The group had ventured out to find the pipe to Boggly Woods. They were all chatting with each other as they walked. That's when they saw one of those strange creatures the professor mentioned going through a crack in the wall.
Goombella perked up, "Hey guys! Did you see that?"
Koops confirmed, "Saw it. So does that mean that's the way we go too?"
Luigi stammered, "S - seems like it."
Mario stated, "Come on, don't let something that looks like a mice scare you. Come on."
The group followed their leader as they followed the strange creature. The strange creature (a Punie) was corned and let out a shriek, surprising everyone.
Punio blurted out, "D - don't eat me!"
Koops reassured, "But we didn't come to eat you."
Punio perked up, "Huh? Uh...you didn't?" To that, Koops shook his head. It asked, "And you're not bullies?"
Goombella blew a raspberry, "No way!"
Punio replied, "For real? Phew! Boy, that's good. I thought for a second I might have an accident."
Luigi asked, "Y - you are a creature from Boggly Woods. But what are you doing here?"
Punio answered, "W - what?! W - why do you know about me?"
Mario started to say, "Well, you see..."
Punio cut him off, "No! Y - you must be... You guys are working for the X-Nauts, aren't you?! You chased me here! No! It's the end!"
The group looked confused. Koops asked, "X-Nauts...? Who are they?"
Goombella added, "Yeah, we're not gonna do anything to you! So just chill for a sec! Just tell us what's going on."
Punio explained, "Well...okay. This gang of bad guys call themselves X-Nauts came to where I live. They came inside our Great Tree and started tearing it apart and causing trouble."
Luigi stammered, "T - that's awful!"
Punio replied, "Yeah...so I've come all the way here to get help."
Mario put a hand to his chin and admitted, "They sound like the group that attacked us earlier in Rogueport. They've got to be after the Crystal Star too!"
Punio frowned, "Now that you mention it, they did say something about a Crystal Star thingy. But we Punies don't know anything any crystals or stars..." He perked up, "Say, could you guys help us out? Maybe chase them off? If you do, we'll give you, um... What was it?"
Koops helped, "The Crystal Star?"
Punio repeated, "The Crystal Star, yeah that thing! If you help out, we'll have the Puni elder give you that! I don't know what it is, but if it'll help us reclaim our tree, then I'm sure that the elder will agree! So what do you say? Let's not waste anymore time. I'm begging you!"
Mario reassured, "Don't worry, we will be more than happy to help."
Punio stated, "Really?! You aren't joking?! You'll do it?!"
Goombella confirmed, "Of course we will."
Punio was so happy, "This is great! I'm so happy!"
Luigi stammered, "I - I got a bad feeling about all of this... B - but yeah, we better help and stop those bad guys from getting the Crystal Star."
Punio introduced, "My name is Punio. Pleased to meet you! I'll take you to where I live. Follow me, okay?"
Punio went first, allowing the group to follow behind him. They found the pipe to the Boggly Woods and went through it.
...
When they reached the other side, they had arrived at Boggly Woods.
Goombella joked, "These are the Boggly Woods... They sure look...boggling."
Everyone groaned.
Koops told her, "Bad pun, Goombella."
Goombella giggled, "Sorry but at least we are here."
Luigi looked around, "Y - yeah but where do we start?"
Punio took the lead, "Just a bit further and we should be able to see the Great Tree. The elder and her friends are waiting for us there... Oh, and my little sister too!"
Mario asked, "You have a little sister?"
Punio answered, "Sure do! Come on! Follow me!"
With that, they started their adventure through the Boggly Woods. It didn't take them long to find the Siren Sisters.
Beldam chuckled darkly, "Time to get to work, lovelies! Vivian! You understand what we've got to do, yes?"
Vivian confirmed, "Mm-hmm! A) Find that Mario and, uh, Looigi guy and B) steal the map to the Crystal Stars, right? We can do away with Mario and his friends, can't we? Or is that bad?"
Beldam stated, "Oh, bad things happen all the time, Vivian. But you are right about our goals. If my information is correct, Mario should be coming down this road quite soon. You must ambush him here and get that map! Hmm? What's this, now? Vivian! What's that you're fawning over there?"
Vivian brought out a necklace like thing, "Oh! What, you mean this? I found it near that tree over there a while back. Isn't it a gorgeous necklace? It was so lovely... I just had to pick it up!"
That's when she put it away.
Beldam replied, "Hmph! Vivian! For shame! Picking up someone's scraps? Disgusting! Greedy! But enough about that... Vivian, my dear pack rat... Bring out the sketch of that Mario and Looigi guys that you got from Grodus! Mmmwwweee! Hehe!"
Vivian perked up, "Eepp! W - what? I - I don't have that! You said it was too important, so you took it. You should have it."
Beldam denied, "Don't be ridiculous! I don't have that thing. You were in charge of it! You wretched little worm! Blaming me for something you probably screwed up!"
Vivian started to say, "But, I..."
That's when Marilyn noticed Mario's group. She turned to Beldam and said, "Guh! Guh!"
Beldam stated, "Oh? What is it, Marilyn? ...huh? What's that? Two mustachioed fellows? This is no time for such nonsense, you great oaf! Save your games for later!" She walked a little closer to Vivian, "Now, now, where was I? You! Vivian! Don't tell me that you lost our precious sketch!"
Vivian was trying to reason, "But... Listen... I... Look, it wasn't my fault... I never had the sketch..."
Beldam shouted, "SILENCE, YOU DITZ! Such impudence! How dare you talk back to me like some rebellious child?! It's clear to me that the only rationale your type understands is force!" That's when she took the necklace from her. She added, "For your punishment, I'll taking that necklace you just found. Yes, so sorry."
Vivian replied, "But... But, Beldam... Oh, you're horrid!"
...
Wishmaker1028: Indeed she is! But with that, chapter 16 is finally done! Please read and review! And always think outside of the box!