Chapter 57: Whiteout

"C'mon, how long does it take?" Kevin complained.

"I already told you I would cook breakfast!" Eddy shouted. "Now get out of the kitchen and let me cook!"

"It's a free country." Kevin snapped.

"Ding dong, numbskull. We're not even on earth anymore!" Eddy said. "Now get out!"

"What's the big deal?" Kevin asked.

"I need complete concentration to cook!" Eddy shouted angrily at Kevin. "I can't cook my famous Omelets if you just stand hovering' over my shoulder!"

"Alright, alright, cool it Chef Boy-are-you-short!" Kevin said. "But when your breakfast explodes, don't come crying to me!"

With that, he slammed the door.


The group spent the night at the Inn but decided to hang out at Frankly's before leaving.

"Is breakfast ready yet?" Eduardo Jr. asked.

"Ed hungry!" Ed shouted.

"You will be fine." Double D said.

He looked to his left. He saw Vivian near him with her head rested on her arms on the table. At the opposite end of the table was Rolf. He snarled when he saw them both. Double D gave Rolf a look and pulled Vivian's chair farther away from Rolf.

"Hey Jimmy! Hey Sarah!" Nazz called out.

Jimmy and Sarah both pulled out seats at the table. Double D looked at necklaces around their necks.

"Where did you get those?" Koops asked.

"Oh." They both held out two, hole-punched playing cards on the ends of their necklaces.

"Where did you get those cards?" Goombella asked.

"Oh, this is only one card." Jimmy said. "Ripped in two."

"Why did you rip the ace of hearts in two?" Double D asked.

"It's a long story. But I think this is a cool way to stay together. As friends, we both like each other. And when we stand as one, the hearts come together." Jimmy said.

They stood beside themselves and held out the cards in a way that they fit together like a puzzle.

"And it becomes one united heart." Jimmy finished.

"Aw, that's cute!" Nazz said.

"Yeah… uh… when'sbreakfastalreadyI'mstarved!" Eduardo Jr. shouted quickly.

"Oh! It's ready!" Eddy shouted from the kitchen. They heard a strange laughing follow. But for the Eds, it was nothing more than his usual maniacal laughter. "My masterpiece is complete!"

BOOOOOM!

The kitchen door broke off its hinges, as dust flew everywhere. The group rushed after the smoke cleared out. They found Eddy in a frozen position, holding his hands in the air. His expression was priceless.

Everyone looked angry at him, except for Kevin, who looked quite satisfied.

"Anyone want some?" He asked sheepishly, holding out a cracked frying pan.


After breakfast, the group jumped into some large jackets. They strapped backpacks, bags, and even more to them.

"Double D?" Jimmy squeaked in the immense winter jacket he was now strapped in.

"Yes, Jimmy?" Double D asked, who was wearing a little less, but still a large jacket.

"I can't breathe that well in this thing." Jimmy stated.

"You need be secure." Double D said.

"You will be thinking differently once you enter the artic area that is Fahr." Frankly said.

"Good luck on your journey."

"Thank you, prof!" Goombella said. "Now let's go, we have moon to reach!"


They dove into the pipes and under Rougeport. And thus, they spent the next hour searching for the pipe.

"There it is." Double D said, as he noticed a blue colored pipe.

"Are you positive this is the one?" Mario asked.

"This must be the pipe. I can feel cold air coming from it." Double D stated.

"Okay, let's-a go!" Mario said and jumped into the pipe first, followed by the others.


"Ah, that's cold!" Double D shouted. It was much colder than they could have guessed.

The group was very glad they had dressed in oversized jackets. They were surrounded by snow in every direction. The pine trees nearby were also covered in a thick blanket.

"Th-th-th-this is freak'n cold!" Eddy shouted out.

Double D took out his laptop on the spot. "We must be very cautious. The temperatures are s-s-s-s-subzero here."

He quickly placed it away. "We must move."

They began to trek down a single path. The fierce cold winds beat on them harshly.

"Fire."

Double D allowed a flame to spark on his right hand. The magical blaze didn't hurt of course, so he held it out towards the rest of the group. Vivian quickly followed behind him, doing the same.

"It does pay to have some friends who can magically conjure fire. But I guess when you're saving an alternate dimension, it comes with the package!" Eddy said.

"Do you cater parties?" Ed asked.

"Huh?" Goombella asked.

"Long story. I'll tell ya when we are in the Outpost." Eddy said.

"Uh, oh. Look there!" Flurrie shouted, pointing to a place further down the path.

There seemed to be trouble nearby. Two piranha plants, but white and blue to match the ice and snow around them. The third and final obstacle was a cloud, but also white like the snow.

They gave out a loud roar.

The group reacted by stepping backwards.

"Don't worry, fellows." Double D said. "Vivian and I have fire on our sides. We shall have no difficulty defeating these snow dwellers. Vivian?"

"Yes, I'm ready!" she said.

Both of them pointed into the sky, then quickly thrust their arms until they were right on target.

"Flame Rain!"

They both took a step back after that. Balls of fire started to rain from the skies right on target. Smoke filled the area, and the sizzling of the snow was evident. As it all cleared away, Double D saw the retreating monsters escaping beyond the horizon.

"That looked too easy." Bobbery noted.

"You know? You're right. We finished them with one blow, without any difficulty." Double D said.

There was a sudden gust of wind. It was uncomfortably hard and freezing. The group gave a collective shout as even Double D's and Vivian's flames were blown out.

"Where is that wind coming from?" Double D asked, shielding his eyes.

"Everywhere. North, south, east, west… It's like it's aimed at us!" Eduardo Jr. shouted.

"That is because we fell into an ambush." Rolf said. Instead of shielding himself from the gale, he held out both hands in a martial arts style.

"I can't see." Vivian said.

"That's what they are doing. They are trying to blind us, distract us... But from what?" Double D asked.

"One way to find out!" Kevin shouted.

He took his wrench and threw it into the air. It vanished into the white fog surrounding them. A clang was heard a second later.

"There!" Kevin shouted.

Double D pointed to the direction. "Pathi-Flare!"

Something flew in the distance, coming closer due to the spell. It was a cloud, hurt with the wrench wedged in its head.

"I'll take that!" Kevin shouted. He pried the wrench out, causing the cloud to vanish into the air.

"The wind is still blowing! It's getting annoying now!" Sarah shouted.

"What do we do?" Ms. Mowz asked.

"Let's try this, Vivian!" Double D shouted Vivian nodded.

They both pointed into the air.

"Flame-Rain!"

Fireballs started falling right for the pathway, and the group as well.

"Are you mad?" Eddy asked.

Vivian and Double D looked at each other. They both pointed into the air at the oncoming fireballs.

"Flame Shield!"

The shield that appeared right above them was twice as large, protecting the group like an umbrella. But the source of the gale was in danger. They started raining down, illuminating the landscape to a bright red. All around them came frightened screeches.

But the fire balls were starting to wear out the shield.

Double D and Vivian started straining under the pressure. Instead of pointing to hold the shield, they had to use both of their hands to keep it.

"I can't… hold it!" Vivian shouted.

"RUN!" Double D groaned.

"There's nowhere to go!" Eddy said. "Either we run there and get hit by fireballs or stay here and bet hit by fireballs."

It was unbearable, so they had to cancel both of the spells.

There was silence.

"Uh… did we win?" Koops asked.

But the wind picked up yet again.

"They just won't stop!" Kevin said angrily. "What now, genius?"

"We have to run!" Double D shouted over the gale.

"I'm-too-c-c-c-c-cold to move." Jimmy shivered.

Double D looked over to him. He looked freezing. Frost was already forming on his hair, icicles had appeared on his retainer.

"Vivian… I c-c-c-c-c-c-ccannot m-m-move either. And I f-f-feel… too c-cold to cast a sp-sp-spell." Double D shivered.

He looked over at her. She looked just as if she was freezing, some ice forming on the tip of her hat. The snow started to pile on them. It was as if the environment was trying to devour them.

Double D looked around; the others had frozen still around them.

'Perfect.' He thought sarcastically. 'We have come so far. We can't die here!'

He looked around to see an additional figure. His vision had become so blurred, as it looked like a silhouette. But it was a kid, no doubt, Jimmy's size. He had long hair, which was flying all about in the gale. The figure pointed out in front of himself.

"Deciderate!"

He could see the familiar spell coming into action. A twister of leaves, acorns, and twigs flew about. It stopped the gale.

But Double D felt even weaker. It was as if his life was being sucked out.

Everything was fading. Fading, becoming blurrier.


Double D suddenly looked around, even though he could feel his eyes closed. He couldn't feel anything, that could be because he had become so numb, but was able to move anyway. He was surrounded by darkness. He felt his head throbbing terribly. He reached up his hat and removed it.

His Eye of Wisdom was glowing like crazy. It was also pulsating, to the same rhythm of his own heart.

"What, where…" He asked aloud.

"I am sorry, friend." He heard a voice.

But it was in his own mind. The voice was so unusual that it was beyond description.

"Where are you?" Double D asked, looking through the darkness.

"I am right beside you."

In the darkness, he could see something nearby. But he couldn't tell what it was. But it seemed to be the same stranger that had just saved them.

"You saved us before on the train. How? What spell are you using?" Double D shouted out.

"It's a spell that works with nature." The voice explained. "As a bonus, it grabs power from another source and makes me human."

"What? What are you otherwise?" Double D asked.

"Wait! But in order to get this energy, It extracts it from others. Your friends are all frozen still around you. A nasty side effect."

"You mean you?"

"Calm down. I can revive them, at the expense of turning back to my true form. I have done it for you and your friends before."

"Then may you please return us back?" Double D asked.

"Yes."

"Wait, hold on a moment! Who are you?"

But it was too late. The silhouette was holding his hands out, pointing them in random directions.


Double D suddenly opened his own eyes, his true eyes.

He was back in the snowfield path. His friends where around him, all dazed but clearly alive.

"What just happened?" Nazz asked. "Who the heck was that?"

"I have no idea." Double D said, looking around.

"Where did that guy go?" Vivian asked.

"I don't know, but it's probably safe if we just keep moving. We'll freeze if we just stand here." Double D stated.

The group started on the move again.

As Double D walked, he stopped. He looked down and saw Plank in the snow.

"How did you get there?" Double D asked, without expecting a response.

He noticed its face had changed yet again. Now its eyes where half closed, with a weak frown.

"How did Plank get out of our bags. The battle wasn't that intense. And who was that… Wait a minute!"

Double D's eyes widened.

"Plank is in the exact position as thatman was a second ago! Could this-"

"Dad, c'mon!" Eduardo Jr.'s voice shouted out for him.

"Oh, um… coming!" He shouted back, rushing to catch up.

As he ran, he took another look at the very mysterious hunk of wood.