"What's that?" Goombella asked as we made our way back to the Thousand-Year Door. I was currently thumbing through a journal Flavio had given me of our time on the island. Most of it was him postulating and a heavy amount of his woes and…'daring escapades' that he had while on the island…a good number of them being straight up plagiarizing the crew's hard work along with made up scenarios to round it out.

"Something literally not worth the energy to read or write." I replied pocketing the notebook and mentally reminding myself to classify it as kindling for emergencies. I could only guess at where the map was going to send us next with the track we've been on. Wouldn't be shocked if it sent us to a den of explosive siders at this point. The buzzing of my scroll had me come to a stop, making everyone else do the same as I pulled it out. Another e-mail from Alice!

"Soren,

Still okay. Working with a weird computer called TEC to gather any information I can. Still haven't found out where in the world I'm being contained but I did grab one some data on their whole evil plan. As weird as it is to admit, I think I can trust the computer with analyzing it. He seems…weird…but not as hostile or rude as these X-morons. When he's got the data analyzed I'll send you more info. Stay out of unnecessary trouble.

-Alice-" That weirdly puts my mind at ease. At least she has some form of help there…at least I hope it's help and not just a trap…shouldn't dwell on that.

"How weird." Peach commented. "Trusting a computer?"

"You don't think you would in her situation?" I asked and Peach thought for a moment.

"…I don't know. It's still weird to even think about though." With a shrug, I turned back to our path and eventually came to the Thousand-Year door.

Stepping onto the pedestal, I held up the star and watched as it made its way to its spot, disappearing into a symbol like the rest and letting the map fill with its energy before falling back into my hands. Goombella was quick to jump up to look over my shoulder.

"Where are we headed now? Dark dungeon? Ancient Pyramid? Volcano!?"

"Do you have a death wish?" Looking over the map, I was confused by the new spot on the map. Not so much because it was in an odd spot; on the contrary, it seemed to be a museum in a small town connected by a train rail to Rougeport, "A direct route?"

"Where is that?" Eggi asked hopping onto my shoulder.

"No clue. Goombella?" Goombella scrunched her face up as she thought before giving a look of realization.

"Poshley Heights!"

"Poshley what?"

Back at the Professors house, Frankly pulled out the one thing I didn't expect to be in his book collection, a brochure for an upper class town from how the pictures look.

"THAT Poshly Heights?" Bobbery asked. "Scarlet and I tried booking our anniversary there one year. Needless to say, it was out of our price range."

"How far out we talking?" I asked, dreading the response.

"Far enough out that seeing it from here would have been the anniversary."

"I think the train ticket prices are-" I stopped Goombella as she tried to thumb through the brochure for various costs.

"Please don't. That knowledge might actually kill me."

"Regardless." Franky yelled, grabbing our attention. "I'm fairly sure there is a shrine to the star called Poshley Sanctum.

"Sounds like a tourist attraction." Koops commented.

"It is!" Flurrie said. "I've seen it once our twice while there for a performance. I remember being dazzled by its sheer beauty and radiance. I only hope I won't be disillusioned after seeing the ones we've collected."

"That mean you can get us there for free?" I asked and Flurrie gave a dramatic sigh.

"Alas, all my trips were covered by the theater. I am amiss to admit it is even outside my means to get us there without a costly sum." Damn.

"The good news is that there are no dangers to face in getting there." Frankly brought up. "You'll just have to ride the most famous train of all! The Excess Express! After a luxurious steam engine excursion, the next Crystal Star will be yours!"

"After a kidney, liver, heart, and brain have been exchanged of course." I said sarcastically.

"Even those won't get you the amount you need." Mowz brought up a bit TOO matter of factly.

"We could ask Don Pianta?" Peach offered and I felt my skin crawl.

"After letting his daughter run off, I'm not too sure we're welcome in his presence." I informed her.

"But we brought his darling daughter happiness!" She said with an oh so cheery and ignorant smile. I was willing to bet Peach had made her dad pull his hair out on several occasions…but I guess this was the only option we had left.

"Alright, me and Peach will go check in on the Don." I turned to give the others the order to gather supplies…but this was a luxury train. Odds are we wouldn't need anything beyond maybe something for anyone motion sick, "Hmm…not much I can really delegate here…guess everyone just take five while we deal with this."

"I'll be taking a sit at my home then." Bobbery announced. "Sea legs are barking to be put up for a spell."

"This is a perfect opportunity to find a new style." Flurrie said with a glint in her eye.

"I'll take care of some personal business myself." Mowz said with a wink towards me before making her way out the door.

"Guess I'll take this opportunity to check in on Koopie Koo." Koops said as he pulled out…what I could only assume was their version of a communication device and not just a Gameboy SP. Looking over I noticed Eggi had fallen asleep in the corner of the room; guess his engine finally ran dry. That just left Vivian and Goombella.

"No way I'm missing this follow up." Goombella said intent on staying for our grizzly future death. Or, at the very least, to watch us get fitted for cement shoes.

"U-Um…I don't really have anything else to do…b-besides, I'd rather make sure Beldam can't sneak up on you guys." Oh, that's a good point.

"Smart move. Stay close to me and Peach." Her cheeks went a small shade of pink as she scooted closer to me…weird.

Stepping into the shop we were met by the ghostly cat-girl cashier who cheerily greeted us with the usually rehearsed sales-associate smile.

"Welcome! What were you looking to buy today?"

"Actually…Yellow?" I wasn't quite sure how to speak in code that I wanted to speak to Don Pianta. If it were really a secret then I couldn't just outright say it. She just sighed in response.

"Code only works if you know what you're trying to say. The door is open if you want to see him but he's been a bit under the weather since his daughter eloped…thanks for that by the way." She gave me a cross look. I wasn't quite sure what her beef in all this was and I got the feeling I didn't want to know.

"Thanks…and sorry I guess." Walking past her and out the backdoor, we made our way up the steps and into the Don's office space. Seems she wasn't kidding when she said he was under the weather; his desk had been replaced by a king size bed that he was currently tucked into and looking blue enough in the face to pass for a berry.

"Yous again?" One of his men said as we approached the bed.

"What happened?" I asked as the Don muttered in his sleep.

"Ngh…Francesca…"

"Big man has been sick wit' loneliness ever since his daughter skedaddled." The other man answered.

"And with our under-boss Frankie gone, da boss is in shambles…what's a syndicate to do?"

"Not let a rival family know for starters." Goombella answered.

"Little late for dat. A scruffy gang of punks have been stealin' jobs from us right an' left." Suddenly I felt the imposing force of the two of them as they closed in on us. "But I think I'm more interested in what yous punks want wit' da' boss sick?"

"Just tickets!" I quickly answered as Vivian looked ready to disappear into the floor. "We just need tickets for the Excess Express."

"You want tickets for dat rolling wingding? Ain't nothin' we can do about dat. You got to talk to da boss for dat." Don Pianta moaned his daughter's name forlornly in his sleep. Don't think were getting anything out of him in that state.

"…How about a favor then?" Peach offered making their heads turn to her. "I'm sure he'd perk right back up from seeing his little princess. Why don't we go find her?"

"Good joke. How's you suppose to find her?" She thought for a moment before turning to me with a look of realization.

"Didn't we see them on Keelhaul Key?"

"Oh yeah." I said mirroring her look. "They got shipwrecked there and then decided to stay when we left."

"Let's go get them and bring them back then!" Goombella formulated.

"If you know where she's at then be a pal and bring her back!" One of the goons yelled desperately.

"We're on it." I replied before turning to Peach. "Better let the others know this'll take a few hours." With a nod, Peach whipped her device out and rapidly started e-mailing everyone else. Hope they could entertain themselves for a while. Guess it was back to the week-long imprisonment I escaped.

I took in a deep breath of the jungle foliage…yep, just as humid as I remembered from ten hours ago.

"Let's make this quick." I announced. "I'm sure this place is hell for you three too."

"Definitely doesn't do anything good for my hair." Peach replied trying to smooth out her hair as the humidity took its toll. P-Patch had said they were in the jungle for something so hopefully they didn't get far.

"Did you find it Frankie?" Speak of the Pianta.

"Not over here my sugarplum." Through a small patch of foliage, we came across the couple currently searching every bush and blade of grass for something. Noticing us out of the corner of her eye, Francesca stood to greet us.

"Oh, hi there…Soren?" I nodded, "Soren. Sorry, we're a bit busy looking for something." Peach gave a gasp before pointing to Francesca's hand.

"Where's your wedding ring!?"

"That's what I'd like to know! I dropped it somewhere around here and I can't find it."

"How did you notice that?" I asked in utter amazement at her laser precision on the ring being missing in only a few seconds. Peach immediately got into my face with an outraged expression.

"A lady must take note of items dear to them, sentimental jewelry being one of them! A missing wedding ring is a serious matter!" Whoever marries Peach will never be able to lose their ring.

"Well, we're here because the boss is sick." Francesca gasped and Frankie immediately stood up to give us his full attention, "We came here to get you two to hopefully make him feel better."

"Oh my…" Francesca turned in place as he contemplated, "I can't leave without that ring though. Something may eat it! I'm sure it's somewhere between here and that skull rock…"

"My fuzzy little coconut-" Frankie started, "-maybe we should forget about the ring for now an' check on da boss." Both Francesca AND Peach gave long gasps.

"How could you say that, Frankie!?

"A symbol of your eternal bond is too important to just forget about!"

"We HAVE to find the ring!"

"It's unthinkable NOT to find it!"

"Or maybe…you just don't love me anymore." Oh no. As Frankie stuttered to defend himself from both his wife's fury and Peach's, I pulled Goombella and Vivian away who were watching the whole thing in confused amazement.

"Maybe we help them find the ring to speed this whole…thing, up a bit." Vivian nodded.

"You two go ahead." Goombella said turning back to the chewing out of Frankie. "I'll look around here and…watch this strange spectacle unfold." Guess the researcher in her won the fight against her own survival instinct.

"Just don't get hit by any debris that ends up thrown." I warned and she gave a thumbs up.

We had ended up at the skull rock entrance to the cave as we searched for the wedding ring. Although given the fact we were looking for a ring that goes over one finger didn't make this as quick as I'd hoped for.

"A small band with an even smaller shiny rock on it." I said out loud as I rummaged through a bush. "You'd think it would stand out against the grass."

"Um…maybe not the ring…but the stone would." Vivian commented. Turning around I saw her holding the wedding band…with a diamond ten times the size of the ring.

"Guess it pays to be the daughter to a syndicate head." I commented looking over the enormous stone.

"Must be nice to have a caring family member." Vivian gave a sigh as she looked at the stone.

"I'm surprised you stuck with your sisters for as long as you did." I commented and she let out another sigh.

"They can be a bit…unfair…but they're family…I didn't have anyone else like them." She let out a small smile, "Until I met you." I gave a chuckle and her cheeks pinkened, "It's good to be around people who are nice…e-everyone else included."

"Sometimes the right influence is all you need to find your own confidence…but, maybe don't give up on them yet." She gave me a quizzical expression, "It's just…if you care about them maybe you can be the good influence for them when this is all over."

"Yeah…maybe…thanks."

"I just want to make sure you can mend your relationship…before anything irreversible happens." … "Come on, let's head back to the others." Turning around to walk back to the Pianta couple, I suddenly felt Vivian grab my hand with both of hers.

"I-If you need my help, I'll do my best! So…just ask!" I stared at her in amazement for a second before smiling.

"I will. Thanks. Same for you. Anytime you need it, I'll be there." She nodded before putting her hands behind her back and staring at the ground…she'll be alright, I'm sure of it.

Meeting back up with Peach, Goombella, and the PIanta couple, I was amazed to find him still running through, 'I love you's.

"Still!? We were gone for ten mintues!"

"Peach tacked on an extra hundred." Goombella explained. "He got winded in the middle and was forced to start over." Oh, this poor guy will never defy his wife again. I stepped in to stop but was stopped by both Goombella and Vivian, giving me a chance to see the fire in Peach and Francessca's eyes…almost made a bad move.

"*wheeze* I…love…you!" In an instant, the rage fell away from them replaced with a content smile from Peach and an adoring expression from Francessca.

"Oh, Frankie, baby…you're such a silly billy!" She gave a girlish giggle that just had me terrified.

"I um…found the ring." I cautiously brought up. A double squeal followed by the ring getting snatched from my hand and placed into Francessca's hands didn't even leave me time to cover my ears.

"MY RING! Now we can go home to daddy!"

"We sure can my little Cheese n' Cracker! Let's go!" Thank God. Feel like I just watched a cautionary tale about married life.

A few hours later and a hurried pace through town we were back in the Don's office with Francessca looking over her father distraughtly.

"DADDY! Wake up! Open your eyes!" She shook him violently and the two goons quickly moved to pull her off…only to be thrown back by her wild movements.

"…Francesca?" At her fathers words, she let go and let him plop his head back onto his pillow.

"DADDY!"

"BOSS!"

"Oh, my little Francesca! You came back for me! An' you, too, Frankie!" he lept from his bed and brought his daughter and son-in-law in for a hug.

"Of course we did Daddy! As soon as we heard you were ill, we dropped everything and rushed back!" Bold face liar. I could see the look in Frankie's eyes as he internally struggled to keep his mouth shut.

"Francesca, Frankie…I was wrong. I was a stubborn old man. Forgive me. I know I may regret saying dis, but…I want da two of youse to stay here. Wit' me. I can't bear to be away from you two crazy kids. I'm an old man now. I need peace…" With a small jump, the Don leapt from his bed to his feet, dusting himself off and standing up straight as he adjusted his tie and hat, "I guess da time has come for me to stop bein' so selfish, causin' everyone trouble…looks like Don Pianta, da Don of Untimely Death, can't escape da old age…da time has come, everyone. I'm gonna retire." A gasp came from every side of the room, followed by disbelieved words and begging gestures to rethink, "No. It's time. I mean it. An' I want you to be my successor, Frankie. As of today, you are da new head of da Pianta syndicate! I want you to take care of Francesca an' da rest of da syndicate…da way I did." Frankie just stood there in disbelief of his new role before Don Pianta place his hand on the young mans shoulder and he stiffened up, "You'll do good, I know it." With his words given to Frankie he turned to the four of us, "You, Soren. It looks like you done me yet another favor, kid."

"Yeah…about dat boss." One of the goons spoke up and the Don gave out a heavy sigh.

"Dis is gonna be just bee-yoo-tiful, I know it. What did you guys do?!"

"Well, uh, we kinda promised him somthin', boss. Told 'im we'd get tickets for da Excess Express if he brough your daughter…" He raised his eyebrow before letting out a belly laugh that left me unnerved.

"Is dat all!? You had me worried for a second! Here kid, help yourself!" He reached into his coat and pulled out a fat stack of lifetime train tickets tied together by a rubber band and plopped them into my hands with a thick sounding thud. These weren't the cheap life-time passes either, the card stock was solid and almost looked indestructible. He suddenly slapped me on the back, "You come back anytime you like, how 'bout dat?" I nodded and he laughed again. With a tip of his hat to Frankie, he walked out of the door without another word. As soon as he did, Francesca leapt at Frankie, grabbing him into a tight hug.

"Frankie, I'm SO happy for us! We've got lots of work to do! And don't worry: I'LL keep you in line."

"Sweet bean, c'mon!"

"Knock it off with the pet name nonsense, will you? Call me Francesca!"

"F-F-Francesca?"

"Yes! Or, 'Miss Boss'! Tee hee hee!" And there's the REAL Syndicate boss sinking her fangs in. I gave Frankie a sympathetic hand on the shoulder.

"Good luck Frankie."

"Th-Thanks…just know you're welcome here anytime. You're like a bruddah to me." There was a pleading look in his eyes as he said that…he was doomed. Peach gave a sing-songingly sigh.

"Ah, love is so beautiful."

Stepping out of the shop cover, I looked over the passes, a feeling of relief washing over me as now it was a straight shot to the next star.

"Alright, with these it should be a straight shot to Poshly Heights." I said turning back to the girls.

"A nice relaxing train ride." Peach said with a dreamy sigh. "I know the adventure has been exhilarating but there's something about a luxury train ride I can never pass up." Probably her blue blood lifestyle missing some comforts.

"Poshly Heights eh?" The cackling and dry voice of Beldam caught my attention as I moved to guard Peach, Vivian looking more frazzled as her head darted around to find her sister. From the shadow, the old witch stepped out and gave us a gnarled and toothy grin.

"Beldam!?" Vivian yelled in shock. Beldam gave Vivian a withering glare.

"Normally, this would be where I would finish you and the traitor off before grabbing the princess…but I am no fool to attempt that alone. So enjoy your…relaxing trip." With her signature cackle, she slipped back into the shadow of a nearby building and disappeared completely. So much for a relaxing train ride.