
"Oh, just shut yer traps, now!" Grubba snapped angrily at them. "I'll use MY Crystal Star however I dang, please! Check THIS out! HRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH! MUUUUUUUUUUUUUSCLE-UP!"
It was then he closed his eyes, activated the machine, and started quaking with his hands into fists. It's as if he was going through a sudden transformation.
In a matter of seconds, Grubba grew in size as he was engulfed in a white light. Once the light disappeared, Grubba had taken on an entirely new form.
For starters, he was now orange instead of blue. Also, his hat disappeared and his hair now looked spikier. Speaking of which, his shell now has spikes on it, and his vest shirt was almost torn, with the end parts still there. He was still wearing his bowtie, and his shades, as he now sported an angry-looking face.
"MAAAAAAAAAAACHO GRUBBA!" Grubba, now known as Macho Grubba, bellowed quite furiously at them.
"What the...?" Andrew was a little startled by his new form, as were his partners.
"Whoa! Grubba got huge!" Goombella yelped.
"Wow! Grubba got...really' big! That isn't good!" Koops admitted.
"Oh, my! He got quite a bit larger, didn't he?" Flurrie gasped.
"Yow! Grubba's beefed up!" Yoshiam had to wince at this.
"Hoo-wee!" Macho Grubba declared hotly. "I'm gonna smoosh you guys into guacamole an' snack on YER energy, too!"
"I don't think so," Andrew said coldly, getting out his Super Bat and preparing to battle along with his four partners.
Grubba then stomped away from the machine, preparing to pummel Andrew and his partners before draining them of their energy.
"MAAAACHO! I'm a powerhouse now, you pesterin' li'l pieces of prairie piffle!" Macho Grubba proclaimed. "So long's I have this here machine, my bod'll be rough, tough, an' ultrabuff!"
"OK, Andrew, I've had just about enough of this guy's yapping!" Goombella declared. "Let's take him down!"
"Andrew, we owe it to the other fighters to teach this maniac a lesson! C'mon!" Koops was ready to fight.
"All right, let's finish this nasty business right now!" Flurrie spoke confidently. "Come on, Andrew, dear!"
"Let's rock, Presto!" Yoshiam cracked his knuckles, showing he was more than ready to bash Macho Grubba's head in. "I'm ready to chew this dude up and spit him out!"
"Let's do this," Andrew said before looking towards Goombella. "Hey Goombella? You have some information on this guy, do you?"
"I'm on it," Goombella got out her Tattle Log and looked up Macho Grubba in the book until she found it. "Ah-HA! Here it is! You ready to hear it?"
"Yes," Andrew nodded.
"OK," Goombella then proceeded to read the information out for him. "That's Macho Grubba. He's Grubba all souped-up on Crystal Star power."
"No kidding," Andrew winced. "He looks tough."
"Well, here's the thing, his attack pattern is simple," Goombella continued. "First he increases the number of times he can attack... Then he powers himself up with all sorts of crazy, power-uppy moves. So, it's pretty important to pay close attention to how he's powered himself up."
"So in other words, he can attack twice in one turn," Andrew figured it out. "Meaning he can charge his attack and land an attack on us in one movement?"
"Exactly," Goombella nodded. "The craziest thing about this musclehead is that he used to be that chubby Grubba. I guess the Crystal Stars 'really' ARE powerful!"
"I think we've already seen how powerful they are with the first two Crystal Stars," Andrew proclaimed as he noticed that Macho Grubba was making a motion by putting his right arm up and his left arm over his chest as if he was activating the Fast status. "Is that the thing you were referring to, Goombella?"
"Yes," Goombella confirmed as Macho Grubba was now moving faster than usual.
"Guys we better scatter out of the way," Andrew warned them. "He's about to do something..."
To prove his point, Macho Grubba used his Attack Boost to increase his strength. Immediately afterwards, Macho Grubba prepared to do a Body Slam on one of them. Thankfully, they were able to dodge it in time, but they could feel the tremor from the attack.
Yoshiam then decided to perform his Ground Pound attack on Macho Grubba. Unfortunately, Macho Grubba was able to spot this as he swatted Yoshiam away like a housefly.
Yoshiam then careened right into the power-draining machine. Sliding down onto the ground, he then fell onto his back.
"YOSHIAM!" Andrew yelled before glaring at Macho Grubba. "All right! You've done it now! You asked for it!"
Barring his Super Bat in his hands, Andrew charged towards him and performed a successful Power Swing onto Macho Grubba's right shin.
"YOWCH!" Macho Grubba howled in pain as he jumped and gripped his right shin.
Goombella took advantage of this as she then performed her Multibonk on him, landing at least a good 8 strikes to the head. Koops then went into his shell and launched himself at Macho Grubba to perform his Shell Toss, causing him to fall onto his bottom.
Because of his Fast status, Macho Grubba was quickly able to get up and he then did the same thing as before. He used Attack Boost first and then attempted to use Body Slam on Andrew.
He charged for Andrew to Body Slam him, but Andrew swung his bat at him to counter the attack, being safe from damage.
By now, Yoshiam was able to get up and shook his head as he saw Andrew fighting off Macho Grubba, with Flurrie in the air planning to attack from above. In a quick flash, Yoshiam went over to Andrew and got his attention.
"Yoshiam? Are you all right?" Andrew had to ask. "You aren't hurt, are you?"
"You kidding? It'll take a lot more than a swat from ol' Macho Grubba here to take me down," Yoshiam told him rather confidentially.
Macho Grubba was about to make do and swat away both Andrew and Yoshiam. But before he could, Flurrie landed her Body Slam on him, making complete contact with him.
"Great job, Flurrie," Andrew smirked before going ahead and landing a Power Jump attack on Macho Grubba, causing more damage to him.
Macho Grubba managed to shake that attack off before he decided to tell him something.
"Oh yeah! Keep it spicy!" Macho Grubba said sharply. "You know I love a good tussle, Presto! Keep on scrappin', son! 'Course, it ain't gonna do you much good in the end..."
"That's where you're wrong," Andrew told him calmly. "I'm the Prevailing Presto, after all."
"GRRRRRRRRR..." Macho Grubba could only growl as he then used his Defense Boost to give himself a coat of armor as shielding.
He then went ahead and did a Body Slam attack on Andrew. It made contact, but despite Andrew's bruises, he was still willing to fight to the bitter end.
"Hmph! It doesn't matter how strong you are," Andrew glowered. "I'm still gonna fight no matter what."
Cracking his knuckles, Andrew went ahead and performed another Power Swing attack on him. Feeling how much armor he had, it did less damage than before.
Catching onto this, Yoshiam snuck up from behind Macho Grubba to use his Gulp attack. Once he was close enough, Yoshiam grabbed Macho Grubba by his tongue and then put him into his mouth.
"Attaboy, Yoshiam!" Andrew encouraged him as he had his Super Bat ready. "Now let 'er rip!"
Yoshiam nodded as he spat him out, with Macho Grubba sent flying towards Andrew, who then swung his back into him, causing him to be sent flying upward.
Flurrie then caught him before he fell and performed her Lip Lock move as she kissed him. With her Lip Lock, she was sucking out his energy, to which she was adding it to her own, which did some damage. She then dropped him, and Macho Grubba landed on the ground with a thud.
Koops was able to get into his shell and perform a Power Shell on him this time. When he made contact with him, he plowed into him multiple times in his shell before he zipped right past him. By then, his Defense Boost had worn off.
Goombella then decided to take advantage and Headbonked Macho Grubba for all of his troubles. Andrew then went over and jumped through the air to land a Power Bounce attack, hitting him at least 9 times.
After shaking off these attacks, Macho Grubba realized that these five weren't going to go down without a fight. So it was now time for him to up the ante and decided to pull forth his next technique that would lay them out to waste.
"Not too shabby, Presto! You got showmanship, [an'] that's GOLD in this biz!" Macho Grubba wiped his mouth before telling them. "But this here battle's just gettin' started! It's time I showed you some real moves!"
"Huh?" Andrew raised an eyebrow as did his four partners.
"Back in the day, I had so many rump-kickin' moves, they had to make some illegal!" Macho Grubba informed him.
It was then Macho Grubba used the Gold Star's power to make himself grow even bigger. He was now twice as big as he was before. He then ground-pounded the ground twice to get the five of them to feel how powerful he has gotten now.
It was then Macho Grubba had used his Attack Boost once again. But this time, he surprised them by performing a Punch attack on them. Only Andrew felt the impact as he caught the readied fist with his two hands and he skidded backward a couple of feet. Even though he blocked it, he did feel the impact in his hands, as that move proved to be quite powerful.
"Yowch," Andrew winced. "This guy has gotten more powerful guys!"
"You can say that again, Presto," Yoshiam rubbed his chin. "If only there was a way for one of us to grow in size like ol' beefed up Grubba here, then we can show him what we're made of."
"Wait a minute, that's it!" Andrew took out two Power Punches that he remembered from his backpack; one for himself, and the other for Yoshiam. "Yoshiam! Catch!"
Yoshiam was successful with catching it with a leaping flutter-jump.
"You know what to do with that," Andrew told him as he consumed his own Power Punch.
"Right," Yoshiam quickly ate his Power Punch as both he and Andrew started feeling the effects of it.
Both of them grew bigger, as they gained more power from the Power Punch.
"All right, Yoshiam!" Andrew told him in a low-pitched tone. "Now we can fight fire with fire since we're giants too!"
"Rock on, Presto!" Yoshiam bellowed with a low-pitched tone before he flutter-jumped into the air to perform a Ground-Pound attack on Macho Grubba.
Macho Grubba was about to swat him away, but before he could, Andrew went and slammed his Super Bat right into him, getting him to wince while Yoshiam struck him on the head at least four times.
Upon seeing that Andrew was evening the plain field for their fight, Macho Grubba decided to perform Charge; a charge-up attack which made him four times stronger.
He then went ahead and attempted to perform a Backflip on Andrew. Fortunately, Andrew was ready as he had his Super Bat out, and he swung it into Macho Grubba, sending him flying upward before he fell back down.
By now, his Fast status had worn off as he was now moving at normal speed again. Seeing that he was still getting a hold of himself, Goombella decked him with another Multibonk, bashing him on the head at least 7 times.
Koops followed by plowing into him with his Shell Toss, and then Flurrie soared through the air and attacked him with her Body Slam.
Yoshiam then decided to use Gulp on Macho Grubba again while he was still a giant as he approached him, and grabbed him with his tongue. As soon as he put him into his mouth, he spat him out in Andrew's direction. Andrew had readied his Super Bat as he swung it right into Macho Grubba again, causing him to be sent flying upward, where Flurrie caught him with both hands.
Laying out another Lip Lock move, she smooched some of his energy out and added it to her own. Flurrie then dropped him once she was done, letting him fall onto the ground once again. To which Koops plowed into him multiple times with his Shell Toss, and then Goombella struck him two more times with Headbonk.
As soon as Macho Grubba got up, it was clear that the battle was wearing him out. It didn't take long for him to start panting before he then said to Andrew.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH! I ain't finished yet, Presto," Macho Grubba sneered while panting. "Ain't over 'til it's over! That's the way it goes in combat sports, son! And lemme tell you somethin': fortune's gonna smile on me in the end, punk!"
"I don't think it will be for long," Andrew snarked with a smirk.
Macho Grubba activated his Fast status again, making him move faster than normal. He then decided to activate a Dodgy status, which increased the chances that Andrew and his team could miss him. After that, he decided to deck the five of them with his Punch attack.
He struck all five of them with it, as they felt the impact. After Andrew used his Dizzy Dial to try to even things out so Macho Grubba could miss him too, he was huffing at how powerful he was.
"Gosh, guys. He's very strong," Andrew huffed. "Even though he's tired now, the Crystal Star is just going to give him more power to aid him."
"Omigosh! I can't argue with that!" Goombella agreed with a pant.
"Gee whiz. He's tough," Koops moaned. "Sure wish we could beat him once and for all."
"But how are we to do that?" Flurrie questioned with a sigh. "I daresay, that inhumane brute is quite the powerhouse. Surely we must know of something to slow him down."
"No kidding," Yoshiam grunted. "It's like we'd have to do something to the power-draining machine before we can take out Macho Grubba for good."
It was then Andrew remembered something that Macho Grubba said earlier.
"So long's I have this here machine, my bod'll be rough, tough, an' ultrabuff!"
Wait! That's it! Andrew thought while snapping his fingers. If I can damage the computer part of the power-draining machine from a distance, we might be able to slow him down and take advantage of it!
"Guys! I have a plan!" Andrew announced. "If I use three shurikens on that power-draining machine, it might slow him down."
"Jeepers Andrew, you and your shurikens," Goombella gulped at this.
"What? They're cool!" Andrew defended. "But anyway, we just have to keep him distracted from the machine so I can do what I need to with the shurikens."
"Well, I hope this works," Goombella informed him. "Otherwise, it'll be our energy that'll get drained."
"It should work," Andrew told her confidentially. "Now let's move out!"
All five of them scattered as they kept Macho Grubba's attention away from the machine, while Andrew took out three shurikens from his backpack.
Goombella, Koops, Flurrie, and Yoshiam kept Macho Grubba busy for the moment by attacking them with Headbonk, Shell Toss, Body Slam, and Ground Pound, respectively. Although they did land their attacks, it didn't do much good as Macho Grubba was still raring to fight them all.
With the three shurikens in his hand, Andrew had to take his chances and aim for the computer part of the power-draining machine.
I just hope this works... Andrew thought before he jumped in and stood in front of Grubba.
"All right, Macho Grubba. Let's see if you like this," Andrew held the three shurikens in his hand as he tossed them, each one going past him.
"Ha! Ya missed!" Macho Grubba snorted at this.
"I wasn't aiming at you," Andrew said flatly.
"Come again?" Macho Grubba was now confused.
"I said I wasn't aiming them at you," Andrew repeated before he smirked at what he did.
Macho Grubba whipped his head around just in time for the shurikens to make contact with the monitor and keyboard.
Moments later, sparks started flying from the computer part of the power-draining machine, as it then started fizzing. Shortly after that, smoke was shown to come out of the computer part of the machine. This got Macho Grubba to react appropriately to this.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Macho Grubba yelled frantically. "MY MACHINE!"
It was then his dodgy effect wore off, as did his Fast status since his machine was malfunctioning. He was back to moving more slowly as he tried rushing towards the machine to patch things up before it was too late.
"All right," Andrew got his fists ready. "Now it's time to finish this."
With one last charge, Andrew jumped into the air and landed a Power Jump on Macho Grubba's head who was in the center cage of the machine.
He immediately got out his Super Bat and used Power Swing to cream him right across the head. Andrew then decked him with his right fist before he elbowed him in the back of the neck before he flipped out of the way.
Yoshiam finished it off with his Ground Pound move, hitting him at least four times. These attacks combined with his machine going haywire had caused Macho Grubba to fall in defeat. He was unable to fight Andrew and his team any longer and he collapsed onto the ground, on his stomach.
"YAAAAARGH!" Macho Grubba yowled as he was back inside the broken machine.
He found himself shrinking back down in size until he reverted to old Grubba again. Grubba was unable to do anything to Andrew or his friends. Or anyone else in the Glitz Pit for that matter.
As soon as Grubba returned to normal size, he was slouching on the ground as if he wasn't able to move anymore. He was no longer wearing a hat, as that got torn apart during the transformation. And his clothes were a mess since they too, were torn up when he turned into Macho Grubba. Still, he was able to moan and comment on how he was defeated by Andrew.
"Noooo... How'd this happen?" Grubba moaned. "How could a perfect 'bod' like mine lose to such a scrawn?"
He then coughed several times before he then admitted to Andrew.
"Oh...Prevailin'...Presto... Great fight, there, son." Grubba murmured. "Great...fight. Urrrrrrrrgh..."
Andrew had to turn away from him. He couldn't bother facing him, knowing that he was the one who not only betrayed his trust. He also betrayed him as a person. He also had to close his eyes and pinch the bridge of his nose while sighing.
"Andrew? What's the matter?" Goombella took notice of this as she walked over to him. "We beat him!"
Andrew was silent for a moment before he started speaking. "I just can't believe that Grubba would've done something like this. He was certainly trustworthy when I was climbing in the Glitz Pit."
"No need to sweat it, Andrew," Koops had to comment assuringly. "He did make it seem convincing."
"Yeah. But I was also stupid to go along with it," Andrew had to confess.
"Sweetums! Don't you dare say that," Flurrie told him firmly. "You had 'absolutely' no idea that this Grubba gentleman was 'in fact' a two-timing horrible lout!"
"Flurrie's right, Presto," Yoshiam agreed. "Do not beat yourself around the bush for that! Grubba was the jerk who drained fighters of their energy, and we gave him the beating of a lifetime for it! You had no idea that he was a scumbag underneath, dude!"
"I guess so," Andrew then had to say. "Words cannot describe how betrayed I am. I feel betrayed that Grubba was 'really' a horrible person underneath."
"You aren't the only one who felt betrayed by him, Mr. Champion!" Another familiar voice said near the door, which caught their attention.
"Huh?!" All five of them looked up and saw that the voice belonged to Jolene.
"...No, I mean...Andrew," Jolene referred to Andrew as his first name for once, which caught him by surprise. "Please allow me to offer my earnest thanks for defeating that foul Grubba."
"Jolene!" Goombella and Yoshiam yelled in unison.
"Ms. Jolene!" Koops had to yelp at her sudden appearance.
"Why, Ms. Jolene!" Flurrie gasped at this.
"OK. Jolene, what is going on here?" Andrew pinched the bridge of his nose and demanded answers from her. "What's this all about?"
"I 'really' have to apologize... I'm so sorry that I had to get you involved..." Jolene had to sincerely apologize. "But you must understand... I had to learn the truth about this arena by any means."
"What do you mean?" Andrew raised an eyebrow at this.
"Let me tell you everything," Jolene started to explain. "I had a little brother once, by the name of Mush. He'd have done anything for me. Our family was always poor, so he became a fighter here to support all of us..."
Mush? Wait a minute, she doesn't mean Prince Mush, does she? Andrew thought as Jolene continued.
"But he suddenly went missing one day. Our family was inconsolable," Jolene continued sadly. "I suspected foul play, so I got hired as the manager and investigated in secret. As I looked for clues about my brother, I accidentally saw Mr. Grubba transform."
Jolene had to take a deep breath before she choked up at what she needed to say next.
"Seeing what I was up against, I almost gave up hope..." She then looked Andrew straight in the eye. "And then you appeared. So I decided to secretly guide you."
Andrew was able to take this in as he quickly realized who their X friends were supposedly. His partners figured it out too as Goombella decided to say something about it.
"So, the mysterious X who was sending those e-mails..." Goombella wasn't able to finish as Jolene decided to reveal to them.
"Correct... It was me," Jolene admitted. "Once I saw you fight, I knew you were the only one who could challenge Grubba."
This pretty much hit Andrew in the chest like a one-ton brick. So that's why she knew he was in a specific room such as the minor-league locker room or the second floor of the storage room. Because she was the one who SENT them there in the first place. Andrew had to continue taking this in as Jolene jumped onto the ring and approached Grubba.
"Now, sir..." Jolene had to correct herself on the spot. "...No! Not 'sir'! Grubba! I want answers, right NOW! What did you do with my precious little brother?"
She then had to glower at the worn-out Grubba before she finished. "You know exactly what I'm talking about! The first champion: PRINCE MUSH!"
I should've known... Andrew thought in his head as Grubba moaned before revealing it to her.
"Urrrgh... Prince Mush..." Grubba groaned. "He... He...discovered the secret of my... power-suckin' machine... I had him...urgh...disappear. Any which way you look at it...oooog...he ain't around these parts no more."
"...No! I...suspected as much..." Jolene said rather sadly. "Oh... Poor, sweet Mush..."
From what the partners and Andrew saw, it almost looked as if she was crying at this. His partners felt bad for what they thought of Jolene at first.
"Y'know, she came off all uppity," Goombella started.
"And aloof," Koops and Flurrie added in unison.
"And mean too," Yoshiam chimed in.
"But she was just a girl who loved her brother," Goombella said shamefully.
"Yeah. It turns out she was just worried for her brother!" Yoshiam had to agree.
Andrew now had to cover his eyes with his hands. Now, on top of feeling betrayed and disappointed in what Grubba just did, he felt ashamed and guilty for assuming that Jolene might've been the one responsible for the missing fighters and that she had possession of the Crystal Star. He couldn't have felt more bad than he did at that very moment.
"I'm so ashamed right now," Andrew uttered. "I had thought that Jolene was the one responsible for the fighters, considering how suspicious she acted towards us. But it turns out she was helping us with discovering the truth about Grubba, and wanted to be reunited with her brother. I feel like a really big jerk for coming to that assumption."
"Aww, c'mon! Don'tcha worry too much, Andrew!" Goombella felt the need to comfort him. "Let's face it: Grubba had us all fooled, and Jolene was a bit on the suspicious side. So we all thought she had some involvement."
"Yeah. I guess your right, Goombella," Andrew uncovered his eyes and looked at his Goomba partner. "I just wish that we could've done something about getting back Prince Mush. Whoever he was..."
It was then Koops noticed something going on with the Gold Star, as did Flurrie and Yoshiam as they had to point it out to Andrew and Goombella.
"Hey! Andrew, look up there! The Crystal Star!" Koops pointed.
"Andrew, darling, look there!" Flurrie joined in. "The Crystal Star!"
"Yeah, Presto! Check it out! The Crystal Star!" Yoshiam jumped up and down.
"Hmmm?" Both Andrew and Goombella looked up and saw the Gold Star for themselves.
As if the Gold Star was reacting to what had happened, someone had been shot out of the machine and was set free.
It was a Toad, and he had the same mushroom cap and hairstyle as Jolene. But he didn't wear glasses, and he wore blue-colored gym clothes. This strange Toad was looking in all directions as he recognized it as the Glitz Pit.
"Whoa... Is this..." The Toad, who Jolene instantly recognized had to comment. "Am I back in the Glitz Pit?"
"MUSH!" Jolene had to yell in joy at the safety of her 'own' brother.
The Toad, who was indeed, Prince Mush himself, had recognized her and said to her.
"Oh... Is that 'really' you, Sis?" Prince Mush asked. "What are you doing here? I... I was just..."
"There, there, Mush," she didn't need him to say anymore, as she was just glad that he was back. "It's OK. It's all over...finally..."
All five travelers had to stare in awe at what they just witnessed the Crystal Star and what it had done just now.
"Wow! The Crystal Star can do THAT?!" Goombella yelped.
"So... The Crystal Star brought him back?" Koops gawked.
"Mercy me! So THAT's what the Crystal Star's capable of!" Flurrie gasped.
"Is THAT what Crystal Stars can do?" Yoshiam asked in awe.
"I guess so," Andrew sighed. "The Crystal Stars are capable of doing some magnificent things..."
It was then Andrew had to approach Jolene to apologize to her for his suspicions of her.
"Listen, Jolene. I'd like to apologize," Andrew started. "I'm 'really' sorry that I had assumed that you had been involved in the disappearances of the fighters here. Only to find out you were trying to help us uncover the secrets of Grubba and have us see that he is a terrible person underneath. I 'really' feel ashamed for coming to that conclusion."
"Don't apologize, Mr. Andrew," Jolene told him. "I'll admit I did act a little on the suspicious side. But you must understand that I was only trying to guide you through the Glitz Pit to solve all the mysteries around it and expose Grubba for what a horrible person he is."
"She's right, Andrew," Goombella approached him. "'In fact', this pretty much solves every single mystery in regards to the Seven Wonders of the Glitz Pit. The last one is how Jolene has been known to suddenly vanish. And this is explained by how Jolene has been taking up the alternate identity known as X."
"You're right," Andrew smiled slightly. "I just hope you can accept my apology."
"I do. And to prove it, here," Jolene then announced. "Now, Andrew...the Crystal Star is yours."
Once she said that the machine turned off permanently as the Gold Star landed on the ground. Andrew and his four partners were shocked by how she was willing to give them the Crystal Star like this.
"Wait, you're willing to part with it and give it to us?" Andrew asked.
"Wow, for real? We can just take it?" Goombella wondered.
"Ummm... You sure you don't mind us taking it?" Koops queried.
"Truly? You don't mind if we take it?" Flurrie questioned.
"Whoa! Are you sure? It's OK if we just take it?" Yoshiam had to double-check.
"It's 'better' that you have it..." Jolene insisted. "So that nothing like this will ever happen again."
"Well, you heard her, Andrew! Grab it!" Goombella encouraged.
"I guess it's OK, then, Andrew! Let's take it!" Koops added.
"Well, darling, you needn't hesitate! Take it!" Flurrie proclaimed proudly.
"It's all you, Presto! Nab it, dude!" Yoshiam told him.
"All right, if you insist," Andrew grinned. "We'll gladly take it."
Andrew then walked over to the Gold Star and he officially claimed it.
"All right, Goombella," Andrew had to hold the third Crystal Star over his head. "Looks like I've gotten the Gold Star!"
"Yeah! You got a Crystal Star!" Goombella beamed as she stood by Andrew's side along with Koops, Flurrie, and Yoshiam. "And now you've learned a new special move thanks to the Gold Star! It's called Power Lift!"
"Power Lift, hmm?" Andrew seemed amused by it. "That sounds rather interesting."
With that, Flurrie was gushing about how Andrew got another Crystal Star, Koops was giving Andrew a thumbs up on getting their third official Crystal Star, and Yoshiam was jumping for joy at how they successfully got the Crystal Star from Glitzville.
As far as Andrew was concerned, he felt satisfied with getting the third Crystal Star, as he had just finished the third chapter of his adventure.
"Glitzville's seamy underside was a dark, dangerous place seething with conspiracy... With the help of the lovely Ms. Jolene, Andrew revealed Grubba's true identity... And acquired the third Crystal Star by defeating the monstrous Macho Grubba. Grubba had used the power of the Crystal Star to run his power-draining machine... What other hidden powers might these strange and mystical items possess?"
As soon as that was said, Andrew was still holding the Gold Star as he was reminded of something. He can use the power of the Gold Star to bring back Bandy Andy and King K, along with the other missing fighters that have disappeared. As he was staring at it, Jolene decided to get their attention.
"Anyway, now that you have the Crystal Star, I think we should prepare a special dinner for you five as thanks for taking care of Grubba," Jolene informed him. "It'll be my treat, and we have plenty of imported fruit that came from the southern islands."
"OH BOY! That's exactly what I want!" Yoshiam was eager to get a free meal from the Glitz Pit. "C'mon, Presto! We can stick around and eat! I'm starving over here, man!"
Andrew was about to say something, but then he heard his stomach rumble. The last thing he ate was one of Mr. Hoggle's Hot Dogs. The stomachs of Goombella, Koops, and Flurrie were heard rumbling too. And they knew what this meant.
"Well, I suppose we can stick around for some dinner and a rest for the night," Andrew said before looking at the Gold Star. "But before we do that, there are a few people that I'd like to bring back with the Crystal Star. I'd like to get Bandy Andy and King K back to normal, along with any other fighters that have gone missing."
"My, my, my! What a very noble manly thing for you to do, dearie," Flurrie was rather astounded. "I daresay, I do agree that we shall bring back Bandy Andy and King K to the way they were."
"Totally," Goombella beamed. "We can bring them back. Then we can have free dinner."
"I am willing to eat, after bringing back our pals; Bandy Andy and King K," Koops admitted.
"Oh, sure," Yoshiam sighed. "Let's bring back Bandy Andy and King K. But after we bring back the missing fighters, then we can eat all the food that we want."
"I know Yoshiam. This shouldn't take long," Andrew took the Gold Star with him as he headed to the storage room, the last place that he saw Bandy Andy and King K when they had their energy drained.
Goombella, Koops, Flurrie, and Yoshiam followed him as he went to do what he said he'd do. As he was doing that, Andrew had to wonder what other amazing things the Crystal Stars could do.
He would find that out for himself in due time, once he collects the other remaining Crystal Star. For now, after restoring Bandy Andy, King K, and the other missing fighters to their normal selves, he would take part in a nice dinner along with his four partners; Goombella, Koops, Flurrie, and Yoshiam.
He could only expect more unexpected events from this adventure that he's been on. No doubt about that...
END OF CHAPTER 30...
Well, that's it for this chapter! I do hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you enjoyed the climax and the closure of Chapter 3!
Now, I look forward to the moment when I start to write Chapter 4. Seriously, it will explore how Andrew feels about his predicament in the second half of Chapter 4. Just wait.
For now, the next two chapters will cover the intermissions of Peach and Bowser respectively; especially since the latter had recently endured a humiliating beating at the hands of Andrew. I hope that you look forward to that.
For the next chapter, we are focused on Peach again, as she is asked by TEC to run a favor for him, involving disguising as an X-Naut and needing to ask Grodus something, and then she learns something about the X-Nauts that involves a common cliche amongst stereotypical villains. How will this go for her? Find out next time, readers!
For now, only if you like, you can leave a review, and let me know what you thought of this chapter. And I hope this provided good closure for Chapter 3.
Aside from that, I have nothing else to say at the moment. So until next time, I do hope you all can take care of yourselves. And on that note, thanks again for reading, guys!