Chapter 21: The Perpetrator of Glitzville

"What does the message say this time?" Nazz asked.

"It says we must 'find the ghost of the champion's room?' That's an unusual message." Double D commented.

"Perhaps it doesn't mean ghost literally." Jimmy suggested.

"Wait! Everyone, quiet down for a moment." Double D exclaimed.

His group fell silent, listening for any sort of sound.

"Double D, I don't hear-"

"Quiet! Listen carefully." Double D silenced the group.

This time, a voice was audible. It sounded like whispering.

"The ghostly speech comes from this wall." Rolf said placing an ear on one of the walls.

"Hm…" Double D tried to listen to it, but the distance between him and the source was too far to make it coherent.

He looked around the room until he saw a small ventilation duct on the same wall.

"There." He pointed.

"What are you saying, we just go through that thing?" Nazz asked.

"There doesn't appear to be any way around it."

"I don't think this was a good idea. This place is dusty, and I'm allergic to- ACHOO!" Nazz sneezed.

"Sorry." Double D said.

They finally crawled to the end of the duct, where the voice was more easy to understand.

"Oh, this is bad."

"Is that Grubba?" Rolf asked.

"I do not believe how quickly this Eduardo character has risen up. And Security found Andy and King K yesterday. I thought I had them locked securely. And I have a feeling Jolene and Eduardo have their suspicions."

Nazz gasped. "So, all this time, the one responsible for the disappearances was none other than…"

"The Prompter of the Glitz Pit, Grubba." Double D said with his hands in fists.

"This whole thing of mine could be ruined if Andy or King K awaken from their coma and confess what I've been doing. Hopefully, they won't. Hopefully, they'll end up just like Prince Mush."

"Mush?" Rolf asked his group.

"I heard that he was the first Champion here, but vanished under unknown circumstances. Now we know why." Double D whispered.

"As long as nobody finds out about my Crystal Star draining machine, then I should remain this young forever." Grubba finished speaking.

Double D crawled ahead of his group to the end of the duct, and through the holes in the cover, saw Grubba hiding something within his desk, then walking out.

"Is he gone?" Jimmy asked.

"Yes." Double D answered and pointed to the cover of the duct. "Pathi-Flare!"

The cover popped right off and fell on the ground below. They jumped out of the duct and into the new room.

"It's his office." Nazz said.

Double D ran over to his desk and opened the drawer.

He inspected a piece of paper within it. "These… are blueprints, for a machine. One powered by the Crystal Star."

"So, Grubba had that crystal-thingy all along!" Eduardo Jr. exclaimed. "I should have known."

"According to this, the machine's main function is to drain energy from one source and transfer it to another. I think… that he drained King K's and Andy's life force and transferred it to himself!"

The doorknob turned and Grubba reentered his office.

The second he was his face, Double D reacted, readyto attack: "FREEZE!"

"What in tarnation are you-"

"We know all about you're draining machine, Grubba! It's over!" Double D shouted.

"Ya'll ain't catching me that easily!" Grubba said, making a run for it.

"Pursue him!" Double D shouted.

They ran back into the hallways. They kept on running until they spotted him running into the arena.

"Jimmy, get Mario and his group. Nazz, get Eddy. Tell them to meet me in there." Double D instructed.

"Right." Jimmy and Nazz said and ran away.

"That leaves us." Double D said to Rolf and Eduardo jr. "Come, now we must end this."

Double D broke down the door and ran in. The arena was empty, and most of the electronics systems where turned off.

"So, ya'll find out my secret?" Grubba asked as Double D ran onto the stage to face him.

"You crooked man, your plan is done, here and now. Come quietly with us, or we'll have to fight you." Double D threatened.

"Just what I intended. Y'all don't stand a chance." Grubba replied with a smile.

The arena started shaking and rumbling. They saw the center stage shatter and fall into a lower chamber with Grubba. A few seconds later, a huge machine arose. It looked like a giant cage, and within it was Grubba, with a dangerous looking smirk.

"And this is your draining machine, no doubt." Double D said with a very serious expression.

"Well, we are smart. Look up."

Double D looked to the top of his strange machine.

"There it is, the Star!" He pointed.

"I know you have come all of this way to get it. It's a shame y'all gonna lose your chance, along with your life."

"We still have you outnumbered. You can't take us all on!" Eduardo Jr. shouted.

"But what you got in numbers I got in strength. You idiots don't get this: I don't keep all of my victims' life force in this bod. But I will show you what I will do when I combine it with this here star."

The machine activated, and Grubba started shaking.

"Stand back!" Rolf held Eduardo Jr. back from the machine, which looked like it was also going to explode.

They watched a strange morph occur with Grubba. His size grew giant, and his blue skin turned to a bright orange. His hat flew off and was replaced by fiery-styled spiky hair.

"So, punks." Grubba asked in a much deeper, more sinister voice. "Do you dare defy me?"

"You're sick!" Double D pointed. "Alright, focus your energy…Fireball!"

A ball of fire erupted from his hands and shot right at Grubba. Grubba held out his hand and blocked the attack.

"What?" Double D was shocked to see him perfectly block himself from the fire.

"You idiots can't hurt me now. I've become invincible. I am MACHO GRUBBA!"

"No matter." Double D said.

Rolf ran towards the freakish new entity and slammed his bag against the creature. Still, to no avail.

"This is tough!" Double D said.

"OK, you think you're all that? Try this on for size!" Eduardo Jr. ran up to the giant but stopped. "Idiot. Of course, he's too big to gulp and too big to jump on. What am I supposed to do?"

Grubba smacked the little yoshi, who hollered and flew backwards and hit the floor. He attempted to stomp right on him, but Double D ran in the way, and grabbed Eduardo Jr. before he could be crushed.

"Double D! We're here-WHOA!" Eddy shouted when he saw the colossal Grubba towering over them. "Is that Grubba!?"

"Yes, help!" Double D shouted. "He's been deceiving us from the start! He's the one responsible for all of the disappearances.

"No way…" Eddy mumbled. Though in a few seconds, he perked up to his usual self. "Hm…" Eddy chuckled. "Looks like I get to save the day, as usual."

"Then hurry and save it already!" Eduardo Jr. shouted.

Eddy growled and jumped on stage followed by the rest of the group. About half of the group was immediately smacked away by Grubba's colossal arms.

"What happened to him?" Goombella asked.

"The power of the Crystal Star did this to him. The one he has!" Double D shouted.

"AHH!" Flurrie's shout caught their attention. They saw her crashing into the stands in the arena.

"Guys, let's take this monstrosity down!" Nazz shouted.

Grubba shouted in frustration and punched a huge arm on Rolf. He flew across the room but landed on his feet and charged again.

"I got this!" Koops tried to do a shell-shot at Grubba.

It struck one of his large toes and made him loose his balance.

"You got him!" Mario congratulated.

"Actually…" Grubba's dark voice said. "I've got you."

They saw what he meant. He was about to fall down and crush everyone nearby.

"Run…" Double D sounded terrorized.

Everyone started running, but Double D turned back and saw Jimmy saw standing still.

"Jimmy! Come on!" Double D shouted.

"I… can't… move!" Jimmy was petrified.

Double D quickly grabbed him and pushed him out of the way before he could crash down. Grubba got up surprisingly fast and punched again, to hit Koops. He skidded across the arena and hit a wall, knocking him out.

"Koops!" Goombella shouted for him.

That was all that was required for Grubba to hit her and knock her out as well.

"HIYA!" Eddy's loud voice called from the ceiling. He came flying down and landed right on Grubba's head.

"AHHHHH!" Grubba shouted. Eddy got off and landed on his feet.

"Aim for his head! I think that's his weak spot!" Double D pointed.

"You fools think you have a chance. It's actually funny." Grubba laughed a little.

"You are positively sick!" Double D shouted and pointed at Grubba. "Fire!"

Grubba once again lit on fire but seemed unfazed by it.

Double D panicked and canceled out the fire attack. "He doesn't burn? What else can I do?"

"DOUBLE D! HELP!" He looked and saw Grubba had poor Jimmy in his hands.

"Put him down!" Double D ordered.

"I don't think so. Anyone else attack, and this kid gets it!" Grubba threatened.

"You wouldn't dare!" Rolf shouted.

"I would!" Grubba sounded menacing.

Everyone slowly dropped their weapons.

"Now, I know you have crystal stars with you. Hand them over, and all of your disappearances will be slightly less painful!"

Double D took the Crystal Stars from Mario and Rolf and walked towards Grubba.

"Now hand them over." He demanded.

Double D walked closer, until he was at point-blank. He held out the diamond star.

"Yes…" Grubba sounded menacing.

Double D chucked. "Yes, indeed." He focused his energy into the star. "Catch!"

The star flew and landed at Grubba's feet, causing an Earth Tremor. Grubba started shaking and let go of Jimmy.

"Got him!" Nazz shouted, catching Jimmy safely in her arms.

"I'm not finished with y'all!" Grubba shouted.

He jumped and landed with such force that he knocked everyone to the floor, and Nazz out-cold.

"This ends-a now, he-who-steals-energy!" Rolf shouted.

Grubba saw him falling towards him from the ceiling. Apparently, no one saw him climb up there.

"That's not going to work again." Grubba sniggered. He caught Rolf and tossed him down on the arena floor.

"What do we do?" Double D asked when he realized that he, Eduardo Jr., Mario and Eddy where the last ones still fighting.

"I suggest we-a use the star again!" Mario said and took out the diamond star.

"TOO LATE, OLD TIMER!" Grubba stopped them and grabbed Mario.

"No!" Double D shouted. He ran towards the monster as fast as he could run, holding out his rod. "FLARE!"

Double D's rod transformed into a sword made of fire as he ran. He stopped at Grubba's feet and slashed right at them.

"ARGH!" Grubba shouted, releasing Mario.

However, Mario fell and crashed into some stands, knocking him out on impact.

"Daddy, lemme see that!" Eduardo Jr. asked.

Double D handed him the sword, and the little Yoshi charged. He tossed it with good force, and it struck Grubba's sun-glasses. They shattered, disabling his sight.

"Good toss!" Double D congratulated with a smile.

Grubba was enraged. He clearly had enough. He whacked Eduardo Jr. and knocked him out.

"No, no no!" Double D ran to the knocked out Yoshi.

"He was a nuisance anyway." Grubba laughed evilly.

Double D shouted in rage. Grubba attempted to attack them again. Double D held Eduardo Jr. and secured him onto his back. With just enough time, he managed to run out of the way.

"Ha. I knew you would be no challenge." Grubba laughed. "Now, ya'll gonna come quietly or-"

"SHUT UP ALREADY!" Eddy shouted.

Grubba turned his attention to Eddy.

"You!" Grubba shouted in disgust. "I've been waiting to vanish you since you arrived, you loudmouth."

"You're crazy! I can't believe I looked up to you! Now stop acting like Godzilla and fight already!"

"Your comic speech is good. It's a shame I'm gonna have to do this."

"Ha! You ain't gonna do nothing' to me!" Eddy said.

"Oh?"

"You've already lost." Eddy said causally.

The next thing he knew, Grubba's Machine fell on top of Grubba. Apparently, hadn't noticed he broke the support. It KO'd him instantly.

"We did it." Koops said when the rest of the group recovered and looked at Grubba, who had shrunk back to his normal self.

"…ooooh. Good… good job…" Grubba groaned.

"Grubba." Another voice said from behind Eddy who turned around to see…

"Jolene?" Eddy asked. "Whadda ya doin' here?"

"Finishing what I started. I need to explain to you all what has been going on here." Jolene said.

"You mean you knew about all of this?" Double D asked.

"Yes. Let me tell you. I grew up poor. My family was poor. You see, we have been since…" Jolene stopped for a moment. "Since a disease took my parents away from me. My brother, Mush, entered the fights to help support the family. But he vanished soon. I was aghast, without family or friends to help me out. I became manager in an attempt to find my brother, and it all became clear when I saw Grubba accidentally transform. I... lost all hope. Until you showed up."

"Mush? Prince Mush was your brother?" Eddy asked.

"Yes. I saw you rising so fast in the ranks, I knew that you were the only people who could defeat him. So, I secretly guided you."

"Then…" Double D sounded shocked. "All this time, the mysterious X was none other than Jolene!"

"Correct. It was I." Jolene walked on the arena and up to Grubba.

"Now Grubba!" she demanded. "Tell me what you have done with Prince Mush!'

"I… disappeared him…. Any way you…. Look at it… he ain't around these parts no more."

"I feared just that." Jolene sounded terribly sad.

There was a sudden noise. The Crystal Star within Grubba's wrecked machine started shaking, and out of nowhere, a toad appeared. He was glowing with light and looked peacefully calm. The power of the star gently lowered him on the stage floor.

He opened his eyes and smiled when he saw Jolene.

"Sister?" He asked. "What's going on? Why am I…"

"Brother!" Jolene ran to him and hugged him. "You're back!"

"The star can to that?" Nazz asked. "That's awesome."

"You're finally back. You'll never be taken away from me again." Jolene cried. She turned to Double D and his group. "Eduardo, please take the star."

"You want me to have it?" Double D asked.

"Please, take it. So that nothing like this ever happens again." Jolene said.

Double D walked up to the broken machine and took hold of the star. "Thank you."