Welcome all to yet another chapter of Game Jumpers! In the last chapter, our merry band of adventures set out to explore Toad Town, where many different experiences rested. This ranged from the residences of Toad Town such as the meeting of Tayce T, the residential cook. The Master, Toad Town's strongest Toad and master of his own dojo, which will power up the heroes should they complete his challenges. They even found some interesting places, such as the Toad Town Sewers, which was known for housing a multitude of powerful monsters, and even some ancient ruins that house the legendary Pit of 100 Trials. They even found Merlin's house, where Merluvlee and Merlow, daughter and son to Merlon, lived and offered their services. After a surprisingly grueling day, the gang finally head home to Mario's house, where Luigi offered the heroes a nice homecooked meal and a safe spot to sleep. With the sun rising on a brand new day, do our heroes have the strength to get through another day? Let's find out!
Chapter 5: Dry Hoofing It Cross Dry Dry Dessert
Mario's House- Bedroom (Morning)
At this time, Mario and Luigi's bedroom was filled with soft snoring and breathing from everyone in the room. Luigi wasn't there, however, as he had woken up earlier and was getting started on breakfast for everyone. This scene went on for a moment before Mario's mustache twitched, and he sat up quickly. He sniffed the air before the smell of Luigi's cooking hugged his nose. Smacking his lips, he shifted himself out of the bed before landing on the hardwood floor. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and shuffled to the kitchen, where Luigi was located, working at the stove again and whistling quietly. When he noticed the sound of his whistle's echo changed, he turned and smiled at his rugged older brother.
"Morning, Bro. You're just in time! I just finished the last batch of Boo-Berry Pancakes!" Luigi told him, presenting him with a stack of pancakes specked with blueberries and covered in Honey Syrup. Mario thanked him, took the plate, and sat down at the table before he started to eat his food, feeling his strength return. Once Mario finished one of the pancakes, Kimani and Jordan trudged into the room. To be more exact. Jordan trudged into the room with Kimani latched onto his back. Mario questioned this, causing Jordan to shrug as he set Kimani down in one of the chairs before he sat down himself. Luigi sat down some pancakes for them just as Kooper, Goombario, and Bombette also came out of the room. Luigi also smiled at them, and he set up three plates for them. He leaned against the wall and waited until everyone finished their food and had time to wake up before he asked them any questions. After about 10 minutes, everyone had finished their food and was more bright-eyed.
"Oh my goodness, Luigi. Your food is to die for!" Kimani exclaimed, pounding the table. Mario lightly patted him on the arm, asking him to show Luigi some respect. Kimani apologized as a result.
"It's OK. Thank you for enjoying my food! I've had years of practice having Mario as a brother," Luigi answered, laughing when Mario's flat look focused on him. Mario gruffly mentioned that he couldn't just ignore good food, causing Luigi to laugh even harder. Once Luigi was done, he wiped a tear from his eye before he asked the group about their plans for the day.
"If I remember correctly, we should visit that Star Temple Merluvlee told us about the other day before heading to the train station," Goombario recited. Kooper nodded.
"The second Star Spirit was reported to be in Dry Dry Ruins, which is somewhere in Dry Dry Desert. Not to mention, one of Kimani and Jordan's friends are there as well," Kooper followed up.
"Sounds like a plan... Hmmm, tell you what. Heading to the Star Temple and walking to the Train Station shouldn't take up too much time. I'll join you guys until then!" Luigi offered, taking everyone's plates and washing them. An exclamation point popped up over Mario's head before he hurriedly raised an arm.
"The house should be fine if I leave for a couple of hours. Besides, I gotta leave today anyway to get some more ingredients. That and I promised to help Ms. Tayce T today with a few meals she's making for the Post Office,"
"Well, hey, the more, the merrier, eh?" Kimani said, shrugging. Luigi smiled and gave the team a thumbs-up, joining the party.
"Luigi, The Green Wonder, has temporarily joined the team! Luigi can pound his foes from above with his Leap attack or give his team an attack boost with his Words Of Encouragement! Low on HP? Never fear, as Luigi can offer a member an Emergency Snack to heal them for 10 HP or cook up a Banquet to heal EVERYONE to full HP! Luigi's battle talent is his easier action commands due to his years of cooking but as a result, Luigi takes 2 more points of damage should he not block as the time away from combat has made him a bit frail. On the field, Luigi can spend 5 FP to make a Picnic for his team, which will restore 10 HP and FP for everyone else!"
With Luigi on the team, Kimani, Jordan, and Mario saw that Luigi had a respectable 15 HP and no BP, but his FP was a whopping 40, making Kimani pout from jealousy. Mario chuckled before he told everyone to get dressed and ready to head out. He thanked Luigi for the breakfast before he went into the bathroom in order to freshen up a bit while the others went back into Mario and Luigi's bedroom to get dressed. After 5 minutes, Mario came out of the bathroom, back in his trademark attire. Kimani and the others were also dressed as well.
"Great! Ready to head out, Bro?" Luigi asked, already waiting at the door. Mario nodded before he went through the door with the others. Once the last person left, Luigi locked the door with a golden key before he put it back in his pocket. The party went to the pipe and leaped into it...
Toad Town
...Landing back in the Toad Town Plaza. Since it was still rather early in the morning, there weren't many Toads out and about. Mario led his team to the gate leading to Princess Peach's Castle, where Luigi was able to see the hole that once held the castle in question.
"Oh... so you weren't kidding when you said he stole Peach's Castle..." Luigi meekly asked. Mario sighed and shook his head.
"No worries. We'll put it back with Peach in hand soon," Kimani reassured, throwing an arm over Mario's shoulder. Mario chuckled as they continued along the path until they ended up in...
Shooting Star Summit
...Shooting Star Summit. The party walked through the area until they reached Merluvlee and Merlow's house. They eyed the path that led to the Star Temple, and with a determined nod, they started walking into the next area, where a waterfall greeted them. Luigi remarked on how pretty it was as they passed and leaped up a few steps. In front of them was a massive temple that dwarfed the adventurers. In the middle of their gawking, Jordan noticed a tree to their left that held a Star Piece, so he walked over and kicked the tree, getting some stardust on him and making the Star Piece drop in his hand. He handed it to Mario once he got close, bringing their total up to 19 before they continued left where a large cliff was located. Up on top of it was a Badge and a Yellow Smash Shard. The party had no way to reach it, and both Firebrand and Kimani refused to have anyone throw them up. Luigi stepped forward and chuckled, earning the looks of everyone.
"Don't worry, guys! I can get up here easily!" Luigi exclaimed as he started to fold up slightly before he launched himself into the air, landing on the platform. Everyone uttered their own sounds of approval before Luigi leaped down with the two items in tow.
"Here you are! One Badge and one... uh..." Luigi presented, dying off towards the end.
"We call them Smash Shards. They give me and my friends new abilities when we smash them into our chests," Kimani explained.
"That sounds dangerous..."
"We thought the same when we first used them," Jordan muttered. Luigi chuckled before giving his brother the Badge, which Goombario labeled the Starman Badge, and handing Kimani the shard.
"Starman Badge? What does it do?" Kimani asked.
"Doubles the wearer's passive Star Power gain. It only affects the holder, however," Goombario answered.
"Eh, not bad," Kimani answered as the party finally went back and entered the Star Temple.
Star Temple
Once the group walked inside, they gawked at the area. The grand lobby was fairly average, but a large pool of water was in the middle of the room, and ivy grew on many of the columns. In front of one of the tombstone-shaped... er, stones was a yellow star that looked similar to Twink.
"Greetings, Travelers. Welcome to the Star Temple," The star greeted.
"...Now that I'm inside, I've heard of this place. People used to come here to call upon and honor the Star Spirits,"
"So it's a glorified church?" Kimani asked.
"What's a church?"
"This but more humble appearing,"
"Well, some are. There are some churches that are over the top," Jordan piggybacked from behind. The star, a bit flustered by the conversation, cleared their throat.
"Oh. Apologies," "...My fault" The two teens apologized.
"No worries. My name is Umbra. I am one of the guardians of this temple,"
"Oh, cool. We-" Kimani started.
"No need for introductions, heroes. Master Eldstar informed me of his rescue and mentioned you all. You have our gratitude in both the rescue of Master Eldstar as well as the future rescue of the other Masters,"
"No problem, bro. It's what we do. Speaking of which, what can we do here?"
"As of now, we have limited functionality, but right now, we can offer you the option of fighting past foes at max strength in an effort to get some much-needed practice in. These are optional, however, and you won't be in actual danger, but as a result, they are super powerful. In my honest opinion, you wouldn't last a second at your current power levels,"
"Oof, really?"
"To give you an idea, I hold the wish of King Goomba. He vows to get revenge and wishes to be strong enough to 'clobber that sour-lipped fatty and his midget apprentice.'"
"Hey!" Kimani exclaimed, along with Mario's rapid hand signals.
"His words, not mine. Obviously, wishes like these aren't granted, but we do store them. With some finagling, we can visualize them and even place people inside those wishes,"
"That sounds... convoluted..." Kooper muttered. Umbra saw his point and shrugged slightly.
"It... is, but that is what we can do for you. Master Eldstar is over on the right, holding the wishes of the Koopa Bros,"
"Well, seeing as how we're nowhere close to being strong enough, I think we should just head towards Dry, Dry Desert," Kimani suggested. Everyone agreed with him, causing Umbra to nod.
"A wise decision. We shall be awaiting your return, Heroes," Umbra said, wishing them a farewell. The group started walking towards the door.
"Well, I guess we'll head towards the Train Station then... Bit of a bummer when it came to the Star Temple," Jordan deadpanned.
"Eh, at least we have something to look forward to," Kooper mentioned. Kimani shrugged, seeing his point.
"If that's the case, I'll head home then. I still have some errands I have to run anyway," Luigi told them. Kimani stopped him, however.
"Hold on there. We might need you," Kimani mentioned.
"For..."
"The Dojo!"
"Kimani... no," Jordan sighed, picking him up and walking towards Toad Town. As Kimani protested from the safety of Jordan's shoulder, everyone else sweatdropped.
"He's fight hungry. Don't mind him..." Goombario deadpanned. Luigi chucked as the group followed after him, being brought back to...
Toad Town
...Toad Town Square. Luigi gave the party a wave before he headed off on his own.
"Luigi has left the party!"
"Yeah, thanks for that info, Goombario!" Kimani deadpanned, causing him to snicker. Mario lightly scolded them before he started ushering his party toward the Train Station... which seemed to be dealing with its own problem at the moment. In front of a large rock was the Conductor, who was glaring at the rock as if his gaze alone would melt it. When Mario and Co. entered the scene, the Conductor stopped his glare and ran up to Mario.
"I'm ruined… Done for! A huge rock is blocking the train tracks!"
"Where did a boulder even come from?" Bombette asked.
"When Peach's Castle was uprooted, one of the boulders from that stack rolled off and landed here. What bad luck! If we can't do something about that boulder, I can't make my run to Mt. Rugged!"
"Lucky for you, you're in the presence of Kimani, Boulder Remover Extraordinaire!" Kimani exclaimed, proudly thumbing towards himself as he wiggled out of Jordan's grasp.
"Gosh, really? That's your whole last name? Mine is just Doubtfire..." Bombette muttered.
"That's not his actual name..." Jordan deadpanned. Mario just covered his face with his hat in embarrassment as Kimani walked up to the boulder and charged up a Power Strike. With a grunt, he delivered a crisp roundhouse that actually destroyed the boulder. Everyone looked surprised that he pulled it off. Even Kimani wasn't expecting it!
"...Oh..." Kimani deadpanned. The Conductor ran up to him and shook his hand.
"Oh, thank you, kind sir! The train's back on track! All aboard! This train is bound for Mt. Rugged!"
"Wow, that was so cool! I didn't know you were that strong!" Kooper exclaimed.
"I didn't e- I mean, of course I am!" Kimani started before he shook his head and proudly put his hands on his hips.
"Well, Mr. Hero. Were you and the others planning on heading to Mt. Rugged?"
"...Bario?"
"Yes, Mt. Rugged is near Dry, Dry Desert," Goombario answered.
"Yes," Kimani told the Conductor. The Toad nodded before he leaped into the driver's seat.
"All aboard!" The Conductor announced. The group nodded before they started heading towards the train. However, a problem arose.
"The hell's the space?!" Kimani exclaimed. Mario lightly swatted him before he asked the same question, albeit nicer.
"Oh, that? Well, we don't usually get too many people heading that way, so we never saw the need to make our train bigger,"
"Well.. is this enough space for everyone?"
"It should be. The bigger folks can be in the back, near the guardrails, while the smaller fellas can be in the cabin with me. I'll make some calls and get an extension on our train, however, so by the time you guys head back, it shouldn't be so crowded," The Conductor explained. The group shared looks before they nodded. After a minor discussion, the group decided to have Bombette and Jordan be in the back. Mario leaped onto the train and plopped down next to the conductor while Kimani jumped up and sat next to him. Kooper gave Goombario a boost and landed in Mario's awaiting lap. Kooper jumped up and tucked into his shell, being caught by Kimani. With everyone inside, the Conductor nodded before he got the train moving.
Mt. Rugged
After about 10 minutes, the train finally reached the Mt. Rugged station and slowed down to a stop. Jordan, who had somehow dozed off while standing, tumbled backward when the train started braking. Kimani and Mario snickered at him as they leaped out of the train with everyone else. The heat of the area hit the party, making some members sweat a bit.
"Boy... We haven't even gotten to the desert, and it's already blazing..." Goombario muttered, using his telekinesis to take his hat off for a moment before he put it back. Kooper was surprisingly fine, while Jordan grumbled in response. Bombette had no problems as well. Firebrand slithered out of Kimani amulet while Typhoon appeared next to Jordan.
"Ah... it's been a while since I've felt heat like this before... Feels fantastic!" Firebrand sighed, taking a deep breath.
"Speak for yourself... If I didn't have water powers, I'm certain I'd die right about now..."
"Uh, Ty? That might be due to the fur vest you're wearing... Why not swap to your casual clothes?" Kimani asked. Typhoon thought about it for a moment before he disappeared for a second. Once he reappeared, he had on a red plaid shirt and thick blue jeans. He even had some black suspenders that looped around his massive shoulders. He also wore black boots and kept his helm on, as well as his Warhammer, which rested on his back.
"...This does feel better..." Typhoon said after a moment of thinking.
"Woah! Can you all change clothes like that?" Kooper asked, taking a quick hit of his inhaler.
"Technically, yes, but I don't really need to. You know, Dragon and whatnot," Firebrand explained.
"He says as he wears shorts,"
"Hey!"
"Guys, enough... Mario's trying to get your attention..." Goombario sighed as Mario impatiently tapped his foot. Once all eyes were on him, he raised a hand.
"...So, we gotta climb Mt. Rugged in order to get to Dry, Dry Desert?" Kimani translated. Mario nodded rapidly and pointed towards a gate that led past the train tracks. Everyone nodded before they started walking. Firebrand did notice an Egg in one of the bushes, so he quickly slinked over and snagged it, adding it to the Party's inventory before they started jumping up the mountain. During their climb, they were attacked by a Red Paragoomba, causing them to enter battle.
"So... what's this one called?" Kimani asked, rubbing the bump on his head from the kick.
"On it... Uh-huh... So, this is a Red Paragoomba. I wonder if they're red because of the heat here. Max HP: 3, Attack Power: 2, Defense Power: 0. They're faster, stronger, and more tenacious than normal Paragoombas, and they have the ability to attack twice! Keep your guard up when they swoop at you!" Goombario tattled, causing Mario to nod as he activated his Multibounce Badge and grounded all three of them, leaving them with 1 HP and grounded. All three Red Goombas pounced on Mario a total of six times, which he blocked, leaving him with 9 HP. As Mario grumbled, Kimani went next, punching the front one and allowing Firebrand to scratch the second one away as well. When the Goomba came after him, he Countered the Headbonk, taking it out and ending the battle.
"Huh, alright. Not too bad. The double attacks might be a bit much however..." Kimani said.
"For Mario, maybe. You can counter their attacks and stop them and they can't even put a dent in me," Jordan answered. Mario sighed as he saw their points.
"...Oh, Mario. Why not use the Zap Tap Badge?" Kimani suggested. Mario placed a hand on his chin in thought. It was certainly a good idea. However, the badge point cost was a bit steep. Kimani seemed to have read his mind because he came over and inspected his current badges.
"...Mind if I make some suggestions?" He asked. Mario shook his head.
"Great. You're using 5 points right now, so we need 3 more... Hmmm... I'd say toss Power Bounce and Power Stomp out for the time being,"
"Really? What's the reasoning?" Goombario asked out of curiosity.
"Mario's always going first and taking hits to basically set us up with either Tattles from Goombario or to just ground flying enemies. So, rather than focus on damage, Mario should prioritize defense and utility over everything else for right now,"
"...That's really smart thinking! What do you think, Mario?" Goombario exclaimed. Mario nodded his head. He could certainly see the reasoning behind Kimani's logic. He also detected a hint of shame and concern as well. Mario first informed the group that he had no quarrel with anyone about the fact that he was taking more hits than the others. In fact, he preferred it, seeing as how they were doing him a favor in the long run. He then mentioned that Kimani was more attack-based than he was, so it only made sense for Mario to enhance Kimani's game plan however he could.
"Glad you see it that way. But we're a team, remember that. If you need me or Kimani to go first in battles, just give us the word," Jordan told him with Kimani nodding as well. Mario smiled at the two before he nodded his head, promising.
"The bond between Mario's party has deepened! You can now choose the order of the team before battles, and you can even switch them at will! All Party Leaders must go at least once per cycle, however. During battle, press L to swap between Party Leaders!"
"Goombario? Why do you keep doing that?" Kooper asked.
"It's fun to do. Besides, as Jordan said, we're a team, so we should be able to coordinate our movements a bit better now," Goombario sheepishly answered. Everyone saw his point as they continued. In front of them was yet another group of Red Paragoombas. Mario waited until he swooped at them and hammered him, dealing two damage when the battle started and grounded him. Mario attacked again with his hammer, defeating the first one. The second one was assaulted by Goombario's hard head twice, bringing it both down to the floor as well as down to 1 HP. When the Red Goomba and Red Paragoomba went to attack Mario, who took 2 damage overall and was brought down to 7 HP, they were shocked for 1 damage, which defeated the Red Goomba. Interestingly enough, the Paragoomba didn't attack twice as a result.
"Oh, sweet! Mario's Zap Tap can stop their chain attacks as well!" Bombette exclaimed. Mario tipped his hat as Firebrand ended the battle with a well-placed Fireball since Kimani couldn't reach him. With the threat dealt with, the party continued up the path. When they reached the top, Mario and Kimani looked left, sourly looking at a Stone Block.
"You can't break that one?" Jordan asked.
"No..." Kimani deadpanned. Curious, Jordan walked over and activated his Berserk before he swung his hammer at the block. The impact was loud and shook the entire mountain, but strangely enough, it didn't budge.
"H-huh?! Not even Jordan can break it?!" Kooper exclaimed. Jordan rolled his arm as he deactivated Berserk.
"Yeah... that thing's either extremely solid or there's another force in play here,"
"...well, Kammy most likely made these blocks using magic. Guess we have to destroy them another way," Goombario mentioned.
"That or plot," Kimani shrugged. Everyone gave him a weird look for that one before they went to the right, hitting a Heart Block. A few more steps in, and they were interrupted by someone in the air.
"Ah... No... Confound it! Where could it be...?" An unknown voice yelled before Mario was bonked by a teal-shelled Paratroopa. Jordan caught Mario before he fell over while Kooper and Kimani steadied the Paratroopa.
"Oh! Sorry, folks! Very sorry! I was looking for something and not watching where I was going,"
"Poor Mario. He can't even walk anywhere without being hit by some flying object..." Firebrand sighed. Typhoon chuckled as Mario sent him a pointed glare.
"What now? Aren't you Mario?" The Paratroopa asked, overhearing the conversation.
"The one and only," Kimani told him, joining Mario, who flourished his cap for dramatic effect.
"Why, you are! You're THE Mario! Hello there! The name's Parakarry. I deliver letters,"
"Parakarry, huh? Tacey T. must have been talking about you when she meant postmen. I'm Kimani, by the way," Kimani put together. Everyone also gave him their names as well. Parakarry nodded before his face scrunched up slightly.
"Um... I'm normally a letter-perfect postman, but I'm having a bit of trouble with a lost letter. Wouldn't you know it-I dropped it on Mt. Rugged, and now I can't find it..."
"Well, we could keep an eye out for it," Kooper offered. Parakarry nodded, thanking the group before he told them that he would scour this area. With a salute, he soared high into the air and started circling the area. The gang shrugged before they started walking towards the right, entering a new area. They quickly clambered up the stairs and waited until Goombario and Firebrand got back after sliding down a ramp nearby before they continued forward, being greeted by two possible pathways. Before they could decide, a mole popped up and surprised the group as they entered battle.
"Hmm... This is a Monty Mole. Monty Moles are rock-throwing moles, big-time mischief-makers. Max HP: 6, Attack Power: 3, Defense Power: 0. Ugh. They have kind of scary-looking faces. I don't like how they look at me. Maybe they wear sunglasses because they have really sensitive eyes. Or maybe they're just hip," Goombario rambled. Mario eyed the party of two moles and a Red Paragoomba in the back, groaning. An exclamation point popped up over Jordan's head.
"Hey, Mario. You won't be able to take care of anyone this turn, so how about passing your turn over to me?" Jordan asked. Mario nodded before he thought of the letter, L, causing a cursor to appear over Kimani's head. Mario wondered if the heat was causing him to hallucinate, but he ignored it as he moved the cursor until it selected Jordan. Once he 'hit A', Jordan and Mario swapped places, sharing a high five as they passed each other. Jordan simply Smashed the first Mole, dealing 2 damage to it, and brought his HP down to 4. With some perfect blocks and Jordan's natural toughness, he effortlessly blocked/no-selled the following attacks.
"Nice job, Big Guy! Firebrand, heat me up!" Kimani exclaimed. Firebrand nodded before he set Kimani on fire. Kimani ran up to the mole and executed a perfect Strike command, dealing 6 damage and taking out the first mole. The second mole hurled a fast-flying rock at Kimani, which caught him off guard and caused him to be whacked in the face for 3 damage, bringing his HP to 12. The Red Paragoomba tried his luck, but Kimani wasn't having it and Countered with a downward swing, spiking the Paragoomba into the ground for 3 damage, ending it. Mario used his turn to jump on the Monty Mole twice, as did Goombario, bringing it down to 2. The mole threw another rock, but Mario paid attention when Kimani got hit, causing him to ace the timing and reduce the damage to 2, causing his HP to drop to 13. Jordan finished the battle with another Smash, ending the battle for the team. Everyone sighed slightly before they backtracked to the Heart Block, topping off before they went back and went down the bottom path. Kimani noticed the ground shaking and punched a Monty Mole in the face, starting the battle with a three-piece combo, leaving the front-most mole with 3. He was followed by 2 more moles and what seemed to be a rock with spikes in the back. Kimani assaulted the mole once more, taking it out before he asked Firebrand to swap places with Goombario.
"Bario. Any info on that one in the back?"
"Heh, just watch me! This is a Cleft. Clefts are pretty strong, so you'd better be careful. Max HP: 2, Attack Power: 4, Defense Power: 4 Their specialty is pretending to be rocks, so watch your step on the mountain. You'll get hurt if you jump on the spikes on their heads. That defense is rock solid!... Sorry, but yeah, anything that can pierce their defense is needed. We can also flip them with a strong enough attack like an explosion or an earthquake. Got anything like that on our side?" Goombario recited. Kimani blanched from the defense as the Moles threw two stones at him, which he deflected back at them with some deft kicks, dealing two damage to them. When the Cleft came after him, Kimani watched him closely as he charged at him, causing Kimani to land a push kick to his face where it was void of spikes, knocking him away. He didn't do any damage, however. Mario went next, leaping onto the next mole, leaving him with 2 HP while the recently traded Kooper Power Shelled through everyone, dealing another 2 to the moles, taking out the front one and leaving the last one with 2 HP. Mario blocked a rock aimed at him but wasn't prepared for the charge, causing him to take 4 damage on top of the reduced 2, leaving him with 9. Jordan winced as he pounded the last Mole out of commission.
"You heard Goombario, Ty. Let 'em have it," Jordan told him. Typhoon cracked his knuckles before he powerfully punched the ground, causing a mini earthquake that made the Cleft flip over and get stuck in the ground.
"Nice going! Kimani, it still has a defense of one, so give it a bit of elbow grease! I'd do it, but I don't have any elbows! Or arms, for that matter!" Goombario cheered. Kimani snorted at the comment before he delivered a Power Strike to the Cleft, ending it and winning the battle for them.
"Hah! Another flawless victory!" Typhoon exclaimed. Mario cleared his throat, thumbing at his 9 HP, causing Typhoon to sweatdrop in response. The group chuckled before they heard some talking behind a nearby Yellow Block. It was muffled, however, so they had no idea who was speaking.
"Mario," Kimani simply said as he jumped into the air, readying a kick. Mario leaped forward as well, hammer over his head before they clobbered the block, breaking it and revealing a blue gopher-looking creature. He was deep in conversation with...
"Dylan!?" Kimani, Typhoon, Jordan, and Firebrand exclaimed. Dylan's head perked up at both the block breaking and the voices, causing him to turn around. When he saw Kimani and Jordan, his eyes teared up, and he launched himself at the two, glomping them.
"Little Buddy! Stay Puff!" He exclaimed as a river of tears flew from his eyes. Kimani and Jordan sweatdropped as they patted Dylan on the back. Mario smiled at the scene before he told Dylan that he was glad to see him unharmed. Dylan pried his face off of Jordan's chest.
"Sorry for worrying you guys! When that lightning hit, I ended up falling and landing on this mountain. I was almost taken out by some rocks when Whacka here protected me from them. He brought me to his safe place and even fed me one of his bumps to get my strength back! I owe him my life!" Dylan explained.
"Wait, one of his bumps?" Jordan asked.
"If you hit a Whacka in the head, they produce a bump that falls off their head. It's really good, but as a result, they've been hunted to near extinction. It's safe to say Whacka here is the last of his kind..." Goombario whispered to Jordan.
"Howdy folks! Nice to meet ya! I'm Whacka! You must be friends with Dylan!" Whacka told them.
"Hey, Whacka, thanks again for looking over our friend here. We really appreciate it," Kimani answered.
"Aw shucks, it's no problem at all! I'm guessing you'll be heading off?"
"Yeah... But I'll come back and visit occasionally!" Dylan told him, running over and giving him a hug.
"You'd better! Say, you guys seem like some really nice people, so here," Whacka said before he went over to the nearby wall and lightly bonked his head on it, producing a large bump on his head. He shook his head before the bump detached and landed in Dylan's arms.
"Are you sure? Doesn't that hurt?" Jordan asked.
"Not at all. Fellas always think they have to hit us Whackas really hard to get our bumps, but a simple tap is all it takes! Come back and visit me sometimes! I'd be more than happy to share my bumps with such nice friends!" Whacka exclaimed before he ducked into the ground. Dylan smiled before he turned to the group and presented the bump to the group.
"Well, guys! Seems like we're back together again!... Wait, where's Austin?" Dylan said, dying off with that last part.
"Currently, that's a mystery. Maybe you and Alpha can help us in finding him?" Kimani asked. Dylan scooped him up in a bear hug before he put him on his shoulders.
"Of course, Little Buddy! Nothing will stop us from finding our friend!" Dylan triumphantly announced, causing the group to sweatdrop as he joined the party.
"Dylan has joined the party! With his everchanging moveset and supportive abilities, Dylan a great wildcard on the battlefield! On the field, Dylan can give his allies a charge, which will allow them to destroy things they couldn't before, as well as give their first strikes more power! His Battle Talent is his regenerative FP, which will recover by 5 every turn, allowing Dylan to use his moves more than the others! However, his electric nature makes him take double damage from water attacks and causes Badges to fail when he wears them,"
As with Jordan, as soon as Dylan was officially added to the party, Mario's Star Pendent glowed before Dylan was covered in a soft glow. Once it died down, Dylan was brought to the Party's Level, and his pendant glowed. Curious, he poked it, causing it to glow before his goggles appeared on his head. From the goggles, a beam of light shot out before a hard light hologram of an R.O.B. appeared in front of them.
"Systems stabilized. Power nominal. Alpha, operating as normal," Alpha listed off, giving Dylan a look.
"Alpha! Nice to see you, buddy! You feeling OK?" Dylan asked.
"My systems are operating at acceptable standards. Searching for reason behind forced shutdown... Error, information not found,"
"Woah... What's this?" Goombario asked, circling Alpha. Alpha looked at the Goomba child.
"Subject not found,"
"Oh boy, we have a lot to fill you in on..." Jordan deadpanned. Kimani sighed before he gave Alpha and Dylan a rundown of everything that had happened since they'd been together. Mario and Jordan filled in some parts, as did Firebrand and Typhoon.
"...And then we found you," Kimani finished after talking for about 20 minutes. Dylan had closed his eyes to focus on everything being told to him while Alpha quietly listened as well.
"Processing Data... Data Saved. Cross-referencing new data with old data... Complete. I'm now caught up on our current situation,"
"Great to hear. What about you, Dyl?"
"Yep, I'm all good! Oh, one more question. What is this level up I'm seeing in front of me?"
"Oh, we can get our strength back by finding Star Points. Every 100 nabs us a level up, and we can use it to raise our HP, FP, or energy or our BP, which is needed for badges," Kimani explained. Dylan nodded before he picked FP for his first reward before he put the other two level-up rewards in HP, bringing it to 20 HP. His FP, which was already 20 naturally, had raised to 25. Mario was surprised he didn't have any badge points, however. Curious, he took off his Sound Effect badge and tried to place it on Dylan's shirt, but as the badge got closer, Alpha started fizzing out, and Dylan's goggles started acting up, causing him to quickly yank it away.
"Well... that explains the 0 BP well..." Kimani muttered.
"Oh well! Me and Alpha have our own ways anyway. Isn't that right!?"
"Affirmative, Master Dylan. I will offer support however I can,"
"Alpha has joined the party! With his unmatched firepower and information, he's capable of weakening tougher foes! Alpha doesn't naturally appear during combat but will digistruct various weapons for Dylan to use! He can digistruct an Ion Cannon, allowing Dylan to piece a foe's defense and lower it by 1 for his party. This beam will cleave through all grounded or aerial foes. Alpha can also Scan foes to lower their attack and can even lock his systems, preventing him from being injured should Dylan take more than 10 HP worth of damage or a water attack! In the field, Alpha's Scan will lower the defense of the frontmost enemy by 2, giving his team an easier start to most battles! He can even allow Dylan to Copycat whoever he looks at for the cost of 5 FP!"
"Oh, who are your friends, Little Buddy?" Dylan asked.
"Well, you already know Mario, but that's Goombario, Kooper, and Bombette. They're helping Mario save Peach and the Star Spirits alongside us,"
"Nice to meet you!" Bombette exclaimed.
"You too! Love that shade of pink!"
"Aw, you're sweet! It's official. I'm Dylan's partner from now on!"
"Wait, how would that work during combat?" Goombario asked.
"Oh, we had some practice beforehand. Alpha doesn't take up a slot behind me, so I can still have a partner help out!" Dylan answered.
"That's busted!" Kimani exclaimed. Dylan giggled, as did Bombette as she went behind Dylan. Mario was confused about many things. Firstly, how was someone this positive? The increased protection he felt from Kimani and Jordan towards Dylan made a lot more sense. That would also explain why Kimani didn't even flinch from being called Little Buddy. If it were anyone else, he'd probably try and kill them. Secondly, how was he so strong?! Mario had a hard time believing these were just your average travelers. But seeing as how they were going out of their way to help him out, Mario really didn't have any problems with them. Mario raised a hand, asking Dylan a question. Dylan put a hand on his chin.
"Action Commands? Can't say I'm familiar with it,"
"Searching databanks... Results not found,"
"Hmmm... it would be best if we got into a battle to teach you, but fighting a random enemy would be reckless..." Jordan muttered.
"Oh, Whacka!" Dylan hollered, causing Whacka to appear next to him.
"You rang?" Whacka asked.
"I need to battle something in order to learn about Action Commands. Could we spar again?"
"Again?" Everyone, minus Dylan and Whacka, said.
"Yeah! I'm stronger than I look!" Whacka mentioned, entering battle with Dylan. Kimani and the others were in the background as Dylan was snapping his fingers to the beat and had a hand on his ear like a DJ.
"That's his battle stance? Dylan is an interesting character so far..." Kooper deadpanned. Everyone else sweatdropped.
"You don't even know a quarter of it.." Jordan moaned. Kimani rolled his eyes as he walked over to Dylan's side.
"Alright, so I'm certain you're familiar with selecting moves and stuff, right?"
"Mmm-hmm,"
"Alright, use... whatever your basic attack is,"
"Right! Jolt!" Dylan exclaimed, raising his hand and holding it out towards Whacka.
"Oh, hold it right there!" Kimani exclaimed, somehow stopping time as he pointed at a gauge that appeared.
"See this gauge? You want to charge this to the max. Now, everyone keeps saying, 'Press A' or 'Hold the left stick' and stuff like that. Just imagine it. For charging moves, mash A," Kimani explained as time resumed. Dylan charged up the bolt and fired it at Whacka, shocking him for 2.
"Yeow! Nice one, buddy! That had more pep than normal! Alright, here I come!" Whacka said, digging into the ground. Before Whacka erupted from the ground and uppercutted Dylan in the chin, Kimani yelled, "Chill!" making time freeze.
"Geez Whacka... So anyway, see how Whacka is getting ready to knock your head off? Let's prevent that, shall we? 'Press A' here,"
"Mmm!" Dylan muttered, covering his head. Alpha popped out for a brief second, causing an energy shield to block the attack.
"Eh? That didn't happen last time we fought... Were you holding out on me?" Whacka asked, going back to his spot.
"Woah. This is pretty useful!"
"It is. Whenever you use a move, you'll either have to time a button press, charge a meter in some way, memorize a button combination, or aim. So keep that in mind,"
"Got it!" Dylan exclaimed as the battle ended.
"Well, I'll leave you guys to it! Let me know if you ever want to spar some! I'm tougher than I look, and I'm always looking for some training!" Whacka told them before he gave everyone a wink and disappeared afterward. With Dylan caught up, the group started to move out again, starting with Mario bonking a block and earning a red and yellow bottle of... something.
"Oh, that's a Hustle Drink. It'll give you 2 turns on your next turn," Goombario told Mario, who nodded and pocketed it. The group entered the next area to the right, where they saw a Save Block. Dylan questioned it, causing Mario to give him a quick rundown before he hit it and continued along. They entered a rather open area where moles were aplenty. Kimani, Typhoon, and, surprisingly, Dylan was amped to fight them all, but the others simply dragged them along, avoiding the flying rocks before they reached a small set of cliffs leading up. Above on some higher ledges was a hammer badge, an envelope, and a spot to reach said envelope. Kimani ran up with Kooper and kicked him over, swiping the letter when it got close. The group cheered before they rushed back to where Parakarry was still surveying. When Mario flagged him down, he dove to the ground, hovering in front of them.
"Howdy, folks!" He greeted. Mario raised an arm while Kimani presented the letter. This caused Parakarry to do a backflip as he grabbed it.
"Oh! That's the one! Aw, thanks for finding it! I'm so relieved. Uh... Actually... I'm also looking for two other letters I may have lost,"
"What?! What kinda lousy mailma-er... Koopa, are you?!" Kimani exclaimed.
"It wasn't my fault, really! If you find them, could you...?" He timidly started, causing Kimani to raise a hand before Dylan and Jordan muffled him. With a sweatdrop, Mario nodded.
"Thank you so much," He said as he took off into the sky again. The group sweatdropped again as they trudged back to where they originally came from and proceeded to the right, entering a new area. In front of some large stairs leading up was a large rock. Dylan's worried expression caught Kimani and Jordan's attention, so they quickly got in front of him, causing the others to stop.
"Hold on... I remember these rocks..." Dylan muttered.
"You said you were attacked by rocks, right?" Jordan asked.
"Remember Clefts? When they aren't actively attacking, they look like rocks. I bet that one is one," Goombario reminded them. After some more squinting and glares, the party sent Bombette to blow it up. When she got close and blew up, the rock turned into a Cleft, causing the group to enter battle. Dylan stood next to Jordan while Bombette idled behind him. Mario was curious about Dylan's abilities, so he swapped spots with Dylan, high-fiving him as they passed.
"What was that?" Dylan asked.
"We can swap spots with each other, but we gotta go at least once per cycle. Mar is just curious about your abilities," Kimani told him.
"Got it. Copycat!" Dylan exclaimed, looking at the Cleft in the front. In Dylan's mind, a circle surrounded the cleft as a cursor slid towards him. Once the cursor was over the Cleft, Dylan 'pressed A', causing the goggles to scan him before Dylan's body crumbled into a paper ball. After some spinning, he unfolded until he was a Cleft. He still kept the goggles on his head and his face, however.
"What in the..." "Woah!" "Oh, so he's a Duplighost..." The three party members commented while Mario's jaw dropped. As it was still Dylan's turn, he simply charged at the Cleft with his head spikes. Since Dylan had access to Action Commands, his charge was capable of dealing 5 damage, which made the Cleft take a point of damage and defeated it. It did cost 2 FP to use the move however, leaving Dylan with 18 FP.
"Oh, and you can still use Action Commands while Copycatting? Dylan, you're going to do great," Kimani said, causing him to smile. Bombette couldn't hit anything at the moment, so she passed her turn, and Alpha couldn't attack during Copycat. When the 2 Red Paragoombas tried to attack Dylan, not only did he not take a scratch, but the spikes damaged the Paragoombas for 1 and knocked them out of the sky as a result. Mario snorted as he and Goombario cleaned up the rest. Once combat ended, they saw that Dylan was still a Cleft.
"How long does Copycat last?"
"Outside of battle, until I deactivate it! In battle, only for two turns," Dylan exclaimed. Everyone just looked at him with various expressions.
"Ok, I gotta try this... This is Dylan. Right now, he's Copycatting a Cleft. Since he's a Cleft, Dylan's defense is really high and he has a nasty tackle that can deal a hefty chunk of damage! He'll even damage anyone who physically attacks him due to those spikes. You know, with his face and goggles, he's certainly the most friendly Cleft I've seen. He'd probably give great hugs... you know, if he wasn't a rock... and had spikes... and lacked arms..."
"Hey, Dylan. Turn back to normal for us," Kimani told him.
"Got it!" Dylan answered as he folded into a paper ball and unfolded back to normal. Goombario got to work after that.
"Alright. This is Dylan. We found him chatting with Whacka. Apparently, he's been under his care this entire time! Max HP: 20, Attack Power: 2, Defense Power: 0. Dylan's an interesting character, to say the least. In battle, Dylan can use various different gadgets that I've never seen before to attack, and his attacks tend to pierce defense, which really helps when it comes to the more armored foes. His strangest ability is his Copycat ability, which allows him to take the form and stats of whoever he copies! He even regenerates FP every turn! However, all that electricity makes badges not work for him and his hyperactive nature makes anything that restores FP useless. Still, it doesn't seem to bother him too much. In fact, nothing seems to bother him! I haven't seen anyone as positive as him before and despite never meeting him prior, I feel like he's my best friend!"
"Sorry, that position is taken. Now for Alpha," Kimani heckled, causing Goombario to stick his nose up as Dylan held his palm out and had Alpha project a small version of himself so Goombario could see.
"Hmmm... This is Alpha. According to Kimani, this is the source of Dylan's powers. I've never seen something as advanced as Alpha. He has various weapons and gadgets under his belt and he has a vast knowledge about many different things! Alpha doesn't appear physically due to being AI, so he doesn't take up a slot in combat! However, if Dylan gets banged up or gets hit with a water or fire attack, Alpha will shut down for a few turns. I wonder exactly how much info Alpha has. I would love to learn more about different things, such as the history of Goombas... Hmm, I wonder if my Tattle ability is like his Scan ability..."
"Uh... yeah, actually. I don't think Alpha's going to steal your thunder, however," Kimani answered again as Dylan recalled Alpha. Goombario nodded as the group continued up the slope as a Cleft from below gave them a hostile stare. Kimani didn't appreciate the animosity, so he instructed Bombette to humble the Cleft. Bombette exploded, causing the battle to begin with the front Cleft flipped over and down a point of health. He was followed by 2 more Clefts. Kimani sweatdropped before he swapped with Jordan, giving him a fist bump as Jordan told Typhoon to assault the ground, making it rumble and take out the first Cleft and flipping over the other two.
"Wow! You're as strong as ever, Ty!" Dylan exclaimed as Jordan assaulted the next Cleft with a hammer strike for 1 damage. Typhoon powerfully laughed as the next turn flew by since the Clefts were stuck in the ground still.
"Glad to see the lightning didn't scramble your head, my hyperactive companion!" Typhoon responded as Dylan went next. The group saw him spark up as he gained 5 FP, before he sent a Jolt through the far Cleft, piercing his defense and taking him out. Alpha went next, allowing Dylan to point his hand at the remaining Cleft and causing a small cannon to appear on his arm. He charged it, seeing a gauge appear in his goggles. This one was different than the one Dylan had. For this one, Dylan had to keep the gauge within a green section. After a few seconds of charging, a thin ion beam fired out and cleaved through the remaining Cleft, defeating it. It did cost 2 of Dylan's FP however, dropping it back down to 21.
"Oh yeah, Dylan. I've got some shards for you," Kimani said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out six Yellow Shards.
"Oh wow! We've been busy with Dylan's shards, eh?" Bombette asked.
"Yep. Guess we'll start to see Austin's next," Jordan put together as Dylan grabbed the shards and haphazardly slammed all of them against his chest, glowing brightly before it died down.
"Uh... You OK, Dyl?" Kimani asked with a sweatdrop. Dylan nodded.
"Yep! All charged up!"
"So what did you get back?"
"Umm... So I have two actives and four passives. For the actives, I have Quicken, which allows me to grant you two actions per turn for two turns. And then I have Jump Start back. I can heal you guys for 5 HP and give you something called the Zap Tap Status for up to three turns,"
"It fits you. You've always rather support than hurt people," Jordan said. Kimani nodded, while Mario was just glad they had someone tailored to healing and support. Mario's mind wandered to Austin, and he wondered what his focus of expertise was.
"What about the Passives? You said you have 4 of them," Kimani pondered.
"Oh yeah! So, the first one is Static Charge. Every 2 turns, I'll become Charged, which augments my other moves. It'll either make it so my attacks jump to multiple targets, increase its effects, or cause the move to be free FP-wise. The other three passives just make my Copycat better. The first one increases the HP cap of my Copycats. The second one ups the attack range I can scan, and the final one makes it so I can use an opponent's second move if they have one,"
"Wait... Attack range? HP Cap?" Goombario asked as Kooper rubbed his head, becoming overloaded with information.
"If I were to guess, Dylan's powers revolve mostly around healing and support, but his main power is copying other people's powers. There were some limitations to this, however. The main one was he couldn't copy people who were leagues stronger than he was," Kimani summarized.
"That's right, Little Buddy! At first, I could only copy enemies with 10 HP or less, and their attack power couldn't be higher than 5, but now I can copy enemies up to 12 HP and up to 7 Attack Power!" Dylan exclaimed. Mario simply snorted. He was beginning to love Dylan's company. For starters, having a beacon of positivity was never a bad thing and secondly, he seemed to keep Kimani on a metaphorical leash. Goombario nodded in understatement before a question mark appeared over his head.
"Yeah?" Dylan asked to the look.
"Could you Copycat me? Or any of us? Or is it strictly towards enemies?" Goombario asked. Dylan chuckled before he crouched and activated his Copycat, draining 5 more of his FP, putting it at 16. Once he uncrumbled, a copy of Goombario with Dylan's face and goggles was standing in front of him. Everyone, minus Kimani and Jordan, muttered in amazement as Goombario circled Dylan, inspecting him.
"...Yep, that's me alright!... This is Dylan. Right now, he's Copycatting... Me!? Since he's me, he can use my Headbonk and tattle on foes just like I can. Is this what I look like? Heh, I look gooooood. I wonder if he has all of my knowledge... Would that include any embarrassing memories?" Goombario rambled. Dylan chuckled before he Tattled on Goombario.
"This is Goombario. He's currently adventuring with Mario to save the Star Spirits! Goombario's talents allow him to Headbonk his foes or offer Mario and the party much-needed info via his Tattle ability. He can even offer information on the area or nearby characters if you ask him. Goombario's an upbeat individual and idolizes Mario for his bravery and adventures so this must be a dream come true for him!" Dylan Tattled. He turned back to normal after Goombario squealed in embarrassment and demanded he transform back. Dylan did so as the group continued up the mountain path until they reached the top. The path split from left to right so the group decided to head left. They went through a small cave with two openings. Kooper spotted a Star Piece lying on one of the beams so he leaped down and ran along it, snagging the piece and heading back to the ledge, being helped up by Dylan's long arms. The group continued along until the reached another slide, bigger than the one they saw previously. Sharing looks, they slid down the slide and were launched far left until they landed on top of another mountain. A Cleft was nearby, but he was sleeping, so the group just tip-toed past it and continued along. In the next area, there was a ridge with a letter, but the group didn't have a way to get up there. Begrudgingly, they continued along, running into a Cleft that blocked the way. Bombette went to bomb it again, but Dylan placed his hands on her head, sending a volt through her, causing her to glow yellow.
"Huh? I feel stronger!" Bombette exclaimed.
"I can give you guys a jolt on the field and give you some extra power for your first strikes!" Dylan happily explained, causing a select few, such as Kimani, Bombette, and Kooper, to have stars in their eyes. Bombette loudly yelled as she charged into the Cleft, releasing a mighty explosion. When the battle started, the group saw that the Cleft had been destroyed. They still had to fight the Monty Mole and Red Paragoomba that joined moments after.
"Oh, that felt good!" Bombette exclaimed. Dylan smiled as he Copycatted the Monty Mole and threw a rock at the Paragoomba, taking it out. Bombette Body Slammed the Monty Mole, dropping its health to 4. The Mole hit Dylan in the head with a rock, causing his health to drop to 17. Mario got revenge for him with two jumps and Goombario followed with two head bonks as well, ending the battle. Once it ended, the party was happy to find out that they leveled up again, causing the group to cheer as they felt their HP and FP fully restored.
"Oh, another level up! Nice! Yo, Fire. Do you feel anything different?" Kimani asked as he considered what to upgrade.
"Nope. I feel the same. Guess it's every 3 level ups," Firebrand responded.
"Oh well... What's everyone going with? I'm thinking BP since we have so many of them and I'll need space for that Power Plus Badge,"
"I'm feeling the same. I don't use much FP like you guys, and my HP is never in danger... although if you fools don't block more," Jordan answered, growling that last part at Kimani and Mario. Mario argued that he was doing his best and Kimani simply flipped him off. While Jordan started strangling Kimani with a worried Mario trying to assist him, Dylan simply clicked HP, raising his to 25. Goombario noticed he looked a bit healthier.
"HP, huh? If I'm being honest, I expected you to go with FP," He said.
"Eh, I can just wait for my FP to recharge,"
"But you have yourself, Alpha, and your partner to keep track of..."
"...Oops, can I take my choice back?" Dylan muttered, sweatdropping.
"Oh, Dylan..."
"Oh. I got it! Please?" He asked with big puppy dog eyes. Goombario was almost blinded by the cuteness, but Dylan's plan actually worked as the level-up screen popped back up with a sweatdrop. Above the choices, it read "Please don't make that face again,"
"Nice, FP it is!" Dylan exclaimed, raising his FP to 30 and dropping his health back to 20. Goombario just chuckled as the gang finally pried Jordan's hands from Kimani's neck.
"Now that you're done killing each other, what are you leveling up?" Typhoon muttered, holding Jordan and Kimani in the air while Mario was fanning himself with his hat.
"BP," The two of them said. Mario was leaning towards health after that minor heart attack but went with BP as well. Kimani and Jordan ended up with 6 BP while Mario had 9 BP now. Typhoon put them down and crossed his arms, disappearing afterward. Mario forbade them from putting him through that stress again, which they agreed to before they looked at their badge collection again. With Mario's BP being 9, he had more options badge-wise, so Mario re-equipped his Power Bounce and Power Stomp. He then showed the other two their badges. Jordan still didn't see anything for him, so he didn't take anything, and Kimani bluntly stated, "The only badge for him was the Power Plus," so that put an end to that. The group continued along, reaching a ? block and earning a mushroom for the trouble before they reached a cave. Mario's Adventure Senses went off, as did Alpha's scanner, so they both went inside and found a hidden pathway inside, eventually reaching a chest, which had the Damage Dodge badge. Dylan high-fived Mario in return before they joined the group. Once Goombario told him what the badge did, which made it so a person's defense Action Command blocked or dealt one more damage. Kimani almost called dibs, but Mario bluntly stated that he didn't have any special ways to avoid damage, so he'd use it.
"Fair point. So long as I get that Power Plus Badge," Kimani told him.
"You have a problem," Jordan muttered.
"I do, and it's called 'I'm tired of spending FP to hurt people with a point of defense,'" He responded. Mario sighed loudly before they continued along, reaching another gap and a spring. The gang couldn't make the jump so they headed up via spring and opened a block, getting a Dried Fruit for their troubles. They continued right, seeing a Cleft in front of them. Mario swapped out Power Bounce and Stomp for Damage Dodge before he started the battle, borrowing Bombette from Dylan, who was ok with it. He sent Bombette to the Cleft, earning a first strike, then allowing her to spend 3 of his FP to finish the deal. Mario skipped his own turn and grinned as the true reason he went first came up. When the Clefts tried to skewer him, Mario gripped his hat and ducked, but he felt less pain when they crashed into him. Rather than 3 damage, Mario took 2 from each Cleft, dropping his HP to 11. They still got zapped due to his badge, leaving them with 1 HP. Mario looked pleased with himself, so Dylan was free to fire an Ion Beam, easily winning the battle for them. They found another block, this one having a Honey Syrup before they went down a slide. They ended up landing on a Cleft, entering battle on even footing. Since Dylan was the one to face plant into it, he went first. He first had Alpha fire an Ion Beam, cleaving through all the ground enemies. He ended the Cleft and drained 3 HP from the Monty Moles while also lowering their nonexistent defense by 1. The Red Paragoomba was fine as he was airborne. Dylan attacked the Red Paragoomba with a Jolt while the reacquired Bombette Bombed one off the face of the earth. The last one tried to assault him with a rock, but Alpha's shield kept him at bay, making Dylan take 2 damage instead, placing his HP at 17. Jordan went next and after Typhoon flipped him, Jordan made quick work of him.
"Well, that happened," Kimani deadpanned.
"Yeah, but at least we got another letter!" Dylan exclaimed, manually turning Kimani's head until he saw the letter sitting along the ridge top. Kimani ran ahead and grabbed it before the group returned to the fork in the road and went right this time, seeing a bridge—or well, what was left of one. Mario's Adventuring Senses went off again, making his head dart down. Kimani followed his lead.
"What's up, you two?" Kooper asked. Mario raised a hand in response.
"...Really? You want us to jump down there?" Bombette asked.
"Adventure Senses again?" Kimani followed up. Mario rapidly nodded before leaping down. Kimani shrugged and leaped as well. Everyone else followed suit after a minor battle with a lone Cleft, they found the last of the letters. Mario sent his party a thumbs up as he pointed at the spring nearby. The group nodded before they rushed back to the spot where they met Parakarry. As before, Parakarry was still in the area as they saw him fly back up into the sky after searching one of the nearby mountain tops. When he spotted Mario's waving hands, he flew back over and landed in front of them.
"Howdy again, Folks. I swear, I'm having some bad luck finding these letters... I reckon you've had better chances than me?" He asked.
"Yep. Got the last two letters here," Kimani told him, handing him the letters. Parakarry looked like he was ready to cry.
"Oh, thank you! Now I've got all the letters I lost... today. Oh, thank you so much!"
"Huh!? Today!?"
"Actually… to be honest, I haven't just lost letters on Mt. Rugged… I may have sort of dropped some all over the Mushroom Kingdom while I was flying,"
"Dude... seriously... how are you still employed?" Kooper deadpanned.
"Heh heh… yeah. You know, you're good at finding letters. Do you think you could keep an eye out during your travels? In return, I would offer you whatever help I can," Parakarry finished. Everyone gave him a bored look, which he sweatdropped at before Mario sighed and welcomed him to the team.
"Parakarry, the scatterbrained Mailman has joined the party! This forgetful friend can aid his team by giving them a lift over any jumps that are too far to clear normally. In battle, he can attack any foe with his Sky Dive attack and fly into tougher enemies with his Shell Shot ability!"
"Scatterbrained!? Forgetful!? Let's calm down now! Do you know how windy it gets at those high altitudes!? This is harder than it looks!" Parakarry exclaimed, looking at Dylan as he was the one to introduce him. Dylan simply giggled before Parakarry sighed and asked who he should follow. Kimani instantly declined, Jordan tried to look busy and Bombette growled at him, moving closer to Dylan. Mario sighed and ushered Parakarry over to him, allowing him to hover behind him, and just in time as a gang of Red Paragoombas started attacking them.
"Alright, Parakarry. You're going to have to impress me if you want to stay on the team. We don't allow freeloaders in our party," Kimani warned, crossing his arms.
"I promise I won't be a burden! Admittedly, I'm not the best Mailkoopa, but I'm pretty good in a fight! Watch me!" Parakarry said as he offered to go before Mario. He flew above one of the Paragoombas and dive-kicked it, dealing 2 damage and knocking it down.
"...Hmm... Ok, so you can attack flying enemies... You'll have to show me a bit more," Kimani told him as Mario used Multibounce to take out the first Red Goomba and ground the other two Paragoombas. Mario blocked their attacks, taking no damage due to his Defence Dodge Badge and they perished due to his Zap Tap Badge. However, one more cheeky Red Paragoomba joined the battle afterward. Kimani had Parakarry swap with Kooper as a result.
"Convenient... But this gives me a chance to show my strongest move!" Parakarry exclaimed as he tucked into his shell and hovered for a bit before he jetted off, knocking the Red Paragoomba for a loop with...
"5 damage!?"
"Yeah! Before I got my wings, I was pretty good at Shell Shooting and... well, I tried to incorporate that idea with my wings when I got them. It's a bit harder since I gotta take the wind, height, and whatnot into account now," Parakarry explained. Kimani simply closed his eyes, causing Parakarry to lean in a bit closer. Kimani then nodded and gave him a thumbs-up.
"Alright. So, you're great in battles... What about on the field?"
"Well, as that tall fella... Dylan said. I can give you guys a lift over any far pits and such,"
"Everyone? Even me?" Jordan asked.
"Yep! I've carried heavier! Let me prove it to you! Surely, there are a few places around here that you couldn't reach!"
"There was, actually," Kimani told him. He nodded as they walked back to where they found the first letter. Across the way was the hammer badge they couldn't reach prior. Parakarry flicked his hookbill with his thumb in a cocky manner.
"Ah. OK! Let's knock out two Paratroopas with one stone. Come here, Jordan!" Parakarry exclaimed. Jordan shrugged and walked over as Parakarry floated above him and grabbed him under his armpits. He then flapped his wings heavily, causing Jordan to start flying.
"Oh wow!" Jordan exclaimed as Parakarry carried him over the pit, placing him down when they cleared it. Parakarry was waiting for him to join him at the other pit, which he carried Jordan effortlessly over. Jordan picked up the badge and jumped down with Parakarry following.
"I hope I've proven my worth now!" Parakarry asked.
"Oh yeah, you've for sure earned your spot!" Kimani exclaimed with everyone nodding. Mario simply shook his head with a smile as he officially welcomed Parakarry to the group, apologizing for his team's behavior.
"No, it's fine. I guess I haven't given the best first impression. But I was serious about the high wind at high altitudes. My mailbag isn't designed to handle that type of weather and conditions constantly,"
"Why fly that high?"
"Faster and I don't have to fight off Bowser's minions all the time, which is even more hazardous than the high winds,"
"Lesser of two evils, eh?"
"Indeed... But enough about me. What brings you folks out here?" Parakarry asked. Dylan offered to tell him so the group allowed him to give Parakarry a summary of their mission and what they've accomplished so far. Kimani had to correct and reel him back to reality a few times but he got through everything fairly fast. Once he was done, Parakarry nodded.
"Wow... sounds like you got quite the mission, eh?"
"Yep... And our next location is Dry, Dry Desert, hence why we're here,"
"Sounds about right. Well then, let's get moving! It's rude to keep a lady waiting!" Parakarry exclaimed, causing Mario to nod rapidly as he led his party back to the broken bridge. (After Kimani brought them to the Star Piece they couldn't reach beforehand) Parakarry gave them all a lift over the broken bridge and allowed them to continue until they got to yet another bridge, only this one was operational and longer. There was also a large bird sitting in a faraway nest, giving them the stinkeye. The group pretended not to notice it but once they crossed the bridge...
"Hey there! Hold on a second, Pardners!" A voice rang out from behind, causing everyone to flinch as the giant Vulture flapped onto the scene before them. He moved a bit closer to Mario specifically, almost blowing his cap off.
"What's the hold-up, Officer?" Kimani jokingly asked. About 5 hands flew towards him and muffled him.
"You look a lot like this feller Mario who's on Bowser's wanted poster..."
"Oh, this guy again?" Parakarry asked.
"Pardon?" The Vulture asked while Mario gave him a pointed look as well.
"Yeah, this 'Mario' guy. We ran into him on the way up the mountain. Really heroic looking. We talked for a bit before we continued on our way. He was heading down the mountain when we left him, and that was a few minutes ago. If you're looking for him, you may be able to catch him if you hurry," He explained, pointing behind them afterward. The Vulture gave them a wary look, causing a select few to sweatdrop but to their surprise, the bird nodded.
"Ah. Well, I appreciate the help there, Mr. Paratroopa! Y'all mosey on down this path then. I gotta... chat with this Mario character, and I don't want you nice folk to get pulled into it,"
"Appreciate it... uh..."
"The name's Buzzar! Y'all folks have a great day, ya hear?"
"You too!" Parakarry shot back, pushing his team down the path. Once they were out of earshot, everyone sighed loudly.
"Great job on deceiving Buzzar!" Kooper told him. Parakarry nodded.
"Yeah, well. I'd rather not get into a scrap with him just yet. He seemed rather tough to deal with, so we might as well delay it as best as we can. I can't see that bluff working twice so let's make sure we're prepared to face him on the way back,"
"Got it... Oh, a Heart and Save Block! We must be near Dry, Dry Desert!" Kimani pointed out.
"Yep. Dry, Dry Desert is... well, a desert so it's going to be blazing... Uh, not to comment on your outfit, Kimani, but are you going to be ok in a hoodie?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine. Heat doesn't naturally affect me, and with Firebrand's powers flowing through me, I'm pretty much fireproof at this point,"
"Besides, the last person that told him to take off a jacket almost died so we just let him be," Jordan muttered.
"Keyword is almost,"
"No murdering," Dylan scolded, causing Kimani to sweatdrop and promise. Mario prayed for his endangered sanity and hit the Save Block before they continued along, eager to find the second Star Spirit and get one step closer to saving Peach.
File Saved!
Current Party Overview:
Mario:
Starting Stats: 10 HP, 5 FP, 3 BP
Current Stats: 15 HP, 10 FP, 9 BP (Level 5)
Equipped Badges: Close Call (1), Multibounce (1), Attack FX B, Zap Tap (4)
Main Partners: Whoever is available
Items: Mushroom x5, Super Shroom, Fried Egg, Koopa Tea x4, Super Soda, Nutty Cake, Spicy Soup, Pow Block, Sleepy Sheep, Fright Jar x2, Egg, Whacka's Bump, Hustle Drink, Maple Syrup
Current Star Pieces: 21
Current Badges: Peekaboo, 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), Starman (1), Damage Dodge (2), Quake Hammer
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, 6 BP (Level 5)
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 twice 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 fire damage for the duration, and enemies will take 1 damage from hitting him physically. His attack goes up by 1 as well. 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, 9 BP (Level 5)
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.
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! Still doesn't stack with his Action Command, however...
Staggering Blow: Jordan's attacks get a boost in strength! Every 3rd attack will cause Dizzy to whoever he hits!
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.
Dylan:
Starting Stats: 10 HP, 20 FP, 0 BP
Current Stats: 20 HP, 30 FP, 0 BP (Level 5)
Area of Expertise: Area of Effect, Healing and Buffing, Versatile
Equipped Badges: N/A
Main Battle Partners: Alpha, Bombette
Idle Animation: Dylan will rock on his heels and swing his arms idly while looking around. After a moment, he'll start to dance. He'll actually dance to whatever background music is playing (Will match the tempo of whatever song is playing) until an input is pushed.
Battle Animation: Dylan will have a hand on his ear and snap his fingers to the beat of the music. When it's his turn, he'll upgrade into a mini two-step.
Battle Talent: Passively regenerates FP over time (5 FP every turn) and doesn't take lightning damage, but he takes double damage from Water attacks, and he can't use FP items or badges.
Field Ability: Dylan can give Mario and Kimani a jolt in order to strengthen their attacks, allowing them to break Stone Blocks. (Mario does need the Super Hammer, at least) Will also give whoever he jolts a free Charge (+2 to their next attack) if they enter battle.
Jolt: Dylan launches a Lightning Bolt at a target of his choice. The bolt will jump to other targets if he's Charged Up. Pow: 1, (2 if he does the action command correctly) Can't hurt electric enemies. Style: Charge
Copycat: (5 FP, Cost 0 if he's Charged Up) Dylan scans a target, copying their moves and attributes for 2 turns. Alpha becomes unavailable during the Copycat. Pow: 0, changes Dylan's appearance and attributes after usage. Doesn't work on bosses or enemies with more than 5 Pow or 10 HP (Subject to change. Might just allow Dylan's Smash Shards to upgrade the threshold) Style: Aim, doesn't end Dylan's turn.
Quicken: (5 FP) Give your buddy an energizing zap, giving them an extra turn for 2 turns! Should Dylan be charged up, Quicken will also restore 5 FP!
Jump Start: (7 FP) Dylan sends a large amount of electricity into a friend of his choice, healing them for 5 HP and giving them the Zap Tap status for 1, 2, or 3 turns! If Charged, the HP goes up to 10, and the Zap Tap status will be 3 regardless of success or failure.
Passives:
Static Charge: Dylan passively builds up static as he fights. After 2 turns, Dylan becomes Charged Up, giving him the Zap Tap status and empowering one of his moves. The charge goes away after attacking or getting hit twice, however. Guarding doesn't count as being hit.
Copycat MK.1: Alpha's processors have been upgraded! He can now copy foes up to 12 HP!
Copycat MK.2: Alpha's processors have been upgraded! He can now copy foes with Attack Power as high as 7!
Copycat MK.3: Alpha's processors have been upgraded! He can now use a copied foe's second attack! (if they have one)
Alpha:
Area of Expertise: Debuffing, Area Of Effect, Information
Field Ability: Alpha can scan nearby enemies, exposing their weaknesses and lowering the frontmost foes' defense by 2 when they enter combat. He can also spend 5 FP to Copycat a friend or foe, and allow Dylan to start in said form.
Special Characterises: Alpha doesn't physically appear. Instead, Alpha will digistruct his tools for Dylan to use during his turn. Should Dylan take more than 10 HP damage in one turn or get hit by a water attack or fire attack, Alpha will Overheat or Short Circuit, which is his variation of being Injured for 1 turn.
Ion Beam (5 FP): Alpha digistructs an Ion Cannon onto Dylan's arm, allowing him to fire an Ion Beam at a target of Dylan's choice. The beam will cleave through a line, so if he aims at a grounded foe, all grounded foes will be hit. Pow: 2 (3 if he gets the action command) Ignores defense and lowers it by one point. Style: Charge
Safeguard (2 FP): Alpha locks his systems, preventing him from being Overheated or Short Circuit next turn should Dylan take 10 damage or be hit by a Fire or Water attack. This will also raise Dylan's defense by 1 for this turn.
Scan: (10 FP) Alpha scans the enemies and gives his team pointers on their attacks and weaknesses, decreasing their Attack Power and Defense Power by 1, 2, or 3 depending on Dylan's success with the Action Command. This can cause an enemy to fall into Dylan's Copycat threshold. Style: Memory
Assist: Alpha forgoes his turn, allowing Dylan to get an extra turn.
Changes from Main Game:
Seems like the heat made the Paragoombas tougher! (Red Paragoomba: Max HP: 2, Attack Power: 2, Defense Power: 0. Attacks twice)
Monty Moles have been practicing their pitches! (+3 HP, +1 Attack. Rocks are harder to block)
How are rocks harder than metal? (Clefts get +2 Attack and +2 Defense, (Still has a point of defense when flipped))
New items are available! (Hustle Drinks: will grant whoever two actions next turn.)
Whacka's a bit tougher than usual! He'll now occasionally give the group a Whacka Bump, and he's available to spar with!
Dylan, who's been under Whacka's care, reunites with his friends and joins the party alongside Alpha!