Game Jumpers: Paper Mario 64

by Kooper Shellington

Join your favorite SSU Crew as they jump into various video games! The SSU Crew decides to jump into the world of Paper Mario, a land made completely of paper! Can the crew make it through the story of Paper Mario in their own unique ways? How will the original plot react with the inclusion of the teens? Read and find out! Rated T for minor language.

4. Side Quest Squabbles!

Welcome to another chapter of Game Jumpers! Last chapter, our merry band of heroes set out to tackle the daunting Koopa Bros. Fortress. On the way there, they stopped at a small quaint village called Koopa Village, where they found their Blue-Shelled helper, Kooper. After assisting him and the village from a Fuzzy takeover, Kooper vowed to follow Mario and the gang to the ends of the earth! That's not the only help they found, however as one of Kimani's lost pals, Jordan, was also found! After freeing him from his binds, Jordan and Typhoon offered their assistance as well, giving the team some much-needed muscle. With the party strengthened, the party finally arrived in Koopa Bros. Fortress, where they tackled many different foes, both old and new. The party ran into a snag when half of them ran into a trap but as if it were faith, they met a spunky Bob-Omb named Bombette, who was jailed after rebelling against the Koopa Bros. Seeing their goals intertwining, Bombette offered her support and with her exploding expertise, they were able to blitz through the fortress until they finally reached the head honchos in charge. The Koopa Bros. After a long, hard, and rather exhausting battle, Mario and his party were victorious and were able to free the first Star Spirit, Eldstar! Can the party keep up this momentum and rescue the others? Let's find out!

---

Chapter 4: Side Quest Squabbles!

The group stood outside the fortress, fully healed and ready to continue their adventure. In front of them floated Eldstar, who floated around them. He stopped once he got their attention, opting to float before them.

"Mario, I believe you'll save us all... From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate all you've done. Thank you," He started. Mario simply nodded while the others smiled in return.

" Since you have freed me from my prison, the seal on my power is broken, and I will recover it little by little. As long as an ounce of power remains in me, I shall help you,"

"Help us how?" Jordan asked. Eldstar smiled before quickly circling Mario, Kimani, and Jordan, filling them with energy. Once he was done, everyone looked confused.

"So... We're shiny now?" Kimani asked. Eldstar laughed loudly before he shook his...body.

"No, my young lad. I've bestowed some of my power upon you. You can now use my Refresh ability in your battles,"

"Refresh ability? How's it work?"

"Come. Let us enter battle so I can explain," Eldstar told them as they entered battle with Eldstar being on the opposite side. Before Eldstar started his explanation, Kimani was curious and had Goombario Tattle him, but he didn't have any information on him.

"Now, Mario. Please use my Refresh ability," Eldstar told him. Mario put a finger on his chin. If this was anything like the other vague lessons, all he had to do was think it. He did just that, causing Eldstar to move over and hover over Mario. He then spun around him, granting Mario 7 HP and 7 FP. Mario looked at himself in interest as Eldstar went back to his spot.

"Excellent! Oh, be wary of using my ability more than once in a battle. Repetitive usage of my Refresh ability will have diminishing effects. Now, for the next ability, I'll have Kimani demonstrate,"

"Sure. What do I have to do?" He asked, stepping forward.

"Now, you all share Star Power, so keep that in mind. Every turn that passes, you'll gain a small amount, but if you Focus, you can gain a large amount back,"

"Focus... Alright," Kimani repeated, closing his eyes and clapping his hands before him, uttering a quick prayer. A star-shaped sparkle surrounded him, causing the other two to feel a plethora of Star Power return to them.

"Well done! Using Focus or a Star Ability will take your turn in a real battle, so plan accordingly. Also, resting at a Toad Inn or using a Heart Block will also restore your Star Energy. Have I made myself clear?"

"Crystal!" Goombario exclaimed. Eldstar nodded before ending the battle, floating in front of the group again.

"Mario and friends...listen carefully. You must save the other Star Spirits quickly! If the seven of us come together, we'll be able to bestow upon you a Star Power called the Star Beam. The Star Beam is the only thing that can counteract the Star Rod that Bowser wields. I have to go back now... back to Star Haven. I must leave immediately. But I'll always be watching you! Save us all, Mario!"

"We will. And thank you for the help," Kimani reinsured him. Eldstar nodded before he spun quickly and took off into the air.

"And there he goes..." Kooper muttered, taking a quick puff of his inhaler. Bombette jumped in place rapidly.

"We should start moving towards the next Star Spirit ourselves! Let's go, boys!" She exclaimed, taking off towards the exit. Kimani grabbed her by her braid, however, stopping her.

"Loving the energy, Bombette, but we have no idea where the next Star Spirit is..." He deadpanned, causing her to sweatdrop.

"Oh... whoops, teehee,"

"Well, guess we should see Merlin again, right Mario?" Goombario asked. Mario, who was deep in thought the entire time, nodded before he fixed his hat and started towards the exit, with everyone following. During their walk, Kooper asked to stop at Koopa Village to get a few more items from his place before they headed out, causing Mario to nod. Before they got too far, Mario spotted a cracked wall, causing Bombette to offer her assistance in blowing it up. Mario went through the hole and jumped down the pipe that greeted him. He appeared seconds after on top of the building next to them. He whistled to the group, catching their attention and letting them know he was following a path. Everyone nodded before he continued down the path, eventually reaching a small chest. He kicked it open and found a triangle Badge with a flower and a yellow shard. Mario returned to his group afterward, showing his earnings to the group.

"Oh, an FP Up Badge? Nice find, Mario!" Goombario exclaimed. Mario nodded before he offered it to Jordan or Kimani. Jordan didn't use FP as much as the others, so he declined it, while Kimani offered to take it, mentioning his high FP-costing moves. He returned Mario's Power Stomp Badge, which he thanked as he recently noticed his lack of answers damage-wise. Mario placed the Badge back on his shoes, draining the rest of his BP while Kimani attached the Badge to his necklace. With the Badges sorted out and the yellow shard back in Kimani's possession, the group backtracked their steps until they ended up...

---

Koopa Village

...Back at Koopa Village. Kooper quickly sprinted back to his house while the group idled around the area. Bombette, who had never been here, looked around in awe.

"Oh my god! This place is so cute!" She exclaimed. A question mark appeared over Goombario's head.

"You've never been here, Bombette?"

"No! Why? Is that weird?"

"No, not really. But to give you a rundown on where we are, It's Koopa Village. Big surprise! Koopas live here. Recently, it seems like some Bob-ombs have moved here, too. They must have run away from the fortress, huh?"

"...Yeah, you're right! I do remember a few faces here! That's so nice of them to allow Bob-ombs to live here,"

"Yeah, well. Our mayor always told us to lend a helping hand to people in need," Kooper told her, returning to the group.

"Got everything?" Jordan asked. Kooper nodded.

"Yeah. However, I had to explain to the Bob-Omb family that moved in that it was my house they were staying in. I don't mind it, however. I just didn't want them to think I was robbing the place or anything,"

"Sweet,"

"Oh, Mario. I also stopped by the Mayor's house to see if he was ok. He's fine, but he wants us to find someone named Goompa and grab a tape from him,"

"My Goompa? Weird. And what tape does he need?" Goombario asked. Kooper shrugged.

"He was weird when I asked him about that. Something about keeping it under wraps. I didn't ask again after that,"

"...O...K... I guess we'll just have to ask my Goompa when we see him again," Goombario put together, still weirded out by the whole situation. Mario shared his concerns but shook his head, leading his party back towards Toad Town.

---

Pleasant Path

The gang had made their way through the majority of Pleasant Path without significant problems. Once they crossed a bridge, they continued walking until...

"Hold it right there, Mario! You too, Squirt! I've been waiting for you!"

"What the... who was that?" Goombario asked. Mario and Kimani both groaned loudly.

"A headache..."

"I told you I'd be back! Now I'll get my revenge! Here it comes, baby! Check this out!"

The owner of the voice, who was none other than Jr. Troopa, came flying out of the bush, missing the group and teetering towards the edge.

"Dwaaaahhhhhh!" He screamed as he flew into the water. As he climbed back up, Firebrand and Typhoon appeared outside their amulets, sharing a look with everyone. Once he was back up, Jr. Troopa shook the water off him and pointed at Kimani and Mario.

"Mario! I'm talking to you! I promise you, this fight will be much different from before!"

"Hey, boys... who is this again?" Bombette whispered.

"Jr. Troopa. He's the owner of some playground me and Mario fell into earlier today. We kicked his butt after he threatened us, and now he has a grudge against us," Kimani whispered back. Jr. Troopa still heard him, however, and stomped the group.

"Shut up! You! Mario! Of course, you remember me!?" He screamed, cutting off Kimani and pointing strongly at Mario. Mario wasn't thrilled about how he treated Kimani, so he played coy and pretended he didn't know him.

"What!? Listen you... You big lug! My name is Jr. Troopa! Remember it and tremble!"

"Oh yeah. We're for sure shivering in our timbers..." Typhoon deadpanned. Jr. ignored him as he charged forward, sending the group into battle. Kooper and Goombario made way for Firebrand and Typhoon while Mario allowed Goombario to start behind him.

"Get ready to hurt, Mario! I'm gonna show you a new special skill I just picked up!" Jr. announced as he roared and simply... ducked into his shell.

"Yeah! Check that out! You've never seen anything like it before, have you? Your attacks are useless now!"

"Well... I guess he has something of a point... What was his name? Jr. Troopa? I don't remember exactly... ...Just joking, kid! Max HP: 15, Attack Power: 2, Defense Power: 1. He looks so adorable hiding in his egg, doesn't he? So cute! It should be a snap to beat him now. ...I think," Goombario told everyone, tattling on him. Mario decided to test this by simply hopping on him, dealing no damage. He didn't do anything afterward so that Kimani could go next. He chose to Power Punch him, dealing two damage to him and bringing him down to 13. Firebrand didn't do anything.

"Yeeowch! Who knew that Mario had such battle skills?" Jr. Troopa whined.

"That wasn't even h-" Kimani started, getting cut off.

"Grrr...it's not over yet, though! I even brought backup!" He exclaimed, whistling and making two Koopas appear. One went in front of him while the other stayed behind him. However, they weren't special, so Mario could still see their health bar, which had a 4 under them.

"You can call whoever you want! We'll smash through all of them!" Kimani heckled. However, he was bonked in the face for his taunt, taking two damage. The Koopas followed up with some Shell Shots of their own, which he failed to counter, causing his HP to drop to 11. While Kimani grumbled to himself. Typhoon went next, slamming the ground with a punch. The following earthquake dealt 1 damage to the Koopa in the front and flipped him. The other two took no damage, but the rear Koopa fell over as well. Jordan clobbered the Koopa in front, taking another two from him and leaving him with one. Jr. Troopa tried to dive into Jordan, but he was blocked by his shield, dealing no damage. The turns rolled back to Mario, who tapped his Power Jump Badge and dealt another 2 to Jr. Troopa while Goombario finished the front Koopa. Jr. Troopa clobbered Mario for 1 due to his guard while the rear Koopa got back to his feet. Kimani rushed forward and did a Dragon Uppercut to Jr., knocking him into the air and dealing 4 damage to him, putting him at 7. He flipped and axe kicked him down towards the Koopa below, dealing another 4 damage to Jr. and dealing 2 damage to the Koopa below, flipping it as well. Firebrand spat a Fireball at the downed Koopa, incinerating it. Jr. looked at his remaining 3 in frustration before he charged Kimani, but he was paying attention and spun, repelling Jr. away from him. Jordan was able to finish him when he swapped Typhoon with Bombette and had her Bomb him into oblivion. The group did their win animations before they exited the battle, seeing him sprawled out on the ground.

"Easy!" Bombette exclaimed, causing Kimani, Kooper, and Typhoon to grunt in response. Everyone else just sweatdropped as they started walking towards...

---

Toad Town

...Toad Town, where they were instantly stopped by a loud cry of Mario's name. Mario looked up and saw a small yellow star flying towards him, causing him to wave his hands in a panic and dodge the star. Kimani took the blow for him, causing him to let out a "GURK" as he fell over with stars surrounding his head. One of the stars left his head and shook itself, revealing it to be Twink.

"Mario! Mario! It's me, Twink. Remember me?" Twink asked. Mario nodded before he raised a hand, asking a question. Twink listened before he looked down at Kimani, who was being brought back by Kooper waving a Mushroom in front of him and Firebrand poking and prodding him in the side.

"Oh, sorry! I was just in a rush! I heard you saved the honorable Star Spirit who was captured by the Koopa Bros!"

"Yep. It was a tough battle, but we pulled through," Jordan told him. Twink smiled before he turned back to Mario.

"Bowser and his gang are so angry about it! I knew you could do it, Mario! You're on your way! But enough celebration for now. I came bearing important information for you,"

"Like what, little dude?" Kooper asked, noting that Kimani stirred a bit. He gave the Mushroom back to Mario before he helped Kimani back to his feet, who had a large knot on his forehead.

"It seems that one of the Star Spirits is being held captive somewhere in Dry Dry Desert. Bowser wrote it in his diary. Some place called Dry Dry Ruins. The princess braved the dangers of the castle to get you this clue, Mario! If we find out anything else, I'll hurry back to tell you. I have to go back to Her Highness now. She's so brave! I hope this news helps!"

"This helps out a ton! Thanks, Twink!" Goombario exclaimed. Twink nodded before he took off into the sky again. Mario waved him goodbye before he checked on Kimani, who shook his head and rid himself of his knot as a result. He still overheard everything, so he gave Mario a thumbs up afterward, causing Mario to return it. Afterward, the group decided to gather supplies and unwind before proceeding toward Dry Dry Desert. Before anyone got too far from each other, a small dog-looking child walked up to Mario and tugged on his sleeve, making him look down at the child.

"Hey, mister! My dad's opened his shop. Don't you wanna take a look? It's really cool," The kid asked. Mario pondered this momentarily before raising a hand and asking a follow-up question.

"It's a Badge shop. For Badges. Come on, check it out. We have lots of rare Badges, so take a verrrry close look,"

"It wouldn't hurt to add more Badges to our collection," Kimani piggybacked. The kid nodded rapidly, causing Mario to chuckle. Mario then offered the kid his hand, allowing him to guide him to the entrance of South Toad Town. He brought the group over to a small booth next to a rolled-up carpet. Once the larger dog noticed the group, he waved to them as the child went over to the rug and unrolled it, revealing the Badges.

"Hey-a Mario! Looks like my kid got a hold of you, huh? Well, let me personally welcome you to Rouf's Badge Emporium! Feel free to take a look around!" The dog known as Rouf told him. Mario nodded before he peeked at the Badges displayed. From left to right, he had the Multibounce Badge, Speedy Spin Badge, D-Down Pound Badge, and First Attack Badge.

"Hey, these aren't a bad collection of Badges. Mario, if I were to suggest anything, that Multibounce Badge would be a good pick! Jordan, I can see you using the D-Down Badge to great lengths. Kimani's strong First Strikes could also make the First Attack Badge useful!" Goombario informed the group.

"I like how you think, Kid! I'll give you all three of those Badges for 150 coins! It's a steal!" Rouf piggybacked. Mario thought about it before he nodded. He quickly counted 150 coins before he gave them to Rouf. Rouf was so happy that he gave Mario the Speedy Spin Badge on top of a Yellow Shard as thanks for being his first customer.

"I'll restock on Badges later, so make sure you come back to see our newest stock. Thanks again, folks! I'm looking forward to next time!" Rouf exclaimed, waving goodbye as the group left the store. Once they were clear, the usual conversation about Badges started up again.

"Ok. I have 1 more Badge Point, so... I'll take the First Attack Badge if you don't mind, Mario," Kimani offered. Mario nodded, handing him the Badge. He pulled out the D-Down Pound Badge afterward, holding it out to Jordan. Jordan placed the Badge on his chain, draining 2 from BP and leaving him with 2. Mario put the Speedy Spin Badge in his pocket, not having the BP at the moment before he looked at the Multibounce Badge. He really wanted to equip it now, so he looked at his options and decided to unequip his Refund Badge for the time being. He then put the Multibounce Badge on his boots, nodding in satisfaction. With that handled, Mario decided to stroll down to the South area, where there were a few points of interest. Mario took note of a flower that seemed to be moving, so he walked up to it and tried to strike up a conversation. Kimani was just about to call him out of the weird behavior, but he was silenced when the flower grew into a person.

"P... Pppppppppppppppppppp... PUFFFFF! Well, hello there," The creature loudly exclaimed, startling everyone near him.

"...Hi?" Kooper got out after fumbling with his inhaler.

"My name is Bub-ulb. I came from Flower Fields, the wonderful land of flowers. I'd love to spread the wondrous flowers of Flower Fields all over your land!" Bub-ulb told them.

"How cute!" Bombette exclaimed. Everyone else, minus Mario, rolled their eyes at this, but Bub-ulb jumped in happiness.

"You like flowers, don't you? Of course you do. Who doesn't? For that reason, I'll entrust this to your care," Bub-ulb finished, giving Bombette a purple seed.

"Ooh, I love the shade of this seed!"

"That is a flower seed. If it's well cared for, a beautiful flower will bloom. These flowers are delicate... Only one with a loving heart can make them bloom in beauty. Please take good care of it, for beauty is fragile,"

"If that's the case, maybe the walking explosive with no hands shouldn't hold on to it," Kimani deadpanned from behind. Bombette turned in his direction and lit her fuse, causing Kimani's eyes to widen as he quickly shook his hands in defense. Mario snatched the seed from her before her explosion could damage it. As Bombette exploded in the background, Mario apologized to Bub-ulb and promised to find a home for the seed. Bub-ulb nodded before he walked off somewhere. Mario sighed before he turned back around, seeing a darkened Kimani covered in soot while everyone else was a decent distance away. Bombette looked satisfied and walked back to Mario.

"Sorry for that... Maybe we should find a home for it before we accidentally damage it," She told him. Mario nodded rapidly before he pocketed the seed. Kimani shook the soot off of him before everyone regrouped and continued down to the south. In the next area, a few locations caught everyone's attention. Further down the area, the group could see the train station. Goombario informed the group that the train could be used to head to the desert. To their left, they could see a building with a pig sign. The group decided to return to this area later as they still needed some time to rest and restock items. Arriving back in the previous location, Mario remembered a Toad mentioning a cook in the area. Looking around, he spotted a yellow building. After wracking his brain for the fine details, he eventually approached it, knocking on the door and going inside afterward with his party. Standing at the stove in the house was a yellow elderly Toad who was currently cooking something. Her hums filled the air, as did the smell of her cooking, causing a few members to start drooling.

"Woah... something smells great..." Goombario said. Kimani, Typhoon, Jordan, and Bombette nodded in agreement while Firebrand and Kooper sweated. Mario shrugged them as the Toad turned to the group. When her eyes laid on Mario, they lit up as she moved over.

"Oh my goodness, it's Mario! My name is Tayce T! I love to cook!" Tayce T introduced herself. Mario greeted her in response, asking what she was cooking now.

"Oh this, dear? I'm making some Spicy Soup out of a spare Fire Flower to take to the post office later today. Those boys are always working hard, so it's the least I can do for them,"

"Fire Flower Soup? Sorry, Jordan and I are new to this area, so that sounds... interesting, to say the least," Kimani pipped in.

"No problem at all! Mario, if you bring me any ingredients, I'd happily make you some meals!"

"Do you have time now? We might have a few things on hand,"

"Sure, dear!" Tayce T answered. Kimani nodded before he asked Mario to access their inventory for ingredients. Mario fished around in his pockets before he pulled out a Mushroom. Tayce T took the Mushroom and went over to her stove. The others couldn't see exactly what she was doing but could hear sizzling and humming before she returned with a plate of the cooked Mushroom.

"One Fried Shroom, hot out the kitchen!" Tayce T announced, flourishing the plate as a result. Kimani and Jordan took a small piece and took a bite, causing their expressions to melt.

"Oh my God, that's so good!" Kimani exclaimed with stars in his eyes.

"I'm usually not a fan of mushrooms, but that's good," Jordan said. Mario gave her another Mushroom and allowed the others to finish the Fried Shroom. He also gave her all of their Koopa Leaves, two Honey Syrups, a Goomnut, an Egg he bought from a shop, and a Fire Flower. Tayce T took the arm full of ingredients and returned to her stove, getting to work. Mario glanced behind him to see everyone digging into the plate beforehand. With their combined efforts, the plate was scooped free of the meal, causing Mario to pout slightly as he never got a bite himself. Tayce T came out of the kitchen afterward with the various meals packed in Tupperware or in spare jars. With everything Mario gave her, she was able to make another Fried Shroom (Which Mario quickly scarfed down before the others had the chance), 4 Koopa Teas, 2 Super Sodas, a Nutty Cake, a Fried Egg, and Spicy Soup. Mario thanked her for the food and pocketed everything before he pushed his team out the door, who were thinking about asking her for more food.

"We gotta come back later," Kimani demanded, causing everyone to agree with grunts. Mario rolled his eyes playfully as he eyed the area for anything else of interest. His eyes fell onto a green Pipe sitting in the distance. He pointed it out to his team before they walked over and inspected it. A nearby sign informed them that it would lead them to the Toad Town Tunnels. Mario raised an eyebrow as he leaped into it. Everyone else shared a quick look before they followed after him...

---

Toad Town Tunnels

...Ending up in the Tunnels. The group looked around the dark area in interest as the sound of running water went through their ears. Mario looked to the left, seeing a Stone Block. He looked at his hammer and then at Kimani, noting they didn't have the tools to break through it at the moment. He then looked to the right and saw a Yellow Block... blocking the other entrance. He brought this up to Kimani, who nodded and walked over with Mario.

"Alright. 1, 2, 3!" Kimani counted, striking the block with Mario on three. Once the block broke, they shared a high-five and allowed everyone to enter the next room where a few dark-colored Goombas were roaming around. Firebrand and Typhoon were back in their respective holder's amulets so Kooper and Goombario were back behind their respective leader. Kimani rushed forward and landed a perfect First Strike combo, dealing 3 damage to the first enemy once they entered battle. Once the battle started, another Goomba and a Spiked Paragoomba joined him. Kimani attacked again with a perfect Strike command, draining another 3 from it. When Kooper followed up with a Shell Shot, taking another 2 off of it, the party was surprised to still see the Goomba standing. The Goombas rushed forward and went to attack Kimani. He was able to parry the first two, but the flying one tripped him up and bonked him hard in the head. Not only did Kimani lose 5 from his 15 total health, but he even shrunk in size.

"Ow!... Wait, what's going on? Why is everything bigger?" Kimani's squeaky voice asked.

"Oh no! You've been Shrunken! Your attack power is cut in half as a result!" Goombario told him.

"I'm smaller?! This sucks!"

"It's not permanent! You'll go back to normal in 4 turns or when combat ends. As for our attackers... these are Gloombas. Gloombas are nasty Goombas who live in the Toad Town Tunnels. Max HP: 11, Attack Power: 5, Defense Power: 0. Gloombas have the uncanny ability to Shrink whoever they hit so be on your guard! They're also stronger than normal Goombas, but we can take them!" Goombario Tattled.

"What about the flying one?" Jordan asked, noting that the Gloomba in front had 3 HP left.

"I'll have to get him on Mario's turn if Bombette doesn't mind swapping out temporarily,"

"Got it," Jordan said, whacking the Gloomba in the face with his hammer, taking another 2 off of it and leaving it with 1. Jordan guarded the following attacks with his shield. He still took 6 damage, leaving him with 24 HP but he didn't get shrunk as a result. On Mario's turn, he had Bombette swap with Goombario and allowed him to Tattle on the flying enemy while he took care of the Gloomba.

"Let's see... Ok! This is a Spiked Paragloomba. Just when I thought these nasty guys couldn't get worse! Max HP: 11, Attack Power: 5, Defense Power: 0 As you can see, he's wearing one of those awesome spiky helmets. That rules out my headbonk and other jump attacks. But how else can we reach him? Don't we have any other attacks that can hit flying enemies? And where can I get one of those sweet spiky helmets?" Goombario informed them. Mario sweatdropped from the extra comment as he focused on blocking the attacks. He succeeded in doing so but he still grumbled, being brought down to 7 HP. Kimani was still Shrunk so he couldn't do any damage on his turn. Mario threw him a Super Soda, informing him that it would heal his Shrink. Kimani nodded, gulping it down and growing back to his original size. It even replenished 5 of his FP, bringing it back to 13. Kooper retreated into his shell and clonked the second Gloomba in the face for 2 damage, bringing him down to 9. The two enemies came after Kimani again but he was on top of things this time and Countered them for their troubles, dealing 1 damage to both of them and clipping the wings off of the Paragloomba. Jordan went next, using his Cyclone to cut through the two, leaving the front most one with 6 and the rear one with 8. Bombette left the front Gloomba barely alive with 1 after a Bomb attack, forcing Jordan to block the two attacks. He was left with 20 HP afterward. Mario's turn came once again and he sent Goombario after the Gloomba while he hit the Spiked Gloomba with his hammer for 2, dropping its health to 6. The spiked enemy rushed Mario, who was a bit slow on his guard, causing him to take 5 damage and Shrink, leaving him with 2 and placing him in Danger.

"Mar, you ok?" Kimani asked. Mario grumbled in return, pointing strongly at the enemy. Kimani nodded, finishing it off with a series of Power Strikes. With the battle won, the party took a moment to catch their breaths. Mario spotted a gap between the floating Brick Blocks, causing him to jump in between them and hit a hidden ? Block and gain a Super Shroom for his troubles. Mario thought about using it now but decided against it and pocketed it, going into the next room and being greeted by a pipe bridge. Mario almost walked over it but Goombario stepped in front of him.

"Wait, Mario. I've heard rumors that some fearsome foes are lurking in these tunnels. Goompa never went into detail but maybe we shouldn't mess around in here until we get a bit stronger," Goombario told him.

"Hmm? What kind of danger?" Kimani asked.

"No idea, but after those Gloombas, I feel like we might be in over our heads. We should cut our losses and come back when we're stronger,"

"I'm with Goombario. A good archeologist is always prepared before heading to an unexplored area!" Kooper piggybacked.

"Well... it's your call, Mario," Kimani said after a moment of thinking, causing everyone to glance at him. Goombario raised a good point. The Gloombas proved to be a bit tougher than he first thought and Kimani and himself had taken a decent chunk of damage while Jordan was fine for the most part. After the quick mental assessment, Mario nodded leading his party back to the pipe they entered from. They went back through it, returning to...

---

Toad Town

Toad Town, causing everyone to sigh in relief.

"Good call, Mario. I'll make sure to do some research on that area when we get a chance so we'll be more prepared," Goombario told him.

"I can help out. I'm certain Kolorodo has some notes on that area," Kooper offered. Mario thanked the two of them before he considered what else they could do in Toad Town. Kimani overheard a few Toads talking, so he stepped a bit closer to listen in.

"...knows what he's doing! One of his students kicked my spores before I got a chance!" A Red Toad exclaimed. The Blue Toad he was speaking to, giggled in response.

"Are you sure you aren't just weak? You're not known for your strength, ya know?" He heckled back.

"S-shut up, Buck T! I'm serious! I'm thinking about joining the Dojo now! If a Buzzy Beatle can get that strong, just imagine how strong I can get! I might even be able to impress Rose T!"

"Sure, Hef T..." The Blue Toad known as Buck T. deadpanned, causing Hef T to fume in response. He then noticed Kimani nearby.

"Hey Kid! Help me win an argument, will ya?!"

"Huh?" Kimani grunted, walking over.

"You think I can get stronger if I go to the Dojo?"

"I mean... It's not out of the realm of possibilities,"

"See! He has sense!"

"Don't rope the poor kid into your delusions..." Buck T. said.

"Bah... Huh. Now that I'm getting a good look at you... You're pretty jacked, Kid! Are you a student at the Dojo?" Hef T. asked.

"Nope. Just an adventurer who punches things. What Dojo are you guys talking about?" Kimani asked, finally getting the attention of the others.

"Oh! The Dojo run by the Master finally opened! The students and Master there are super strong and are always accepting challenges! If you think you have the strength to make a name for yourself, you should check it out!"

"Huh, sounds interesting. Where is it?"

"Back in Toad Plaza! You can't miss it! It'll be to the right when you walk into the area. Go up some stairs and it'll be a blue building!"

"Thanks. I think I'll go check it out now," Kimani told them, thanking them for the information before he ushered the group towards him. They gained question marks as they followed Kimani back into the area leading to Princess Peach's Castle and took a left, heading back to the entrance of Toad Town. Before he went too far into the area, he turned right and started walking up some stairs until he ended up in front of the door to a blue building.

"Hmm? What's here, Kimani?" Goombario asked.

"Those Toads were telling me about a Dojo that just opened up. Might be worth checking out," Kimani answered, opening the door and being greeted by a dojo. In the Dojo currently was a Buzzy Beetle, Duplighost and finally an elderly Toad covered in a red robe and had a red turban on his head. He noticed the party and walked over.

"Greetings. Allow me to welcome you to our Dojo," The Toad greeted, bowing to everyone.

"Hi. A few Toads directed us to this place. I'm guessing you're the Master of this place?" Kimani asked.

"Ho ho. You must be talking about Hef T. A fiery spirit, he has. But enough on that, what brings you to our Dojo? Were you looking for a challenge?"

"I guess?"

"Hmm. Interesting. Chan!" The Master exclaimed, causing the Buzzy Beetle to rush over.

"Yes, Master!" He loudly answered.

"Please give our friends a warm welcome to our Dojo through combat,"

"Yes, Master! I will incorporate your lessons well!" Chan exclaimed as he went over to the other side of the Dojo. Mario, Kimani, and Jordan walked to the other side with Goombario, Firebrand, and Typhoon following them. The Master stepped in the middle and looked at both sides. He noted that Mario's party had taken damage beforehand so he focused before he covered Mario, Kimani, and Jordan in some mystic energy that healed them to full, catching everyone off guard.

"Now. Prove your worth AND LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!" The Master announced, starting the battle. Mario immediately glanced at Kimani as he asked Goombario to Tattle on Chan.

"How'd we even get in this situation?... Well, anyway... This is Chan of the Dojo. He's training under The Master and is happy to fight us... Holy Goomnuts! Max HP: 30, Attack Power: 8, Defense Power: ? This is going to be rough! Chan's defense, as far as I can tell, is unbreakable when he's standing, so flipping him is a must! He also seems to have mastered the power of electricity or something because he's charged and will hurt whoever directly attacks him! Stay sharp, everyone! Chan isn't messing around and neither should we!" Goombario told him. Everyone blanched at the information before they sharply glared at Kimani.

"Hey! I didn't know he'd be so tough!" He defended. Mario huffed slightly before he shook his head, forgiving him. He then looked at Chan and noted that he couldn't flip him without taking a hit. Mario bit his lip before he leaped onto Chan, dealing no damage and being zapped for 1. He still flipped Chan over, however. As Mario fought off the voltage, Chan shook a bit before he got up and dashed towards Mario in the same turn. He wasn't expecting it at all so he was bludgeoned in the stomach for a nasty 8 damage, putting him down to 6.

"He can get up and attack on the same turn!? How's this fair!?" Kimani exclaimed. He thought about his options before he tried his Dragon Uppercut. True to Goombario's word, since Chan was standing, Kimani's attack didn't do a thing. He didn't even bother with a follow-up attack. Firebrand tried a Fireball but it failed to do any damage as well. Chan ducked into his shell and blasted toward Kimani, but he was able to Counter the attack.

"Phew..."

"Ty, can you flip him?" Jordan asked. Typhoon nodded, using Smash to pound the ground. The area rumbled for a moment before Chan flipped over from the shockwaves. Jordan rushed forward and clobbered Chan for 2 damage, putting him at 28 HP.

"Oof! How embarrassing..." Chan muttered, flipping back over and crashing into Jordan's guard, dealing a reduced 5 damage to Jordan, placing him at 25 HP.

"Guys, I don't see us winning this," Jordan wheezed, rolling his shield arm. Mario nodded before he got the Master's attention and told them that they were giving up for the time being. The Master nodded before he walked in between the party.

"Enough! Mario had admitted defeat so this duel is over!" The Master announced. Chan nodded and walked up to Mario.

"That was a great duel, Mr. Mario! I await our rematch!" Chan enthusiastically said, causing Mario to sweatdrop.

"Hm... You all lack strength... but you have skill, though. Please return here after you've trained some more," The Master said, healing everyone as a result.

"Guess we have to do a ton of training..." Kimani deadpanned. The Master gave him a soft look before he looked at him and Jordan a bit closer.

"...Wait. Young ones. Please indulge an old man for a moment." The Master asked afterwards. Kimani and Jordan shared a look before they walked over. The Master inspected them a bit before he placed a hand on their stomachs and closed his eyes. After a moment, an aura surrounded him and the other two before it spiked, causing Kimani and Jordan to jump from the flow of energy. After it died down, the Master opened his eyes and looked at the two.

"Yes... As I suspected. You two have a ton of potential but it seems to be blocked by an unknown force. At your current level, it would be foolish of me to unleash all of it but I was able to unlock a bit of it,"

"Woah. So... we're stronger now?" Jordan asked, looking himself over.

"Yes. Kimani-San. Your Counters have grown in power so now they'll inflict 2 damage to whoever you strike. Jordan-San. Your defensive nature has been enhanced. You now have a natural defense of 2,"

"Woah! Thanks!" "Really? Thank you," The two of them thanked. The Master nodded.

"No thanks are necessary. Now, you still have a lot of potential waiting to be unlocked but you must prove to me that you're ready for the next potential unlock. Defeat Chan and come talk to me afterward," The Master told them before he bid them farewell and allowed them to exit the Dojo.

"Huh, I wonder what he meant by 'locked potential?'" Kooper asked.

"My guess? He's talking about the Star Rod's interference with our powers," Kimani guessed.

"But if that's the case, why didn't he get anything from Mario? He was struck as well," Goombario pondered.

"Maybe because Mario's already awesome and there's nothing to unlock?" Jordan added. Mario's mustache twitched in amusement. Regardless, no one had a straight answer to the question so they decided to move on for the time being. The group went to the middle of the Plaza to plan their next step.

"OK, so far, we've gone Badge shopping, got some tasty food, got our potential unlocked, explored the tunnels..." Kimani started, bringing up a finger for each activity.

"Stopped at my home to get some items," Kooper added, causing Kimani to raise another finger.

"What else do we have left to do?"

"We have to stop at my house and ask Goompa about a tape," Goombario answered, causing Mario to nod before he led his party out the front gate and started heading towards...

---

Goomba Village

...Goomba Village, which proved to be a relaxing walk as the enemies hadn't respawned since their last trek. When they entered the village, they were greeted by Goompapa.

"Howdy, Mario. Kimani. How're you doing?" He greeted. Mario raised his hand, answering him politely. Goompapa nodded before Mario asked a follow-up question.

"Goompa? He should be in the house right now. Feel free to walk inside. I'm certain he'll be glad to see you!"

"Hey, Dad! How's everything going!?" Goombario greeted afterward.

"Goombario! Great to see you, Son! Are you being helpful to Mario?"

"Of course I am! We've already saved one of the Star Spirits and are one step closer to saving Princess Peach!"

"Well, I'm glad to hear that! Keep up the good work and make sure you help Mario to the best of your abilities!"

"Will do!" Goombario exclaimed, giving him a quick hug afterward before they headed towards the house. Goombaria was standing nearby, playing with her doll. She looked up afterward, seeing the party approaching.

"Oh! Hi, Mr. Mario! Mr. Kimani! Goombario!" She greeted. She looked at Jordan afterward, gaining a question mark over her head.

"This is Jordan. He's one of my friends," Kimani answered.

"Jordan? Nice to meet you!"

"Likewise," Jordan answered.

"Sis, is Goompa inside?" Goombario asked.

"Yep. He and Goomma are inside... Oh, Big Brother, I just remembered something!"

"What is it?"

"When I found Mario and Kimani in that clearing, I remember seeing a pathway blocked by a yellow block. It looked interesting but I'm not strong enough to break it. If you guys get a chance, could you go check it out?"

"A block, huh? I don't remember any blocks being close to here. Might be worth checking out afterward, Mario," Goombario muttered, causing Mario to give him a thumbs up as they walked inside.

"Huh. Cozy," Firebrand commented, causing Kimani to snort as Mario and Goombario walked up to Goompa.

"Eh? Goombario? Mario? What brings you here?" Goompa asked. Mario raised a hand and explained that Koopa Koot needed a tape back from him. Goompa jumped slightly.

"What!? Koopa Koot said he wanted 'The Tape' back?" He exclaimed. Everyone gave him a look with sweatdrops on their heads before he scurried over to a chair and reached behind it. He scurried back and handed Mario a VHS Tape. Mario couldn't contain his curiosity and raised his hand again, asking another question.

"What's that? You want to know what's on The Tape, do you?" Goompa repeated. Mario nodded rapidly.

"Oh, no no... I'm sorry... I'm afraid I can't tell you at the moment. It was great, though!"

"Ok... We're going to go, Goompa..." Goombario muttered, pushing Mario away, who tried to press him for answers. With a drooped mustache, Mario walked back to the group, who still had sweat drops on their head. They exited the building and looked to their right, seeing another pathway. They went through it, eventually reaching a clearing in the forest. Mario faintly remembered the area, as did Kimani, but it was fuzzy.

"This was the area Goombaria found you guys... but I don't remember seeing that block there..." Goombario pondered, eying said Yellow Block.

"Ooh, can I blow it up?" Bombette asked.

"Sorry, this is a job for me and Mar. Ready?" Kimani told her, walking up with Mario and asking that question afterward. Mario gave him a thumbs up and brought his hammer out. After a quick countdown, they attacked the block, breaking it and clearing the pathway. Everyone walked into the next area, being greeted by a stone bridge and a ? Block floating nearby. Kimani hit the block, earning another Mushroom for their party while Goombario looked around the area in interest.

"Hmm... Goombaria and I usually aren't allowed to go back this far. Mom said it wasn't safe. But I'm with you now! We can go wherever we want!... Hmmp, you always get to do fun stuff, Mario. It must be nice being an adult..." He deadpanned, causing the others to snort as they continued over the bridge. A few Goombas hung around so Kimani and Firebrand (who popped out for some fresh air) took care of them while the rest leaped up a nearby ledge, claiming another Mushroom to their items. With the path clear of enemies, courtesy of Kimani and Firebrand, the group continued forward. They eventually reached the entrance to a cave. Mario hit a nearby ? block, snagging a Honey Syrup before he stopped at the entrance, getting a tingle down his neck. He shook it off, however, and went through the cave entrance with the rest of the team following.

---

?

The group exited the small cave until they ended up on a high ledge inside of what seemed to be ancient runes. Kooper was in heaven and quickly pulled out a notebook while Goombario looked around in awe.

"Woah... To think this tomb was here the whole time! I would have totally ignored Mom and checked this out!" Goombario exclaimed. Mario gave Goombario a stern look, causing him to shrink from the look.

"...Okay, please don't tell her I said that... But you have to admit, this place is pretty cool. I'd bet it would scare the pants off Goombaria... you know... if Goombas wore pants..." Goombario apologized, dying off with that last part. Mario chuckled before he led his party deeper within the ruins. They passed some coffins, some of which were open, causing Kooper's asthma to start acting up out of fear. Bombette called him a coward but she was pressed awfully close to Mario while Goombario had relocated into Jordan's arms, who didn't mind carrying him. Kimani just idly walked with the group, his hands folded behind his head. They eventually reached a rail, or what used to be one, and saw a small wooden walkway. To the left sat a Star Piece, which Kooper snagged for the group, and a spring on the right side. Mario checked it out, being led to an item. The item was simply a Super Shroom, causing him to shrug and leap back down. The party continued down the stairs, eventually reaching a small opening with a doorway. Everyone looked around in interest, getting a cold shiver down their spine.

"This place must be super old. Even the torches here have burned out long ago. Why do I get a bad feeling about this place? I wonder how Mom is doing. I hope she isn't missing me. Maybe I should visit. Right now," Goombario rambled. Everyone wondered if he was Tattling in order to give them information or simply to calm his nerves. Ignoring the Goomba child, Mario and Co. went through the doorway. Once they cleared it, they saw that there were some devices to their right. Judging from the sharp blades that were on them, the party could only assume they were used for execution and torture, causing everyone to huddle around Mario. Mario sighed but led his team to the left side of the doorway where a statue stood. Mario moved through the group and read the message inscribed on it.

"HERE LIES THE HISTORY OF A MIGHTY EMPIRE, BUILT ON BLOOD AND GREED AND DESTROYED BY DESIRE,"

"Mario, why are you yelling!?" Kooper exclaimed, ducking into his shell out of fear. Mario noticed his volume and apologized with a sheepish grin. He looked around the room and noted there wasn't anything else in the room, so he directed everyone back through the door. Once they exited, they continued to the left where another door was located. They walked through and eventually reached a small clearing with three barred windows. Under the outermost ones were 2 Dried Shrooms and sitting in the middle was a pointy Badge with a two on it. Mario picked up the items and showed the Badge to Goombario.

"Uh... This is the Double Pain Badge... It makes the wearer take double damage... That's it," Goombario told him.

"What? Who would make such a shitty Badge?!" Kimani exclaimed. Mario agreed with him... well, besides the curse word. He pocketed the Badge but had no intention of wearing it ever. They noticed that there were some steps leading downwards so Kimani offered to go check it out, leaping down the stairs. Firebrand came out, just to give Kimani some backup while Kooper followed him just because. The three of them ended up in an average-sized room. In front of them was another statue with more words on it. Kimani cleared his throat before he loudly started reading so the others could hear.

"YOU ARE TOO WEAK! YOUR DEATH WOULD BE A HASSLE! RETURN AGAIN TO ME HERE AFTER REACHING PEACH'S CASTLE!"

"Kimani! The hell are you doing down there!?" Jordan's voice rang out.

"Reading another statue! This one seems to be challenging us or something!"

"Well, stop it and get back up here! We found another exit!"

"Coming!" Kimani shouted back, leading his small party back up the stairs. Once they regrouped, the party went through the door and went down some stairs before they ended up in a grand hall. In the middle of the room shun a light that highlighted another statue. To the left of it stood both a Save Block and a Heart Block. Goombario walked in front of the statue and started reading it much like the others did.

"A TALE TOLD IN THE DEEP! WHISPERED IN THE DARK! ONE HUNDRED FLOORS TO DELVE FOR A PLACE TO LEAVE THEIR MARK! THIS PIT OF TRIALS IS A CENTURY LONG QUEST OF ALL IN THIS WORLD! THIS IS THE ULTIMATE TEST!"

"Oh my shell, can we stop that!?" Kooper hollered.

"Sorry. It's kinda fun actually. But 100 floors? Pit of Trials? Hmmm..." Goombario apologized before pondering the message. Kimani looked around the room, spotting a blue switch in the far right of the room. He couldn't get to it from the floor but he did notice a pathway leading to it from where they entered the room. He sprinted back towards the exit, leaping up the stairs before he sprinted down the walkway, smacking the switch with a hefty kick. In front of the statue appeared a blue pipe. Kimani leaped off the small path and joined everyone at the pipe.

"I think I know what this is!" Kooper exclaimed, reading something from his notebook.

"Shoot," Kimani told him.

"Kolorodo mentioned long ago about a Pit of 100 Trials. As the name implies, it's 100 rooms of different trials that one must complete. Completing all of them would give whoever completes it a grand treasure,"

"But, what's it doing in my backyard?" Goombario asked. To this, Kooper could only shrug.

"No idea. And get this. This isn't the only Pit of 100 Trials, supposedly,"

"Really? Well... gosh... Has anyone ever completed it?"

"Nope. As far as we know. There's no telling what we'll face in these trials or if we'll be able to leave in the middle of them. Do we still want to check it out?" Kooper asked.

"Might as well. If worse goes to worse, we'll just end up at the Save Block over there," Kimani reassured. Mario nodded, seeing his reasoning as he went over to hit the Heart Block. He let Kimani and Jordan hit it as well before he saved his progress. He then fixed his hat and confidently dove into the pipe along with everyone else.

---

Pit of 100 Trials- 1

The group dropped from the ground, being greeted by a small room. There was a gated door that led to who knows what and a spot for a pipe to appear. Roaming around was a normal Goomba. Kimani ran forward and executed a perfect Strike command on it, starting the battle and taking out the Goomba instantly. There were two of them so he simply Struck the other Goomba, ending the battle and causing a blue pipe to appear on the spot.

"Ok, I already see how this is going to go," Kimani said, cracking his knuckles and leaping down the pipe before anyone could stop him. Everyone sweatdropped before they chased after Kimani.

---

Pit of 100 Trials- 2

Landing in the next room, the group was greeted by a Paragoomba, a Koopa, and a Fuzzy. No one was able to get a First Strike so the battle started off normally. Mario smirked before he tapped his Multibounce Badge, causing it to drain 2 FP from him, leaving him at 8. He leaped forward and landed on the Paragoomba, dealing 1 to it and dewinging it. He bounced towards the Koopa next, knocking it over before he ended his string of attacks on the Fuzzy, dealing 1 damage to it and dropping its HP to 3. Bombette followed up with a Body Slam to the Goomba, ending it. The Koopa was stuck, so his turn was skipped, and Mario was able to guard the Fuzzy's attack, taking no damage. Kimani used his Power Strike to deal two meaty attacks to the Koopa, defeating it while Firebrand Swiped the Fuzzy. He blotched his command, however, only dealing 1 and leaving it with 2 HP. When the Fuzzy bounced up to Kimani, he was able to Counter him with a swift back knuckle. Instead of the usual 1 damage, Kimani's Counter dealt 2 damage to it, causing it to faint and for them to win the battle.

"Oh yeah. Thank you Master Toad!" Kimani exclaimed, fist-pumping. The group chuckled before they leaped down the pipe...

---

Pit of 100 Trials- 3

...And ended up landing on top of the next team of enemies. Mario was able to land twice on the lead Fuzzy, draining 2 from its 4 before the battle started. Following it was a Paragoomba and a Paratroopa. Once the battle actually started, Mario jumped on the Fuzzy twice again, defeating it while Bombette swapped with Goombario and allowed him to Headbonk the Paragoomba to oblivion. The Paratroopa swooped down to attack Mario but he was blocked for his troubles. Mario still took a point of damage, leaving him with 14 HP. Kimani couldn't do anything his turn so he guarded and let Firebrand hit him with a Fireball, draining 2 FP and dealing 2 damage, dropping the now Koopa to 3 HP and Kimani's FP to 19. The Koopa's Shell Shot collided with Kimani's guard but it failed to do any damage. He was socked by a Counter afterward, making it take 1 damage due to its defense, leaving it at 2 HP. Typhoon slammed the ground, tipping the Koopa over and allowing Jordan to slam his hammer on top of it, ending it and winning the battle for the team. Everyone high-fived (or in Goombario and Bombette's case, chest bumped) before they leaped into the pipe.

---

Pit of 100 Trials- 4

The next floor introduced a new enemy. Once Mario hammered the Fuzzy leaping around, the Fuzzy was immediately followed by three extra large Goombas.

"What are they feeding these things?" Kimani asked. Goombario took minor offense from the comment as he was chosen yet again to be Mario's starting Battle Buddy.

"That thing is a Goomba... Or well... a Bigoomba. Pretty large for a normal Goomba, but it's not as big as King Goomba. Max HP: 5, Attack Power: 2, Defense Power: 0. They're much stronger than a normal Goomba... But I'm not a normal Goomba, so you just leave 'em to me!" Goombario tattled as Mario hammered the Fuzzy in the front, ending it. The three Bigoomba all tried to flatten Mario with a Headbonk but he was able to tough it out, only taking 3 damage and dropping his HP to 11. Kimani went next, opting to save FP and simply Struck the closest Bigoomba with three Strikes. Firebrand cleaned up with a perfectly executed Swipe, defeating it. Kimani braced himself for the following attacks. He parried the first one, dealing 2 and dropping it to 3 but the second one faked him out and made him mistime his Counter, causing him to get flattened for 2, placing his HP at 13.

"Oomp! They're heavier than they look.." Kimani moaned, peeling himself off the ground. Jordan snickered as he whirled forward with a Cyclone, dealing 2 to each enemy and dropping his FP to 8. The frontmost one was left with 1 while the last one still had 3 HP. After Typhoon's Slam, this changed to the front one fainting and the last one being left with 2 HP. When he jumped onto Jordan, he simply bounced off as Jordan's natural toughness was too much to break. Jordan patted his stomach with a cocky look as Mario leaped into the scene, stomping twice on the lone Bigoomba and ending the battle.

"Alright, this is slowly starting to get tough," Jordan said.

"Easy for you to say. You haven't taken damage yet!" Kimani heckled. Jordan snickered in response as the group jumped into the pipe.

---

Pit of 100 Trials- 5

The next floor had a Goomba, Spiked Goomba, and two Spiked Paragoombas as their opponents. Mario hammered the first Goomba for a First Strike and hammered the Spiked Goomba once the battle started. Strangely enough, it only took 1 damage, leaving it alive with 1.

"Huh? Hold on, let me take a look... Uh... Ok. This is a Spiked Goomba. Nothing's changed there, but is it me or do their helmets look a bit more... polished? Max HP: 2, Attack Power: 3, Defense Power: 1. Watch out for their Headbonks, Mario! Those improved helmets pack a wallop and it even protects them a bit! Huh, I wonder if i could get one..." Goombario Tattled. Mario nodded before he guarded the following attacks. Luckily, only the Spiked Goomba saw fit to attack Mario with his spike while the Spiked Paragoombas simply kicked him. He still took a total of 4 damage, leaving him with 7 HP.

"Following that same logic, the flying ones should also have a point of defense, right?" Kimani asked. Goombario swapped with Firebrand and Tattled on the flying menace while Kimani Power Struck the Spiked Goomba, taking it out and dropping his FP to 17.

"Yep. You're right about that. This is a Spiked Paragoomba. Max HP: 2, Attack Power: 2, Defense Power: 1. Well, guys. We might be in trouble here. As you can see, he's wearing one of those awesome spiky helmets. That rules out my Headbonk and other jump attacks. But how else can we reach him? Don't we have any other attacks that can hit flying enemies? And where can I get one of those sweet spiky helmets?" Goombario answered. Mario wondered why his Tattle sounded similar to the one he did on the Spiked Paragloomba but said nothing as Kimani countered the two enemies, dealing one to both of them and leaving them on the ground, which was good and bad. Good news, they could be hit by anyone now. Bad news? Their attack jumped up to 3 instead of 2. Luckily, Jordan was going next. He took out one with a hammer swing while Typhoon's Slam was able to deal enough damage to take out the last one.

"Phew... I guess some of our earlier enemies are starting to get tougher," Kimani put together. Everyone nodded before they decided to split a Super Shroom, healing everyone back to full. They then jumped into the next pipe.

---

Pit of 100 Trials- 6

When they landed, they actually had a chance to strategize as the enemy team hadn't spotted them yet, allowing Goombario to get some cheeky Tattles off.

"I'll double-check the Koopa so that we don't run into any surprises... Hmm? This is a Koopa Troopa. Everyone knows Koopa Troopas. They're Bowser's followers. Max HP: 5, Attack Power: 2, Defense Power: 1. Seems like they've been doing a bit of training. They now do a point more of damage and they have an extra point of health! They still have a crippling weakness of being flipped over so they shouldn't pose too much of a threat," Goombario told everyone.

"This is getting weird... What's that white one back there?" Kimani deadpanned, asking that second question afterward.

"Let's find out, eh?... Got it! Ok, this is a White Ninjakoopa. I don't think he's a brother to the others, but he seems to want to prove his worth to them. Max HP: 5, Attack Power: 2, Defense Power: 1. He isn't as strong as the Ninjakoopas, but we should still be on our guard. They practice ninja skills, so if he jumps, be careful he doesn't sneak up on us. He also buffs his allies' Defense and his ninja training allows him to flip back on his turn and attack as well. That could be bad for us! We need to take this guy out fast!"

"Got it! Let's get started!" Kimani exclaimed. Mario nodded before he opted to swap Goombario with Bombette. He made Bombette light her fuse before he sent her after the Koopa, blowing it up for 4 damage. When Mario followed up with his Jump in battle, he was able to defeat it. He sent Bombette after the White Ninjakoopa afterward, blowing it up for another 4 and leaving it with 1 at the cost of 3 FP, leaving Mario with 5. The Ninjakoopa made a sign with his hands before he leaped high into the air, which was concerning since everyone was certain there was a ceiling in the room. Mario was knocked out of his thoughts by a swift kick from the Spiked Paragoomba, taking 2 damage and dropping his HP to 13. Kimani had no way to deal damage so he simply commanded Firebrand to incinerate the Spiked Paragoomba, dropping his FP to 15. The battle didn't end, but Kimani had no idea where the Ninjakoopa was, so he simply guarded. When the next turn floated by, Kimani was suddenly struck by the Ninjakoopa's dive kick, taking 2 damage due to blocking, placing him at 13. He wasn't able to Counter however as he wasn't prepared and blotched the command as a result. Jordan finished the battle for him, however, so it wasn't all too bad.

"What the hell was that last move?" Kimani moaned, rubbing his neck from where the kick landed.

"The jump attack I mentioned. Seems tricky to guard," Goombario mentioned. Kimani nodded, finally massaging the crick out of his neck. He then got a running start before he leaped into the pipe with everyone else following.

---

Pit of 100 Trials- 7

On floor 7, the party had to face a team consisting of a Koopa, two Bullet Bulls, and a Paratroopa. Kimani and Mario shared a look before they grinned. Since Goombario's Tattle wasn't needed, Mario borrowed Kooper this time around. Kimani, who had traded Firebrand for Bombette sent her after the Koopa, grabbing the First Strike for his team. With the front most Koopa sitting at one. Mario was free to officially start the battle. Tapping his Multibounce Badge, which placed him at 3 FP, he got to work on stomping on the enemies, dealing 1 damage to the Bullet Bills, flipping the weakened Koopa, and grounding the Paratroopa. Once Mario landed back in his spot, he spun and confidently pointed toward the group, sending Kooper spiraling through the entire party with his Power Shell for another 2 FP, leaving Mario with 1. He knocked out the first three enemies and drained 1 from the lone Koopa, leaving him at 4. Mario and Kooper shared a convoluted series of hand slaps and handshakes before Mario blocked the Koopa's charge, taking 1 damage and placing him at 12 HP. Kimani went next, finishing the fight with two Power Strikes, knocking the Koopa out.

"Woo! Nice job, Bombette and Kooper!" Kimani exclaimed, causing Kooper to get hyped and do the same maneuver he did with Mario, only with Kimani while Bombette stomped in happiness. Goombario, Typhoon, and Jordan simply smirked at the small celebration before they got back on track and went into the next pipe.

---

Pit of 100 Trials- 8

The next floor had another explosive party, so after Mario gulped down a Nutty Cake and fully restored his FP, Kooper was sent towards the Bob-Omb, starting the battle with the front one being mad and the remaining Bullet Bills and Bob-Omb standing behind it. Kooper revved up and plowed through everyone for 2 of Mario's FP, defeating the first three enemies and leaving the last Bob-Omb steaming mad. Mario quickly hammered it in the face, blowing it up safely and giving the team an easy win. The celebrations were short this time around as they simply cheered and went into the next pipe.

---

Pit of 100 Trials- 9

The group landed on the ground and in their high, Mario had hammered the wandering Bob-Omb, angering it before the battle started. In actual battle, Mario hit it again and detonated it, leaving...

"Oh geez, three White Ninjakoopas?!" Jordan exclaimed. Everyone sweatdropped as Kooper drained even more of Mario's FP in order to deal 1 damage to everyone, placing them at 4. The first Ninjakoopa leaped into the air while the second one attacked Mario with a swift Shell Shot, clanking into Mario's guard, dropping him to 11 HP while the final one did some hand signs, buffing the second Ninjakoopa's defense to 2.

"Remember, Kimani! The Koopa's going to strike you with its jump attack so stay on guard!" Goombario informed him from the side.

"Got it. Thanks, Goom!" Kimani exclaimed. He mentally counted his remaining FP, noting he had enough for a Dragon Uppercut and Decent. He grinned before he unleashed the torrent of moves on the buffed Koopa. Even with the defense, the Ninjakoopa stood no chance and perished. He was launched in the last one, which dealt 2 damage to the rear Ninjakoopa, leaving it at 3. Kimani's FP was in jeopardy, however, being at a measly 1. Firebrand gave Kimani a flat look, causing him to sheepishly chuckle as Firebrand didn't do anything as a result. Kimani was ready for the following attacks, bashing the approaching Shell Shot with his elbow, taking another 1 from the rearmost Ninjakoopa. Kimani looked up and saw the approaching Ninjakoopa from above, Countering with a swift uppercut to his jaw, placing him at 4 and sending him flipping back to his spot.

"You'll have to try harder than that!" Kimani heckled. Jordan sweatdropped as Typhoon slammed the ground, knocking over the Ninjakoopas and allowing Jordan to spin into the group, taking out the rear one and leaving the front one with 2. The Ninjakoopa flipped back to his feet and in anger, Shell Shotted Jordan, but he didn't do any damage due to his natural defense. Mario finished the battle with a couple of hops and a Shell Shot from Kooper.

"Phew... this is tiring..." Kooper panted, taking a quick puff from his inhaler.

"Yeah... makes me wonder how we're going to get through 100 of these challenges..." Goombario pondered.

"Whatever they throw at us, we can power through it!" Bombette exclaimed, igniting her fuse and whipping it around in excitement. Everyone sweatdropped but made no moves to stop her as they leaped into the following pipe.

---

Pit of 100 Trials- 10 (Rest Floor)

When the group landed, they were surprised to see no enemies nearby. Everyone saw a ? Block, a red switch, and another statue. Kooper immediately rounded on Mario, Kimani, and Goombario, forbidding them from reading it. As the three of them pouted, Typhoon walked up to the statue and started reading it.

"AS YOU CONTINUE DOWN THIS VOYAGE BELOW, YOU WILL FIND DANGER AND GIFTS WE BESTOW! EACH REST GIVES THE TALE OF ONE WHO HELPED BUILD! THEY HAVE ALL DONE A PART IN THIS WORLD THEY HAVE FILLED!"

"I swear to Kolorodo!" Kooper exclaimed, jumping on Typhoon's back. However, in his haste, he forgot exactly how big and strong Typhoon was so all that happened was Kooper being held upside down by his ankle. While Typhoon shook some sense into him, Mario opened the ? Block, grabbed a Mushroom, which he pouted at before he checked the chest and was greeted by a Badge with a heart in it.

"...Oh! That's the Peekaboo Badge! It allows its wearer to see the HP of whoever they look at!" Goombario explained. Mario glanced at the Badge in interest. This could prove handy on the off chance Goombario wasn't available. He pocketed the Badge before he noticed 3 shards in the chest as well. It was a Red Shard, a Blue Shard, and a Yellow Shard. Mario brought this up to Kimani and Jordan's attention, handing them the shards.

"Not bad at all!" Kimani exclaimed, using his instantly. Jordan followed suit, causing the both of them to glow for a moment before it died down.

"What's with the light show?" Kooper asked, still being held upside down.

"That's how Kimani and his friends gain new abilities! What'd you get!?"

"Another passive... Oh, this is really good!"

"What is it?"

"I got In The Zone back! If I go 2 turns without taking damage, I'll enter the Zone. When I'm in the Zone, I gain a point of defense and attack and I can input another Action Command for all my attacks and counters!" Kimani exclaimed. Mario's jaw dropped. That sounded amazing! Mario could only ponder exactly how strong Kimani was in his prime! He then looked at Jordan, eager to hear his new ability.

"I got an active. I got my Berserk ability back. I get a +2 to my damage but I can't guard attacks and my defense drops to 0 until I calm down," Jordan told him.

"Can you still use your other moves during Berserk?" Kimani asked.

"Yep... and from what I'm seeing, activating Berserk doesn't cost any FP, nor does it take my turn, and the same with disabling it. It just makes me drain 1 FP for every attack I do. So, for instance, my Cyclone would cost 3 FP instead of 2, and my Smash would cost 1 FP,"

"That's not bad at all, Big Guy! Just imagine if we get a Badge that ups your damage naturally. You could be really dangerous!" Kimani told him, making Jordan place a hand on his chin in thought. Mario couldn't believe what he was hearing. He was suddenly very grateful that they offered to help him on his quest. He could only imagine how strong the other two were! Mario glanced at Goombario and quickly whispered to him, asking him a question.

"Hmm? You want me to Tattle on Kimani and Jordan? Why? Are you curious about them?" Goombario asked. Mario nodded as Kimani and Jordan overheard them.

"...Can you even use Tattle on us?" Kimani asked.

"Yeah! Give me a second... OK! This is Kimani. Me and my sister found him lying next to Mario when we first rescued him. Max HP: 15. Attack Power: 1, Defense Power: 0. Kimani's size might make him seem like he's an easy target but he'll make you pay for thinking that! Kimani can follow up every attack with another Action Command, allowing him to unleash a flurry of attacks before you can even blink! He can even Counter attacks, making him take no damage and damage his attackers. Despite his volatile personality, he's not actually as mean as he seems, and he's very loyal to his friends. I wonder if I train enough, could I be as good at fighting as he is?" Goombario Tattled, causing everyone to sweatdrop from the information.

"That's... scarily accurate... But my attack power is low?"

"My Tattle usually gauges Attack Power based on your basic attack. Since it does 1, that's your average Attack Power. Obviously, you're stronger than that," Goombario explained. Kimani nodded as Goombario moved on to Jordan.

"Alright... and... Got it! This is Jordan. We found him tied up from some Fuzzies. I wonder how their silk even held him... Max HP: 25, Attack Power: 2, Defense Power: 2. Jordan's size and... fluff makes him a hard target to damage! Not only is his natural defense two, but his normal guard can block up to three points of damage! He even has an easier time guarding attacks! The downside to this is Jordan's lack of attacking Action Commands, making his damage subpar, but on the plus side, his high HP and Defense Power make him a great tank, and he can even guard his allies! I wish I could be as big and strong as him! I could protect my friends and family with ease!"

"...You're allowed to call me fat if you need to. I'm not ashamed of it," Jordan deadpanned. Goombario sheepishly laughed as a result.

"Oh, Jordan. Use Berserk and see if Goombario says something different,"

"...Sure. GRAH!" Jordan muttered before he roared and gained a blue aura around him. His eyes were also glowing blue and his overall posture was more aggressive looking.

"Holy Goombnuts... Uh. This is Jordan. He seems to be possessed by some kind of power, but he's in control still. Max HP: 25, Attack Power: 4, Defense Power: 0. Look at those muscles! While Jordan is Berserk, his strength skyrockets! However, all that carelessness does make it easier to hit him, and all that focus on offense means his natural defense is outright terrible. Still... Look at him! Defense or not, I think I'm going to pass on fighting him. I like living..." Goombario Tattled.

"Firebrand, link up for Fire Form," Kimani asked. Firebrand nodded and slinked over, turning into a ball of fire and soaring into his controller. Kimani exhaled before he grunted, setting himself on fire. Goombario took this moment to Tattle on him.

"Give me a moment... OK. This is Kimani. He seems to be heating up!... No? Tough crowd... Max HP: 15, Attack Power: 2, Defense Power: 0. No, seriously. Kimani's on fire now. Needless to say, touching him or even getting near him isn't good for your health. That extra firepower... literally, gives his attacks more oomph and makes it so anyone that gets close takes damage. He can't hold it forever as he'll slowly start to take damage after a while. I wonder if that's because he's a human... or made of paper?" Goombario pondered. Kimani disbanded the form afterward before Firebrand walked over to Typhoon and the others. Goombario looked at Typhoon next, who was still shaking Kooper, who had swirls in his eyes while Firebrand was trying to talk him into putting him down.

"Guess I'll get those two as well... That's Typhoon. According to what Kimani told me, he's the spirit and source of Jordan's powers. Typhoon is massive! He's easily the biggest person I've ever seen, and he has the strength to match! His strikes are so strong, he can shake the very ground, and he's able to lift most things with ease! He's also in tune with water as well and can make waves appear simply by tapping his hammer on the ground, and he can even turn into water as well! Do Vikings usually have these powers? And can I get a helmet like him?"

"To answer your question, no, but that's a story for another time," Kimani told him. Goombario nodded as he Tattled on Firebrand, who blew a small gout of fire onto Typhoon's bottom, causing him to drop Kooper.

"Ok... This is Firebrand. According to what Kimani told me, he's the spirit and source of his powers. Firebrand is... well, pretty small for a dragon if I'm being honest. He's pretty nice, however, which is surprising as most dragons are jerks. Size aside, Firebrand is still a dragon and, as a result, can breathe fire and has sharp claws that he can use to attack. He also seems to have more control over fire than the average dragon as he can coat his entire body in fire. Firebrand is a lot more lax than a normal dragon and loves playing pranks on others. He's also prone to picking on others, but Kimani is usually his target. How'd he get that mohawk made out of fire? It seems like a nightmare to upkeep..."

"Hee-hee. That was pretty fun to listen to!" Bombette exclaimed. Mario nodded, feeling as if he had learned valuable information about his allies. By now, Kimani had defused the argument between Typhoon and Kooper by threatening Typhoon, which didn't work, but he still agreed to let Kooper be. Mario asked everyone if they wanted to continue or leave, as the switch could swap the direction the pipe would send them.

"We should leave. I'm getting tired, and despite these upgrades, we should probably get a bit stronger before continuing," Kimani offered.

"Yeah, and seeing as how some of the enemies are getting stronger, we should regroup and make sure no other surprises... well, surprise us," Goombario followed up. Mario nodded, agreeing with their assumptions. He made the pipe go up and allowed the others to go before him. Once the last member leaped in, Mario followed after them...

---

Pit of 100 Trials- Ruins

...and landed back in front of the blue pipe. Goombario looked at the pipe in interest.

"Well... It doesn't look like our progress is saved, so we'll have to one and done it,"

"Eh, that's not too bad. If we get stronger, we can just steamroll through the early floors," Jordan said, walking over to the Heart Block and poking it, fully healing his FP and HP. Kimani and Mario did the same before they agreed to finish the rest of their side quest. Mario asked Goombario what they had left.

"Let's see... We still need to return the tape to Koopa Koot... and now that I think about it, I think I saw that worm in Koopa Village. We didn't get a chance to speak with him because Kooper came back so fast,"

"Alright. Back to Koopa Village!" Kimani exclaimed, causing everyone to nod and run towards the exit.

---

Sometime later...

Koopa Village

The group finally arrived back at Koopa Village. Some of the members wanted to take a break so they went and sat down in the grass. Kimani, Goombario, and Bombette went to track down the worm while Mario and Kooper went to go see Koopa Koot. Jordan, Firebrand, and Typhoon sighed as they relaxed in the grass, catching a bit of sleep. With Kimani, Goombario, and Bombette, they went into the next area where they spotted the worm near a tree in the corner. When he noticed Kimani, he waved them over.

"Salutations, my friend! Ready to answer more questions?" The worm exclaimed. Goombario stepped forward as a result.

"Maybe, but let me ask you a question first. Why did you ask a question about my family last time?"

"Ah, a valid question, my fungal friend. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Chuck Quizmo. The name of my game is quizzes on various random subjects! Sometimes, it's about a person. Other times, an item. Believe me when I say, I have no malice towards anyone, nor is my information used for evil acts. I simply like quizzes, that's all. And worry not, for answering my questions correctly will have you win a prize! Have I satisfied your concerns?" Chuck explained. Everyone shared looks before they nodded.

"Yep. Thanks! And we're ready to answer your questions now," Goombario answered. Chuck wiggled in excitement before he whisked them away to a game show panel.

"Same as last time. Answer my question and win a prize... Hmm, seems like we have a backlist of questions to go through... Tell you what. I'll allow you to continue answering questions if you get them right. Get one wrong and the quiz stops there and you'll have to find me again!"

"Got it! How many questions have we got?"

"19!"

"Gurk!"

"Let's get started! Question 2: What is the color of the block you can break with the first Hammer you got?"

"Oh! Yellow ones!" Kimani answered.

"Correct! Question 3: What ability does Goombario frequently use?"

"Uh... His Tattle Ability?" Bombette guessed.

"Well done! Question 4: What color of pants was the Goomba King wearing?"

"Shit... I forgot," Kimani muttered. Goombario thought for a second.

"Hmm... I think they were red and white striped,"

"That's correct! Question 5: Which of Mario's battle commands allows him to run away or guard?"

"Commands?" Goombario asked.

"Oh, I know this one! Me, Mario, and Jordan have a habit of visualizing certain things during combat. If Mario's is the same as my list, it would be Strategies,"

"Ooh, very clever! That's right!"

"Are you guys ok?" Goombario asked. Bombette giggled at this while Kimani sweatdropped.

"...Just go to the next question..."

"Will do! Question 6: How many windows does the Goomba House in Goomba Village have?"

"One. We don't need many windows since we're short..."

"Correct! Question 7: What's the name of the leader of the Red and Blue Goomba Bros.?"

"Goomba King!" The three of them answered.

"Yes! Question 8: What color are Luigi's pants?"

"Oddly specific but... Blue last time I saw," Kimani deadpanned.

"Blue they were! Question 9: How many members are there in Goombario's family?"

"My family again, huh? 6. It's Me, Goombaria, Goompa, Goompapa, Goomma and Goomama,"

"That's right! And what a lovely family you guys are. I actually know your Goompa from our previous adventures," Chuck slyly said.

"Wait, what?"

"Gotta get quiz questions somewhere. Now, on to question 10: What will you receive when you get the right answer in a quiz?"

"Star Pieces, right?"

"That's it! And speaking of which, you've got 9 Star Pieces on deck!

"Nice!" Bombette exclaimed.

"Let's see if you can earn some more! Question 11: What is the name of the smart Toad living in Toad Town?"

"Ooh..." Kimani hissed.

"Oh no, I don't know that one..." Goombario deadpanned, wracking his brain. To the other two's surprise, Bombette answered.

"It's Russ T! He's helped me out with a few problems I had before I got captured!" Bombette told them.

"Nice save, little lady! That's correct!"

"Way to go, Bombette!" Kimani exclaimed.

"No problem!"

"Question 12: How many buildings are there in Koopa Village?"

"Uh... When me and Firebrand went on that rampage, I counted 6,"

"It was 6. I've been keeping track," Goombario co-signed.

"Why?"

"Bored,"

"Well, good thing you did because that's correct! Question 13: Of the following, who is NOT a member of the Koopa Bros.?" Chuck asked, making three names appear on a screen in front of them.

"...Pfft, Blue Ninjakoopa? That's for sure the right answer... Err... well, wrong answer... You know what I mean," Bombette snorted.

"That's right! Question 14: How many coins are needed to buy a Mushroom at the shop in Koopa Village?"

"It's 4 coins... Speaking of which, do we need more Mushrooms?" Kimani asked.

"I think we're OK for now,"

"4 coins is the right answer! Question 15: Where does Merluvlee, who tells fortunes about special things, live?"

"Uh... I remember Merlin saying he lived in Shooting Star Summit. Oh, speaking of which, there's someone in Merlin's family who takes Star Pieces and exchanges them for rare Badges. We should check it out when we get a chance," Goombario answered, mentioning that last part to Kimani and Bombette.

"We should bring it up with the others!" Bombette exclaimed.

"Well, you'll certainly have a lot to trade because that's correct! Question 16: What is the name of the character who joined you at the Koopa Bros. Fortress?"

"Yours truly, Bombette!" Goombario answered as Bombette twirled dramatically.

"Right you are! Question 17: What color is Bowser's hair?"

"Red," Kimani simply said.

"Yep! Question 18: How many Star Spirits do you have to save?"

"Uh... 7," Bombette pipped up after a moment of thinking.

"Excellent! Almost there, folks! Question 19: What's the name of the elderly Koopa Troopa who always asks for errands to be run?"

"Koopa Koot... oh boy... Does that mean he's going to ask us for another favor?" Kimani deadpanned.

"Most likely..." Goombario sighed.

"Well, at least you'll get a Star Piece out of it! Question 20: How many Bob-ombs besides Bombette were imprisoned in the jail at the Koopa Bros. Fortress?"

"Besides me? It was 4," Bombette answered again. A bell rang and confetti rained down from above.

"Lady and Gentlemen, that's correct! Well done! You've gotten every question right, which means you've won a total of 19 Star Pieces!" Chuck exclaimed, taking his hat off and making 19 Star Pieces fly out and land in front of the group. Kimani almost fainted while Goombario's eyes bulged out. Bombette just looked proud of herself. Chuck then transported them back to Koopa Village. Kimani caught himself and scooped up all the Star Pieces.

"Folks, what a lovely time that was! You're on a roll with 20 questions answered! That's all I have for you now but I'll be sure to whip up some more questions for next time!" Chuck told them, giving them a performer's bow before his hat grew and swallowed him before it disappeared in front of them.

"Uh... How many Star Pieces do we have altogether?" Bombette asked.

"Hmm. Good question... Maybe 26? Possibly more?" Goombario counted. Kimani whistled before he noticed Mario and Kooper leaving Koopa Koot's house. Kimani quickly flagged them down, causing them to walk over.

"There you guys are! Where were you?" Kooper asked.

"Answering Chuck Quizmo's quizzes. By the way, catch," Kimani answered, reaching into his pockets and pulling out 19 Star Pieces. Kooper started hacking up a lung and fighting his inhaler while Mario rapidly waved his arms. Where did he even get this many pieces!? Mario loudly asked that question, causing Kimani to sweatdrop from the volume as it was rare for him to yell.

"Every question we get right nets us a Star Piece and we answered 19 of them so... 19 Star Pieces,"

"That's amazing!" Kooper exclaimed.

"And get this. There's someone who lives on Shooting Star Summit that will trade Star Pieces for rare Badges. We should go check it out!" Goombario added.

"Yeah! Oh, speaking of Star Pieces. Me and Mario ended up doing some favors for Koopa Koot and he gave us 3 Star Pieces as well. Unsurprisingly, he asked for one last favor and that was to grab Luigi's autograph,"

"We're about to go crazy at this secret Badge shop," Kimani said. Mario nodded rapidly as he added Kimani's Star Pieces to the total. After Mario counted, he saw that they had a whopping 33 Star Pieces. Mario grinned before he asked the group on whether they should cash in their Star Pieces first or go get Luigi's autograph.

"I'd say autograph. We can grab that, head back here, and swing back to Shooting Star Summit. After that, I'd say a break is in order," Kimani said.

"I thought these side quests and everything was the break?" Kooper asked.

"I underestimated how exhausting the break would be so I need a break from the break," Kimani deadpanned. Mario chuckled before he raised a hand, informing the group that they could go back to his house afterward and take a quick rest there. Luigi wouldn't mind the extra company and this would give him time to catch Luigi up on everything. The group nodded before they went back to the main area and picked up Jordan, Firebrand, and Typhoon, who were fast asleep when they reached them. After informing them of the plan, all three of them sighed before they got up and rejoined the party...

---

Toad Town

...And walked back to Toad Town. They walked until they ended up in the main plaza and Mario walked to a green pipe.

"Huh? You just got a pipe that leads to your house?" Kimani asked. Mario nodded.

"...Isn't that a security hazard?" Jordan asked after a moment of thinking, causing Mario to shake his head. He informed him that pretty much every Toad here never used the pipe unless they had an emergency. That and Mario and Luigi were more than capable of handling anyone that dared to try them. Jordan snorted in response before they hopped into the pipe, being transported to...

---

Mario's House

...Mario's House. Sitting on a rock was Luigi, who had his eyes closed and was singing. He sounded really good, causing everyone to stop and listen for a moment before Mario walked over and tried to get his attention. However, he couldn't hear him since his eyes were closed and he was so focused on singing. Mario tried again, only to get the same result, causing him to droop in annoyance. He turned and asked Bombette to blow up the rock, causing her to recoil.

"What? Wouldn't that hurt your brother?" Bombette asked. Mario shook his head, reassuring her. She pursed her lips before she ignited her fuse and walked over. She trusted Mario, but she still dimmed her fuse a bit, causing her following explosion to be more controlled. The explosion broke the rock, but Luigi took no damage at all. In fact, he landed on his feet as if nothing had happened.

"Oh, hey bro! Where have you been these past couple of days?" Luigi asked. Everyone sweatdropped before Mario gave him a summary of everything that happened. Once he was done, Luigi jumped in surprise, waving his hands.

"W-what! Princess Peach has been kidnapped again!?"

"Yep. We're working on getting her back," Kimani said. Luigi nodded.

"I see... Well, I'd go with you, but someone has to stay behind and watch over the house... Feel free to come by whenever you need a rest. I can make us dinner!"

"We might take you up on your offer soon. We've been running around all day and I'm about to crash..." Kimani deadpanned. Luigi chuckled.

"I'll have dinner ready for everyone, so come by tonight. I'll also get some sleeping bags ready for you guys,"

"We appreciate it, Luigi," Jordan thanked, causing him to sheepishly scratch the back of his head. Mario smiled at this before he asked Luigi about Koopa Koot's request.

"...He what? Mr. Koopa Koot wants to get my autograph? Me? He wants me to sign something?" Luigi asked, leaning in with each question. Everyone sweatdropped and felt bad that he was so surprised about this.

"Well, why wouldn't he? You're just as known as Mario here," Kimani deadpanned with Mario nodding rapidly.

"Whoa... Cool! I guess I am a bit of a celebrity, eh?"

"Of course!... but not as much as Mario," Goombario exclaimed, quietly saying that last part to himself. Typhoon's arm jetted out of Jordan's chain and mushed Goombario until he was buried in the ground. Only his hat was seen. Everyone sweatdropped as Luigi quickly pulled out a sheet of paper (which Kimani questioned the origins of, causing Typhoon to do the same to him as he did Goombario) and scribbled his signature before handing it to Mario.

"Here you are, Bro. My autograph. Give my regards to Mr. Koopa Koot, OK?"

"Will do. Thanks!" Kooper answered, causing Luigi to nod. He then told them that he was going to get started on prepping the house for later so he gave them a wave before he darted back into the house. Seconds afterward, loud music started playing and Luigi could be heard singing again. Mario knew that he was starting to deep clean everything, so he pulled Kimani and Goombario out of the ground and ushered his team back toward the Pipe. They leaped in and...

---

Toad Town

...Arrived back in Toad Town. The group wasted no time and sprinted to Princess Peach's Castle Grounds until they got to...

---

Shooting Star Summit

...Shooting Star Summit. Mario stopped the group, asking where they were located. Goombario told them that they lived on the bottom path of Shooting Star Summit, causing Mario to nod as he led his party in said direction. Once they arrived, they saw a big building. Sharing looks, they walked over to the door where Mario knocked on it. There was no answer, so Kimani made the executive decision of just simply walking inside, causing everyone to sweatdrop as they followed him. They were greeted by a small room with a purple chest next to the door and another hooded figure standing behind a table with a crystal... pyramid. The hooded figure glanced at them and waved them over.

"Ah, visitors... Wait... I know you three... Yes, Merlin mentioned you through the stars. Welcome, Mario, Kimani, and Jordan,"

"You must be Merluvlee?" Goombario asked.

"That's correct, my child. I am Merluvlee, daughter of Merlin. Much like my father, I possess powers of clairvoyance and can assist you in finding items that will help you on your adventure,"

"What items?" Kimani pipped up.

"Badges, Star Pieces. Other important items... Hmm..." Merluvlee explained, noting that her pyramid was glowing a bit. She looked closer before it died down.

"What was that all about?" Jordan asked.

"I see... you're actually a group of 4, but you were separated..."

"...Yeah..."

"Well, you're in luck. I got a vision of one of your friends. He seemed to be located in the desert,"

"The desert?" Kimani and Jordan simultaneously asked.

"Good thing we're going there for the next Star Spirit anyway," Bombette mentioned.

"There's 2 more of you guys? Cool. New friends to meet," Kooper said.

"Do you know which one it is?" Goombario also asked.

"No. I can tell he's safe, however, so no need to fret. Now, I'll let you have that information for free but any other request will cost you 5 coins,"

"Got it. Thanks, Merluvlee," Kimani told her. She nodded before she ushered towards the door to her left.

"Before you leave, please visit my little brother, Merlow. He collects Star Pieces and I have no doubt he's willing to trade you for the ones you currently have on hand,"

"That's the main reason why we came here," Kimani truthfully said. She nodded before she let them pass. Before they touched the door, Merluvlee stopped them once more.

"Apologies, but one more thing came to my attention. Mario, there's a building here that you may want to visit. It's called the Star Temple. After the Star Spirits were captured, it was abandoned temporarily but with the return of one of the Star Spirits, I can sense the presence of others there. It may be beneficial to you. The way to it is just past our house. You can't miss it,"

"Star Temple. Past your house. May be important. Got it!" Goombario exclaimed. Merluvlee smiled before she sent them on their way. Mario and the gang went up the stairs until they reached a small bedroom. Sitting on the ground was a smaller hooded kid. When he noticed the group, he got up and scurried over.

"Oh, you must be Luigi, Kimario, and Jordon!" He greeted, causing the three party leaders to fall over in embarrassment.

"Let me guess, Merluvlee sent you a mental message?" Kimani asked, picking himself up.

"Yes! But I'm still practicing... What's with the faces?"

"That's Mario, I'm Kimani and that's Jordan," Kimani corrected. The kid sweatdropped.

"Oh... Sorry, must have misheard her. Either way, my name is Merlow, brother to Merluvlee and son to Merlin! I'd help with clairvoyance but... as you already saw, I'm still practicing. In the meantime... I have a great collection of Badges! I'd be willing to trade them for these gems called Star Pieces. If you have any, let me know!"

"Funny you say that because we currently have 33 of these bad boys,"

"W-What!?"

"Yep. Show him Mar," Kimani told him, pointing to Mario, who twirled dramatically, pulled off his hat, and presented the inside of it, which had all of the Star Pieces sitting there. Merlow almost passed out from the sight while Jordan questioned Mario on the location of the Star Pieces and the following pose. He quickly whispered that he and Kimani thought it would be good for dramatic effect, which made Jordan's palm connect with his face in embarrassment. Once Merlow got over his shock, he quickly threw back his cloak, revealing a plethora of Badges on the inside of it.

"If you see anything you like, point it out and I'll tell you how many Star Pieces it'll cost!"

"Hmm.. Oh, guys. He has a really nice collection of Badges here!" Goombario told them.

"What do you recommend?" Jordan asked.

"Hmm... Pretty Lucky is alright for everyone. It gives the wearer a 10% chance to avoid attacks. It's like Mario's Close Call Badge, but you don't have to be in Danger to use it. Happy Flower and Heart are another good all-around Badge. It makes more hearts or flowers drop after battle... OH?"

"What?"

"A Zap Tap Badge! Wearing that Badge will electrify you! If an enemy hits you, they'll take 1 damage! It won't stop every enemy, but it's still nice to have!"

"Good eye! As you said, it's a rare Badge, so I'm willing to part with it for 10 Star Pieces," Merlow told them. Mario and the others muttered to each other for a moment before Mario nodded and gave him the 10 Star Pieces. Merlow gave him the Badge afterward. Mario looked at the Badge and noted it needed 4 BP, causing him to pout slightly before he pocketed it. Mario then glanced at the Badge with a smiley face on it. He brought it up to Goombario, causing him to take a look as well.

"Hmm... That's the Feeling Fine Badge. Whoever wears it becomes immune to status effects. To be honest, I think Kimani would use it best since he does the most damage out of all of us, and having him unable to act is usually a bad thing... I could also argue that Jordan would be a good choice since he can guard other party members... hmmm..." Goombario rambled. Mario didn't need any more persuading as he asked Merlow how many Star Pieces he wanted for the Badge.

"Mmmm. I was never attached to this one so 5 Star Pieces will suffice," He told him, causing Mario to nod and hand over 5 Star Pieces. Merlow handed him the Badge afterward. Mario counted their remaining Star Pieces, which were 18, before he asked Kimani and Jordan if they saw any Badges that caught their eye. Kimani and Jordan walked closer and peeked at the Badges.

"Uh... Nope," Jordan said. Kimani, however, was drawn to a triangle Badge with a fist icon on it.

"What's this one?" Kimani asked, poking said Badge. Merlow looked himself.

"Oh, that's one of my favorite ones! That's the Power Plus Badge. Whoever wears it gets an extra point of damage during combat!"

"That would be great for Kimani since he has a lot of attacks that hit more than once," Kooper said.

"Get it! Get it!" Bombette cheered, causing Kimani to chuckle as he asked how many Star Pieces it would take.

"Ah... I really don't want to part with it... but I can let it go... for 25 Star Pieces,"

"BROTHER!" Kimani exclaimed. Mario agreed, but he didn't think the price was a rip-off for a Badge as handy as that. Regardless, they didn't have enough at the moment so Mario simply said they'd come back and buy it. Kimani sighed loudly before he nodded, noting that they weren't that far off from 25.

"Thanks for the Star Pieces! Here, a small gift from me," Merlow said, handing them a Blue Shard.

"Oh sweet, I think I'm caught up to you," Jordan mentioned, looking at Kimani.

"How many shards is that now?"

"6,"

"Oh yeah, we're the same now,"

"Nice," Jordan said, using his shard and glowing for a moment before it died down.

"Alright, Big Guy. What are we working with now?"

"Mmm... Another active. Revenge Strike,"

"...What did that do again?"

"I take a stance and prepare myself for attacks. After the enemies hit me, I'll deal half the damage I took to the front enemy. My defense drops to 0 during the stance, however, and I can't attack until after every enemy goes,"

"Hmm... Sounds tricky, but we could get some use out of it."

"Eh, could be worse, could be better,"

"Guys, I'm certain Merlow doesn't care about this conversation..." Goombario deadpanned.

"No, it's actually interesting. If I'd known those shards were important to you, I would have tried to find you guys earlier. Hmm... OK, here's what I can do. My Clairvoyance isn't as good as my dad's or my sister's, but since I've been around that shard long enough, I could probably track down some shards occasionally. Come visit me sometimes. I may have a shard or two on me next time we speak. I might even have some more Badges!"

"Thanks for the help, Merlow,"

"No problem!" Merlow answered, waving as they exited both the room and the house. Kimani sighed loudly, earning the attention of everyone.

"You ok?"

"Tired. It's been a long day. So next on the list is..." Kimani answered, stretching slightly.

"Checking out the Star Temple. It should be... oh, down that path... Hmm... Not familiar with that one," Goombario told him. Mario raised his hand, offering a suggestion. Once he was done, everyone shared his looks.

"So we should come here tomorrow and just go drop off Luigi's Autograph?" Kooper repeated. Mario really didn't understand why people repeated what he said. Maybe he should start speaking louder...

"I'm game. I'm so tired from... well, everything,"

"Ditto. My back is starting to act up," Jordan followed up. Mario nodded before he told Kimani and the others to head towards his house. He would head over to Koopa Koot's and drop the autograph off and join them afterward. Goombario wanted to tag along while Kooper and Bombette wanted to go with Kimani and Jordan. The party nodded before they traveled back to...

---

Toad Town

...Toad Town. The group noted that it was dark outside and Kimani yawned, heading towards the pipe along with the others. Once they went into the pipe. Mario looked at Goombario, who nodded before they went to...

---

Koopa Village

...Koopa Village. Outside, no one was out but the homes were illuminated with soft warm orange glows from the windows. Mario and Goombario walked over to the Mayor's house and knocked on it, waiting until Koopa Koot answered the door.

"Ehh? Mario, huh? What brings you here at this hour?" Koopa Koot asked. Mario apologized for the abruptness of his visit before he produced his brother's autograph from his pockets and showed it to Koopa Koot. Koopa Koot jumped in surprise before he took the autograph.

"Wa ha ha ha! I have so many unique treasures now! What a lucky Koopa I am!" Koopa Koot exclaimed, dancing around with Luigi's Autograph. Mario smiled, happy to see his brother's signature as the source of such happiness. Once he stopped, he shook Mario's hand and gave him a coin.

"Well, Mario. You've been an absolute help. That's all the favors I have for now. Check-in with me later. I might have some more favors to ask!"

"Sure thing. You have a good night, sir," Goombario told him, causing Koopa Koot to nod and shut the door. Mario and Goombario shared a look before they nodded, heading towards the exit and heading to...

---

Mario's House

...Mario's House. When they exited the pipe, the smell of homecooked meals brushed his nose, causing him to start levitating to the door. Goombario awkwardly followed after him before they reached the door. Mario pushed open the door and floated inside until he arrived in the kitchen, where everyone was eating and chatting up a storm. Luigi was floating between the stove and kitchen table, providing food, drinks, and hospitality at a rapid pace. Mario always wondered why Luigi never considered working at Club 64 as a waiter, but then he remembered the seedy characters there and Luigi's nature and shook the thoughts out of his head. Speaking of Luigi, he walked over with his pink apron that read "Tip your waiter" and was squeaky clean and directed Mario to an empty seat.

"Welcome home, Bro! I have a plate of spaghetti ready for you! How did Koopa Koot like my autograph?" Luigi asked, bringing Mario said plate. Mario's eyes sparkled as he started to dig into his plate. Goombario, who was brought a plate of fried Goomnuts, sweatdropped and took over the conversation.

"He really appreciated the autograph. He started dancing around and everything!"

"That's great to hear! Sounds like you guys had an eventful day today. Kimani and the others were filling me in earlier,"

"Yep. We got to the dojo portion before you guys walked in," Kimani said, a mouthful of Fried Shroom. Mario nodded before he started to inform Luigi about the rest of their day. He told them about the mysterious ruins that held a place called the Pit of 100 Trials. He then mentioned that they went through 10 of them before calling it quits before they went to Koopa Village to complete a few more of Koopa Koot's errands, including Luigi's autograph before they went to Shooting Star Summit in order to find Merlin's relatives. He then finished the story by mentioning a location called the Star Temple that they would visit tomorrow before they headed to Dry, Dry Dessert. Luigi listened to his brother and nodded once he was done.

"Sounds like a lot to handle. Well, as always, you guys are more than welcome to head back here if you need to grab something to eat or get some rest. Thank you for keeping me in the loop," Luigi thanked, getting up from his chair and moving towards the table, picking up everyone's empty plates and putting them in the sink. He reached under a cabinet and pulled out some white dish gloves.

"Thanks, Luigi. We really appreciate your hospitality," Jordan responded, standing up and stretching. Luigi nodded before he told everyone that he got some sleeping bags and hammocks set up in the bedroom for everyone in the next room. Kooper leaped at the word, hammock, and sprinted into the next room. Everyone else sweatdropped before they went into the next room, which was Mario and Luigi's bedroom, and saw that Luigi had moved some things around, so there was space for the various sleeping bags scattered around the room. Above were a few hammocks set up. In one of them sat Kooper, who had taken off his shell and was resting in his boxers and an undershirt, reading a notebook. Mario covered Bombette and Goombario's eyes out of reflex.

"Oh, relax. Mario. This isn't the first time I've seen someone in their undergarments," Bombette told him, moving Mario's hands off of her. Goombario wasn't bothered either, which caused Mario to sigh as he went behind a screen and changed into his own sleepwear, which was a striped pajama set, complete with a sleep cap. Kimani did roughly the same as Kooper. He opted to wear pajama bottoms and go shirtless. Jordan wore pajamas and a T-shirt as well. As for sleeping arrangements, Kimani leaped up and landed in one of the hammocks while Jordan, noting his size would do more harm than good, used one of the sleeping bags on the ground. Bombette did the same as did Goombario while Mario crawled into his bunk.

"Got a big day ahead of us, huh?" Kimani groggily asked.

"Mmm-hmm... Hopefully, we'll find Dylan and Austin soon," Jordan answered, his eyes closed.

"Yeah... once we have the squad back together, not even Bowser will be able to stop us,"

"Don't forget us. We're ready to do whatever we can to help you guys out," Kooper piggybacked.

"Yeah! With us backing Mario, we'll wipe the floor with that big jerk and save Princess Peach!" Goombario yelled.

"Dial it back, boys. Besides, remember what the Star Spirits said? We're also saving everyone's ability to make wishes and have them come true," Bombette reminded them.

"Right, almost forgot that part," "Sorry, Bombette," The two of them muttered. She giggled in response.

"Oh who am I kidding, We'll easily save the day!"

"Yeah!" "Dang straight!"

"Well, we'll need some rest before we get too ahead of ourselves," Jordan muttered, falling asleep afterward. Kimani had already fallen asleep, lightly snoring as a result. Mario listened to everyone quietly, a small smile appearing on his face before he turned over and allowed the drowsiness in his body to take over. His thoughts rested on Peach one more time before he finally dozed off.

File Saved!

---

Current Party Overview:

Mario:

Starting Stats: 10 HP, 5 FP, 3 BP

Current Stats: 15 HP, 10 FP, 6 BP (Level 4)

Equipped Badges: Close Call (1), Multibounce (1), Power Bounce (2), Attack FX B, Power Stomp (1)

Main Partners: Bombette

Items: Mushroom x4, Super Shroom, Fried Egg, Koopa Tea x4, Super Soda, Nutty Cake, Spicy Soup, Pow Block, Sleepy Sheep, Fright Jar x2

Current Star Pieces: 18

Current Badges: Peekaboo (3), Speedy Spin (1), Close Call (1), Hammer Throw (2), Dizzy Attack (2), Multibounce (1), Smash Charge (1), Power Bounce (2), Refund (1), Attack FX B, Power Stomp (1), HP Up (2), FP Up (2), First Attack (1), Smash Charge (1), D-Down Pound (2), Zap Tap (4), Feeling Fine (3)

Kimani:

Area of Expertise: Grounded Combat, Single Target Damage, Countering

Starting Stats: 10 HP, 10 FP, 3 BP

Current Stats: 15 HP, 20 (25) FP, 3 BP (Level 4)

Equipped Badges: FP UP (2), First Attack (1)

Main Battle Partners: Firebrand, Kooper

Battle Talent: Stronger Attack Action Commands (can input one more action command, dealing more hits/damage) but stricter timing on ALL Action Commands.

Field Actions: Can strike enemies in the field with his fist, allowing him to perform his action commands for Strike early. (Basically, his first strikes have the potential to do 3 damage should he time the commands right) He can also help Mario break Super Blocks on the field.

FP Moves:

Strike: (0 FP) Strikes a foe with a punch or kick. Pressing the A button with correct timing allows up to 2 follow-ups. Pow: 1 (up to 3). Style: Timed. Can hit Top-Spike enemies, can't target flying enemies

Power Strike: (2 FP) Strikes a foe with a stronger punch or kick. Can press A at the right time to execute another Power Strike but will cost an additional 2 FP. Pow: 3, Style: Timed: Can hit Top-Spiky enemies, can't target flying enemies

Focus Blast: (3 FP) Charges up a devastating blast of energy. Gets stronger with each turn spent charging. Maxes at 12 damage. Pow: 3, (1 turn) 6, (2 turns) 12 (3 turns)

Dragon Uppercut: (5 FP) Launches a devastating uppercut that launches foes into others! Pressing A at the correct time allows Kimani to follow up with a Dragon's Descent, spiking the enemy back down for extra damage! DU: Pow: 5 (Enemy projectile pow: 3), Style: Timed, Can hit flying and Spiky enemies. DD: (5 FP) Pow: 5 (Enemy projectile pow: 3)

Passives:

Counter: Can't guard normally but can Counter attacks. Has stricter timing than the normal guard but will null ALL damage and damage the attacker for 1 damage.

Master's Potential Unlock: Kimani's Counter has been enhanced! Now, it can do 2 damage to whoever he hits!

Second Chance: Will survive a singular fatal hit with 1 HP. Will be available to use again once 10 HP is reached.

In The Zone: If Kimani goes undamaged for 2 turns, he'll enter The Zone, which is a focused state for Kimani. During The Zone, Kimani's attack and defense rise by 1 and the number of Action Commands he can input goes up by one as well! (For example, his normal Strike command can be followed up by 3 extra attacks and his Power Strike can attack up to 3 times!) Taking damage will knock him out of it.

Firebrand:

Area of Focus: Versatile, Ice Enemies, Single Target Damage

Field Actions: Can spend 1 FP to launch a fireball. Fireballs will ignite flammable sources and can First Strike enemies at a distance.

FP Moves:

Swipe: Lashes out with a quick claw swipe. Pressing the A button at the right time launches another swipe. Pow: 1 (2), Style: Timed, Can't target flying enemies. Can hit Spiky Enemies.

Fireball: (2 FP) Launches a fireball at an opponent. Can hit all enemies. Deals double damage to Icy enemies but will heal Fiery enemies. Pow: 3, Style: Charge

Fire Form: (5 FP) Firebrand disappears into Kimani's amulet, allowing Kimani to flare up. Kimani's attacks deal +1 fire damage for the duration and enemies will take 1 damage from hitting him physically. After 3 turns, Kimani will take 1 point of damage after every turn until he uses the Cool Off ability.

Jordan:

Area of Expertise: Defense and Damage Mitigation

Starting Stats: 20 HP, 5 FP, 3 BP

Current Stats: 25 (30) HP, 10 FP, 6 BP (Level 4)

Equipped Badges: HP Plus (2), Smash Charge (1), D-Down Pound (2)

Main Battle Partners: Typhoon, Goombario

Battle Talent: Guard Action Command is more forgiving and will block up to 3 points of damage. Doesn't have any Attack Action Commands outside of Smash, however.

Field Talent: Can raise his shield, preventing foes from first striking him. He also turns into a platform during this stance. This allows his friends to reach high switches and enemies. Mario can perform an Enhanced Spin Jump from this position in order to break weak floor panels. (Once Mario acquires the Super Boots)

FP Moves:

Smash: Bonks foes with a downward swing. Pow: 1(2) Style: Charge, Can flip enemies. Can't target flying enemies

Berserk: (1 FP per attack) Jordan sacrifices his defense for more attack power! Effects: +2 to Jordan's Attack Power and +1 to all FP Cost, Defence Power drops to 0, can't Guard, Doesn't cost an action or FP to use or deactivate.

Defensive Shout: (5 FP) Unleash a rousing roar that increases everyone's defense by 2 for 3 turns. This stacks with Jordan's Stand Strong passive and enhanced guard.

Cyclone: (2 FP) Jordan spins forward with his hammer outstretched, plowing through all grounded enemies. Pow: 2, Style: None, Can't hit flying enemies.

Guardian Angel : (2 FP) Dedicates a turn blocking attacks for the next party member. Will take full damage from attacks, however. Guarded characters can guard, reducing the amount of damage Jordan takes.

Revenge Strike: (5 FP) Jordan prepares himself to be attacked, allowing the enemies to strike him first. Jordan's defense drops to 0 during this stance, but he will attack the front-most enemy afterwards for half the damage he took prior!

Passives:

Stand Strong: Gains a defense of 1, which automatically reduces damage by one. Doesn't stack with his Action Command, however.

Master's Potential Unlock: Jordan's defensive nature has been enhanced! His defense rises to 2! However, it still doesn't stack with his Action Command...

Typhoon:

Area of Expertise: Area of Effect, Ground Enemies, Ceiling Enemies, Displacement

Field Ability: Typhoon lets out a roar, taunting enemies towards them. Any enemy that attacks at this time will be twice as strong but they'll give twice the amount of Coins, Hearts, Flowers, and items upon defeat. Star Points aren't affected.

Slam: Hits the ground with a powerful swing of his fist. The shockwave will damage all grounded foes. Deals less damage per enemy. Pow: 2 (To front enemy) decreases by 1 with each enemy. Can't target flying enemies. Will flip flippable enemies. Can hit enemies on the ceiling.

Disrupting Wave (2 FP): Summons a wave of water to wash over foes. Will shuffle the enemy formation. Pow: 2, can't target flying foes. Deals double damage to Fiery enemies.

Liquify (3 FP): Drag a foe to the depths of the ocean, temporarily taking them out of the battle! Typhoon will also be unavailable for the time being as well.

---

Notable changes from Main Game:

-Jr. Troopa uses his leader status to summon help! (Will summon two Koopas once attacked the first time)

-Eldstar's Refresh ability will slowly get worse the more you use it in battle. The first usage is buffed as a result! (Refresh now heals 7 HP and 7 FP on the first usage but loses power by 2 every cast afterward)

-So... Chan is scary now... (+15 HP, Permanent Zap Tap Status, +6 Attack, +? Defense when not flipped over, can get up and attack the same turn)

-Some mysterious runes behind Goomba Village hold some secrets, including the Pit of 100 Trials!

-The Pit introduces some new enemies and new stats for enemies!

-Bigoombas make their grand debut! (HP: 5, Attack Power: 2, Defense Power: 0)

-Spiked Goombas had their helmets readjusted! (+1 Attack, +1 Defense)

-Spiked Paragoombas also had their helmets reworked... wait, Spiked Paragoombas? (Max HP: 2, Attack Power: 2, Defense Power: 1.)

-Koopa Troopas have been working out slightly! (+1 Attack, +1 HP)

-White Ninjakoopa! On the scene! (HP: 5, Attack Power: 2, Defence Power: 1 (0 when flipped), can buff his or an ally's defense by 1, can get up and attack in the same turn, can use a jump attack that will strike the next Party Leader. Deals 3 damage)

-Gloombas are a serious problem now! (+4 HP, +3 Attack, Will shrink whoever they attack if not blocked,)

-Spiked Paragloombas are also a thing now... (HP: 11, Defense: 1, Attack Power: 5, attacks can Shrink)

-Chuck Quizmo will offer questions until one gets one wrong.

-Merlow offers more than just badges! He can track down Smash Shards and will occasionally have one in his inventory!