Chapter 43: Millennium Door 6

The night had fallen upon the ocean. Cortez was eager to ferry the lost sailors back to Rougeport for riding his island of the annoying armed ship.

Double D stood on the deck with Eduardo Jr.

"I was scared there for a moment." Double D said.

"Eh, I could so handle that guy." Eduardo Jr. said. "I just didn't get the chance, that's all."

"I hope I haven't been neglecting you. I've just been so worried about how with will turn out in the end." Double D said.

"No way, dude. I'm fine, and you should be too. You got, what, five stars? That's only two more, and haven't you almost found everyone you were looking for?" Eduardo Jr. asked.

"Yes, but I'm still worried for the remaining people we haven't found. I'm sure Sarah's capable of holding her own, but Jonny may be in a terrible predicament. Heaven knows where May is. As for the other Kankers… if we truly beat the X-Naut army, we should find them."

"See, no problem-o. If you need me, I'll be inside getting ready for bed." The little Yoshi said.

Double D watched him walked through a door. "Good night."

"Pleasant dreams." Double D said.

He looked down at the calm seas. The moonlight reflected off it clearly. He could even see his own reflection looking back at himself.

'It's strange, but he really does fell as if he were a part of my family.' Double D thought.

He looked around. Only he required deckhands to remain on the on the top, turning the wheel or manning the sail, or whatever.

Bobbery stood in the front of the boat.

"This has been quite a story. I suppose this crew will return to Rougeport as heroes." Bobbery thought.

He was very grateful that he had been through so much. He was able to sail again, and even see his wife.

"Hm… I did as you wished, Scarlette." He said contently. "And I'm happy."

The wind blew his hat away from his face, showing both of his eyes. He smiled and looked up to the moon.

When he saw the moon's radiance glowing above him, he saw her face smiling back down on him.

"Yes, my beloved hometown, Rougeport!" Flavio said.

They had arrived at Rougeport the following day. The crew disembarked the old ship.

"Thank you, Cortez." Double D said.

"Thank you as well. Go, amigo, and continue your quest." Cortez said. With that, the old ship took off and started sailing back to his own island.

"So, I just wanted to thank you." Ralph T said to Kevin. "There's got to be something we can do to make it up."

"Nah, it's cool. Go on out, and do, whatever it is brothers do." Kevin said.

"Goodbye." Ralph's other said.

The two toads, along with the rest of the toad crew and other humans proceeded away from the wharf.

"Uh, I guess it's my turn to say goodbye." Flavio said.

"I hope you're not mad about after everything that happened." Double D said.

"It's strange. We haven't found any treasure, and I have lost my ship. But I am still content on calling this a victory." Flavio said.

"I'm glad you're okay. Now, you better go start on that novel, or whatever you wanted." Jimmy said.

"Oh! Right!" Flavio said, running. "I'll be busy for a while, but when it comes out it will be the top!"

"Good luck!" Flurrie called out.

"I suppose we should-a go to the Thousand Year door and show it the next star." Mario said.

"The lost door?" Bobbery asked. "You've found it?"

"My, what a spectacle!" Bobbery said.

"It is the cursed lost door, opening gates of lava to the dominion of Hades! His minions shall suck out our marrow! Can I go in first?" Ed cried with a terrified look on his face.

"Uh… sorry, but the door is locked." Goombella said, sweat dropping from Ed's reaction. "Well, at least for now, anyway."

"So, shall we do this?" Double D asked.

"Yes." Nazz said. "Can I do it this time?"

"Okay." Double D said, giving her the Crystal Star.

Nazz jumped onto the podium and held the Star up.

As per usual, the room began to light up.

"COOL!" Ed said as he watched the lights forming around him.

"My word." Bobbery said.

The star was floating away from Nazz. A bean of light hit her, shining the map again. The lights faded and the star returned to her hand.

They surrounded her and she opened the map.

"So… where's this?" Nazz asked.

"Beats me." Eduardo Jr. said.

"Ah!" Frankly shouted.

The group arrived to him after they got their location.

"Ah? Are we being invaded?" Ed asked.

"Uh… not quite. You see, we are in extreme luck today! The star is in a place known as Poshley Heights."

"Oh! I have heard of that place! It's a place where rich folks stay!" Goombella said.

"And no doubt, we have to go through some maze, dungeon, or castle?" Double D asked.

"No way! It's a big tourist attraction! No monsters, no enemies, just a peaceful, serene, and very opulent town!" Frankly answered with a smile.

"I see. And how do we arrive there?" Double D asked.

"That's the best part! There's a train called the Excess Express. The singly most luxurious train on this world, let me tell you!" Frankly said.

"Yes!" Jimmy said. "This will be great!"

"And how do we get on the train?" Goombella asked.

Frankly frowned. "This is the hard part. You must get tickets via the syndicate."

"Again?" Mario asked. "This cannot-a be good."

"Well, I suggest you hop to it." Frankly said.

The day passed by quickly. The group worked hard, finally getting train tickets. The only problem was that they could only get 7 tickets.

"What do we do?" Goombella asked. "There's only 7 tickets and…" she did a quick count. "14 of us!"

"We will have to decide fairly." Double D said. "Oh, though before we find out, I'm going to the shops!"

"What for?" Nazz asked.

"I have to get my lab top repaired! We may have gotten more information from the Kankers."

It took five hours for it to be repaired. Double D turned it on.

"Ah, the sweet sound of technology working again." Double D said.

He opened his mailbox, revealing two new messages.

"Hey there, cutie!"

"Things are totally lame here now. Lee's really peeved about something Eddy wrote to her. Peach's such a killjoy. And where the heck is May! …uh, I hope you guys get us out of here soon! By the way, we've been doing some investigating of our own too! It's true, we took some weirdo potions and got invisible. Lee had a blast though, beating the crap out of some soldiers who had no idea what was going on. She did something to me, and I ended up as a frog for a couple of minutes too! I know, weird huh? Anyway, we found some secret disk, and this guy TEC, he's the main computer, is trying to find out what the X-nauts are doing. So, that's about it. See ya 'round!

Marie!"

"Okay…" Jimmy said.

"Funny. I though she already was a frog." Eddy said.

"Eddy, why was Lee so mad at you?" Double D asked.

"Huh? Oh, I told her she was a stalking freak, who didn't deserve my charms! I said she's better of locked in that stupid cell."

"Eddy!" Double D exclaimed.

"C'mon, you must have thought that somewhere along the line!" Eddy shrugged.

"Read her message and respond. Do it nicely." Double D said sternly.

"Uh!" Eddy responded in disgruntled manner.

This time, they group was invited to spend the night over at Frankly's.

Double D heard from him that the train would depart tomorrow for a three-day trip to Poshley Heights, and then another three days back. It seemed a long time to get one star, but they were willing to take it easy by now.

After the great adventure he had endured, Double D was too tired to type a response, so he would wait until later.

He wondered who would be going on the train, if he would even go himself. They would have to come to some sort of decision before the train left.

One question that riddled his mind: who was TEC? Was someone tricking them into doing their work? Or was it a double-agent within the prison? And without any clues as to where May was at all, he couldn't even begin to imagine where she was.