Welcome to yet another chapter of Game Jumpers! Last chapter saw our merry band of heroes reach the shifting sands of Dry Dry Desert! Along their way, they met Dakota Kolorodo, a world-renowned archeologist and neighbor/idol of Kooper. After noticing their similar goals, Kolorodo temporarily joined the team to find the secret of Dry Dry Desert, Dry Dry Ruins! Kolorodo mentioned that they might have some clues in Dry Dry Outpost, but due to the various sandstorms, many sand dunes had popped up blocking many paths and turning the desert into a labyrinth. After a long trek and some harrowing moments, the group finally found their way to Dry Dry Outpost, a safe haven from the dangers and heat of Dry Dry Desert. With the location found, our heroes start their search for clues on the elusive Dry Dry Ruins. Will they find what they're looking for or are the rumors just rumors? Let's find out!


Chapter 7: Treasure Hunters!

The gang finally arrived in Dry Dry Outpost, sighing when they entered the central area. Dylan couldn't contain his excitement and curiosity and started walking around, inspecting everything and talking to the locals. Kimani had walked off to follow him, not stopping him but making sure he didn't get into anything. The others spotted a purple Mouser darting off to a new area, which Mario thought was rather strange. He looked at the sign above the door, which was the shop icon before he put together that he was the shopkeeper. He voiced his thoughts to the group, causing them to nod as they moved forward, seeing Dylan chatting with a Koopa. Kolorodo recognized the Koopa as one of his assistants.

"Owen, old boy! We were worried about you!" Kolorodo called out. Owen looked over and waved.

"Oh, sorry, Professor Kolorodo. Those sandstorms started getting hectic, and I had to take refuge in town. When it was over, those big sand dunes blocked the pathway, and I'm not strong enough to fend off the Bandits. Glad to see you're alright, however," Owen explained.

"An astute observation, my valued colleague. Please don't hesitate to stay here until everything is resolved. I value your safety over anything else,"

"Thank you, Professor. Have you made any progress towards the secret of the desert?" Owen thanked, asking that question next. When he did, Jordan and Goombario caught a jolted movement in their peripheral vision, causing them to look and see a Mouser wrapped in a brown robe. He noticed the two looking at him and quickly darted his eyes back to the purple Mouser and conversed with him. Goombario and Jordan shared a look before they nodded and started walking over.

"I believe we may have found the resting spot for it! Now, we're on the hunt for the way to reveal it!"

"Sounds good. Well, I'll be here and ready to help when you get a lead... Oh! Speaking of lead, I've heard some whispers around this place, and apparently, a Mouser by the name of Moustafa might have some information in that department,"

"Ah. Excellent work, Owen! We'll search for this Moustafa fellow and get him to spill the beans!" Kolorodo exclaimed. Owen nodded and returned to his shady spot as the rest turned and saw Jordan and Goombario approaching the robed Mouser. The shopkeeper scurried away before they got too close, passing the group and heading back into the shop. Once they were in range, Mario gave him a wave. The Mouser nodded in return.

"Greetings... Sorry, I'm rather wary around new faces,"

"No worries. Say, would you know anything about a fellow named Moustafa?" Parakarry asked. It was for a brief second, but the Mouser's eyes flickered with recognition. Mario and Kolorodo were the only two to catch it, however.

"Moustafa? Hmm... No, I can't say I have. But you seem like nice people. I can scour the area for you and see if I learn anything. Would that help?" The Mouser told them.

"Really? That would be nice," Goombario told him. Mario asked if he needed any payment of any kind.

"Just three items of any kind. I'd imagine you don't have any spare items so if you must, I don't mind you having to go to the store. Sorry but my services aren't free..."

"Nah, that's fair. Let's go get him some items, guys!" Bombette exclaimed as everyone started heading towards the shop, spotting Dylan and Kimani walking into it as well. During the walk, Kolorodo walked beside Mario.

"Psst, Mario, old chap. Please be an ally and tell me if you saw a glint in that robed rouge's eye when the name Moustafa was uttered," Kolorodo whispered. Mario nodded slowly.

"Ah. I knew nothing would escape your sharp senses. What say you, old chap? Shall we play along for now?" Kolorodo asked. Mario nodded again. He didn't get any hostile intentions from the Mouser, but with little information, it was still rather sketchy and he didn't want to part with any of his useful items. Once they reached the store and walked inside, they saw Dylan hovering over the selection while Kimani stood to the side, arms crossed and foot tapping. He then noticed the others and ushered them over.

"Yo, y'all find out anything?" He asked.

"We might have an idea of who to ask. We gotta find a Mouser named Moustafa and another Mouser offered to help at the cost of three items," Kooper explained.

"However, my dear boy, I can't help but practice caution in this particular situation, so giving him good items may prove to be hazardous to us," Kolorodo followed up.

"Got it. Be cheap. Dylan!" Kimani summarized, causing everyone to sweatdrop.

"Hmm? What's up, Little Buddy?" Dylan asked.

"The guys met a friend and we need to present three gifts for him. Go pick out three items for him,"

"Ooh! Ok!" Dylan exclaimed, running over to the items once more before he grabbed a Dried Fruit. He then looked at the rest and grabbed a Dried Shroom and Dusty Hammer in that order.

"A Dusty Hammer? Dried Shroom? Why that?" Goombario asked.

"Not sure who this friend is but he could maybe make something nice with these ingredients! Also, all my friends have Hammers so I wanted him to fit in!"

"Uh, Dyl... Me and Austin don't have hammers," Kimani deadpanned.

"That's because you're awesome!" Dylan exclaimed. Kimani coughed in embarrassment as Mario paid for the items Dylan grabbed.

"What ho! Buying a Dusty Hammer after a Dried Shroom is a secret sign that only friends of Moustafa know! That means… you're in with Moustafa!" The Shopkeeper told them. Dylan went to ask something, but Kimani placed a hand on his shoulder, signaling for him to be quiet as Mario simply nodded, asking if he had seen Moustafa lately.

"…you want to see Mr. Moustafa?"

"Post haste if possible, lad," Kolorodo asked.

"He's usually up on the highest part of Dry Dry Outpost. Just keep going up, my man!"

"Good show! Mario, Assistants! Let us make tracks!" Kolorodo exclaimed. Mario rapidly nodded before he led his party to the spot where the robed Mouser was in order to tell him his assistance wouldn't be needed anymore, but he was gone.

"Eh? Well, he didn't stay for long..." Bombette muttered.

"I feel like we'll learn the reason soon," Firebrand answered. Mario nodded as he walked into the building the Mouser was standing in front of and went through the side door, spotting the boxes he had seen earlier. He used them to clamber up to the roof with the rest of the gang following. They ran along the rooftops, leaping over some gaps and running over planks of wood (Goombario fell off the roof once, causing Parakarry to swoop down and catch him while Dylan found a letter near some pots) before they ended up in front of a door of a light green building. Mario opened the door and walked in, seeing the same robed Mouser sitting on a couch. When he saw the group, his eyes got wide as did the others.

"...So, what's going on?" Kimani asked, lost on the whole situation.

"How did you get here? Who told you how to find this place?" The Mouser asked, bewildered about his company.

"We could be asking you the same thing! Why did you disappear on us?! Also, why did that shopkeeper say Moustafa lives here?!" Bombette deflected. The Mouser sweatdropped before he grabbed his cloak and dramatically threw it off, hitting the materialized Typhoon in the face with it. Firebrand, who was on his shoulder laughed while Alpha's hologram rolled his eyes.

"..That's because Moustafa is my name," He told the group, causing some members to gasp dramatically.

"Wait, so if you're supposed to be so important, why be out anyway?" Kimani asked.

"Information gathering. When I'm out and about in Dry Dry Outpost, I use the name Sheek... But anyway... I still can't believe you found me without being told. I think you must have extremely good luck, yes?"

"More like we have a Dylan," Jordan told him, putting Dylan in a light headlock. Dylan just smiled. Moustafa got a closer look at the group.

"Hmm... Your names are Mario, Kimani, Jordan, and Dylan, yes? I heard you want to go to Dry Dry Ruins,"

"Oh wow. News travels fast. But yes, we need to find this area for our quest. It's of utmost importance,"

"That it is, my dear chap. Now, Mr. Moustafa, If you don't mind sharing the details with us, we shall be out of your hair as fast as the winds," Kolorodo told him, pulling out a notepad and giving him his undivided attention. Moustafa chuckled.

"Calm yourself, Dakota. Note-taking is not needed for this,"

"Dakota?" Kooper asked.

"My first name, dear boy. However, not many know me by that name. How wide your net must cover,"

"Dakota Kolorodo... Rolls off the tongue, huh?" Kimani commented.

"Better than Sheldon Kooper Shellington..." Kooper deadpanned, taking a hit of his inhaler. Mario cleared his throat, stopping the idle chatting as Moustafa continued.

"I have a feeling you are on an important journey, so I will tell you the secret," He said, reaching behind him and handing Mario a pink gem.

"Find the place where the Pulse Stone flashes the fastest and use it to open the way," He told them. An exclamation mark popped over Kooper, Kolorodo, and Goombario's head.

"The indention!" The three of them yelled, causing everyone to sweatdrop as the three of them ran outside. Mario waved goodbye to Moustafa, thanking him before he walked outside with the others and saw the three scholars huddled together and muttering quietly among themselves.

"Uh... Guys?" Firebrand asked. The three of them whipped around, eying the stone in Mario's hands.

"Yes, yes! The dimensions are perfect! Mario, my wonderful companion! I believe that stone is quite literally the key to Dry Dry Ruins!" Kolorodo explained.

"That stone pillar we saw with the hole is very likely to be the spot where we'll find Dry Dry Ruins. We can even use the Pulse Stone to confirm our hypothesis," Goombario added.

"But before we head there, we should make sure we're properly geared and check the desert for any secrets. I've been marking our trip through the desert so we can easily find our way back to the location afterward," Kooper finished, showing the group his notebook, which had an incomplete map of the Dry Dry Desert.

"Trekking through the Desert aimlessly? That sounds like an express route to He—I mean, to the Save Block," Kimani started, correcting himself when he saw Dylan's face falter.

"Ah, but that's what makes exploring fascinating, my dear boy!" Kolorodo explained.

"Oh, Kolorodo..." Kimani sighed. Mario chuckled before he reassured Kimani that they'd be safe. Kimani nodded before they started walking toward the entrance, however Moustafa (now back in his Sheek outfit) appeared from behind.

"Wait, my friends. I have one more piece of information for you. If you discover a stone cactus. Move 3 paces to the south and 2 paces to the west to find a secret,"

"Got it. Thanks, Mo—OOMP!" Dylan started, only to be elbowed harshly by Kimani.

"Thanks, Sheek," Kimani corrected. Moustafa gave them a wink before he slinked off somewhere. Dylan glared at Kimani, who sweatdropped and apologized for the rather rude interruption. Jordan bonked Kimani in the head for Dylan before they set out...


Dry Dry Desert

...Back towards the Dry Dry Desert. Everyone crowded around Kooper, who pulled out his makeshift map from his notebook. Kolorodo pulled out a blank parchment and started to recreate Kooper's map on a larger scale. Once he was done, he held up the map for all to see.

"Kolorodo recreating my map... Pinch me, I must be dreaming..." Kooper whispered, yelping when he got pinched. He looked to his left and then down to see Goombario giving him a look. Before he could question exactly how he pinched him, Kolorodo pointed at the stone cactus.

"We can go about this two ways, my dear lads and lass. We can gun ho towards the stone cactus and follow Sir Moustafa's directions, or we can follow our own compass for the time being,"

"I'd say free ball it. We know where the cactus is so we can always work our way back towards it if we don't stumble upon the location then," Kimani started. Goombario, Jordan, Kooper, and Bombette agreed with him. Firebrand and Typhoon popped out, opting to just go with the Cactus while Parakarry and Mario shrugged, not caring one way or the other.

"Free roam it is! Let's start with the south, shall we?" Kolorodo announced, causing everyone to nod as they went south, clambering up a sand dune and immediately running into a Pokey. As Kimani rubbed his nose as he was the one to run into the creature, he noticed a Blue Bandit creeping in the back of the group.

"Yo, Goom. Mind shedding some light on our mystery Bandit in the back?" Kimani asked.

"Mmm-hmm! Let's see... Ok, I got it. This is a Bandito. They're faster than a normal Bandit, and they won't wait around with our money. Max HP: 4, Attack Power: 3, Defense Power: 0. Seriously, if these guys take our coins, we won't see them again. On the plus side, they don't take as many as normal Bandits, tho. They are also blue, in case you haven't noticed. Not as blue as we'll be if they take off with all our money, though! Mario and Kimani are our best options as they can counter or zap them during their attempts to rob us. Should Jordan block them properly, they won't be able to rob us either... Dylan... Good luck..."

"Bah, these cutthroat ruffians. Let's teach them a lesson, my friends!" Kolorodo exclaimed from behind Mario, dangerously waving a shovel. Kimani weighed his options before he decided to go with a Dragon Uppercut, dealing five damage to the Pokey and knocking his head off the base. He then spent five more FP and flip-kicked the head toward the Dry Bubble, dealing five damage to the head and 3 to the Dry Bubble which took out the Pokey and left the Dry Bubble with two HP. The Dry Bubble didn't appreciate the attack... so he went after Goombario, who wasn't expecting it and got burned. He spun for a moment before he fell over.

"Oh no! Goombario got Injured! He'll be out of action for a few turns until he shakes it off!" Bombette exclaimed as Kimani fended off the Bandit's charge, dealing two damage and knocking it down to four. The Bandito waltzed up to Kimani and jerked his body towards him, making Kimani flinch and Counter early, causing him to get shoulder charged in the mouth, knocking both three HP from Kimani's total HP, leaving him at 12 as well as ten coins loose from him. He even made Kimani Dizzy, making him grab his head as stars surrounded it. The Bandito quickly scooped them up and dashed from the battle, causing Kimani to groan loudly as Dylan went next. He got a sneaky idea as he let Alpha shoot an Ion Beam through the remaining foes, taking out the Dry Bubble and leaving the Bandit with three HP. Before Bombette could Bomb him off the face of the planet, Dylan held a hand out and Copycatted the Bandit, folding up for a moment before he unfolded, turning into a Bandit himself. He didn't get a crazy change this time, he simply got the Bandit's outfit and mask. His eyes, eyebrows, and mouth were comically slapped onto his mask, however. He then spent 2 FP to Thief Bump the Bandit, dealing three damage and knocking it out. But more importantly, Dylan was able to rob him of 20 Coins as well. The party did their celebrations with Dylan doing a quick two-step, spin, and posing while Alpha made some confetti shoot out around him.

"Here you go, Little Buddy. Your money back, plus interest!" Dylan exclaimed, handing Kimani the Coins.

"Dylan, I don't deserve you at times," Kimani chuckled as he took the coins and added them back to the party's inventory. Goombario shook the injury off as well.

"Ow... that stung..."

"You OK?"

"Yeah, just a minor burn. Nothing too serious... Oh, Dylan's copycatting again. Do you mind?"

"Nope!" Dylan answered.

"Nice. This is Dylan. He's currently Copycatting a Bandit. As a Bandit, Dylan can move pretty fast and he can swipe some coins off of an enemy whenever he attacks. I wonder if he'll run from battle afterward like the normal Bandits. You know? If Dylan asked me for a couple of coins, I'd probably give them to him. He looks trustworthy," Goombario Tattled. Everyone snickered at the Tattle before they walked over to a block, hitting it and getting another coin added to their collection. Mario's adventuring senses went off again, and Kolorodo got a feeling in the back of his shell as well. They both made a move to speak up and saw each other before they stopped. Mario, being the gentleman he was, let Kolorodo go first.

"Apologies, my dear boy, but I believe there's something hidden around here," He answered. Mario nodded his head, mentioning that he had the same feeling. He then jumped onto the hit block and jumped up, hitting an invisible block and getting a Life Shroom.

"A Life Shroom! Good find, Mario and Professor! That'll automatically revive any party leader that goes down!" Goombario exclaimed. Mario flashed the gang a thumbs-up as they continued along. Bombette, who was looking around, noticed that the south path started to look a bit greener. She brought it up to everyone, causing them to look as well.

"Hmm. Excellent eye, my dear! That must mean an Oasis is nearby! We should head there post haste!" Kolorodo exclaimed. Everyone nodded and headed that way, eventually being greeted by a large Oasis. The air was a lot cooler in this area, and the grass was a vibrant green. Everyone scattered around, enjoying the break from the heat. Jordan went over and immediately hit the Heart Block, healing the damage he had taken earlier while Kimani and Dylan were peeking at a block with a blue orb of energy in the middle. Mario was in the back, hitting the bigger trees, getting a Lemon and Lime for their inventory.

"That's new!" Dylan exclaimed.

"Normally, I'd say you haven't been paying attention as usual, but I haven't seen this myself," Kimani muttered. Dylan stuck his tongue out at him as Goombario came over and eyed the block.

"...Oh, guys! This is a Super Block! I've read about them, but this is my first time seeing one in person! When hit, it'll rank up or power up whoever hits it!" He yelled, catching everyone's attention.

"Does it work for us?" Kimani asked.

"Doubt it. You guys and Mario can level up. If I were to guess, this is for us partners to use,"

"Oh. If that's the case, we should give it to Kooper,"

"Why Kooper?"

"The area we're in. We've been fighting 4 stacks all day, and Kooper's Power Shell would do wonders,"

"I see his point. We have Parakarry for anything airborne anyway," Bombette brought up. Everyone did as well, causing Kooper to hit the Super Block and glow brightly for a moment before it died down. Kooper looked at himself in awe.

"Well, I certainly feel stronger. I even got a new move called Dizzy Shell!"

"Good show, old sport! Let's give it a test shall we?" Kolorodo said, leading the group (After everyone hit the heart block) out to the west exit, immediately spotting a Pokey. Kimani did Kooper a favor and kicked him into the Pokey. Kooper's first strike did a whopping 4 damage, leaving the Pokey with 2.

"Wow, Kooper. You got really strong!" Dylan exclaimed.

"You haven't seen anything yet!" Kooper yelled back, tucking into his shell again when the battle started. He then started to spin rapidly, causing a mini-tornado to appear around him before he dashed at the enemies at a breakneck pace. The enemies spun around for a bit before they became Dizzy as a result.

"What does Dizzy do again?" Bombette asked.

"Makes it so they can't attack, and even if they do, it'll be a reduced chance to hit anything," Kimani explained. He didn't want to spend any FP so he just skipped his turn, allowing Mario to hammer the Pokey away. Kolorodo Chisled the Bandito, leaving it with 2 HP. The enemies were still reeling so Jordan went next, hammering the Bandito again while Parakarry (after swapping with Goombario) gave the final Pokey a solid Shell Shot, leaving it with 1 HP. He still couldn't do anything so Dylan simply snapped his fingers, Jolting the Pokey off the planet. Satisfied, the party attacked another group consisting of 4 Pokeys. Dylan went first, swapping Bombette with Kooper and letting him use 3 of his FP to use Power Shell, dealing 3 damage to everyone and knocking off a segment. Alpha drained another 5 to finish them with an Ion Beam and win the fight for them. They even leveled up as well!

"Hmm. what to go with now..." Kimani pondered as Mario immediately picked BP. Jordan went with FP just to switch things up while Dylan chose HP this time. After some thought, Kimani boosted his health, noting that 15 just wasn't smart to stay with. Once everyone was done, Mario had 15 BP, Kimani had 20 HP, Jordan had 15 FP and finally, Dylan had 25 HP. Once they were done, Mario searched a nearby bush and found a Tasty Tonic. He also equipped the Power Stomp Badge.

"...Is that wine?" Jordan deadpanned, eying the glass. Mario sniffed it before he shook his head, mentioning it was a Tonic or a very bitter drink. Jordan nodded before he asked what it did.

"These will fully heal whoever drinks it but the bitterness will dull your focus a tad bit. In other words, it heals up to 99 HP but it'll drain 10 FP. In combat, it'll just heal the Shrink and Poison Status," Goombario explained as Mario pocketed the drink. Jordan nodded as the party continued to the left, entering the area with the Tweester again. Kolorodo eyed the Tweester with interested eyes.

"You know, old chaps. We should indulge in the Tweester's services," He said, causing everyone to give him a look.

"Huh? Like jump into it?" Firebrand asked, peeking out of Kimani's controller.

"Exactly! We'll be fine and it'll lead us to some treasure! I can feel it!"

"Mario, what are your Adventuring Senses saying?" Kimani asked warily. Mario put a hand on his chin and looked at the Tweester. It was faint but he did feel his instincts pulling him towards it. Mario gave him a thumbs up.

"Welp, I'm sold. Hup!" Kimani shrugged, dashing and jumping into the Tweester, spinning for a moment before he flew off somewhere. Jordan almost had a heart attack while Dylan laughed and jumped into it next, flying after him. Everyone else followed suit with Jordan bringing up the rear after uttering a quick prayer.

The group landed on a pillar back in the same room where they found the Stopwatch. In front of them was another Life Shroom. Mario pocketed the find, thanking Kolorodo for his idea before they exited down, finding themself back on the main path and near the Nomadimouse again.

"Oh, hello friends. Did you make it to Dry Dry Outpost?" He asked.

"We did! Thanks for the directions!" Dylan thanked, causing the Nomadimouse to nod. An exclamation point popped over Parakarry's head.

"Say... Would you happen to be Mr. Santosh?" Parakarry asked.

"That I am. Who do I have the pleasure of greeting?"

"My name's Parakarry. I deliver messages and I happen to have one for you," He told him, reaching into his bag and handing him a letter.

"Another letter delivered. A postman's job is never done..."

"Are you legally supposed to say that after every delivery?" Bombette asked.

"Company policy,"

"...A letter to me? From Moustafa? I've heard the name, but... I can't remember who he is... Regardless. Thank you. Please accept this as a token of my gratitude," Santosh muttered before he gave the group a Star Piece. Mario thanked him before he decided to head back to the Dry Dry Outpost to drop off some items at the Store's Storage Department.


...After heading back to the store...

Yet again, the group stood at the entrance of Dry Dry Outpost, ready to explore some more. Kolorodo peeked at the map again before he led the party two paces to the north and two paces to the west, grabbing a Honey Syrup. Kolorodo then directed them to the stone cactus, where they followed Moustafa's directions. During their trek, however, they were ambushed by a troupe of Bandits on the way. When they entered combat, they saw that one of the Bandits was different.

"New enemy again... Goombario?" Jordan sighed. Goombario giggled.

"Ask you shall receive. This is a Bandit Leader. They are the big bosses of highway robbery. Max HP: 25, Attack Power: 7... Yikes, and Defense Power: 0. These guys attack with an odd pause. It can be tough to read their attacks. They do some decent damage and take away our abilities instead of our money! They have loads of HP, so let's hit them with everything we've got!" Goombario told him. Jordan nodded before he whacked the Bandit in the face with his hammer, dealing 2 damage. When the Bandits came to attack him, Jordan successfully fended off the Bandit and Bandito, but the Bandit Leader was able to trick Jordan into blocking early, dealing 5 damage to Jordan and stealing his defense, dropping it to zero.

"Ow!... Wait, my DEFENSE!?" Jordan shrieked.

"Well... Your defense does come from a passive, which falls under an ability..."

"LESS EXPLAINING, MORE GETTING MY DEFENSE BACK!"

"Fine!" Goombario yelped back, causing Kimani to go next. He sent Kooper spiraling into the Bandit, dealing 4 damage and taking out the front one. Kimani cracked his knuckles and went after the Bandit Leader... However...

"Uh, guys? Small problem... He has defense now..." Kimani muttered, shaking his hands.

"Wait, they can use the abilities they steal!? That's scary! We gotta prevent him from stealing any other abilities or defeat him fast!"

"Lay down the beatdown on him, my capable companions!" Kolorodo yelled. Mario told Kolorodo to help Dylan lower his defense. Dylan saluted before he fired an Ion Beam at the group, dealing 3 damage to the group and lowering the Bandit Leader's by 1. Kolorodo chipped in by literally chipping the rest of his defense off and dealing 2 more damage to the Bandit Leader and leaving him with 20 HP. Dylan finished off the Bandito with a Jolt before he could get robbed. The Bandit Leader shoulder-charged Dylan, but he was able to block, taking a reduced 6 damage instead. He still got robbed, however. When the Bandit Leader went back to his spot, the group saw that he was charged up.

"Shit. Looks like he stole Dylan's Static Charge ability..." Kimani deadpanned.

"Sheesh! Bandit Leaders are a touch shell to crack!" Bombette exclaimed.

"No problem! We'll just have to refrain from hitting him directly," Parakarry told him. Mario smirked before he used his Power Bounce to jump a total of 7 times before he blotched the command, dealing a total of 8 damage to the Bandit Leader. Bombette, who was behind Mario at this time, sprinted forward and Bombed the Bandit Leader for 5 more HP, dropping both Mario's FP and the Bandit Leader's HP to 4 and 7 respectively. Mario blocked the incoming charge and since he was currently charged himself, the Zap Tap Badge didn't affect him. Mario rubbed his head from the 5 damage he took from the charge. He also noticed his boots were gone, leaving him in his socks.

"He stole Mario's ability to jump! That's rude!" Dylan exclaimed. Mario huffed in annoyance as the party allowed Kimani to go next. Kimani eyed his FP before he spent it on his usual Dragon Uppercut/Descent combo, draining 10 FP from his reserves, leaving him with 15 FP but the Bandit Leader was no more. Dylan and Jordan felt their abilities return while Mario reclaimed his shoes again, shaking his feet clear of the sand that clung to his socks.

"Well, at least we got paid for that robbery..." Kimani muttered, noting the 20 coins on the ground. Mario scooped them up and then led the group to the location Moustafa told them about, reaching an old collapsed stone bridge. Alpha, Mario, and Kolorodo got a reading/feeling, so they all went over to a lone stone. Mario jumped on it and then jumped up, revealing a Badge Block. Mario earned another Sound FX Badge and a green Smash Shard. Kimani got the Shard before they headed back to Kolorodo's camp. They saw the assistants so Kooper and Kolorodo filled them in while they were there. Mario suggested heading to the north, which Kolorodo agreed to after he was finished. They went to the north, seeing nothing but a used ? Block. Kimani went over and kicked it, making a block appear nearby. Kimani flinched before he walked over and hit the ? Block, getting the team a Mushroom. Dylan got curious and hit it as well, but nothing happened. He hit it a few more times (8 to be exact), causing another block to appear. Mario hit it, getting a Super Shroom from the block. With their attention caught, Kimani and Dylan rapidly punched/slapped the block. After a combined total of 40 more hits, they caused yet another block to appear. In this one was an Ultra Shroom, a very rare Mushroom that healed up to 50 HP. They continued north until they couldn't go north anymore, finding a block and grabbing a Fright Jar. They double-backed 1 pace to the south after Alpha detected a hidden block in the area. Once they found it, they hit it, getting a Thunder Rage for their trouble.

"Hmm... After peeking at our map... I think we've done enough for now. We're fairly close to the mysterious stone right about now. Say, dear chap, what's the stone doing?" Kolorodo asked. Mario reached into his pocket, pulling out the Pulse Stone, which was living up to his name with how often it was pulsing with light.

"Hey! Our location is just a pace north! Let's head there now!" Kooper exclaimed, leaping off the sand dune and heading north. The group hurried after him, finally reaching the stone. As expected, the stone was now going insane, almost blinding Mario. Kolorodo took it from him, apologizing for the hasty move before he, Goombario, and Kooper went over to the stone, causing the Pulse Stone to glow a solid color.

"Well, that confirms it. Shall we uncover the secret to Dry Dry Desert, my dear boys?" Kolorodo asked. Kooper nearly vibrated out of his shell while Goombario nodded. Kolorodo nodded before he placed the stone in the groove. Once he did so, the area started shaking as the stone sunk into the ground. The three of them yelped and ran back to the group as they area started shaking even more as a large gust of wind started to whip sand and debris around. Jordan focused for a moment before he threw his arms to the side, causing a large bubble to surround the group, protecting them from the sand. The group watched in awe as a giant temple started rising in front of them. Once it was done, the shaking and wind finally stopped but the sky, which had turned dark during the whole thing, stayed dark. Jordan threw his arms down, panting heavily from the energy usage while Kolorodo and Kooper stepped forward, their jaws on the ground.

"...I can't believe it... The secret to Dry Dry Desert..."

"...Dry Dry Ruins..." Kolorodo finished. The two shared a look before they yelled loudly and started to dance around. Mario gave the two a warm smile before he checked up on Jordan.

"...Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. I just overdid it... I usually have the ability to make a large shield around myself and others but since I haven't unlocked it, I just strained my Guardian Angel ability. I'm OK, just out of FP..." Jordan deadpanned. Mario nodded and gave him 2 of their Maple Syrups before he walked up to the entrance of the Ruins. The rest of the party joined him afterward.

"First step into the unknown... Are we prepared, lads?" Kolorodo asked. Mario checked his Badge collection again before he also equipped the Quake Hammer Badge as well. He then gave him a thumbs up. Everyone else nodded as well before they walked inside, eager to find the next Star Spirit.

File Saved!


Current Party Overview:

Mario:

Starting Stats: 10 HP, 5 FP, 3 BP

Current Stats: 15 HP, 10 FP, 12 BP (Level 6)

Equipped Badges: Close Call (1), Power Stomp (1), Attack FX B, Zap Tap (4), Damage Dodge (3), Power Bounce (2), Quake Hammer (1)

Main Partners: Parakarry

Items: Mushroom x5, Super Shroom, Fried Egg, Koopa Tea x4, Super Soda, Nutty Cake, Spicy Soup, Pow Block, Sleepy Sheep, Fright Jar x2, Egg, Whacka's Bump, Hustle Drink, Maple Syrup, Stopwatch, Fire Flower

Current Star Pieces: 23

Current Badges: Peekaboo, Speedy Spin (1), Close Call (1), Hammer Throw (2), Dizzy Attack (2), Multibounce (1), Smash Charge (1), Power Bounce (2), Refund (1), Attack FX B, Power Stomp (1), HP Up (2), FP Up (2), First Attack (1), Smash Charge (1), D-Down Pound (2), Zap Tap (4), Feeling Fine (3), Starman (1), Damage Dodge (3), Quake Hammer (1), Group Focus (1), Runaway Pay (1), Attack FX C


Kimani:

Area of Expertise: Grounded Combat, Single Target Damage, Countering

Starting Stats: 10 HP, 10 FP, 3 BP

Current Stats: 20 HP, 20 (25) FP, 6 BP (Level 6)

Equipped Badges: FP UP (2), First Attack (1), Group Focus (1)

Main Battle Partners: Firebrand, Kooper

Idle animation: Crosses arms after a moment and looks around. Will keep arms crossed until input is pressed.

Battle Stance: Mix of a Boxer's stance and his own improv stance. Occasionally throws a few jabs and bounces on his feet.

Battle Talent: Stronger Attack Action Commands (can input one more action command, dealing more hits/damage) but stricter timing on ALL Action Commands.

Field Actions: Can strike enemies in the field with his fist, allowing him to perform his action commands for Strike early. (Basically, his first strikes have the potential to do 3 damage should he time the commands right) He can also help Mario break Super Blocks on the field.

FP Moves:

Strike: (0 FP) Strikes a foe with a punch or kick. Pressing the A button with correct timing allows up to 2 follow-ups. Pow: 1 (up to 3). Style: Timed. Can hit Top-Spike enemies, can't target flying enemies

Power Strike: (2 FP) Strikes a foe with a stronger punch or kick. Can press A at the right time to execute another Power Strike but will cost an additional 2 FP. Pow: 3, Style: Timed: Can hit Top-Spiky enemies, can't target flying enemies

Focus Blast: (3 FP) Charges up a devastating blast of energy. Gets stronger with each turn spent charging. Maxes at 12 damage. Pow: 3, (1 turn) 6, (2 turns) 12 (3 turns)

Dragon Uppercut: (5 FP) Launches a devastating uppercut that launches foes into others! Pressing A at the correct time allows Kimani to follow up with a Dragon's Descent, spiking the enemy back down for extra damage! DU: Pow: 5 (Enemy projectile pow: 3), Style: Timed, Can hit flying and Spiky enemies. DD: (5 FP) Pow: 5 (Enemy projectile pow: 3)

Passives:

Counter: Can't guard normally but can Counter attacks. Has stricter timing than the normal guard but will null ALL damage and damage the attacker for 1 damage.

Master's Potential Unlock: Kimani's Counter has been enhanced! Now, it can do 2 damage to whoever he hits!

Second Chance: Will survive a singular fatal hit with 1 HP. Will be available to use again once 10 HP is reached.

In The Zone: If Kimani goes undamaged for 2 turns, he'll enter The Zone, which is a focused state for Kimani. During The Zone, Kimani's attack and defense rise by 1 and the number of Action Commands he can input goes up by one as well! (For example, his normal Strike command can be followed up by 3 extra attacks and his Power Strike can attack up to 3 times!) Taking damage twice will knock him out of it.


Firebrand:

Area of Focus: Versatile, Ice Enemies, Single Target Damage

Field Actions: Can spend 1 FP to launch a fireball. Fireballs will ignite flammable sources and can First Strike enemies at a distance.

FP Moves:

Swipe: Lashes out with a quick claw swipe. Pressing the A button at the right time launches another swipe. Pow: 1 (2), Style: Timed, Can't target flying enemies. Can hit Spiky Enemies.

Fireball: (2 FP) Launches a fireball at an opponent. Can hit all enemies. Deals double damage to Icy enemies but will heal Fiery enemies. Pow: 3, Style: Charge

Fire Form: (5 FP) Firebrand disappears into Kimani's amulet, allowing Kimani to flare up. Kimani's attacks deal fire damage for the duration, and enemies will take 1 damage from hitting him physically. His attack goes up by 1 as well. After 3 turns, Kimani will take 1 point of damage after every turn until he uses the Cool Off ability.


Jordan:

Area of Expertise: Defense and Damage Mitigation

Starting Stats: 20 HP, 5 FP, 3 BP

Current Stats: 25 (30) HP, 15 FP, 9 BP (Level 6)

Equipped Badges: HP Plus (2), Smash Charge (1), D-Down Pound (2)

Main Battle Partners: Typhoon, Goombario

Idle Stance: Pulls out his hammer and plants it into the ground before leaning on it. Will keep this stance until an input.

Battle Stance: (Normal) has hammer out and ready to swing. Will occasionally twirl the hammer in his hands. (Berserk) Holds hammer in one hand and has a more aggressive stance. Will occasionally roar into the air.

Battle Talent: Guard Action Command is more forgiving and will block up to 3 points of damage. Doesn't have any Attack Action Commands outside of Smash, however.

Field Talent: Can raise his shield, preventing foes from first striking him. He also turns into a platform during this stance. This allows his friends to reach high switches and enemies. Mario can perform an Enhanced Spin Jump from this position in order to break weak floor panels. (Once Mario acquires the Super Boots)

FP Moves:

Smash: Bonks foes with a downward swing. Pow: 1(2) Style: Charge, Can flip enemies. Can't target flying enemies

Berserk: (1 FP per attack) Jordan sacrifices his defense for more attack power! Effects: +2 to Jordan's Attack Power and +1 to all FP Cost, Defence Power drops to 0, can't Guard, Doesn't cost an action or FP to use or deactivate.

Defensive Shout: (5 FP) Unleash a rousing roar that increases everyone's defense by 2 for 3 turns. This stacks with Jordan's Stand Strong passive and enhanced guard.

Cyclone: (2 FP) Jordan spins forward with his hammer outstretched, plowing through all grounded enemies. Pow: 2, Style: None, Can't hit flying enemies.

Guardian Angel : (2 FP) Dedicates a turn blocking attacks for the next party member. Will take full damage from attacks, however. Guarded characters can guard, reducing the amount of damage Jordan takes.

Revenge Strike: (5 FP) Jordan assumes an aggressive stance, allowing his enemies to attack first! Once this is done, Jordan will swing his hammer, dealing half the damage he took to ALL enemies! Jordan's defense drops to zero during this stance and he's incapable of blocking attacks as well!

Passives:

Stand Strong: Gains a defense of 1, which automatically reduces damage by one. Doesn't stack with his Action Command, however.

Master's Potential Unlock: Jordan's defensive nature has been enhanced! His defense rises to 2! Still doesn't stack with his Action Command, however...


Typhoon:

Area of Expertise: Area of Effect, Ground Enemies, Ceiling Enemies, Displacement

Field Ability: Typhoon lets out a roar, taunting enemies towards them. Any enemy that attacks at this time will be twice as strong but they'll give twice the amount of Coins, Hearts, Flowers, and items upon defeat. Star Points aren't affected.

Slam: Hits the ground with a powerful swing of his fist. The shockwave will damage all grounded foes. Deals less damage per enemy. Pow: 2, (To front enemy) decreases by 1 with each enemy. Can't target flying enemies. Will flip flippable enemies. Can hit enemies on the ceiling.

Disrupting Wave (2 FP): Summons a wave of water to wash over foes. Will shuffle the enemy formation. Pow: 2, can't target flying foes. Deals double damage to Fiery enemies.

Liquify (3 FP): Drag a foe to the depths of the ocean, temporarily taking them out of the battle! Typhoon will also be unavailable for the time being as well.


Dylan:

Starting Stats: 10 HP, 20 FP, 0 BP

Current Stats: 25 HP, 30 FP, 0 BP (Level 6)

Area of Expertise: Area of Effect, Healing and Buffing, Versatile

Equipped Badges: N/A

Main Battle Partners: Alpha, Bombette

Idle Animation: Dylan will rock on his heels and swing his arms idly while looking around. After a moment, he'll start to dance. He'll actually dance to whatever background music is playing (Will match the tempo of whatever song is playing) until an input is pushed.

Battle Animation: Dylan will have a hand on his ear and snap his fingers to the beat of the music. When it's his turn, he'll upgrade into a mini two-step.

Battle Talent: Passively regenerates FP over time (5 FP every turn) and doesn't take lightning damage, but he takes double damage from Water attacks, and he can't use FP items or badges.

Field Ability: Dylan can give Mario and Kimani a jolt in order to strengthen their attacks, allowing them to break Stone Blocks. (Mario does need the Super Hammer, at least) Will also give whoever he jolts a free Charge (+2 to their next attack) if they enter battle.

Jolt: Dylan launches a Lightning Bolt at a target of his choice. The bolt will jump to other targets if he's Charged Up. Pow: 1, (2 if he does the action command correctly) Can't hurt electric enemies. Style: Charge

Copycat: (5 FP, Cost 0 if he's Charged Up) Dylan scans a target, copying their moves and attributes for 2 turns. Alpha becomes unavailable during the Copycat. Pow: 0, changes Dylan's appearance and attributes after usage. Doesn't work on bosses or enemies with more than 5 Pow or 10 HP (Subject to change. Might just allow Dylan's Smash Shards to upgrade the threshold) Style: Aim, doesn't end Dylan's turn.

Quicken: (5 FP) Give your buddy an energizing zap, giving them an extra turn for 2 turns! Should Dylan be charged up, Quicken will also restore 5 FP!

Jump Start: (7 FP) Dylan sends a large amount of electricity into a friend of his choice, healing them for 5 HP and giving them the Zap Tap status for 1, 2, or 3 turns! If Charged, the HP goes up to 10, and the Zap Tap status will be 3 regardless of success or failure. Style: Charge

Passives:

Static Charge: Dylan passively builds up static as he fights. After 2 turns, Dylan becomes Charged Up, giving him the Zap Tap status and empowering one of his moves. The charge goes away after attacking or getting hit twice, however. Guarding doesn't count as being hit.

Copycat MK.1: Alpha's processors have been upgraded! He can now copy foes up to 12 HP!

Copycat MK.2: Alpha's processors have been upgraded! He can now copy foes with Attack Power as high as 7!

Copycat MK.3: Alpha's processors have been upgraded! He can now use a copied foe's second attack! (if they have one)


Alpha:

Area of Expertise: Debuffing, Area Of Effect, Information

Field Ability: Alpha can scan nearby enemies, exposing their weaknesses and lowering the frontmost foes' defense by 2 for one turn when they enter combat. He can also spend 5 FP to Copycat a friend or foe, and allow Dylan to start in said form.

Special Characterises: Alpha doesn't physically appear. Instead, Alpha will digistruct his tools for Dylan to use during his turn. Should Dylan take more than 10 HP damage in one turn or get hit by a water attack or fire attack, Alpha will Overheat or Short Circuit, which is his variation of being Injured for 1 turn.

Ion Beam (5 FP): Alpha digistructs an Ion Cannon onto Dylan's arm, allowing him to fire an Ion Beam at a target of Dylan's choice. The beam will cleave through a line, so if he aims at a grounded foe, all grounded foes will be hit. Pow: 2 (3) Ignores defense and lowers it by one point for 2 turns. Doesn't stack with itself. Style: Charge

Safeguard (2 FP): Alpha locks his systems, preventing him from being Overheated or Short Circuit next turn should Dylan take 10 damage or be hit by a Fire or Water attack. This will also raise Dylan's defense by 1 for this turn.

Scan: (10 FP) Alpha scans the enemies and gives his team pointers on their attacks and weaknesses, decreasing their Attack Power and Defense Power by 1, 2, or 3 depending on Dylan's success with the Action Command. This can cause an enemy to fall into Dylan's Copycat threshold. Style: Memory

Assist: Alpha forgoes his turn, allowing Dylan to get an extra turn.


Temporary Party Members:

Kolorodo

Position: Partner

Area Of Expertise: Defense Piercing, Debuffing.

Field Ability: Kolorodo can spend 5 FP to dig up an item for the party. The item will be either a Super Mushroom, Honey Syrup, or Fire Flower.

FP Moves:

Chisel: Kolorodo carefully chips away at an enemy, dealing damage and permanently lowering a foe's defense by 1 for the entire battle. This can stack with other defense-lowering skills and the permanent debuff as well. Pow: 1 (2) Can't target flying, front-spiky or fiery enemies. Style: Charge

Improvise (3 FP): Kolorodo rummages through his pack and randomly selects one of five items to use instantly.

Stone: Kolorodo pulls out a random stone and chucks it at an enemy. Pow: 2

Shovel: Kolorodo pulls out a shovel and digs rapidly, sending stones at the entire enemy party. Pow: 2

Camera: Kolorodo pulls out his camera and takes a picture of the enemies. The bright flash will Blind (Dizzy) foes for 2 turns.

Dustpan: Kolorodo pulls out a dustpan before sneezing and covering the party in a large cloud of dust, raising their evasion for 2 turns.

Pencil: Kolorodo pulls out a pencil and notepad, calculating the angles before he uses something from the environment to attack. (For instance, if a pillar is nearby, he'll calculate the right angle and whatnot to tip it on them) Pow: 5 to all enemies.


Changes from the Main Game:

- The shop now sells Dried Fruit!

- Kooper's Dizzy Shell burns more FP now! (+1 FP)

- Speedy Bandits have been spotted in the Desert! (Bandito: Max HP: 4, Attack Power: 3, steals 10 coins and runs away immediately, attacks cause Dizzy,)

- Why is he called the Bandit Leader if there's more than one? (Bandit Leader: Max HP: 25, Attack Power: 7, Steals and uses the abilities stolen.)

- There's a Life Shroom where a Spin Badge would be located!

- Are we sure that's not alcohol? (Tasty Tonics heal 99 HP but drain 10 FP outside of battle. Unchanged in combat.)

(One change from last chapter that I forgot to mention: Kolorodo takes a more active role! He's available as a temporary Partner! Kolorodo focuses on chipping defense away from foes and utilizing random items from his pack for random effects!)