Though Vivian fell asleep not terribly long after reading Beldam's letter, the night did little to rest her spirit. Dawn had arrived once more – and yet, the shadow could scarcely bring herself to raise her head, even as her room filled with the light of the outdoors and her alarm clock announced the arrival of morning.
"Mmmphhh… ghhh…" she groaned as she reached over and switched the noise machine off. …However, instead of getting out of bed, she listlessly rolled over on her side and faced the wall. Bow was busy, Flurrie was busy, the X-Nauts were busy, Pennington seemingly had no desire to interact with anyone, and everyone else she could think of was preoccupied getting on with their lives…
Her presence likely wouldn't be missed.
Thus, she chose to sleep. The gentle land of dreams opened its doors to her once more as she drifted off…
An untold amount of time passed as Vivian snoozed the day away. …Or, rather, that's what she would have done, had the parrot not hopped up to her bedside and started to trill at her.
"Vivian? Vivian, morning's here! You're running late!" He cooed as he nudged at her side. "You can't sleep all day… Things'll get better, they will, skraaaaak! Don't give up, don't give up…"
…He was sweet. Though she honestly would've preferred to hear those words from someone more reliable, like Mario or Goombella, the gesture still warmed her heart. He was right. Her loved ones certainly wouldn't have wanted her to just mope around in bed…
And so, she sat up and groggily rubbed at her eyes, giving him a small pat on the head before she went about her normal morning routine. Within the hour, she was headed off towards the dormitory. Though lethargy still slowed her movements, she began to mentally run through her plans - after she helped whoever was on kitchen duty clean, perhaps she'd go out to one of the other locations and begin searching? Checking over an entirely new area seemed like a lot for one person, and it sounded like everyone else had already been thorough, but… it sure wouldn't hurt to look again, right? She could go out to Twilight Town and take a peek around the Creepy Steeple.
As she arrived at the main building, Crump was there, standing amongst several groups of soldiers out front as he handed out the day's tasks. This had been their routine for a while now – everybody would report in, split off into their respective teams, discuss their progress, and then head off to whatever job site they'd been assigned. Some would search, some would go back inside and work underground, some would head to the factory, some would travel to jobs within the other towns…
Perhaps Vivian could join one of their groups today? It wouldn't hurt to ask.
"Oh, yo, Vivian!" Crump raised a hand as she approached. "What's up? You look like you need something. Everything all cool?"
"Um, yeah! It's just that I don't have anything to do right now, so I was wondering if you needed any extra help."
She felt like she'd been asking that question a lot lately. If he said no, then she was determined to find something to occupy herself with, but…
"Gotcha, gotcha! Yeah, I'm sure we can stick you with one of the teams. Let's take a looksee…" His gaze drifted from group to group as he squinted. "Johnson's team already headed off to the factory, so did Peanut's… Kurtis is downstairs, Zander's also out at the factory, and… hmmm. Hmmmmmmm." Crump scratched at the back of his head. "Maybe you could head inside and help out with some cleaning or something? The search teams're on rotation, they left a few hours ago… and the construction's still something you could get in on, though that's kinda rough work if you don't know what you're doing. …I mean, unless you're planning on taking that up full time? You haven't been doing much acting lately, right? If you wanted to, you probably really co-"
He quickly stopped speaking as he peered back at Vivian's expression. …She was nibbling upon her lip as she stared at the ground.
"Oh, uh, crud… look, I didn't mean it like that, okay? It's just, uh, we already got plans for 'Starship X-Naut' casting, and… I mean, I guess we could find a spot for you if you really wanted! I, well…" He waved his hands. "Wait, I know! Maybe you should take some time off? You and those two missing peeps were actually pretty close, right? Here, take this and go get yourself some of that cake we skipped out on the other day!"
Shoving a hand into his pocket, he pulled out a few coins and forced them into Vivian's palms. The shadow, taken aback by the suddenness of the gesture, stared into the X-Naut general's goggled eyes.
"Thank you, but…" she started to speak, though Crump immediately raised a finger to his collar and gave her a quick shush.
"Don't even worry about it, seriously. Go on and have a good time today! You've more than earned it, buh huh huh!" He laughed as he waved her off and turned around, his gaze already drifting towards one of the other groups. "Things'll work out – they always do. Keep that chin up!"
She'd wanted to say that she didn't need the money – Bow was still paying her, so she had plenty. …But, before she could, Crump had already ambled away and was chatting cheerfully with some of the X-Nauts.
Vivian sighed. …He certainly seemed to be doing well, at least. Since he'd given her the coins, she'd take him up on the offer, but…
That wasn't really the response she'd been looking for.
Making her way out of the compound, she watched as various soldiers in shades of red and blue scuttled about her like little ants. They always seemed so busy, with how they were constantly rushing along the path as they headed off to their respective work sites… Riverside Valley itself still wasn't much to look at, but the dorm certainly had shaped up. The cracks in the fence had been repaired, the gate door reattached, and parts of the path repaved. No longer did bumps and rivets in the road threaten to send the bustling workers toppling to the ground.
Outside the residential area, their current restoration efforts mostly consisted of one large factory building. It had been repurposed from a plant of old, though it hardly resembled the original any longer – the X-Nauts had made plenty of intricate architectural improvements using their own technology. The fusion of the retro, rustic scenery of the valley and the high-tech, metallic designs typical of the former moon dwellers melded together in something that looked like a steampunk movie set.
But, the wider valley wasn't to remain rundown for long – the X-Nauts had already started in on plans to restore yet another sizable building close to the main path. Vivian wasn't sure what in the world it was going to be used for, but they sure did seem excited about it…
As she approached the structure again that day, something caught her eye. …A very, very familiar figure of a man stood before the building alongside a couple of PhDs. His long, purple robes blew lightly in the air as he spoke, his index finger extended towards a vast crack running along the outside wall. The two floppy-eared scientists quickly moved to where their master indicated, inspecting the damage.
Today, Sir Grodus had a body.
"Oh, wow…" Vivian couldn't help but gasp as she witnessed him moving about. A light fear pulled at her stomach – memories of him standing menacingly at the head of the Palace of Shadow throne room and threatening to slaughter her and her friends danced across the forefront of her mind… but, as he turned to her and gave a light wave, those feelings quickly quieted.
His stance was relaxed, and though he seemed to have no problem standing, his movements were a bit jerky. He twisted his body towards her, then raised a foot as if to step forward and shakily hesitated.
"Grodus?" Vivian cocked her head as she watched him struggle. "Is everything okay…?"
Wincing, he set his still-quivering foot back upon the ground and looked away.
"Vivian. …Ahem!" He peered back at her, a hint of reluctance to his voice. "…Yes, I'm… Everything is absolutely fine! It's simply a bit difficult for me to move, but I'll grow accustomed to this body soon enough. A robotic frame feels quite different from an organic one, though such a thing is to be expected…"
He raised a hand and flexed his fingers. Though it was faint, Vivian could hear the light whir of machinery from beneath his glove.
"Oh! That's really neat, but… I honestly couldn't even imagine," Vivian watched as the mechanical man shifted awkwardly upon his newly acquired legs. "What does it feel like when you touch things? Can you tell textures apart, or…?"
"In a way, yes. My sense of touch is rather muted and overall a bit… abstract, but I'm still able to recognize such things. There are certain areas upon my body that lack the required sensors, but it's far better than nothing," Grodus confirmed. "Though, I'm curious… You don't seem terribly surprised to see me like this. Were you perhaps in on Lord Crump's little secret?"
"Hmm hmm hmm! Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't," Vivian giggled teasingly.
Grodus eyed her suspiciously. "…Well, it's no matter. That said, I do rather wish Lord Crump had given me notice that he was putting this together. Honestly… what a major thing to keep hidden! I could have been planning around this! Efficiency has increased substantially now that I can move freely about the job sites, but there's physical therapy to worry about, not to mention the time investment from our scientists that was needed to produce such a thing… It's unthinkable that I wouldn't have been informed of such a significant undertaking!"
Though he was complaining, there was a slight undercurrent of joy to his voice. …He couldn't hide it from Vivian. Even as he waved his hands about and aired out his grievances, she could sense a renewed energy from him.
"This certainly puts us a bit behind on our other affairs… Though, thankfully, it doesn't appear to be by much." He sighed. "By the way, Vivian. Have you been informed of what we're working on here? You'll be quite interested in it, I'm certain."
"Mmm… no, I can't say that I have." Vivian shook her head.
"It's rather hard to move about that tiny kitchen within the residential building, is it not? That paltry little area was never meant to be used as a full cafeteria. At best, it would've been intended for residents to whip up a quick meal in the hours between their shifts." Grodus then gestured to the structure behind them. "Conversely, this building here appears to have served as a proper canteen for workers. Once we're able to operate it, there'll no longer be any need to crowd about that tiny space… We shall be freed from the long lines of men that block our front door each morning, gaaaack ack ack ack!"
It was such a small thing, yet she could feel a genuine enjoyment in his voice. There was no doubt about it – Grodus was in a good mood. He sounded…
He sounded happy, for once.
"Oh… that's wonderful!" Though Vivian clapped her hands and tried to sound cheery, she had a bit of trouble pushing past her own emotions. …It made her feel conflicted, watching this once incredibly hostile man prosper so openly. As a result, her tone fell just a bit flat…
The change in her voice had not been missed - Grodus paused for just a moment as he inspected her. But, rather than giving him a chance to comment, Vivian immediately launched into speaking yet again: "I'm really glad to see you out and about like this! I know it was very hard for you before, when you had to bounce along the ground all the time... But now, you can go all kinds of places, can't you? Hmm hmm hmm!"
Yet, even as she continued to talk about his body, Grodus stared at her with a hint of skepticism.
"Indeed, travel is far easier now. …It truly is difficult to grasp the value of what you have until it's gone. Though I'd certainly still prefer my old flesh, moping about has gained me nothing. Life moves forward regardless of our wishes, and it's not always possible to bend reality to our will," he stated. "But, also… Vivian. I wish to remind you that several teams of X-Nauts are still working to find Doopliss and Petuni – we're bound to uncover something eventually. I haven't forgotten about Bow's orders, I assure you."
"H-huh?" Vivian met his gaze.
"That is what's bothering you, yes? …Do not lose hope yet. As soon as I hear any reports, I'll be certain that the information is relayed to you."
Was he… trying to reassure her? To cheer her up? Vivian looked at him, slack-jawed, as she tried to comprehend what he was saying.
Was Sir Grodus actually trying to be nice to her?
"Or, perhaps something else is on your mind? I suppose I do owe you somewhat for helping to set up our current situation… The fact that I can move about is at least partially due to your efforts, after all," he commented. "What troubles you? Speak, and do so clearly!"
He really was. Sir Grodus, of all people, saw her poor mood and decided to try to help her.
What in the world? It was honestly a bit touching, but… Just how awful did she look? It had to be bad if even he was attempting to reach out to her. …She really was being a burden again. She'd come here intending to be treated as an equal, and yet both the X-Naut leaders were pitying her…
Though their unexpected kindness towards her was a wonderful thing, it also pricked at her still-open wounds. And so, in response, her despair from the night before began to bubble up once more…
"Ghhh… hic… mmmppphhh…" The shadow started to sniffle as she rubbed at her eyes.
"Vivian? …Wait, are you ill?" Grodus questioned, tilting his head slightly to the side as he studied her expression. "Or, are you…? …Ah!?"
Grodus watched as a tear suddenly slipped down Vivian's cheek. The supreme leader of the X-Nauts flinched back as if he'd been prodded with a red-hot poker, defensively clenching his hands before his chest as he stared at her.
"G-gah, what!? You're… are you crying?" He gasped. "Why!?"
As Grodus started to step back, Vivian finally lost her last bit of control over her emotions - the shadow broke into full tears as she began to quietly sob. Her shoulders shook as she practically folded in on herself, clutching her arms tightly around her body as she gasped and gulped and wept... The two X-Naut PhDs peered at the pair from afar and whispered amongst themselves, their expressions reflecting their deep bewilderment.
"…W-well! It… appears as though some alone time would do you some good," Grodus's gaze darted over towards his workers – and away from Vivian. "If you require any assistance, feel free to message one of my men, but, in the meantime… I do believe that they need me over there. I must be off…"
Despite his clumsy gait, he awkwardly hobbled over towards the two waiting X-Naut PhDs, quickly making his way past them and into the building. Though the pair of them glanced back at Vivian with dubious expressions, Grodus promptly beckoned them forth into the darkness, thus leading them safely away from the woman that he had tried – and failed – to comfort.
But, his message had been received. …Vivian couldn't keep causing issues for others like this. She'd go enjoy her cake, just like Crump had told her to, and then…
She absolutely had to do better.
Just as Crump had decided for her, Vivian headed over to the "Flour Power Bakery" and purchased herself a petite red velvet cake with thick, beautifully sculpted cream cheese icing. Though the store had an assortment of square, flower-adorned tables set up outdoors for seating, Vivian chose to instead have them box her treat up so she could take it over to one of the fountains – she'd simply feel too awkward sitting there and eating it all alone.
And so, Vivian made herself comfortable on the edge of one of the structures, where she opened her to-go box and began to watch the other townsfolk as they milled about. A little Toad pitter-pattered alongside the road as he attempted to balance upon the raised strip of stone, his stride loose and free from worry. Two Bumpties headed home, each with a delicious blueberry popsicle in hand. A Bob-Omb rushed along while carrying a box full of groceries upon his head, a mother and her child knelt over a field of flowers, a tiny bee buzzed just above the grass…
The town was truly peaceful. …Witnessing it was a panacea to Vivian's soul. The shadow listened to the sounds of birds chirping as she sunk her fork into the little cake and ferried a bite to her mouth, after which she savored the delectably sweet flavors that flooded over her tongue…
The cake was delicious, but the experience was over just a little bit too soon. The fancy confection only lasted for about five bites or so… and yet, Vivian did appreciate the momentary distraction.
Though the wounds upon her heart still ached, she had calmed down at least a bit.
…With her mind clear, it was a good time for her to attempt a certain task. Vivian stood up and slipped into a nearby stationery store, where she purchased some gel pens, a pink envelope, a clipboard, and some paper. Upon securing a sheet atop the board, she began to write out her thoughts.
"Sorry I missed you! I hope you had fun out there."
She raised the pen, pondering hard as she attempted to produce her next words. …And then, with a groan, she tore the paper from her clipboard and crumpled it up.
There's no way she could say that! At absolute best, it sounded like she was minimizing Beldam's efforts… She'd traveled all the way out to the Mushroom Kingdom mainland, just to see Vivian. That would've been a big deal for any of the three sisters – they'd never gone out of the area even once, despite having been around for hundreds of years! For Beldam to actually get on a boat and venture out… It was beyond extraordinary that she'd done so at all. And yet, Vivian had let her down, once again…
But… what was she supposed to say, then?
She could beg for forgiveness, but she didn't want to introduce that kind of dynamic into their lives again – no, something like that was no good for either of them. Perhaps there was a middle road she could take? Or… maybe…
As Vivian's thoughts swirled, she reached up towards her head and began to scratch at her hair, digging her fingertips up beneath her hat and into her scalp. Then, still grumbling in irritation, she started to chew upon her pen…
Amidst all of this, a voice called out to her from beyond.
"Are you quite all right today? You appear more than a bit distraught."
Vivian looked up as she searched for the source of the voice. "Hmm…?" she questioned. Upon scanning the area, her eyes almost immediately settled on a certain blond Beanish.
Peasley stood before her once again.
"If you don't mind me asking, what precisely is going on with all of the 'uuurgh' and 'aaaagh' noises? Is your stomach raging against you? There's a public restroom nearby, if you must use one," the bean man spoke as he leaned in and studied her face.
"Wh-wh-wh… Whaaat!?" Vivian blushed at the very idea. "No, no, that's not it at all! I was just writing a letter, and I didn't know what to say, and I…" she spluttered. Then, regaining just a hair bit of her composure, "I mean, um! That… doesn't matter! Can I do something for you today, Peasley? I still don't know anything about any green stars! I'm not hiding any clues, I promise!"
He'd been quite aggressive yesterday – she hadn't forgotten. And, yet…
"Ah… yes." Peasley sighed. "About that. I do suppose that I owe you an apology for my behavior. I… was simply frustrated by the lack of progress, is all. The item that's gone missing is truly important to my family. If I never find it, I haven't the faintest idea of what I'll do. Surely you understand, right?"
…If he never found it. If… if they never found Petuni and Doopliss, then…
Vivian swallowed. "Yes. Yes, I… I do get that feeling. …I accept your apology. Just, try not to take it out on other people in the future, all right? It's a really bad habit to fall into."
"Of course. You have my word, I shan't do so again." He nodded. "But, related to that… I do think it best that I take the day to relax and cool my head. Though I spoke harshly about the X-Nauts when we last met, I truly do admire them. …You've seen the previews of that TV show they're planning, right? The one with all of the spaceships and travel to distant planets and whatnot? 'Starship X-Naut,' or what have you?"
Vivian couldn't say that she had. She'd known they'd started work on it, but... "Mmmmm, no. I've been too busy, I haven't actually seen anything myself. Does it look good?"
"Oh, stars, yes! Positively fantastic! I haven't the faintest idea how they've managed such visuals, but it's quite something. Are they truly traveling to space in order to film? Or do they have some way to emulate the look of it? …Would you happen to have any idea?" he asked.
Despite living on their property, Vivian legitimately couldn't answer many questions at all about what they were actually up to these days. She'd heard they'd been working on a room underground where they'd be able to film all sorts of extraordinary scenes, but… had they already gotten that close to completing it? She really didn't know.
"I'd have to ask Crump or Grodus. I don't really go into their work areas all that often, but they'd definitely be able to tell you. Though… I guess it wouldn't really be that hard for me to take a look? Mmmmm, I could check tonight…" She pondered.
At this, Peasley's eyes lit up. "Truly!? Do they possibly do tours there? Or, perhaps I could speak with one of them!?"
"Um. I don't think they'd really like- ah!?" Though Vivian began to refuse, she let out a small gasp as Peasley took her hands into his and began to shake them.
"What a blessing it is to know those with connections! Really, what would I ever do without you!? Ah heh heh heh heh heh! Thank you so very, very much for this!" The Beanish man laughed as he continued to grasp Vivian's hands within his own.
Vivian's cheeks turned even pinker than usual. …R-really? With him already so excited, just how was she supposed to say no…?
Then, just as quickly as he'd grabbed on, Peasley released her hands and turned to leave. "Well, then! There's no time like the present – let us head over there now! Do show me the way, please, and know that your kindness is very much appreciated!"
He wanted to go now!?
Vivian gaped at him for just a moment, then let loose a resigned sigh. "…Well, I can see if one of the X-Naut leaders are over at the dormitory. Let me give Crump a quick call…"
She hadn't been planning on doing anything like this, but maybe it would be all right? …Plus, she really did still want to get more information from Peasley, so maybe this would help them establish a good rapport? Showing him around could actually be helpful in getting him to trust her.
And so, rather than quash his feeble hopes, Vivian took out her communicator and pulled up Crump's name from the list. After a few rings, the gruff voice of the man in question connected from the other side.
"Hey, Vivian! Is everything all good? Didja go get that cake like I told you to?" Crump asked, a hint of concern to his words.
"Yes, everything's all right," Vivian was quick to assure him. "A… um, friend of mine is here with me, over in Poshley Heights. He'd like to know if someone's willing to show him the area where 'Starship X-Naut' is going to be filmed. I guess he's really interested in the technology… Is that okay? Or is it too much trouble?"
"Buh?" He paused. "Uh, sure, I guess that's fine. There should be some guys down there – you know generally where it is, right? If you don't, just grab someone and make them show you. You can tell them I sent you."
That made sense to Vivian – it didn't have to be Crump giving the tour, after all. He probably was already busy with something… and she couldn't even begin to imagine what a tour given by Grodus would be like, so there wasn't really any use in asking him. As long as there was someone who knew what was going on.
"Great, that works. Thank you!" Vivian chirped in the cheeriest voice she could muster. However, before she could conclude the conversation…
"By the by, uh… you feeling any better?" Crump questioned, hesitating. "You looked like a total wreck this morning. Are you sure you're fine? Did you stop and take a break for real?"
"Mhmm, I did. I'm feeling a lot better now!" Vivian confirmed. "Please, don't mind me. I'll be all right."
The voice on the other side went silent for just a moment. …Did he not believe her? But, then…
"Roger that. Don't stress out too much!"
Their conversation complete, Vivian hung up and turned to face the Beanish man. He was milling about in the grass with a slightly impatient look upon his face, though his expression brightened once more as he met her gaze.
"Good news, I take it?" he inquired, placing his hands on his hips as he leaned in expectantly.
"Hmm hmm hmm, yes! It sounds as though I'll be coming with you on a guided tour," Vivian giggled. "Follow me!"
Vivian led the strange bean man out through the main Poshley Heights gate and along the well-trod path to Riverside Valley, being careful all the while to avoid the gaze of any aggressive creatures along the way. Not that they were much of a worry these days – the X-Nauts had defended their territory well and had driven out most lingering threats at that point. Most potential enemies knew better than to mess with anyone walking along the path.
…And yet, Vivian got the impression that the gentleman next to her wouldn't have been all that bothered even if they had decided to attack. Despite his well-kempt appearance, he paid almost no mind at all to the monsters. His rapier remained strapped at his side, ready for use whenever needed.
Though Peasley was generally friendly, she couldn't help but wonder where he came from. …Maybe she could also ask him more about that, once they got to know each other better.
Finally, after a bit of travel along the familiar road, the pair approached the pipe to the valley. Vivian went down it first, then waited as Peasley emerged from the other side. Though he didn't outright grimace at the state of the town, his displeasure was clear to see as he inspected the landscape before him.
"This settlement is a bit shabby, is it not? Are the X-Nauts not some sort of highly advanced, technology-focused race? My, my…" He mused as he looked between the crumbling walls of the various dilapidated buildings.
"It wasn't originally theirs, but they're working on fixing it up! You'll see as we get closer. They were making plans for one of the other buildings as I was leaving this morning, hmm hmm hmm!"
Knowing them, it wouldn't be surprising if they'd already started construction on it. They really did work blindingly fast.
As they moved further into the town, Vivian's suspicions were somewhat confirmed – though the X-Nauts weren't actively hammering away at the mess hall, their numbers had increased from what she'd seen that morning. They were inspecting every inch of the structure, taking notes as they measured doorways and wall heights and window lengths… Nearby, Grodus and several PhDs were seemingly discussing their plans as men raced back and forth, reporting their findings and then immediately taking off again.
Since Grodus was there, Vivian figured she probably ought to introduce him to Peasley. And so, as she began to float towards him, she raised a hand in greeting. "Hello, Grodus! I'm back!" she called out, causing the dome-headed X-Naut to look up.
Yet, as she did, the sound of sliding metal rang out from behind her.
Something wasn't right. A hard pit of anxiety suddenly formed within her stomach – she recognized that noise, and yet she absolutely shouldn't have heard it. As she turned to peer back at her guest, a sudden blur of green and red charged past her, his blade drawn and pointed directly towards Grodus…
Just like that, Peasley leapt straight for the almighty leader of the X-Nauts and attacked him.
Chapter image:www tumblr com/thegroduschronicles/773516168782905344
