The fools were really doing it.
A man – or, rather, the remainder of what once had been a man – watched closely from his perch atop the dingy bedroom's single nightstand. Though the murky, worn-out glass of the window before him obscured his vision somewhat, he could still make out several distinct figures moving about his front lawn.
Sir Grodus kept a close eye on things again that day. After his prior… conversation with Crump, he'd been far more careful to pay attention to those coming and going from his residence. Yet, despite his prudent surveillance and repeated stern words to Crump, his least competent underling had apparently decided to completely ignore his opinions. Thus, much to the former overlord's vast and ever-growing displeasure, a group containing some of Grodus's most hated people on the planet had once more been allowed to freely trod upon his territory.
…Not that he could tell what in the world the plot of their ludicrous tale was supposed to be from such a vast distance. He spied that traitorous demon spawn, Vivian… along with a particularly nefarious-looking copy of her, having some sort of face-off directly in front of the dormitory. Nearby, that grotesque, lascivious cloud creature and that blonde Goomba wench were watching them, along with several others of unknown allegiance…
What tripe. They looked like a bunch of clowns out there, wasting their time as they carelessly played pretend and paraded about the grass like mere children.
It was disgusting.
That reprehensible shadow… the audacity! The absolute nerve to appear within his domain, to act as though she owned the place despite the history they shared! It was simply absurd! And yet, there she was, screaming something-or-other about how she "didn't have to keep living like this" as she eyed her strange clone. How dare she continue to show her face so casually! She and her sisters had ruined everything for him…!
Why? Why, why, WHY did she have to show up here!?
Not only that, but he could see the X-Nauts – his X-Nauts – set up around the two witchy performers, where they were carefully manning camera equipment under the orders of some ridiculous-looking Boo woman. There were Toads, various purple-hued Boos, Bumpties… Crump was nearby too, nodding eagerly as the snobbish specter whispered to him. Watching him kowtow to her every command was making him sick!
How could that group possibly work together!? Crump had fought against Mario and his goons even more often than Grodus had, having returned to the fortress with his tail between his legs after being thoroughly whipped time and time again… and, though it wound up being temporary, they'd even killed him! If it weren't for the Crystal Stars and that accursed princess, his motionless corpse would still be floating about in the depths of space!
Incredulous, Grodus continued to watch. Two Bumpties suddenly emerged from the bushes beyond and began to march towards the pair of shadows, radiating a heroic energy. Vivian whirled about and acted as though she were in pure shock at their arrival.
"CUT!" The Boo's voice was so loud that he could hear her from his spot upstairs.
Good grief, what precisely was that apparitional woman yelling about this time? The former overlord observed as she scolded her crew yet again, presumably telling them all to return to their original positions for another take. …Just how many times did she intend to have them redo the same scene!? As Crump said something from the sidelines, she turned and began to yell at him, too…
Grodus could already tell that he didn't like her. Not one bit.
After making a big show out of her displeasure, the ghost waved her fan at the performers, motioning for them to gather. The actors and actresses crowded around, talking animatedly about something-or-other. As they spread back out a few moments later, the cloud spirit and the shadow's clone moved to the center, then began to skillfully act out the scene. The others watched closely as they seemingly created an example out of the earlier script.
As Grodus observed their work, he felt a twinge of something deep inside. …Lord Crump and the other X-Nauts were watching, too. As the cloud spirit finished her performance, the bulky general clapped enthusiastically alongside the others.
…Why…?
The former mage felt the phantom pull of his arms as he attempted to reach out and press his hands against the glass. …His men looked like they were working hard. He'd made it clear to Crump exactly how he felt about his choices, and yet, there the man was, going directly against his will. …But, Crump hadn't disposed of him either, instead choosing to leave him sitting in the darkness, all alone…
Grodus truly couldn't do anything. He couldn't walk outside and stop them, even if he wanted to. Even something as simple as opening a door was impossible without begging someone else for help. …It was disgraceful. Revolting. And, if even Crump didn't respect him anymore, then…
…Then, perhaps, it really was the end for him…
The disgraced overlord peered up into the azure sky, desperately trying to ward off the increasingly wretched thoughts emerging from the depths of his mind. As he did, he saw something very… strange…
…What…?
Beyond the trees, in a space where the crew almost certainly couldn't see, there existed a creature of some sort. It was… oddly pointy, almost geometric, its form clad in yellow and purple hues. …A floating jester? The mysterious interloper was just hovering there, watching with its legs crossed as though it were enjoying its favorite TV show while lounging upon the sofa…
"W-what…?" Grodus squinted as his ocular cameras adjusted beneath his goggles. He'd never seen such a thing before… What was that…?
Something was very much not right.
Noticing that it was being watched, the creature turned and gave Grodus a massive, beaming smile and a happy wave, almost as if it were seeing an old friend. Then, with a dramatic flourish, it suddenly dissolved into thin air, leaving not a trace behind.
"What!?"
The former X-Naut overlord stared at the empty space. …Had… had he really just witnessed that? Who!? Why!? Was somebody spying on them? Were they after the actors? …Or, what if…
What if he was actually starting to go insane?
He'd spent months sitting idly within his room, scarcely leaving it except for when forced to by Crump or one of the other particularly nosy X-Nauts. He hadn't wanted to think about anything, to have to acknowledge the state of his body, the state of his organization… Just getting up to the top of the nightstand, even with the ramp that his soldiers had installed, had been extraordinarily difficult for him. If he were awake, if he decided to try, if he forced himself to exist in this world that had refused to change, despite him giving up everything he had in his quest to bend it to his will…
He'd have to accept reality.
He'd have to accept that he had failed. That he had lost. That what he had would never return to him. And that everything was already moving on without him.
He'd heard the voices in the halls – their whispers spoke of renovating the area and expanding underground. …But, even then, his own name hardly ever came up. Everything was "Lord Crump" this, "Lord Crump" that…
Grodus hadn't come so far just so he could fade away into obscurity, rusting away in the corner as he slowly lost his grip on reality.
Making up his mind, he bounced off the nightstand while being careful not to roll down the ramp as he had several times earlier that morning. One, two, three careful hops forward… After having successfully cleared the first obstacle, he came across the next: the flap at the bottom of the bedroom door.
Bracing himself, he jumped against it, though he got somewhat stuck beneath the weight of the heavy plastic. After a bit of wriggling, he was finally able to pass on through.
Next up were the stairs.
As he bounced back and forth, trying to figure out the best way to go down them, he couldn't help but curse his fate. …He loathed them all. Each and every one of those cretins that had gotten in his way… No, not just them. He hated everything. The world was broken, filled with sorrows and endless problems and useless deities in the sky who didn't do a thing to fix it, despite having the power to grant any wish. ...And, even further, it had punished him so very harshly for even daring to believe that he could remake it into something worthwhile.
In reality, he still didn't want to go out there. …But, if he didn't, would there soon be a place in the world for him at all?
With a determined hop, the mechanical head positioned himself just right, aiming to make a controlled bounce to the first step. Clearing his mind, he jumped forth…
…and missed, instead toppling over the lip of the first stair and falling, one step at a time, all the way to the bottom. The X-Nauts that had been milling about on the first floor panicked as he slammed into the floorboards, letting out concerned cries as they rushed to his side and reached for him with their hands.
"Sir Grodus!?" "Sir, are you okay!?" "What are you doing…!?"
Ignoring the worried soldiers around him, Grodus righted himself and continued to move forward.
"You don't understand! I'm not LIKE you!"
Vivian called out those words, clutching a fist to her chest as her clone stood before her and regarded her with a chilly glare. The doppelganger's long, straight locks rustled in the wind with an otherworldly shine, its head topped with pointed, golden hair ornaments that resembled antlers…
"You should've never gotten involved with them in the first place, you fool!"
Her monstrous "sister's" words dripped with malice.
"You didn't even give them a chance!" Vivian called out, spreading an arm as she motioned to the world behind her. "We have no reason to hate them! We're not all that different, if you would just-"
Though the front door of the dormitory was situated behind the other shadowy being, Vivian could still see it from her position. And so, when it suddenly creaked open, she couldn't help but peer curiously over the transformed Doopliss's shoulder. …How strange. The X-Nauts should've been aware that their crew was taking advantage of the dormitory's haunted, imposing looks for their movie's dramatic climax, so they should've been using the back door at the moment, but…
The person that exited the building was not at all who she expected to see.
It was not an ordinary X-Naut, but instead Sir Grodus himself that popped out. The robotic head bounced one step at a time as he slowly made his way onto the lawn – she could see a confused-looking soldier beyond him, timidly holding the door open.
Vivian held back a gasp. Why had he suddenly come outside…!? She quickly glanced up at the window where she'd seen him earlier – only to find that the spot was presently empty.
"CUT! Cut, cut, CUT! …You, over there!" Bow called as she angrily smacked her fan against her director's chair, "I told you all to stay away from the front of the building! Listen to my instructions!"
Grodus glared at her, clearly annoyed. Yet, before he said anything, a certain someone else rushed forward.
"Uh, sorry! So sorry about that, buh huh huh!"
Crump, having rapidly and forcibly recovered from his own shock at seeing his once-powerful boss strangely out and about, jumped in front of the irate Boo and began edging towards the bouncing mechanical head. "This is completely my bad, I, uh, forgot to tell him! Let me just go grab him and we'll get riiiiiight on out of the way…"
With that, the X-Naut commander ran over to Grodus, then leaned down and talked to him in a low whisper. Seemingly accepting whatever was said, the mechanized head nodded and then hopped silently alongside Crump, joining him towards the back of the set.
Apparently, he was planning to stay and watch. Vivian could feel herself beginning to sweat.
"…Fine. It's not like we haven't already done a million takes…" Bow sighed. "All right, once again!"
Vivian and Doopliss returned to their initial positions, having trekked just a small ways down the path so that they could get a moving start. On Lady Bow's command, the camera began to roll once more.
"Sis, wait!" Vivian called out as she tailed her sibling, extending a hand even as the other being continued to trudge forward. Yet, she was ignored completely, with her sister not giving her so much as a single glance.
Just as the twin shadow approached the building, Vivian caught up to her and reached out to grab her by the arm. However, her sister immediately slapped her hand away. The other shadow then turned back and regarded Vivian with a cold, harsh expression that dared her to try it again.
"You are NOT to touch me, you traitor!" Her voice reverberated over the scene. "Don't pretend as though you don't know why! Of course you know why, you've always known why…" Then, pivoting, she continued to move forward, acting as though she were about to vanish into the dormitory.
"I said WAIT!" Vivian followed and reached for the other shadow's hand once more, this time successfully wrapping her fingers around it. However, as she did, a goggled face off to the side caught her attention, back towards where Goombella and Flurrie were waiting…
Grodus was watching her. Intently.
As Vivian opened her mouth to say her next line, her mind went blank. …Grodus… he really did scare her. The fact that he was so close, without even so much as a pane of glass to form a physical barrier between he and her… She shivered as she met his gaze. He'd always scared her, what with his icy demeanor and the way he looked down on even Beldam, treating them all as if they were nothing to him…
And then there was the way he'd acted beyond the Thousand-Year Door, within those dark, haunting halls. …She recalled the exact moment when he'd unveiled Peach. The way that he'd threatened them all, pointing his scepter at them and unleashing raw, painful bursts of lightning. If Bowser hadn't fallen through the ceiling when he had, Grodus absolutely would've…
"CUT!"
Bow pointed her fan at Vivian and scolded her. "Focus! Where are you looking? Doopliss is standing in front of you, not over there!"
"I…" Vivian trailed off, staring at the ground.
Seeing Grodus from beyond had been one thing, but she hadn't been mentally prepared for him to suddenly show up on the set. …Though, perhaps she should've been. He hadn't come down during the times they'd practiced, but he'd also never witnessed them actually filming before. It was the first time Flurrie and Goombella had come along, too…
With an irritated sigh, Grodus spoke up and glared at Vivian. "…Is my presence here a problem for you, shadow?"
Her breath caught in her throat. "N-no… no, I…"
Yet, Bow responded for her. "Yes, it is!" she growled as she turned to him and Crump. "You're distracting my performers! We're working here – stay off the set unless you have permission!"
"I was asking that demon over there, not you. Right now, you are intruding on my property. Know that I will go where I so please!"
"Wha-!?" Bow snarled, "Who are you to talk to me like that!? I was invited here! …Oooooh. Oh, I see…" Her eyes narrowed, a smirk appearing upon her face. "You're this army's good-for-nothing ruler, aren't you? The one who mopes in his room all day? Gweaah heh ha, I see, I see! I was wondering if I'd get to meet you eventually…"
Grodus glowered. "You…! You dare to disrespect me!? Not only that, but these are my men that you're attempting to command! It is not your place to do so!"
"Gwah hee haa! Does that make you angry?" she snickered. "It's not as though you were using them. Why do you even care? Go back to licking your wounds in your little corner, you pathetic dome-headed thing."
"How DARE you speak to me in such a tone, you spoilt, foolish wraith…!"
The two of them began to argue ferociously, spitting absolute venom at each other with an aggressive hatred that made Vivian want to sink into the shadows and hide. She snuck over towards Goombella and Flurrie - the three of them exchanged a bewildered look as they silently tried to decide whether an intervention was necessary.
Crump was the first to try. "Uh, whoa, Grodus! Hey, Bow!? Hang on just a second, let's talk this out!" he hollered while attempting to wedge himself between them.
"SHUT UP!"
Both turned to him and screamed directly into his face.
"S-sorry, sorry…!" The bulky X-Naut squeaked in a tiny voice as he delicately backed out of the way, his confidence and energy draining from him in the blink of an eye. Their heated quarrel continued.
The crew watched on helplessly.
Finally, after several more minutes of exchanging harsh verbal blows, Bow threw up her arms. "I've had ENOUGH of this!" she yelled as she pointed towards Crump. "YOU! Take your useless leader and get him out of here! I'm going for a stroll – this nuisance had better be gone by the time I return, or else!"
That was the end of that. Having made her decree, Bow turned and floated down the path headed towards the main gate. Crump looked after her receding back, then at Grodus, then at the rest of the crew.
"Buh… crud! I, uh…" He took a step towards Grodus, then glanced back at the indignant ghost. "…Urrrghhh! I'm… I'm going to go talk to her! Just… hang on for a second, okay!?"
After one last look at Grodus, he chose to instead run after Lady Bow. Everyone left behind stared at the lone mechanical head, then at each other, their uncertain whispers filling the air.
"…Well, what is it!?" Grodus growled, now freely letting his hostility show. "If you fools have something to say, then say it to me directly!"
Goombella began to open her mouth as she prepared to tear him a new one. However, Flurrie spoke first.
"Now… no more of this. I daresay we all need a moment. Let's leave this place and cool our heads for a short time, shall we?" She motioned for the crew to follow her.
"Yeah, that sounds good…" "My gracious…" "Um, sure…"
The others trailed after the cloud spirit one by one, backing away from the stewing cranium. Doopliss wasted no time in darting past their aggressor and down the path. Even the X-Nauts took one last, fleeting glance at Grodus before they hobbled on along, saying not a word to him.
"Come on, Vivian. Let's leave this nasty doofus behind," Goombella grumbled.
Yet, Vivian remained and observed him closely. …The once-respected overlord stared as all his soldiers walked away from him, trailing along behind Flurrie as they left him sitting in the grass. Alone. She could still feel the anger emanating from him…
But, she'd noticed something else in the way that he'd yelled earlier. The tone in which he'd screamed the words "shut up" sounded more than a little familiar to her… She'd heard that exact same phrase in that exact same voice sometime fairly recently.
She needed to have a little talk with him.
"…Please, go on ahead without me," Vivian ushered Goombella forward, "I promise I'll be alright. I'd like a moment alone, though…"
Goombella gave her a strange look, raising an eyebrow as she gazed into Vivian's face. Then, after a few seconds, she nodded hesitantly.
"If you say so…" She looked back at Grodus, still scowling. "If anything weird happens, you better scream as loud as you can! I'll headbonk his lights out so fast!"
With that declaration, the Goomba girl trotted off after Flurrie and the others. After watching her disappear down the path, Vivian gave Grodus a stern-yet-firm glare.
"...Shadow. I have nothing to say to you," he snarled, stubbornly turning his head to face away from her.
"But I have something to say to you."
She stared down upon him. He eyed her suspiciously, glaring at her from the side - she could feel a strong distaste from behind his lenses. Anxiety gripped at her stomach, leaving the sour taste of bile within her mouth. Even knowing that he wasn't capable of doing anything to her, she still couldn't help but be intimidated by him.
Yet, she felt the need to speak.
"You're completely awful!" She started in on him as she clenched her fists. "Your soldiers… they've been doing the best they can! They care about this film, too… so, please, don't ruin it for them!" She rebuked him, fighting back the urge to run. "And Crump! He's always thinking of you – he's been really worried! Whenever he talks about you, I can feel how much he cares… but you just yell at him all the time! Please, treat him with some respect!"
"…What? What is this nonsense?" Grodus glared, his tone biting. But, Vivian continued.
"You shouldn't treat the people who love you like that!"
At her words, he let out an incredulous laugh.
"GAAAAACK ACK ACK ACK! Truly? Is that all you had to say? …How ludicrous. You legitimately don't know a thing about me or them, you fool! Don't pretend as if you do!" he cackled, acting as though she'd just said something absurd. "Besides, I don't care what you think of me. Call me awful all you wish, shadow."
"I-I… You…!" she stammered, taken aback by his laughter. "I'm not joking! Listen to me!"
"Well? Is that all you wanted? …Just what is it that you're after?" he questioned her with an accusatory stare. "Just why are you here, doing all this?"
Vivian hesitated. …She wasn't sure how much he was truly interested in hearing her answer or, if he was genuinely curious, just how much she should tell him. Was he just going to shut her down no matter what she said next? Did he just want an excuse to belittle her? She wanted him to take her seriously, but…
In hopes of reaching whatever little heart existed within the depths of this maddened tyrant's core, she decided to be truly honest.
"…I… Beldam and I got into a big fight." She bent her head. "She hasn't been doing well, ever since… then. I needed to start doing something new with my life, too. …Away from her. I was feeling very lost, so when Crump appeared and started begging for help, I…"
Grodus's expression darkened at the mention of Beldam's name. However, instead of questioning that part, he simply asked, "…And you listened to him?"
"Hmm?" She looked up. "To Crump, you mean? …Um, yes. I thought all this was really sketchy at first, so I originally came out here to investigate, but… he's been very sincere. I can tell he's really trying."
"A bleeding heart will earn you nothing but trouble."
Vivian ground her teeth. Anger stirred within her at those words.
"You just want to be blind to the good in people!" she chided, clenching her fists once more. "Always looking at everything so negatively, trying to find nothing but faults… Doesn't living like that get exhausting!? That attitude… if you keep it up, you're going to end up all alone!"
Suddenly, Grodus went silent. Then, speaking softly, he responded…
"...I know."
Leaving it at that, he looked away.
Still angry, Vivian fumed as she spat out a few more choice words. "Just… learn to value people! That's all I wanted to say!"
Her case stated, she turned and began to head down the path, thus following the same trail as the others. The trees around her rustled unsteadily; their leaves stirred loudly, scraping at her eardrums like claws. Her heart hurt – as much as she disliked Grodus, she still wanted even him to improve. If only he and Beldam would just listen…!
As she went, Crump ran past her, headed straight back towards where Grodus was still sitting. She peered back as she contemplated calling out to him. However, before she could, a voice called out to her instead.
"Vivian! Come here."
Lady Bow beckoned to her. The Boo and the rest of her crew were stationed down the path, crowded around a small patch of dirt to the side, their faces firm and focused.
With a nod, Vivian drifted over and took up a spot towards the edge.
"This has been ridiculously troublesome," the Boo noble sighed with exhaustion. "We've been having a little talk. The chunky one's going to go have a word with his boss, but… well, let me cut to the chase. Vivian…" she grumbled, "Just how much does it bother you to have that idiotic man on the set? Do you think you'll be able to work with him there so long as he's quiet, or is it a dealbreaker? Answer me honestly."
Vivian raised a pensive hand to her chin. …She didn't exactly like having him there, but…
"Mmmm… I think… I think I'll be okay," she responded. Honestly, she was feeling a bit better after having yelled at him herself. "I'm sorry for all the trouble. I really was just surprised to see him again. …I wasn't ready for it."
"Ugh! Seriously," Goombella complained. "Like, ew! I almost lost my lunch when I saw him! Why couldn't he have just stayed out of the way? You were finally making good progress on that scene, too…"
Vivian frowned. …As Goombella spoke, she could hear the X-Nauts whispering amongst themselves.
"I'll accept my part in this. …I shouldn't have insisted upon filming in front of that building. I didn't think it'd be a problem, considering how things had gone during practice, but… clearly, it was," Bow conceded with a growl. "If we hadn't come so far already, I'd just back off, but… well, it's not ideal, but we can make it work."
The others shrugged. …Nobody seemed particularly keen on the idea of continuing to work with Sir Grodus breathing down their necks.
"Crump was out here making an absolute fool of himself all over again, prostrating in the dirt like the world was going to end," Bow continued. "As long as he can get that cad to keep his mouth shut, I suppose I can tolerate it, but…"
Goombella snorted. "You really think he'll go for that?"
The group stood in silence for a few minutes and waited while they pondered the awkward situation they'd stumbled into. It wasn't much longer before Crump returned, trundling down the pathway while gasping for air.
He stopped before the party, then took a few deep breaths as he doubled over and wheezed. After finally composing himself, he glanced up at Lady Bow and gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
"He's… whew… he says he'll be quiet!" Crump panted, "Just… ignore him… he says…"
"Well, yeah, I was going to ignore him," Lady Bow huffed. "I don't need his permission for that. …Fine, then. Come! Let's head back up – don't give that nasty little robotic head a moment of your time! He's nothing to us!"
Reluctantly, the crew exchanged glances. …But, despite their obvious hesitation, Bow had already turned and was floating back towards the dormitory entrance. Vivian gave a little nod as she steeled herself.
With a decision reached, they all followed her back to the set.
Much to their collective surprise, the rest of the day went reasonably well.
It had taken Vivian more than a few tries to get fully back into character, though Grodus's stare was no longer the issue. Instead, she went back to struggling with the exact same thing as she had before he'd arrived.
The reveal of the "true culprit."
In that dramatic scene, Vivian was meant to follow her sister and stop her before the foot of their family's mansion. They'd then have a confrontation in which it was revealed that her sister held a deep-seated hatred for all outside of their kind and that her family had been completely irate when Vivian – or, rather, Violet – had departed for the outside world. The murder plot had been revenge against her husband for taking her away.
Certain parts of the script hit a little too close to home for Vivian.
"This was your punishment!" Doopliss hissed, echoing his lines perfectly. "You should've remained here! In the shadows, with us… You never should have mingled with those dirty outlanders! Now, come with me, you backstabbing worm! In my mercy, I shall grant you one final chance to redeem yourself…"
Her… punishment…
Vivian's stomach gave a jolt at his words.
"Don't listen to her!" Pennington called out. The Bumpty extended a flipper from afar, his advance thoroughly blocked by her sister's dark magic. "You are more than your family! Don't go back to her!"
Her… family…
Vivian did the best she could. However, she couldn't help but get caught up in their words.
Regardless, after many takes…
"CUT!" Bow let out a yell, thus signaling the end of the session.
The shadow let out an exhausted sigh, nearly deflating to the ground as she drifted over towards Goombella. "You did so good!" Though she could hear her little Goomba friend saying as such, she scarcely registered the words. Instead, she went in for a hug and let the warmth of the embrace comfort her in her tiredness…
"Viviaaaaannnn…" She could hear Goombella cooing from her shoulder as she squeezed her maybe a bit too hard.
Then, with a giggle, Vivian let the Goomba girl go. "Thanks for your support. It really means a lot…" she whispered.
Unfortunately, this was the last time Goombella would be able to join her for a bit. …The busy student would soon need to kick into overdrive on her senior thesis, and there were yet more materials that she needed to grab from the depths of the Thousand-Year Door. She'd be headed back out on another research stint as soon as tomorrow morning…
But Vivian was oh-so-thankful that she'd been with her up until that point. Smiling happily, the shadow fought back the urge to sniffle.
"Come on, don't cry! I won't even be gone that long, geez!" Goombella laughed. "I'll send you a letter as soon as I'm home, I promise!"
Vivian nodded. "Mhmm… you better! Whenever our movie comes out, I really want you to watch it with me…!"
"Of course, silly! I'll be right there at the premiere!" The sassy little archaeologist winked.
The shadow stared into her friend's eyes, into those big, dark, but loving irises of hers… and fought back the urge to hug her once again. If it weren't for the situation, she probably would've given into the impulse, but…
"All right, everyone!" Bow shouted, cutting their emotional moment short. "We're nearing the very end! Meet me back at the location in Poshley Heights tomorrow at our normal time – if all goes according to plan, we should be wrapped up with filming by the time the week is out! Arrive at your absolute best!"
Vivian could hear cheers from all around. …They had really almost done it. All they had left was the ending, and then, finally…
"Dismissed!"
Bidding Goombella one last, longing farewell, Vivian picked up her bag and prepared to leave. She could already hear hammering from above again – X-Nauts were swarming over the roof, the walls, the windows… Construction had begun once more.
As she floated back to her shed, she stole a glimpse at what was sitting directly outside the entrance: a pile of fuchsia paint buckets. Once they finished fixing up the main building, her home would be next.
The days ahead were looking good. After refilling the parrot's food and feeding him a saltine cracker, she wriggled down into her warm quilt and got comfortable for the night. A contented smile spread across her face as she slowly drifted off towards the land of dreams.
She was so very, very close to clearing yet another extraordinary life goalpost. …Just a little bit further to the finish line.
With a bouncy cheer to her demeanor, Vivian floated down the streets of Poshley Heights early that morning. She'd treated herself to a full, hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast in celebration of yesterday's victories – and in anticipation of the wonderful day to come.
As she approached the area where they were filming, she could already hear the hustle and bustle of people. …The crew certainly must have been excited! They normally weren't so loud…
Yet, as she rounded the corner, she was met with a horribly confusing sight.
Lines of yellow tape covered the windows and doors of their workplace, warning none to enter. Just before their property, a wall of bodies, each one of them angry and glaring, blocked off any who dared to approach. A familiar golden Bob-omb, clad in a ritzy top hat, stood at the front and commanded the attention of any onlookers.
"Stand back!" Goldbob yelled.
Slack-jawed, Vivian peered at the various faces about their front lawn. The movie crew was nearby, each and every one of them, plus a few extras – Lady Bow, Flurrie, Pennington, Doopliss, Petuni, Lord Crump, their respective employees, and even Sir Grodus… All were physically present, and yet all looked equally lost.
"Just what is the meaning of this!? Answer me!" Bow shouted back, her rage clearly building with each second that ticked by.
But Goldbob didn't see fit to give her a proper explanation. …Not at that moment, anyways. Instead, he merely hollered at her again, standing proud and firm as he stared her down with an aura of unquestionable authority…
"None of you shall pass!"
Chapter image: i imgur com/5sl7m9T png