"None of you shall pass!"
The golden bomb decreed as such with a smug look upon his face, the tips of his sleek, well-groomed little mustache twitching in anticipation of his and the acting crew's inevitable conflict. A thick tension permeated the familiar Poshley Heights filming site that morning, its forceful presence separating the two opposing groups as they stared each other down.
Goldbob hadn't come alone. No, much to the contrary, the man was surrounded by a horde of other Bob-ombs and Toads, all of them looking just as prim, proper, and ready to argue as he. Together, they formed an impenetrable wall of sparkling monocles, polished shoes, and strapping fashion that completely blocked off the filming site. Many of the individual faces felt familiar – Vivian could've sworn she'd seen most of them milling about town, largely over towards the train station.
"Just what is the meaning of this!?" Bow hollered, snarling as she fanned herself in outrage. "You! This is my property – whatever your issue is, I don't care! Out with you all, now!"
"I'm afraid that won't be happening, you horrid creature," Goldbob spat as he stepped forward. "I'm seizing your assets for being a public nuisance – your meretricious presence in our community has brought our property values down and lowered our collective social status! We simply cannot stand for it a moment longer! We're here to evict you, effective immediately!"
"You… you're here to WHAT!?" The mint-green ghost stared back at him and his army of bourgeoisie in disbelief. "You think you can kick me out!? Just like that? You're out of your mind! …And what do you mean 'meretricious!?' You wouldn't recognize true class if it slapped you in the face, you gaudy dud!"
Goldbob let out a huff. "Oh, no, no. I assure you, I and the other elite folk here most certainly can…" Using his eyes, he gestured to those gathered behind him. "Do not be mistaken, for we form the very backbone of this town! The true upper crust – the top percentile! We can, and we will, see it done."
Staying quiet, Vivian glanced at her fellow crew members and gauged their reactions. Flurrie wore a troubled expression upon her face – and yet, she didn't move to intervene. Instead, she floated quietly near the back of the crowd, keeping close to the smirking Doopliss and fuming little Petuni. Though Petuni in particular was giving Goldbob quite the exquisite stink eye, he didn't exactly seem to be paying her any mind. Meanwhile, everyone else – including the Bumpties, the X-Nauts, the Toads, and the Boos – simply appeared annoyed, confused, bored, or a mix of all three. Notably, none stepped forward.
"Isn't there anything we can do…?" Vivian whispered as she crept in close to Flurrie. The venerable cloud spirit was usually so reliable, and yet…
Flurrie merely shook her head as she gave Vivian a sympathetic look. "I'm afraid not, darling… The golden gentleman over there is entirely correct. Their influence would be enough to reshape the entire entertainment industry if they so willed it... Good heavens. I must apologize… I had earnestly hoped that my partnership would be enough to gain their respect and get your crew started on the right foot, but..."
"Oh, no, don't apologize! None of this is your fault…"
Vivian gave her friend a soft, understanding smile, then turned and simply watched as the argument continued to unfold.
"You foolish man, don't you see!? I'm doing you a favor by keeping these X-Freaks collared!" Lady Bow used her fan to point towards a specific portion of her entourage. "They're what you have a problem with, right? They'll just keep running wild if you don't use them properly! With me here, everything will be fine!"
If looks could kill, the one Grodus gave Bow would've. Yet, he spoke not a word.
Still, despite the Boo woman's reasoning, Goldbob aggressively shook his head. "That's not it, not at all! Those crooks most certainly are a sizable part of the issue, yes… but they're not the only hooligans here! Rather, the more recent and substantially more hostile of our issues are currently floating over there…"
He glared directly at one portion of Bow's group in particular: the sanctum Boos. In response, they collectively let out a playful little giggle, covering their mouths as they gave a guilty dance in the air.
"…What? What do you mean!?" Bow gasped as she realized, then turned to scowl at them. "You didn't…!"
The Boos snickered and spun about, sticking out their tongues. …They'd been caught. After a moment of whispering amongst themselves, one of the purple pranksters came forward and gave Bow a little nod of acknowledgement, thus confirming her suspicions.
"Soooorrry, Lady Bow… hee hee hee!" the Boo began to explain, grinning all the while. "We just haven't been outside in soooooo long. We'd forgotten how much fun it was and maybe got a little excited… These rich folk types are just so much fun to scare, you see! They never expect it, heeee hee hee hee!"
"Wretched things…!" "Nasty, horrific creatures!" "They came out of my toilet!" "They broke all my fine china!" The angry crowd hurled accusations at the Boos while jeering at them.
Bow pressed a hand against her forehead and cursed beneath her breath. "…Uuuuurrrrggggh, you idiots! Well, it's not that I don't understand – it's just what ghosts do, after all… but, still! Learn to control yourselves at least a little bit! There's a time and a place for everything!"
"Soooooorrryyyyyyy…" The group chortled quietly.
"Sorry simply does not cut it! We won't be having any more hauntings or dealings of illicit substances in our neighborhoods – and that's final!" Goldbob stomped, standing stalwart before his enemies.
At that last statement, Grodus did break his silence.
"…Pray tell, what do you mean by 'dealings of illicit substances?' You can't possibly be referring to…?" he questioned, hopping forward while eyeing the golden Bob-omb suspiciously.
"You know exactly what I mean, you lout! Those dirty, jumpsuit-clad men behind you have been lurking in dark corners and offering to sell suspicious 'performance-enhancing' formulations to the populace for dirt cheap! My wife has been absolutely livid! We are raising a child in this environment!"
"They've been what!?" Grodus turned to Crump and glared at him. The X-Naut commander merely shrugged.
Meanwhile, Bow could only grumble in response to the mob's complaints. "Well… you all might have a point, but… Look, it won't happen again! Believe it or not, I really do want to start something wonderful here. My intentions are pure!" She attempted to reason once again as she looked Goldbob in the eyes. "I'll make certain to keep all these brainless morons in check from now on. Besides, the Boos are from here – and now that they know what they've been missing, they won't go back quietly unless someone watches them properly!"
After some whispering amongst the X-Nauts, Crump piped up as well. "Yeah, uh, we actually don't want any trouble either. We did make those potions, and advertising like that probably wasn't the greatest idea ever, but… if you'd give us a chance, we could make you something real nice instead. We know how to make things like vacuums, pool cleaners, cell phones… All the works!"
"We don't want those, we want you gone!" Goldbob called out as he stomped another foot against the ground. Affirming voices to the effect of "yes!" and "indeed!" rang out from beyond him. Though, after a moment of thought, he did add on one last inquiry: "…Besides! Even if I were… ahem… perhaps the slightest bit interested in potentially turning a mind-boggling profit by using the low-cost labor you penniless paupers could provide… do you even have a business plan in place for something like that? Starting up a new manufacturing plant is quite expensive, you know!"
"Uuuuuuuhhhh… I mean, we don't got one right now, but…" Crump trailed off, shuffling his feet.
"Then the idea is little more than a pie in the sky! Begone from here, you foul ruffians!"
The shining crowd began to yell at them, all the while chanting for them to turn around and leave immediately. Yet, Bow continued to float proudly before her opponents, her arms crossed threateningly.
"Hmmph! I'll have you know my Boos and I could simply throw you out of here if we so wanted! Regardless of the legitimacy of your claims, you have some nerve to challenge me like this, GWAH HEE HAA…!"
Though the stubborn Boo's aggressive intent was clear for all to see, Flurrie floated forward to stop her. As the two began to speak in hushed, clipped tones, Vivian strained to think of what she possibly could do to help…
They'd already worked so hard. The shadow herself had poured countless hours of practice into their project, oftentimes continuing to rehearse even after she'd arrived home. How many late nights had she spent floating by her mirror as she repeated her lines again, and again, and again? …Not to mention that they were mere scenes away from finishing. She'd really been looking forward to showing the final results to Goombella, to her other friends, to Beldam, maybe even to Mario...
Since the end of their journey with the mustachioed hero, everyone else had been working on great things. Moving forward. Finally, she'd been able to do something worth being proud of, but… was it all going to end? Just like that? Sure, the crew could probably move to a different location, where they'd throw together the final scenes and ship the movie out anyways… but…
But what about going forward? …Were they going to be forced to give up on their long-term TV studio plans? Was she going to have to go back home to her sisters…? Vivian knew she could see about joining up with Flurrie's troupe instead, but she still really didn't want to trouble her like that…
Regardless of what came next, she didn't want things to end without a fight.
While trying to force her more existential worries aside, the shadow searched her mind for any and all ideas. …If he were there, Mario definitely would've come up with something. He always knew who to talk to, where to go, how to push people in the right direction… What would he do in this situation…?
An idea formed in Vivian's mind.
Sneaking over towards the X-Nauts, she quickly caught Crump's attention and began to whisper to him. "…Um… Hey, Crump? When you started talking about manufacturing, Goldbob seemed kind of interested, didn't he…?" she murmured, leaning in close. "I think I sensed something in the way he was talking. Do you think maybe he was serious about that…?"
The X-Naut general thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I kinda got that vibe, too. Dude totally had coins shining in his eyes for a second there, but…" he trailed off, shaking his head. "…Crud. It really sucks that we've got such a supply problem right now. With some hard work, we could probably pump out a handful of cool gadgets, but we're not gonna be able make much more than that. We were really hoping there'd be someone out there willing to bankroll us after getting a few tech samples, but…"
Vivian gave a little grin. "Actually… I think I might have an idea for who could help with that. It's a bit of a long shot, but…"
Grodus, listening in from below, gave a little hop.
"…Is that so? Truly? Do speak, shadow…"
Vivian and her two X-branded confidants crouched behind a large, leafy hedge, having relocated to what appeared to be a relatively quiet and secure area. They'd been careful to make sure that nobody stood within direct earshot before speaking, and yet…
"BUH HUUUUUUUUH!? Are you for real!?"
Crump's cry would've been enough to alert anyone nearby to their dealings.
"Keep quiet, you fool!" Grodus scolded him in an attempt to hush his voice.
The bulky man obediently fell silent for a moment. But then, pressing his fingers together, he began to grumble in whispered tones.
"But… him? You sure that's a good idea?" the large man scoffed. "Like, yeah, I sure do remember him! Grodus, you have no idea how annoying this dude is. A guy can only hear about 'tales of raw bravery' this or 'boom-bassa-boom!' that for so long before he straight up wants to walk the plank. We listened to him blab for days! It seriously sucked!"
Vivian let out a little giggle. Crump was right about that, but… "He really does have the money for it, though. And, from what I've seen, I think he's been itching for adventure again… If we can sell the idea to him, we might be able to strike up a little deal! I think he'd really love the idea of telling his stories to a bigger audience, hmm hmm hmm!"
She knew from her ample experience with him – the man in question was flighty, eccentric, and easily influenced. If they could really play it up just right, if they managed to push their agenda juuuust hard enough to get the cone-nosed merchant caught up in his raw emotions and hopelessly elaborate delusions of grandeur… then they'd have him on the hook.
"Huuuuuuuhhhhhh…" Crump hummed as he crossed his arms, deep in thought. "But… I mean, me and him have kind of a bad history, you know? Like, I can't say I'm gonna be too thrilled to see him. Can't imagine he'd be too excited to see me around, either…"
"If I'm there, though, then maybe…?" Vivian paused as she pressed a thoughtful finger against her lip.
Yet, it was true. As absent-minded as Flavio could be, even he likely hadn't forgotten – or forgiven – his violent confrontation with the X-Nauts. And Crump had been the one leading them at that time…
"Don't concern yourself with that, Lord Crump. I intend to be the one to speak with this man!"
Grodus gave a tiny hop as he firmly voiced his intent. Vivian and Crump both stared down at him and tilted their heads, though the stubborn little machine merely returned their questioning looks with a stern, unyielding glare.
"…Yeah? You sure about that, Grodus…?" Crump warned his boss. "I'm tellin' you, this guy's a real piece of work. I pretty much promise he'll drive you nuts."
The robotic head nodded without a hint of hesitation. "I'm completely certain. I am the supreme leader of the X-Nauts – and thus, I'll be the one to make the final decision. The negotiations shall be my responsibility. …And I alone shall be the judge of this merchant's actual usefulness."
Vivian frowned, eyeing the determined little dome as she contemplated the option. …He… wanted to go to Rogueport with her? To the bar…? She really wasn't sure how good of an idea that was, though it was at least true that Flavio hadn't directly encountered him before… Maybe Grodus's current stature and lack of mobility would make him a bit less intimidating? Though, with his nasty temperament…
"Mmmmm… I… suppose you can, but…" She chewed on her lip. "Maybe let me do most of the talking at first?"
"…Fine, if that is your requirement. But, just to be absolutely clear… I don't trust you, shadow," Grodus growled. "None of this means that we're on friendly terms. All I desire are the resources - if working with you fools will bring the X-Nauts and I one step closer to success, then so be it."
Vivian let out a little grumble. …He didn't have to say that much. Yet, the prideful ruler of the X-Nauts continued speaking, completely ignoring the discontent upon her face.
"Now, for the other part of this plan… that juvenile Bob-omb that you mentioned. That's him over there, correct?" Using his whole head, Grodus motioned over to the curb. A small, round figure sat atop it, a portable game system positioned before their innocent-looking face.
Reluctantly, the shadow nodded. "Mhmm. I'll go talk to him about everything. And, um… I'll mention the other thing we agreed on, too."
Even if little Bub had been hesitant to let Vivian get involved in his problems before, he did have a certain weakness. …Vivian had recalled Goldbob once lamenting that a certain item was lacking production within Poshley Heights. If the X-Nauts could manufacture things such as vacuum cleaners and toasters, then…
"…Truly, now… using the enemy's child against them? That's quite devious of you…" Grodus cackled. "Gaaack ack ack ack! It appears that you and your elder sister are more alike than you seem..."
Guilt blossomed within Vivian's chest. She did feel more than a little bad about manipulating anyone... Really, she really didn't want to think of what she was doing in that light. In the end, if everything went how she was hoping it would, it would benefit all parties, but…
…No. If she wanted to get ahead, she had to be strong. Firm. Mario never backed down. He would've found the best solution for everyone, using every resource that he had available… Grodus was wrong about her actions.
She was different from her sister. Different from Grodus.
She was trying to do the best thing for everyone.
And so, she shook her head in disagreement, edging away from the X-Nauts as she moved towards Bub. "No – it's not the same. Goldbob might not know it yet, but this will be good for him, too. Just watch and see..." she spoke as she gave Grodus a powerful look.
Her heart calm, she made her way over to the little Bob-omb and began to talk to him.
Though Vivian's quiet determination remained, even she wasn't immune to fatigue.
The shadow could scarcely feel her arms. And yet, she trudged forward with all she had, her limbs wrapped solidly around a certain metal dome. If she dropped him there, in the middle of the dirt-covered Rogueport streets, she'd never hear the end of it…
The trio were more than a bit of an odd match, with the particularly strange forms of at least two of them contrasting heavily against the typical species one would usually find roaming the area. …Not that the folks in town weren't often strange in their own special ways, but the more the shadow considered her present company, the more ridiculous everything seemed.
After leaving Crump behind with instructions to monitor the situation and keep it from escalating any further, Grodus had, with more than a little protesting and posturing, finally allowed Vivian to carry him. With his entire bulk in her arms and Bub close to her side, the shadow slowly pulled both of her charges towards the relative safety of Podley's bar.
…Grodus was heavy. So very, very heavy…
Letting loose a puff of air, Vivian stopped for just a moment to set him down and rest. Her arms were screaming with pain, her palms covered with sweat, her hair stuck to her back... "…Gee whiz…" she complained softly, rubbing at her muscles while she panted.
Grodus bounced just a few inches away, then squinted at her exhausted figure from beneath his goggles. His ocular cameras let out a little whir as they adjusted. "There's absolutely no possibility I'm that heavy. Cease your dramatics, shadow!" he barked, apparently somewhat offended.
But he really was that heavy. …Yet, Vivian wasn't about to argue with him. Instead, she simply leaned back against a nearby brick wall and took a deep breath, then turned to Bub.
"Hmm hmm hmm… we're almost there! You remember what to say, right?" she giggled as she confirmed one last time that Bub truly understood what his role in everything was.
"Yes!" The small Bob-omb nodded, more chipper than she'd seen him in a while. "I've got it, Missy! I just respond when you need me to, right?"
"That's right, you've got it! You'll do great," she smiled.
If everything went according to plan… their task would be simple enough. They'd stopped in the underground for a quick rehearsal along the way, where they'd come up with some pre-prepared lines and discussed exactly how they'd move the conversation along. ...Now, they just needed to convince Flavio.
Picking Grodus up once more, Vivian and the orange-hued bomb child moved towards the inn. Vivian was extra careful to never let Bub wander out of her sight - if anything happened to him, she'd never be able to forgive herself. Thankfully, they were already closing in on their destination.
The familiar wooden door let out a little creak as they entered. The shadow gave a slight sigh of relief as the scent of fruity alcohol caressed her senses once more, beckoning her further in. Even if just for a bit, she'd be able to pause and rest her arms…
While doing her best to ignore the curious stares of the other early morning patrons, Vivian quickly made her way towards their real target: the inn's notoriously loose-lipped, yellow-skinned merchant. He was sitting at his usual table, where he was absent-mindedly nursing a cup of purple liquid while idly flipping a golden coin before him…
Flavio was there, just as expected. Thank goodness.
"…Ah? Valerie again, is it?" The bored merchant peered over his drink as Vivian and her incongruous party approached. "What do you want from Flavio this early in the day, ah? The look upon your face makes one shiver in his boots!"
"My name is Vivian! And we need to talk to you – it's very important!" Taking initiative and seizing control of the conversation before Flavio could lead them all on an unrelated journey through his memories, Vivian plopped Grodus down atop the other side of the table and took up a position between them.
"What… is that ugly thing over there?" The plume-head squinted as he looked Grodus up and down. "Val- …erm, Vivian… did you bring me a fancy fish bowl? …It is not to Flavio's aesthetic tastes. Not at all. But… the appearance of this awkward appliance tickles Flavio's brain cells… Have you presented this unsightly trinket to Flavio once before?"
"…Well, I see that Crump wasn't incorrect in his assessment," Grodus sighed, his voice already tinged with irritation. "This pompous fool is the one we're looking for, then?"
Upon Vivian shooting him a look, Grodus fell silent.
The trader's eyes widened. "…By Flavio's riches! This thing, it speaks!?"
"Um… well, yes, but… Grodus isn't a 'thing.' Grodus, if you could introduce yourself properly…?" Vivian eyed him, hoping that he'd remember what they'd talked about on the way there.
Grodus huffed one more time, then looked Flavio in the eyes. "…Yes. My name is Grodus, and I am the supreme leader of the X-Nauts… or, rather, of what remains of them. I hear that you are quite familiar with one of my subordinates. I do believe you knew him by the name of 'Four-Eyes'?"
"Four-Eyes… Four-Eyes…?" The merchant pondered for a moment, looking thoroughly confused before his face lit up with recognition. "…Ah! The dread pirate that tricked me and attacked my crew at Keelhaul Key! The reminder fills me with such anger…! And you are telling me that a talking fish bowl leads those sea urchins…!?" He slammed his drink against the table, his face reddening slightly. "Such insanity! To approach a man and assail him like this, while he takes solace in the gentle comforts of his free time…! I ought to kick you down the alleyway with the wrath of a thousand angry men, you awful, awful thing!"
Grodus glanced at Vivian, cueing her to move the script on along and shut the raging merchant up.
Mustering her best sense of drama, the shadow pounded an earnest hand against her chest and stared Flavio down, an aura of fiery passion surrounding her. "Listen to me, dear Flavio! For today… today, this strange, dome-headed creature comes bearing what you seek! I know what it is that you're thinking but, please, hear him out – you simply must!"
"What Flavio… seeks?" Startled, the merchant gazed upon the shouting shadow with confusion - and, more importantly, with a light hint of curiosity.
Their performance had begun.
Grodus coughed, looking more than a little out of his element, but picked up where Vivian had left off. "…Indeed. Flavio, listen well... for I, Sir Grodus, come to you today with a most pertinent business proposal."
The merchant let out a little gasp, then clenched his teeth.
"A… business proposal!? From you lot of ruffians!?" Spittle flew from Flavio's mouth as let out a yell. "Don't make Flavio scoff! Why would one such as I ever be interested in such ridiculousness as working with you… X-Nuts!? Fool me once, shame on you, but fool me twice and…!"
"Flavio, listen! You don't understand! We're here because we know exactly what it is that you need in your life right now…!" Vivian slammed her hands upon the table once more, pushing past her anxiety and getting deep into character as she attempted to latch onto his heart. "I know of it! The disrespect you're shown every day, the lack of interest from others in your great accomplishments… I know of it all!"
"You… you do?" He mewled like a kitten beneath the shadow's sudden force of will.
People were staring at them. …Vivian could feel her audience's eyes as they craned their heads in an attempt to watch the drama that was unfolding. One of the sailors was nearby, observing with a keen interest as they witnessed her taking Flavio for a ride…
But she fought back against her growing embarrassment.
"Yes! And that, my dear Flavio, is what we're here for! We're here to invite you along on a fantastic journey into the spotlight!" She swept a gloved hand towards the ceiling, motioning as if unfurling the stars. "You've certainly thought of such a thing before, haven't you!? Imagine! Bringing your image to the big screen, broadcasting your heroic tales before hundreds, no, thousands of people, all across the globe… Flavio, your vision has simply been too narrow! There's an entire world out there beyond Rogueport – and they're waiting to see you!"
She continued speaking with all her might. The merchant's mouth fell open as he imagined the sheer breadth of the possibilities before him…
"The X-Nauts here… they were lost, wandering about with no sense of purpose, terrorizing the great seas and the people of Rogueport… but! Today, things are different! Currently, they are joined under the same banner as I, seeking thrills and emotion within the realm of the fantastical – within the world of movies! And so, to reach our lofty goals, we need your expertise as an experienced and highly acclaimed adventurer – we need you, Flavio!"
Dramatically, she pointed a finger at Flavio, his eyes now sparkling with an intense interest.
Slowly, the enraptured merchant began to speak. "So, you… you do understand Flavio's heart. A man's endless lust for romance and thrills, his desire to experience tales of glory and fabulousness, his true worth never appreciated by those around him… ah, it is most wonderful to hear of such a thing, yes! To have one see what truly matters and to share in my goal, ah, it is so, so very…" he whispered softly. She swore she could see a tear forming at the corner of his eye.
She also swore she could hear a groan from Grodus's end of the table.
But she wasn't done yet. And so, her attempts to sell their purpose pressed onward. "You understand, truly - we need this! …However. A certain obstacle stands in our way…" Solemnly, she bent her head and clasped her hands together. "…A man by the name of Goldbob does not appreciate our venture. He seeks to run us out, unless we can provide him with a reason not to…"
Flavio gulped. "…That scoundrel, Goldbob! I know of him – the classless ruffian! Always thinking he's better than Flavio, just because he has slightly more in the way of millions…! Pah! To that, Flavio spits upon the ground!"
That bit of information didn't slip past without notice. Vivian peered over at the leader of the X-Nauts, who, despite his vexation with the dramatics, seemed to suddenly gain new confidence.
"…Indeed! Such an offense cannot possibly be ignored, gaaaack ack ack ack!" Grodus cackled loudly. However, quickly settling down, he added, "But, we must solve the immediate issue before we even begin to think of how we might best Goldbob. …And, for that… we must first work with him. If we are to continue with our movie-making venture, we must secure a successful business deal before all else… and you, as I hear, have all we would need."
Access to the ports. Cheap, easy transportation of raw materials. A fleet of boats that could be used to carry their goods to foreign landmasses and, most importantly, the money and influence to show Goldbob they were serious…
With Flavio on board, they could do it.
"Work with… Goldbob?" Flavio tilted his head, perplexed. "…But… Goldbob has never shown an interest in Flavio before! He has no sense of true greatness! Always making Flavio feel most unwelcome, acting higher and mightier, as though he has lodged a stick far up his rear end…!"
Vivian probably should've expected that there'd be some history between the pair. It wasn't entirely a shock that two of the richest men in the land would've crossed paths a few times... nor was it a shock that two of the men with the largest egos in the land would've butted heads.
She could sense an excited energy coming from Grodus. With this new information, the X-Naut leader hammered in the final component of their strategy.
"…Well, then… why don't we show him your true worth? This shall be your chance to establish yourself within his territory, gaaack ack ack ack!" Grodus laughed, motioning to Bub with his head. "In fact… Goldbob's son, Bub, has joined us today. Goldbob and Bub both have expressed interest in the manufacture of a specific item but have apparently fallen short of securing a plan to actually get their hands on it… Now, I do wonder. What do you think might happen if you partner with us to produce it, hmmmmm…?"
"That's right!" Bub chirped from nearby, munching quietly at a cookie while he watched the proceedings with innocent eyes.
Grodus slyly peered over at the trader, hinting. With a gasp, Flavio clapped his hands together.
"…And then… that golden bomb will be made to bow his head to Flavio!?" The stunned merchant smacked a bewildered hand against his head, a vision of the future floating through his mind.
"YES! That's precisely it! As you can see, we have much that we can offer you… and much that we need to discuss," Grodus growled as he gave Flavio an enticing look. "Now, if you are willing… perhaps you and I ought to have a conversation with Goldbob?"
Flavio clenched his fists, looking between Vivian and Grodus as he began to sweat with anticipation. Then, closing his eyes, he sat in deep thought, creases appearing across his forehead…
Vivian and Grodus peered at each other. …That was about the best they could do. If Flavio and Goldbob both accepted… then the realm of possibilities would open up before all of them. The ability to manufacture goods, the freedom to use Flavio's trade network to spread their movies far and wide, the firm establishment of a niche for themselves within the business of Poshley Heights, and more…
Finally, after several moments of tense silence, the merchant let out a groan, slammed a hand against the table, downed the rest of his drink, and then made for the doorway.
"I have decided!" he announced, turning back to look at Vivian with a twinkle in his eye. "I will seize life by its opulent horns! …Take Flavio to Goldbob, this instant!"
"Yes!" Vivian beamed as she took Grodus into her hands once more. Bub obediently trailed by their side as they marched out the door and headed swiftly towards their next goal.
With that, they had won the first battle. The rest of the war still waited for them.
Chapter image: www tumblr com/thegroduschronicles/764632160139345920