Mario had to repair many Non-bottomless holes, and found a few cool treasures too, including a prize from a treasure chest that was a collectible treasure of Peach's castle. After doing that, Mario headed back to a small group of trees with vines on it. He pulled the final vine off of a tree after fixing the Non-bottomless hole near it. A Fire Flower fell from the tree.
Mario picked it up, but it was withered.
"Aww, it gave you a gross-looking flower! How nice!"
"It's dead," Mario said with a disgusted look.
He went into the next area to find a Non-bottomless hole and a golden sphere dangling off of a tree. He fixed the hole first, then went to the tree. Mario hammered the tree to make it drop a Magic Circle and pulled at the vine dangling out of the sphere. It snapped in his hands.
He looked at the vine. "There is a lot of things that are dead here."
"Strange, especially since there is a giant lake in these woods too."
After finally getting it open it dropped...
A seed.
A withered seed.
"Seriously?!"
"You should plant it and start your own garden!"
"Maybe we can try that lake?"
"Yay! Water!"
Mario headed up the path until he arrived at a clearing with a giant tree stump in the center.
"Yay! A tree!"
He continued along the path...and ended up right back in the clearing with the tree stump again.
"This seems familiar..." Mario stated.
"Yay! Another tree!"
"Olivia, this is the same one from before."
"Looks like we were destined to befriend the tree then."
"Trees can't talk, Olivia."
"Aww, boo."
Still ignoring the voices from the woods telling him to turn back, he resumed his journey again.
And ended up back with the tree stump.
"I'm tired."
"Olivia, you weren't even walking!"
"I'm tired watching you be tired."
"What?"
"You look tired, you should sit down."
"Why didn't you start with that?!"
Mario angrily sat down on the stump, Olivia sitting next to him.
"Are you hungry?"
"Why do you say that?"
"You sound upset, and I haven't seen you eat anything yet."
"I haven't seen you eat anything either."
Olivia pointed at herself. "I don't think I can. I don't have a mouth."
"You can talk though."
Olivia stared at the stump. "Huh. I suppose you're right."
"Hrgaashjsbjfjb!" A muffled voice attempted.
"Aah! The trees CAN talk!"
Mario hopped off the stump, Olivia following. A face appeared on the trunk, it having two beady black eyes and a mustache made of wood.
"Please do not sit on meh head."
"You told me trees couldn't talk!"
The tree squinted at Olivia. "Mani, is tat you? My, ya're lookin' smaller an' smaller every time I be seein' ya."
"Mani? No, I'm Olivia." She pointed a hand and the hangry plumber. "And this is Mario. We're trying to leave, see? We have something to do in Toad Town."
"'Oad 'own? What are ye plannin' to do in 'oad 'own? Tat place is deserted now! Nothin' more than a wannabe 'Orchin' Sand'aper Desert!"
"Huh?"
"Eh...unless ye laddies want tah do meh a favor. Then I'll let ye pass tah 'oad 'own."
"Sure! I understood that you needed a favor, at least! What do you need?"
"I need meh Soul Seed, see? I can't go growin' back wit'out it."
"Oh no, you were cut down? Were they pointed?"
"Nah, laddie. I was cut down by tem Toads who live in teh wooden 'ouse over yonder. Usin' meh for firewood they are!"
"What does this Soul Seed look like?"
"A seed, laddie. A seed like no other seed in these here Whisperin' Woods."
"That explains the voices then," Mario muttered.
"Do you mean this seed?" She faced Mario. "Can I have the seed?"
Mario passed it to her, who held it up.
He squinted at it. "Ah! The bloomin' thing's all dried up! I can't be usin' it like that!"
"So we'll have to visit the lake then?"
"Ah yes, teh ol' Springs of Restoration. Not'ing like 'em. Yeah, I'll bet yar bums tat lake will fix tat seed right up! Good as new! Ahh but..."
"What is it? What's wrong?" Olivia passed Mario back the seed.
"Some new pointy people came stompin' inta tem woods right before ya two laddies showed up. That's why the exit to teh lake was blocked, see?"
"Pointy people? Were they brown?"
"Eh...they don't be lookin' like trees, laddie. I fink you mighta taken a hit or two to teh head. Nah, they looked like mushrooms. Teh little red ones that grow 'round here."
She turned to Mario. "He's not talking about Goombas or Toads...I guess we'll just have to find out ourselves, Mario!" She faced back to the tree again. "Do you think you could let us through? We can get rid of those monsters for you."
"Ah! A fair favor! Ya be givin' me meh Soul Seed an' be gettin rid of tem monsters? Now I don't know what ta give ye!" he gave a hearty laugh before breaking into a coughing fit. "Teh trees like ya, laddies. Tey normally don't be givin' the woods secrets out ta travelas like yeh."
Olivia bowed. "Thank you, grand old tree stump!"
"Teh trees callen meh 'Ol Grandsappy."
"Thank you Old Grandsappy!"
The mist by the exit moved away, and the three trees by Grandsappy's faces appeared.
"Thank you for offering to restore Grandsappy!" The one closest to them said.
"We would do this ourselves, but we're trees. You know?" The one in the middle stated.
"The little yellow one is kind of cute," the third one complemented.
"Aww, thank you!" Olivia smiled at Grandsappy. "I will do the best I can, but you should really thank Mario."
Mario blushed and rubbed the back of his head.
"Bye bye!" Olivia said, waving to the stump as they went deeper into the forest.
