OK, readers. This is the 81st chapter of this story.
Now, there isn't much to say here, aside from the fact that after this chapter, there are only three chapters left to this story.
Seriously. There isn't much to add here that I haven't touched upon in the previous chapter. Things were looking grim for Andrew and his friends in the previous chapter, and this chapter will pick up from where that one left off.
This chapter will involve the seven Crystal Stars going to their respective locations where they were found, to which relevant characters from all of the places Andrew has been to will find out that Andrew is in trouble.
They will give him and his friends encouragement to keep fighting, don't give up, and instill some new hope into him. This will result in the Shadow Queen losing her invincibility, Andrew understanding the full potential of the Crystal Stars, and the princess giving Andrew whatever powers she has left. And the Crystal Stars also do something to Andrew's Ultra Bat.
And a few other things will occur. How will things go for the heroes, and will they be given some restored hope in defeating the Shadow Queen? Read and find out, now!
IN THE SHADOW QUEEN'S DOMAIN - THE PALACE OF SHADOW:
As it turns out, Andrew and his friends had to cease the fight for the time being, since there was nothing they could do to hurt the Shadow Queen.
The Shadow Queen noticed that they were standing down, so she decided not to attack them until they tried fighting her again, as the possessed Peach was still floating in the air while the Shadow Queen's true spirit was hovering behind her, no longer wrapping her body around the possessed Peach.
The heroes were fighting a losing battle, and she was wondering if they'd reconsider taking up her earlier suggestion, even though it was obvious that they wouldn't. But for now, she decided to give them a few minutes before she asked them again.
"Jeepers... I 'totally' can't believe it, guys," Goombella frowned deeply. "This could be it for us."
Andrew's other friends all agreed with her on that. As far as Andrew was concerned, he was in deep conflict with what had taken place. And then he started thinking back about everything he had been through.
Going on the journey to collect the seven Crystal Stars wasn't the problem. It's the outcome that came as a result of getting the last Crystal Star that was an issue, along with everything that unfolded as a result.
He couldn't help but feel guilty and ashamed for how the world got screwed over with darkness and how he allowed Grodus to use Peach's body as a vessel for the Shadow Queen. It was 'clear' that all of the blame should be given to him for allowing this to happen in the first place.
"This is all my fault," Andrew said to himself.
"Ummm... What?" Koops was curious about this as were the rest of his friends. "What's your fault, Andrew?"
"Yeah," Flurrie nodded. "Dearie, whatever do you mean by that?"
"I mean, all of this. Everything that has happened here is my fault," Andrew waved his hands up. "The world is now suffering in darkness, the Shadow Queen has been reawoken and is now possessing Peach's body, ready to destroy the world again. None of this would've happened if it wasn't for me."
"Aw c'mon, man! Snap out of it, will ya! That's a bunch of crazy 'talk'!" Yoshiam had to yell at him. "This isn't your fault, and you know it, Presto! All of this was Grodus's fault for tricking us into opening the door for him by gathering the Crystal Stars he wanted! Grodus was the one who woke up this demon queen and allowed her to possess the princess!"
Yoshiam had to take a deep breath before he continued his rant. "Beldam's also at fault for being the one responsible for everything we've been through, and she was the one pulling the strings of the one guy who deserves all the hate he gets! So this evil witch queen is the number one target for a serious butt-whooping!"
"I guess so, but that's just it," Andrew proclaimed. "We wouldn't have been in this mess if Grodus hadn't pulled that trick on us. Even then, the Shadow Queen is invincible and we can't hurt her. And since we can't defeat her, what does that mean for everyone else who'll never be able to have a future to look forward to since we can't stop her?"
"Andrew? You are 'totally' not the one at fault here," Goombella tried to reassure him. "And we'll find a way to defeat this Shadow Queen and put her to eternal rest, even if it kills us."
"Right," Andrew flinched when she said 'kills' as he then sighed. "Look guys, I appreciate your support. But I think maybe it'd be best if I take down the Shadow Queen alone."
All seven of them gasped in shock at what he said. They couldn't believe that Andrew was willing to fight the Shadow Queen alone. There was no way that they'd let him do it alone if they had a say in it.
"Ummmm... Andrew? We can't," Koops shook his head. "We can't let you fight her alone! That can't happen!"
"'Absolutely' not! That is simply out of the question, Andrew!" Flurrie gasped. "We shan't go along with that and allow you brawl this witch by your lonesome! It shall not happen on my watch!"
"Did you just hit your head on something, Presto?" Yoshiam asked him. "There's no way we're letting you fight this wicked witch queen alone as long as we have something to say about it!"
"Andrew? Please don't," Vivian pleaded. "Please don't fight this Shadow Queen by yourself. We don't want something happening to you. Especially after the beating she just gave you previously..."
"I must say, this is one procedure that we simply must oppose, old boy," Bobbery informed him. "We will not allow you to brawl against this witch queen on your own, especially given the circumstances of our current predicament."
"And besides Andrew, even if we did let you fight her on your own, there's a huge chance that you will not live through her next attack," Ms. Mowz exclaimed to him. "You don't stand a chance of fighting her on your own, sweetie. Even if she wasn't invincible."
"I just don't want anything bad happening to you guys, and for you to be put in danger because of me!" Andrew cracked with a broken tone. "I...I almost lost you guys just now. You all now know about the truth behind my past, and everything I've been through."
Andrew felt tears building up again as the memory of his mother's death flashed through his eyes, making him feel more depressed.
"If anything happens to you guys, I will never forgive myself..." Andrew choked, wiping his eyes of the tears that were forming.
"Andrew, listen to me. We get it. We 'totally' get why you were feeling anguish and concerned about us, especially after the gnarly stunt the Shadow Queen pulled on us," Goombella told him before informing him about something important. "But if we let you fight the Shadow Queen by yourself, and if she kills you, we will never forgive ourselves!"
"That's right," Koops, Flurrie, Yoshiam, Vivian, Bobbery, and Ms. Mowz all agreed simultaneously.
Andrew had to wipe his eyes and stare at them. He couldn't deny it. They would remain loyal to him until the bitter end. All seven of them. No matter what. Perhaps it was a great thing for all eight of them to come together in the manner that it happened.
Before Andrew could say anything else, the Shadow Queen got their attention again. Now that they had their moment, perhaps it was the time to find out from them if they would reconsider taking up her offer of serving her.
"I will ask you again... Will you serve me?" The Shadow Queen asked before adding. "If so, I will forgive you for this, I will forget this ever happened, and I will spare your lives..."
Andrew couldn't help but give the Shadow Queen a dirty look. Even after everything he's been through, he was not going to side with her and let everyone down. All seven of his friends gave her a similar look, as they were refusing to give in and become her servants.
"Yeah, right! Pffft!" Goombella did a 'pffft' sound before saying sassily. "Never gonna happen, sister!"
"No...way!" Koops managed to come out and say it. "No way, lady!"
"Now, that's just senseless..." Flurrie huffed as she crossed her arms and shook her head at this. "Are we to betray everyone who believed in us?"
"Oh, haven't you heard, lady?" Yoshiam shook his fist at her before he bellowed. "Champs NEVER give up!"
"Forget it!" Vivian shook her head as she frowned. "I know we'll win!"
"Serve a witch?" Bobbery asked rhetorically before scoffing at her. "My Scarlette would be rather angry with me, I should think..."
"Why are we even talking about this?" Ms. Mowz asked in annoyance before making her answer clear to her. "NEVER!"
"You heard them. It's not gonna happen," Andrew then got to speak to her. "It's like I said before, I have the fate of the world, the princess, and all of my friends on my shoulders. And I'm not gonna let them down by becoming the servant to an ancient demon witch queen! We might not be able to do anything to you now, but that doesn't mean we're gonna give up that easily. We're gonna give it all we got just to take you down, even if we HAVE to die trying!"
Andrew took a deep breath before telling her in a grim tone. "And if you have to kill us just so we can prove it to you, then so be it."
His friends all agreed with his comment. Even if they were going to go down, it would be with honor, nobility, and that they'll have each other's backs. The Shadow Queen could only shake her head at this. They were willing to make their deathbed come sooner, and she was willing to make it happen.
"Muh huh huh huh huh... Very well..." The Shadow Queen then said darkly. "Then you will perish."
"Then let's get this over with," Andrew said sharply. "Before I go guys, I just want you to know that I was happy to have known all seven of you. And I meant what I said earlier when I told you that you guys are the best group of people that I ever had the honor of traveling with."
His friends were rather touched when he said that as he continued. "You know, when I first came to Rogueport, I didn't know what would be in store for me. I didn't expect to go on this adventure. I wasn't planning on doing it. And I was hoping to just come here to get the princess and go back home. But then she got kidnapped and then I had to find the seven Crystal Stars."
Andrew had to clear his throat of whatever lump was forming in it before he could say his next part.
"I have to be honest, I originally didn't want to go on an adventure such as this one, as I wanted to get myself and the princess back home safely," Andrew told them. "But the more traveling I did, the more situated I became with this journey. And the more Crystal Stars I got, the more comfortable I was having more of you guys travel with me. After having my name and identity stolen, I finally decided to become a better leader and a better friend to all of you. And look where we are. We changed each other's lives. I don't know where any of us would be if this didn't happen."
Andrew then had to admit to them what could've happened if he hadn't come to Rogueport. "Goombella would've been abducted by Lord Crump and held hostage at the X-Naut Fortress. Koops would've never been able to avenge his father's supposed death. Flurrie wouldn't have been able to repay her debt to the Punies, or possibly consider restarting her actress career. Yoshiam wouldn't have been born. Vivian would have been forever suffering at the hands of her abusive sister Beldam. Bobbery would've never gone to sea again and remained a broken Bob-omb forever. Ms. Mowz wouldn't have learned to steal for a good cause. And I would've remained a cynical loner for the rest of my life."
They all understood what he was saying and they couldn't help but huddle up with him for that to show how much they appreciate his feelings for them.
"Awww, Andrew! You're right!" Goombella cried, doing the Goomba equivalent of a hug towards Andrew. "We 'totally' have each other's backs. And if we have to go down, then we should go down together."
"Well, Andrew? I guess this is it," Koops said with a sad smile. "We're gonna be dead, and we can't do anything about it. Maybe I'll be able to reunite with my mother..."
"Oh, Andrew! My darling! I shan't believe our lives are about to end in such a tragedy!" Flurrie wailed and hugged Andrew tightly as comfort. "My sweetums, if this queen is gonna do away with you, then she might as well do away with me. At least we'll go down together, hon..."
"Aw geez, Presto. So this is how it's going to go down," Yoshiam admitted with a frown. "It sure is a bummer that I was born just recently. Now I'm not gonna be able to grow up into a big Yoshi who'll show everyone who's the boss. I guess we'll just have to face the music, as long as we don't become servants to that witch queen..."
"Andrew... I'm sorry that I couldn't do anything more to help us take down this queen..." Vivian apologized sadly with a frown. "But I promise you that even if we can't beat her, I will protect you from her no matter what, even if we both die from it... I will be by your side, always Andrew..."
"Well Andrew, old boy, I'm sad to say that it has come to this. So this is how a legend of the sea meets his end, eh?" Bobbery commented sadly. "If we are to perish right now, then we might as well make the most of it while we can. And it seems like I might be reunited with Scarlette, after all. What a tragic ending this tale turned out to be, eh old boy?"
"Andrew, my sweet? I am glad to have decided to travel with you, and I don't regret it one bit," Ms. Mowz told him while remaining close to him. "As the others have said, if we are to die at the hands of this queen, then we'll at least do it with honor, dignity, and for a noble cause. I promise that I will stand by you no matter what might occur, sweetie. And that is a promise."
"Thank you guys. For everything," Andrew thanked them sincerely. "Well, I guess this is it. We'll at least die doing something noble and worthy. Goodbye."
"Muh huh huh huh huh... I hope you pests have enjoyed your final moments together. Believe me, this'll hurt you more than it does me," the Shadow Queen told them callously and condescendingly. "So say your prayers, you inferior fools."
"Go ahead and kill us already," Andrew told her sharply. "We're ready."
The Shadow Queen didn't say anything as she was getting ready to exterminate the eight heroes, who remained close together with Andrew making sure to stay close to all seven of his friends. She was just about to kill them with one last Lightning Blast on them.
However, before she could even land a strike on them, a bright light emitted from where Andrew and his friends were standing. This got her to stop and wince at what she was seeing.
"What... What is this?" The Shadow Queen winced as she saw what the source of the light was.
Then again, so did Andrew and his friends. It was the seven Crystal Stars. They had come out of nowhere and Andrew didn't even summon them. They never even crossed his mind before the Shadow Queen could kill them.
"The Crystal Stars?" All seven of Andrew's friends asked in unison as they looked at them in admiration as they were rotating around Andrew.
"I didn't summon them. Why are they out?" Andrew had to ask. "Is it possible that they sensed the danger that we're in, and the Crystal Stars are going to intervene and resolve the situation that we're stuck in currently?"
"Given the mysterious powers that the Crystal Stars possess, it's 'totally' possible, Andrew," Goombella whispered to him.
"Yeah," Andrew then looked up at the Crystal Stars along with his friends. "Wooow!"
"Aaaah!" Goombella yelped in admiration.
"Ohhhh!" Koops gawked in awe.
"Ahhh!" Flurrie gasped in fascination.
"Ohhh!" Yoshiam felt his eyes sparkle as he said that.
"Ahhhh!" Vivian uttered as she stared at them in captivation.
"Ohhhhh!" Bobbery stared in curiosity.
"Ahhhh!" Ms. Mowz had to utter in joy at what she was seeing.
In a matter of seconds, the seven Crystal Stars then departed from the Palace of Shadow, as each Crystal Star was planning on going to a specific location that Andrew had been to in the Rogueport region.
I just hope that something good comes out of whatever it is the Crystal Stars are doing... Andrew thought. Because if I have to be honest, we 'really' need it...
All seven of his friends had similar thoughts to what he was having, as the Shadow Queen was in a daze by what she saw, and she was unable to do anything as a result. Meanwhile, Beldam, Marilyn, and Doopliss were also confused by the fact that the Crystal Stars were summoned abruptly.
The hope that the heroes had that died out was about to be resurrected. 'And' the Crystal Stars are going to make that possible. That was a given...
IN THE ROGUEPORT PLAZA:
It was then that something happened in the center of the Rogueport Plaza; right where the gallows was placed. In a matter of seconds, the diagram-like thing that was identical to the one Andrew had seen come up around the pedestal in front of the Thousand-Year Door appeared, surrounding the gallows. It took the same shape and had the same sparkly lights to it, just like the other one.
As soon as it completely took shape around the gallows with the seven circles with stars in the middle of each of them, each of the circles glowed the same color as the Crystal Star that rested in each respective circle. Then the seven Crystal Stars rose and surfaced into the correct circle that they were in previously.
Toadsworth had already headed to the harbor, seeing that he was expecting Mario to show up soon, so he wasn't around to see this. However, the likes of Antoine and Flavio were around to witness this phenomenon take place.
There were several other people outside who were acquainted with Andrew in some shape or form standing outside as they watched this take place too. This included Francesca, Frankie, Vinny, Tony, Podley, the innkeeper, George T and his brother, and a few others.
'And' all of them who knew what Andrew was doing with the Crystal Stars had realized that something bad was happening to Andrew, which is why the Crystal Stars had surfaced. 'And' in Antoine's case, he was certain that Ms. Mowz was in trouble and figured that she, Andrew, and the others were fighting to save the world.
Each of them gave their 'own' wishes, prayers, and hopes for Andrew to return the world to the way it was, where they could see the light of day again. The seven Crystal Stars had their trademark sparkles accompany them, as they then decided to take off to different parts of the world.
From there, the Diamond Star, the Emerald Star, the Gold Star, the Ruby Star, the Sapphire Star, the Garnet Star, and the Crystal Star all went their separate ways. They each went to the location that they were founded in, except for the last one, which was heading straight for Fahr Outpost.
The people who witnessed this could only watch them take off and hope that things will return to normal quite soon...
IN PETALBURG:
In Petalburg, in the area where Kroop's home was located, Mayor Kroop, Koopley, and Koopie Koo were just standing around, upset that it was still dark out. Not to mention the earthquake that came earlier nearly shook them up, but thankfully, they were able to hang in there.
With that earthquake behind them, they continued to think outside as to why this had to happen, and when will it go away for them. Suddenly, something came down from the sky in the center of the area, right near the intersection where one of the bridges was located.
It was the Diamond Star, and it was hovering a couple of feet off the ground, showing those beautiful sparkles accompanying it. Mayor Kroop was the first to notice it as he turned around and looked at it. He had no idea what it was, but it sure did look shiny, not to mention beautiful up close.
"Hmmm, now?" Mayor Kroop murmured as he walked up to the Diamond Star and observed it up close for himself. "What's this shiny thing? Sure looks beautiful, I should say..."
Koopley, by contrast, was able to recognize what it was. After all, he kept it as a souvenir while he was in Hooktail's belly for ten years, before he came out alive and gave it to Andrew afterwards. Koopley walked up to the Diamond Star as he had to explain to the Mayor what it was exactly.
"Mayor! It's the Crystal Star!" Koopley declared, getting Kroop's attention before he frowned and rubbed his goatee. "But I thought Andrew had this thing..."
Koopie Koo then walked up to get a closer look at the Diamond Star. She only heard bits and pieces of it from what Koops told her, and this was her first time seeing it for herself.
Mayor Kroop, for his part, had figured it out. So this was the Crystal Star thingy that Andrew was looking for when he first came to Petalburg. He was quite surprised to be able to see one up close since he had never seen a Crystal Star in person before.
There was also the fact that he assumed that the Diamond Star's presence might have something to do with the dark sky that was hovering over their head. Rubbing his hand across his beard, he had to make his comment on this assumption.
"...I wonder, kids if this is related to the sky getting all dark and whatnot..." Mayor Kroop admitted.
"Hmmm..." Koopley had a thoughtful expression on his face as he crossed his arms. "You may be right, but I don't know."
It was then something crossed Koopley's mind, and it had something to do with the possibility that Andrew, Goombella, and his son were in trouble, and were fighting to save the world. He had a grave expression on his face when he prepared to make his next comment.
"But if anything's happened to my boy Koops and Andrew..." Koopley said with a rather grim tone.
"Oh, dear..." Koopie Koo now sounded worried as the thoughts of something happening to Koops filled her with dread.
Koopley and Mayor Kroop turned around to face her as she said her next comment. "Koops... You're OK, right? You promised me you'd come back OK... After all, I still plan to make you that Heartful Cake for when you finally return home safely..."
"Yeah," Koopley then decided to comment. "Don't give up, son. You can fight, just like your old man. If you were tough enough to beat Hooktail once and for all, then surely you can do the same for whatever is causing this terror."
Koopley's voice had a serious tone to it. He had already lost his wife when Hooktail came and ate her viciously. He couldn't dare to think of something happening to his son too, by whatever was out there giving him and Andrew trouble. So his expression was understandable.
"Errrr... Oh, what the hay," Mayor Kroop decided to give his support too. "Ya hear me, Audrey? You can do it, Sonny. If you were able to rid our fair peaceful village of the dreaded Hooktail fiend, then surely you can do the same to whoever may be responsible for this dang-blasted darkness that's clouding us. Just be sure not to give up on any of us. And the same goes for you too, Koops. Keep on wrangling with this here barbarian, I should say."
"Yeah Koops," Koopie Koo added. "Please stay safe, take care of this dark sky, and make it back to Petalburg safely, for me, and 'for' all of us."
"That's right," Koopley said with confidence. "Keep on fighting, and don't give up Andrew, Goombella, and Koops."
And with that, Mayor Kroop, Koopley, and Koopie Koo kept staring into the Diamond Star, as they made constant wishes and prayers for Andrew and his friends to finish off whatever caused all of this. That was the most they could do for him in these trying times...
IN FRONT OF THE GREAT TREE:
Meanwhile, in front of the Great Tree, the Punies and Jabble were still standing outside in front of their home. They had felt the earthquake some time ago, and most of the Punies tried to scatter and take cover in safety, even after the earthquake was done.
The Puni Elder set them straight by growing to the size of a bulldog and ordering them to come back out there with the rest of them. They obliged as the Punies and Jabble had to wonder why this was happening to their peaceful home.
Their answer was given to them when the Emerald Star came floating down in front of them, accompanied by those beautiful sparkles. Needless to say, all of the Punies and Jabble were shocked to see it show up here again, with Punio being the first one to comment about it.
"Whoa! The Crystal Star!" Punio yelped at it.
"What in the world..." The Puni Elder muttered before she wondered. "What's THAT doing here?"
The Puni Elder took a minute to pause before she could continue uttering about its presence here. "This is very mysterious... Yes, a mystery that..."
Punio had to cut the Puni Elder off by turning to face her and said. "Snap out of it, Elder! This is serious!"
"Hmph!" Puniper huffed. "That Crytal Star sure has some nerve showing up at a time like this. Why is it here?"
It was then that Jabble had to jump up and down as he was saying something regarding the Emerald Star being here.
"You're right, Jabble," Punio understood him. "I thought Andrew had the Crystal Star. What's it doing here for?"
And then there was Petuni, who was studying it up close this entire time. It was then she concluded the reason for its presence. It was obvious as to why it showed up here all of a sudden, and she could sense it.
"Brother!" Petuni jumped up, getting Punio's attention as she shouted. "Andrew's in trouble! That's what the Crystal Star is here to tell us! I 'just' KNOW it!"
"What? Could it be..." Punio was confused by that as he paused for a second to realize that she was onto something there. Why else would the Emerald Star be doing here when the world is covered by darkness?
"...Hey, you're right, Petuni! I can hear... I can hear it!" Punio admitted as he then understood the severity of the situation, that Andrew was struggling to deal with the calamity that plagued the world, and he needed some support. "The Crystal Star is speaking to us! It's telling us that Andrew is fighting to save the world! And he's in deep trouble..."
"Well, what are we waiting for?! Let's give him some encouragement!" Petuni declared as she jumped up and spoke into the Emerald Star. "Andrew! Flurrie! C'mon! Don't give up!"
"Yeah!" Punio joined her. "You can do it, guys!"
"That's right!" Puniper joined in and said his part. "Mr. Muscles, or Andrew, rather. I know that I didn't have good judgment of you at first, but I know that you can do what's right and save our world! You were strong enough to drive off those X-Naut [fiends], not to mention take down that Magnus doohickey thing that that Lord Crump guy used! Now you can do the same again! We're depending on you! Don't give up, Andrew, Flurrie, and the rest of you!"
"Very good! That's the spirit, my Punies!" the Puni Elder spoke up. "Even though these are trying times for us, the least we can do is give ol' Andi-roo and his group of pals the support that they deserve to get through these perilous trials."
It was then that Jabble jumped up and down. It was unclear as to what he was saying since he couldn't talk. But judging by his expression, it was clear that he too, was giving Andrew and his friends the support that they need to save the world.
"That's right, Jabble," Punio agreed with him. "All we can do is give Andrew, Flurrie, and his other friends the support they need to get through this! You can do it, guys! Don't give up! We're depending on you!"
It was then the 98 regular Punies all chanted 'keep fighting' through the Emerald Star, while Punio, Petuni, Puniper, the Puni Elder, and even Jabble continued to deliver their wishes, hopes, and prayers to Andrew as an encouragement to keep going. They could only hope that a light was at the end of the tunnel and that things would go back to normal soon...
IN GLITZVILLE:
The Gold Star had already arrived in Glitzville, as it was floating in the center, with those sparkles accompanying it. The people who were outside were able to figure out that Andrew was struggling to fight and save the world. Or at least, Jolene was the first to figure it out.
She was standing in front of the Gold Star, and she was accompanied by the Rawk Hawk, the Armored Harriers, King K, Bandy Andy, the Toad father and his son, and a few other people. Jolene knew that Andrew and his friends needed their support, as she was the first one to speak to the Gold Star.
"Presto..." Jolene then corrected herself to make sure she called him by his real name. "I mean, Andrew..."
With that, she adjusted her glasses before she continued speaking into the Gold Star. "I know you're fighting far away right now. For us... For all of us... This Crystal Star has told us of your last, brave stand..."
Jolene had to clear her throat to avoid showing any signs of cracking before she could continue in a calm tone.
"Maybe we can't do much to help you... But we're thinking of you," Jolene said. "All our wishes are for you... For your victory... All of your adoring fans know you as the Prevailing Presto, and you were able to become the champ so quickly. Not to mention you fought to bring my brother Prince Mush back. All we can do is hope that you can prevail and keep fighting... for all of us."
It was then the Rawk Hawk decided to say something about this. For the first time, he was able to swallow his pride and put his 'personal' hatred of Andrew behind him as he then raised his voice.
"Unh! Yeah! Yeah! Feel it! 'Rawk' out, Prevailing Presto! RAAAAAAAAAAAAWK!" Rawk Hawk bellowed loudly before pointing towards the Gold Star and announcing into the Gold Star. "Listen to me, Presto! Anybody who's 'beat' me is not ALLOWED to lose!"
Similarly, the Armored Harriers were able to swallow their pride, as their once strong grudge against Andrew was now all a distant memory, and a thing of the past, as the red-shoed Iron Cleft spoke first.
"That's right!" The red-shoed Iron Cleft agreed before speaking to the Gold Star. "You! Star! Tell that shrimp that beat us to never give in!"
"FIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!" The green-shoed Iron Cleft followed after his brother as he yelled.
"We're sendin' you all our strength, P-man! You feelin' the love, my man?" King K took his turn to speak to the Gold Star. "PRESTO! Your ol' pal King K has full confidence that you can trash whatever dude is behind all this! You're the coolest, and we all know you won't give up on any of us, Presto, my double-P dog!"
"That's right," Bandy Andy spoke into it. "Presto? We know you can do this! You became the champ of the Glitz Pit, something that the rest of us Minor Leaguers couldn't have done. Not to mention you went and took down Macho Grubba for draining our energy from us."
Bandy Andy took a deep breath before he continued. "We may not do much for you right now, man. But the least we can do and give you the support that you need, just like [old] times. The same goes for you Goombella. You can keep fighting as well. Along with the rest of Presto's friends. Don't give up!"
"Yeah," the 'Toad' father then spoke up. "Presto? Yoshiam? I know you both can beat whoever caused our skies to darken. If you can become the champs in such little time, then you can do it again just to save our world! Go get 'em, Prevailing Presto, and little Yoshiam!"
"What my daddy said," the Toad kid agreed. "I know you can do this, Presto and Yoshiam. Don't give up! Show 'em that you two are just as strong as Prince Mush himself! GO PREVAILING PRESTO!"
Jolene was pleased that the others around her were also giving Andrew and his friends the support that they needed, and she didn't even need to suggest it to them. The most that they could do for now was to give Andrew and his team the faith that they needed.
"Fight on, Andrew..." Jolene uttered softly into the Gold Star.
From there, all of them continued to give Andrew their wishes, prayers, and support, while hoping that he never gives up. They hoped that doing so would cause their world to return to normal again, and that business in Glitzville would resume once it was safe for everyone...
IN TWILIGHT TOWN:
The Ruby Star had already arrived in Twilight Town, as it was floating right near where Mayor Dour's house was located. It was accompanied by those beautiful sparkles, as a few people were outside in front of the Ruby Star.
They consisted of Eve, her three children, a regular Twilighter, and Mayor Dour himself. They realized that Andrew was struggling to save the world, so they were willing to give him their support as well.
"Don't you give up, Andrew!" The blue-green hooded child cheered through the Ruby Star.
"Give it to 'em!" The yellow-orange hooded child added.
"Fight! Fight!" The red-violet hooded child chanted.
"Yeah! Never give in!" The blue-green child said again through the Ruby Star, as his brothers soon joined in once again.
"Yes! Believe in yourself!" The yellow-orange child yelled.
"FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!" The red-violet child howled into the Ruby Star, hoping that Andrew would hear it.
"Andrew... You may feel like it's going rough...like the tides have shifted against you..." The male Twilighter decided to take his turn to speak to the Ruby Star. "But if you lose, the world will be plunged into darkness... The pig curse we suffered from was nothing compared to this... So please, don't give in."
It was Eve's turn to say something about this. And it had something to do with the pink-haired Shadow Siren that had accompanied Andrew around town when his name and identity were stolen from him.
"Vivian was her name, right?" Eve had to query, recalling that name being told to her by Andrew himself before she frowned. "I'm a bit worried about the girl that was with Andrew... She seemed so innocent... She was just trying to help Andrew out with getting his name and body back, and we disregarded them... I hope she's OK along with Andrew and his other friends..."
It was then that Mayor Dour stepped in, as he decided to assure them that Andrew would pull through, sounding like he had complete confidence in him.
"They'll be fine, all of you," Mayor Dour assured him. "Andrew will never give up. Andrew will stand true."
It was then it sounded like his voice was cracking with the next thing he had to say. "I... I still remember how easily he took care of that monster that cursed us. E...Even after we shunned him and treated him like an outcast when he was a purple shadow 'when' this Doopliss stole his name and identity..."
He then cleared his throat before speaking normally again. "We must have faith in him and his friends. We must believe...that light will return to our world."
"You're 'absolutely' right, Mr. Mayor Dour," Eve agreed with him as she then spoke into the Ruby Star. "Andrew! Vivian! You can do it! Don't give up! And please, bring light back into our world!"
"Fight, Andrew!" The blue-green child cheered again.
"Fiiiiiiiiiiiight on!" The yellow-orange child joined him.
"FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!" The red-violet child bellowed into the Ruby Star.
'And' from then on, they continued giving Andrew and his friends their wishes, prayers, and support through the Ruby Star. They hoped that their bleak little village would become a little less bleak after he took care of the monster responsible for this unbearable darkness. And that everything will return to normal...
ON KEELHAUL KEY:
The Sapphire Star had already shown up on Keelhaul Key, as it was shown floating in the middle of the shantytown, with three Grotto Toads and Pa-Patch standing in front of it.
They had figured out that Andrew was in a critical situation, and that he was in danger while struggling to save the world, just because the Sapphire Star had shown up on the island. The most they could do was give Andrew and his friends some support as well.
"Andrew, don't give up!" One of the Grotto Toads yelled through the Sapphire Star.
"Thump 'em!" The second Grotto Toad added in encouragement.
"You can do it!" The third Grotto Toad proclaimed.
Pa-Patch, for his part, wanted the Toads to kick up the volume a notch with their voices. As such, he then had to give them some more encouragement.
"Come on, you bilge pumps!" Pa-Patch bellowed. "I can't bloomin' 'ear you!"
"Fight, Bobbery! FIIIIIIGHT!" The first Grotto Toad raised his voice as he yelled into the Sapphire Star.
"Go! Get 'em!" The second Grotto Toad shouted.
"Yeah! Fight!" The third Grotto Toad cheered.
"ONCE MORE!" Pa-Patch suddenly boomed.
"Go! Go! Go!" The first Grotto Toad screamed into the Sapphire Star.
"Do it! Fight!" The second Grotto Toad yelled.
"You got 'em!" The third Grotto Toad added.
It was then Pa-Patch decided to have a turn to speak through the Sapphire Star. It was rather 'personal' and it was directed towards Bobbery.
"Admiral Bobbery! Show them what a real sea bomb's made out of, mate! You've taken on some rough salt waters before! Let 'em know why you're called the most legendary Bob-omb sailor o' the seven seas!" Pa-Patch declared. "Don't give up, Admiral! Keep fightin', just like the time you saved me when I fell o'verboard by those tidal waves!"
"That's right!" The first Grotto Toad then decided to speak up again. "Andrew? You are strong enough to win! I know it! You saved me and the others when we got stranded on this island, and you defeated the pirate king Cortez himself, along with beating those bad X-Naut pirates! Don't ever give up, and keep fighting till the end, Andrew!"
"Oy! That's right, Captain 'Uscles," Pa-Patch proclaimed. "You're a bloomin' beast for havin' saved us all before! You, the admiral, and the other members o' your crew mustn't give up, 'an' continue fightin'! No matter what!"
"Yeah!" The first Grotto Toad then said again. "Never give in!"
"No surrender!" The second Grotto Toad added with encouragement.
"Keep fighting!" The third Grotto Toad joined in again in cheering for Andrew and his friends.
From there on, the three Grotto Toads and Pa-Patch decided to continue giving the heroes their wishes, prayers, and support for them to save the world. They could only hope it'll work, and that the world will return to normal once Andrew is finally done...
IN POSHLEY HEIGHTS:
The Garnet Star had made its way back to Poshley Height already, as it was floating right in front of the Poshley Sanctum, with those sparkles accompanying it. Surrounding the Garnet Star were Pennington, Toodles, the Bob-omb family, the conductor, and the waitress of the Excess Express.
They were quick to figure out that Andrew was in deep trouble with saving the world right now, and that he needed all the support he and his friends could get.
They all looked worried for Andrew's well-being, along with that of his friends, except for Pennington, who 'clearly' had full confidence in Andrew, seeing that he has the most potential to save the world.
"I do hope they're all OK..." Toodles had to admit while frowning sadly. "That muscular man is quite a doll, and he found my Gold Ring for me. He is a marvelous man who shouldn't have to suffer like this..."
"Yeah," the waitress wiped her eyes. "And he also found my Shell Earrings for me. I'm worried about him..."
"Do not fear, my dears," Pennington decided to assure them. "Mario is my finest pupil! I'm quite sure he'll prevail!"
Just hearing the word 'prevail' got the Bob-omb family's attention, as they were reminded about how much of a great fighter Andrew was under the alias; the Prevailing Presto. Still, Sylvia was also concerned for her son's future, and if the world could go back to the way it was before.
"Well, I worry nonetheless..." Sylvia said sadly, glancing at Bub as she continued. "I 'so' hope there is a future in which my little Bub can grow and prosper..."
"Well then, I suppose all we can do is give him a rousing cheer, hm?" Goldbob then decided to encourage them to follow his lead. "Yes, certainly! I am quite sure he can hear us through the power of this crystal!"
"Darn right, Dad! Presto needs all the support he can get!" Bub agreed with him and he then yelled into the Garnet Star. "Go, Presto! Go get 'em!"
"You hear us, Presto? Show 'em why you're called the Prevailing Presto! Don't give up on us!" Goldbob cheered into the Garnet Star. "The same goes for you too, Admiral Bobbery! You always were a great fighter during our service days! Show them that you still got it in ya, my old chum!"
"Yeah, Presto!" Sylvia decided to join in. "Keep fighting, and allow my little Bub and the rest of us to have a future!"
"I have to agree," the Conductor decided to say through the Garnet Star. "Andrew? I am forever grateful for the help you provided for us on the Excess Express. You saved our lives three days in a row! And you drove off those Smorg monsters that kidnapped the passengers! All that we ask is that you keep fighting, and don't EVER give up, Andrew!"
The Conductor cleared his throat before he continued. "The same goes for your friend Ms. Mowz. Despite my first judgment of her, she proved to me that she could be useful in preventing that sticky yummy explosion! And she proved to be a decent person overall. You hear me, Ms. Mowz? I hope that you can keep fighting and bring light back to our skies again, along with Andrew and the rest of your friends. Don't give up!"
"Yeah!" The Waitress sounded almost like a cheerleader as she took her turn to speak to the Garnet Star. "Andrew, I still think you're the hottest hunky muscular man I know! And I would like, so 'totally' love to read about you in the magazines! So please, do this for me, you fabulous-looking studmuffin!"
"Andrew, you lovely thing!" Toodles swooned right into the Garnet Star. "You are marvelous dear. You saved us before, and you found my Gold Ring, you glorious man, you. And don't forget the good time we had at my summer home. All I can ask of you is that you do something about this wretched sky, and allow my beauty to shine through."
She then coughed and cleared her throat before she continued. "But of course, I have faith in you, darling. Don't ever give up! Especially for me, sweetie! Got it, Andrew? I shall forever reward you with kisses if you do this for me!"
"Presto!" Goldbob cheered into the Garnet Star.
"Go, Presto!" Sylvia cheered alongside her husband.
Pennington, meanwhile, was in a state of shock. Did he just hear these people refer to Andrew as someone else other THAN Mario? Did this mean that he fooled himself all along?
That the person he thought was Mario was 'actually' a muscular stranger named Andrew, or Presto through the eyes of the Bob-omb family. Surely, he was dreaming right now, right?
It was clear that he was still awake as he could only look back and forth to the others cheering into the Garnet Star.
"Huh?" Pennington then asked in disbelief. "A-Andrew? P-Presto? Not M-Mario?"
They all nodded their heads to confirm it as they kept cheering for Andrew. Nonetheless, Pennington decided to give Andrew his support, and although he almost called him 'Mario', he caught his slipup and then referred to him by his real name; Andrew.
From there, they all continued giving Andrew their wishes, prayers, and support through the Garnet Star, in hopes that things would return to normal soon.
Just like everyone else in the other places, they displayed full confidence in Andrew and believed that he could win in the end, save their world, and allow them to have a future...
IN FAHR OUTPOST:
By now, the Crystal Star had already made its way to Fahr Outpost, as the Fahr Outpost Mayor had been standing near the cannon-like monument. He had General White arrange for the Bob-omb to line up in the center of their village.
He then got word that they were ready when a regular Bob-omb resident of Fahr Outpost came over to him to get his attention.
"We are assembled, Mayor," the Bob-omb resident informed him, getting him to turn around. "General White has all of the Bob-omb squadrons and platoons lined up and assembled in the center of the village, just like you had instructed."
"Da... Very good," the Mayor told him. "Let's get started."
The Bob-omb nodded as he followed the Mayor to the other part of the village to see the Bob-ombs lined up and ready to do what they were planning. The Mayor saw the Bob-ombs lined up to make the shape of a rectangle, as the Crystal Star was hovering over them with those sparkles accompanying it. And down in front was General White, who had just gotten done assembling the whole setup.
"Mr. Mayor! Preparations are ready!" General White declared. "We are assembled and ready to take on this task at hand! Hut! Let's do this!"
"Good work, my comrades," the Mayor praised them for their efforts. "Now, let us do it."
The Mayor then cleared his throat as the Bob-omb got ready to do what they were assigned to do.
"Ready and..." The Mayor started, triggering the other Bob-ombs to react and boom in unison.
"ANDREEEW!" All of the Bob-ombs yelled simultaneously.
They then went and said stuff like 'Bombbomb', 'You the BOMB', and the like. There was no doubt about it. They had heard about Andrew's struggling attempts to save the world with his friends, just like all the other places that Andrew had been to.
'And' the Mayor and General White decided to have their Bob-omb soldiers assemble and stand together to give Andrew and his team the support that they need. General White was proud of what they've done, and frankly, so was the Mayor, as they were able to utter into the Crystal Star.
"Andrew... You can do it..." The Mayor told him. "You and your friends, including Bobbery, can save our world and make things go back to 'way' things were. We're counting on you..."
"That's right! Hut!" General White then said. "Andrew? You were able to bring back hope into my life and allow me to accomplish my hopes and dreams of being able to use the cannon again. Hut hut! For all of us, we're counting on you to save the world again, and brighten up our skies once more! You and Admiral Bobbery can do it! Along with the rest of your friends. Don't ever give up! Now get to it! Hut hut!"
"Yes," the Mayor then said. "We're counting on you. You're our last hope for [better] future!"
And so all of the Bob-ombs, along with the Mayor and General White, continued to give their wishes, prayers, and support for Andrew and his friends, just like everyone else in the other places in the Rogueport region.
They and everyone else could only hope that Andrew and his friends could hear them when they said these things through the Crystal Stars...
BACK IN THE SHADOW QUEEN'S LAIR:
It was at this point that the voices that were spoken through the seven Crystal Stars found their way into the Shadow Queen's lair. Their voices could be heard and they had echoes throughout the entire room. Andrew was rather shocked when he heard them, and his friends were surprised to see these voices come out of nowhere.
The Shadow Queen was now stunned beyond disbelief. She couldn't believe it. As if the Crystal Stars coming out without being summoned wasn't surprising enough, now she was hearing these strange, foreign, and in her opinion, vile voices.
As for the Shadow Sirens, they didn't understand who these voices belonged to. In Beldam's case, she was disgusted to see that the Crystal Stars were capable of allowing the voices of many to give the heroes support, not to mention restoring hope to them.
Andrew took the moment to listen to the voices, all of which were referring to Andrew and all seven of his friends. His friends were also listening carefully to the voices as well.
"Is that..." Goombella, Koops, Flurrie, Yoshiam, Vivian, Bobbery, and Ms. Mowz started before they paused themselves, triggering Andrew to speak up.
"Guys? Can you hear them?" Andrew uttered softly. "So many voices."
They nodded in agreement as they spent the next few minutes listening to all of the voices that were coming into the room, thanks to the Crystal Stars.
It didn't take long for Andrew to figure out that these voices belonged to the people from all of the places he had visited in the Rogueport region. Petalburg. The Great Tree. Glitzville. Twilight Town. Keelhaul Key. Poshley Heights. And Fahr Outpost. All of which had their lives changed for the better, thanks to Andrew.
He could even hear some voices of people who live in Rogueport, such as Antoine, Flavio, Francesca, Frankie, George T, his brother Frank T, and a few others, including Cortez himself; the former was showing his support for him, and Ms. Mowz, his business partner.
Some of them caught his best attention, such as the one that was saying 'Rawk out' and he had assumed that was from the Rawk Hawk himself. Another one called him Mario before correcting himself and referring to him as Andrew. He assumed that it was Pennington, who must've found out what his REAL name was during this whole scenario being made possible.
And it wasn't just for Andrew either. Plenty of people were rooting for Goombella, Koops, Flurrie, Yoshiam, Vivian, Bobbery, and Ms. Mowz. All of them were flattering, thoughtful, and considerate about the eight of them.
Andrew had to admit, he felt touched. Throughout this whole adventure, he has gone from one location to another, helping people out and changing their lives for the better because of it, when he only was doing the right thing. He had no idea how much of an impact he had on everyone that he helped out.
And now these same people were giving them their best wishes, prayers, and support to be able to defeat the Shadow Queen and bring light and peace back into the world. They were counting on him, and convincing him to never give up, no matter what.
This wasn't just about allowing them to live their actual lives again without terror from the Shadow Queen. This was also to make sure that everyone could HAVE a future to look forward to. Just thinking about it almost made Andrew tear up in the eyes as a result.
"Guys? They're... They're sending us all their wishes, prayers, and positive energy," Andrew had to exclaim while wiping his eyes. "Not to mention that they're hoping that we'll beat the Shadow Queen so that we can return light to their lives, and allow them to have a future to look forward to. And it feels terrific..."
"That is so 'totally' cool..." Goombella had to admit.
"That's amazing..." Koops uttered in awe.
"That's...simply incredible..." Flurrie proclaimed in fascination.
"That is so AWESOME!" Yoshiam couldn't help but squeal a bit upon saying that.
"That's so sweet..." Vivian uttered sweetly.
"What wondrous creatures..." Bobbery proclaimed.
"That's so nice..." Ms. Mowz confessed as a result.
"Yeah," Andrew sighed. "They're restoring hope in us, and giving us a reason to continue fighting, and that we CAN'T let them down."
"Andrew?" Goombella gave him a look as she noticed him tearing up. "You all right?"
"Oh yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," Andrew gave her a sad smile as he wiped his eyes. "It's just that...I never imagined that I'd 'actually' impact so many lives from this one adventure alone. And I did far more good to others than I thought I did. I...I never expected this... I thought I was only doing the right thing, but as it turned out in the end, I did something more for others... I'm not sure if I deserve any of this recognition..."
"Duh! Of 'course' you deserve this recognition, Andrew!" Goombella insisted. "You've done a lot on this adventure, and I 'totally' wouldn't have traveled with you if it weren't for your courtesy and intervention to keep Lord Crump from kidnapping me. The rest of us are grateful for what you've done as well."
"That's right," the others nodded in unison.
"And d'you know why you deserve the recognition, as well as our friendship, Andrew?" Goombella asked him before answering for him. "Because we're the best team there is. We 'totally' got our backs in any situation! And nothing's ever gonna change that, Andrew. We'll fight by your side, no matter what!"
"I guess your right," Andrew gave her a small smile. "And I'm glad that the eight of us could travel and collect the Crystal Stars together. That's something that I greatly appreciate."
"Wow," Koops blinked before he smiled. "That's pretty neat to know, Andrew. Glad to know you feel that way about us..."
"My, my, that is 'absolutely' astounding, Andrew," Flurrie told him proudly. "And we are forever grateful for being allowed to achieve such a feat with you, darling."
"Yeah! That is wicked cool, Presto," Yoshiam gave him a thumbs up. "Just remember, we wouldn't have gotten this far if it weren't for you. And you wouldn't have come this if it weren't for us too, I guess. But most of all, this has been a pretty radical ride, dude. And we gotta finish it."
"Uh, that is pretty sweet of you to say, Andrew," Vivian said shyly. "And I also appreciate the fact that we made this possible. All of our lives have changed thanks to you. And we changed your life too because of it. So I am 'really' happy that we made this possible."
"I must say, I am also a tad bit charmed by the confession that you made to us, Andrew," Bobbery admitted gratefully. "Just know that all of your hard efforts shall not be left in vain. Plenty of fine chaps and lassies are depending on you, and we wouldn't dream of letting them down, old boy. Which is why we need to press forward and keep having at it with this witch queen."
"Yes. I am also flattered by how you feel about us, Andrew," Ms. Mowz admitted. "You've been through some tough trials on this quest, and we've been here for you every step of the way. No matter what it takes, we'll be here to support you, as will the many other people who are counting on us. Be sure to remember that, sweetie."
"Yeah, you guys are right," Andrew smiled. "We'll keep fighting till the end. I'll make sure of that."
They all nodded in agreement, as they were happy to know that Andrew's spirits were lifted. There was still the dilemma of the Shadow Queen being invincible, even with all the support that people had been giving to them through the power of the Crystal Stars.
Before they could say anything about it, the Shadow Queen found her voice. For the first time in over a millennium, she 'actually' felt threatened by the presence of these strange voices that were being heard in her domain.
"Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-What..." The Shadow Queen stuttered, trying her best not to show fear in front of the heroes. "What are these vile voices?"
It was then Andrew lifted his head and saw some sparkles surrounding the Shadow Queen. Specifically around the possessed Peach.
"Hey, guys," Andrew pointed out. "Look at THAT!"
All seven of them looked up towards the Shadow Queen and saw the sparkly light for themselves. The Shadow Queen, for her part, was perturbed about the presence of this strange light that was emerging from the possessed princess.
"What is this...light?" The Shadow Queen asked wearily about this.
It was at that moment that the strange light became stronger, which got the Shadow Queen to react.
"Oh..." The Shadow Queen moaned, as the light then got even stronger, which the Shadow Queen reacted to again with another moan.
"Ohh..." And then the light got even stronger than before, as the Shadow Queen didn't like this as she let out another moan, one that was longer this time.
"Ooooohhhhhhhh..." It was then the massive sparkly light had engulfed the possessed Peach, and the Shadow Queen felt the impact of it.
In a matter of seconds, the possessed Peach looked like her skin was just shattered. Andrew was convinced that this must've made the Shadow Queen vulnerable to all attacks again.
"Guys? I think the light we just saw had made the Shadow Queen vulnerable to all of our attacks," Andrew pointed out softly. "We can hurt her again. I'm sure of it."
All seven of them nodded in agreement, as they wondered if this was also the work of the Crystal Stars. Before they could say anything else, a familiar voice was heard ringing through their ears.
"Andrew..." That voice got Andrew and his friends to jump, as they recognized who that voice belonged to.
"That voice..." All eight of them then wondered. "Princess Peach?!"
"That's 'definitely' Princess Peach!" Andrew snapped his fingers. "At least I think it is. I hope I'm not just hearing voices..."
Then to prove them right, a faint illusion of Princess Peach herself appeared right in front of her possessed body.
It would appear that she had managed to break from her seal long enough to give Andrew something that would help him prevail against the Shadow Queen. With the time she had left, she decided to get right down to speaking to Andrew.
"Andrew... I..." Princess Peach started.
It was then the Shadow Queen was now shocked that this was possible. She couldn't believe it. Things have been going downhill for her 'really' fast ever since Andrew refused to become her servant again.
First, she was startled by how the Crystal Stars, the very items that she created herself, would come out of nowhere without Andrew summoning them, and decided to provide him some assistance. Then these strange foreign voices came out of nowhere in her lair, all of which were providing Andrew and his friends the wishes, prayers, and support that he needed, which was also done with the power of the Crystal Stars.
After that, she was engulfed by that strange light, which she didn't know what it did, and had no idea that it made her vulnerable to all attacks. And now the very princess that she was possessing broke from her seal to give Andrew and his friends something to aid them. 'Clearly', this was something that she needed to take care of, effective immediately.
"Wh-What?! You wretched little girl!" The Shadow Queen howled in fury at this. "You disobey me?!"
The illusion of Peach ignored her for the moment, as did Andrew, who was just looking up at her illusion with shock and slight amazement. He wanted to know what she wanted to tell him, and she immediately got to the point.
"Andrew... Take..." Peach uttered weakly through the illusion. "Take the last of my power..."
At that moment, Princess Peach took possession of her possessed body long enough to provide for Andrew and his friends the last of the powers that she had left, and hope that they can defeat the Shadow Queen.
A bright light emerged from the chest of the possessed body, which was where the heart was, and it was transferred over to where Andrew and his seven friends were standing.
While this was happening, Andrew felt his pupils shrink as his mind started to flashback. He remembered all of the moments when his seven friends expressed thanks for helping them and decided to return the favor by traveling with him to collect the Crystal Stars.
Or in Ms. Mowz's case, he was recalling how he earned her respect and companionship as a result of showing her all the badges that he collected on his quest up until they boarded the Excess Express...
"Wow, Mister! You... You 'totally' saved me! Thanks!"
"Still, you were amazing out there, Mister. And for that, I have just GOT to give you a little reward!"
"Yeah, well guess what? I wanted to. That way you won't lose any important badges that you get if you keep them in your backpack. Besides, I 'really' owe you one for what you did for me earlier."
"So what if it's dangerous? I'm always up for a new adventure. Besides, you can't get rid of me. I'll be sticking by your side, every step of the way as we're traveling to collect the Crystal Stars."
"For real? No kidding? Yes! Thank you so much! You won't regret this!"
"After beating Hooktail and finding that my father was alive, I had decided on wanting to travel some more with you guys, since, ummm...I've learned quite a bit from you two during the short time we were at Hooktail Castle. Plus, I want to become every bit of a strong Koopa just like my dad."
"Ummm... I know it's a lot to take it. But I really would like to travel with you two to find the rest of the Crystal Stars and go to the other places that are located in the Rogueport region. I would 'really' love that. Is it okay, with you?"
"Oh! Oh...my...word! Andrew, isn't it? Are YOU my heroic little necklace hunter?"
"I simply MUST thank you for your graciousness! But how to do it? Hmmm... Perhaps if I...grabbed you and gave you a little sugar?"
"Here I come, handsome! Time to give you a proper thank-you! Pucker up!"
"Yes. So, I daresay I'll be joining you on this little adventure. I assume that's fine, Andrew?"
"Presto! Check me out! Thanks to you, I hatched safe and sound! Thanks, man!"
"Anyway, I gotta repay you for saving me from old Hoggle out there, so I'll fight for you!"
"Sure! I can fight for you guys too! I can hold my own! I'll swallow any opponent whole, honest! Just leave it to me!"
"What?! 'You' found it? Oh... Oh, thank you so much... Thank goodness... At least I won't get punished now..."
"Thanks... You're very sweet. That 'actually' makes me feel a little better."
"All right, that's IT! I'm going to help you get back your name...and your body! And your friends!"
"I'm not sure I 'really' want to stay with my sisters anymore, anyway... And I feel like I need to repay your earlier kindness. It's the right thing to do."
"Andrew! I'm fighting by your side from now on!"
"Yes! I am! I've... I've made my choice! And I'm not turning back!"
"Uh... Listen, Andrew... Sorry about earlier... I'd be happy to travel with you if you'll have me."
"Andrew... Please hear my last request... I must thank you for taking me out to sea one last time..."
"Ah, hmm... Indeed. Uh, very well put, old boy. And let me be the first to say that I was happy to have seen the light that my dear Scarlette had wanted from me. And for allowing me to come to my senses and set sail again, let me commend you for doing quite an honorable thing yourself Andrew, dear boy. Very smashing decision you made there."
"You'd better take me with you, I should say!"
"Aye! It seems to be the most honorable solution. I'm sure my sea legs and explosive personality will be rather useful, eh?"
"Andrew? You didn't need to do that. I am pretty capable of handling myself."
"Oh, my handsome star. You have a way with words. And I would love to accept this little invitation that you have given me. I shall stay with you until we get off the train since I've been such a bad girl to be stuck with you."
"Well dear, I have the utmost respect for your badge-hunting skills, and how much you've collected since you started your quest for the Crystal Stars. You may have even more badge-finding skills than I do."
"Hm! I just thought of something. Perhaps I should just travel with you from now on... Because, hmm hmm, I'm sure to find lots of badges that way, don't you think."
"You've earned the respect of yours truly. So therefore, I think it would be lovely if I travel along with you and your friends."
Just recalling all of those moments when his seven friends showed their gratitude for what he did for them, even by claiming responsibility for Ms. Mowz when the conductor was planning to kick her off once they got to Riverside Station, was enough to get him to open his eyes and realize just how much of an impact he's had on everyone he's met in the Rogueport region.
Those moments combined with what he's done for everyone else that he's helped in the Rogueport region helped him realize that he needs to keep going, for all of them. He was pretty sure that TEC was counting on him too, wherever his motherboard might be on the moon since the X-Naut Fortress was blown up in that explosion.
But what topped them all off was the fact that he promised Princess Peach that he'd get her out of the mess that Grodus got her in too. And he had no plans of BREAKING that promise whatsoever. He planned to fight till the end, no matter what happens.
By now, the strange magical source that Peach summoned over to them had entered their bodies. All of a sudden, they felt 100% healthy again and were brimming with energy once more.
This was especially noticeable with Andrew, who had a bunch of bruises and injuries on his body. All his bruises were gone. His nose was no longer broken or bleeding. The marks on his face also vanished. He was no longer staggering on his feet. 'And' any signs of brutal injuries that the Shadow Queen left on him underneath his clothes were also healed.
It was worth noting that part of his shirt had gotten tears and rips on it courtesy of the Shadow Queen, but those weren't repaired. Not that it matters. Andrew could care less about his shirt. He was just relieved that his handkerchief didn't get torn apart.
All that mattered to him was that he could defeat the Shadow Queen, free the Princess from her prison, and make sure his friends would come out of this alive.
He decided to bring this up with his friends, who were also feeling fully healed and replenished in the body, while filled with a ton of energy.
"Guys, do you feel THIS?" Andrew asked them. "All of our injuries from before are gone, and I'm fueling with energy again..."
"Yeah!" Goombella agreed. "I feel like, 'TOTALLY' full of energy now..."
"I feel all full of energy..." Koops admitted while smiling lightly.
"I feel positively BURSTING with energy..." Flurrie gushed with excitement.
"I feel insanely pumped with energy all of a sudden!" Yoshiam had to whoop in anticipation.
"I feel completely revitalized..." Vivian had to smile as she said that.
"I feel rather like a new Bob-omb! I feel fantastic!" Bobbery declared proudly, standing firm.
"I feel 'completely' full of powerful energy now..." Ms. Mowz said, feeling like she was in a far better mood now that she was healed.
"And I guess it was Princess Peach who provided this for us," Andrew clenched his right hand into a determined fist. "She managed to break from her seal long enough to provide this for us. We have to do this for her, and everyone else in the world!"
"Yeah!" All seven of them had to cheer in unison at this.
As for the Shadow Queen, she was furious at Princess Peach's defiance by breaking her seal and providing something for the eight heroes. As a result, she decided to make a demand to her.
"You brat! Obey me, girl!" The Shadow Queen boomed, feeling like she was at her breaking point of what was happening.
Seeing that she did what she had to, Peach knew that she had to go for now. She could only hope that Andrew and his friends could finish the job and put an end to this nightmare once and for all. With that, she then gave them her last word.
"Farewell...Andrew..." Princess Peach uttered weakly as her illusion started to fizz out. "I believe...in you..."
And with that, her illusion vanished entirely. She was gone. The Shadow Queen now had full possession of her body again, and nothing could stop her this time. Nonetheless, all eight heroes were horrified by this, and they needed to react to this.
"PEACH!" All eight of them screamed simultaneously.
"GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" The Shadow Queen growled before she regained her composure and her confidence. "Very cunning, Princess!"
"No kidding," Andrew agreed as he also had a confident look in his eyes, as was the smile of determination that was present. "I 'actually' have a ton of respect for her!"
"Totally," Goombella agreed with him with a beam.
The Shadow Queen then glowered at the eight heroes, as she was planning to destroy the renewed hope that came back to life in them, just like she did before.
"But you will not undo me!" The Shadow Queen snarled darkly. "Know me as your queen!"
"I'm afraid that's where you're wrong. We are gonna undo you by all means necessary," Andrew countered as he took out his Ultra Bat. "Let's settle this right here and now!"
It was then the seven Crystal Stars appeared again around Andrew, as the voices disappeared, even though Andrew could hear them clouding through his head. It would seem that the Crystal Stars have one last gift to bestow on Andrew. And it involved his Ultra Bat.
All of a sudden, his Ultra Bat floated out of his hands and went into the air as the Shadow Queen and the Shadow Sirens stared in shock, while the eight heroes were curious as to what was happening.
As the Ultra Bat remained floating in midair, the Crystal Stars started circling 'around' it. At first, they were moving very slowly around it. But soon enough, they started picking up the pace with each passing second.
Eventually, the seven Crystal Stars were swooshing as they circled the Ultra Bat at an incredibly fast speed. All of a sudden, a bright and colorful flash of light beamed onto the Ultra Bat, courtesy of the Crystal Stars.
As soon as the light died down, the Ultra Bat was shown again, taking a new form. It still had the same shape and effects, as well as still being made of metal.
But what was noticeable was the fact that it was glowing the seven colors of the seven Crystal Stars. Just the sight of it got Andrew amazed by its modified appearance. It was temporarily called the Crystal Bat.
"Wow!" Andrew gawked as the Crystal Bat floated back into his hands. "That was amazing."
"Omigosh! That was 'totally' unexpected! Not to mention awesome!" Goombella had to admit. "I had no idea that the Crystal Stars could be capable of doing such a thing!"
"Me either," Andrew nodded. "But I guess the seven Crystal Stars have many different powers that we aren't aware of."
"Gosh. I never seen any of this in the research books that I've read on the Crystal Stars," Goombella proclaimed. "Maybe this might be something new that hadn't been discovered. I oughta ask Professor Frankly about this phenomenon and how this is possible."
"Who cares," Yoshiam said. "It looks wicked awesome, Presto!"
"Yeah. You can ask him later once we're done here and if we find him alive and well," Andrew told her. "Right now, we have a journey to finish up here."
"Omigosh! Yes! Of course!" Goombella contained herself. "Gotcha Andrew! We can 'totally' look into it after! 'Just' ya wait!"
"Great. So, what do you guys say?" Andrew then asked them. "You ready to vanquish the Shadow Queen once and for all?"
"Totally!" Goombella beamed, ready for more action.
"Roger!" Koops nodded, making sure he was ready for this.
"Absolutely!" Flurrie swooned as she was more than ready to end their journey.
"You got it, man!" Yoshiam gave him a thumbs up, ready to pummel the Shadow Queen once and for all.
"Of course!" Vivian agreed as she was willing to settle things with the Shadow Queen.
"Certainly!" Bobbery nodded, affirming that he was well-prepared for this.
"With pleasure!" Ms. Mowz proclaimed, getting herself ready for this.
"That's what I like to hear," Andrew had to give them a thumbs up to show his approval.
"Muh huh huh huh huh..." The Shadow Queen expressed her thoughts about what happened while remaining confident. "Even that childish toy that you call a bat cannot stop me!"
"We shall see about that," Andrew declared, gripping the Crystal Bat in his hands before he proclaimed to his friends. "Let's do this, guys!"
"Yeah!" All seven of them cheered in unison as they rushed to Andrew's side.
It was then the final battle to Andrew's adventure was about to get underway. The fate of the world, his friends, Princess Peach, and everyone else was now in his hands.
'And' all eight of them were going to fight to allow everyone to have a future be made possible. There was no doubt about it. This is where all the troubles that the Shadow Queen triggered will be settled once and for all...
END OF CHAPTER 81...
Yeah, that's it for this chapter. I hope you all liked it, even with its length, especially with the anticipation that was given off here.
That's right. The most memorable part of the game where everyone is giving their support through the Crystal Stars was done pretty well here.
I added some extra dialogue for some of the characters in those scenes, as well as including a couple of extra characters for a couple of places. Petalburg uses the same three characters, but I made some extra dialogue for them, showing that they'll support Andrew, Koops, and the rest of the group.
Then there's the Great Tree, where I added some dialogue for Puniper, who doesn't say anything in the game, as well as include Jabble here; even though he can't talk, he's still showing support for Andrew, and Punio can understand him.
As for Glitzville, there were plenty of changes made there. First of all, Shellshock was replaced by King K, because 1.) Shellshock barely had any relevance at all in Chapter 3, aside from eating that Poison Cake the Rawk Hawk sent. And 2.) King K is far more of a relevant character, since he plays a massive role in Chapter 3, even after he supposedly retired.
Also, I included Bandy Andy here since he plays just as much of a relevant role, especially in regards to the Seven Wonders of the Glitz Pit. 'And' I also included the Toad father and his son here before they (mainly the father) were the only ones to acknowledge the Yoshi kid, so I had them show their support for Yoshiam here.
Twilight Town and Keelhaul Key are the same, with some extra dialogue included.
But Poshley Heights includes two other faces from the Excess Express, the conductor and the waitress, as they also show their support for Andrew and his friends. The conductor acknowledges Ms. Mowz here and gives her his support as well, so that's why I added them in.
As for Fahr Outpost, it's mostly the same, with the inclusion of General White playing a role in setting things up for the Mayor. Nothing more to say about that.
Another thing I should bring up is the part where Andrew remembers all those instances where he helped his seven friends and they are thankful and return the favor by traveling with him. This is to let Andrew know that he mustn't lose hope or faith, and it helps to restore it inside of him.
There's also the abilities of the Crystal Stars that I'd like to point out here. Aside from what had happened in the game, I decided to have them power up Andrew's Ultra Bat into the Crystal Bat for the fight.
This is to showcase the true power of the Crystal Stars, as well as have Andrew tap into their full potential. I like to think of them as being similar to the Chaos Emeralds, so that's why I did what I did here.
One more thing, I'd like to note that during the final fight against the Shadow Queen in the next chapter, Andrew will be using all seven Crystal Stars to aid him individually.
They helped him restore faith and hope, so the least Andrew can do is use each one of them one at a time, in addition to using his powered-up Crystal Bat.
So yeah. The next chapter will include the final fight with the Shadow Queen. In addition to Andrew using all seven Crystal Stars throughout the fight, his partners will make use of all of their moves that they know as of now, things will become intense, the Shadow Queen will feel in danger thanks to the eight heroes, and the resolution takes hold.
And a few other things will occur. Will the eight heroes be able to hold their own and finally slay the Shadow Queen once and for all? Find out next time, readers!
In the meantime, only if you like, you can leave a review and let me know what you thought about this chapter overall.
Aside from that, that's all that I have for now! So until next time, I hope you're pumped for the final fight against the Shadow Queen. And with that said and done, thank you once again for reading, everyone!