She faced Mario as the Earth Vellumental backed up. "Alright Mario, you heard him. You need to get to his tail. That box said his shell was strong, right? That means it's-"

"Hammer time!" Mario finished, holding the weapon above his head.

"But first you might want to dodge."

Mario looked and spotted the Earth Vellumental charging straight for him. Mario braced himself for the collison. It headbutted him in the gut, forcing him back into the wall.

"Mario! Its limbs are exposed!"

"You're-a right! Say goodbye to your-a leg!" With all his might, he slammed his hammer against the turtle's left leg. It roared and backed away, limping.

It retracted its leg into its shell and faced Olivia.

"Oh no! Mario, I'm not strong enough to only get a scratch from that!" She ducked behind Mario again. "I don't want to be torn!"

It sloppily turned towards the red-clad hero again. Mario noticed it tucked its leg in and never removed it. If he could get it to lose its balance, he could get to the tail easier.

"Olivia, would you mind distracting it?"

"Are you sure I'll be safe?"

Mario nodded.

He rolled out of the way as the Earth Vellumental crashed into the wall, sending dirt flying everywhere. Mario took the chance and hammered it's back right leg. It roared again, this time chunks of earth tearing from the walls and floor and floating in the air.

"Oh dear."

The pieces of dirt charged at Mario, pointing at the ends as they flew towards him. He wacked on away with his hammer and jumped over another, landing on a third one, which crushed it. He made his way to the Earth Vellumental while dodging the attacking floor. He hammered the Earth Vellumental's head, causing it to duck inside its shell. The earth fell and rejoined the dirt surrounding them.

"Alright!" Olivia cheered.

It tucked the rest of its legs inside the shell and started spinning.

"Uh oh," Mario gasped. "That's going to hurt."

It began spinning faster, and shot forwards at Mario. He jumped over it, but his foot caught onto one of the folds on the shell and he started being dragged along with it.

"Mario!" Olivia moved away as it bounced off the walls, still spinning across the ground. "Get the tail!"

Mario attempted to focus, but was getting light-headed and dizzy. He shakily brought out his hammer and wacked at the air. He shrugged.

"You were so close! Try again-Aaah!" She quickly dashed away from the wall. "Mario, it's speeding up! I won't be able to keep this up much longer!"

Mario rubbed his eyes and blinked a few times until he saw the blurred outline of its tail. He raised his hammer and wacked at the shape. The Earth Vellumental roared and tucked its tail inside. It stopped spinning so suddenly, Mario was thrown onto the floor near Olivia.

"Mamma Mia...now I know how-a Bowser felt..."

The princess helped Mario to his feet. As Mario was recovering, he saw the shell shake slightly.

"Um..."

It began glowing yellow near the base of the shell, and small chunks of ground began floating upwards.

"The power, it's so strong!" Olivia gasped. "Mario, it looks like the Earth Vellumental's charging up something big! You might want to do something!"

Mario looked around and spotted a Magic Circle on the underside of a large piece left over from the bridge. He walked over to it and Olivia helped him flip it over. It started glowing when the symbol touched the air.

"Ooh, a hidden Magic Circle! Let's finish this, Mario!"

Mario stepped onto it and reached for the Earth Vellumental. He grabbed each side of the shell carefully and tossed it up. It flipped over in the sky and landed shell-first onto the ground. When Mario had picked up the turtle, everything returned to normal.

Mario clenched his hands into fists and slammed them against the bare belly of the turtle. He was able to do so two more times before the Magic Circle faded and Mario's arms returned to normal. He walked over to the Earth Vellumental.

Olivia poked it, and it rolled onto its stomach. "Wah! Oh...I think you killed him, Mario." She gently placed a hand on a small crack that was forming on the shell. "Are their shells supposed to crack?"

Mario shook his head and pulled Olivia away. "Hold up."

The Earth Vellumental roared loudly, the entire area rumbling from the powerful scream. It collapsed on the ground and vanished in a flash of light. Some sort of book floated up from where the Vellumental had lian and floated over to the center of the room. It stayed a few inches off of the ground, and a new Magic Circle appeared under it.

"Hm? Did you somehow turn it into a book, Mario?" She floated closer to it. "Odd, it's like it's calling to me. Not like a voice, but like a feeling..."

Mario went onto the Magic Circle and waited for the book to float into his hands. When it didn't, he reached up and touched it. It shot off to the side and landed with a thud next to the Magic Circle; resting beneath Olivia's feet.

"Oh! I think it wants me to use it."

The book flipped open and Olivia leaned in closer.

"Huh? WHAT?!" She backed away. "No way! These are the instructions for folding into the Earth Vellumental itself!"

"What?!"

"I feel the same way. I should not be granted with this high an honor!"

"Well, the Earth Vellumental trusts you enough, so I say let's-a go!" Mario jumped and pumped his fist.

"Ooh, I do hope I can get this right...It's so complicated." She sat up straight as the book shut.

"Did you-a get it?"

"...It's as if the earth Vellumental is inside of me now. I can feel his spirit, his power." She gave Mario a look of determination. "Alright, I think I got it! Let's see if I'm right about this." She floated above Mario.

The book exploded into small lines of green light and swirled around the Magic Circle. They seeped into it, and it glew a brilliant green.

"I can feel it's power now. Are you ready?"

Mario nodded. "Alright, let's-a get out of this hole!"

Olivia closed her eyes and her paper unfolded. With precise accuracy, she refolded herself into the origami version of the Earth Vellumental. Her eyes blinked open as her crown popped up on top of her head.

"Well? Do I look strong? Imposing? Maybe a lil' cute? I can't believe I actually folded into the Earth Vellumental!"

"Wahoo!"

"You know what? I'm feeling hyped right now! I think I'm going to dance it out!" She pulled a pair of pink pom-poms from nowhere and started shaking them around while spinning in a slow circle, her balance transferring from one back leg to another.

Mario joined in her dance, excited that they could now resume their quest. The ground below them began to raise higher. It stopped at the area with the fallen stone bridge. The Magic Circle's glow diminished and Olivia was forcefully folded back to her usual self. She fell to her hands and knees, panting hard. Her crown had fallen off and now resided on the ground.

Mario picked up her crown and crouched down to her level. "Are you-a okay?"

"I'm...okay..." She said through breaths. "That was...so exhausting...for...me...to do...Hah...hah..."

Mario gently scooped her up and replaced her crown crooked on her head. He fixed her golden curls and carried her on his shoulders.

"What are...you...doing...?"

"You need to recover your-a energy. Folding yourself to much might prevent that, so I'll-a carry you there instead."

"Oh...thank you...Mario..."

He carried her out of the shrine to find that there was a yellow Shy Guy pacing in the main plaza of the small town. Mario hid behind a store stall to remain out of sight.

"So, you're telling me that the spring that restores things to their former glory came from an island in the sky, hm?"

Mario's gaze turned to a tall pair of dark green scissors that supported a hint of blue to the color. It was protected by a coal black safety cover.

The Toad behind the stall nodded. "Y-yes, but a sky island is just a rumor! I-I-I don't know if it actually exists!"

"Olly," Olivia muttered quietly. Mario nodded in agreement.

"Scissors, just a rumor?"

"No," the art supply responded. "It's a real place. I am to protect the streamer there."

"See? I know you are hiding something from me! Spill your guts, peasant! Unless you wish to be folded again!" Olly slammed his Shy Guy hands on the stall, it snapping in half.

"Remain calm, my King. Remember what happened before."

"I-I-I don't know how to get there! Honest!"

"I know how to help you."

Mario, Olivia, the Toad, Olly, and the Scissors looked the way the voice came. There stood a white Toad. Their toga hung loose, only properly fitting where a brown rope sat tied around their waist. Their feet were bare, and displayed a small pair of fake white wings on their back.

Olly sighed heavily. "Another one of them. Begone with you!"

"Wait! You want to restore yourself to your former glory, right my King?"

"My King?" Olly scoffed. "You have no right to announce me like that! You are inferior to my folded paper! Begone you disrespectful piece of scrap paper!"

"Let us hear him out, my King. Perhaps we can laugh at his foolishness further once he tells us more nonsense," the Scissors suggested.

Olivia inhaled deeply through her teeth. "Oof. That's rough, buddy."

"I mind you, I actually belong in that sky island. It's called Shangri Spa."

Olly hesitated for a moment. "That sounds like angry..."

"Of course we're angry! A castle just crashed into our beautiful spa and their residents are refusing to clean up their mess!" The Toad stomped their foot and clenched their fists. "It's all because of that square they called their king!"

"That sounds like King Bowser," the Scissors said monotonically. "Now I wonder how he managed to escape that prison I picked for him. How unfortunate..."

"King Bowser is attempting to lead his loyal servants in a revolution against me?!" Olly started at his lightly trembling hands. "I will not stand for this!"

The stalls around them began to tremble, causing the Toads nearby to flee. Olly raised one of his hands, and a stall followed suit.

"How dare he-"

The stall fell with a loud crash, it splintering upon contact with the floor. Scissors had unsheathed itself, pointing the blades at Olly's back.

"I warned you, my King. You need to control your temper or it will be your downfall!"

Olly sighed, and the Scissors re-entered the safety cover.

"It can fly?" Olivia asked. "Huh, that's not natural for arts and crafts supplies is it?"

Mario shook his head.

"Wait, Olly's here! I can try to talk him out of this again!"

"Olivia, wait-!"

Olivia wriggled out of Mario's grasp and she flew over to Olly. He didn't notice her until Scissors left the cover again.

"Stay away from my king. I will protect him with my life!"

Olly turned slightly, and spotted his twin. She was terrified of the giant blades aimed at her face. "Ah, Scissors! That's my sister."

It shut its blades. "Ah, my apologies." It re-entered the cover and resumed commuting with the Toad when Olly signaled for him to leave.

Olly folded back to himself and flicked his bangs. "Hello, Olivia. Does that mean Peaches' savior is here too?" He glanced at the door to the shrine. He clicked his tongue at her and shook his head. "Aww, my little sister is getting so powerful so quickly. Almost like me in a way."

"What? I am nothing like you! At least I know how to listen!"

His mocking smile faded into a serious glare. "Did you like what I did to the Earth Vellumental? I have gotten so powerful that I could fold a god! Imagine that!"

"That was wrong! You scared it! You forced it to submit to your wishes when it didn't want to!"

"And the Fire Vellumental's next after I finish my side quest."

"Huh?"

"It's a saying, sister. "'Side questing your main quest' means doing separate tasks within a much larger, more important journey."

"Oh, thanks for that."

"No problem."

"Waaaaaiiiit a minute! You're trying to distract me from why I'm here in the first place!"

"Perhaps. Why are you talking to me? I'm pretty busy at the moment if you couldn't-Scissors!"

"What?"

"Why did you slice him to confetti?!"

"After you turned him away so many times, he refused to speak more. He has no use to us now. Shall we resume towards Scorching Sandpaper Desert? We need to find out how to awaken the Fire Vellumental!"

"Shut it! You just gave our plan away to my sister who-I remind you-is on the enemy side!"

"She's an idiot. She probably doesn't know what a desert even is."

"A desert is a tundra filled with sand that's home to many creatures and the main plant of the desert, a cactus."

Olly smiled smugly at the Scissors, who huffed. "Alright, you two win. I suppose I could be a tad bit more secretive about your plan..."

"Why are you trying to restore your paper, Olly? You're perfect the way you are!"

Olly froze entirely. He didn't even blink. He slowly faced his sister. "Perfect? Perfect?! You think I'm perfect?! Look at me! I was rejected! I was disowned! Neglected even! If you think I am PERFECT the way I am, you are completely and utterly blind to the truth!" Olivia started backing away from her brother, who was moving closer to her. "Why don't you just say you love me to my face then?!"

She stayed silent, backed into a wall.

Olly backed off a bit. "That's what I thought. You hate me as much as that fool did. I folded you, Olivia. You were supposed to be perfect. But I made you too perfect, too PURE. Now look at you. You're on the wrong side of this, Livi."

"Livi? I'm Olivia?"

"Ah, so you don't know about your nickname? How depressing. I wanted to call you that for a while, but the time never came. It just slipped out like that, hm? I guess I can use it freely now."

"Olly, stop this. Please. I don't want you to hurt any more people! You've already gone too far by folding the Vellumentals!"

"If I remember correctly, that's exactly what you said about me folding Peaches. And yet here we are. Sounding like broken records, forever repeating the cycle of 'brother, stop' and 'brother, no'." Olly was suddenly whammed in the face with something, his head being tossed back from the impact.

Mario rushed over and picked up his hammer, which he had thrown at Olly. "Enough is enough, Olly-a!"

Olly straightened his paper out again. "Oh, it's you."

"Leave Olivia alone!"

"I may do what I please with Livi. She is nothing but my creation to me now, siding with you fools." Olly's eye glew purple for a split second, then returned to normal. His bangs also fluffed up when that happened as well. The scratch marks on his face from Mario's hammer vanished entirely. "You fools. Scissors?"

Scissors hopped over. "What is it, my King?"

"Meet me back at the throne room. I have some business with these two."

"But-"

"Now!"

"Yes, my King." It bowed and flew away.

"So, you wish for a battle. Is that it? Fine, I'll fight you; but you shouldn't expect me to pity you just because you're Peaches' hero!"

"Mamma mia!"